34 In Pursuit of the Trout 



the stream ; and when we return, half an 

 hour later, the eggs appear to have been 

 taken away ; but the bird has merely covered 

 them over with a few dead leaves. You 

 have only to sit quite still for a while, and 

 the dabchick and wild-duck will both return 

 to their nests. The water-rat fearlessly swims 

 about within a few yards of you, while a 

 rustling in the copse announces the approach 

 of a timorous leveret. As for the sedge- 

 warbler, he will come into the bush under 

 which you are reclining and pour that quaint 

 medley of notes — stolen notes, say some — 

 into your very ears. But make the slightest 

 movement and he instantly leaves off singing,^ 

 whilst the leveret rushes off in terror, and 

 the dabchick slips into the water again. As 

 for the fish, a shadow will alarm them ; 

 indeed, you must stalk your trout just as 

 you stalk on summer evenings a rabbit feed- 

 ing in the woodland path or a deer on the 



1 On the other hand, fling a stone in the bush where 

 the sedge-warbler lurks silent, and he will instantly burst 

 into song. 



