54 In Pursuit of the Trout 



came out so very often on that occasion. 

 The water was in a woful state of neglect. 

 Enormous bunches of weeds asserted them- 

 selves in both pool and stream, and here and 

 there — especially when a mill above held up 

 the water — seemed to well-nigh choke up the 

 brook. Now and again, strolling along the 

 banks, I caught sight of a great wave and a 

 shadowy form in precipitate flight. A few 

 spent may-flies, with some duns and spinners, 

 were out in the bright sunshine, but the fish 

 never stirred. The only movement of a 

 feeding trout was occasionally that of a great 

 tail, which, breaking the surface of the 

 pellucid stream, showed that water-shrimp 

 and snail must be abundant enough in the 

 weed-beds. Later on in the evening there 

 were a few dimples, and presently I caught 

 sight of a fish in a streamy place and close 

 to the surface. The size of a fish, in a place 

 of this description, is often most deceptive ; 

 now a half-pounder looks a good pound and 

 a-half, and now a three-pounder scarcely 

 more than a third of its actual weight. 



