132 THE MAYFLY AND THE TROUT 



nearly extinct in England) is circling far overhead, and 

 a buzzard sails over the neighbouring copse. But the 

 most conspicuous bird is the stork, associated with 

 memories of Hans Andersen, to whom he was so dear. 

 The storks have just arrived from the south to start 

 their domestic affairs for the season. Danish house- 

 holders hail their presence as bringing good luck to a 

 homestead, and tempt them to build by placing a cart- 

 wheel horizontally on the barn roof. 



There is no better place to spend a quiet holiday 

 than among this happy, contented people, once the 

 scourge of English shores; and if anything else were 

 wanting to attract roving visitors, the quality of Danish 

 roads should find favour with bicyclists. 



XXXII 



Somewhat late the other evening, a trout, more daring 

 than his fellows in the winding Lea, had the 

 and the hardihood to seize one of a flight of large 

 gossamer-winged flies as it floated over his 

 nose. Instantly the news was circulated in subaqueous 

 quarters that the insect was one of unusual delicacy, 

 and before dark the dimples, rings, and splashes of 

 rising fish might be seen all over the water. Through- 

 out the previous week a few mayflies had been seen, 

 heralds of the coming swarm, but not a trout would 

 point his nose at one ; delicate duns and March browns 

 were all the fancy. But on the Saturday in question 

 the beautiful queen of the ephemerids came out in 



