60 ANECDOTES OF FISHES 



to loiter by the way, or to steal into designing 

 obscurity, under the shade of some overhanging 

 bank. But none of these manoeuvres captivated 

 the wary old trout, on whose acquisition the Cor- 

 poral had set his heart ; and what was especially 

 provoking, the angler could see distinctly the 

 dark outline of the intended victim, as it lay at 

 the bottom. 



" The Corporal waited till he could no longer 

 blind himself to the displeasing fact, that the 

 violet-fly was wholly inefficacious ; he then drew 

 up his line, and replaced the contemned beauty 

 of the violet-fly, with the novel attractions of the 

 yellow-dun. 



"'Now, Sir!' whispered he, lifting up his 

 finger, and nodding sagaciously to Walter. 

 Softly dropped the yellow-dun upon the water, 

 arid swiftly did it glide before the gaze of the 

 latent trout ; and now the trout seemed aroused 

 from his apathy, behold he moved forward, 

 balancing himself on his fins ; now he slowly 

 ascended towards the surface ; you might see all 

 the speckles of his coat ; the Corporal's heart 

 stood still, he is now at a convenient distance 

 from the yellow-dun ; lo, he surveys it stead- 

 fastly; he ponders, he see-saws himself to and 

 fro. The yellow -dun sails away in affected 

 indifference, that indifference whets the appetite 

 of the hesitating gazer, he darts forward ; he is 

 opposite the yellow-dun he pushes his nose 



