A WILTSHIRE WATER-MEADOW 71 



Its outline in places is broken by brown- 

 ish splotches, merging in the shadows of the 

 gravel stones and exactly coinciding with them 

 the true secret of camouflage, as known to the 

 tiger and the zebra. It is quite still, near the 

 bottom. It looks like a long, lanky pike, but 

 it takes me several minutes to make up my mind 

 that it really is one. Then I remember the 

 wire in my pocket, creep away from the water, 

 and fetch a long withy-pole from the mill. It 

 does not take long to attach a wire noose to 

 the end, and then the excitement begins. One 

 thing is certain directly the pole is shown the 

 trout will be off up-stream, probably into the 

 weed-bed, and it is ten to one that he disturbs 

 the pike. That is exactly what happens, but 

 luckily the pike makes only a short dart and 

 remains clear of the weeds, so that it is still 

 just possible to slip the noose over him, taking 

 care that it does not touch his back, sides or 

 belly ; not an easy business, because refraction 

 makes it difficult to judge his true position, 

 and he lies rather deep in the water for such 

 an operation. I leave him for some minutes 

 to settle down, and he plays into my hands 

 by rising a little nearer to the surface. He pays 

 no attention to the pole or wire. I lower the 

 noose gently into the water, move it slowly 



