28 Spring on a Hill-stream 



valescent. At first they will not face the strong 

 water in the main current of the stream ; they lie 

 in the deep pools and stiller eddies, where their 

 strength is diffused or chiefly spent on the surface. 

 In the straighter and more even reaches, where 

 there are no such refuges, they shrink into small 

 holes and hovers under the bank, and catch at 

 food that the current washes within their reach. 

 Gradually the warmer spates bring down a more 

 liberal supply of the worms and grubs that stir in 

 spring weather, and enough fly hatch in the in- 

 tervals of sunshine to give them a chance of gaining 

 weight and vigour from this most fattening food. 

 Then they push out into the stronger current, at 

 first taking up their station in the tail and at the 

 side of the runs. A week of warmer nights and 

 days brings the sandpipers to the shingle-spits, 

 and the willow- wrens abundantly to the copses; 

 and now the black pools and the holes under the 

 bank are almost deserted, and plump trout are 

 posted in the stronger water. Their increase of 

 flesh is as noticeable as their change of habit. Be- 

 fore the cold storms and frosty nights are over they 

 are equally responsive to each transitory burst of 

 sunshine. Broad clouds borne southward and 

 sifting snowflakes keep the day to a wintry tem- 

 perature, and the trout are absolutely inert ; none 

 larger than a salmon parr will rise. Then comes 

 an awakening, when even a quarter of an hour's 

 sunshine strikes a gleam and a sense of spring to 

 the depths of the peat-tinged pool ; while the sun 

 lasts the trout rise steadily, if scarcely with freedom. 



