SUNDRY CONSIDERATIONS 71 



cast, but the trout which, by reason of a larger 

 stomach capacity, misfortune of position, shortage 

 of fly, disincUnation for the society of tailers, or 

 the pursuit of the succulent shrimp, or neglect 

 of his opportunities during the main rise, is left 

 hungry, or at least hungry enough not to have 

 left off feeding after — often long after — the main 

 rise has petered out ; and also the trout whose 

 hearty appetite ranges him under the bank in 

 advance of the rise, in a state of impatience for his 

 meal, which leads him to sample such hors d'oeuvres 

 as the stream may bring his way. For reasons 

 which shall be made apparent, both of these classes 

 of trout offer themselves an easier prey to the 

 angler than the trout who is busy with a steady 

 diet of hatching duns. It is doubtful whether 

 the advice often tendered to the over-eager, to 

 allow the rising trout to get well set at the wicket, 

 is really sound, as, by the time he is well set, his 

 appreciation of what is offered him has become 

 greatly sharpened by a prolonged experience of 

 it as it should be, and he is as likely as not to 

 refuse anything that does not appeal to him as 

 being identical with the natural insect he has 

 been absorbing so m.uch of ; and I know no 

 more likely fish to take, if you get your fly 

 to him right, than a trout which is cruising up 

 to his feeding-ground, picking a fly or two on 

 the way. Freely I confess that whole rises have 

 passed me too many a time without my having 



