IN THE SEASON OF MISTS. 49 



lias been imaginatively termed " The Flower of the Fishes," " The 

 Queen of the Brook," and " Our Lady of the Streams." 



Those of us who, in the season of mists, have angled for and 

 have caught Sahno thymalltis, " the tantaliser," honour and respect 

 her as a fish yielding sport to hand and eye and gratification to the 

 palate. We rejoice in the opportunity that she affords for our 

 throwing a fly when the trout season is over. But, alas ! to our 

 intense sorrow, we find that among our fraternity she has made 

 implacable enemies. With concern we have followed the heated 

 controversy occasioned by her life- habits, involving the question 

 whether her presence in the trout stream is desirable. Her sins 

 have been so ruthlessly exposed and the views of her accusers and 

 defenders promulgated so widely that there is no necessity to repeat 

 them. Despite our affection for the grayling, however, we are 

 opposed, well-nigh unanimously, to her protection, should this be 

 undertaken at the expense of the noble trout ; in fact, we hold that 

 when the grayling thrives so much as to prove detrimental to the 

 trout, steps at once should be taken to suppress her. In some 

 cases we note that the grayling's enemies have been able to give 

 practical effect to their views ; but so far they have failed, fortunately 

 for us, to instigate a general movement against this fine, sporting 

 fish. So the grayling is still with us, and long may she remain ! 

 She has too many staunch admirers to allow her extermination 

 to be nearly in sight, despite the Jact that in some quarters she 

 is so strongly denounced. 



Surveying mentally the grayling's domain, we find that during 

 the past fifty years its boundaries have been considerably extended. 

 Nowadays she reigns from Berkshire, Hampshire, and Wiltshire to 

 Herefordshire and Shropshire ; to Derbyshire and Yorkshire ; to 

 Cumberland, Durham, and Northumberland into and beyond the 

 border of Scotland, where, apparently, the grayling is regarded by 

 many Scottish anglers as an intruder. Needless to say, this 

 territory embraces much picturesque and varied scenery, and 

 contains many delightful streams and rivers, each possessing its 

 special characteristics and charms. 



