38o 



UTILITARIAN ZOOLOGY 



The enthusiasm and all-absorbing interest it evokes in the angler 

 are incomprehensible even to many disciples of the good and 

 observant Walton himself, for to sally forth, fly -rod in hand, 

 when the ground is hard with frost or the fields are white with 

 snow, seems to them to savour somewhat of folly and madness. 

 In the soft, bright spring-time it is delightful to wander by the 

 rippling stream and stalk the spotted trout, to the accompaniment 

 of the glorious melody of birds — to watch the budding foliage 

 bursting into new life, and gaze upon the river shining like gold 



'•"^ 



.fl/f^^2 



1269.— Pike {Esox Indus) 



in the dancing sunlight. On quiet, restful summer evenings, 

 too, the splash of the fish as they enjoy an abundant feast of 

 Duns is the sweetest of music to the angler's ear, and he may 

 perchance induce his quarry to look with favour upon the arti- 

 fically-dressed copy of the fly he offers them, and grass a brace 

 or two of lovely specimens ere darkness compels him, as a 

 thorough sportsman, to leave the stream. But it is amid different 

 and far less exhilarating surroundings that the grayling fisher's 

 labours begin and are continued to the end. As autumn 

 approaches, the rise of fly becomes sparse and erratic, and when 

 September's days are out, the trout fisher finds his occupation 

 gone. Thymallus steps in to fill what would otherwise be a 

 great gap in his piscatorial life. But for the grayling, his rods 

 would hang upon the wall during the long winter months, 



