214 FISHES I HAVE KNOWN 



All inquiries for them failed, until a burly butcher 

 cleared up the mystery. " Why, it be maggots 

 thee wants ! " he said contemptuously. So for 

 " maggots " I inquired ever afterwards, and got 

 them. 



I tried the Bridgewater canal, and left it in 

 despair. I tried a lovely mere not far off, in 

 Cheshire, but all the fish had apparently assembled 

 at the far and inaccessible end. Then I heard 

 that the Warrington Corporation issued permits 

 to angle in the reservoir, where all kinds of fish 

 abounded. 



The reservoir was prettily situated near Hill 

 Cliff, and close to the Walton Hall home pre- 

 serves, where the head-keeper lived in a picturesque 

 lodge. No sooner did I arrive at his gate than a 

 pack of sporting dogs, affable no doubt when with 

 the gunners, furiously rushed out into a kind of 

 alley. Not desirous of making their closer ac- 

 quaintance, I shouted out to a woman who came 

 in sight to be good enough to bring the ticket 

 to me, which she did, remarking pleasantly, " You 

 needn't be afraid of those dogs. You might 

 just as well have come inside. They're as quiet 

 as lambs." But my idea of lambs differed from 

 hers. 



Now, a reservoir is supposed to contain water, 



