502 MY GARDEN. 



At sunset there is a moment when the whole river seems alive, and 

 all the trout come to the surface. This interesting occurrence takes 

 place every evening in summer, but more so on some evenings than 

 on others ; and, as the fish come up at once, so they usually all go 

 down together, and the river becomes as silent as death. Our trout 

 do not much come out to feed before nine or ten in the morning, 

 and it is only during the very hottest nights that they continue 

 to feed till ten at night. Unless we rightly understand the ways of 

 the trout, we may say with Burns : — ■ 



"The trout within yon wimpling burn 

 Glides swift, a silver dart. 

 And safe beneath the shady thorn 

 Defies the angler's art." 



As Grayling {Thymallus vulgaris) did not exist in the Wandle, I 

 determined to endeavour to acclimatize it. At first I raised youno- 

 ones from ova, but still no fish were found in the river. Resolved 

 to give the experiment the fullest trial, I decided to introduce large fish 

 into the Wandle ; and Mr. Peach, of Derby, succeeded in catching nearly 

 twenty brace and in transferring them safely and in good condition to 

 our water. This was a very difficult and costly experiment ; but though 

 many of them lived for years, and resorted to gravel spawn-beds 

 in spring, at the present time not only have no young fish been 

 observed, but all the old fish except one or two have also disappeared. 

 Some undoubtedly went down the stream ; but ardent followers of 

 Izaak Walton have been known to stand for hours together endeavouring 

 to catch and destroy these fish, which cost so much trouble and money 

 to place in the river. The destructive propensities of man are a great 

 impediment to acclimatization. 



The utter failure of this experiment is the more remarkable, as a 

 similar trial was made upon the river Clyde, above Glasgow, and I have 

 been informed that now plenty of grayling exist where heretofore there 

 were none. 



When I obtained the grayling, I took the opportunity of procuring 

 some Burbolts or Eel Pouts [Lota vulgaris). One was caught some time 



