GRAYLING RIVERS. 133 



though he will not fight so desperately as a trout, he does 

 not die without a plucky struggle. Properly hooked, how- 

 ever, a grayling ought never to be lost ; but let the unsuc- 

 cessful grayling angler be consoled with the reflection that 

 many otherwise excellent fly-fishers have never mastered the 

 art of thoroughly hooking this fish. The sun, except on 

 frosty mornings, is bad for grayling fishing — fog, frost, wind, 

 rain, anything but sun may be tolerated, and unlike most 

 descriptions of fish the grayling is not to be met with early 

 in the morning or late in the evening. 



My Wharfedale expedition, though not, I confess, produc- 

 tive of much in the way of pisci-slaughter, was never re- 

 gretted ; there was too much to admire, too much to be 

 interested about, and then as to fish, one can always console 

 one's self with the anciently expressed comfort — ■ 



" If the all-ruling Power please 

 We live to see another May, 

 We'll recompense an age of these 

 Foul days jn one fine fishing day." 



Practical Notes on Grayling Rivers. 

 It is possible the recent attempt to introduce grayling into 

 the Thames may be more successful than the efforts with 

 salmon and trout, and the gentlemen who are deserving the 

 thanks of all anglers for their perseverance may find some 

 encouragement in what Sir Humphrey Davy, who studied 

 the grayling with intelligence if not indisputable science, lays 

 down as to the habits and nature of the fish. His leading 

 conditions are certainly fulfilled in the Thames. Summar- 

 ised, the conditions under which he says the grayling will 

 breed and thrive are — a moderate temperature of water, a 



