the more southern portions of England that we must now deal in pursuing these considerations.

Charles Kingsley undoubtedly contributed largely towards the popularising of trout fishing. It would be scarcely possible to read his delightful descriptions of Devonshire and Hampshire without feeling a desire to attempt, in however small a degree, some such piscatorial deeds as those recounted in 'Chalk Streams Studies' and other works of that great exponent of healthy, honest, English life and sport. Moreover, the facilities now afforded by the railways allow a busy man to get away from his town work for the inside of a day, and in two or three hours or less he can find himself by Itchen or Kennet side, should he be fortunate enough to have fishing thereon. The train service will enable him to return to London the same evening, so that only one day will have been taken from his working time. But a few years ago this would not have been practicable, owing to the then inferior railway arrangements. This of course applies equally to any of the great centres of population in the country as to London.

Let us therefore admit, as an accepted fact, that trout fishing has become vastly more popular than it was twenty years ago, and that the number of its adherents has largely increased.

The next point to be considered is, what particular method of fishing is now usually practised. Is it fly fishing? If so, do people fish up or down stream ? Do they use wet or dry fly? Or do they sometimes attempt to attract their victims by means of the wellscoured worm?

It may, I think, be safely averred that nearly every one of the great army of anglers nowadays fishes up-stream with the dry fly; that is, whenever such method be practicable; and also, that on hardly any river, whether it be open to the public or strictly preserved private water, is the use of anything else than artificial fly allowed.1

Let us now enquire what it is that constitutes the great charm of fly fishing, and especially the use of the dry fly; and further let us penetrate somewhat into the mysteries of this art—for it surely deserves such a designation.

With regard to the reason of the attractiveness of this form of fishing, it must be admitted that it is infinitely more satisfactory, from a sporting point of view, to mark a good trout lying near the top of the water in some almost painfully clear and stilly flowing stream, and determine to secure him, if by any fair

' I am here alluding mainly to the trout rivers of England. In Scotland, and also in parts of England where rough quick streams exist, wet-fly down-stream fishing is more generally prevalent.

agency such end may be obtained, than to seek out some rough piece of water, and there, by throwing blindly, and without any idea of the size or nature of fish that may take your drowned fly, cast on the 'chuck and chance it' principle.

In the first case you pit your skill and piscatorial and entomological knowledge against the trout's natural instincts and sharpness of eye-how keen this vision is only fishermen know; whereas when blindly casting into runs and rough water you have little or no idea of what is happening to your fly, or what the fish thinks of it and you; unless by chance some unwise troutlet hooks itself, or what is more probable only gets pricked, and hurriedly retires into the security of the nearest weed bed.

To prevent any misconception, however, I would point out that dry-fly fishing can only be followed under certain conditions, and that excellent sport and capital fun are to be obtained by the other forms of fly fishing, as will be explained elsewhere in this volume.

The methods of dry-fly fishing can be divided into three heads :

First, fishing for trout 'standing,' i.e. fish which are near the top of the water looking about for flies, or other floating food.

Secondly, fishing for fish which are rising, but

which, owing to a slight ripple on the water, or some other cause, cannot be accurately seen.

Thirdly, fishing over likely places where trout are not observed to be either 'standing' or rising.

It would seem that numbers one and two are so closely allied that they must be described together; for though there are certain differences in the manner in which trout should be approached under such circumstances, so much similarity exists that separate treatment of the methods would be superfluous.

Let us then, through the instrumentality of that most marvellously vivid medium—Imagination— transport ourselves to the bank of some crystally clear stream, place it where you will, in Hampshire or Buckinghamshire, in Hertfordshire or Derbyshire, and there let us in fancy try whether we can wile from the depths certain big trout which we know dwell therein.

In what month shall we suppose ourselves to be? Let it be May, and towards the third week. Then shall we get the benefit of many things to help us to enjoy our sport, both as regards the pleasure of the eye, and the success of our undertaking. For he is no true angler who does not to the depths of his soul appreciate the beauty of the surroundings which must at all times be with him when by the banks of

any river, though it may flow through what to the casual observer would seem to be but a dull and uninteresting country. As soon as ever he is actually on the water, so to speak, he must be conscious, if worth his salt as a fisherman, of all that Nature has placed before him for his notice. Though the country down to the river's brim be flat and uninviting, still, as the water's influence is felt, there appear beautiful creations for his attention, and if he be wise, for his careful study.

The masses of orange celandine; the iris, standing in bold relief, with its yellow spikes of flowers uplifting themselves among their graceful leaves; the forms of the myriad wild flowers upon the banks, should gladden both eye and mind; while, should any coppice or wood approach the river, then at various seasons the starwort, herb robin, bluebell, forget-me-not, anemone, wild mignonette, and, in the North, the wild geranium, lend their gracious aid to the beauty of the scene, by the carpet of deftly blended colours which they spread over the land.

And what shall be said of the bird-life which is always to be found by the riverside? Nightingale, peewit, redstart, summer snipe, kingfisher, blackcap, and a hundred other kinds, all seem to select a stream as their favourite haunt; and the value