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also written poetry. Naturally, they have now and again chosen the theme that lies nearest their heart. Fishing poems are, in consequence, innumerable.

This volume brings together the best and most representative of these poems. The prodigious amount of fishing verse available has led, inevitably, to regrettable omissions. To begin with, all verse not written in English, however excellent in itself or well translated, has been denied reproduction in these pages. Moreover many poems of fine flavor by Somerville, Hogg, Doubleday, Dennys, and Foster (to mention only a few of the better-known fishing-bards); all excerpts from the "Fishers' Garland," published annually for years at Edinburgh, and from the volume of "Edinburgh Angling Club Songs"; all parodies (though many are notably clever); all mere doggerel; and all narrowly local poems or pieces for specific occasions (as for club celebrations or in honor of some famous fisherman)-these have had to be debarred. In fact the editors, after examining, piece by piece, almost the entire corpus of fishing verse extant, faced the still harder task of making exclusions. They hardened their hearts to hundreds of "pretty good" poems on the theory, as a wit once expressed it, that "a pretty good poem is like a pretty good egg." They admitted nothing that failed to measure up to one or the other of two standards of merit: (1) literary distinction, (2) felicitous or effective embodiment of some special aspect of fishing. Even so, they were forced to shut out many poems that had won to the very threshold of acceptance. But they have the satisfaction of feel

ing that they have spared no pains to compile the best possible anthology for anglers.

Since they could not make the volume-save in a limited sense-inclusive, they resolved it should show, not only real merit, but the utmost variety. To this end they have apportioned space with jealous care. They have naturally been most liberal to Stoddart, "the Fisher Laureate," because his poems live fishing and reflect, more completely than any other writer's, its manifold spirit. They have levied heavily upon the English and Scotch bards with poems by Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Scott, Donne, Pope, Thomson, Gay, Keats, Hood, Kingsley, Praed, Lang, and Rupert Brooke, and more heavily upon those of the United States with poems by Whittier, Holmes, Riley, Van Dyke, Eugene Field, Edgar Guest, Walt Mason, John Kendrick Bangs, Frank L. Stanton, Douglas Malloch, James W. Foley, Grantland Rice, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, and Paul Lawrence Dunbar. Readers of fishing magazines will be pleased to find such favorite writers are Robert Page Lincoln, William E. Elliott, George B. Staff, George W. Sears, and Sam S. Stinson.

The editors have tried to represent practically all phases of fishing and all sections of the country. To the trout, salmon, and bass, as favorite game fish, they have accorded space commensurate with popularity. Nor have they been so obtuse as to ignore the byproducts of fishing, as delight in nature, in the calm of vast forest stretches, and in the nocturnal gatherings and diversions of anglers.

The editors gratefully acknowledge the permissions

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extended them to reproduce poems under copyright. Specifically they wish to express their gratitude to J. A. Cruikshank of "The American Angler," E. F. Warner and Hy. S. Watson of "Field and Stream," William Bruette and John P. Holman of "Forest and Stream," Albert Britt of "Outing Magazine," and W. J. Taylor and C. V. Latham of "Rod and Gun in Canada," who by their conspicuous generosity and helpful co-operation have greatly contributed to whatever merit this book may possess.

For the convenience of the reader, literary references and Scotch words are explained by notes at the back of the book.