28 SALM0N1A. [second day. 



POIET. — I am astonished ! It appears to me that 

 the very same fish are again feeding. There are two 

 fish rising nearly in the same spot where they rose 

 before ; can they be the same fish ? 



HAL. — It is very possible. It is not likely that three 

 other fish of that size should occupy the same haunts. 



POIET. — But I thought after a fish had been hooked, 

 he remained sick and sulky for some time, feeling his 

 wounds uncomfortable. 



HAL. — The fish that I hooked is not rising in the 

 same place, and therefore, probably, was hurt by the 

 hook ; but one of these fish seems to be the same 

 that carried off your fly, and it is probable that the 

 hook only struck him in a part of the mouth where 

 there are no nerves ; and that he suffered little at the 

 moment, and does not now feel Iris annoyance. 



POIET. — I have seen him take four or five flies : 

 I shall throw over him. There, he rose, but refused 

 the fly. He has at least learnt, from the experiment 

 he has made, to distinguish the natural from the 

 artificial fly. 



HAL. — This, I think, always happens after a fish 

 has been hooked with an artificial fly. He becomes 

 cautious, and is seldom caught that year, at least 

 with the same means in the same pool : but I dare 

 say that fish might be taken with a natural fly ; or, 

 what is better, two upon the hook. 



