162 SALMONIA. [sixth day. 



PHYS. — Can you tell us why the fish rise better at 

 the fly when the tide is flowing, than when it is ebbing ? 

 There seems no reason why flies should be sought for 

 by the fish at one of these seasons, rather than at 

 the other. 



HAL. — The turn of the salt water brings up aquatic 

 insects, and perhaps small fish ; and I suppose salmon 

 know this, and search for food at a time when it is 

 likely to be found. I cannot think, that in these 

 pools they can be on the look-out for flies, for there 

 are never any on the surface of the water ; and I 

 imagine they take the gaudy fly, with its blue king- 

 fisher and golden pheasant's feathers, for a small 

 fish. 



ORN. — I have always supposed, that they took it 

 for a libellula, or dragon-fly ; for I have often seen 

 these brilliant flies haunting the water. 



HAL. — I never saw a dragon-fly drop on the water, 

 or taken by a fish; and salmon sometimes rise even in 

 the salt water, where dragon-flies are never found. 

 There is no difficulty in explaining why salmon in 

 inland rivers should take flies, where natural flies are 

 abundant ; but fish, when they have lain long in pools 

 in the river and fed on natural flies, will no longer 

 take these bright flies, and then even a trout-fly is 

 often most successful. I have sometimes thought 

 that the rising of salmon and sea trout at these bright 



