PRAISE OF FLY FISHING. 13 



perature, that they were lost in sin, and de- 

 stroyed for their crimes ; but that fish, living 

 in a cooler element, were more correct in 

 their lives, and were therefore spared from 

 the destruction of the primitive world. You 

 have proved, by your examples, the intensity 

 of the appetite of hunger in fishes ; Spalan- 

 zani has given us another proof of the vio- 

 lence of a different appetite, or instinct, in a 

 cold-blooded animal, that has most of the 

 habits of the genus — the frog; which, in 

 the breeding season, remains attached to the 

 female, though a limb, or even his head, is 

 removed from the body. 



Hal. — This is likewise in favour of my 

 argument, that the sensibility of this class of 

 animals to physical pain is comparatively 

 small. 



Phys. — The advocates for a favourite 

 pursuit never want sophisms to defend it. 

 I have even heard it asserted, that a hare 

 enjoys being hunted. Yet I will allow that 

 fly fishing, after your vindication,, appears 

 amongst the least cruel of field sports ; — I 

 can go no farther ; as I have never thought 



