20 FOOD OF FISHES. 



Light seems peculiarly attractive to fishes, and 

 accordingly, on taking down a lamp in a diving bell, 

 the diver is immediately surrounded with a multitude 

 of fishes, attracted thither by the light. In what is 

 termed in Scotland Black fishing, so interestingly 

 described by Sir Walter Scott in his Guy Mannering, 

 the fishers by night carry a grate of burning coals, 

 or, what would be still more convenient, good large 

 torches, and wade along the more shallow streams 

 where salmon come up to spawn. When the water is 

 tolerably clear, few fish can escape such a search, and 

 when they are discovered, they appear to be so fasci- 

 nated by the glare of the light, that they make little 

 effort to escape, and are easily speared. I have more 

 than once been myself engaged in this singular species 

 of fishing in Ayrshire. 



It is on the same principle that the Chinese catch 

 fish, by what may be called a sort of daring. They 

 employ two strait boats, with a board painted white 

 and varnished, nailed to them. This is made to slope 

 outwards, and almost touches the surface of the water, 

 the colour of which it is made to take by the reflection 

 of the light of the moon. Towards this the fish dart, 

 fall on the board, and are caught without trouble. 



Attention to colours in Angling. 

 From what has been here laid down, it may be seen, 

 that though fishes are not endowed with acute sight to 

 distinguish forms, this will not apply to colours, an 

 attention to which is of some importance for practising 

 the art successfully. 



