246 AMERICAN FISHES. 



for, if he do, the shadow of his body, with his arms thrashing the air, 

 and the counterfeit presentment of his long rod vibrating aloft, will 

 be thrown on the bright surface of the waters in such a manner as 

 will undoubtedly alarm the fish ; which, however much doubt there 

 may exist as to their powers of auscultation, no one will deny to be 

 capable of quick vision. 



Thirdly, he shall not so draw his fly along the surface as to give it 

 the appearance or reality of floating w^ stream ; for flies do not in 

 natiu-e float up stream ; nor do the Trout or Salmon, although they 

 may never have studied logic, and are probably incapable of deducing 

 consequences from causes, lack the ability to discern what is, from 

 what is not, natural. 



Across the stream he may bring it gently and coquettishly home, 

 with a slow whuding rotatoiy motion, letting it swim down in the 

 swifter whirls of the stream, and float round and round in the eddies, 

 with this special observance, that he shall, in so far as he can, keep it 

 ever at the end of a tight line, for so only will the fish hook itself, 

 without any movement of the hand on the angler's part — an end most 

 desirable to effect. 



Both Salmon and Trout lie in wait for their prey, for the most part, 

 rather than swim in pursuit of it in schulls or companies. They are 

 often, I would say generally, found in pairs, and therefore, after killing 

 one in any favorable pool or eddy, it will be well not too soon to desert 

 the spot, even although it may have been disturbed by the bustle and 

 hurly of the first capture. 



The tail of swift rapids, where some large stone breaks the force 

 of the current, and causes a lull, or, as one would say of wind, alee, 

 will always be found a likely spot wherein to cast ; and in pools, be- 

 tween two rapids or cascades, the head and the foot, immediately 

 above the one and below the other descent, will generally each hold 

 a fish. 



Still clear deep reaches will again be found to contain many times 

 the largest, and often tlie largest fishes, especially of Brook Trout ; 

 and these places require the neatest and the finest fishing, for two 

 very sufficient reasons j first, that the transparency of the water enables 

 the fish clearly to discern the angler, unless he stand well back from 

 the margin of the bank ; and, secondly, that its stillness allows all the 



