THE UANANICHE 



a bull-dog clinging to a stick that one holds, and 

 endeavors to retain. The securing of the fish or 

 stick is equally difficult. The action of the dog 

 and fish is very similar. 



The angler casts his flies upon a swift-flowing 

 rapid or a seething, boiling pool. Previous ex- 

 perience with other fish would* indicate that no 

 member of the finny tribe could live there. But 

 previous experience does not count here. A sil- 

 very flash possibly, a sharp tug at the line surely I 

 This is usually the first intimation of a strike, as it 

 is given under or just at the surface, being, there- 

 fore, probably unnoticed, owing to the rough 

 waters. A sharp answering strike back on the 

 part of the angler, and a battle royal is on. So 

 erratic and at variance is the fighting method of 

 one fish from that of another, that a general de- 

 scription is valueless. Perhaps the better plan is 

 to describe the antics of one particular fish, and 

 allow that to sufficiently stir the imagination to 

 enable one to picture to some degree the behavior 

 of all. 



The black bass cannot be belittled as a fighter, 



since he comes of fighting stock, protects family 



traditions, and verifies them beyond question. 



Mayhap, like a poorly trained fighter, they may 



keep up a fierce battle for a few short rounds, but 

 VOL. I. — 6 8 1 



