FOREST, LJKE, AND RIVER 



But notwithstanding the humorous view of this 

 scientific fact, a well settled fact it remains. Many 

 experienced fly fishermen have observed it in our 

 Salvelinus fontinalis ; and Mr. Livingston Stone, 

 United States Fish Commissioner, in March, 

 1 88 1, wrote, over his own signature: 



" There is no longer any doubt that the Cali- 

 fornia trout, at least (Salmo irided)^ uses its tail 

 intentionally for the purpose of disturbing and 

 examining any unusual kind of food which it 

 finds on the water. Long continued observation 

 has confirmed this fact beyond a doubt." 



So, hereafter, when you go a-fishing, let me ask 

 you to observe that trout often (not always) strike 

 at the fly with their tails. Close observers will 

 occasionally see a trout come out of the water, and 

 hit with its tail a natural fly, striking it down to 

 the surface ; the trout will then drop into the 

 water head-first, turn, come up, and eat the fly. 

 Probably bait fishermen will laugh at this — but 

 then bait fishermen seldom see a trout alive. 

 After a man has used his eyes for twenty years, or 

 even less, in the wild woods and on mountain 

 streams, his eyes get so that they see distinctly 

 many things, — paths without a trace, shadows, 

 motions. 



252 



