THE AMERICAN GRAYLING. 353 



two flies at the lower end of the incoming rapid. Two fish, 

 of course — one a GrayHng, the other a Whitefish; the first on 

 a brown hackle, the latter on a coachman. Again a cast, 

 again two fish, and so on for a half-hour, alternating in 

 species between the Trout, the Grayhng, and the Whitefish. 



"I did not move more than ten yards from my first posi- 

 tion during the half-hour, at the end of which I became sated 

 and started up-stream to fish the unlikely places, recalling 

 to mind a similar experience on my first visit to the Gogebic 

 Bass, when, to the surprise of my guide, I told him to take 

 me to some place where the fish were not so plentiful. This 

 satiated cry — 'enough,' 'enough' — is doubtless a personal 

 experience with many of my readers and it is the sign manual 

 that distinguishes the angler from the pot-fisher. 



"The Grayling of Montana, to catch which I had traveled 

 more than 2,000 miles, did not disappoint my angling expec- 

 tations. It is, I think, a stronger fish, with sturdier fighting 

 qualities, than its congener of Michigan waters. It has a 

 thicker, broader body, and a somewhat longer head, but is 

 much less beautiful in contour and coloration. The Eastern 

 fish is more clipper-built, leaping frequently from the water 

 when hooked; in fact reminding me, measurably of course, 

 of the Skip-jack or Lady-fish of Florida, which is almost con- 

 stantly out of the water 'dancing on its tail,' when you are 

 bringing it to creel. The leap of the Montana Grayling is 

 not frequent, as the fish is disposed to fight deep, making 

 longer and stronger surges under the restraint of the tackle, 

 than those of Michigan waters. The coloration of the two 

 fish differs: the violet bloom of the body, seemingly trans- 

 lucent, is of a more delicate tint in the Eastern fish and more 

 generally diffused. The dorsal fin, from which the Graylings 

 derive their specific name — signifcr, 'the standard bearer' — 

 is not so high or so resplendently colored as those of the 

 Michigan fish. 



"Two striking differences exist between the habits and habi- 



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