THE ANGLING CYCLIST. 



[We solicit for publication, under this dej^artment heading, contributions of interest to Angiing 

 Cyclists, particularly outings on the wheel to fishing waters.] 



How to Distinguish Characteristic Wheelmen. 



To tell an habitual scorcher, 'tis only neces- 

 sary to size up his head and body, says an old 

 wheelman and phrenologist. A head that slopes 

 abruptly at about where the hat touches above 

 the ears, is pretty certain to belong to a scorcher; 

 and if in addition the person is dark complex- 

 ioned and in good physical form, the evidence 

 is conclusive. He will scorch regardless of ev- 

 erything, and a fall that would make the aver- 

 age person discard the wheel altogether wdll 

 apparently give him new impetus. The slope 

 mentioned indicates an absence of caution, and 

 the recklessness of the wheelman depends 

 largely on the size of that organ. If it slopes 

 gradually the disposition to scorch maj' still be 

 active, but he will avoid scorching in dangerous 

 places. The heads of women, as a rule, seem 

 to be better filled out at cautiousness than those 

 of the men. 



To tell a wheelman who always thinks him- 

 self strictly correct in riding and faultless on his 

 wheel observe the back part of his top head. At 

 this point the head will rise upward and back- 

 ward from the ear, showing self-esteem. When 

 this part is prominent you may be sure its owner 

 will not seek advice from anybody. He will 

 have his own ideas on the w^ay to dress and the 

 way to ride, and what suits him will have to be 

 tolerated by others. He will mount his wheel 

 with an air of being the only bicyclist on earth ; 

 and he might as well be, so far as his ever de- 

 riving an}^ benefit from the methods and experi- 

 ences of other wheelmen. Among the people 

 generally in this country self-esteem is found to 

 be poorly developed, notably among women. A 

 cyclist who will wheel on a hot summer day and 

 wear a derby hat and starched shirt, with high 

 collar and cuffs, is a victim of large self-esteem, 

 and the woman who opposes comfortable bicy- 

 cle dress and clings to a long walking .skirt is 

 apt to be of the same class. Such a person 

 usually avoids bicycle clubs and has few com- 

 panions when riding. 



When a man or a woman says, " Oh, I like to 

 ride a wheel because so-and-so does, and be- 

 cause, you know, it's just the thing," you may 

 depend on finding that person's hat wider be- 

 hind than in front. There will be a noticeable 



breadth to the upper and back part of the head, 

 where is located approbativeness, the faculty 

 that strives to please everybody under all cir- 

 cumstances. It is easily found, and its strength 

 is usually not hard to determine. A bicyclist 

 who burdens his wheel with every new attach- 

 ment the minute it comes out, insists on having 

 the latest thing in dress and the newest machine 

 on the market, is influenced by approbative- 

 ness. He will spend as much time cleaning 

 and polishing his bicycle as in riding it, and 

 his great delight will be to keep thoroughly 

 posted on the very best bicycle etiquette. To 

 sit erect or to sit at a right angle is all the same 

 to him if it is in "good form." The bicycle 

 face and the bicycle feet are matters of neces- 

 sity to him if he is told they mark the genuine 

 wheelman. The heads of women in general 

 show larger approbativeness than the heads of 

 men; but in wheelwomen this organ seems to 

 be well tempered by common sense and the 

 action of self-esteem. Approbativeness leads 

 some cyclists to attempt century runs for the 

 mere sake of applause, and when very large 

 and not restrained by higher impulses is sure 

 to work injury. 



Here's how to distinguish the most enviable 

 of all the knights of the wheel — they w^ho. get 

 the most real benefit out of it: The head will 

 appear to have no special development what- 

 ever and to be smooth and symmetrical. The 

 width it W' ill be proportionate to its length and 

 heighth, and although the identical traits of 

 the other classes are present, they exert only 

 medium strength, and are of no more import- 

 ance in such a head than perhaps a dozen other 

 organs. There is not enough cautiousness to 

 cause timidity, and too little self-esteem and 

 firmness for conventionality. The forehead is 

 likely to rise gradually, and the top back head 

 W'ill form a natural curve dowmward. Wheel- 

 men of this class have what is called a harmo- 

 nious head, the power of no one organ being 

 sufficiently large to excite disturbance among 

 the others. 



When noting the contour of the head one 

 should not forget to consider the body as well. 

 AVhile a person physically well-built and weigh- 

 ing 170 pounds may be naturally fretful and 



