104 FISHERMAN'S LURES 



such as frogs and minnows, the hook naturally 

 pierces a tender part, and the fish at once tries 

 to eject it. As he cannot do so, owing to the water's 

 resistance, he tries to leap over it, and by doing so 

 often succeeds in ridding himself of the offending 

 hook with his hard bony tongue. 



In the whole domain of nature the lives and 

 habits of fish are least known, because least seen. 

 In captivity their movements are entirely dif- 

 ferent from those of the wild state, so that it is to 

 practical anglers more than to scientific men that 

 we look for the information of this chapter. A 

 number of game-fish leap in play, or for their 

 food. Salmon are constantly seen making a bow- 

 like curve in the air two feet from the water and 

 then slipping back with barely a splash. I have 

 seen brook-trout (fontinalis) leap in a like manner, 

 sometimes only half out of the water for a fly, 

 then again, seemingly in pure wanton joyous- 

 ness, though I have very rarely had a brook-trout 

 leap out after being hooked. It will dash hither 

 and thither, but always under and low down, in 

 short turns and quick darts. Bass break water 

 more often than trout; in fact, it is rare when 

 they do not. Once being aware of restraint, they 

 leap one to nine times before being subdued. 



