Tin; SMKI.T Nt>T A S.MKl.'l 



\V> 



'nil. \ Ml. lilt AN SMKI.T. 



«.*/iirriM i'lriil'.t.f-.ui l.jx mil, IIkka^, Ai..i> 



All.riuail .Siiidt. 



Tills liit;lily-j)ri/((l and delicious little fish docs not projjcrlv 

 rail witliin tiic angler's catalogue of Sportinj; l'i>lics, inasmuch as 

 it is quest ionaljlc, at least, whether it is ever taken \\itli the 

 liook ; I have heard it positively asserted that it has been 

 captured both with the fly and with its own roe, but I consider 

 the fact doubtful, to say no more — the fish having probably been 

 confounded with the Athcrinc or Sand- smelt, a small fish com- 

 monly known in this country as the Sparling, and much used 

 as a l)ait fish. This lisli, which a -rood deal resembles the true 

 Smelt, botii in appearance and liavonr, is of ;i dilfcniit order 

 and family, being of the ordci" .■lrti/i//iopfcri/i/ii, aiul famiU 

 Miu/Uidiv, bites freely and readily, and has prohabiv, as I 

 observcil, been mistaken by the unscirntific angler. 



My object in dwelling on this delicate little fish is, firstly, to 

 correct a vulgar error which 1 find still prevalent with nuinv 

 |MT»ons, that the true Smelt is itientical with the Salmon Smalt, 

 and is, in fact, the fry «»f the Salmon at the commeneemeMf of 

 hia second ycur. 



The absurdity of this is .Hutficiently evident fn)m the consichr- 



