242 BT SOOK AND BY CBOOK. 



fisherman as he is, standing knee-deep and close upon 

 his prey, surely the colour of his legs and plumage 

 must be well adapted to his purpose ; so if the angler 

 reproduce these tones in his tackle he may be satisfied 

 that he is not far wrong. 



Day after day the heron will frequent the same 

 spot, standing on almost the identical stone, motionless, 

 with neck only half stretched out across the stream, at 

 about an angle of 45 degrees, so that he may instantly 

 extend it. 



He selects a position within reach of a spot ofifering 

 peculiar charms for his prey, and fishes, as it were, 

 ''up stream; " and as he claims each victim he knows 

 full well that another will soon supply the place of the 

 last. 



In cold-blooded, creatures the sense of feeling is of 

 very low grade, and if this were not so with fish they 

 would not offer such strenuous opposition when hooked, 

 in direct contrast to the behaviour of warm-blooded 

 animals, when controlled under like circumstances; 

 for instance, a bull with a ring or a horse with a twitch 

 on his nose. 



Upon being grasped a fish is momentarily inactive, 

 but he soon overcomes the effect and strives for freedom. 



That the sense of smell is enjoyed by fish is evidently 

 the belief of those who advertise for sale variously 

 scented oils, or, at all events, they must be of opinion 

 that others, whom they choose to designate as " sports- 

 men," hold such views. 



