10 HOW TO TIE FLIES. 



upon the unoccupied attention of the lethargic 

 fish, when another would pass by unobserved. It 

 might thus stir it into that impulsive activity 

 which is consequent on the sudden arousal of the 

 faculties in both man and lower animal, and 

 which, being unaccompanied either by suspicion 

 or even ordinary caution, is a state propitious to 

 the success of the angler's strategy. 



I can see no need to frame any far-fetched 

 theories to explain why the trout takes fancy 

 flies. It would seem quite sufficient to say that 

 he evidently regards them as things endowed with 

 life, and weaker than himself ; and the same 

 obvious explanation will, of course, apply in the 

 salmon's case also. The theory that it is rage 

 that causes salmon and trout to rise at nondescript 

 flies seems quite unnecessary. Is it rage that 

 makes the child, the natural child, kill a fly on 

 the window pane or, years later, throw stones at 

 birds or, years later still, take delight in catch- 

 ing uneatable fish ? Why should we not give all 

 circumstances their much more -obvious explana- 

 tion, as manifestations, of the predatory instinct 

 in predatory animals ? 



It will not be necessary to remind the reader 

 that, hitherto I have only been discussing the 

 ideals to be aimed at in trout fly making, without 

 reference to the manner of carrying them out in 

 practice. 



My opinions are much more puritanical than 

 my actions. 



Video meliora proboque, deteriora sequor. 



Considerations of convenience often lead me 

 to be content with something short of what 

 I might, with more labour, accomplish. After all, 

 when it is remembered that the trout, under 

 advantageous circumstances, sees our fly for but 

 one critical moment, we can easily believe that, 

 after a certain stage is reached, each degree of 



