and Affectations 



in fishing, black bass are at the head of 

 the Hst. They are so whimsical that 

 the angler never knows whether on a 

 certain day they will take small live 

 fish, worms, frogs, crickets, grass- 

 hoppers, crawfish or some other out- 

 landish bait; and he soon learns that 

 in the most favorable conditions of 

 wind and weather they will frequently 

 refuse to touch bait of any kind. In 

 their intercourse with fishermen, espe- 

 cially those in the early stages of 

 proficiency, they are the most ag- 

 gravating and profanity-provoking 

 animal that swims in fresh water. 

 Whether they will bite or not at 

 any particular time we must freely 

 concede is exclusively their own affair; 

 but having decided this question 

 against the fishermen, nothing but in- 

 131 



