INTRODUCTION. I j 



Mr. F. H. Thurston's paper upon the fish favored of the 

 gods the Brook Trout seems to sing an old, old song, with 

 some new and delightful airs added, such as might be expected 

 from so finished an angler and writer. He also tells us of 

 the Grayling, another epicurean fish, which was only a short 

 time ago apparently doomed to destruction, but which may 

 once more become plentiful, as the woodsman and log-driver 

 have done their worst in and about the streams where the 

 "banner-bearer" makes its home, and must perforce permit 

 them to return to something like their former solitude. 



It is enough to say that Dr. Henshall writes of the Black 

 Bass; it would be like gilding refined gold to say how he writes 

 about the fish he has legally adopted and considers as his own 

 offspring. His paper on the Mascalonge will be read with equal 

 interest, because this is a theme upon which he has not often 

 been heard. It will be found, however, that he has as thor- 

 oughly and carefully studied this fish as he has Micropterus. 



Mr. Mather has selected the White Perch as his theme, a 

 fish that is overlooked by too many anglers in summing up the 

 game fishes, and the author has sung its praises so well that 

 many will be tempted to seek this delicious little pan fish. 



The Columbia River Salmon seems a far-away fish, and a 

 fish in bad repute, because of the stories told of its ignoring 

 the lure of silk and tinsel; but Mr. Perry brings the fish to our 

 very doors, makes us better acquainted with it and increases 

 our respect for it. He advises us that, though not aesthetic as 

 is its Eastern cousin, it is equally robust and gamy, and that 

 grand sport may be had in taking it on a trolling-spoon. 



The Lake Trout is a fish that has had scant justice done it 

 in the past, as a game fish, by very many anglers, and Mr. 

 Pardee's scholarly paper is but a proper tribute to a most 

 excellent fish on the rod and on the table. Let the angler 

 put away heavy tackle, and seek the Lake Trout with such rod 

 and line as one would use in fishing for Black Bass of two 

 pounds weight, and when he fastens to a "Laker" of ten or fif- 



