14 VALUE OF THEOEETICAL KNOWLEDGE. 



will acquire in parallel circumstances, arising, of 

 course, from the difference in their mental quali- 

 fications. It is not intended, in these remarks, 

 to lay down the principle that the best naturalist 

 is, a priori, the best sportsman; although we 

 should not shrink from maintaining that a good 

 naturalist, or even an indifferent one, is already 

 three-fourths a sportsman, inasmuch as he pos- 

 sesses a considerable share of a sportsman's neces- 

 sary education, a taste for out-of-door recre- 

 ation, and 'consequent aptitude for acquiring 

 practical sporting knowledge. Professor Rennie, 

 a distinguished naturalist and an enthusiastic 

 angler, is very probably also of this opinion ; for 

 he tells us that " the chief knowledge required by 

 a skilful angler is the thorough acquaintance 

 with the food and habits of the fish he wishes to 

 catch." With these views of the importance of 

 this subject, we shall direct our attention to it 

 before proceeding to the practical department of 

 this delightful art. 



Of the numerous tribes of fishes which inhabit 

 the streams of Britain, the trout is the hand- 

 somest, the best, and the most sought, after by 

 the fly-fisher. It belongs to the genus Salmo, 

 which is included in the Cuvierian order Mala- 

 copterygii abdominales. This order embraces all 



