Flies and Fly-fishing. 309 



to distinct vision. We have all, either in frolic or from 

 necessity, tried to see through a pair of spectacles to- 

 tally unsuited to our eyes, and we all know the result. 

 Again, though the mechanism of the eye work perfectly, 

 still so intimate is the relation of its various parts, so 

 profound their sympathy one with the other, that the 

 power of the retina to receive and transmit a perfect 

 image, even were such a one formed upon it, may well 

 be doubted under such circumstances. 



A gentleman well known in angling circles, and an ac- 

 knowledged authority, when spoken to of the intended 

 experiments, said that it was all useless ; that he had 

 tried it when in swimming; that everything appeared 

 black, and that I would be able to see nothing. Subse- 

 quently another gentleman tried submerging himself 

 below the surface of the water, and passing gut of dif- 

 ferent colors before his eyes. He found very dark gut 

 alone was visible, and that only at a distance of twelve 

 or fifteen inches. It is clear, therefore, that in the un- 

 usual conditions in which the eyes of the gentleman first 

 mentioned were then placed, they refused to act at all; 

 and that the same was the case in the other instance, 

 though in less degree, and that the same will be the case 

 with every 'one's eyes to a greater or less degree, under 

 such unusual conditions, I cannot doubt. The gentleman 

 last named could distinguish only very dark gut, and at a 

 distance of twelve or fifteen inches. It is absolutely cer- 

 tain that had his eyes acted in the normal manner, noth- 

 ing could prevent the formation of a perceptible image, 

 except the absorption of the light proceeding from the 

 object by the water. As the water was clear, it is obvi- 

 ous that a stratum of twelve or fifteen inches was quite 

 inadequate to produce that result, since the bottom can 



