188 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



colouring, and that is about all that can be said in reference to their 

 natural history. 



Why a salmon takes such a meaningless bait I am at a loss to imagine. 

 The fish in his youth is by no means a stupid fish, as I have personally 

 proved ; in fact, in my opinion, he is far ahead of the trout in learning 

 such little tricks as can be taught fish in confinement. 



It has been said that it looks upon the bait in the same way that a 

 jack does the fly occasionally thrown for his destruction. But this only 

 increases the number of questions to be answered. I am strongly inclined 

 to think that the taking of it is simply the result of curiosity. 



That all fish are fond of, or attracted by, bright colours, I have not the 

 slightest doubt. Experiments with an ordinary globe of gold fish will 

 satisfy the reader that this is the case. The vision of a fish is of wide 

 area, its perception is clear and keen, and altogether it may be said to 

 rival the eyesight of the human being. This being the case, why should 

 not colours be pleasurable to the denizens of the water as well as to our- 

 selves ? This is a consideration which probably has not occurred to many, 

 but it is worth attention. We are so wrapt up in self that I am convinced 

 our animals receive not one-tenth the observation and sympathy which is 

 necessary for a proper knowledge of them. 



Curiously enough, the local flies which take most fish on each of the 

 salmon rivers are, as a rule, of little use on other waters. Of these local 

 flies I am not in a position to treat in a detailed manner, and must refer 

 my readers to Mr. Francis Francis's "A Book on Angling," in which 

 he gives a list which it has been the work of many years to compile. 

 Such flies can always be purchased in the locality, and the dressing of 

 them is in that case always preferable. I give as follows, however, a 

 list of general flies, with Mr. Francis' own directions for tying. I have 

 taken the trouble to tie each one according to his instructions, and I 

 cannot therefore do better than quote them from the excellent manual 

 aforesaid. 



The Doctor. Commence at bend of hook and tie on as a tag three or 

 four turns of fine gold twist. Tail, a single golden pheasant topping, over 

 this, as a butt, a turn of scarlet crewel ; body, pale blue floss silk with a 

 hackle a shade or two darker wound on from tail to head (this is varied at 

 times with a blue jay's feather) ; silver tinsel (in large flies of all kinds the 

 tinsel may be rendered more conspicuous by the addition of some twist 

 wound on beside it) ; at the shoulder a brown grouse, partridge, or bustard 

 hackle may be wound on a blue jay is sometimes used over the blue 

 hackle ; the wing is a mixed wing, containing fibres of bustard, dark argus 

 pheasant, and claret, blue, and yellow fibres of stained swan feathers, the 

 latter predominating. In smaller flies mallard and pintail are introduced. 



