70 SALMON FISHING 



Miller. As it was the only Dusty Miller on board, 

 "I'll give it to you for the afternoon," said the 

 successful fisherman, " and try some other fly 

 myself." With that Dusty Miller in the afternoon 

 Mr. Lyall caught six salmon, and his friend, using 

 other flies, had none. The hook was broken at the 

 bend by a seventh fish. It was nearly nightfall 

 then ; but had the Dusty Miller held out, other 

 salmon would have come in. They kept rising at 

 the barbless lure, which for a little while longer was 

 cast to them in wonderment at their determined 

 preference. 



This incident affords very clear proof that salmon 

 do not rise at random. One fly is not at all times 

 as good as another. The fish do undoubtedly have 

 preferences. It was on the basis of vigilant and 

 comprehensive observation of these preferences that 

 the task of selecting flies for presentation in this 

 volume proceeded. The selection has been made 

 with extreme care ; considering the guidance of 

 which I have had the privilege, I may say, also, that 

 it was made from the richest and most minute 

 knowledge. Although there are other flies which 

 are successful now and then, those which are figured 

 in this book, it is confidently believed, are types of 

 the best flies known within the United Kingdom. 

 For each of them there has been, and will be again, 

 many an occasion as propitious as that which befell 

 the Dusty Miller. 



Even so, we are still far from an approximately 

 complete philosophy of experience as regards 



