246 FLY FISHING AND SPINNING 



necessity imply that these organs were active, or inclined 

 to be active ; while healthy, their powers might still be 

 in abeyance. If the digestive organs of a hibernating 

 animal were examined, they would undoubtedly be 

 found in a normal condition, as would the digestive 

 organs of Dr. Sacchi during the course of one of his 

 long fasts. 



If, indeed, the gastric glands of either the bear or 

 the doctor were actively discharging their contents on to 

 the delicate tissues of an empty stomach, it is certain that 

 the bear would not sleep, and that the doctor would not 

 rest, during the fast. The gastric glands and the juices 

 they supply may be regarded as the agents in preparing the 

 nutritive properties of food for conversion into blood. In 

 certain physically or mentally unhealthy conditions of life, 

 the gastric glands will at times discharge gastric juice after 

 the stomach has emptied itself, generally causing thereby 

 stomachic trouble and may be insomnia. 



In healthy fresh-run salmon we may assume that the 

 digestive organs, though normal, are merely inoperative. 

 The salmon have ceased to feed, the stomach becomes 

 empty, and, as a consequence, exhibits a very natural 

 contraction, sufficient to cause a difficulty in receiving food.* 

 On this latter and important point many writers seem to 

 agree, while a small minority of fishermen continue to assert 

 that the stomach does receive food, and that the salmon 

 does in reality continue to feed when in fresh water. A 

 feasible suggestion has been advanced by Dr. Barton to 

 account for salmon apparently coming on the feed when in 

 fresh water. He says : " Knowing that the digestive organs 



* When those who have become seriously exhausted from want of food, either 

 through accident as in the case of shipwrecked sailors, or through design as in 

 the case of Dr. Sacchi, the alimentary passages into the stomach contract, 

 and when feeding again commences, unless nourishment is administered in 

 small quantities, and in an easily assimilated form, great pain and the gravest 

 results may occur. 



