IMITATION OF THE NATURAL INSECT 161 



what-not even though it may have been pre- 

 sented accurately, superbly cocked and lightly 

 floating, can never produce in the angler's mind 

 the feeling of satisfaction that attends him when 

 he captures a fine fish with a fair imitation 

 of the natural fly upon the water at the time, 

 or with one which may be assumed to represent 

 in colour and form a natural fly of a species 

 which might be expected to be about at the 

 season. True, I may seem to be stretching the 

 point too finely, but I have expressed the fancy 

 to some of my friends, who, after hearing me, 

 were good enough to say, as indeed I hoped they 

 would, "Why, the trout that took the gaudy 

 fly was a fool fish that would have taken any- 

 thing." They seemed to believe, as I do, that 

 the angler who captures a "fool" fish attains 

 to no honour; that "fool" fish are not the sort 

 of fish one should covet. The fancy may be 

 strongly characterised by many as eccentric, I 

 know, but I am sure that it embodies the prin- 

 ciple and spirit of true sportsmanship. 



The theory of imitation may not be justly 

 attacked or lightly set aside because of the fact 

 that nondescript flies frequently take fish, 

 sometimes after fair imitations have been re- 

 fused. My own belief is that when the highly 



