SOME FANCIES SOME FACTS 181 



even more excited; and not until the ripple 

 had ceased did it resume the almost stationary 

 position previously held. The fish was about 

 one foot from the surface, and the largest ripple 

 not over two inches in height; consequently, its 

 motion could hardly have been felt at a depth 

 greater than six inches; yet the fish was dis- 

 turbed whether by the action of the water it- 

 self or by the shadow cast by the ripple, I leave 

 for the reader to decide. Of one thing I am 

 positive: the fish was not disturbed by the 

 sound of the colliding stones. 



The fish's sense of sight is so keen that it 

 alone enables the trout to avoid danger, and is 

 absolutely necessary to its existence. But it is 

 not so keen, in my opinion, as to enable the 

 trout to detect minute differences between the 

 angler's fly and the natural insect except, of 

 course, when the action of the artificial fly is so 

 unnatural as to warn the fish, or frighten it. 



Adherents to the theory that trout are able 

 to distinguish between the angler's artificial 

 fly and the natural insect, make much of the 

 admitted fact that a fish is rarely taken from 

 the much fished Southern streams on a Par- 

 macheene Belle or other nondescript. There 

 is a great deal of truth in the contention; but 



