ADVANTAGES OF THE DRY-FLY 43 



on an ordinary wet-fly assumes at once an expression 

 of ineffable disgust. It apparently concludes that 

 it has reached its dotage, that it has entered upon 

 its second childhood, and it yields to the pressure 

 of the rod, coming to the net like any fingerling. 

 It has no desire to live, having been found guilty 

 of such arrant stupidity. 



On the other hand it is easy to observe the con- 

 fident look of anticipatory delight, with which 

 a trout comes to the dry-fly, change to one of 

 profound astonishment when it discovers the barb. 

 It knows that it has been deceived, but the know- 

 ledge does not fill it with despair ; it argues that 

 any trout, even the monarch of the stream him- 

 self, would have had no suspicions, and it fights 

 a glorious fight that it may escape, and, by ex- 

 planations and excuses to its fellows for the momen- 

 tary lapse, regain its reputation for caution and 

 wariness. But it does not always escape. So the 

 dry-fly takes the best-conditioned fish and the 

 fight they show is to the maximum of their powers. 



