INTRODUCTION 17 



their names to the following chapters is 

 actually responsible for good or bad sport, 

 but that each may be symptomatic of 

 some more or less complex set of condi- 

 tions not without influence on the appetite 

 of the fish. This interesting suggestion 

 opens up a wider scope of inquiry than 

 that planned for the present volume, and 

 is quoted only for the benefit of such con- 

 templative anglers as may care in their 

 leisure to follow it up. 



Another most interesting hypothesis, Earthquakes, 

 suggested by Mr. Sheringham, must also 

 be dismissed with passing notice, chiefly 

 for want of sufficient data. Mr. Shering- 

 ham's view is that periods of European 

 earthquake have been synchronous with 

 poor fishing results. This suggestion, 

 which may perhaps be borne out by the 

 experience of others, may prove that the 

 influence of even remote seismic disturb- 

 ance can make itself felt on a class of 

 animals that, outside the area of actual 

 upheaval, would seem peculiarly immune 



from its effects. 



2 



