22 Trotiting- Flies. 



way in which no natural insect is ever seen, not 

 only adding to the impossibility of discriminat- 

 ing between different species, but often render- 

 ing it difficult for the fish even to identify the 

 flies as flies. The only thing a fish can distinguish 

 under these circumstances, besides the size of a 

 fly, is its colour. We therefore regard form as a 

 matter of comparative indifference, and colour as 

 all-important/ " 



Now the division of the great fly-fishing frater- 

 nity into " colourists " and " formalists " is neither 

 a scientific nor a happy one, not only because, 

 according to our author's own showing, the " for- 

 malist " argues for both colour and form, but also 

 because, if it be adopted, no place in the brother- 

 hood will be found for Mr Pennell. Passing this, 

 however, I hold that the so-called formalist occu- 

 pies a perfectly safe position in affirming that trout 

 " do take the artificial for the natural insect," and 

 that " the more minutely the artificial imitates the 

 natural, the better it will kill." But, says Mr Pennell, 

 the argument of the "colourist" that "from the 

 way the artificial fly is presented to the fish it is 

 impossible they can distinguish minutise of form 

 and imitation, equally commends itself to common 

 sense and common experience." Now I hold that 

 trout not only can, but actually do, detect the 

 nicest shades of distinction between species of flies 



