FOOD AND HABITS. 15 



ing sense of smell, and similar instinctive endowments 

 and perceptions. 



The wariness and caution observable in trout fre- 

 quenting certain localities are often, in fact, the result 

 of circumstances, and indicate the existence of memory 

 and other reflecting powers. It is not necessary, how- 

 ever, that a trout be pricked with the hook, in order to 

 give so \incommon a degree of acuteness to its faculties 

 and render it more than ordinarily circumspect ; the 

 circumstance of its being frequently disturbed by the 

 apparition of an insect clumsily imitated, or tackle of 

 any other description, will of itself produce this effect. 

 The disposition, also, of light and shadow near its haunt, 

 the description and quantity of sustenance yielded within 

 its feeding range, all subserve to create or banish dis- 

 trust, to add to its wariness, or lull its suspicions. On 

 the other hand, the pricking of the hook, unaccom- 

 panied by any exposure of the angler's contrivance 

 wherewith the pricking was effected, will often fail to 

 excite alarm; sometimes, when it does so, the pang 

 will be of brief continuance ; nay, in my experience, I 

 have met with instances where the fish actually, a short 

 time before, broke and carried away tackle, yet, retain- 

 ing the willingness to feed, on a new lure being pre- 

 sented to it, returned eagerly to the charge, and, I may 

 add, became captured. 



One of these instances happened several years ago, 

 when angling in Yarrow. A gentleman who preceded 

 me on the river had the mischance to have his tackle, 

 comprising a set or cast of flies, three in number, 

 carried away by what he described to be a fish of un- 

 usual dimensions. On his relating the circumstance, 

 at the close of the day's fishing, I produced, much to 

 his amaze, the identical cast he had lost, and along with 



