BROWN WATERS 



that has confined them for half the year, 

 they hesitate to launch into the air, and 

 make but timid essays. A little later 

 they will leap with boldness a foot out 

 of water to seize their chief dainty, the 

 May-fly. Conversely this habit of feed- 

 ing asserts itself, but only occasionally, 

 after the reason for it no longer exists. 

 The fish are then in a lower stratum of 

 water, intent on other food; something 

 must happen to direct their attention 

 again to the surface. Later still, when 

 on the shallows spawning, the fly is 

 easily forced upon their notice and they 

 will take it greedily, but the poor, life- 

 less creatures are then unworthy of be- 

 ing caught or eaten. 



Extremely sensitive to vibrations, 

 even a slight earthquake will put the 

 trout down more quickly and surely 

 than thunder. Though the observations 

 only extend to two instances, the conclu- 

 sion is in accord with the fact noted by 

 Mr. Seth Green that fish in an aquar- 



33 



