28 FLY-FISHING AND FLY-MAKING. 



which credits carp coming to the call of a bell or whistle 

 at feeding time. I doubt not that such instances are 

 true that the fish did respond. In the range of angling 

 literature I could pick out a dozen recorded instances of 

 such docility and obedience. 



"Then," says the impartial reader, " you have contra- 

 dicted yourself the fish can hear sounds coming from the 

 air." Let us make haste slowly, fair sir, and, prithee, let 

 me put a few questions to the writers of these records of 

 clever fish. First, Mr. Historian, were you positively 

 there when the incident occurred ? Did the fish-feeder 

 not feed at a regular time, and did he not walk in an 

 unguarded, ordinary manner to his fish ponds ? Did 

 they not see him coming or hear his step ? The answers 

 enclose the gist of the question. Why, at Denham 

 Fishery, in England, I have seen a herd of thousands 

 of fontinalis trout, up to three and four pounds, fol- 

 lowing the proprietor, General Gerald Goodlake, as he 

 walked up the bank. These fish were fed regularly once 

 a day with chopped, cooked horse flesh. But there was 

 no calling in the matter. They heard the heavy tread of 

 this Saul among men, and saw his mighty form and re- 

 membered the old, large check suit in which he always 

 fed his pets. Nothing more. Foster, in the " Scientific 

 Angler," states that " no noise which does not occasion 

 a vibration of the element winch they inhabit reaches 

 them ; " and with this opinion I fully agree. 



III. TASTE. 



Authorities of all kinds agree in denying that fish pos- 

 sess a very discriminating palate. I grant that there are 



