8 FLY-FISHING AND FLY-MAKING. 



is no angler. In these days of competition, it is necessary 

 for the true angler to excel, and patient ohservation, added 

 to the experience of others, is demanded. The more the 

 angler becomes a naturalist, the more he finds out the 

 beauties and weaknesses of his quarry, and the greater 

 the enjoyment of the craft. The more he observes the 

 various powers employed by these beautiful animals, the 

 more skilful does he become. It is with this firm convic- 

 tion that I offer the result of many years of observation 

 of the habits of fish, with especial reference to their 

 senses. They are particularly necessary to the fly-fisher- 

 man who aspires to be worthy of the name, for his is the 

 most artistic, as well as the most difficult, of all the va- 

 ried methods of fishing. My remarks are, however, in- 

 tended, above all, to be suggestive rather than conclusive. 



i. vision. 



The faculty of vision is probably the .most important 

 of all to the fish at all events, to the fish that come 

 within the ken of the sportsman. Blind fish exist in sub- 

 terranean waters for example, those found in the Mam- 

 moth Cave, Kentucky and in the case of fishes feeding 

 in deep water, the existence of barbules or feelers is, with- 

 out question, for the purpose of assisting the vision. I 

 can say nothing about the methods providing for the 

 sustenance of these blind subterranean fish. Probably 

 they exist on stationary food of some kind ; so far as the 

 present purpose is concerned they maybe dismissed from 

 further consideration. Trout, and other sport-fish, un- 

 questionably make great use of their eyes, and it is very 

 surprising to what state of education nearly all our fresh 



