1 2 FLY-FISHING. 



of discriminating between different species, but 

 often rendering 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 indif- 

 ference, and colour as all-important." 



Now in each of the above arguments there is a 

 part that is sound and a part that is fallacious ; 

 and it is from the failure in distinguishing the 

 true from the false, that what I believe to be the 

 erroneous practice of both these opposite parties 

 springs. Each argument, however, is sound so far 

 as to be an " unanswerable answer" to the other : 

 for it is clear as stated by the " formalists" that 

 colour is not everything in a fly, because if it were, 

 a bunch of coloured feathers tied on anyhow to 

 the hook would kill as well as an artificial fly, 

 whereas by their practice the colourists them- 

 selves admit that such is not the case ; on the 

 other hand, the argument of the " colourists," that 

 from the way the artificial fly is presented to the 

 fish it is impossible they can distinguish minutice 

 of form and imitation, equally commends itself to 

 common sense and common experience. This is 

 the point, in fact, in which the entomological 

 theory entirely breaks down. Because Trout take 



