flies and Fly-fishing. 379 



Such as are reasonable in their expectations, and not 

 over conceited, can have good sport in this region ; but 

 let me strongly advise him who goes there for the first 

 time, at least, to place himself in the hands of his guide 

 without reserve. Say to him, in such terms that he will 

 not doubt your sincerity, that you are a stranger, and 

 propose to be governed as to where and how you fish, 

 and the flies you use, entirely by his directions ; that he 

 is to make such suggestions as he thinks proper at all 

 times, and that you wish him so to do. You may feel 

 sure your confidence will not be abused, and that he will 

 then do the very best for you that circumstances will 

 permit. 



June and September are the best months for fly-fish- 

 ing, the large fish being taken at other times only by 

 deep trolling, or still -fishing with bait in deep water. 

 Fly-fishing is not commonly practised in June, but 

 judging from a single experience in 1883, I think this 

 a mistake. 



But little has been written on the development of vi- 

 sion and hearing in fish, and that little has been theory 

 rather than deduction from actual experiment. My own 

 experiments as to the effect that sound produces on trout 

 (and I assume that all fishes are more or less alike in this 

 respect) have been confined to this : Frequently, when 

 able to observe a trout while myself unseen, I have 

 screamed and shouted at the top of my voice. These 

 demonstrations have invariably been without the slight- 

 est effect; but when varied by a concussion which could 

 communicate itself to the water this has no longer been 

 the case, and evidence of alarm, or at least that the con- 

 cussion was felt, has been apparent. In an English work, 

 the name of which I in vain endeavor to recall, an account 



