PISCATORIAL ENTOMOLOGY. 101 



baiting prevails as a system, but is most certainly un- 

 necessary, as, by an observant angler, the periodical 

 haunts of these gregarious fish are easily discovered. A 

 few hand sprinklings of gentles, etc., cast around the 

 baited hook answers as efficiently as whole quarts of the 

 same indiscreetly planted; indeed, these fish speedily be- 

 come satiated, and the use of ground-bait is often highly 

 detrimental to subsequent sport. 



CHAPTER X. 



PISCATORIAL ENTOMOLOGY* 



To be a moderately successful wielder of the rod may 

 be looked upon as a very desirable accomplishment, nay, 

 more, a laudable ambition; but beyond mere skill in 

 casting a fly, and killing and landing a fish, a little 

 rudimentary knowledge of the truly scientific, and, con- 

 sequently, most attractive part of the art, is essential, in 

 order to attain proficiency. 



There are hundreds of tolerably good anglers who are 

 such indifferent entomologists as to be unable to discern 



* The entomology of American fly -fishing is yet to be written. Miss 

 McBride, some years ago, contributed a few pleasing and instructive 

 articles to a weekly journal on this subject, and so far as my knowledge 

 extends, her attempt was the last one made by an American writer; but, 

 as more than two hundred years elapsed from the time of Walton to the 

 date of Roland's work on English piscatorial entomology, our angling 

 authors may be pardoned, if a decade or two elapses in the production 

 of an American text book on this fascinating subject. The notes of the 

 author are extremely interesting and instructive, and, although much of 

 the text is inapplicable to the needs of our native anglers, I give the 

 entire chapter on account of the practical presentation of the subject 

 matter. 



