104 



The lens of the eye of a trout being without any power of con- 

 tracting or expanding, the inference is that the fish is normally 

 "near-sighted"; and this inference is verified by its habits. 



" Is not the action of trout towards the artificial fly just what this near- 

 sightedness would lead us to expect ? Place the natural insect and its artificial 

 copy side by side, and is the resemblance sufficiently close to deceive the 

 human eye for a single moment ? Though in colour they may be approxi- 

 mately similar as to form, only the eye of charity can detect a resemblance. 

 Colour, trout can undoubtedly distinguish at some distance, as well as that there 

 is an object apparently edible trespassing on their domain, but it would seem 

 that details of form are only perceptible at close quarters. " 



This view is in accord with my contention as to the " Exact 

 Imitation theory " in the controversy that raged so fiercely some 

 ten years ago. In that " free and gentle passage of arms," where I 

 acted the part of general " challenger " (and which seems still as far 

 from a final settlement as ever), I demonstrated by arguments, 

 which appeared to me to be unanswerable, that " general colour, 

 general form, and size " were all that the sight of fish enabled them 

 to appreciate, to appreciate that is, when the flies are presented, 

 not dry and floating passively in their natural position on the sur- 

 face, of the water, but wet and in unnatural movement under water. 

 I gladly welcome the appearance of so redoubtable a champion 

 on my side of the lists. In fact, whether we regard the question 

 from the anatomical or from the analogical standpoint, Mr. Wells' 

 contention is the only one that can be logically maintained. I am 

 sorry that space does not admit of my quoting more at length 

 from his conclusive and even " severely worked out " argument, 

 which, however, all who desire to fish with their brains as well as 

 with their hands will do well to read for themselves. 



Having satisfied himself of the general similarity for practical 

 purposes between human and fish sight, Mr. Wells constructed, 

 as I have said, a large glass tank, in which gut casting-lines of 

 various colors were successively and simultaneously immersed, and 

 where they could be looked at from below, as from a trout point 

 of view, at different hours of the day, in varying lights, and under 



