28 TEOUT FISHING 



some particular fly or perhaps several succes- 

 sively, and yet another presenting itself within 

 reach is swallowed with avidity ; this remark 

 applies to large streams, and its practical appli- 

 cation to them is limited, as we shall see by-and- 

 by that on the little streams we do not work on 

 the principle of temptation by inherent qualities 

 of attraction. No doubt some taste or appre- 

 ciation of difference of flies as food is possessed 

 by the trout, and perhaps a memory of some 

 peculiar fly before familiar to him may induce 

 him to take a similar one subsequently when able, 

 but assuredly the trout is not guided in his feed- 

 ing by judgment of what is most delightful to his 

 palate ; he seems rather to be stimulated to eat 

 by the presence of food, acting as a direct and 

 general force, and excited by what presents itself, 

 in proportion to its power of acting on his habits 

 and natural qualities of rapacity and tyranny. 

 The desire or requirement of food prompts trout 

 to eat, but often their tyrannical disposition will 

 direct them in their object of prey. We may see 

 a number of minnows swimming quietly and 

 peacefully about in enjoyment of sportive play, 

 close by the haunts of a large trout, who takes 

 but little notice of them, on which account they 

 are not afraid of his presence ; now catch one of 

 those minnows so familiar to the eyes of the trout, 

 put him on a hook and make him spin through 

 the water, make him an object amongst the others 

 pre-eminently conspicuous, and the large trout 

 will not brook such insolence from an inferior, he 

 will immediately dart at the presumptuous little 



