30 TROUT FISHING 



watching him, if he be quiet, but the slightest 

 movement on his part will make them retreat 

 hastily ; and though after having seen a man they 

 may remain stationary, they nevertheless seem 

 awed by his presence, they cease feeding or 

 should they feed, they are yet evidently discom- 

 posed, shy, and timid ; impressed as it were 

 with fear, they are doubtful in all their movements, 

 and appear instinctively to feel the necessity of 

 caution ; sometimes when so affected, the sudden 

 appearance of an insect within their reach will so 

 arouse them for a moment, that in their eagerness 

 for prey, they may have their attention so far 

 absorbed as to forget the presence of a stranger, 

 and make a start as if to capture the insect; 

 whilst on their course, however, they are reminded 

 that an enemy is near, and instead of capturing 

 the insect, turn short of it, refusing indeed to 

 feed. We believe this is often the case, that they 

 are either so terrified by the presence of man, 

 that they rush off to a hiding place, or frightened 

 as to remain quite stationary, even food present- 

 ing; or just alarmed as to make an attempt at 

 the capture of a prey with suspicion, and ulti- 

 mately to decline taking it all. This is a subject 

 of great moment to the fisherman, and the young 

 piscator will employ some time very profitably in 

 trying for himself some experiments in proof of 

 what we have stated respecting the voracity of the 

 trout, and the influence any strange object, or even 

 any unacqustomed movement of a familiar object 

 will have on his natural boldness in seizing prey. 



