PRICKED TROUT. 33 



PHYS. I am surprised ! That fish evi- 

 dently had discovered that the artificial fly 

 was a dangerous bait, yet he took the natural 

 fly which was on a hook, and when the silk- 

 worm gut must have been visible. 



HAL. I do not think he saw either the 

 gut or the hook. In very bright weather and 

 water, I have known very shy fish refuse even 

 a hook baited with the natural fly, scared pro- 

 bably by some appearance of hook or gut. 

 The vision of fishes when the surface is not 

 ruffled is sufficiently keen. I have seen them 

 rise at gnats so small as to be scarcely visible 

 to my eye. 



PHYS. You just now said, that a fish 

 pricked by the hook of an artificial fly would 

 not usually take it again that season. 



HAL. I cannot be exact on that point : I 

 have known a fish that I have pricked retain 

 his station in the river, and refuse the artificial 

 fly, day after day, for weeks together ; but his 

 memory may have been kept awake by this 

 practice, and the recollection seems local and 

 associated with surrounding objects; and if a 

 pricked trout is chased into another pool, he 



