FOOD OF SALMON. 189 



rarely happens; and when I have seen it, the 

 water has been coloured. 



PHYS. Can you tell us why the fish rise 

 better at the fly when the tide is flowing, than 

 when it is ebbing ? There seems no reason 

 why flies should be sought for by the fish 

 at one of these seasons, rather than at the 

 other. 



HAL. The turn of the salt water brings 

 up aquatic insects, and perhaps small fish; 

 and I suppose salmon know this, and search 

 for food at a time when it is likely to be 

 found. I cannot think, that in these pools 

 they can be on the look-out for flies, for there 

 are never any on the surface of the water; 

 and I imagine they take the gaudy fly, with 

 its blue kingfisher and golden pheasant's fea- 

 thers, for a small fish. 



ORN. I have always supposed, that they 

 took it for a libella, or dragon-fly ; for I have 

 often seen these brilliant flies haunting the 

 water. 



HAL. I never saw a dragon-fly drop on 

 the water, or taken by a fish ; and salmon 

 sometimes rise even in the salt water, where 



