FLY-FISHING. 273 



color, but either from the nature of the composition 

 or some other cause, entirely in vain. Indeed it is 

 doubtful whether any fish was ever captured with 

 such delusions as grasshoppers, crickets, or frogs, and 

 although they are still retained in the shops, they no 

 longer find a place amid the angler's paraphernalia. 

 Squid and spoons are usually supposed to imitate 

 minnow, and have always been to a greater or less 

 degree successful, but the imitation fish itself has, 

 until late years, invariably proved a failure. With 

 the discovery of the proper preparation of gutta- 

 percha, and its application to the innumerable pur- 

 poses for which it is now employed, came the sugges- 

 tion that it might in various ways serve the angler ; 

 as wading-boots and water-proof clothing, of course, 

 but also for bait-boxes, rods, and finally minnows. 

 A little fish made of this material is not only a fault- 

 less imitation of the original, and is even curved in 

 a way to produce the most perfect spin, but being 

 soft to the teeth, seems absolutely to convince the 

 trout in spite of their palates that it is wholesome 

 and appropriate food. This imitation is used with 

 satisfactory results, not only for trout to which it is 

 peculiarly adapted, but also for snapping mackerel 

 and lake-trout ; it is so admirably prepared that the 

 eye cannot detect the deception, and it has about 

 the same consistency as fish itself. The back is a 

 delicate mottled green, changing to yellow on the 

 sides, where there are a few vermilion spots, while 

 the lower part is brilliant and sparkling with some 

 preparation of quicksilver. There is a gang of three 

 12* 



