INTRODUCTION 



they devour them as readily as they would any 

 other little fish. 



At the age of three to five days the young are 

 almost colorless, and so small that they can scarcely 

 be seen; their length is only about a quarter of an 

 inch. When about three or four months old their 

 bodies are dull yellowish green, the sides mottled 

 with darker spots which are sometimes arranged 

 in short vertical bars. The tail-fin is yellowish at 

 the base, and bears a broad black band in its middle 

 portion and a bright whitish margin behind. 



The adults feed upon crayfish, frogs, insects and 

 their larvse, minnows, and other aquatic creatures. 

 They swim in schools and often seek the shelter 

 of large rocks or sunken logs. Hibernation takes 

 place in winter, as usual with their race. 



With these fragmentary glimpses into the life 

 and home of a coterie of game-fishes which stands 

 unexcelled in the esteem of all good fishermen, the 

 reader may confidently pass to the real purpose of 

 this book, which is to remind the angler of happy 

 days on limpid streams or rock-bound ocean shores, 

 breathing pure air, revelling in warm sunshine, 

 cheered by birds' songs, and electrified by the inde- 

 finable thrill which foretells glorious victory over 

 a noble foe. 



TARLETON H. BEAN 



xxii 



