10 ANGLING. 



no such tiling as a salt-water fly exists, or at least 

 has ever been discovered by their researches. In- 

 deed no true insect inhabits the sea. What species 

 are imitated by the palmer, or by three fourths of 

 the dressed flies in common use ? An artificial fly 

 can, at the best, be considered only as the repre- 

 sentative of a natural one which has been drowned, 

 as it is impossible to imitate the dancing or hover- 

 ing flight of the real insect over the surface of the 

 stream ; and, even with that restricted idea of its 

 resemblance to nature, the likeness must be scarcely 

 perceptible, owing to the difference of motion, and 

 the great variety of directions in which tlie angler 

 drags his flies, according to the nature and special 

 localities of the current, and the prevailing direc- 

 tion of the wind. 



The same observations apply, with almost equally 

 few exceptions, to bait-fishing. The minnow is 

 fastened upon swivels, which cause it to revolve 

 upon its axis with such rapidity, that it loses every 

 vestige of its original appearance ; and in angling 

 with the par-tail, one of the most killing lures for 

 large trout, the bait consists of the nether half of a 

 small fish, mangled and mis-shapen, and in every 

 point of view divested of its natural form. 



Fly-fishing has been compared, though by a 

 somewhat circuitous mode of reasoning, to sculp- 

 ture. It proceeds upon a few simple principles, 

 and the theory is easily acquired, although it may 

 require long and severe labour to become a great 

 master in the art. Yet it is needless to encompass 

 it with difficulties which have no existence in realitv, 



