FISHES AFFECTED BY ELECTRICITY. 25 



Next comes a pause of another hour or more, 

 during which little or nothing is obtained, so that 

 if the intermediate period is frittered away on green 

 banks, eating biscuits, success is doubtful or impos- 

 sible. We believe that the appetites and motions 

 of the finny tribes are regulated and directed by 

 certain (to us) almost imperceptible changes in the 

 state of the atmosphere, with which, as they do not 

 proceed from any determinate or ascertained prin- 

 ciples of meteorological science, it is not easy for 

 the angler to become acquainted ; and therefore 

 the only method to remedy the desagrement thus 

 arising, is to fish without ceasing so long as he re- 

 mains by the " pure element of waters." The art 

 of angling, if worthily followed, and with an ob- 

 servant eye, will probably one day or other be the 

 means of throwing considerable light on the science 

 of electricity, at present one of the most obscure, 

 though at the same time the most important and 

 pervading, of all the subjects of physical learning. 

 Professor Forbes has promised us to do something 

 in this line, and will give in his " Report" the 

 first time the British Association holds its meeting 

 at Aberfoyle or Rowardennan. 



The best natural flies, either to use fresh, or to 

 serve as models for the artificial kinds, are First, 

 the different sorts of stoneflies (Phryyanea and 

 Limnephilus), which are usually found by the 

 water side. Their common colours are various 

 shades of brown ; they have pretty long feelers or 

 antennae, which in a state of repose are bent over 

 their shoulders and along their sides ; their wings 



