326 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



pounds in weight ; this was a rara avis. However, three 

 and four pound fish are abundant in large rivers ; in in- 

 ferior streams, of course, they run much smaller. 



The brilliancy of their scales is really marvelous, far out- 

 rivaling the most exaggerated conceptions ; for their backs 

 are a beautiful clear tortoise-shell, gradually approaching 

 a pale green to the lateral line, where a deep orange color 

 commences, deepening in richness over the stomach, while 

 longitudinally they are traversed by lines of spots of the 

 brightest vermilion. The States of Maine, New Hampshire, 

 and Vermont possess them in abundance; the tributaries 

 flowing from the North into the great lakes and the rivers 

 and streams of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota fairly 

 swarm with them. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia fresh 

 waters are also well supplied. 



The size of fly usually employed in the capture of sea- 

 trout are the best for taking this fish, unless the angler be 

 following his pursuit on some diminutive brook, when 

 smaller should be used. Besides the Salmo fontinalis, in 

 American waters are to be found a great number of other 

 species of Salmonidoe such as the great lake-trout, the 

 Glover salmon, and the land-locked salmon the latter sel- 

 dom exceeding four pounds, receiving its name from the 

 strong resemblance it bears to the Salmo solar, to which it 

 is not inferior in any quality save size. 



The exertion of crossing the Atlantic for fly-fishing will 

 be amply repaid the sportsman by the quantity and weight 

 of the fish he will capture ; for there the fish are not trou- 

 bled with the fastidiousness of appetite which in Great 

 Britain causes it always to be a source of doubt whether 

 the water is in proper order, the wind in the east, or thun- 

 der overhead either of which, or all combined, too fre- 

 quently cause the most industrious to return, after a long 

 and laborious day, with an empty basket. A description 

 of an excellent river, and how to get to it, I append. 



