SPOON-BAITS, ET HOC GENUS. 129 



Yet it cannot be doubted from the most respectable 

 testimony that, unnatural as it may seem, the spoon-bait 

 is sometimes taken both by salmon and pike ; but they 

 must certainly either be famishing of hunger, or seize it 

 merely from motives of curiosity ; but I would not for 

 one moment suppose that an ordinary trout will ever come 

 within twenty yards of it, as he is a much more wary 

 gentleman than either of the former, and will seldom 

 allow his curiosity so far to overcome his caution as to 

 risk a trial of any bait with which he is not thoroughly 

 acquainted. I have also seen well-made gutta-percha 

 beetles and grasshoppers, which, perhaps, may be effi- 

 cient enough either among trout, carp, chub, greyling, 

 or any of the fly-taking fish, if adroitly used as dipping- 

 baits ; while a thoroughly good imitation of the green 

 and grey drake flies, combined of any material which 

 will keep them floating high and dry on the surface, 

 like the natural insect, might be a valuable invention. 

 I have heard that there are such to be had, but as I have 

 never tried them, I can say nothing about their merits. 

 Again, there is an artificial shrimp newly come out as a 

 bait for salmon, which, if well executed and of a proper 

 material, promises to prove effective, seeing that this fish 

 feeds so largely on these crustaceans during his residence 

 in salt water. So it would appear after all that a certain 

 set or class of artificial baits, constructed of proper 

 materials and upon rational principles, might be made 

 useful adjuncts to the angler's tackle-book ; but away 



coarser fish, he cannot pretend to say, never having had an opportunity 

 of testing them. 



