" But where should we be without tlie Press ? " 



" In a worse phght still The ' Field ' published a capital 



article a few weeks ago. The contributor remarked that ' in districts 

 thrashed continuously by a large number of rods, the fish got 

 absolutely sick of the same old flies played over them from morning 



till night ' Tiie pattern of fly to attract salmon when tliey 



have settled down in the recognised Catches, especially when the 

 oiiiniinit gatlicruiit are taking tJuir turn at them, must be one with 



some original freshness in it For you to say, ' the fish take 



kindly to the old designs on reaching the upper waters ' is all very 

 well and very true. But if we direct our attention to the facts 

 presented to us, we shall first see that the flies used at the top of 

 rivers are only half the size, and mind you, size is a very important 

 factor. Then again, are not the fish invigorated by the rise and 

 freshness of the water which encouraged them to go ahead } " 



These recollections must suffer from unavoidable abbreviations. 

 However, just at that moment, while excitement seemed growing to 

 a high pitch, we were pleasantly interrupted by the ladies, of whom 

 one specially interested in the conversation made her presence felt. 



After awhile the old " Rod," possessing a well -stored memory, 

 cited a remark made no less than two thousand years ago. " A great 

 orator (said he, cheeringly) declares that ' time obliterates the fictions 

 of opinions and confirms the decisions of nature,' and yet (looking 

 round with a smile) the sentiment of John Keats, in his immortal line, 

 ' a thing of beauty is a joy for ever ' is, when applied to the choice of 

 a fly for its beauty alone, about to be repudiated by a large section of 

 the angling fraternity. Change, not permanence, is what we require." 



" The only change I want (it was the lady now speaking), is a 



