THE SALMON'S CURIOSITY AROUSED 159 

 alive to passing events. Thus, the famous 

 "Jock Scott," arrayed in "orange and black," 

 comes overhead. At first the fish regards it 

 with suspicion as being something unnatural 

 to the surroundings, but any sense of fear is 

 soon dispelled by the fact that this strange 

 apparition shows no signs of aggressiveness ; 

 on the contrary, it has all the appearance of 

 trying to escape. This at once acts as an 

 incentive, and his natural curiosity being 

 aroused, the salmon goes in pursuit. The slow 

 moving object is quickly overhauled and com- 

 pletely at the mercy of the pursuer ; but 

 warned by its colours, the latter turns over 

 and comes back to his original station. Again 

 the "jigging" object appears overhead; the 

 salmon's curiosity is once more aroused; 

 plunging after the retreating form he rolls over 

 it with intent to destroy. But at the third 

 offer the fish is fairly irritated and charges 

 ferociously, snapping at the object as a dog 

 might snap at a wasp, though, subconsciously, 

 he knows it for a noxious insect. 



It may be objected that this presentation of 

 the case is problematical. But is it ? We will 

 interrogate the angler on the bank as to what 

 has happened. Says he : " The salmon rose 

 at me three times, twice he missed the fly, but 

 I had him the third time." 



M 



