Gay CoLors THE Most ATTRACTIVE. 29 
Light seems peculiarly attractive to fishes, as proven by 
their surrounding a diving-bell with a light in it. Walter 
Scott, in his Guy Mannering, describes the plan adopted in 
Scotland for attracting fishes by grates of living coal, or 
torches carried by the fishermen as they wade shallow 
streams for the purpose of spearing. When a fish is thus 
discovered, it remains fascinated by the glare of light, sel- 
dom makes an effort to escape, and is easily speared. This 
is one of the many devices by which the Indians and vagrant 
whites kill the salmon and trout while on their spawning- 
beds, both in Maine and in the dominion of Canada. 
The Chinese catch fish by employing two narrow boats, 
with a board painted white and varnished nailed to them, so 
as to slope outward and almost touch the water, and so as 
to reflect the light of the moon. Toward these boats the fish 
dart, and, falling on them, are caught with ease. 
‘From the pretended imitations of baits and flies for cap- 
turing fishes may be logically deduced the fact that fish are 
near-sighted, and do not perceive with great distinctness any 
minute object, however near to them. The most successful 
artificial baits to troll with for the fishes of our lakes and 
rivers are thus arranged: a pair of hooks disguised by a few 
gaudy feathers—bright red and white being the most suc- 
cessful colors—and at the shank of the hook is placed a piece 
of silver, brass, or copper, of oval or diamond shape, so ar- 
ranged as to revolve rapidly, and appear as little like any 
thing living in or out of the water as possible. What is 
known as the common “spoon,” made with swivels, and a 
shoulder on the shank of the hook, so as to revolve rapidly 
by drawing it through the water, is frequently a more capti- 
vating lure than a live fish. In trolling for bluefish, a piece 
of lead or bone five inches long forms a more successful lure 
than the sea-shiner which is its principal sustenance; and a 
piece of pearl, five inches long by half an inch in diameter, 
cither round or oval, is the most attractive troll for Spanish 
mackerel; while a plain piece of red flannel, attached to a 
