44 Fisning 1x Amertcan WATERS. 
SECTION THIRD. 
TIMES OF FEEDING AND HAUNTS OF FISHES. 
Most fish are said to be night-feeders, yet all of them feed 
more or less in daytime. Like spiders, all of which feed in 
the night, and are tempted to come abroad when the weather 
is so cloudy as to resemble twilight, so also the fishes, with 
this farther peculiarity, that a turbid state of the water from 
recent rains may so dim the light that they will bite when 
the sun shines brightly. 
When the weather is bright and the water clear, most 
fishes keep their places of retirement, some among reeds and 
other water-plants, some under banks or ledges of rock, lurk- 
ing in deeper and deeper water as the weather. becomes 
warmer, so that the feeding-level for lake trout, which is often 
from four to eight feet in early spring, is found from fifty to 
a hundred feet below the surface in July and August. River 
fishes seek the shade of overhanging trees; some under 
stones; some squatting close to the ground over springs, 
sand, or in the sludge at the bottom of the water. In differ- 
ent waters, however, there are peculiarities of currents, ed- 
dies, and pools that fish are fond of haunting, concerning 
which no practical rule of general utility can be laid down. 
Waters, to be most successfully fished, must be first under- 
stood by fishing them. 
STRENGTH AND PROPULSIVE POWER. 
The true indication of a fish’s strength is found in the 
shape of its head and shoulders back to the first dorsal fin, 
while its speed or propulsive power is shown by its shape 
from the front of the second dorsal and anal fins to the end 
of the tail, and the shape of this caudal continuation. Of the 
forked-tail, it has already been remarked that the swordfish 
and salmon are supposed to be the most rapid swimmers, 
while of the square-tails the brook trout and squeteague are 
supposed to propel with the greatest velocity. Among fishes 
