386 MANUAL FOR YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 
latter are so thoroughly imitated by the artificial fly called 
the palmer, that they are scarcely ever employed. There 
is no doubt that in angling natural products are better 
than artificial, if they are equally capable of enduring the 
rough usage required to drag them through the water. 
In this respect it is that the artificial palmer beats the , 
hairy caterpillar, its original; and hence the latter is 
almost wholly driven out of the angler’s list of baits. : 
Salmon-roe isa very favorite and killing bait for trout, 
and is found to be so destructive that its use is often con- 
sidered to be a species of poaching. I cannot understand 
on what principle this odious stigma should be cast upon 
its adoption, because it may be employed, like any other 
bait, in open day; and the only objection to it which can 
be urged is its very great success. No one would call an 
unerring shot a poacher, simply because he kills more than 
his neighbors; then why should the bait which is more 
successful than any other labor under this imputation ? 
It appears to me that every one is straining to effect a 
certain purpose, viz., the killing of the greatest number 
of fish, and yet when a certain mode of attaining this 
object is at hand, its adoption is forbidden because it will 
insure what all are aiming at, and by open. means too. 
However, as I cannot discover any real foundation for 
this crusade against the salmon-roe, I shall include it in 
the list of baits, and describe its preparation and mode of 
application to the hook. The roe itself should be collect- 
ed as near the time of spawning as possible, and should 
either be preserved whole, or be made into a paste at once. 
If the former, the best way is to keep it in a jar, with 
