THE GAME FISHES OF THE WORLD 



them as one would an uncut gem. ' In this way, I disposed of a 

 dozen or two St. Patricks and I fancy the Jack Scotts and Silver 

 Doctors went the same way. There are several fine fly tiers in 

 Ireland and many in England and Scotland of national reputation, 

 while in America, Orvis is remembered with affection ; and there 

 are several men who are more or less famous, not to speak of 

 amateurs, as fly tying is an art if not an exact science. 



Of flies there are no end, and all anglers have large collections 

 for one reason or another ; but the fact remains that a few flies 

 seem to fill all the requirements. I have fished for days on 

 the Feather in California and the WiUiamson in Oregon, one of 

 the most beautiful trout streams in the world, and the most 

 proMc with big trout, and used but three flies, the Eoyal 

 Coachman, Kamloops and March Brown ; but there are times 

 when the game is suspicious or arrogant, and then the angler 

 tries one after another. 



What is more delightful than to listen to the theory of a dry 

 fly enthusiast, and watch his system of changes. He is just 

 being born in America, and Dr. Emlin Gill is the high priest, 

 having written a volume on the subject. I have always been 

 a psevdo dry fly fisherman by intuition — that is, I enjoy using a 

 wet fly, dry fly fashion, flnding my greatest pleasure in casting 

 with one fly at the target made by the rise of a trout and with- 

 drawing the fly before it sinks. 



But I am wandering from the trout and beautiful trout streams 

 of England. The chief charm of trout fishing lies in the environ- 

 ment, and it is here that England shines, for her trout streams 

 are a joy to the lover of angling the world over. 



Somehow, one is reminded of Turner when thinking of angling 

 in England, and there rises in my mind his picture of ' The Brook.' 

 I have spent much time angling in that little stream, com- 

 fortably seated in the Tate gaUery, wondering if it widened out, 

 and whether it was a trout or grayling stream where it was larger. 



I have mentioned in a previous chapter some of the streams 

 of England, and to my mind they absolutely fiU the field of what 

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