INTRODUCTORY xxi 
attractions than the hooking, playing, and landing 
of the salmon, some of’ us who do not catch many 
fish because we always fish on a bad day, when the 
river is too low or too high, or rising or falling, or, to 
put it shortly and with much more truth, those of us 
who are bad fishermen would find small pleasure in 
angling. ‘‘Wha’s catchin’ fush?” the small boy 
retorted when rebuked for catching fish on Sunday. 
He was fishing, and perhaps enjoying himself in spite 
of a guilty conscience, but he was not catching 
fish. In salmon angling there is the exercise and 
the pleasure which belongs to the skill required in 
the proper performance of the exercise, two elements 
which form perhaps the chief joy of athletics and 
outdoor games. But in addition there is the en- 
grossing study which belongs to all forms of hunting, 
the study of the habits of the creature hunted, so 
that skill already acquired may be turned to greater 
advantage. 
From this the step is a short one to a more intel- 
ligent knowledge of the life history of the creature 
apart from its mere sporting value. It is very 
natural, therefore, that sportsmen should be natur- 
alists, and should render in the case of the salmon 
valuable help to the elucidation of the fish’s life. 
Then the freshness and the leisure of life by the 
river-side gives the characteristic setting to the 
whole. How varied are the phases: the precious 
grey day with the favourable breeze, the bluster 
and batitle of the day of squalls, when the whole con- 
centration of the fisher and his every hope of success 
is in self-control and quiet determined effort ; or the 
