44 " Vultus instantis tyranni." Chapt. v. 



of walking and spinning. How men can think a fish is 

 such a fool as to take a bait, when it sees the "vultus 

 instantis tyranni" on the bank, I cannot make out. Still 

 they do think it, or at least ignore the visual organs of 

 the fish, and go on fishing all their days after the manner 

 of Hiawatha, jawing at the Sturgeon Nama, 



"Take ray bait, cried Hiawatha 

 "Take my bait Oh king of fishes!" 



"Hiawatha's fishing" is a very pretty study of what 

 not to do, unless by the way you really want to get in- 

 side a sturgeon, in which case I say good bye and part 

 company, for I am not game to play Ajidaumo. 



If the spinner of dead bait will be careful to conceal 

 himself from view of his desired prey as thoroughly as the 

 live-bait-lover unconsciously does, he will not be at the 

 great disadvantage he otherwise generally is ; on the con- 

 trary he will be at an advantage, in that he tries so much 

 more water with his lure. 



And as to his lure too, I am convinced he is not at 

 the discount he is commonly thought to be. If he mana- 

 ges it badly, of course he cannot expect to fare well, but 

 if he is really a good hand at spinning, his bait will look 

 every bit as natural as a live fish, and strange to say, 

 sometimes even more so. Watch a live bait and a well 

 spun minnow and compare them. I will back the spun 

 one to be "as large as life and twice as natural." The 

 live bait has perhaps a great hook all unconcealed and too 

 apparently sticking out of its lip; or if baited in the side, 

 it is soon lying somewhat unnaturally on its side; or it 



