74 Preserved halt. Sense of smell. Chapt. V. 



whether it. is advisable to preserve bait in any way, against 

 the eventuality of not being able to procure it fresh when 

 wanted. It is obvious it will not do to let it take care of 

 itself, for it will very soon get so rotten as not to stay on 

 a hook for five minutes, besides being offensive; conse- 

 quently bait are commonly salted in England, and thus 

 kept on sale. Some fishermen have objected to the salt 

 on the ground of its injuring the hook, and prefer fish 

 preserved in spirits. I however have an objection to bait 

 preserved in spirits, and I base it on the strong sense of 

 smell known to exist in fishes; a sense considered to be 

 very perfect, and second only in power to the organ of 

 sight in fishes. A bait preserved in spirits of wine has 

 a very strong smell even after it has been on the hook, 

 and used in the water for half an hour; and I cannot 

 think that a fish will be unmindful of it, and recklessly 

 take such a strange smelling thing into its mouth ; I have 

 often thought, in using such a bait, that I have lost many 

 a run I should otherwise have got. I have seen fish follow 

 it and turn away. Of course I cannot say it was the smell 

 that turned them away from it, for they will do just the 

 same to any bait they mistrust; still I was fishing very 

 carefully, the bait was neat, and. I thought it was the 

 smell. Saltfish I have used with effect, and if you must 

 use preserved fish, I would prefer that method of preserv- 

 ing them. At best they are very inferior in appearence 

 and toughness to a fresh fish taken alive out of the bait 

 can, and baited immediately on being killed. 



But the kindly reader who has been good enough to 



