, 1885-08-02
osTRusrfuL Trout AaosAepoS.
seeIag SO Many Artificial Flich fish Learn
to Distru,i tho Real Insect.

chicago Times
Several years ago. the great natu
rn,ist, Frank auckland. whose death pro.
duced profound sorrow 10 the lovers OF
birds and animals in every part of the
world. called attention to the fact thai
salmon. trout, aud other game fish could
not be caught by means of art,
fetal flies in certain lakes aud
streams in England. There was
no trouble in catching them with this sori
Of bait Ia the lakes and streams in Scot
land and Wales, and in those portions Of
ngland where scientific fishing tackle
hal not long been used The fish in the
streams that had long been visited b.
town nnglers, however. were not to be
tempted by artificial bait of any sort
During the last two or three fishing sea
IONS II Is rcr orted that these fish. which
are the joy of the angler, will not touch
the May tiY. which is the article OF food
of which they were formerly the most
fond. aud which has generally been en-
ployed for bait by fishermen since artin
cial lics. grubs, and minnows have been
re ccted They have apparently come 10
distrust everything but vegetables and
unimalcule.
4 scientific angler in a communication
to an English sporting paper states that
he spent an entire day trying 10 induce
some fine trout to accept the tempting
food he offered them. lie displayed before
their eyes aud within reach Of their mouths
some twenty varieties Of artificial lies.
grubs. and fish. but they were all looked
upon with disdain. He then hated his
hooks with May flies. but the cautious
fish were not to be tempted by these.
Presently some May flies approached his
boat and, as is usually the case. some Of
them touched the water and were held
fast Some of the trout and other game
fish rose to the surface. surveyed the crca'
lures. and then slowly moved away. They
were evidently hungry. for they searched
the sand and mud on the bottom Of the
lake in quest of food. If they found
small insects they would cat them
The conclusion Of this angler was that
these fish have been educated up to a
point where they have become useless TO
the fisherman Acquired knowledge has
made them over. cautious. They are no
longer %crcdulous, like the trout and
salmon In the streams which few fisher
men hive visited. They know quite too
much TO be imposed upon They have
seen some of their former friends and
companions take tempting.lcoking insects
and small fishes into their mouths, after
which they were pulled about in the
water against their will. and finally drawn
into n boat or thrown upon dry land,
They are not willing to run the chance OF
being treated in this ugly fashion. n
fact. in his opinion a race Of fish has been
evolved by natural selection" that de
cline to touch artificial bait or May flies
AS their numbers are not lcssened by an
glers. they nave multiplied The ignorant
and entirely unedu aled sorts Of tsh have
diminished in number. Only the kinds
of fish survive that decline artificial thil
and May Lies. 1t is another example Of
"the survival Of the fittest
And now comes n distinguished disciple
of Darwin and Spencer. who declares thai
the former inhabitants of Alaska were
very highly civilized. and made use Of
artificial bait for catching salmon. lie
draws his conclusion from the circum
StanCe that the salmon of Alaska will moi
touch artificial bait or flies. They learned
from their remote ancestors to avoid then
under penalty OF being caught. The con
sequence was that the salmon multiplied
The effect was bad, however. on the in
habitanis. Not being able to procurl
brain food. they declined in intellect ant
diminished in numbers. At present thu
salmon Of Alaska are among the wisest d
their race. while the men stand very low
in the scale of intelligence.