Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-02-14
oisTRusrFUL TROUT AND SALMON.
Seeing So Many Artificial Flies, Fish Learn
to Distrust the Real Insect.

Several years ago, the great natu-
ralist. Frank Buckland, whose death pro-
duced profound sorrow to the lovers Of
birds and animals in every part of the
world, called attention to the fact that
salmon, trout, and other game fish could
not be caught by means of arti-
fetal flies in certain lakes and
streams in England There was
no trouble in catching them with this sort
of bait in the laSes and streams in Scot
land and Wales and in those portions of
England where scientific fishing tackle
had not long been used The fish in the
streams that had long been visited by
town anglers, however, were not TO be
tempted by artificial bait of any sort
During the last two or three fishing sea
sons it is re, DRIED that these tish. which
are the joy of the angler. will not touch
the May fly, which is the article of food
Of which they were formerly the most
fond. and which has generally been en-
ployed for bait by Lshermen since arttti
cial flies. grubs, and minuows have been
re, ,ected- They have apparently come TO
distrust everything but vegetables and
animalcule.
A scientific angler in a communication
to an English sporting paper states that
he spent an entire day trying to induce
some fine trout 90 accept the tempting
food he offered them. He displayed before
their eyes and within reach of their mouths
some twenty varieties of artificial flies,
grubs, and fish. but they were all looked
upon with disdain. He then baited his
books with May flies, but the cautious
fish were not to be tempted by these.
Presently some May flies approached his
hna md ia hn ~
them touched the water and were held
fast Some of the trout and other game
fish rose 20 the surface, surveyed the crea-
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 eat 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 credulous, like the trout and
salmon In the streams which few fisher.
men have visited They know quite too
much to be imposed upon. They have
seen some of their former friends and
companions take tempting looking insects
and small fishes into their mouths after
which they were pulled about in the
water against their will. and finally drawn
into boat or thrown upon dry land.
They are not willing to run the chance of
being treated in this ugly fashion. In
fact, in his opinion race Of fish has been
evolved by natural selection that de-
cline to touch artificial bait or May flies
As their numbers are not lessened by an
glers, they have multiplied. The ignorant
and entirely unedu, aied sorts of fish have
diminished in number Only the kinds
of fish survive that decline artificial bait
and May flies. Ii is another example of
"the survival of the fittest"
And now comes distinguished disciple
of Darwin and Spencer, who declares that
the former inhabitants of Alaska were
very highly civilized. and made use of
artificial bait for catching salmon He
draws his conclusion from the circum-
stance that the salmon of Alaska will not
touch artificial bait or flies. They learned
from their remote ancestors to avoid them
under penalty OF being caught The con-
sequence was that the salmon multiplied.
The effect was bad, however. on the in
habitants Not being able to procure
brain food, they declined in intellect and
diminished in numbers At present the
salmon of Alaska are among the wisest of
their race. while the men stand very low
in the scale OF intelligence