ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY NEW YorkK STATE COLLEGES OF AGRICULTURE AND HomME EcCoNoMIcs AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY THE GIFT OF WILLARD A. KIGGINS, JR. in memory of his father Cornell University Library SH 451.W51 The natural tr ii 3 192 mann Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http:/Awww.archive.org/details/cu31924003265109 THe SATORAL TROUT RLY AND It TALATION. By Being an Angler’s Record of Insects seen at the Waterside and the Method of making their Imitations. SH ¢a/ LIS] 360770 NeEwTon-LE-WILLOWS : MCCorquopaLe & Co,, LimiTED. FOREWORD. It is with considerable diffidence on the part of the Author that this Book is laid before the general public. The notes and observations contained in it were made for private use only, but owing to the persuasion of a friend, the Author has decided to give them a wider circulation. If the reader obtains useful information from these pages, or finds matter of interest therein, he has to thank J. Unsworth, Esq. (M.B. London), of St. Helens, entirely, for without his persuasion and kind assistance, the Sketches would have remained as entries only, in a private note book. To other friends who have given assistance, I will take this opportunity of tendering hearty thanks; whatever has been required, either in the way of materials, information, or advice, has been freely and ungrudgingly given. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION.—CuHIEFLY ENTOMOLOGICAL. CHAPTER. SUBJECT. nn - W CRANE-FLIES AND GNaTS (Diftera) Two-WinGED F.igs In GENERAL (Diftera) May-FLiEs, Drakes, ETC. (Zphemera) Duns, SPINNERS, ETC. (Ephemera) Stone Fiiss (ferlide) SEDGES ( Zrichoptera) BEETLES, ETC. (Coleoptera) Various FLiEs, ETC. (Aymenoptera, etc.) ... SPIDERS, ETC. (Araneida) ... HACKLE FEATHERS (POULTRY, ETC. ) FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS . FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS MATERIALS, COLLECTING AND STORING, ETC., AND TOOLS MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL FLY MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL FLY THE CHOICE OF A FLY Wuy Do THE FisH RISE? .. FROM THE FisHEs’ PoINT oF VIEW Journal, PLATE. COD OT AM BF YO a PAGE. 2a 27 33 37 43 49 55 61 69 75 8r 85 89 95 109 117 123 131 139 NOTE—Chapters 18 and 19 are re-printed from the Fly Fishers’ Club Agelina labyrinthica Alder flies ... Allantus arcuatus ... Ants.. es Aphis, green Araneide ... Artificial gnats Arctia caja ... Attractors Autumn spinner Bees... Beetles Black ant Black cuss ... Blow flies Blue lace-wing Bodies oe Bright day ... Bright flies ... Bronze bottle Browns Bulging Bustards Cad bait Caddis flies ... Caddis worms Chironomide Chrysopides ... Chrysts ignita Chrysts rubtt Cilia.. Cinnabar moth Classification of insects Cochy-bondhu Cockchafer ... Cocoa fibre ... Coleoptera Condor quill Copper spinner Corncrake and orange Corixa striata Cowdung beetle Cowdung fly Crane-flies ... Creepers Clentchneumon Cuckoo spit... Culicide Dark drake... Dark needle Dark olive dun Deceivers Diptera Dipteron ... Dolichopodide Downlooker INDEX. 10, 14; es 14, ae II, 123 PAGE. Dragon fly larvae 52 Duns 37 Dyes... 103 Early brown 43 Earth beetle : 56 Elaphrus cupreus ... 15, 56 Elytra ate 14 Empide 8 16, 28 Ephentera 9 Io, 335 37> 395 133 February red ent 343 Fire tail 14, 63 Flies’ wings... 81—9I Flies, night ... sain 25 — hatch of 126, 144 — number used 126, 132 Fly attractors ais 223 — colour of «nie. 125 — beetle ... 110, 118 — deceivers ais, 125 — down-winged ... 110, 117 — drake 110, 117 — freaks ... 124 — hackle ... «ge FLO — Palmer... {1O, LIE — size of ... vex 224 — spent gnat 110, 114 — spider ... 110, I18 — split-winged ILO, 113 — types of... sie, E23 — up-winged 110, 112 Formica rufa 70 Freaks 124 Frog hopper 17, 64 Gall flies a“ Ig Gerrits lacustris + 56 Ghost swift .. we 22 Gnats ‘ 15, 21, 22 Golden- eyed | gauze wing a we OL Grass bug 17, 63 Grass moth... 50 Gravel spider 21 Green aphis 63 Green beetle 70, 77 Green bottle 28 Green drake 33 Green dun ... 38 Green insect ‘ 28 Grouse and green ... 49 Hackles 75) 795 77, 78) 97; 1C9 Hairy worms ar his sxe FO Halterers sate we ES Hawthorn fly ae 14, 28 Hemerobius... ae si ve OT Hemiptera ... 16, 17, 56, 63, 64 Hooks 101, 102, 125 Hoverers 15, 27 INDEX—continued. PAGE Hydrometra eae is re 1°) fTylotoma pagana ... atk wee 02 flymenoptera ies see wee AG Ichneumon ... ie 13, 14, 62 Insect classification 8 Insect ravages 104 Jenny spinners”... ie zie 38 Lace-wings ... 28 the gar 12 Lasius niger Sire Sos xe «= 90 Leptide ... van wi8 ge 28 Leptocerida ... wee ait we «49 Limnophilas oe ste ww. 50 Lycosa fluviatilis ... ate vee OD March brown ae oe se Materials... ae as we = OF Material box =i 104 May bug’ ... ok one on 55 May fly as 64 seis 33) 43 Medium dun ie ae we 38 Metallic flies Lid ae 16, 20 Mohair i eos aay ex 98 Mosquitoes ... tee ee eas <5 Nematus green... wa ws 63 Nematus lucidus 14, 62 Nematus niger sap 14, 62 Neuration ... ote sri ie 9 Neuroptera ... cag Bs it 9 Notonecta glauca or 16, 56 Oak flies... ate as 16, 28 Old birds... a8 a ma, OF Olive dun ... ane ont nae, Ud Olive gnat ... ae ane) SL Orange-tailed spinner ods sy 388 Oxycera trilineata .. ig air 63 Pachymerus calcttrator ... wey 162 Pale evening dun ... oe co 38 Pale olive dun ee “ioe we 38 Perla Maxima see Il Perlide 9 roe 43, 45 133 Phryganaride det 9 Phryganea grandis... ‘ ; wie VER Poultry hackles... ‘ we 198 Prismatic effect 37, 140, 142 uill. a os one 96, 99 Quill bodies 141, 142 Raffa grass... tee 96, 99 Redant ... es sis dee 270) Red fly as ive an gv, 62 Red spinner < a ie 37 Ruby-tailed wasp - th we IG Sailor beetle ise 15, 55 Sand wasp ... sid pat wae IG ' PAGE. Sarcophaga ... 29 Scalps 98 Scale wings... wa ins 98 Sedge bodies sti ste 50 Sedge flies ... gia a 49 ‘Sertca 55 Serica brunnea . 14 Stalide 10, 13, 62 Silk ... 95 Silver horn ... at ah we «50 Silver tail ... Aes .. 16, 28, 29 Small birds... a. §=698 Snipe flies ... 16, 28 Soldier beetle a 14, 55 Speckled crane-fly ... 21 Spiders <8 17, 69 Stick bait II Storage 103 Stone flies ... 10, 43 Sulphur dun 34 Syriphide 15 Tailing wee «124 Tinsel 103, 142 Thereva we 29 Thorax 22, 109 Tipulidae ws 15, 21, 132 Tortoiseshell catterpillar see 2 | 0 Transportation of flies... ve 52 Trichoptera ... » 9, 11, 49, 51, 134 Turkey brown id a Yellow spinner aig an. 3 Introduction. “ie almost every fly fisher sooner or later there comes a desire for more knowledge of the various insects seen at the waterside and used in his craft, and also a wish for some definite idea as to their classification and life history. Should the reader not be possessed by this desire, we strongly recommend him to miss this chapter, which is an _ attempt to convey a broad idea of the general classification of insects with as few technicalities, and in as simple language as possible; but withal in such a form as to be acceptable to fellow anglers, and so that even the least initiated will be enabled to distinguish an Ephemeron from a Stone-fly or a Caddis-fly, and so on. The expert entomologist may scorn the feeble attempt; this, however, is not written for his edifica- tion, but for the humble followers of the immortal Walton who prefer wading in a pellucid stream to the intricacies of an entomology. ; It is not necessary that the angler should know every species by name, to do so would entail the work of a lifetime, as the species are numbered by thousands, and many of the differences which determine the species are so small as to be negligible from the angler’s point of view. It is, however, both useful and interesting to have a broad idea of the general classification of the insect world, and such knowledge will give added enjoyment to many an hour when angling interest flags. |From the purely sporting point of view, the angler with a knowledge of entomology, possesses a great advantage, and is able readily to select a suitable fly ; whereas, one without this knowledge is liable to fall into mistakes which appear grotesque to the initiated. 8 INTRODUCTION. The insect world is divided into ten orders or general divisions, which are again sub-divided into sub-orders, families, and species, as follows :— Order. Sub-Orders. Families. Types. 1. Aptera 2 7 Silver Fish or Sugar Louse. No 10. Earwigs, Cockroaches, Grasshoppers, etc. 2. Orthoptera 3. Neuroptera 5 10~)>- Nerve-winged Insects. 4. Hymenoptera 4 24 Ants, Bees, Wasps, etc. 5. Colcoptera 7 86 _ Beetles. 6. Lepidoptera 3 53. Moths and Butterflies. 7. Diptera 6 43 Two-winged Flies. 8. Aphaniptera 2 — Fleas. 9. Thysanoptera — — Thrips. 10. Hemiptera 4 (6 series) 35 Scale insects, “ Bugs,” Water Measurers, Water Boatmen, Greenflies. Looking down this formidable list one is relieved to find that without more ado it may be reduced from ten to five, if we retain only those orders for which we have an immediate use, as follows :— 1. Neuroptera. Nerve-winged Insects, Plates 3, 4, 5, 6. 2. Hymenoptera. Wasp-waisted Flies, Plate 8. 3. Coleoptera. Beetles, Plate 7. 4. Diptera. Two-winged Flies, Plates 1, 2. 5. Hemiptera. Water Measurers, Boatmen, &c., Plates 7, 8. Illustrations will be found in the following pages which will, we hope, make the characteristics of each class clear to the observant reader. INTRODUCTION, 9 I. The Weuroptera, or nerve-winged flies, have two pairs of wings, both pairs membraneous with extensive neuration ; certain Ephemera, which have only one pair, make an exception to this rule; the imago has a biting mouth. By neuration is meant the system of nerves which con- stitute the framework that supports the membrane of the wings. The imago is the final stage of development of any insect. Selecting again only those families of the Meuropiera of interest to anglers, we have the following :— Ephemeride te ... May Flies, Duns, etc. Perlide ... re ... Stone Flies or Needle Flies. Trichoptera or Phryganide Caddis Flies. Chrysopide Hs ... Lace Wings. Stalde ... oe .. Alder Flies. The Ephemera are delicate insects with atrophied mouths and small short antennz, or feelers; usually having four membraneous wings, having much minute cross veining, the hinder pair much smaller than the other pair and sometimes entirely absent ; the body terminating in three or two elongate slender tails. The Perlide are insects of moderate or large size, with four membraneous wings complexly reticulate, the hind pair much the larger and of more simple neuration; the legs are widely separated. Trichopitra, or Phryganaride, as they are variously called, form a connecting link between flies and moths, and have always rather puzzled entomologists ; their wings are more or less clothed with hair, the nervures divide at very acute angles with very few transverse nervules, hind wings larger than the front ones ; antennz and legs often long, though not so in all species; mandibles, or lower jaws, absent or rudimentary ; larve, caterpillar-like, usually inhabiting cases of their own construction. Io INTRODUCTION. Chrysopides, the lace-wing flies, fragile insects, with four beautiful gauzy wings, which foid over their backs roofwwise, are remarkable for their brilliant gold or ruby coloured eyes, which possess a remarkable brilliance; and, lastly, the Sialide, of which there is only one British species that has two pairs of dusky wings, the hind pair slightly smaller, and both heavily veined. The Ephemera (plates 3 and 4), of which there are over forty species, form one of the most important classes to anglers. From early Spring to late Autumn they are seen in swarms about the water with a curious up and down flight, winging their way before the wind or quietly floating down the stream with wings upright. They have an infinite variety of size and colour; some species have well-marked cloudy wings easy of imitation, others have wings which vie with the rainbow in colour and prismatic beauty, of which no entirely satisfactory imitation can be produced. The Ephemera are aquatic insects—the eggs are laid in the water and the larve live and grow there. Coming to the surface, the larva shakes off its sheath and emerges as a sub-imago, this later, casts a second sheath and becomes a spinner or imago, and it is in this last stage that it baffles the imitator’s skill. Some Ephemera have a larval period of 12 months and others three years, hence, the pollution of a stream only once in every three years may be the cause of the disappearance of the large drakes from so many of our streams. The Stone Flies or Perlid@, of which 4o species are indigenous to this country, are also of interest to Anglers— especially on the upper waters of our streams, whose stony beds are the habitat of their larvae. Like the Ephemera, they begin to show in March or even earlier and are with us to the end of the season. Their larve prey on other insects, especially the larve of the smaller Ephemera. Their eggs are dropped on the water and hatch INTRODUCTION. II into creepers, the following year developing into flies. The creepers are curious little creatures with big heads and eyes, powerful looking legs, and long tails—the largest being Perla maxima (Fig. 50, plate 5)—and the creeper of this fly is often used up stream much the same as a worm. In the North of England, fly fishing is of little use for a week or two at least, after a good hatch of this insect, so greedily do the fish take it. It has often been stated that the Yellow Sally (Perla Viridissima) is a bitter fly and fish do not care for it. This is a great mistake; what the fish do not like is the wretched imitations which are offered in place of this very beautiful fly—a really bright imitation with good light- yellow glassy wings is taken freely under suitable conditions. The smaller perdide are all remarkable for the curious way in which they roll up their wings until the insect looks more like a thin bit of stick than a fly; however, all are worth imitating, and are great favourites with trout and grayling alike. Trichoptera-—We next come to the Caddis flies, at present considered as a sub-order or family of the Meuropéera, though each succeeding generation of Entomologists seems to delight in moving them to another place. They are divided into seven families, and 250 species. These again are aquatic insects. The eggs are laid in the water in the form of a gelatinous globule, whence the larve emerge, and at once make themselves a covering of tubular form of either reeds, weeds, stones, shells, or other handy material which they cement together. Some varieties retain free movement, others cement their dwellings on to stones and stay there until hatching time comes. The larve of the larger varieties are very voracious and do not hesitate to attack small fish, which they grip from below with their powerful front claws, never letting go if once they get a fair hold. The larva is known as a stick bait or cad bait, and is much used in some 12 INTRODUCTION. districts. Phryganea Grandts is the largest species. It is the bustard of the North Country, and is often found running round the collar when one is on angling bent, especially at dusk. Possibly the white attracts its attention. As the hay ripens numerous white and yellow moths may be seen during the summer evenings hovering over the flowers and flying with considerable speed from plant to plant. These are the “ Ghost Swift” moths (Hepzalis humuli) of which the white is the male and the yellow the female, and have nothing whatever in common with the “ bustards”’ of the angler, although they are frequently erroneously called by that name; no doubt owing to the fact that they are strongly in evidence during the height of the bustard season, and the ill-informed taking them as such, ties an imitation which is passed off as a bustard. They never go near the water except by accident, whereas the real bustards are born and bred in the water, lay their eggs there, and are a continual temptation to the lusty trout by reason of the way they skate upon, or hover over its surface. The position of the wings when at rest is roofwise over the body and they are covered with curious downy hairs, which under the microscope look like small spear heads and from which the tribe derive their name. They are easy flies to imitate, and well worth using when the naturals are about. The Chrysopide or Lacewings (see plate 8, figs. 75, 76, 77) number 15 species—three of them are frequently seen on and about the water, namely: the Green one (Hemerobius Alba) ; the Blue one (A. Nervosus); and the Yellow one (H. Hzrtus) ; and all are taken eagerly by the fish. The Blue one at times is seen dancing over the water in hundreds and might be mis- taken for a small caddis fly; but its clear, rather prismatic wings and different nervuration quickly reveals its identity. The eggs of this fly are laid on bushes, each egg being carried on a hair-like support attached to a leaf of the bush. The larger species in spite of their ample and resplendent wings have a curiously feeble flight. INTRODUCTION. 13 The power of insects on the wing depends more on the size of the thorax than either the size, form, or number of their wings ; in other words, a monoplane is quite as good as a biplane with sufficient engine power behind it. Of the Szaldde or Alder flies (plate 8, fig. 80), we have only one example—Svalis lutaria—so common everywhere, sitting on fences or flying over the water. The eggs of this fly are laid in patches on the leaves of marginal plants—one patch at times containing over 1,000 eggs—and as they hatch, the larvee make their way down into the water, whence they emerge the following year, and hatch on the surface into the well-known fly. Il. Hymenoptera (plate 8, figs. 78, 79, 81-86, and plate 9, figs. 96, 97) possess four wings, membraneous without scales, never very large, the hind pair smaller than the front; nervures irregular in size and form; mandibles conspicuous. The females are furnished with a saw, sting, or ovipositor at the extreme end of the body, which may be withdrawn into the body or be permanently protruded. Hymenoptera are a very large class, including as they do, many insects of such widely different habits. They are popularly known as wasp-waisted flies, such being an easily recognised characteristic. The ants, bees, wasps, ichneumon, and gall flies, of which we use some few, and the saw flies are included in this order. The Aymenoptera are looked upon by Entomologists as the most interesting and intelligent species found in the insect world, containing as they do the bulk of those which have communal existence and live in colonies, where laws exist and the strictest discipline is maintained. Many of the species are beautiful alike in form and colour. Very few of them are aquatic insects, but many get on the water accidentally. This is possibly one reason why at times they are so attractive, as once on the water they buzz and make a great fuss instead of quietly going ashore. If asked which is our most beautiful fly, one would be puzzled to answer, but 14 INTRODUCTION. an exceedingly handsome fly is the Ruby-tailed Wasp, or Fire- tail (Chryszs Lenita), plate 8, fig. 85, and there is a similar fly (C. rubiz) about half the size. One often wonders at fly tiers making “fancy” flies, when there are in nature such magnificent examples to be copied. These two flies are said to be enemies of the common wasp, preying on their larvae ; laying their own eggs in the comb of the wasp; their larve eating the wasp grubs. Plate 8, figs. 78, 79, shew nematus niger and neimatus lucidus, two very common flies, the former much in evidence in the spring time, and the latter practically all the season. Early writers on fishing flies all give the hawthorn fly (Bibio marct) Plate 2, fig. 20, as one of importance, but we think zematus niger is much more widely distributed, and abundant at the waterside; we believe it is at times mistaken for and erroneously called the hawthorn fly. Plate 8, Fig. 84, the small Sand Wasp (AUantus arcuatus) is always found when the cochy-bondhu is moving, and frequently side by side on the same hemlock or other flower. The Ichneumon flies have no special mission to perform about the water, but are frequently to be seen floating “spent” on the surface; plate 8, fig. 83, &c. III. The Coleoptera, or beetles; insects of this order are readily distinguished by means of their horny wing cases or elytra in combination with their strong antennz and heavy legs. On plate 5 are shown five of the most useful; the first is a fairly common brown beetle (Serica Brunnea), useful for dibbing with, and taken by large trout and chub with avidity. At first glance it is recognized as a small Cockchafer. Plate 7, fig. 67, is the small cowdung beetle (Ophodius Fetens), which is taken with avidity at all times by trout. No. 68 is the “Soldier Beetle” (Zelephorus lividus). The soldier is found in hundreds on hemlock and similar flowers, flying about and dropping on the water in the sunshine. It INTRODUCTION. 15 is a beautiful orange colour, though there is another and larger beetle, which has a dark body instead of an orange one, and the elytra (wing cases) are rather more dingy in colour. The Sailor, Beetle (Zelephorus rusticus) is a similar insect, but has blue elytra and legs. The fifth beetle illustrated (No. 70) is a very common one (L/aphrus cupreus), with dark metallic. blue and greenish elytra, often found under stones, etc., by the water side, from which it is washed out whenever the water rises, and becomes a prey to the trout, which take it greedily. There are many other varieties which are locally abundant, and if seen on the water, no doubt will repay the trouble of imitating. Our object, however, is not to multiply patterns, but to choose only the most useful and typical. The water beetles are often taken by trout, but No. 5 is fairly like several of the common varieties. IV. Diptera, as the name suggests, are the flies with two wings only, membraneous usually, transparent, and never very large; behind the wings a pair of small erect capitate bodies— halterers—or balancers as they are sometimes called. The mouth parts are formed for sucking, and sometimes take the form of a proboscis, which can be retracted at will. The usual larval form is a-small grub or maggot without feet. Those which most interest us are the 77pudid@ or Crane- flies (plate 1, figs. 1—5), they are all useful to anglers, but in their larval stages, a scourge to farmers, doing great damage to the roots of their crops. The winter gnats (Lzwnobine) also belong to this family. Examples of the mosquitoes (Culicide), of which we have about ten varieties, and the gnats (Chzronomide), of which two hundred species are indigenous to this country, are shown on plate 1, figs. 6—1Io. Included in the a@ptera are the Syr7phide or hoverers, of brilliant yellow and black, which possess such marvellous powers of flight; the woodflies (Savcophagide) ; the blowflies 16 INTRODUCTION. (Bibionide); the oakflies (Leptide), dear to the angler more from early association than actual use; the Empzde or snipe flies, which prey on other insects; their head and mandibles resemble that of a woodcock, and of necessity to catch their prey, they are exceedingly quick of flight. In all, we have over four thousand varieties of dzpzera, indigenous to this country, plates 1 and 2 showing a few typical varieties. There are also two now mentioned for the first time, which are favourites, and yet new to the angling world at large ; one is the silver tail (Zheriva Nobilata), plate 2, fig. 21, and the other, fig. 27, of the metallic flies or Dolichopodide, which are exceedingly common at the waterside, and quite worth imitating. V. Hemiptera—Many of these are purely aquatic, including the water boatmen, which are, no doubt, familiar to most anglers. These are fierce insects, which attack other insects, tadpoles, and small fry. They have a powerful beak which renders their attacks very formidable, and swim with a curious jerky motion, coming to the surface occasionally to take in air. They are good fliers and on the wing look rather like a bee. The largest is Motonecta Glauca. The elytra fold up over the body compactly “ roofwise”’ (plate 7, fig. 72). The smaller boatmen are known as Cortxa Striata (plate 7, fig. 71), and the wing cases lie flat along the back when folded. They are similar in habit to the former. It is curious to see a swarm of them sporting on a sunny afternoon. At first glance it looks as though a good rise of blue duns was going on, but closer observation will show that after a short flight they drop into the water again, and swim away amongst the water weed. Woe betide them should the trout observe their little game, which then has a tragic ending! The Water Measurers (plate 7, figs. 73—74) also belong to this class INTRODUCTION. 17 (Hydrometra Stagnorum; Gerrits Lacustris). They are known to anglers as “water crickets,” and are to be found at the margin of almost all waters. In the early season they are taken very readily by the fish before more luscious morsels are abundant. ‘They are insectivorous, and at once attack and crowd round any small insect which alights on the water near them. There are also illustrated, two other Hemzzptera, the Frog- hopper or Cuckoo Spit (Aphrophora Alnt), plate 8, fig. 91, which is the “ Wrentail,’ of Ronalds; in the summer it hides in a frothy mass on the stems of grass and plants, and in the autumn, where these are near the water, this insect sometimes Jumps on to the surface by thousands. Another of the Hemiptera is the common grass bug (plate 8, fig. 88); it is singularly like the water measurers in general form, but is found on the grass in the pastures, and along the margins in countless numbers, and on a windy day is often blown on to the water in thousands; there is also a green one, similar in form, but slightly smaller than the one illustrated. We will close these brief notes with a short one on the Spiders (Araneta), which occupy an intermediate position in the animal kingdum between the insects and the vertebrates. The external differences between spiders and insects are: the number of legs—a spider having eight against six in insects ; the head and thorax are in one, known as a cephalo thorax ; the mouths are totally different, a spider has no antennz, and no body segments, the abdomen being in one piece, and the eyes are simple instead of being made up of numerous lenses. Internally, the nervous system, the digestive organs, and circulatory systems are quite different and more highly developed, and resemble in many ways those of the vertebrate animals. Spiders have no larval stages. They are numerous at the water side, and certainly deserve more attention from anglers than they have so far received. B GNATS AND CRANE-FLIES. 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DEL. AD NAT C th ea as Se ch ean! CHAPTER I. GNATS AND CRANE-PLIES, On plate 1 are shewn typical specimens of crane flies (cipulide@) and of gnats (chironomide), etc. The crane-flies are exceedingly plentiful and various in size and colour, although most of the larger ones are of a brownish shade, and the distinguishing characteristic of all of them is their long trailing legs, this and their single pair of wings make the group almost unmistakeable. Although they have not a true aquatic history, many of them breed in damp places, and are continually dropping on the water, or alterna- tively touching the surface and rising a short distance, particularly is this the case in windy weather, when they are frequently on the water in hundreds. Many are seen on the water, at times lying with their wings out-stretched, too exhausted to lift their long legs from the surface. Some members of the family are in evidence quite early in the season, the largest come on about May, and continue to be seen till the end of the season. The speckled one, No. 3, is often seen flying in swarms over the water in quiet corners on summer evenings. No. 4 is sometimes called the gravel spider. It is found on the gravel beds of rivers, and is often seen quietly floating down stream standing on the water. 21 22 GNATS AND CRANE-FLIES. No. 5 is a very common yellow variety found about the grassy or reedy margins in May and June. No. 6 is an olive coloured gnat and a great favourite with me, either the winged or hackled imitations. are exceedingly successful, they float well, and dressed in various sizes to suit the different waters, are exceedingly useful lures. It seems rather invidious to praise the olive gnat so much when its brethren, the black, the green, the ruby, and the brown gnat are at hand, and each in its turn is quite capable of upholding the high opinion we have formed of the gnat tribe as patterns well worthy of attention and careful imitation. All these gnats have a true aquatic history, and may be seen emerging from the larval form on the surface of the water, then they either take to flight or quietly drift ashore or down stream as the case may be. Onacalm summer evening a gnat ona No.o0o hook will often do great execution, when a more heavily dressed fly will meet with but scanty notice. The brown gnat is most in evidence towards the end of the season, when it is quite a favourite. I may fairly say that gnats have often succeeded in taking shy highly educated fish when other lures failed; and they have turned up trumps when for a time at least, the success or failure of an expedition was in the balance. They must be dressed on the small side and not too bushy, and we prefer a fairly heavy thorax for two reasons: first, because it is true to nature, and secondly, GNATS AND CRANE-FLIES. 23 because the artificial so made, floats better as the herl both holds oil and increases the buoyancy of the fly by surface tension, exposing as it does innumerable fine fibres of feather. Some fly fishers may be sur- prised that the first chapter should be devoted to the gnats; but the reason for this is, that they are ubiquitous, in the high mountain becks or tarns, on the water meadows, by the reservoir, or lake, or wherever trout, or other fish are to be caught, whereas many of the other flies are locally abundant only. From the early spring to the late autumn gnats may be found, and a careful selection of artificial gnats of representative colours will almost certainly provide a fly which will give sport, be the conditions ever so fine, on the one hand, or boisterous and rough on the other. The bodies of artificial gnats should be smooth and banded, with a lighter or darker tinge in contrast to the general colour. The wings of most gnats are quite insignificant, and in dressing an imitation it is usual to make it as a hacklefly only, but if desired, wings may be added, using two fine whole cock hackle points for the purpose ; those of a pure grey blue or with a slight speckle are usually as near to nature as can be obtained. If the contents of the stomach of trout and grayling be examined, many specimens of flies are found, but very frequently thousands of gnats and gnat larve are the principal contents. If the fish are rising freely the fly should be used dry, or at any rate fished near the surface; if, on the 24 GNATS AND CRANE-FLIES. other hand, they are bulging and feeding on the larve, a sunk fly is more useful and efficacious, especially if dressed long in hackle and fished ‘‘lively” in the water. Generally speaking, the early season brings forth dark coloured gnats, and then, as the brighter, warmer weather comes on, those of the lighter and brighter colours become more abundant. Plate 1 gives nine figures of fairly assorted colours, and each pattern given is the result of observation, careful selection, and experience. All the gnats are drawn from life, and the artificials from patterns of proved merit. All gnats have cz/va or fine hair-like processes on the body, hence the use of tinsel, as described in the chapter on materials. There are many more gnats and small crane-flies than those we have described (about 4oo in all), but the object of this book is to present a selection of the most useful and representative members of each class, not to enter into an exhaustive treatise on the infinite varieties of nature, which would only complicate matters and be of no practical use to the angler. TWO-WINGED FLIES— DIPTERA, 25 Ha “MOO}T payates 10 padp oye ystmoqah aq 01 [204 Apog sappey se passorp [19M SB op salg asay} ][e Jsowly AMojod ul useis pue asduvio 0} MoTfak wlory sativa AY STU “SHLON ypoavad 3209 — pq — yotjso ye | aniq Aeq juMoIq ut Ay ecg | 83 yooovad yooovad — pq —— pesq jyaooa08uIn | Ap oper LS’ proms _— [sy yoorag —. yooora, yooo ong joom poy | Ay azuoig | 9% asnoi3 qH ploy | qmb eao Tey eA payypoeds m sapyoadS | [ey yoriyso 909 yo1ys0 Kai yy8rq | Aad yreq anyq aul, Aas y1eq yooo oni oe Ay poo | FB qu 4909 pay IaTaaoy Plos apr ee aniq FUL UMOIqUEeAA YDOD MOTIAA ‘UMOI WIE pedis | ¢% [29y qu poy | ypmb yxprig — umoiq wie, |npuog Aqo05 “s AY Yeo TeMs | ZS proms ]asU} IBATIS — i yooowag yooo ang “s [rey 194s | 13 oa Ay IDATIS DULY |YOuNso You — ypIjso yoRIg | yoo yovigq #s UIOYIMETT | OZ qi plor) |[re} Jueseoyg -— aatjo yeq | onyq Aysnyy JOOM pay Ay odius | 61 pnb eduerQ | ppimb xoerg | yooopoop, [294 eayQ | Usy sued) | [OOM Usd2145) AB APO | 8T | proms pioms ——- yooovag | sjutod anig yooora cs sf ayyoq wse15) LI proms proms | —. yoooveg — yooowa,T yoo onjg | oom pey |joosur users) | QT oe a Ss ” _ | JOOM yovjgq | ‘ssno yxoRr_ GI RTT [PSUT} BATS si —_— ia yoo ov | = pue zaalis | FL Jesu appoey 1aI9A0q plod 3epq | ze yoerg ee Yotyso HV, aoBUIN | JOOM poy ews | €T S[19y YOR [29q -_— pue MoTaA jsjutod Aysny jumosq wie i | Joom uMoIg iaaa0H | Zt [ey oe aalfO MOT[IA | SIUIOg anI_ psy aayo | usy eure | joom pay Ag sunpmoy | IT aes : | aly “AGOG “SONIM "XVIOHL "SDYT ‘SHAQ 0 “SWWN ‘ON | (SHITA GADNIM-OML) PYYLdAIC ‘T FLVI1g -_ LY, DEL.AD NAT. CHAPTER II, TWO-WINGED FLIES—D/PTERA. PLATE 2. As the season advances the insect world gets busier and busier, and the angler and naturalist, who, at first, have been looking with impatience for the early arrivals, in a very few weeks have to admit that they are completely overwhelmed by the number and variety of insects which are continually coming under their notice. On this plate we have endeavoured to select a representative collection of the common two-winged flies (azftera), most, if not all of which are familiar to anglers. No. 11 is the cowdung fly, useful on a windy day, especially during the early part of the season; there are several varieties, varying in colour very much from yellow to brown, green, or orange, and they are often on the water in great numbers. Nos. 12, 13, 23 are hoverers (syvzphzde), a beautiful class of fly, in a great variety of black, yellow, and orange ; their bodies glitter like gold, particularly on the under surface, and smartness should be the keynote of their imitations. No. 14 is a small black aptevon which shines like silver, and its imitation, is a distinctly successful lure. 27 28 TWO-WINGED FLIES—D/PTERA. No. 15 is one of the “black cusses” (42/arza), which fly over the surface of the water in clouds in May, June, and July. The small green insect, fig. 16 (fachygaster poltta), is first rate on a bright day, and is a sure friend under difficult fine conditions. The large green bottle, fig. 17, also does well at times, particularly under bushes. No. 18 is the oak fly or down looker (depézs scolopacea), exceedingly plentiful everywhere in some years, and again, other seasons it is almost absent ; April is about its season. Fig. 22 is the small oak fly (4eptzs Zéneola) ; it is a very smart little insect, and comes on later in the season than the larger variety, and we have found it more successful as a pattern for imitation. It has reddish legs with dark joints, well suggested by a coch-y-bondu hackle. No. 1g is plentiful at the same time as the oak fly. It is one of the snipe flies (empzde), easily distinguish- able by the extraordinary likeness to a snipe which its head and mouth present when viewed sideways. In almost all books on fly fishing the hawthorn fly ° (47610 marci) is mentioned as a very excellent one to use ; it is in evidence when the hawthorn trees are in bloom, and as it is a very old acquaintance we give a sketch of it in fig. 20. The next (fig. 21) is an especial favourite, and quite a successful imitation. It is the silver tail, and is on when the ‘black cusses” are a nuisance, and in TWO-WINGED FLIES—D/PTERA. 29 certain lights its abdomen is black and white, a slight movement, however, and it appears of a brilliant metallic silvery lustre. I believe entomologists delight to call it Zhereva nobilata. The grey wood fly (fig. 24) is probably known to all (sarcophaga carnaria). It is useful alive to dip with, and dead as a pattern to copy ; it floats well, and is quite worth imitation in various sizes. The dpteron shewn in fig. 25 is very common among the rushes. We have frequently seen it taken, and have also had some success with its imitations. Fig. 26 is a very beautiful bronze bottle, and a rival to the green insect, to which it makes a useful variety, but it is seldom seen except in bright weather, when at times it is abundant. Fig. 27 is also a fly delighting in sunshine, and its imitations are most successful in bright weather—it is one of the dolrchopoda or metallic flies. Fig. 28 is the big Welsh blue bottle (cynomya mortuorunt), useful at times, but too big for general use. Some of the flies in this plate are found flying and sporting about the water intent on their business, others, when a moderate wind is blowing, are landed there by no wish of their own, and as a consequence the artificials are most frequently taken under these conditions. However, the bright coloured ones we have frequently found highly successful under calm conditions with bright sunshine. The silver tail, the green insect, the metallic fly, and a hoverer have all met with marked success under these conditions. MAY FLIES, &.—EPHEMERA. 31 rauuids prejeut anda ul | uMOorIq WR ‘spua | Moral ad go SPIqiy ale ie (mb ye | ue | — fe | [OOM pay pus umorg | og | queseayd | youurds ad uepjoy SIMI Ploy | [[mb umoig /Ssuypieis a/eq | — news ee umoig rE sBurm Joy a]qe1INs | ; szayyeay = MoTad MO] | ‘{yours aaey sprig queseoyd -p& pap OA |[fews rayjo peraaag | uapjoy AES yavq \pmb szopuoy |yoeq ysnzyy, , —— | Uag aureD | [oom UMoIg Unp inyding | ¢¢ yorq| | | umolq a | — ee [nb umoig adpuqed -——— , sspuireg JOOM pay | Aaymy | Ze pexim used | pue ‘par ‘mora queseayd HA jsuvour o1yeuIsti uap[oy stm} plo | [pmb moypan yonp paiq —= , oryeurstig | —— unp MOTIA. I¢ peq | aiqy aspired | | 19 me [re) Jueseayg ss JO - ple [eI oa : ae : « | ayeip yreq 0g atiour | ayi UL auUy aq 0} aqy ypeq 19 |sroyey Burm aqy [rerjuesvayg |rerqueseayg | sseid eyey | np peXq |joom umoig asplajizg | [oom uMOIg jayBIP us2IN | Bg | moo ‘SHLON. *“STIVE “aly “AGOg “SONTIM *XVUOHL ‘SsOaT “‘SHAq ‘AINVN ‘ON (oLq ‘SHITA AVIW—SANVAd) PYTWTHdAT '€ ALVId L.W. DEL, AO NAT. CHAPTER III. MAY FLIES, &¢—APHEALERA. PLATE 3. The Green Drake (fig. 29) is so well known to anglers that it requires little attention here. It is remarkable for its long sub-aquatic larval existence— usually stated as three years, and then a life of pro- verbial shortness in its perfect state, and such a life at that, hunted by fish until it flies away, then pursued by chaffinches, fly catchers, swallows, and a dozen other members of the feathered tribe. What with the pollution of our rivers, and its multitude of natural enemies, this fly is, we fear, doomed to extinction. Good floating imitations of the species have probably accounted for some of the largest trout which have been taken with the artificial fly. The Dark Drake (fig. 30) is not considered as generally successful a lure as the Green Drake, though it has it advocates, and on a dull windy day we prefer it to its brighter companion. The Yellow Drake (fig. 31) is a beautiful insect, we have seen it rising in numbers on the Tanat and Vyrnwy in the late summer and autumn, and it is taken greedily by both trout and grayling. 33 34 MAY FLIES, &.—EPHEMERA. Fig. 32 is the Turkey Brown, and is used with success in the North of England ; it is a very elegant insect, and abundant about the end of April. Fig. 33, the Sulphur Dun, appears later in the season, is abundant in July and August, and is a favourite with the fish tribes. Fig. 34, the Copper Spinner, is a handsome insect, and well worth attention. Fig. 35 is very abundant in June, and either dressed as shewn, or with a body light coloured at the tail, and dark towards the thorax, is a distinct success. The Drakes recall glorious days with big fish and sunshine and a merry breeze, and again, squally winds, rough waters, and disappointments, but, running through all associations is one of longing to be there again and put one’s skill and luck to the test once more, and a feeling of certainty that on the next occasion greater success and better sport would be certain to result from one’s efforts. Although a pleasure may be ephemeral, the joy of anticipation is considerable, the preparation for an excursion, when word is sent that the May fly is up, is great, and the memory of such is a joy which lasts to the end of one’s life. DUNS, SPINNERS, &&— EPHEMERA. que Bulyiels unp eniq Ad -seayd 40D | jasun poy aalo ae Pile dAT[O aJeq | aaro ysopegq [OOM par BULLI AA, UrpIBISs od 909 2Al[O, —z qtimb aatjo |aaro 7 yqeq | aaljo yteq | oslo yeq | JoOM usaiy) | sao yIeq irey SuTpels unp av 34909 ong == -9S10Y OT AA UINIpa YSLIsO 4909 an[g | wse13 yreq Butuaao ajeg Suly unp 2arjo 94 3909 dAl[O SIM ploy | qMboayO j-7eIs aayQ | [Md aayQ | yxI09 aal[O | joom uaar4 wmIpe yy [re] 32 ley rauuids AV [OOM par fo Yono} YW | = Poo ong SS -9SIOY UY MA === Yolljso xoRlg fs [OOM pay as ff Jauuids feysa ee sg sig as ee DNBUSTIg | 9Al[o xed aallo eye 4909 Bal[O ss mb aayo [Surpreis afeg | ypinb aa | 4909 aaT[O ag uNp 2aT19 queseayd rauuids av uap[oyy oe DATO IV uadId 2Al[O ONeVUIsII se uasiny Surprels av yoo usaI4) dim poy | tymb 0 umnipayy | ueerd yreq, | yoo uasir) | Joom userId | unp usa ™m yueseayd uMOIq wien rauutds aq uapfoy) ag pue MoT[aA |surpreys ord uMmoig Ye ee os [fB} MOTII A, Eplea‘el Tab jpppeyentq ao as ss evuuals Ing |10 ss ae es Joom umMorg | r8autds pox appey uses lumb rauuids dq |pue ‘mopeds Spar) “i es euuals juing |Surreis ayeg | jmb euaars OT BUISIIg MOTIPA, per [jews (peAp) (pep) unp aad st s Trmb aatto Suyreig | [mb aaQ [yo0o eayQ | oom pay | aayo Apeg ‘SOUIT] }@ [JOM ui9} op ssurm qrenb que Wq IO Ue 3909 per 9 jsoaspryred‘uraytg |-seayd yoo | jasun pjoy | yimb umorg |-seayd uezy | joy UMoig |p aSpiujieg — UMOIG POI "OOH “SELON “STIVE “aI *Adog “SONTIM, | “XWUOH] ‘sOa'T ‘SHAQ “ANVN we Abs (SYANNIdS—SNQQ) Y ALVIg PUTWLHdAIT LW, C&L, AD Nat CHAPTER IV. DUNS, SPINNERS, &c.—EPHEMERA. PLATE 4. The first to claim the would-be angler’s attention, and one which has probably been more successfully imitated and generally used than any, is the March Brown shewn in fig. 36. There are several varieties which go by this name, and they vary considerably in size and shade, but the general characteristics are the same, mottled wings, yellow and brown body, and long tails. It is dressed in all sizes, from the smallest trout to salmon fly, and being typical of a mottled insect, does equally well in all. Fig. 37 is an early olive dun, and being of a typical insect colour, does equal execution to the March Brown, and appears early in April. After a few days it changes into a brown and yellow spinner, as shewn on fig. 38. Fig. 39 is the large red spinner, which is the imago of the March Brown. We were never satisfied with the success of the dressing of the spinners, either as imitations or lures, until we hit on the device of using various bright coloured hackles to suggest the colour of their wings; in this way a suggestion of the beauty of this prismatic effect may be obtained, 37 38 DUNS, SPINNERS, &C—EPHEMERA. and the result has quite justified the experiment. By coloured hackles are meant fibres of bright glassy hackles, dyed red, or yellow, green or violet, but these must be used carefully to obtain the desired effect—a preponderance of any one colour will ruin the effect. Good glassy grey cock hackle points make very effec- tive wings, either dressed upright or spent wise. Fig. go is the orange tailed or autumn spinner, and a successful lure late in the season. Fig. 41 is the small green dun, very abundant at times on the Tanat, and one with which we have had great sport on several occasions. Fig, 42 is the spinner, noticeable at the same time, and equally useful. Figs. 43 and 44 area pale olive, and its spinner always useful when in doubt what to try. Fig. 45 is the Jenny spinner, which is one of the varieties of doubtful success, coming on when insect life is rife, the fish sorely pressed by anglers ; being very small in size, many fish are pricked and few caught with this imitation as a rule. Fig. 46 is the medium olive dun, a well tried and established favourite. Fig. 47 is the pale evening dun, which rises in countless myriads from many waters, and is quite a success at times, but it must be dressed small. Fig. 48 is a dark olive dun, preferable to its lighter brethren when dark clouds over-cast the sky. Fig. 49 is the whirling blue dun, which, by the casual observer, is sometimes mistaken for a March Brown on account of its size and dusky upright wings. DUNS, SPINNERS, &¢.—EPHEAIERA. 39 We have great diffidence in saying much about the ephemera, as so much has been written already by various writers, but we venture to believe that the dressings of the spinners will find favour with, at least, some of our brother anglers. We have had our dressing tested by several good dry fly men, who report favourably on it. The general mistake amongst writers on the subject is to magnify the importance of this class of flies to the exclusion of almost all others. There are only forty varieties of ebhkemera gener- ally recognised as indigenous in this country, and considering the many other species which also have a true aquatic history and wide distribution, we consider, from the angling point of view, that this is a great mistake, and at times is highly detrimental to the sport to be obtained with an artificial fly. Unfortunately the custom very largely prevails of oe dressing almost all artificials ‘‘ up winged,” and this is one reason why so few anglers have a just sense of proportion with regard to the proper place of the ephemera in the equipment of the fly fisher. STONE FLIES—PARLIDA, 4l OV ad av daa daa AO | o8prjieg i £4209 MOTPAA | asp Juesvoyd | wapjon 1 | 1 | i aspyieg ; Y909 MOTIF A aspueg 4909 MOTIIA, aspuuey Jue d1IIM por) 98pe TTI “ce OITA por) “ ape TNC aILM ploy aspa TIM? “ 941M pfox) aspe [md OT} SuIMOYsS -svayd 409 | ‘suv | [OOM MOTIA.Y [0 umolq y1eq Tinb yng Tb [MOTIP.\ a[eq qinb umorg nb Mopax, euuels JUINg Tpmb uMmoiq Y1eq Trmb aTed Irmb Mord ae OG [1imb umorg rm Mold aeg tb euuars Jung 202 *ABP PITNO TA 3209 antq PeTHoW 3909 mort apeg 09 anid PaO, 3209 MOT[RA 9Teg “ Ib yxeq Tmb yng Imnb moypax mb umoig [mb eao Tfinb umoig Joom Moya soppoey IDAO -Byyel 200 ssvis Payo | IV anyq payyjoyw jeyer aayo “AGOG = “SONIA *XVYOH]L adius y1ep Joanyq Aisny 4909 aniq Aqsnyy yoo Moras ape p09 Aasns pue asp -yaed uMoIg, 3909 moped ae] |yooo Aqsur pue asp ved umoig 4209 anjq Aisn yy aniq aed Aysn1 4909 MOTIIA B toler) antq = Aisnyy 3909 MOTE A, 3209 aniq Aisny asprqied uMoig “sOaT JOOM UMOIg Joom png [OOM MOTIAA Joom uMoIg JOO aATTO JOOM UMOIg: [OOM MOTIAY | A[pasu ye |H 9g \ | Ag mom [Sg “ATES ‘SHAT mola jpeusg | FG jwwsouq Apeq |t1 eg Teg MONA |H BS perdieniqaq |H1¢ a]ps90u yeVqd 9¢ 4g Mor | gg Alles moped [JEWS | FG amoiq AJ1eq | eG Treg moyyey | Ze per Areniqa iy 1g Agauois | 0g | ‘"INVN | ‘oN (SHITA ANOLS) #O/7YA7d "€ ALVIa LW. DEL, AD KAT CHAPTER V. STONE FLIES—PERLID-Z. PLATE 5. The large stone fly shown in fig. 50 (the female insect) is the May fly of the North of England, and a great favourite with most anglers, though more used in its natural state than as an artificial. The male insect, or Jack, with short wings, is shown on fig. 50a; two of these are frequently used on one hook. The larve of the May fly or creeper, shewn on fig. 50b, is frequently used in April and May as a lure, and fished up stream in rapid water in the manner favoured by up-stream worm fishers. The February red (fig. 51) is a very useful fly (early in the season particularly so). The body is a rich burnt Sienna colour, and the wings dark grey, which when held up to the light have a fine reddish brown running through them. The Yellow Sally (fig. 52) isa great favourite of mine, and does exceedingly well when dressed finely with good glassy wings, heavy woolly imitations of this fly being worthless. The early brown (fig. 53) is something like the February red, but has a dark body and wings with a more marked mottle in them. 43 44 STONE FLIES—PERLIDA. The Willow fly (fig. 55) comes on later in the season. It is seen flying in the sunshine at times in thousands, gently drifting before the wind, and is also a great favourite. The small Yellow Sally (fig. 54) is another favourite, though for a time its imitation was my despair. However, dyed gut or condor quill as a body, and really glassy hackle points for the wings and legs, have proved the undoing of many trout since then. The small dark needle fly (fig. 56) is found in abundance on most stony streams, and is the last type we propose to show of this interesting and useful family of flies. Unfortunately, in the English language, there is no book giving a complete account of the Stone flies (perlide), though some work has been done by mem- bers of the Ray, Linnean, and other societies, and it is stated that there are about thirty varieties indigenous to this country. As their name suggests, all frequent stony rapid streams, and in consequence their imita- tions are of the highest importance to anglers in the upper waters of our rivers. They hatch out as early as February, and some members of the family are with us until after the angling season closes. The sight of this plate recalls many happy days of glorious success with baskets of fine fish, taken with the large stone fly when the elements were capricious and anything but favourable, also when the conditions were fine and bright, and the fish were taken from amongst the stones, almost on the STONE FLIES—PERLIDA. 45 gravel beds, as well as when offered in the heavier streams amongst the rocks. The Yellow Sally recalls still wilder scenes amongst the moors; climbs past waterfalls ; the stalking of the spotted beauties in the pools ; and the trudge home again in the dusk, wet, tired, and hungry, but withal happy and contented—the cry of the plovers and curlews and a host of other sights and sounds far from the madding crowd—I have been and _ still would go! The Willow fly recalls lower reaches mostly, warmer weather, and balmy Autumn afternoons with a blue haze and a yellow sun, and fine mixed baskets of trout and grayling. All the perfid@ are old friends, however, and it seems invidious to mention one without saying some- thing pretty of each in turn. These flies look very important on the wing, but when at rest, comparatively small, owing to the close way in which the wings are folded up. Theakston calls them ‘“ browns” owing to the brown colour which appears when they are viewed against the light, principally due to the reddish brown tinge of the nervures of the wings. Hackled imitations which are frequently highly successful are shown, but these must be dressed on very small hooks (for the upper waters especially). SEDGE FLIES—7R/CHOPTERA. 47 oa Cte) Oa da coil -MOO]] ‘sadpas [e jo 332] ay} Ul seiqy spi oq} yaoddns 0} s19y\ Bay suo] May B aAvaT prellew aIIM ploy) [OOM MOTTAA aBpe [TINO P14 JOpUoD IO [OOM yoom moras 1aA0 JuBsEay J | Adyn} fo [Ie] JUBseaY (paduysun) 1op -uoo pekp waalr) Joom useairy jueseayd 4900 qrimb Aaysny, qed jueseayd azuoig rey asnoid 10 Yoou juesvoyd = ‘yond payout [reipuey vey yng JO yuesvayd uaz ayerplays 10 preapuey ‘ef asnois YyoRiq pues MOTTIA wi9qtq 10 YDOIPOOMA aspired IO YIOIPCO AA uay 10 ayeIOUIOZ uiayIq Io pie} uay Pe uay outed xed way, ourex) uay uoureuUlD uay aures) yo0o soBuINT uay ower) appey ust sues) qreyou = |-+nq ‘jueseoyd qmb yews omy osc juvsvayd 4902 [OOM MOTIAA und y2eq 110 [MO *{LENd npuog AyI09, pie ‘SELON ‘SNUOH ‘aly “ACO | ‘SONTM. ‘som (SYOAAS-SAITA SIGAGVO) PYFLAOADAL ‘9 3LVTd uIOY JBATIS aspas uoulBuUlD a[eq aspes png adpas UOUIeUUIy) uaeis pue asnois) uoureuulo Peto adpas gnq pappeds aspes dxeIOUIOD) preisng ‘aWVN 19 09 6g —<~ LW, OBL. AD NAT. CHAPTER VI. SEDGE FPLIES—ZAICAOPTERA. PLATE 6. On plate six are shown nine specimens of caddis flies, or sedges as they are commonly called by anglers. It is somewhat difficult to choose which are best as types, out of the two hundred and fifty species indigenous to this country, however, those shown are all thoroughly tried and tested old friends, and may be taken as fairly representative. Fig. 57 is the largest species (phryganea grandis), and is the bustard of the North; there are several other species about three quarters the size of this, with brownish speckled wings, but the form and general colour is much as in the specimen shown. Fig. 58 is called by Ronalds ‘“corncrake and orange,” and is a capital lure when dressed small. Fig. 59 is very like a small clothes moth, and is also a very good lure. Fig. 60 is a much more showy insect and eagerly taken, but never occurs in such numbers as the two last named. Fig. 61 is one of the very commonest sedges, and is often called “grouse and green.” Entomologists name it Leptocerida Longicoruis. 49 D 50 SEDGE FLIES—7R/CHOPTERA. Fig. 62 isa very beautiful insect, and very plentiful at times. It is of a rich cinnamon colour when first hatched, but after a few hours the colour fades to a dull brown. However, its imitation with wings from a sheldrake, jay, or other cinnamon feather does little better than one dressed with the more sober coloured feather of the French partridge or bittern. Fig. 63 isauseful pattern for two reasons — First, it is a common insect; and secondly, it is very like another common insect, which gets on the water in great quantities at times, namely, the small grass moth, which is so plentiful in meadows when. the grass is getting long and for several weeks after. Fig. 64 is another of the very elegant species (imnophilus lunatus), and not one of the most numerous, but taken with avidity when it does hatch out. Fig. 65 is the Silverhorn, which is typical of half a dozen species; it may be seen in clouds at times, hovering busily over the water, and is quite worthy of the angler’s attention. One curious feature of the sedges is that the bodies of the males and females in several species are almost complementary in colour, the male reddish brown and the female green, or v7ce versa, and with different localities we also observe a considerable difference in the depth of the colour of both wings and bodies. SEDGE FLIES—T7R/ICHOPTERA. 51 Asa rule the northern specimens are darker than those taken from more southerly rivers. The caddis flies recall many captures of large baskets of fine trout on the Eden and other northern rivers with the bustard. We are aware that the modern dry fly man may turn up his nose at such practices, but, I can assure him, that to be alone ona dark night in a wild region, on a river with which one is only partially familiar even in daylight, is a weird experience ; the cry of the curlew, the mournful plaint of the peewits, the rasping call of the landrail, the woeful shrieking and hooting of the owls, the whirring of the night-jars, and the calls of numberless other birds, to say nothing of the unexpected bark of a fox, or a splash of an otter, are calculated to make a lasting impression on even the most stolid. Then the mist rises, sounds gradually die away, the light shimmers on the water, and in a very short time the green and gold, pink and crimson of sunrise appear, and larks, blackbirds, thrushes, and other songsters burst into a pzan of praise, the mystery has disappeared, and there only remain a few short hours of coolness before the heat of another summer day. Again the day draws to a close, and a wild head- long rise takes place, not a placid dimpling, but an eager haste to absorb something as yet unseen. By very careful watching and examination it may be found that there are thousands of minute ¢r7choptera skating about on the water; at such times a small imitation of patterns 58, 59, or 60 will be found 52 SEDGE FLIES—T7R/CHOPTERA. invaluable, though these patterns also do well at times other than the close of day, The afternoon rise on fine, sleepy, warm afternoons is frequently due to a hatch of caddis flies, and the plop of a big trout by the edge of the rushes, is fre- quently the death knell of a big caddis fly. The larve of this family are the familiar caddis worms encased in sticks, stones, or leaves cemented together. They are very good scavengers, feeding on animal matter, but do not hesitate to attack fish fry whenever opportunity offers. The dragon fly larve are their 6é¢e nocre, the long spear with which they are armed, proving a capital weapon for poking the caddis worm out of the protecting sheath. A good deal has been said about the transportation of natural flies to newly made fisheries. The family which lends itself more than any other to such planting is the one now under discussion—we have on various occasions very successfully introduced several species into waters where they did not previously occur, and being very prolific they soon form an important addition to the food supply. BEETLES, &c.--COLEOPTERA, Gc. 53 yeypio | ad [ty YOINSO aduBigC — — a ae 19JEMA 74 | yorq yor[q pus | qaans AQ |epts rapun saapis pue ur) Apog | jasuy reayis [asnoid yorigq = _— yooo yoRg | saqy [way [-vaur sje | Eb ypO0DpooM ue ad “ “ “ Jo wd} — it — -1e0oq Ane | EL da saha [OOM UMOIG | U0}]09 YIeq [PSUT TAATIS pieysng -— uay ower) == BXUOL) tL yonp ypnp ic 6) a [fey Yooowag | enjq useI4) | an[q WaeI4) |YOoD a0eUIN us speeq yeq | OL MBOBUL dav SIIM PJOL) | IOpuod pay Jo yonq_ | 1opuos sng uay Yourig_ ae apjaeq zopiesg | 69 zznq MO]ivul pue ‘npuoq yay yeddy Ayooo ‘y20[9 uayoeiq ‘Ay qom yooorad 10 juesvayd 4909 Yovyjq apeeaq AV |jurofy B@ pay[vo osye st apaaq SIU, == JOpuod par uapjoy) | YStt]so pay fo sovUIN Plel [PI IaIpjos 89 apaaq dav ss ne STIM POX) |[1oY Yooovag | MBoBUl pay Bi ueYy 4Se1g ee bicaatsl Sunp soy L9 yedany OSTA qeyour | aspuyred yueseayd | OA |-9]199q 10 pasurm passaip oq Avy [ay YOoovag 0 JOO yng uoweuuiy jesse yvjgq jNpuoq Aya09 uop]or) snq Avy 99 4 i eeeeer osteo “HOOP “SULON “EIQ “ACOG | “SONTM “XVHYOHL ‘SOUT “SNUOH, “aNVN “ON ‘oLq ‘(SHILAAD) PYTLdAOXTOI ‘. ALv1d CHAPTER VIL. BEETLES, &¢—COLAOPTERA, Co, 2 PLATE 7. Fig. 66 is sometimes popularly called a Maybug, naturalists name it Serzca dvunnea. In some seasons it is exceedingly abundant, and large trout and also chub take it freely fished floating in deep waters ; its size commands an amount of attention which would not be paid to a smaller lure. Fig. 67 is the common cowdung beetle (ophodrus fetens). It is abundant everywhere, and is frequently seen on the wing, particularly on bright days. Fig. 68 is the familiar soldier beetle of our boyhood (telephorus lividus), and is very common in June on umbelliferous plants; an almost exact imitation of the elytra may be made, as shown, from the “ tippet” feathers of the golden pheasant. Some beetles of this family have red bodies, in others the colour is much darker. By some, this beetle is called the fern web, and, dressed as shown, it does well on bright days, and will float any length of time if oiled. Fig. 69 is the sailor beetle (¢elephorus rusticus) which is strongly in evidence about Whitsuntide. It has blue e4tva (wing cases), and in general form is similar to the soldier beetle. 55 56 BEETLES, &C.—COLEOPTERA, &ec. The next is fig. 70, the common earth beetle (elaphrus cupreus), plentiful under stones, among decayed leaves, and many other places. It is fre- quently washed into the water, and is eagerly taken by the finny tribes. Fig. 71 is not a beetle, but one of the aquatic henuptera or water boatmen (corzxa striata), whose jerky method of swimming is doubtless familiar to ail. In April it frequently takes to the wing, and on warm days may be seen alternately flying and swimming about in the still margins, its revels being interrupted by the dash of a hungry fish. Even trout fry will attack it with ferocity, and when one is disabled by the loss of a paddie, wiil crowd round and finish it amongst them. Fig. 72 is another of the same genus (so¢onecta glauca), also esteemed a dainty by the trout. I do not like the paddies with which the imitation of these species are sometimes furnished, as they act as spinners, and quickly ruin a fine gut cast. A few fine long legs which have not this objection we have found equally efficacious. Fig. 73 (gerris lacustris) is often erroneously called a water spider, though it is more properly known asa water measurer (Aydrometra). It is common every- where, and is on the water from the early spring onwards, and, before more luscious morsels are to be had, is taken with avidity. Fig. 74 is another of the same species (vela currens), and known to anglers as the water cricket. BEETLES, &€.—COLEOPTERA, Ge. 57 It is an excellent ‘‘ fly” in the early part of the season —I have known trout to refuse a March brown, a blue dun, and other favourites, and yet take the water cricket freely. Of beetles generally, 1 shouid say that they are most useful on sunny days, when there is no particular rise of flies going on, and when fishing still glassy water. I have at times done exceedingly well with them—to be successful, however, they must be dressed smail, except for very deep water. They float well, and shy old trout which know the appearance of many artificials will, at times, fall a prey to one of the beetles. It may be that even trout tire at times of the succulent dun, and are then tempted to their undoing by the opportunity of indulging in a more substantial morsel. If, when trying a beetle, the result is a number of wild splashing rises, it shows that interest has been excited, and a change to a smaller beetle, or even to a dun, and going over the same water, will frequently achieve success where before not a rise was to be obtained. The cochy bondhu has been a favourite lure from time immemorial, but few seem to have a clear idea as to what the natural beetle is really like, and surely, the ordinary dressing is very far removed from being a close imitation of the natural. The fact that nature provides so exact a counter- part of the e/ytra of this beetle, in the tippet feather of 58 BEETLES, &C.—COLEOPTERA, &c. the golden pheasant, seems to have escaped the notice of most. We have taken fish after fish with this imitation when the conditions were distinctly unfavour- able to sport—being too bright and calm. One of the first I ever caught was taken from a small stream—more years ago than I care to remem- ber. Going out fishing without bait I began grubbing in a meadow to find some, all that came to hand being two or three of these small beetles. Putting one on, I crawled to the brink and dropped it cautiously in at the head of a stream, where it was instantly seized by a lusty half-pounder, which, after a brief struggle, was ignominiously swung on to the bank. Such an experi- ence makes one greet these small beetles as friends whenever they come under notice. The capture of trout in those days was like “ angels’ visits ””—few and far between. VARIOUS FLIES—-HYMENOPTERA, Gc. 59 da ag av aa OV OV ic £0) ic 6) Ad ce) Ad ad HO AO av av HO “x00]] MOI) UBIpUT Sey, ayeos 0} ue} Jere] umeIp st AY SIT JOom ay} 1aA0 punom ]]M?d Areyour ay} 1900 paddeim st yin?) Jep[noys ay} ye seiqy oneusud ma VW ysluies plojny -]99 YIM pajzoo aq pinoys Apog Jeplnoys ayy 3e appey oneustid jo un} ppo uy saha joom par Wysug yornso uMmoig MBIBIU anyq MOlPA oom uaei3 — pue mola, yelq pure raayig |sarqy wag qm used a[eJ Ty uee1d a[eg per pakp yooowag Joom yoeRlg Iyeyour MOTIPA Trmb poy Ayeyour asuziCO ssvisd eyyel pakq \aumoiq padp | yooorag ! MO] “ah TreyOW | Yptayso SATM JOATIS “YeIq Woys ora Ploy) | / qymnb Aarsy | uaaid AIIM plot) padp Jopuos | ari Plo) ]OOM UMOIg THmb mojpay Trmb yorrey | SHLON AY , “AdOg 1 Buyers | = youqso hy yoopooM uMoIg | us uMOIg — [!e) Wary, — | — | pnbereg — | &nq weary ‘used pue | ne —— oI} BUNS — | styde user9 pre] = — | Ud UMOIG | [BU UMOIg | nq ssvir) | usa13 | — | waai3 [Ind bo pals[eq — uunjny | uoumnauypt — | — | yoo ang | yoo ont use15 4909 — ‘yooovad ang i anq Aisny — : dsem Aqny i 1 | # omso prg | usyauey yoo yox1g | dsem pus | yaddny | | | yuesvayd | yeddn | | Syutod og Timb pay - uap[Oy 10 4909 pay | uoumouysy . ae | < yood pey | ewojoATT sjutod | 7 | yooo ong | inpuog yao prelley | oo] 4X | yoo | 5 : OnIq PIMOW YrLAso yoeLeT | wey Wel | ae TPIV ' snyeurau none | — | Uay oUIed | ery | MOT[PA, | — ‘YoITso YOR | yoo ~VG yoo xorg | daams syutod ‘ Sum 4909 MOTIPA | sos 4209 MOT[PA , MOT IoD |-a0eT MOTIPA sjuiod | ; 1 Sum yoo ong | — yoo ang | 1e2L F a2eRl ong used i f : Summ patp 409 | —_—— yoo padq | yea pakqy -aoey uaarn i os te | | Bae “SONTM | *XVUYOHL | ‘soa | *‘SNUOH | “aNVN ‘oN ‘OLA ‘SSHITA NOWNAYNHOI—SONIMAOVI 8 aLV1d LW. CEL. AD NAT, SPtre CHAPTER VIII. VARIOUS FLIES—HYMENOPTERA, Ge. PLATE 8. This plate might aptly be called ‘ mixed pickles,” as shown thereon, is a variety of insects of various tribes and species, all of interest to anglers, either as types or foundations for ‘“ fancy flies,” and because they are all met with frequently in considerable numbers by the waterside. Fig. 75 isthe beautiful green lacewing (hemerodzus alba), with gorgeous wings, and yet a very poor flier. It is known to anglers as “the golden-eyed gauze wing,” and usually appears about July, when it is frequently seen on the water with wings extended. Fig. 76 is the small blue lacewing (Aemerobius nervosus), which is at times seen fluttering over the water in a cloud, and from its hovering flight may be taken for a caddis fly, but the smooth, shining, closely nerved wings at once disclose its identity on closer inspection. Fig. 77, the smail yellow lacewing (emerodbius hirtus), is common in the latter part of the season, particularly where there is bracken about, and its imitation is frequently a successful lure. 6r 62 VARIOUS FLIES—HYMENOPTERA, &c, Fig. 78, of which I know no popular name, is nematus niger. It is sometimes wrongly called the hawthorn fly, and is abundant everywhere about April and May. Fig. 79 is nematus lucidus. It is to be seen sitting on the rushes from April to September, and on windy days especially is a lure worth trying. Fig. 80 is the alder fly (szadzs Zutaria), which sitteth on the fence when not buzzing about the water. At times it is an irresistible lure, and agdin other seasons, the fish positively won't look at it, but generally speaking, it is held in high esteem by anglers, particularly as an evening fly. Fig. 81 is a beautiful insect; it is very widely distributed, and I have frequently seen it taken by trout (ctenichneumion extensorius). Fig. 82 is hylotoma pagana. It appears about August, and for a time is exceedingly abundant, but has a short season only, during which, however, it is useful on a windy day. Fig, 83 is a common ichneumon ( fachymerus calcitrator), the red fly of Ronalds, and is most useful in wooded streams, where it seems to get on the water very frequently. Fig. 84 is one of the small wasps (ad/antus arcuatus), and is found alongside the soldier beetle on the flowers of the hemlock and other umbelliferous plants. It is very highly spoken of as a lure, on some Welsh rivers especially. VARIOUS FLIES—HYMENOPTERA, &e. 63 Fig. 85 is one of the most beautiful flies indigenous to this country. It is the fire tail (chrys7s zgnzta), and is an enemy to the common wasp, in whose nests it lays its eggs, the larva, on hatching out, preying on the young wasps. It is quite common, but so quick on the wing, that it is most difficult to catch. It delights in sunshine, and its brilliant colours which change with every movement—now red, now green, now blue— are beautiful in the extreme. On bright days we have done well with its imitation in deep waters. Fig. 86 is another ichneumon fly (green nematus). It is very common, and appears about June and after. It is a fine green colour, and makes a capital lure. Fig. 87 is a aiptevon, which appears regularly in August (ovycera trilineata). It is another beautiful fly, and its fine blending of green and black and red make a very fine and alluring combination in an artificial. Fig. 88 is the grass bug, one of the hemzptera It appears in thousands in some localities when the grass is getting long, and on a windy day is well worth trying. There is also another of this species, — slightly smaller than the brown one here figured, it is green in colour. Fig. 89 is a small green aphis, similar to those found on rose trees. It often occurs in countless numbers on marginal plants and bushes, and a strong gust of wind blows it on to the water, often causing a wild rise of trout, grayling, and other fish. 64 VARIOUS FLIES—HYMENOPTERA, &e. Fig. 9o is another of the emiptera, getting on the water in numbers under similar conditions. Its delicate combination of green and red suggested a fly which has been described by some as a ‘“‘ marvel,” it certainly deserves to be classed as ‘“ useful.” Fig. 91 is the largest of the spit insects, or frog hoppers. In the autumn it jumps off the marginal plants into the water in great numbers, and frequently the fish rising along the edge, are quietly taking this fly. The only fly shown on this plate which has a true aquatic history is the alder fly, and yet all the others are continually met with at the waterside, and there are slack times when considerable success may even attend the use of an uncommon fly. There may be a north or east wind, or the hatch of aquatic insects may be stopped by a fall of tempera- ture, then the long shore insects, deprived of their customary alertness and briskness by the cold and lack of sunshine, are carried over and drop on to the water, the fish being only too glad to supplement their food supply with these unaccustomed dainties. The appearance of a strange insect on the water immediately stimulates the curiosity of the fish, and if an imitation is only really life-like, and offered in a presentable manner, it will command a measure of success. The sockdolager, in his reedy haunts, has a know- ledge of entomology, which would put to shame that of most anglers, and no doubt considers himself a connoisseur in the matter of insect dainties. VARIOUS FLIES—HYMENOPTERA, &e. 65 One has only to lie hidden from view and feed an old trout with different insects, and watch the judicial air with which he takes the strange ones and gently tastes them, to be convinced of this fact. It has seemed to me that as the autumn comes on green insects are much to the fore, and greenish imitations are well worth trying. There are quite a number of green hemiptera and aphide, to say nothing of the other families which have numerous green species. One autumn afternoon I was wading a long reach of gravel bed, and not a fish was seen rising, then a sudden squall struck the trees, and immediately fish were rising by hundreds. Careful watching revealed the fact that on the surface of the water were thousands of small green insects, as shown on figures 89 and go. The angler who has his wits about him is ever on the look out for what is going on around him, and is quick to turn chances like that just mentioned, to immediate advantage. I hope these remarks have justified the inclusion of this plate of non-aquatic insects, although I know some who may consider it unorthodox, even if not savouring of quackery. SPIDERS, &.—ARANEIDA, Ge. 67 MA BIBUL MOT av * se - Yorsjso HOV |-19A 2 Usa14) — yo09 usaiL) a apjeeq [[VuS | ZOl yorryso MBIBUT usaid 409 aq | eq oy) Suoje umop pay ssutp ef [ay yoooevag [pay 2 use14 ysayxreq jusers yIeq | 4909 usain |ayjeeq useIy) | TOT MBORUL Moyed pue | reqtdiayeo ad [9SUH LATS | per Y Ae cas mae vay xv[_ [Aoyimy you_ [ysniq jureg | OOT yse10 yMmed rerid ad -—— joom xorg — — Io way HOR — -19}89 xovig | 66 Ileyour 10 Joom usei3 reid ad —_— pue MOTI — 4909 ang — -1aye0 uaaIN | $6 qinb sjutod qb OV _— uoweEuuly) 409 anig uoweuuly a sf que pay L6 sjutod aa Apoq ay} 10f pasn aq Aeut play] — mb yoelg yoo ang |yorjso yoR[g orjyeusig prellen jue xprigq | 96 [oom Io 11ey, ys0r9 jimed saka_—|reqidiayeo ad [2SUl} IBATIS |-our yapIvoS —— — IO YoY |[OoM yap1VISG |youtq =» pay | 6 esp Japids aa — Yloo useI4) — — -yed = fain — wepeq | 6 asno1s pe pues ad —~ yoo uMOIg —— — MOTIPA — rapids JOM | £6 109 aspu aq Suid) Ay 22 sajou 99S -—— use1d aeg — —— -yaed umoig — japids useiny || 66 "00H “SHLON ‘aly “ACOg “SONIM *XVUOHL “SOUT “SNUOH “HWVYN ‘ON OLA ‘SUVITICYALVO 6 (SUAdIdS) PGJATNF UP aALV1g CHAPTER IX. SPIDERS, &c.—ARANETDA, Se. PLATE 9. We have shown on plate nine another rather mixed lot of lures. The spiders are not, strictly speaking, insects, but they come ina class by them- selves (avachnide@), being a link between the animal and the insect kingdoms. On fig. 92 we have a very common. spider (agelina labyrinthica), found on bushes by the river side, and a great favourite with the fish. J have seen very many drop on the water, but have never seen a single one float far on the surface before it has been seized by a fish, and I am astonished that more use has not been made of artificial spiders as lures. Fig. 93 is a spider of a different class, found in great numbers on the gravel beds of almost all streams ; it is a vagabond, and does not spin a web. It is known as the wolf spider (Zycosa fluviatilis), and is a capital lure at all times. It floats well, and, fished up stream, is a deadly bait, when used by an expert. Fig. 94 is another of the age/éne, rather darker than No. 92, and an excellent lure in all respects. From the beginning of the season to late autumn, caterpillars abound on the herbage and bushes in infinite variety. 69 70 SPIDERS, &C—ARANEIDA, G&e. Fig. 95 shows one stage of a very common one, the larve of the cinnabar moth; the combination of black, red, and silver is often irresistible when offered judiciously. It may be dressed from a quarter of an inch to one and a half inches long, according to the water to be fished. Fig. 96 is the black ant (/astus niger), which swarms and drops on the water by thousands in August and September, and is a most successful fly to use at such times. Fig. 97 is the red ant (formica rufa), of similar habits, and a capital fly at all times. Fig. 98 is the larva of arctia caja, one of our very commonest moths, and the green and yellow is an exceedingly useful change to use, after the other caterpillars. Fig. 99 is the caterpillar of the common tortoise- shell butterfly, and there are also several other species of dark ‘hairy worms,” of which it is a passable counterfeit, and being typical, is an excellent lure. Fig. 100 is the caterpillar of the common vapourer moth, which at times devastates our hedgerows, appearing by thousands, and completely denuding them of leaves. It is sometimes called the paint brush caterpillar on account of its curious tufts. Fig. 101 is a brilliant green beetle, exceedingly common in places, on the flowers of the ragwort, along the edge of some rivers. We tried it as a pattern for SPIDERS, &C.—ARAWNEIDA, G&e. 71 an artificial, and finding it a success, decided to include it amongst our other friends. Fig. 102 is a small green beetle, also found on the ragwort with No. 1o1, and well worth imitation and use. The ants are old favourites, and their use has been advocated by almost all authors writing on artificial flies, but we consider that the spiders and caterpillars have not had the amount of attention bestowed upon them which they deserve. Every windy day numbers of them must drop on the water, and being fat, juicy morsels, they are imme- diately seized by trout, which get weary of everlasting duns, stone flies, and other aquatic insects. A slight rise of water, and the fish become more alert in anticipation of the coming flood and conse- quent feast, and one of the first indications of a rising water to the observant sportsman is the floating past of the dead leaves and bits of stick. Closer observa- tion will also reveal a number of the wolf spiders trying to make the shore, and frequent plops of rising fish close to the side, suggest that their efforts have only succeeded in attracting the undesirable attention of their enemies. HACKLES. 73 —_ 0 eN ANA YN PLATE 10. HACKLE FEATHERS. Cochybondu Cock (neck). . Furnace Cock (neck). Red Cock (neck). Red with White List, Cock. Red Cockerel. Yellow or Brassy Cock. Dark Badger Cock. Yellow Badger Cock. . Pale Badger Cock. . Brown Badger Hen. . Game Hen. . Pale Game Hen. . Dark Game Hen. . Dark Cinnamon Hen. . Cinnamon Hen. . Dark Buff Hen. . Buff Hen. . Cree Hen. . Yellow Cree Cock. . Yellow Cree Cock. . Fine Cree Cock. . Black Cock. . Black Hen. . Green Black Cock. . Dark Blue Cock. Dark Blue Hen. . Light Blue Cockerel. 74 POULTRY, &c. . Rusty Cock. . Rusty Hen. . Dark Honey Dun. . Medium Honey Dun. . Honey Dun. . Merlin or Blue Hawk. Coot or Water Hen. . Dark Snipe (under wing). Starling (under wing). . Grey Partridge (breast). Brown Partridge (back). . Woodcock (dark back). . Light Woodcock (under wing). . Brown Owl (back or wing). . Grouse, Cinnamon. . Grouse, Speckled. . Grouse, Barred. . Landrail or Corncrake. . Curlew. . Golden Plover. . Ibis. . Parakeet or Love Bird. . Green Plover or Pewitt Topping. . Dyed Hackles. Lw, cen hd NAT, 42 7-9. Io. Li-T2— CHAPTER Nx. HACK LES, PLATE Io. The cochybondu is a very difficult feather to get in small sizes. It is, however, much more plentiful in larger sizes, as the small feathers are apt to be too black. The example shown is a good one, having good black, “list” next the quill, then good deep red and black tips. It is the black tips which dis- tinguish it from No. 2. The furnace hackles .(Nos. 3, 4, 5) call for no special comment. No. 6—a real, bright “brassey”—is not met every day. It is the best possible base for dying on, and also makes first rate wings for “lacewings” and ‘‘yellow sallies,” &c. The dark and light badgers are favourites for many hackled and wing flies, and No. 8, “black yellow black,” is the original hackle of Green- well’s Glory. The brown badger is not used as much as it might be. It makes a very good imitation of brown or white legs, which are often seen in nature. Three shades from the neck of a game hen. These are sometimes called “honey duns,” and may be obtained in a very wide range of shades, most of them being useful, 75 70 I4-15- 16-17. 18-21. 22. HACKLES. Range from buff to deep cinnamon, and are all useful; they are all hen feathers, and for caddis flies are very suitable. Small hackles of these colours are great favourites with grayling. Various colours of “Crees”; the finest in the markings are the most useful, and the tips of the small feathers make first rate wings for gnats and small stone flies. Black cock, a very useful feather for many purposes. Black hen of a smoky colour, also very useful. Is a lustrous black green, rather stiffer, and floats better than No. 23. When held up to the light this is many shades lighter, and has a fine glassy grey colour. Is a hen feather, duller of fibre, but nearly the same colour. Is a fine glassy light Andalusian cock of good quality. Are “rusty” blues, that is : when held up to the light they have a distinct brownish red tinge, especially at the tips. Are very much sought after; they are honey duns of three shades, being the colour of rather dark old honey along the quills, and new honey at the tips of the fibres. 33: 34. 55 39-40. AM 42-43- 44. 45. HACKLES. hi The merlin or blue hawk back, provides excellent pale blue, much sought after by grayling fishers; the heron and the tern or sea-swallow also yield somewhat similar feathers. The Coot provides some very good hackles on the back, the wings, and also under the wings. The various snipes, sand pipers, stints, dunlins, and other shore birds give feathers of this type, though one of the best is under the wing of the jack-snipe. The starling’s under wing provides this feather, which is often palmed off as a dotteril for hackles of that ilk. The grey partridge is useful, but not as generally so as the brown one, which will kill with or without a wing and with almost any coloured body, where the trout are not over educated. From the back and underwing of the woodcock ; they are used both as hackle or wing feathers. The brown owl, used asa hackle imita- tion of a caddis fly. These three are grouse hackles of very varied colour, and all useful. This is a landrail hackle of very useful colour, as are almost all the feathers on this bird. 78 47. 48. 49. 50. oe HACKLES. The curlew, much used for hackle flies on the moors where the bird abounds. The golden plover, also useful, the con- trast between the yellow and the dark ash colour, making fine speckled legs. The ibis, used for tags, heads, and tails, and on occasion, legs, when a freak is wanted. The small parakeet, which is a fine insect green, and sometimes takes both trout and grayling when: they are skittish and refuse more commonplace diet. The pewit crest; very useful when a long fine hackle is desired. The best way to judge of the real quality of a hackle is to try the texture and then hold it up to the light, when a much truer judgment may be formed of its real colour than by looking at it by reflected light. The various dyed hackles shown are those used when attempting to obtain a prismatic effect in the fly. FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS. 79 PLATE II. FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS. Cock Pheasant— Wing. Hen Pheasant—Wing. Cock Pheasant—Tail. Cock Pheasant—Wing. Hen Pheasant—Tail. Orpington Cock. Capercailzie. Game Hen. Bittern. 80 e x z oO < Ey) w ral Fig, CHAPTER XI. PEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS. PLATE II. This is from the wing of a cock pheasant, and is one of the feathers commonly used for a march brown; it is an easy feather to manipulate. No. 2 is also a secondary wing feather from the wing of a hen pheasant, and is used for march browns, and also for sedges. Is from the tail of a cock pheasant, and is very good in colour and speckle, but not good to work, as the fibres do not marry well; the alder wing is sometimes made from this feather. Similar to No. 1, but from a lighter coloured bird. Tail feather from a hen pheasant, a useful sedge colour. From an Orpington cock; a fine cinnamon, and easy to work. This and many other varieties of finely speckled feathers are obtained from the caper- cailzie. 81 82 IO-l1. FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS. Were taken from a game hen, and are fine in the speckle, and good working feathers ; alders and march browns are sometimes imitated with this feather. Are Bittern feathers, which have a great variety of colour and marking ; no finer imita- tion can be found for some of the sedges, &c. ‘The fibre is soft. and silky and marries very well. FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS. 83 PLATE 12. FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS. 12, 13, 14. Jay. 15. French Partridge Wing. 16, 17. Partridge Tail. 18. Partridge Wing. 19. Egyptian Quail. * 20, 21, 22. Grouse. 23, 24. Woodcock Wing. 25, 26, 27. Brown Owl. 28, 20. Nightjar. 30, 31. Landrail. 84 25 L W. DEL. AD NAT CHAPTER NII. FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS. Fig. 12-1 3- 14. £5. 16-17. 18. 1 20=21= 22. 23-24. PLATE 12. Are Jay feathers, fine and transparent in the fibre, and very good in colour—the cinna- mon for sedges and the grey for Ephemera. Is from the wing of a French partridge, and very useful for sedges. Easy to work. Tail feathers from a partridge, good in colour but long in the fibre, and very apt to break up rather badly. Partridge wing ; fine in colour and easy to work, just right for a grass moth or a small sedge. A quail wing feather, used whole to imitate the big sedge ‘“ Grandis.” Grouse feathers. There are also several other shades on a grouse, equally good and useful, both in colour and texture. Woodcock wing feathers; probably about the easiest to manipulate as wings, and useful in quite a number of flies, e.g., oak fly, sedges, etc. 85 86 Fig. 25-26- By. 28-29. 30-31. FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS. Are from a brown owl. For sedges they are very good, especially the larger ones, but they must either be tied thick or supported, as they turn very soft after getting soaked. Good in colour and markings for dark sedges, but all night-jar feathers soon knock to pieces, being so soft and fluffy, but for wet flies they are very good indeed, while they last. Are from a Landrail, which is a grand bird for the fly dresser. The feathers are pleasant to work, and very attractive to the fish. FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS. 87 PLATE 13. FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS. 32, 33. Golden Pheasant. 34. Tern or Sea Swallow. 35. Starling. 30. Blackbird. EVE Waterhen. 38. Peacock Sword. 39, 40. Heron. 4t. Indian Runner Duck. 42. ‘Teal. 43, 44. Widgeon. 45. Mallard. 46. Bustard. 47. Teal—Breast. 88 DEL Ao watt tu vw CHAPTER NIII. FEATHERS FOR PLIES’ WINGS. Fig. 32-33% 34. 35+ 36. PLATE 13. Are from a golden pheasant. No. 32 is used for wing cases (£/ytra) in dressing beetles, where a dark colour with a metallic gloss is required. The orange and black provides a very good imitation of the soldier beetle. Single fibres are also useful for the tails of Ephemera, &c. Is from a tern or sea swallow, which has a number of hackles as well as wing feathers of a very delicate pale blue grey, decidedly suggestive of a variety of small duns. Gray- ling esteem this colour highly. From our old favourite the starling, which, although one of the commonest, is among the most useful of birds, providing also small dark glossy hackles of fine quality. Blackbird; good alike in texture and colour for a dark coloured dun. Coot or Waterhen wing; a fine texture, and possessing just the right brownish tinge for many of the stone flies. 89 90 Fig, 38. 39-40. 4I. 42. 43-44. 45. FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS. Peacock sword. Having been frequently asked what was meant by a sword, and also where the best green body herls are obtainable, we decide to illustrate this feather. Heron feathers, rather course in the fibre. Excepting the smaller feathers, all beautiful in colour, and the herl from a large feather makes a fine grey blue body. Indian Runner duck, which, like all the other ducks, yields some very beautiful feathers. Teal; a beautiful black feather with white lines, more useful for sea trout than for brownies. Widgeon duck (No. 43), of a rich velvety black with white edge; makes good sedge’s wings, and also £7vytra for beetles. No. 44. has a strong showy marking, and is sometimes used for May-flies. The brown mallard, which was at one time used for the wings of a great number of flies. The amateur may find difficulty in tying this and other duck feathers when used in sections. The best way is to cut out the desired section with a piece of quill attached, and cut this quill off after the wing is tied in position on the hook—not before. Fig. 40. 47. FEATHERS FOR FLIES’ WINGS. gli This is a rather expensive feather from a bustard, It is a great favourite, and a couple of fibres are very attractive as tails to almost any fly. The feathers are, unfor- tunately, soft, and the fibres break off short with continuous use. Breast feathers from a teal; although almost any duck will yield feathers like this. The feathers having the finest speckle are those obtained from the Canadian Wood Duck, the Egyptian Goose, or the Indian Runner Duck. MATERIALS. THEIR SELECTION. COLLECTION. STORAGE. 93 CHAPTER XIV. MATERIALS. Turin SELECTION. COLLECTION. STORAGE. The selection of suitable materials contributes largely to the success of an artificial fly. Before any material can be considered suitable for use, it should be submitted to the most critical examination with regard to its colour, texture, strength, and last, though not the least, its durability under the very searching tests to which it will be put later on. It is not the least use employing a delicate shade of material to match some delicate insect, when such material will totally alter its colour on coming in con- tact with either oil or water the first time it is used. This is not confined to silks and textile materials, some feathers being very bad in this respect. There is a beautiful blue American bird called a roller, the feathers of which turn a curious puce colour in the water, but quite regain their lovely lustrous blue when again dried, and this alteration is not confined to the feathers of the roller. The conclusion we came to some years ago was to totally discard silk as a body material, except for tying or packing purposes under tinsel. It is most mortify- 95 SILK, QUILL. To Srrip QUILLS. RAFFIA. 96 MATERIALS. ing to expend considerable time and pains in exactly matching some delicate dun, and then find the colour entirely disappear the first time it is used. Therefore, for bodies, the best material of all, wherever suitable in texture and size, is beyond doubt fibre taken either from a quill from the condor, peacock, turkey, or other large bird, or carefully stripped from the centre rib ofa smaller bird’s feather. This material easily dyes any colour, does not fade, keeps clean, and is not affected by either oil or water. We here refer to quills from which the feathery part has been stripped by careful scraping ; the quill under treatment being meanwhile supported on some slightly yielding substance, such as celluloid or vulcanite. When a thicker or hairy body is required, such is usefully imitated by fibres of quill from the peacock, heron, condor, pheasant, turkey, or other bird, without being either stripped or even dyed. Raffia grass is another capital material, very tough, and a good substitute when quill is not available, but it does not give such a good stripe or rib to the body when finished, nor does it keep its colour so well as quill, nor take quite such a brilliant dye. In some golf balls a fine indiarubber tape is used as a core, if this is wound tightly over a yellow or other light coloured wool, it makes a good body of an olive shade, which keeps its colour well. It is unfor- tunate that this material has such a limited range of colours, as it is easy to obtain and pleasant to work. MATERIALS. 97 OF textile materials, unmistakably the best is wool ; either mohair, sheep, seal, or pig. Any of these dye readily, and wiil keep their colour even if soaked for months; but bear in mind that wet materials are usually a shade darker than dry ones, therefore, it is better either to dress imitations with wet materials, or try a wet example for colour before going too far. Why does a fly when first put on, so frequently rise a fish at the first cast? Because it is dry, reply the purists. We will ask another question: “Tf that same fly is waved about until it floats perfectly, does it regain its first efficiency?” No, certainly not, because it has deteriorated considerably in colour; at least, this is the suggestion which we throw out for the careful observation and consideration of anglers. With regard to hackles for legs, they should be moderately stiff for floating flies, and for wet flies may be quite soft in texture, providing they have the necessary strength to stand the knocking about. The soft game hackles darken much more when wetted than the harder and smoother surfaced poultry feathers. Generally speaking, good old birds yield better feathers than younger birds; they are stronger, and in poultry such hackles possess that glassy quality so much esteemed by fly tiers. The materials used for wings are, in the great majority of cases, the secondary wing feathers, though G Woo... HACKLES. OLD Birps. WINGS. SMALL BIRDS FOR WINGS. PouULTRY HACKLES. SCALPS. MOHAIR. 98 MATERIALS. tail and body feathers are also employed in some instances. The copying of a dun’s wing with a piece of feather is at best a very poor imitation, but, in practice, the best material found so far; quills and scales are too hard, and make the fly twist, both whilst being cast through the air and also in the water; this quickly breaks even the best gut casts. We may later, possibly, find a better material than feather, but at present it is certainly the one to which the fewest objections can be raised. The fault most fly dressers make is in using the feathers from too large birds, whereas excellent ones may be had from almost any of the common small birds. The obtaining of a good collection of materials is a work of time, as the items used are varied, and not all available at the same time or season. The various poultry hackles are best obtained as heads and necks from the poulterer, the winter months usually providing the best feathers, when the birds are not moulting. After the scalp and neck are taken off, the skin should be carefully scraped clean, then skin and feathers well washed with carbolic soap and water, before being pinned out to dry. Mohair may be had from some local dealers, or from Bradford, cleaned all ready for dyeing. Peacock feathers might, until recently, be had at many fancy MATERIALS. 99 shops, though the sword feathers are difficult to obtain, except at tackle shops. Condor feathers may be bought at the milliners, where they are known as “Eagle quills,’ but the supply depends, to a large extent, on the caprice of fashion, and as ladies wear feathers more in winter than summer, they are often unobtainable in the latter season, excepting wholesale from the warehouses. First quality feathers range from two shillings to half-a-crown each, but it is not necessary to go to this price, as there are usually second and third quality feathers to be had, which are either locally damaged or have some of the herl frayed off. These are equally good from the fly dresser’s point of view, and are obtainable at half price. Raffa grass is to be had from almost any nursery- man or florist, and is used by them to tie up growing plants. A few coppers will procure an abundant supply, which may then be dyed as required. Cocoa fibre is also useful as a body material ; it may be obtained from the makers of matting, or a new door-mat will yield a supply on occasion. The various feathers used for wings can be obtained from the poulterer and game dealer. The gamekeeper is also usually able to supply magpie, jay, various hawks, owls, and so forth, and should these sources fail, ordinary varieties may be obtained at cheap rates from regular dealers, in fact, it is often more satisfactory to procure them through the ordinary channels of trade than from outside sources, where an QUILLS. CoNnboR QUILLS. RArria. Cocoa FIBRE, WING FEATHERS. TYING SILKs. WAXING SILK. 100 MATERIALS. exaggerated idea of their value often obtains. Lastly, there is the taxidermist, who sometimes has badly shot or spoilt skins to dispose of. To buy specimen birds is, of course, out of the question, as the price is- prohibitive. The colour of these is immaterial, as the body and other materials used mask it to such an extent that it shows very little, if at all; the all important qualities it should possess are fineness and strength, the finer it is the less does it pull round in tying, consequently wings are put on straighter, and in every way it is easier and more pleasant to handle, when really fine. The second quality is strength; some might put this first, but with a very fine silk an extra turn or two may be employed, which compensates for any moderate failure in strength. Some colours seem to be stronger than others, and in consequence, orange has established itself as our favourite, and we now seldom use any other colour. , Waxing Silk and Bobbin. The best way to wax very fine silk is to take a small portion of good wax about the size of a pea, and warm this between the finger and thumb, then run the silk once through it, when a good coating is left on the silk, which should at once be wound on to a narrow bobbin. It increases the usefulness of this bobbin if a small hole is drilled through one flange. When tying a fly, the end of the silk is passed through this hole, MATERIALS. IOI and without unthreading the silk from this hole, any length can be looped off as required. If the centre of the bobbin be filled with lead, it keeps the tying silk on the fly taut during intervals of the tying operation. With regard to the hooks used in fly dressing, it is better to keep them on the small side, fine in the wire, smooth in the eye; and before tying, examine the barb and the temper by pulling the point moderately. Down turned eyes are the most convenient, but fine wire and small smooth eyes are, we think, the desiderata, the bend being a secondary consideration. The present way in which hooks are numbered by the various makers is confusing in the extreme. In an endeavour to clear matters up, we have attached a letter for the hook sizes to each of our formula, and herewith append an alphabetical list of makers, and give the numbers with which they describe their hooks, in tabulated form under our equivalent letters. The list shows only the hooks within our range, and there are in all over three hundred different styles of hooks, from which we have chosen the most generally useful. It is impossible to say the exact equivalents of sizes in the various bends, as the gape, thickness of wire, length of shank, size of eye, each vary, making a hook suitable for use or otherwise at a certain size. Hooks. , dg 10 umog ‘uMOq ‘dy Jo umoq “peuiny wMocy | *peuiny dq. a4 “ee ind “pauini UMOG | -paumi dq “pout umoqg ‘umoqg 10 dq 6c *pauiny dq, *pouin) UMOCT “SHAT | *puaq yous *pueq punoy, *yOUaUIT pue yoeus “paqied aqnop .,“21191¥ 5, «She SuoT ,, *HOSUS ¢ PIOFUSV 95 “porsuey 10 pasioy ,,“WIW UOI],, *yoous [epusyy “Ay Arp pasa Sqe@H », yoy “yuvys pourny dn ‘yxpaus [Pouueg *puaq yous [epusyy es ts ‘skey, SUT ‘qaly, youewry ‘syueys SuoT suraijed s [Te] ‘youmawry ‘Ayoeus *ypous -dooy umjor pue pauinjdn : ‘oUaulyT ‘yurys peurm dn Sy9ug *YOLOUUT i *spuaq aaenbs ‘99uG sfvyy Buoy uh ‘youaury ‘AyeuS ee *posordut “g “payMy <42}12T PPON y ‘SNUVINAN { 1 ££ 'S 'T /0 (00 9gst GL | 6&1, FT ST Ol Fo8T FT| St / 9T | LT SI Test | "HoLldday TT | ST | Ot | LI ST | Ost | ‘suuayy SUTAM aui—|—;—-|/-' = eb | =| 8h p= | OT G8cEg PL | ST | OT | £0; SI PIPE GL | €L | #1 | St | 9 GIPE GE | &t | FL | St 91: TPL] *HOLIGGIY 6 |T 0 | 00 | 000 698E |“ALT 0D 3 aavM TI “H G IT | 0 | 00; 000 — roa eee preaean e = 6 iT }9 | 00/000; — “IVdNa G6 it | 0 | 00 \000 sia ‘NOS 3 NUSNIHOLAH “d PT | ST | — | OT | LT OL6G PE) ST | — |] OT | LI 696¢ Ses | GLSS st | 91 |— | — | — | #9082 FL | SE | — 91 | — | £082 FT| CT} ot! tt} — | Ost FT | CT | — | 9: LT | S8O8T ee 2 == | oo | Pe FT | Ct | 9T | LT | — |; 808T LI | 81 | 6T | 0G | — | T66F0 *HOLIGGAY LU} SL) 60 | 06) 1G) 66h [aly ‘0D BY MOODTTY ‘S “SON “SUaANVIN | i ee | | q/o|sivy" "1 aBNUIOT 0} S199] SHOOH] ATA GaAy a MATERIALS. 103 Tinsel may occasionally be used with advantage, but sometimes trout will, by preference, take a fly that is without it. The intention of its use is as an attraction to or advertisement of the fly, and its justification is the fact that many insects have more or less ciliated bodies, and when they alight on the water the cilia carry air, which, when viewed from below, looks exactly like gold or silver tinsel as the case may be. There are five varieties of tinsel used, viz., flat, oval, wire, braided, and lace; the flat and the wire are the two most used in small tlies, and may be obtained ‘untarnishable”; the common sorts turn black very soon, and are of little use for this reason. Any aniline dye, if carefully used, will give a fair result. Only one word of warning, and that is: do not overdo it. Many of the colours in Nature are delicate and suggestive rather than positive and aggres- sive. It is as well to dye several shades of the same colour by giving the material under treatment, either various strengths of dye, or by giving different times of immersion to portions of the material. When commencing to get a stock of material together for fly-dressing, the very first thing to do is to obtain a thoroughly suitable box to contain such materials. This provides a place for them, where they will keep in condition ready for use. The desiderata are: first, a thoroughly insect-proof box ; and second, a system by means of which any material or implement used may be instantly found, so TINSEL. DYES. STORAGE. 104 MATERIALS. as to avoid loss of time. The best box is an ordinary yellow pine entomological box, such as sold by any naturalists. A handy size of box is 15in. x Ioin. x 52% in, outside sizes. The lids of these boxes fit closely on to a strip of wood along the inside of the box, making an almost air-tight joint, which effectually keeps out moths. Care must, of course, be exercised to see that insects are not introduced with the materials stored. If any feathers or other materials are doubtful, or have been obtained from even a doubtful source, they should be dipped in benzine, or washed with carbolic soap and lysol, and then rinsed in clean water and carefully dried. By adopting these precautions, we have, so far, entirely escaped insect ravages. An arrangement, as shown by the illustration (Plate 14), will be found to amply repay the trouble involved in fitting it up. The left hand compartment holds about one hundred envelopes, alphabetically arranged, containing small feathers, dubbing, etc., the nature of the contents being written in the top left- hand corner in bold letters. The centre compartment accommodates foolscap envelopes for condor, turkey, and other feathers and wings too large to go in the smaller envelopes; twenty is a handy number of these. At the back, on the right-hand side of the box, are three small trays, containing hooks, wax, tying silks, tinsel, and other details. The centre compart- ment at the end contains a number of winders, made of thin wood for holding wools; and raffa grass for bodies ; and the two small front compartments contain , r MATERIALS. 105 two stoppered bottles, one for varnish, and the other for celluloid solution for varnishing bodies, etc. At the right-hand side of the lid are arranged all the implements of the craft, always in sight, and at hand when the materials are produced. These slip into loops, made by tacking slips of leather along the lid with brass-headed furniture tacks. The mis-laying or non-replacement of a tool is at once seen by the gap it leaves, and search is made before it gets too far astray. On the left side of the lid is a series of parch- ment pockets, containing the commoner cock hackles which are in every-day use—red, blue, black, etc. These are, of course, in sight whenever the box is opened. The hackles are kept on the necks and scalps of the birds for convenience of handling, and the ready selection of a feather of the exact size required. Such is the box and its general arrange- ment, which should, we think, meet every requirement, and certainly is more compact, insect-proof, complete, and handy than anything we have seen elsewhere. MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL. 107 AS Puit WINGED FLoATER ssi. es pag Sarr Ls a # ASPENT GNAT CHAPTER XV. MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL. PLATE 15. Before describing in detail the method of making a Hackves. fly, we will draw attention to a few generalities which it may be useful to recapitulate. In dressing hackled imitations, the bodies should be kept thin, as a rule, and the hackles, after tying, should not project much beyond the bend of the hook. The hackles for winged flies are made from two- thirds to three-quarters the length used for hackle flies. The wings for imitation Ephemera should be short W165. and rounded, whereas for the sedges, and several of the Diptera, and the Neuroptera, they may be with advantage rather longer than to the bend of the hook. The addition of a thorax to a hackle fly improves the T#ORAx. imitation very much, by preventing the hackle from flattening on to the body, and so making the fly much more lively in the water. The bodies vary considerably in length, some, such BoprEs. as sedges, should be dressed rather round the bend; others, such as the Ephemera, are better for being shorter and straighter. It was our intention to leave the description of the detailed method of fly tying severely alone, as it has 109 Le A HACcKLE FLy. 110 MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL. been so ably dealt with by many other writers. How- ever, in order to make this volume more self-contained and complete in itself, it has been decided to add a chapter dealing with this part of the subject. There are about nine different styles of dressing an artificial insect, as follows :— 1. A hackle fly with legs and body only. 2. A Palmer or caterpillar with legs all along the body. 3. An upwinged fly. An imitation AphLemera. 4. A split winged fly. To be used floating only. 5. A spent gnat. 6. A down winged fly, of which the sedge is an example. 7. An upright, whole-feather winged fly asa drake. 8. A beetle. 9. Spider. It is assumed that suitable materials have been obtained, and from these we will select a hackle feather, the length of whose fibres should be the length of the hook to be dressed from eye to bend, excepting about four longer fibres as trailers. Draw off about a foot of the finest waxed tying silk, and then the opera- tions may be conducted in this sequence. 1. Trim the hackle as shown in fig. 1, keeping it far enough from the eye to allow room to wrap it on and tie off. MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL. III 2. Tie the point (some prefer to tie in the quill end of the hackle) to the hook (fig. 2) with a half hitch and three turns of silk. 3. Tie on the thorax material (A), the body material (B), and the tinsel (T) as shown, with a few turns of silk from head to tail end. 4. Run the silk back to the head end. 5. Take hold of the body material with the fly tweezers, and wrap it on. 6. Take a turn of silk round the body at the shoulder, take the tweezers off, and wrap on the tinsel, and tie off with two turns of silk. >. Then wrap the thorax round and over the end of this, wrap the hackle, and tie off with two or three turns and two half hitches. Trim off all ends; the head may or may not be varnished, but, if well tied, this is not necessary. It is necessary to thoroughly master this dressing, as it is the basis of all flies, the others mostly being additions to this one. Some use a vice to hold the hook ; this, however, is entirely unnecessary, and after a few trials, the fingers will be found handier than any mechanical device for holding the hook, but tweezers for holding hackles, &c., are indispensable, and it is as well to have at least two pairs of them. A good sharp pair of scissors are also necessary. A Palmer may be dressed thus :— 1, Tie on two hackles as shown (fig. 7), having a longish quill with short fibres. 2. A PALMER... 2. AN UPRIGHT WINGED FLy. 112 MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL. 2. Tie on the body materials, probably peacock (P) and tinsel {T), fig. 8. 3. Wrap on the peacock, then the tinsel, and tie off (fig. 9). 4. Wrap on the body hackle from the tail to the shoulder of the fly (fig. 10). 5. Wrap on the head hackle at the shoulder only, and tie off as before (fig. 11). The wings are the “Pozs aszxorune” of fly dressers ; but, by using suitable feathers, the fibres of which “marry ” well, such as woodcock, starling, or jay, and very fine tying silk, the initial difficulties are soon overcome. To begin with, remember that sufficient room must be left at the head end for tying on the wings, in addition to tying off the hackle. 1. Tie on the hackle as before. 2. Body and tinsel as before, with the addition of three fibres for tails as shown, or tag if desired (fig. 12). 3. Wrap on the hackle as before (fig. 13), observing that there is room for the wings at the eye end of the hook, or if short of room, the legs may be pushed back by the nails of the thumb and forefinger to make more room. 4. Cut froma suitable feather a portion (as marked, fig. 14) twice the width of the required wings. This must be carefully worked between the forefinger and thumb until it is rectangular instead of rhomboidal. MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL. 113 5. Double it down the centre in the direction of the fibres—not across them. 6. Hold it tightly on the hook in the position shown on fig. 15, with the left forefinger and thumb (fig. 16). 7. Throw a half hitch over the end of the wings, drawing the silk between the finger and thumb, and tighten down. Pull well home, but be careful not to break the silk. Wrap round three times and knot off. Trim ends off and varnish (fig. 17). In dressing these, the method is rather different from that just described for an upright winged fly, as the wings are often tied on first instead of last, and pointing forwards instead of towards the tail of the fly. They must be cut from two feathers from right and left wings, so as to tie right and left. 1. Tie in the wings as in fig. 18, and make them long enough, as they lose length in the turning back. 2. Tie on the hackle, body, and tails as before des- cribed ; fig. 19 then shows the state of affairs. 3. Divide the wings with a big pin or pricker, and pull them right and left. 4. Wrap on the hackle, which should be long in the quill and short in the fibre, with what is known as a figure eight, which is accomplished by wrapping the hackle alternately between, behind, and before the wings, then tie off as before. This has the effect of holding the wings up and apart, thus giving them the parachute action which causes the fly to alight on the water lightly, hook downwards. H 4. A SPLIT WINGED Fy. 5. A SPENT GNaT. II4 MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL. This is a fly which has fallen exhausted on the water with outspread wings, and is usually dressed thus :— 1. Tie on two or four small hackle feathers, or their points only if the whole feather is too large for the purpose, as shown (fig. 21). 2. Tie and wrap body, tails, tinsel, and other dressing, as before described (fig. 22). 3. Spread the feathers to position shown, and wrap on the hackle (fig. 23) with a figure eight as before. If difficulty is experienced, by reason of the quills of the wings breaking when they are bent back, a few minutes in luke warm water will soften them sufficiently to enable them to be bent to any angle. MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL (Continuep). 115 PLATE I6 A. FLOATING May Fry SPIDER CHAPTER XVI. MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL (Continuep). PLATE 106. These are dressed just the same as an ordinary up- winged fly, excepting that the wings must be laid as low as they can be on the body without splitting. In the large flies, as before stated (page 112), we prefer to-tie them thus, so as to enable the fly to maintain its correct shape. After tying on the body and hackle, tie in two small medium stiff whole feathers as shown (fig. 24), preferably taken from: right and left-hand wings. When procurable, we prefer these either natural or dyed cinnamon, then over these the proper colour of wings are tied in the usual manner (fig. 25.) Tied thus, they keep their form exceedingly well, and float first rate, which, in a big sedge fly, often adds very much to its power of attraction. Fig. 26 shows a back view. This is dressed with whole feathers, in place of a section of a feather, as in a split winged fly, but, in addition, some Peacock Herl is frequently used as a head. The cycle of operations being :— 1. Tie on wings, head materials, and hackle (fig. 27), 6. A Down WINGED FLY OR SEDGE, 7 AN UPRIGHT WHOLE WINGED FLy. 118 MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL (CONTINUED). 2. Tie on body and tails. 3. Wrap body (fig. 28). 4. Pull wings to correct position. 5. Wrap hackle with figure eight, and finish with head, and tie off (figs. 29—30). 8. 1. Tie on a hackle. A BEETLE. 2. Wool for body padding. 3. Herl for back and underside of the body. All as shown in fig. 31. 4. Wrap on the body to required thickness (fig. 32). 5. Tie down back and body coverings (fig. 33). 6. Wrap on hackle and finish off (fig. 34). 9 1. Cut out a cork body. A SPIDER. 2. Nick the cork, and pass a piece of gut (doubled) along the nick and round the tail end of the hook, and tie off at the head end (fig. 35). 3. Tie on hackle for legs (fig. 36). 4. Wrap on hackle (fig. 37). Fig. 38 shows the back view. With the foregoing instructions and the formule previously given, the amateur should have no difficulty in making a start, and then he may, with advantage, get some expert to show him the various modus operandt, which are much more quickly acquired by being seen in practice than merely read about, After MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL (CONTINUED). 119 this, it will, no doubt, be found handy to refer to these notes as memoranda of methods for tying the different varieties, some of which are only occasionally required. We are aware that some fly dressers do not follow the sequence here given, in tying, in the various materials, but the amateur will, we think, find them at least as handy as any others, and we know from long experi- ence that they give thoroughly sound and satisfactory results in practice. THE CHOICE OF A FLY. Tat CHAPTER XVII. THE CHOICE OF 2 PLY. The great question which recurs at every fishing expedition is ‘what fly is most likely to command success?” The answer to this question depends ona vreat variety of circumstances, and an intelligent con- sideration of these will well repay the trouble. Broadly speaking, we may divide flies into two classes, viz., ‘‘attractors” and ‘‘deceivers,” with the reservation that an attractor must be a deceiver anda deceiver, attractive. If the water is large, or in flood; or the weather boisterous; or the fish not rising; a fly much larger than the natural, or with an extra touch of colour or tinsel about it, will frequently prove more successful than a smaller imitation, which is really a more faithful copy of a natural insect. This is what we should term an “attractor,” and when the conditions are not favourable for fine fishing, the use of such a fly is often successful. If, on the other hand, the waters are fine, or the fish dimpling the surface, on the look out for insects, the smallest fly alighting on the surface is seen by them, and the artificial must be a “deceiver” to render good service, that is, must be a good imitation of an individual species, or sufficiently typical to be at once mistaken for some fly or larva on which the fish are feeding. 123 TYPES. “© ATTRAC- TORS.” “ DECEI- VER.” FREAKS. TIME OF YEAR. EVENING. NATURAL, SIZE, 124 THE CHOICE OF A FLY. There are times when the fish are glutted, or during very unsettled atmospheric conditions, when they persistently refuse the natural fly, and yet are playing about on the surface. At such times a freak is useful to meet the abnormal conditions, that is, a fly of abnormal form, vivid colour, or one totally out of season. But generally speaking, a careful imitation of nature, if persistently used, pays best in the long run, and freaks are to be avoided. In the early part of the season, larger flies may be used than later on, when the fish are getting hook shy, A medium-sized hook both hooks and holds better than a very small one. Similarly, as the light fails in the evening, a fair- sized hook may be used with advantage. Under ordinary conditions, the fly chosen should be a careful imitation of the natural fly the fish appear to be taking, or, if instead of boldly rising to the natural, they are “bulging” or ‘‘tailing,” a small hackle, similar in colour to the natural fly on the water, is successful when a winged imitation is refused. The size of the fly chosen is of the highest’ import- ance. It should, as a rule, be less than the natural from which it is copied, this being particularly the case under very fine conditions of weather and water, as the season advances, and on waters which are over- fished. Indeed, under the latter conditions, a fly many sizes smaller than the natural (though of the same form and colour) is often necessary. THE CHOICE OF A PLY. 125 But in using too small a hook many fish are missed and others lost owing to the hook losing hold, although apparently firmly embedded after the rise. Frequently, quite half a dozen species of flies will be found on the water at one time. Then careful observation will usually detect that one is being taken in preference to the others. At the same time, the old adage, ‘“ Bright day, bright fly; dull day, dull fly,” if borne in mind, will help towards a useful choice in the matter. For thin, clear water, flies cannot be dressed too sparsely, or too thin in the body; an almost bare hook doing better than an overdressed one. In deeper or heavier waters this is not so important, as too thin a fly does not show well enough to be attractive. If fish are rising short, or coming to the fly and then turning away without taking hold, it is a sign that the colour is right but the size is wrong, and a change to one similar in colour but smaller, will frequently meet with success. For late evening or night fishing, however, this is reversed. The most killing flies are then mostly heavy and woolly in the bodies, as might be expected— as most nocturnal flies have thick hairy bodies, par- ticularly as the warm weather comes on. Early in the season much smaller flies are useful at night than later on, contrary to the rule, with regard to the size of flies used during the day. SMALL Hooks. CoLour. DRESSING. THICK BopvIigEs. NIGHT. A Miss. HaTcH OF FLIES. NuMBER. 126 THE CHOICE OF A FLY. If, in fishing a restricted water, where trout are large and not too plentiful, a good fish is risen and missed, it is as well to have another cast with the same fly ; if this is refused, change the fly to one of about the same size but different in colour, and try again in a few moments, this often has the desired effect. When fishing a long stretch, of course, this may be out of the question, but when a second rise is wanted out of a fish, a different fly has a better chance than the one which rose the fish on the first occasion. It is seldom that a good rise is on to any particular pattern of fly until the original of that pattern has been hatching for several days, the first few stragglers of any hatch seldom causing a distinct rise to any given pattern. It is only when the hatch of flies becomes well developed that a general rise may be expected, or that the artificial will be taken with any degree of confidence. As to the number of flies to be used ona cast at one time—in ordinary wet fly fishing, across and down stream—probably three is the best number. We cer- tainly prefer this number to four, although in some places four or even five are commonly used; but the disturbance of the water, the extra risk of catching stones and other obstacles, as well as tangling the cast, certainly do not compensate for any multiplying of chances, which we look on as very doubtful. In upstream fishing, one fly, or two at most, should be used. More are only a nuisance, disturbing the THE CHOICE OF A FLY. 127 water, and also dividing the angler’s attention, when it would pay much better to have it concentrated on one fly only, and fish this one really carefully in all the eddies and corners. This may not be very orthodox doctrine, but our experience is that when fewer flies are used the more fish are caught, simply because fewer are missed. Although at times fewer may be risen, a greater proportion of them will be hooked. On a crowded water, when following someone else, it is advisable to use a different fly to the one the first man is using, on the same principle as changing the fly when a fish is missed. And again, fish that refuse a fly of one colour may rise eagerly to one of another colour and form. WHY DO THE FISH RISE? 129 CHAPTER XVIII. WHY DO THE FISH RISE? In describing a fishing trip, it is curious how universal it has become to describe a rise of duns— mostly of the olive variety ; in fact, this has become almost the classical method. Many writers give a prominence, out of all proportion, to the olive dun in particular, and the Aphemera in general, as though they were the only class of flies worthy the attention of any honest angler. Conscious as I am of the merits of a well-dressed small olive-coloured fly, I have a notion that in a number of cases it is taken, not for a dun at all, but because it is a typical insect colour and the general form suggests a fly. I have seen olive duns float over rising fish by scores at times, and nota fin stir; but immediately a large gnat comes along it is taken with avidity (and this has happened, not once, but on many occasions), and yet, few of the numerous writers on flies seem to deem the gnat tribes worthy of any but the most scant notice, although these are roughly, six times as numerous as the Ephemera. The Culcide, Chirono- mide, and Tipulide get on the waters in great numbers at times and in a great variety of forms, sizes, and colours. Of the first two named there are well over two hundred varieties, commonly known as gnats, 131 132 WHY DO THE FISH RISE? midges or mosquitoes; and surely anglers would be well advised in giving more attention to their claims as “fishing flies.” The rise seen without any apparent hatch of flies going on, is at times clearly attributable to these small pests rising to emerge from the surface, and if at such times a carefully tied imitation is used, it is worth all the duns in the world. The Zvpulide, which vary in size from three- sixteenths of an inch long to over two inches in length, are commonly known as craneflies, and the larger varieties as daddy long legs, and these latter have a very alluring way of dipping along the surface of the water, especially on a breezy day towards the middle or end of the season, when the trout are getting weary of being bombarded with duns, natural and artificial alike. Imitations of these flies float well, and I know from experience are ‘“ excellent medicine,” but they must not be dressed with double bunched hackles, but lean and rakish, with long trailing legs and cock point hackle wings, and then, even old shy fish that have refused a hundred lures fall victims to their seductive charms. Nor are these the only aiftera which are seen on the water and will charm when duns cease to have interest ; in very bright hot weather, the green insect, the wood fly, the blue bottle, and flies of that type do excellent service if made the right size and form, whether dressed as hackles or winged flies matters not, and there is little difference in their floating qualities; but all winged flies, unless the WHY DO THE FISH RISE? 133 wings are fairly soft, have a great tendency to twist a fine gut cast in such a way as to speedily work its ruin. Many years ago I remember dressing some biggish ‘“wood flies,” which had small sparrow quill feather tips as wings, and the least drag in the water caused them to spin and move in a most erratic manner, but for all that many a brace: of lusty trout were bagged by them in a big deep mill pool on the river Aire. Which reminds me of a beautiful trout of about a pound weight, which had its home under an old tree root just below some scaffolding we were using across the river, and for six months we -fed that fish daily, he would rise to everything which had no line to it. Beetles of all sorts, centipedes, worms, millepedes, grass-hoppers, grass-bugs, flies, minnows, cockroaches, wasp-grubs, all were tried, but put a line on ever so fine and he became wildly excited and darted to and fro and around the bait, but would have none of it— finally he went up the river in October and passed from our ken. I have often wondered if he ever returned to the old root or finally fell a victim to a boy with hazel switch and crooked pin. There are other neglected friends for whom I would say a word. I have often been surprised at the neglect with which the Perdid@ are treated ; on many streams they are more important than the Zphemera and are easy of imitation, the large stone fly only excepted. The large stone fly isa most deadly bait when fished natural, and with care a passable imitation 134 WHY DO THE FISH RISE? may be made with a cork base for body, wound over with thin indiarubber from the core of a golf ball, and rusty blue Andalusian hackles for wings, and a few thickish dark legs. Then there is the yellow sally, so much and so unjustly abused as a “ bitter fly and one rejected by the fish.” This is an entire fallacy; a properly dressed imitation is one of our most prized and useful flies in its season. Again avoid the bulky bushy patterns, and remember the sally is a pale delicate insect, and to be successful the imitation must be fine in form and be dressed with delicate glassy hackles both for wings and legs, and the trouble of obtaining the materials and making up is amply repaid: at least, that is the result of over 25 years’ experience of its use. There is another class of insects, some two hundred and fifty strong, in these islands—the 777choptera, or caddis flies; their imitations will often turn a disastrous day into one of glorious success. There are certain small ones with bronzy wings and reddish bodies, which run about on the surface of the water very quickly, and at times hatch by thousands. Dressed fine, but with long trailing legs, not too numerous, these will do execution on hard-fished waters when all the orthodox patterns fail—but they must be dressed small and fine. My experience of heavy bushy flies is that on preserved waters they do well enough,-but given conditions not too favourable, and hard fished waters, and the best way to treat them is to take out a pair of scissors and cut off two-thirds of the dressing, WHY DO THE FISH RISE? 135 and at times they do better with five-sixths removed. This may seem to be rank heresy, but it is the result of actual experience, and success has been achieved by adopting this method when the fish absolutely refused the fly as originally dressed and offered, although it was supposed to be an imitation of the fly actually on the water at the time, and to which they were rising. Before closing these random notes I recall an incident that happened two years ago. The trout were rising in a very desultory manner, and for a long time our efforts were vain, But at last a‘plump fish of a pound and three quarters was landed, and an autopsy performed. The only contents of the stomach were an ordinary half-burnt wooden match and a chip of wood about an inch long: so this suggests, when they will not rise to a dun, try a lucifer before giving up in despair, the blackened head and whitish stalk may have suggested a caddis worm to the fish. FROM THE FISHES’ POINT OF VIEW, 137 CHAPTER XIX. FROM THE FISHES’ POINT OF VIEW. Our member, ‘‘ Glanrhds, is, I think, right; many fly-dressers, even when they go to Nature for their models, still fail to appreciate the point from which the fishes view the natural fly, and also the conditions under which they see it, this being especially the case with the makers of dry flies. If asked what is the colour of a common house fly as seen by the fish, it is probable that the great majority of fly-dressers would unhesitatingly reply “ Dark grey,” and although this may approximate to the truth, from oz point of view, if we consider the conditions and circumstances under which the house fly appears to the fish, the reply is probably ‘quite wrong.” Let us suppose that the conditions are bright sun- shine and wind, and the fly floating on the surface. Viewed from be/ow in sunshine the house fly is orange, black, and ochreous in colour, due to the light coming through it, and the wings are prismatic at almost any angle. When the fly alights on the water the hairs which clothe its body carry innumerable small air bubbles which float the fly lightly, but the consequent surface tension, reflection, and refraction of the water 139 140 FROM THE FISHES’ POINT OF VIEW. viewed from below, give an appearance of silver and gold around the fly, mingling with which is a strong suggestion of prismatic colouring, the colour scheme having a focus of interest in the silver and red of the eyes and head. The house fly is quoted simply as an example which can be readily obtained and the experiment verified with the minimum trouble. So much for a dull coloured fly floating—but drown that fly, z.e., thoroughly wet it so as to remove the small air bubbles from its surface, and look at it sideways instead of from below, and it at once assumes a sober colour, more like our usual conception of it. If this happens with a sober, solid fly like the house fly, how much more brilliant and beautiful do we find the Lphemeride, the gnats, and other flies, whose bodies are almost transparent, and whose wings are transparent glittering sheets of prismatic colours blended with gold and silver; and yet the fly-dresser attempts to imitate these with pale starling, blackbird, or other dull opaque feathers simply because his materials impose certain limitations, and again he fails to appreciate the fishes’ point of view. Viewed from above the usual feather imitation is approximately correct, but viewed from below on the surface of the water, particularly in strongish light, a good glassy hackle will give a far better suggestion of a spinner or gnat than any winged imitation ever can do. To take an analogy, Which is the more suggestive of Nature and the more pleasing—the laborious intricately detailed painting of a landscape, where FROM THE FISHES’ POINT OF VIEW. 141 every detail of herbage and foliage in the foreground and an elaborate middle distance are shown, or the broad, liberal rendering of the artist giving his inter- pretation and impression in simple masses of form and colour, repressing all except essentials? So with the fly-dresser the simple glassy hackle glittering in the sunshine and lightly impinging on the surface of the water when viewed from below gives a far more realistic impression than a heavy winged fly struggling to float with the aid of oil, where the hackled variety rides easily and buoyantly. The effect of oiling a dry fly is to alter its refractive index, darken and sodden it to a remarkable extent so that it does not present a thousand little points to catch the light as it did before the application of oil, and this is another excellent reason why a hackle fly frequently scores when a winged imitation, oiled, fails. There are, of course, great limitations imposed by the materials, and also the conditions of using them. To begin with, the bodies of all flies are tubular and allow a certain amount of light to pass through them, whereas the base of all artificial flies is of necessity a steel bar, excepting in the case of flies with detached or semi-detached bodies. Viewed from above, the quill body is as near Nature as possible, but’ from below it is almost black, unless there is light reflected from below, and although a rough, thick woolly body is an abomination, the fact cannot be overlooked that a coloured light comes through the edges of the wool which suggests a transparence entirely absent in the 142 FROM THE FISHES’ POINT OF VIEW. close hard quill body. Celluloid is transparent but shows the centre steel bar of the hook, and the only satisfactory way we know is to make the body witha basis of tinsel, and over this wind a band of gut, celluloid, indiarubber, mohair, or other material which will allow the sheen of the tinsel to show through in part, at any rate, suggesting transparence by means of reflection. Flies with tinsel bodies are at times “most taking,” as also those which have high colour in them. A finely dressed fly with turns of three hackles, red, yellow, and green in colour, with yellow and red spines for tails, and a gilt body, will on a brilliant hot day kill in a surprising manner. On August 7th I tried various flies of the blue and green bottle variety, with fair success ; they floated perfectly, and on hot days are “great medicine,’ but as the fish began to come short, and as the day had got brighter and hotter, | put up a “prismatic” fly, knowing its worth from experience, and the result abundantly justified the change. So long as the bright conditions held the prismatic fly worked ‘like a charm,” but when it came on dull it ceased to be attractive, and a fly of sombre colour became more seductive. It has been laid down in salmon fishing, “ Bright day, bright fly ; dull day, dull fly,” a rule which I have found work out also with trout. Should the weather turn thundery and dulla bright fly ceases to attract, and a black, brown, or a ochreous one will do much better. Ina diary extending over some years I find FROM THE FISHES’ POINT OF VIEW. 143 several entries to the effect ‘as the day became dull and gloomy the bright fly ceased to attract ; a change to a dull coloured one soon mended matters.” It will be interesting to hear if other members have observed this fact. It has been averred that brackish or salt water has more tendency to produce prismatic colours and also to make objects in it glitter, and that is one reason why salmon, which are used to feed on small glittering fish, and prawns which are semi-transparent, and have long antennz and many legs, which glitter and shine as they swim along, should be attracted by a gaudy imitation of we know not what. We watch the various crustacee and so on in a salt-water aquarium in sunshine and shadow with interest, and the way they change colour according to the light and shade is very suggestive and interesting. The various reasons assigned by different philoso- phers or observers for fish taking a fly are curiosity, pugnacity, acquisitiveness, jealousy, and hunger. | would suggest that at any time it is possible to get a lot of rises from the first cause, by putting on a big fly or beetle in bright conditions, or even a salmon fly if it floats well. The trout will rise at it like fun, but not one in ten will be hooked: they are simply flirting with the unknown. Again, an abnormal fly put over the haunt of an old stager causes annoyance, and a splashy, pugnacious rise is the result. If two good fish have their haunts near together they become exceedingly jealous, and one is certain to fall a victim of acquisitiveness or jealousy in the fear 144 FROM THE FISHES’ POINT OF VIEW. lest his neighbour gets there first. The second fish, after his neighbour’s removal, becomes much more cautious, and will take ten times as much catching. My brother has shown me big fish in their lairs on several occasions, remarking that he had caught their mates weeks or months before, but the one left had developed into an artful old dodger, whereas before the two used to rush out at the fly simultaneously. His frequent remark is: ‘Show me two fish and I will catch one of them, but the survivor will take evena live blue bottle by the wing and shake it to see if there is a line attached.’ Lastly, the reason for taking a fly is hunger, though really I believe this is by far the most frequent cause, as is shown by the systematic way in which the rises of trout occur. It is not reasonable to suppose that curiosity, or in fact anything but hunger, should strike trout at regular periods just synchronizing with the rise of natural insects morning and evening. Although the other passions may be called into play, the main cause of the angler’s success must ever be hunger, and to achieve success the angler must always aim at such an imitation as is an exact counterpart of one fly, or else an artificial which is so typical in form and colour that it may be readily mistaken for at least ‘an insect;” in other words it is an artist's interpretation of the general or composite appearance of several insects, and if this is studied from the fishes’ point of view, success will be steady and not the spasmodic success which follows more haphazard methods.