BAITS FOR GRAYLING. 225 



of May ; but I never happened to see it on the 

 water. The dark alder fly, in May and June, 

 is taken greedily by the fish : it is imitated by 

 a dark-shaded pheasant's wing, black hackle 

 for legs, and a peacock's harle, ribbed with 

 red silk, for the body. At this season, and in 

 July, imitations of the black and red palmer 

 worms, which I believe are taken for black 

 or brown, or red beetles or cockchafers, kill 

 well; and, in dark weather, there are usually 

 very light duns on the water. In August, 

 imitations of the house fly and blue-bottle, 

 and the red and black ant fly, are taken, and 

 are particularly killing after floods in autumn, 

 when great quantities of the fly are destroyed 

 and washed down the river. In this month, 

 in cloudy days, pale blue duns often appear; 

 and they are still more common in September. 

 Throughout the summer and autumn, in fine 

 calm evenings, a large dun fly, with a pale 

 yellow body, is greedily taken by grayling 

 after sunset; and the imitation of it is very 

 killing. In the end of October, and through 

 November, there is no fly fishing but in the 



