74 BEETLES. 



Fig. 1. Plate IV., and the black-backed 

 Beetle, as well as the bright green, I have found 

 the best, and with which I have often killed a 

 good basket of fish, when every fly was refused. 



The Beetles are used like the artificial fly ; 

 but I think they kill best when allowed to 

 float gently down the stream, rather than 

 when drawn against or across it; though I 

 have killed in smooth water, and with a large 

 Beetle too, some very fine fish. 



I generally use them made on hooks having 

 a fine eye at the extremity of the shank. In 

 fact, I very commonly make all flies, large and 

 small, on similar hooks ; — a practice which will 

 doubtless be much scouted by many anglers. 

 Nor shall I attempt to persuade any one to 

 adopt it, though it possess the advantage of 

 enabling me to use either fine or thick gut with 

 the same fly. It is far more durable, for when 

 the fly is tied on gut, the gut is very soon 

 so worn as to be unsafe, and the fly con- 

 sequently valueless. Besides, in an ordinary 

 sized round snufl"-box, I carry to the river 

 three hundred flies — a compression of the 



