38 THE BORDER ANGLER. 



submerged, or allow a moment before striking if it is 

 floating on the surface, and he sees the trout take it. 

 Mr. Stewart recommends the angler with the May-fly 

 always to keep his bait under water, as he is of opi- 

 nion that trout more frequently miss taking hold when 

 it is afloat ; but we cannot say that we have observed 

 this, and it appears to us more natural that the fly 

 should be kept on the top of the water. What we take 

 to be the female fly is larger, yellower, and has bigger 

 wings than the male, the wings of which are not 

 usually longer than its body. The female is undoubt- 

 edly the more captivating to the trout, and may be 

 used singly, while it is advisable to put on two of the 

 others. Two hooks, the upper one of the size of a large 

 fly-hook, and the lower the very smallest worm-hook, 

 ought to be employed, and the baiting is managed by 

 entering the lower hook below the shoulder, passing it 

 through sideways, and bringing it back, while the 

 upper is passed through the shoulder, also sideways. 

 When two flies are used, the lower hook, after the first 

 is put on as described, has merely to be passed through 

 the shoulder of the second. Sport may, however, be 

 had with a single hook, and we have used the May-fly 

 pretty effectively upon an ordinary fly-hook from which 

 the wings had been cut. With the May-fly it is of 

 little use to keep whipping water inhabited only by 

 small trout ; but wherever large fish harbour, or are 

 observed feeding, it may be used with deadly effect. 

 A hot sunshiny day and clear water are favourable 

 for it, but it is also productive when the water is brown, 

 and we have had good sport with it in a gale, when it 

 was difficult to keep the line in the water. In such a 



