NATURAL FOOD. 33 



WATER INSECTS. 



Next to spawn and young fish, there is a considerable 

 supply of food derived from insects which frequent the 

 water, more particularly the grubs and maggots that 

 live in water, and often in great abundance. The 

 grubs are the young of beetles, of day flies and caddis 

 flies with four wings, and the maggots are the 

 young of gnats and crane flies with two wings. 

 As these grubs themselves lead a predatory life, and 

 are exposed to the attacks of their own kindred as well 

 as of fishes, they are provided with various means of 

 eluding their enemies, either by living in the recesses 

 of water plants, under stones, or at some depth in 

 clay or mud; or by constructing for themselves a 

 dwelling place into which they can retire securely, 

 when danger threatens. Though these grubs and mag- 

 gots, therefore, may be in great profusion, the fish can 

 only take them by surprise, and would fare but scan- 

 tily if they had no other resource. 



It consequently opens up a fine variety of baits to 

 the angler, who can easily dislodge these grubs and 

 maggots from their lurking places in the waters, and 

 employ them to entice the fish that are fond of them, 

 but have not the means of securing such prey at their 

 pleasure. It may on this account be useful to describe 

 and figure a few of these, to enable the beginner to find 

 and to recognise them in the water ; and I shall begin 

 with what are well known to anglers under various 

 names. 



