TROUT-FLIKS. 385 



greatest perfection, and very frcqncntly in the same localities it 

 will bite at a small white cnib, a muscle, or the throat, with the 

 two pectoral fins attached, of one of its own species. 



All of these, however, pale before the artificial lly, whu li is 

 the most lejjitimate, tlie most scientific, the most excitinjj, 

 because most difficult, and last I v, not U-astiv, the most killinjr, 

 in nine wiitcrs of ten, of all tlit; nittliods used to capture 

 him. 



Then^ lias long been a grand debate between fly-fishcrs, as to 

 whether those arc the most killing flies accurately copied from 

 natnrr, or fancy flies similar to nothinir in cxisti ncc, composed 

 of any gay and taking colours. It was formerly the general 

 belief that the first were the most taking, and in the old books 

 we find regidar rules laid down, and particular flies ordered for 

 every particular month of the year. Hut the former opinion 

 has now been generally, and 1 think justly, discarded by the 

 best anglers, while the practice of such a regular arrangement 

 is now very generally exploded. 



It is a remarkable fact that for the most part the same 

 flies are the most killing in all waters, the world over, in 

 Scotland, Ireland, Norway, and in the waters of America; 

 nor is there any fly found more excellent for general use, or 

 wliich possesses more ardent votaries than the red hackle, 

 which has probably killeil more and larger tish than any that 

 can l)e named. 



In America, Trout-flies an* used of a mneh larger size, and 

 that more cfTcctively than in Kurope, and the small Knglish fly 

 is justly less estimated in these western waters. The colours of 

 the American fiie« are likewiMO much brighter on the whole 



