148 Smaller Fly Takers. Ciiapt. xi. 



lish in distress, went for it. They are also to be found in the 

 smaller streams inhabited by the Black Spot, but not in the same 



water. Where the river runs lazily among the weeds yon will find 

 the Black Spot, where it runs rapidly among rocks, the Baril 



They are small, not running larger than a hungry beck trout of 

 3£ ounces and under. They are. however, plentiful, and free fly 

 takers, and to be fished for just as for a trout They will rise to any 

 small trout fly, and I have had on simultaneously one red, one dun, 

 and one black, and they have taken kindly to them all, and some- 

 times two and three have been pulled out at once, just as little beck 

 trout are at home. But the trout flies should be of the smallest, 

 for though the fish will rise, they will not be readily hooked, unless 

 the fly is on a hook as small as No. 14 Sneck or Kirby bend. 



For choice, black seems to be the favourite colour for these little 

 fellows, as well as for Mahseer, perhaps because it is most quickly 

 seen against the light; and a friend, who is a good fisherman, so 

 far believes in it, that he mounts his collar with all three black, 

 such as the black gnat, small black palmer, and like tlie.s black or 

 nearly black. 



Why it should be so fancied I do not know, for I do not 

 remember to have ever seen black natural Hies on the water in India, 

 except it be little bits of black flies very little bigger than a well 

 led mosquito. These I have seen in countless numbers, but they 

 are too small to imitate, and are only fitting food for fry, and 

 minnows, and chelas. 



1 have noticed and painted red flies and yellow flies which were 

 evidently water-born flies, but they were nut in any numbers, and 

 the fish were not sporting at them, so why should I trouble my 

 reader with them 1 They must remain among the useless notes 

 taken in my endeavour to work out the rationale of fly fishing in 

 India in preference to the rule of thumb, The subject is too big 

 a one to be mastered without very much more leisure at the water's 

 side in all months of the year than I am ever likely to have at 

 command. Will any one else work up the ephemera of India in 

 connection with fly fishing? One fly, however, 1 have shown on 

 Plate XII, because it is a practically useful My. the Black spots tak- 

 ing it freely. I saw it on the water in great numbers both morning 

 and evening, but for want of opportunities of observing sullieieiitly 

 I am, of course, in QO position to say for how many days or months 



