"CHARACTER" 7 



The trout fisher, accustomed to study the 

 subject of flies with the spectacles of an 

 amateur entomologist, will probably be at a 

 loss to understand how it is possible to classify 

 salmon flies on any reasonably practical basis. 



That it is possible I will endeavour to show. 



In any case, however, the fact must be 

 borne in mind that, whatever its form, a 

 classification of salmon flies must, from the 

 nature of things, be a somewhat artificial 

 affair. It can have no parallel to Nature, 

 and is in other respects open to the objection 

 that it is very largely dependent upon personal 

 considerations. 



Salmon flies are most conveniently grouped 

 according to their " character," and here I 

 should like to point out that for our purpose 

 it is well to draw a distinction between 

 66 character " and " style." 



Character in a salmon fly implies a peculi- 

 arity of shape and general construction, which 

 is so constant and typical that it claims recog- 

 nition throughout a numerous series of flies, 

 varying, it may be considerably, from each 

 other in size and colour, and as such divides 

 them naturally into common groups or classes. 



