94 TROUT-FISHING IN BROOKS 



timber, and are easily recognised by their heads 

 being always pointed downwards, but it is trouble- 

 some to gather a sufficient quantity of them. 

 Quite as killing is the black wood-fly, swarms of 

 which, in hot weather, collect on fresh cattle- 

 droppings amid woods or in their vicinity. There 

 are three ways of catching them : (i) by lying 

 close to the droppings (provided with a fly-bottle), 

 and when the flies are on thick, making a rapid 

 snatch ; (2) by poising a band-box over the same, 

 as a boy's bird-crib, and bringing it down smartly ; 

 and (3) to have a small, well-foliaged branch, and 

 stalking a swarm, to strike down suddenly ; 

 plenty would be only put temporarily hors-dc- 

 combat and be fit for use in a short time. If the 

 second plan were tried, the band-box should have 

 a hole through the back in which the neck of the 

 pocket-bottle is inserted. On the capture being 

 effected, the box is rattled, and the flies will make 

 for the light, and so get into the bottle. Next 

 may be mentioned the blowflies produced from 

 gentles, which are almost, if not quite, as deadly 

 as the wood-flies. I am indebted to Mr. E. 

 Distin (Totnes) for a description of his capital 

 contrivance for obtaining a supply of these. He 

 procures a large sweet-tin with a centre-cover. 

 The cover removed, he fits a removable perforated 



