165 



has been the case, we have frequently found the 

 artificial fly taken in preference to the natural 

 one. The time of the day to fish with it is, 

 from eleven to four o'clock. This fly is dressed 

 as follows : 



Body of an ostrich herl died a straw colour, 

 and ribbed with gold-twist; legs, a ginger 

 hackle; wings, a mallard's feather from the 

 side under the wing, died a dingy yellow 

 colour; two whips of a brown peacock's herl 

 between the wings and the shank of the hook, 

 to form the head of the fly. 



would have acquired had it still remained in its natural 

 situation, communicating with the vessels of the body. 

 Reaumer crushed the head of these creatures while in the 

 very act of transformation, nevertheless the metamorphosis 

 was performed with the same celerity as if the cruelty had 

 not been practised. Neither did immersion in spirits of 

 wine prevent the completion of the change. The insect 

 burst through its trammels, and instantly perished. The 

 females of the ephemera seem to be born only to perpetuate 

 their species, and, accordingly, as soon as they can use 

 their wings, so soon they begin to lay their eggs ; a crea- 

 ture, whose life in a perfect state is comprised in a few 

 hours, cannot afford to waste the precious moments ; na- 

 ture, therefore, has foreseen and contrived, that her object 

 should be thoroughly attained in the shortest time. They 

 lay about eight hundred eggs, nevertheless they are depo- 

 sited in a shorter time than another insect would consume 

 in laying only one. Nature has crowded into their short 

 life an operation to which other insects are not subjected. 

 After they have gone through the ordinary metamorphoses 

 common to most insects, and when they are apparently 

 perfect insects, they again cast their skins, and change a 

 vestment which has scarcely time to become old. 



Abridged from the blst Number of the Family Library. 



