THE PERLID^E. 59 



to the black drake which last is seldom imi- 

 tated artificially. 



It is somewhat extraordinary and we are not 

 the first to notice the circumstance that the na- 

 tural history of the May-fly should be so little 

 understood by many of the best anglers on the 

 rivers on which it abounds. It is generally be- 

 lieved to spring from a cad-case similar to that of 

 the stone fly. The idea is altogether erroneous. 

 These identical species, indeed, are the leading 

 English members of two distinct classes of insects, 

 widely differing from each other, in their struc- 

 ture and habits, during every state of their exist- 

 ence. 



The stone fly belongs to the family Perlidce, 

 which is included in the same order as the ephe- 

 meridas. It is a very large brown insect, in 

 season during April and May, and its imitation is 

 only fished with in windy weather. To the same 

 family belong also the yellow sally, appearing in 

 May ; the willow fly a large insect, though 

 much smaller than the stone fly, and easily recog- 

 nised by its habit of fluttering about on the sur- 

 face of the water ; and the red fly, which appears 

 in February, or earlier in mild weather, and con- 

 tinues till April. 



