Concerning Flies 187 



" all these varieties are the progeny of the 

 Bed Spinner.'' 



Then I turn up a modern book of 

 scientific interest and value, namely, " Dry- 

 Fly Entomology/' by a gentleman whose 

 knowledge and information so well com- 

 bines all that is scientific and practical 

 in fly-fishing the talented author of 

 " The Book of the Dry Fly," Mr. F. M. 

 Halford. Turning to page 158, I read as 

 follows : 



" The patterns (numbers 25 to 29 inclu- 

 sive), are imitations of the ' Blue Dun.' 

 From time immemorial the existence of 

 such a natural insect has been affirmed, 

 and in the face of so much accumulated 

 evidence, it must be included in the 

 category of ' Imitations of Natural Insects.' 

 It has never been my good fortune to find 

 or procure a specimen, nor can I find 

 among the list of British Ephemeridae any 

 corresponding to it in colour, etc. Two or 

 three of my friends have sent me what they 

 took to be individuals of the species, but 

 they have, on examination, all proved to 

 be sub-imagines of the ' Blue Dun ' or of 

 the ' Blue-winged Olive." I have quoted 

 Mr. Halford's words verbatim. They are, I 

 confess, a surprise to me. 



