THE RESO URGES OF FL Y-FISHING. 267 



fin, ten spines, nine soft rays ; anal, three spines, eight 

 rays. With a six-ounce fly-rod, and any of the flies 

 named for black bass, the fly-fisher will find this fish 

 worthy of his steel, as it grows to two pounds in 

 weight. 



The BLUE SUNFISH (Lepomis pallidus) is a very 

 common and widely-diffused species. In the South, it 

 is known as the " Blue Bream," and " Copper-nosed 

 Bream." Its mouth is quite small. In color it is oliva- 

 ceous or bluish-green, with a distinct dusky spot on the 

 last rays of dorsal and anal fins. The dorsal has ten 

 spines, eleven rays ; anal, three spines and ten soft rays. 

 It is closely allied to the following species. 



The LONG-EARED SUNFISH (Lepomis megalotis), or 

 "Red-bellied Bream," or "Red-bellied Perch," of the 

 Southwest, is one of the handsomest sunfishes. Its 

 color is bluish on the back, with the belly red or orange ; 

 cheeks with blue and red stripes ; colors very brilliant ; 

 iris bright red ; ear-flap very large, black, with pale 

 border. Dorsal fin with ten spines, ten soft rays ; anal, 

 three spines, ten rays. Both this and the last-named 

 species are quite wary, very gamy, and are greatly es- 

 teemed by Southern anglers, and not without reason. 

 When they reach a pound or two in weight they furnish 

 excellent sport on a five-ounce rod. Any of the trout- 

 flies of gay patterns, as Red Ibis, White and Ibis, 

 Professor, Grizzly King, etc., on Sproat hooks, Nos. 8 to 

 10, will answer, if the day be not too bright, in which 

 event less showy flies should be used. As a rule, any of 



