FLIES FOR MARCH. 69 



No. 7. PEACOCK FLY. 



This small beetle is extremely abundant on 

 warm sunny days. Its usual habit on alighting 

 is to gather up the wings under its short wing 

 scales, (a habit like that of the earwig, which flies 

 about in Autumn) ; but when it falls upon water, 

 it cannot always succeed in doing so ; then there- 

 fore the wings lie nearly flat upon its back. How- 

 ever fine the day may be, and however clear the 

 water, some sport may still be expected with this 

 fly, until the end of May, but it is most success- 

 fully used on a sultry gloomy day. 



IMITATION. 



BODY. Brown peacock's herl, dressed with 

 mulberry-coloured silk. 



WINGS. The darkest part of a wing feather of 

 the starling. 



LEGS. A hackle stained dark purple; ap- 

 pearing black when looked down 

 upon ; but when held up to the 

 light, having a most beautiful dark 

 tortoiseshell hue. (See Dyes, Chap. 

 If. p. 34, article 5). 



