72 MODERN PRACTICAL ANGLER. 



minutely between the various unnatural imitations oi 

 natural flies, whether in form or tint ; (5) and render it 

 doubly important that the imitation insect should be as 

 characteristic and '' fly-like" as possible in shape, lest the 

 fish should fail to perceive the resemblance altogether. 



6. General shape, general colour, and size, are all that 

 can be distinguished by the fish. These are the points, 

 therefore, to be kept in view in the construction of arti- 

 ficial Trout-flies. 



The next step is to reduce these propositions to prac- 

 tice ; and the argument seems naturally to take some- 

 what the following form : — If when presented to them in 

 the only manner in which we can present them, nice 

 varieties of imitations, and shades of shape and colour 

 cannot be distinguished by Trout, the great mass of 

 flies now used are obviously unnecessary, and where 

 either the colour or outline is confused, are mischievous. 

 It would be better on every ground to select two or 

 three of the most favourite and distinctive families of 

 flies, and imitate them only ; not in their varieties, or 

 even species, but, as it were, in their types, — and using 

 those colours only which represent the prevailing tints 

 in the selected families. What, then, are the most 

 favourite families of flies — most favourite, that is, in the 

 eyes of the Trout } Without question the Ephemerida: 

 and Phryganidce,—dind for a very good reason, as with 

 hardly an exception they are all bred in the beds, banks, 



