II 



SYSTEM AND CLASSIFICATION 



After a careful study of the various British 

 books on trout insects and their artificial imitations 

 issued to date, I deem it wise to brush aside the sci- 

 ence of entomology, which is of no actual service to 

 our purpose, and to lay before the angler a plain, 

 simple plan whereby he can obtain just enough in- 

 formation to understand easily the general charac- 

 teristics of the insects he is likely to observe trout 

 feeding upon while wading a trout stream, to the 

 end that he may have with him a fair imitation that 

 will be most successful in luring trout. 



For what little classification is necessary I have, 

 in a measure, followed after the plan of Michael 

 Theakston, who was the first British angler to make 

 an effort in that direction. He also made a se- 

 lected list of the best British flies for each month, 

 and tied his flies true to nature. The wings of his 

 drakes are cocked; those of his browns and duns 



