AMERICAN TROUT-STREAM INSECTS 



that if the artificial I have tied is used it will prove 

 a second-best to the brown drake. To be most ef- 

 fective it should be made to float ; indeed, all insects 

 that float naturally a good deal on the water should 

 be so imitated and fished by the dry fly method. 

 Those insects which do not and cannot float but 

 are blown about the water and drowned, should 

 have the artificial flies made to fish by the wet fly 

 method. 



No. 7. Purple drake. A small insect, which is 

 very common all through May, and also in June. 

 It rises in large numbers early in the month and 

 may be seen on the coldest days. It is quite small 

 and appears in flight much darker than on close ob- 

 servation. It is best used in early mornings be- 

 fore larger and more important flies are on the 

 wing. 



No. 8. Black ant. I fail to see why trout 

 should condescend to take this insect, with its puny 

 body encased in a hard black shell, when fat, juicy 

 insects are almost always at hand. Yet, time and 

 again, I have proved the artificial black ant to be ex- 

 cellent in coaxing fish to rise at all times of day. My 

 own imitation was used in June and July with good 

 results. In the middle and latter part of May the 

 black ants swarm in large numbers, flying along 

 the river in vast clouds. There are two sizes, both 

 alike in shape and color. I have not yet seen what 

 is known as the red ant ; but in the plate for August 



