318 FOREST LIFE IN ACADIE. ' 



gently flipping out a very fine line with minute hooks,; 

 to which the living May-fly is attached by means of a"^ 

 little adhesive fir balsam, as far as they can on the 

 surface of the water, where they float till some passing 

 fish rises and sucks in the bait. However the best sport 

 is to be obtained on the lakes a few days after the 

 " May-fly glut," as it is termed, is over. 



The May and stone flies of America, which make their 

 appearance about the same time, much resemble the 

 ephemeral representatives of their order found in the old 

 country. The May-fly of the New World is, however, 

 difierent to the green drake, being of a glossy black 

 colour. 



With the exception of these two insects, we have no 

 .representatives of natural flies in our American fly-books. 

 The scale is large and the style gaudy ; and, if the bunch 

 of bright feathers, which sometimes falls over the head 

 of Salmo fontinalis, were so presented to the view of a 

 shy English trout, I question whether he would ever rise 

 to the surface again. Artificial flies are sold in most pro- 

 vincial towns in the Lower Provinces, and are much sought 

 for by the rising generation, who, however, often scorn 

 the store-rod, contenting themselves with a good pliable 

 wattle cut in situ. It is surprising to see the bunches of 

 trout the settlers' "sonnies" will bring home from some 

 little lake, perhaps only known to themselves, which 

 they may have discovered back in the woods when 

 hunting up the cows ; and the satisfaction with which 

 the little ragged urchin will show you barefoot the way 

 to your fishing grounds, skipping over the sharp granite 

 rocks strewed in the path, and brushing through fir 

 thickets with the greatest resolution, all to become pos- 



