Chapter I. 



FLIES. 



VY7HILE it is the endeavour of this work to bring 

 the range of trout flies within reasonable and 

 practical limits and to describe no other than sound 

 practical dressings, there is no desire to limit experi- 

 ment either in patterns or numbers. In fact to do 

 so would take away one of the pleasantest features 

 of the pastime and rob many a winter's evening of 

 its delight. All those who take an interest in fly 

 dressing should work from Nature wherever possible, 

 for flies frequently differ in no small degree in different 

 localities ; and there is a great deal of enjoyment to 

 be obtained in dressing a fly with the natural insect 

 before one, and afterwards killing trout on the resulting 

 work of one's hands. 



It is not intended to devote any space to the processes 

 of fly-tying, as much has been written on the subject. 

 The reader in search of information cannot do better 

 than read the late H. G. McClelland's book. The Trout 

 Fly Dresser's Cabinet of Devices, or How to tie Flies 



