112 ANGLING FOR GAME FISH. 



Moths are minous to feathers ; therefore, keep spare flies in a 

 tin box in which is a pill-box, with perforated lid, containing 

 some substance obnoxious to moths, such as naphthaline 

 crystals. To destroy moths' eggs, sprinkle the flies with ben- 

 zine collas or chloroform, by means of a scent-spray. I am 

 indebted to my friend Mr. H. Keily for this idea. 



Salmon-flies represent no flies known to naturalists, but 



are probably taken by the fish for but no, I will not go into 



that question further than I have on page 2. The present 

 fashion is to use gaudy flies. Our fathers used very sober- 

 coloured patterns, and seem to have killed as many salmon 

 as we do. Colour is rather important in a salmon-fly, size 

 very important. In spring and autumn the fresh-run salmon will 

 take larger flies than they will in the summer ; and in autumn, 

 the fish which have been some time in the river are only to be 

 tempted with small flies. In still water, use a much smaller fly 

 (sparsely dressed, and not over- winged) than in rapid streams. 

 Beginners nearly always use too large flies, and rarely provide 

 themselves with small ones. On the Shannon, Tweed, and 

 other large, swift-flowing rivers, gaudy flies, Sin. in length, are 

 often used in the spring. These large lures are little or no use 

 in small rivers; but if a river is deep, an attractive fly is 

 required, and of all colours, red and black are the two which 

 are most easily seen through any considerable depth of 

 coloured water. On sunny days, when the water is clear, use 

 light-coloured flies ; but on gloomy, dark days, a dark-bodied fly 

 is better — this, probably, because a light- coloured fly is less 

 easily seen against the sky than a dark one. Salmon rarely 

 see the fly from the same point of view that we do. 



The most favourite fly of all is the Jock Scott* {'Pig. 71), 



* Tag, silver thread and light yellow silk. Tail, a topping and Indian crow. 

 Butt, black ostrich harl. Body, in two equal parts— first, lijxht golden-yellow floss 

 silk, ribbed with silver thread ; above and below are placed three toucan feathers, 

 butted with black ostrich harl : second half of body, black floss silk, with black 

 hackle run down it, and ribbed with oval silver tinsel. Hackle at throat, gallina. 

 Wing— the under, two strips of black Turkey with white tips, two strips of bustard 

 and grey mallard with fibres of golden-pheasant tail, peacock sword-feather, red, 

 blue, and yellow dyed swan ; the upper, two strips of mallard, and a golden- 



Sheasant topping over all. Sides, jungle-fowl. Cheeks, blue chatterer. Horns, 

 lue macaw. Head, black wool. 



