180 Smaller Fly Takers. CHAP, xn, 



but not in the same water. Where the river runs lazily among the 

 weeds you will find the Black-Spot; where it runs rapidly among" 

 rocks, the Baril. 



They are small, not running larger than a hungry beck trout of 3-* 

 ounces and under. They are, however, plentiful, and free fly takers y 

 and to be fished for just as for a trout. They will rise to any small 

 trout fly, and I have had on simultaneously one red, one dun, and one 

 black, and they have taken kindly to them all, and sometimes two and 

 three have been pulled out at once, just as little beck trout are at 

 home. But the trout flies should be of the smallest, for though the fish 

 will rise, they will not be readily hooked, unless the fly is on a hook as. 

 small as No. ooo Sneck or Kirby bend. 



For choice, black seems to be the favourite colour for these little 

 fellows, as well as for Mahseer, perhaps because it is most quickly seen, 

 against the light ; and a friend, who is a good fisherman, so far believes 

 in it, that he mounts his collar with all three black, such as the black 

 gnat, small black palmer, and like flies black or nearly black. 



Why it should be so fancied I do not know, for I do not remember 

 to have ever seen black natural flies on the water in India, except it be 

 little bits of black flies very little bigger than a well fed mosquito. 

 These I have seen in countless numbers, but they are too small to- 

 imitate, and are only fitting food for fry, and minnows, and chilwas. 



I have noticed and painted red flies and yellow flies which were 

 evidently water-born flies, but they were not in any numbers, and the 

 fish were not sporting at them, so why should I trouble my reader with 

 them? They must remain among the useless notes taken in my 

 endeavour to work out the rationale of fly-fishing in India in preference 

 to the rule of thumb. The subject is too big a one to be mastered 

 without very much more leisure at the water's side in all months of the 

 year than I am ever likely to have at command. Will any one else 

 work up the ephemera of India in connection with fly-fishing ? 



I have also observed the overhanging bamboos covered with light 

 dun flies that were clearly land flies, and remained on the bamboo till 

 disturbed, not seeming ever to fall into the water for the fish. Such 

 flies, of course, are useless. 



There is no doubt that fly-fishing, if worth anything as a science 

 and a sport, should be reduced to its entomological basis, and each 

 artificial fly should be a close imitation of some known natural fly in 



