122 ROD AND RIVER 



are styled ' green drakes.' After the casting pro- 

 cess has taken place the female becomes the * gray,' 

 and the male the ' black,' drake. In this stage 

 they may be said to have attained to the perfect 

 state the imago. In this state they breed, and, 

 having performed their duty, fall on the water and 

 die. 



As I have observed, the mayfly is rarely on 

 the water before June. Towards the end of May, 

 here and there one or two stragglers may be seen ; 

 but it is not till the first week in June, save under 

 very exceptional conditions of weather, .that the 

 angler's carnival for this it may be termed 

 really commences. 



At first the fisji do not appear to take to the 

 mayflies, though why this should be I have never 

 been able to understand. Certain it is, however, 

 that at this time there is better sport frequently to 

 be obtained with the alder, or some such fly, than 

 with the mayfly. In the course of a day or two, 

 when the ' rise ' is on, the fish race eagerly at the 

 fly, and go nearly mad, and, as may be supposed, 

 there is sport to be had. 



There are generally two or three ' rises ' during 

 the day. (By the term ' rise ' is meant the 

 hatching out of a batch of flies.) The first of 

 these usually takes place about ten o'clock, the 

 second about two or three, and the third a few 

 hours later. These times are apt to vary, the 



