68 SALMON FISHING 



Some of the flies are of Scotch patterns; some of 

 Irish ; some of English. The flies are types of tex- 

 ture and of shape. They are not standards of size. 

 Size ranges between that of the large and that of 

 the small fly shown on the last in the series of 

 pictures. Why salmon flies differ so much in size 

 I will explain immediately. Meanwhile it is to be 

 noted that only seventy-six flies are depicted on the 

 plates. Where are the other hundreds ? They are 

 scattered all over the British Isles. It may be 

 thought that our pictures of salmon flies are too 

 few. Instances of successful fishing with many a 

 fly that our plates exclude will be recalled. In 

 making our selection Mr. Malloch and I have not 

 been unmindful of that consideration. Quite well 

 we know that many a fisherman will find that his 

 favourite fly has been rejected. The fact is that a 

 fly with which a salmon might possibly be caught 

 could be made of any conceivable mixture of fur and 

 feathers. In essaying a presentment of trout flies 

 it is possible to be explicit and exhaustive. The 

 flies are imitations, approximately exact in colour, 

 size, and shape, of insects on which the trout are 

 known to feed. Such are the flies the images of 

 which appear in Trout Fishing. Exactitude of 

 similar kind is not possible in a work on Salmon 

 Fishing. Whilst the science of trout flies is natural, 

 that of salmon flies is empiric. Nature, outside the 

 mind of the trout, tells us exactly what trout flies 

 should be like, and exactly how many they should 

 be; but Nature, outside the mind of the salmon, 



