74 THE SCIENCE OF DRY FLY FISHING. 



ascending nymphae, or perchance feeding eagerly on some 

 smut-like flying insect. After this is over they settle down 

 with serious supper intentions, and continue feeding at 

 intervals, sometimes well on into the small hours of the 

 morning. As darkness deepens, and before the full moon 

 has risen to keep her vigil and illumine with her silvery 

 enchantment the first sweet slumber of Nature, the fisher- 

 man, who has perhaps had a bad day, may be tempted 

 to fish on, regardless of dinner consideration or of losing 

 his last train. By facing west he can still detect the rise ot 

 feeding fish, and even if fish are rising close to the opposite 

 bank and out of sight amid its shadows, the sound of the 

 rise will very frequently guide him in making an accurate 

 cast, and of eventually landing big fish. The rise of the fish 

 at his fly will in most cases be seen, felt, or heard. Seen, 

 because a comparatively big ring will be caused by a rise, and 

 on the sides of the attendant ripple the glint and reflected light 

 from a western sky will be detected even amid the blackness 

 of the shadows under the opposite bank. (See Plate XVII.) 



Heard, because the evening rise of a fish at a floating fly, 

 owing to his more limited vision at night time, is always more 

 sudden and less dignified, and therefore, in most cases, more 

 clearly audible amid the general hush of Nature. 



Felt, because the fisherman's line at night should be as 

 short and straight as possible, only sufficient, in fact, to reach 

 the fish, and if the fly falls near the fish it is taken at once, 

 and the tug thus given by the fish is felt. 



