62 THE DRY FLY AND FAST WATER 



during her subsequent dips, attempts, frequently 

 successful, are made by the fish to capture her. 

 As these efforts require some activity, they are 

 resorted to usually by the more agile dandi- 

 prats. The larger fish are quite as interested 

 in the dainty morsel as are their younger 

 brothers, but they do not make the same 

 frantic efforts to secure it, preferring to attend 

 the fly closely in its movements until the oppor- 

 tunity presents itself to take it with little or 

 no exertion. This is usually at the time ovi- 

 positing is about completed or the fly is resting 

 upon the surface of the water preparatory to 

 another flight. The females of some species are 

 less active in the performance of this duty than 

 those of others. They select the more placid 

 stretches of the stream, ride quietly upon its 

 surface, and the eggs exude from the oviduct 

 as they sail along. Occasionally, after travel- 

 ling in this manner for a time, they rise from 

 the water, fly a short distance, and settle again. 

 They are incapable of guiding themselves and 

 are naturally carried along by the current and 

 over the fish. 



It has been my observation that during the 

 period of ovipositing a great majority of the in- 

 sects are headed directly up-stream, instinctively 



