A LITTLE ENTOMOLOGY 63 



bait on the great majority of Scottish rivers. It 

 is interesting because it is a denizen of the water 

 and forms a valuable food which rapidly brings 

 trout to the summit of their excellence, making them 

 all the more desirable to take later in the year 

 by means of a small floating fly. 



The larva is known as the creeper, also a favourite 

 bait for trout and grayling, and a terrifying creature 

 to handle for the first time. It prefers steep 

 gravelly shallows and broken water generally, which 

 it leaves at the call of the air for the stony bank. 

 There it enters the winged state, but it hides and 

 scuttles among the stones, either unwilling or unable 

 to indulge in flight. The flies venture forth more 

 freely at night, when they may be collected easily 

 by means of a lantern. We have that only on the 

 evidence of other anglers, for we have never con- 

 sidered them worth the trouble. Of course, we have 

 proved the deadliness of the Stone-fly ; but even 

 in the height of its season we prefer to use, and find 

 it good to use, a small floating copy of dun, sedge, 

 or midge. 



The smaller members of the order are known to 

 anglers as Needles, and their development, we expect, 

 for we have not studied them as we hope yet to do, 

 is similar to that of the most important species. 

 All are recognisable at once by the long, flat , parallel 

 wings extending down the body. Yellow Sally and 

 Needle Brown are two of the commonest lesser 

 stone-flies, and in certain districts are abundant 

 enough to merit some attention from the angler. 



Diptera, i.e. two-winged flies, are an innumerable 

 class. Those which have an aquatic origin or live 

 in close proximity to the water, are full of interest, 



