146 Dry -Fly Fishing. 



whenever the latter touched the surface to deposit 

 their eggs. Crowds of pale midges in round groups 

 were circling over the water, but, as I have frequently 

 noticed this season, not nearly so many spinners in 

 the air as usual, possibly because vast numbers of 

 the duns have been eaten by birds, &c., and there- 

 fore the imago or spinner stage was never reached. 

 If so, that is a bad look-out for future seasons of 

 dry-fly sport. I had no occasion to move far afield, 

 for my artificial fly was risen to pretty often, con- 

 sidering " long odds " of the natural insects were 

 against it. Two fish were only slightly hooked, 

 gave a splash, and were free ; one escaped as the 

 landing net was ready for him, and yet four hand- 

 some trout were creeled, making up the day's total 

 to four brace. At eight o'clock the moon was 

 shining brightly as I strode back through the park 

 on my way to the Great Western train, and a white 

 mist was rising all around. 



