28 Tr outing-Flies. 



them is, that thereby our artificial fly is presented 

 to the fish in circumstances the most favourable 

 for luring it to destruction. When fishing up- 

 stream, our artificial fly, if deftly cast, will at the 

 moment of its fall appear to the trout as a living 

 insect alighting on the surface of the water ; and, if 

 allowed to float gently down with the current, will 

 not cease to prove an attraction to the fish, for it 

 will then have the semblance of an insect fairly in 

 the stream and unable to resist it. In both cases 

 the appearance and conditions are perfectly natural ; 

 and in the latter they are none the less natural, 

 though they may not be so alluring, if the fly do 

 not maintain a position exactly on the surface, 

 but slightly under it. It will of course be " wet," 

 as an insect helplessly borne along by the stream 

 would be ; but with proper tackle and skill it will 

 not sink much beneath the surface before the next 

 cast is made ; and though, to the fish, the fly is 

 deprived of some attractive features when slightly 

 under the surface, the angler reaps several advan- 

 tages from so presenting it. These considerations, 

 however, belong to another chapter. What we 

 argue here is, that even if there be something less 

 alluring to a fish in a fly under the surface, there 

 is nothing which it would regard as unwonted or 

 suspicious. For, are not the vast majority of river- 

 flies hatched in the bed of the stream, and must 



