14 FLIES. 



do with success than any other quality ; and 

 in looking at the gorgeous and costly flies got 

 up in London shops, it must not be forgotten that 

 if the fly swim truly and well and unless it does so 

 the fish will not rise at it only the breast or lower 

 portion is presented to the fish's ken. I have seen 

 in books of Natural History, the authors of which 

 think it necessary to assign a patent cause for every 

 natural effect, that the gorgeous plumage of the 

 kingfisher is given to him for the purpose of at- 

 tracting the fish towards him. Yet this gorgeous 

 plumage is all on the bird's back, and that pre- 

 sented to his innocent victims is of the most unpre- 

 tending and unobtrusive character. Seen through 

 the watery medium, all colours are blended into 

 one, more or less partaking of the predominant one, 

 red, yellow, or blue. Such will be the colours, when 

 exposed to the air, of numerous marine insects and 

 molluscs on which the salmon feeds in the tide- 

 ways, and for which, if played in the jerking 

 mode peculiar to marine insects, he probably 

 mistakes the fly. It is a beautiful and most useful 

 art, that of tying flies, and one in which, at an early 

 period of my life, I acquired some slight skill ; but 

 the limits of my leisure did not admit of my attain- 

 ing to any proficiency in it : and again, at the risk 

 of being considered a lukewarm follower of the 



