MARCH FLIES 147 



the spring, to find the cow-dung fly, and a large number may 

 always be observed, thanks to the wind's agency, upon the 

 water, where, maugre their savoury origin, they afford much 

 delectation to the hungry trout. Hook, No. 8 or 9 ; body, 

 full and fat, of tawny orange crewel, with a few sprigs of 

 squirrel's fur worked into the body, as it is a hairy fly ; legs, 

 yellowish-red hackle, say, from Cochin China cock some use 

 a darker red ; wings, dressed close and flat, of the landrail, 

 one of the lighter shade being chosen. The angler need not 

 cast this fly like a zephyr. Naturally, when blown into the 

 water, it flops in like a beetle, but it immediately recovers 

 its presence of mind, and sits on the water, though some- 

 what stupidly in appearance, quite as if it was used to it ; 

 its hairiness prevents it from being drowned easily. It is not 

 indispensable, but sometimes it is a useful fly. 



The Needle Brown. This little fly, which, as I have already 

 said, belongs to the Perlidse, is only partially treated of by 

 angling writers. It is the smallest of the willow flies. Wade 

 mentions it in Halcyon as the Spanish needle, but without 

 comment. Theakstone, in his capital little work on the 

 streams about Ripon, gives a full account of it. Jackson 

 mentions it as the little brown ; but Ronalds, " Ephemera," 

 and Elaine say nought about it, which, considering how 

 widely the fly is dispersed, is somewhat strange ; possibly 

 the difficulty of imitating it successfully has something to do 

 with it : as an old friend of mine used to say of it, who was a 

 great frequenter of Tweed, where it abounds, " A nasty little 

 nuisance ! you can neither do with it nor without it." It 

 is a great favourite, however, with the trout ; and as it makes 

 its appearance early, and is to be found more or less through- 

 out the season, it cannot be other than a useful fly. On fine 

 sunny days the angler may often notice it on the stones, 

 piles, posts, etc., by the river side a little insect of some 

 half an inch or more in length, resembling in appearance a 

 thin fragment of stick or straw, of a steely brown colour 

 (hence the name it is sometimes known by the Spanish 

 needle) ; sometimes it is perfectly still and quiet, but when 

 disturbed it shows great activity, running over the stones and 

 hiding itself in cracks. On fine warm days, and later in the 

 season, it is often very abundant. On catching and examining 

 the insect, the angler will observe that the wings, which are 

 closely folded over the body, overlap at the tail, are of a fine 

 shining brown, similar in colour and texture to the wings of 



