JUNE FLIES 167 



though, as I have said, useful for evening fishing. I never 

 did a great deal of good with it, preferring to use the green 

 drake even in the evening. 



The Coch y bondu, Shorn Fly, Hazel Fly, Marlow Buzz, 

 Fernwebb, Bracken clock, etc. (see Plate VIII, Fig. 20, p. 134), 

 by all of which names this little beetle is known as a great 

 favourite with the trout. It comes in with the warm June 

 weather, though used as early as March, as regards its supposed 

 imitation. It is advantageously used in daping. It resembles 

 a very diminutive cockchafer, and may be seen in great 

 numbers, winging its heavy but rapid flight through the sun- 

 shine, or settled on the leaves and grass near the river side. 

 The ordinary way to dress it is to make a fat body of dark 

 copper-coloured peacock's herl, mixed equally with black 

 ostrich. It is customary to dress it buzz, as to the wings and 

 legs, with a dark red hackle, with a black streak up the centre. 

 Dressed in this way, it will kill on most rivers, more or less, 

 throughout the season, though it is needless to say that it is 

 not out save for a somewhat limited period in the month of 

 June. As I have stated elsewhere, it may kill thus in conse- 

 quence of its bearing a resemblance to other insects. 



The Fern Fly (see Plate VIII, Fig. 21, p. 134). This is 

 another winged beetle. There are two kinds, the one having 

 reddish-orange wing cases, and the other blue. They are 

 well known to children, from this circumstance, as " soldiers 

 and sailors." They may be found creeping up the stems of 

 the grass and other plants overhanging the water. A snake 

 dislodges them, and they fall helplessly into the water, where 

 they are devoured by the fish. Although dull in its move- 

 ments, and slow in taking to flight, yet when it has expanded 

 its wing cases, and unfolded its wings (a very circumspect and 

 deliberate operation with it), it flies strongly, and makes a much 

 braver and larger appearance than it does when it plumps up 

 against your coat or hat or a spray of grass, and folding up its 

 wings (always with a little bit of the under wing visible at the 

 tail end of the wing cases, under which it at length is gathered, 

 and gradually disappears) resumes its scarabean appearance 

 I have had fair sport with this fly. The red one is the one 

 chiefly imitated by anglers. Hook, No. 9 or 10 ; body, orange- 

 yellow or orange crewel ; legs, red hackle ; wings, hen phea- 

 sant's wing feather. Some prefer dark starling, and some 

 dress the hackle over the wing, and this serves both for legs and 

 the wing cases and is perhaps the best imitation. 



