THE LITTLE IRON-BLUE DUN. 209 



at very mucli resembles the fly I have mentioned above, 

 and not because it is the same fly, for I doubt if it belongs 

 to the same family. In some places it is called the large 

 blue. It would more appropriately be termed the large 

 yellow. It should be dressed of one or perhaps two sizes 

 larger than the yellow dun, and with a more prevalent 

 olive tinge ; in other respects, the dressing given above 

 may be tolerably closely observed. Mr. Ronalds, in 

 speaking of this fly, does not appear to estimate it very 

 highly ; but is a capital fly nevertheless, and may be used 

 throughout the season with great advantage at times, as I 

 have seen it favourably noticed upon the water even in 

 the month of September. 



The next best fly to my mind and it is a great 

 favourite of mine when it comes on is the 



Little Iron-blue Dun (see Plate VII. fig. 7, p. 185). 

 The iron-blue dun of Ronalds; the iron-blue drake of 

 Theakstone ; little iron-blue, &c., &c., of Wade (who lias 

 more than a dozen different dressings and names for this 

 fly) ; little dark bloa of Jackson, little dark dun, c., &c. 

 4 Ephemera ' does not mention this fly at all, unless a 

 whirling dun, given in April, is meant for it. Jackson does 

 not give this fly till June, though all other authors intro- 

 duce it in April. Nevertheless, he does give its trans- 

 formation or imago in May. It comes on whenever there 

 is a glint of sunshine on the cold and windy days towards 

 the end of April, and the trout appear very adverse to let 

 any of them escape. The angler may be wondering at 

 the dullness of the fish. All perhaps has been quiet ; he 

 has hardly taken a fish or seen a rise for half an hour. 

 Suddenly he hears a 4 plop,' then another. He looks about 

 and discovers an iron-blue or two on the stream. They 

 are the advanced guard. Anon the main army comes on, 

 and down the water they sail in scores, sitting lightly and 

 saucily on the surface, the neatest, cleanest, and most 



p 



