THE GEAVEL BED AND THE SAND FLY. 215 



The Gravel Bed or Spider Fly (see Plate VII. fig. 17, 

 p. 185). This is rather a local fly, and is not found upon 

 ^very river, but when it is found it is a great favourite 

 with the fish ; but it is capricious even in these places on 

 clark cold days, scarcely showing at all. But let an hour of 

 Avarru sunshine break forth, and they come creeping from 

 their holes, to the great delight of the hungry trout. They 

 abound on the Usk in South Wales, and on many of the 

 Derbyshire streams they are found, but less plentifully. 

 On sedgy rivers, flowing over a loamy or muddy bed, they 

 -are not found. Hook No. 10 ; body fine, of dark slate or 

 lead-coloured floss silk ; legs very long, almost as long as 

 the hook, a black cock's hackle, but not too much of it 

 two turns are fully sufficient ; wings, two fine slips from 

 the woodcock's wing, dressed close and flat. 



All of the last three flies belong to the order of Diptera, 

 the last two to the family of Tipulidae or crane flies, of 

 which the Daddy or Harry Longlegs is a prominent mem- 

 ber. This family have but two wings, which are either 

 expanded, as in the longlegs, or incumbent, that is, resting 

 partly on the body, as in the two specimens depicted, and 

 they are devoid of the two small supplementary wings 

 called poisers, which may be seen in all the Ephemerae. 



The Sand Fly (see Plate VII. fig. 14, p. 185). This is 

 a fly which has found many patrons. It is one of the 

 numerous class of Phryganidae, the natural history and 

 characteristics of which I have already sufficiently de- 

 scribed. The sand fly is a pretty taking-looking fly ; it 

 is a general favourite, being a native of most streams. 

 Some anglers never try it, and, though I often use it, 

 I never find it very deadly. There are flies of the same 

 class which I like better ; and so many other flies are on 

 at this time of the year, that one need not use it, unless 

 a special fancy for it be indulged in. Dress it on a No. 10 

 hook of reddish fur from a hare's poll, mixed well with 



