THE FEKX FLY AND YELLOW SALLY. 229 



out save for a somewhat limited period in the month of 

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

 consequence of its bearing a resemblance to other insects. 



The Fem Fly (see Plate VII. fig. 21, p. 185). 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 6 soldiers and sailors.' They may be found creeping up 

 the stem of the grass and other plants overhanging the 

 water. A shake dislodges them, and they fall helplessly 

 into the water, where they are devoured by the fish. 

 Although dull in its movements, and slow in taking to 

 flight, yet when it has expanded its wing-cases, and un- 

 folded its wings (a very circumspect and deliberate opera- 

 tion 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 pheasant'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. 



The Yellow Sally should be mentioned here, as it has 

 a place in all angling works, and a high character with 

 some anglers. I have no faith in it, however, and never 

 took fish with it but once ; and although I have often seen 

 swarms of it rising, I have very seldom seen the trout 

 much enamoured of it. A straggler will be taken now 

 and then ; and once, as I have said, I found the trout 

 taking it well, and others tell me that they have done so 



