230 THE BARM FLY AND FCETID BROWN. 



likewise. I give the dressing, and the angler can please 

 himself as to using it. Body, pale yellow crewel, ribbed 

 with light tawny brown silk ; legs, pale lemon-coloured 

 hackle ; wings, some light transparent feather, stained of 

 the palest watery yellow. A keeper once told me, as a 

 reason for the fish refusing this fly, that ' they was too 

 bitter altogether.' Hook, No. 10. 



The Barm Fly. This fly, which is of the trichopterous 

 order, and belonging to the Phryganidae, is an evening 

 fly. I find no mention of it in any liook but Jackson's, 

 and some of the earlier writers. The moderns have 

 missed it, or confused it with other flies. It is a capital 

 fly, and a very general favourite in the southern and 

 midland counties. I can speak to its slaughterous pro- 

 pensities, having killed well with it on the Wandle, the 

 Darenth, and the Colne where it has a local repute 

 under the name of 'the nobbier' and on the Itchin, 

 where it is wrongly called the dark sedge, and is dressed 

 with a dark wing for the evening. It seldom comes out 

 till dusk, and thus has no doubt escaped more particular 

 notice. 1 Body, fat and large, of fur of a light creamy- 

 brown hue ; hackle red ; wing, dark speckled cock phea- 

 sant ; hooks, Nos. 7 and 8. 



The Foetid Brown, or mushroom fly, is one of the same 

 order and genus as the last. It has its name from its 

 emitting a faint foetid odour when handled. It is not 

 very much appreciated by anglers generally. On warm 

 evenings, towards the end of May, and throughout June 

 and July, it may be seen in small whisks or swarms, 

 skipping up and down over the water now amongst the 



1 A curious fact with respect to this fly is, that it appears to take to and 

 quit certain localities for years. On the Colnc, when I first became ac- 

 quainted with it, it was plentiful and a first-rate killer fur three or four 

 years. It then disappeared for two years, and the trout altogether refused 

 the imitation. The next season, however, it reappeared, and now tikes 

 there as well as ever. (Note to 2nd edit 1868.) 



