THE BRITISH ANGLER'S LEXICON. 55 



111 catching flies, but not of much account as sport for the 

 angler. It is usually taken by whipping with a gentle or an 

 artificial black gnat on the surface of the water, or it may 

 be angled for with light floating tackle baited with the tail 

 of a worm, or a small red worm. The bleak makes a good 

 bait for trout or pike, but is more tender than either dace or 

 minnow. It spawns in May. 



Blow Lines are generally made of fine twisted silk, 

 exceedingly light, and employed in fishing with the May fly 

 or green drake, the wind carrying the fly and line far out 

 on the water. (See article on " Lines.") 



Blue Bottle Fly. The natural one is found in the hot 

 summer months about cellars or places where meat is kept. 

 It makes a capital fly for dapping with for trout. Insert a 

 No. o or i round bend hook in the thorax of the fly, bringing 

 the barbed point out between the wings at the shoulder. This 

 does not immediately kill the fly, which flutters on the surface 

 of the water, and is sure to be taken by the fish, provided 

 the angler conceals himself from view and makes no rash 

 movement with the rod and line. In the autumn evenings, 

 under bushes hanging over the river's bank, letting the fly 

 down on the water close to the edge is a likely method of 

 hooking a good trout, if there happens to be one rising in 

 such a spot. The imitation blue bottle fly is called the 

 " blue blow," and is made by some from dark dusky blue 

 silk bodies, with dark starling's wings and black hackle ; 

 by others body of mole's fur, wings of torn-tit, and black 

 hackle. This fly is used in late summer or autumn months 

 on windy days. Tied on No. 2 hook. 



Books on Angling? are very numerous. All of them 

 are readable, from that of Dame Juliana Berners down to 

 the present. Among the old books, first ranks Walton and 



