Il8 PISCATORIAL ENTOMOLOGY. 



authorities on fly-fishing tends rather to confuse 

 and bewilder than to enlighten the youthful aspirant, 

 leading him frequently to ignore the whole as un- 

 necessary and superfluous. 



In giving the following hints on entomology as 

 applicable to fly-fishing, our aim is to briefly and 

 intelligibly sketch the general " standards," which are 

 sufficiently numerous, generally speaking, to attract 

 the attention of the fish when they put in an appear- 

 ance. The numerical strength of the flies out at one 

 time may be said invariably to determine the ardour 

 with which the fish feed. Thus, when the May-fly or 

 March Brown are but scantily " on," the Iron Blue 

 Dun or Black Gnat, if prevalent, will kill infinitely 

 better, simply because the whole attention of the fish 

 for the time being is centred upon them, owing to 

 their greater abundance. 



The flies that form food for fish may be divided 

 into two classes, viz., the Up-winged (Ephemeridce) and 

 flat-winged (P hryganidcs^ Miisceda^ etc.) Of the latter 

 there are many varieties, part being of the water, as are 

 the whole of the first order, the Ephemeridce family. 

 These water flies are of the greatest use to the angler, 

 as they rise to the surface only to fulfil their natural 

 functions, living but a few days, and ever delighting 

 to sport on or near their native element. Not so the 

 land flies. They do not habitually frequent the 

 water, being seldom seen upon it, excepting when 

 swept there by the force of the wind ; hence it follows 

 that they are rarely sufficiently numerous except upon 

 cold and windy days, or after a boisterous storm. 



