THE WILLOW AND NEEDLE FLIES. 133 



its native element. Its general haunts are amongst 

 the gravel and pebbles by the sides of streams, hence 

 the name ; but when carried by a high breeze to mid 

 stream in any number, the artificial may be used with 

 signal success. The larvae of these large water 

 insects form food for fish some ten days or more 

 before they are mature enough to " rise," as the grub 

 then becomes very active, and attracts the attention 

 of the fish. The grub, when extracted from the case 

 or twig which it inhabits, is used in a similar manner 

 to the wasp bait and maggot for bottom fishing. 



The Willow fly appears in August. This is a well- 

 known insect, and on all our most frequented trout 

 and grayling streams is one of the first flies that the 

 latter fish feed ravenously upon, when coming into 

 condition after the spawning period. The colour of 

 its wings is a dark, ruddy, brown blue, with light- 

 coloured ribs, and legs a rusty black. Unlike most 

 naturals, these flies, instead of taking their names 

 from their own colour, are almost universally known 

 by the term Willow, which appellation may have 

 originated from the fact of their being generally most 

 abundant in the immediate vicinity of willow trees, 

 particularly while upon the wing, when they may be 

 observed in whirling masses just above the surface of 

 the water. 



The Needle fly, Needle-brown, or Tail-to-Tail, 

 as it is sometimes called, is a peculiar-looking 

 insect ; its wings are folded in a manner so neat and 

 compact, and fit so closely to the body, as to give the 

 observer the impression that it is devoid of them 



