THE "ANGLER'S PLAGUE." 241 



Coachman, and any of the large trout flies contained 

 in the fly-book, will be found most deadly. In 

 concluding, we may state that, provided with suitable 

 tackle, the fault lies with the rodster if no sport is 

 obtained. 



In the middle of the day, during the whole of this 

 month, small blacks are frequently numerous ; both 

 trout and grayling feed upon them when on in 

 sufficient strength. These tribes of blacks are almost 

 invisible in most lights, and especially so when on the 

 water. Whenever the fish are rising at these minute 

 specks of life, it is almost vain to present anything 

 else to their notice. The tantalizing effects of this 

 insect upon the temper of the fisherman has caused it 

 to be stigmatized as the " angler's plague ; " the pests 

 themselves being little larger than a grain of mustard 

 seed, closely resembling the appearance of a minute 

 ball of soot, the wings so filmy as to be almost 

 indistinguishable to the naked eye. This is the 

 black gnat of the naturalist; the gnat of the fisherman 

 is a much larger insect. The term gnat is usually 

 associated with the troublesome insect whose habitual 

 tendency would appear to be to plague and annoy 

 the human race. The fly-dresser's gnat is usually 

 of quite a different species, being of wondrously 

 increased dimensions, more often resembling the 

 common house-fly rather than the gnat. The fisher- 

 man's Black Gnat proper, is a fly a little less than the 

 Iron Blue, and should never be dressed larger. The 

 artificial "plague" is ingeniously contrived by a fine 

 point strand of black ostrich herl ; but the hook used 



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