246 NOTES ON THE MONTHS FOR FLY-FISHING. 



reach of the feeding fish, which, it is well known, show 

 a marked partiality for deformed or distressed prey, 

 inasmuch that they will seize the sickly little fish, or 

 a copy of one, from amongst a shoal of perfect fish, 

 almost any one of which was in their power. 



The Red and Black Ants, Grey Gnat, and Wren- 

 Tail, are to be seen upon the water on bright days, 

 the small flies being then abundant. These are essen- 

 tially mid-day flies, the larger species being numerous 

 towards evening. When the fish are feeding upon 

 small " naturals," the contents of the stomach of the 

 fish taken should be examined, so as to ascertain 

 correctly the taking fly. Sometimes this is discerned 

 by an inspection of the tongue only, especially when 

 the fish are feeding well. 



About the loth of this month, the August shade 

 of the Large Browns (August Dun) comes upon the 

 water ; north of the Midlands it is much later. This 

 fly, in common with the duns, seeks the shelter of 

 the neighbouring foliage immediately upon rising 

 from the bed of the river, venturing forth about sun- 

 set. This, and the light Turkey Brown shade, are to 

 be used with signal success until the fisherman can 

 no longer see to manage his line. The March Brown, 

 dressed a size or so larger than those usually used 

 this side the border, is the best trouting fly through- 

 out Scotland, being a standard killer upon all its 

 waters, excepting the Tay and Tweed, for which 

 rivers the ordinary southern flies are adapted. In 

 1864, Lord Erskine took the heaviest take of trout of 

 the season upon the Tweed, with the small black Gnat. 



