82 FLIES, FLY-DRESSING, ETC. 



and dun-coloured fly, used together, and varied 

 in size according to circumstances, will at any 

 time kill as well, and even better, than the most 

 elaborate collection arranged for every month in 

 the year. If trout are at all inclined to rise, one 

 or other of the above will be found inviting. It 

 is quite clear that whatever the angler's opinion 

 with regard to flies may be whether he believes 

 that he must have an imitation of some insect on 

 the water at the time, that he must have a fly of 

 the same colour as the majority of those on the 

 water, or with ourselves holds neither of these 

 opinions ; if he has four flies such as those men- 

 tioned above, he cannot be very far off the mark, 

 as these comprise all the leading colours of which 

 insects generally are. 



The opinion that it is necessary to imitate the 

 particular fly on the water at the time has recently 

 received the weight of Mr. Francis Francis' support, 

 who in advocating what may be called the English 

 theory gives a sort of side-wipe to Scotch anglers 

 the drift of his remarks being, that though a 

 small assortment of flies may do well enough in 

 Scotch streams where little fishing goes on and 

 anglers count their takes by the dozen, it will not 

 answer in the much-fished streams on the other 

 side of the border, where anglers count their takes 

 by the brace. If Mr. Francis' views as to an 

 exact imitation being necessary in English streams 

 be correct, which we very much doubt, he will 



