SPIDER FLIES. 85 



are much too bushy; so much so, that there are 

 few flies to be got in the tackle-shops which we 

 could use with any degree of confidence in clear 

 water. Every possible advantage is in favour of 

 a lightly-dressed fly ; it is more like a natural in- 

 sect ; it falls lighter on the water, and every angler 

 knows the importance of making his fly fall gently, 

 and there being less material about it, the artificial 

 nature of that material is not so easily detected ; 

 and also, as the hook is not so much covered with 

 feathers, there is a much better chance of hooking 

 a trout when it rises. We wish to impress very 

 strongly upon the reader the necessity of avoiding 

 bulky flies. 



The artificial flies in common use may be divided 

 into two classes. There is first the winged fly, 

 which alone, properly speaking, merits the appella- 

 tion ; and there is the palmer hackle or spider, by 

 which last name we mean to call it, believing that 

 if it resembles anything in the insect tribe, it is a 

 spider. As a means of capturing trout, we rank 

 them higher than the winged imitations. When 

 trout are taking, winged flies will answer very 

 well ; and sometimes, but very rarely, we have 

 found them more killing than spiders. But in the 

 summer months, when trout are well fed and 

 become lazy, or where they are much fished for, 

 and become shy, we have found spiders much 

 more deadly than the most tempting winged fly 

 that can be made. Nor is it necessary to go very 



