CHAPTER VIII. 







MAY-FLY FISHING. 



fHERE are two flies to which the term 

 May-fly is applied. The first, which 

 is known by anglers generally as the 

 May- fly, is the green drake, a large yellow- 

 ish fly, which makes its appearance on some 

 streams in great numbers, from the middle 

 to the end of June. Trout are very fond of 

 them, seizing greedily every unlucky indivi- 

 dual that ventures on the water ; and a couple of 

 them put on a small hook, and allowed to play on 

 the surface, will be found very effective, particularly 

 in woody places. It is subject, however, to the 

 great objection of being almost as difficult to catch 

 as the trout themselves ; so that as far as angling, 

 at least in Scotland, is concerned, it hardly deserves 

 attention. 



The second fly, which is known on Tweedside 

 and in the Border districts as the May-fly, is the 

 phryganea or stone-fly of naturalists ; and when 

 we speak of May-fly in the subsequent parts of this 



