102 



be the best guide in this respect ; and a very 

 trifling degree of attention will soon enable 

 him to distingui h each particular fly at a 

 considerable distance, from the peculiarity 

 of its flight, or other marked characteristic. 



Although the imitation of nature is the 

 principal object to be desired by the Fly- 

 maker, yet in some instances it will be advisa- 

 ble to enlarge or diminish the proportions 

 of the artificial fly as the state of the water 

 may require: for instance, if the river be 

 very high, the fly may be dressed larger than 

 nature ; if very low, the size may be reduced, 

 and the body made thinner than the na- 

 tural fly appears ; and in many cases the fly 

 dressed as a hackle only, without wings, will 

 succeed better than if made full by the addi- 

 tion of the feathers used for that purpose. 



The colours of the flies will also in some 

 instances, as in the stone-fly, duns, 8cc, under- 



