FLY FISHING FOR TROUT AND GRAYLING. 291 



mornings, and will take occasionally on cold days up to Mid- 

 summer. 



The 'Jenny Spinner,' a still smaller and more delicate insect, 

 appears at odd times on warm evenings, and will then kill in 

 the lowest and clearest waters. 



The Fern Fly I have found very taking, even at noon on 

 sultry days in July and August ; but rather in still pools than 

 in streams, and only in the neighbourhood of bracken. 



The Red Ant Fly comes in very late generally in Sep- 

 tember, when emmet flights are commonest and is therefore 

 rather a grayling than a trout fly. This fly, as also the Fern 

 Fly, is figured in the list of grayling flies. In spite of its peculiar 

 form, I have found the ' Dark Coachman,' tied small, an effec- 

 tive substitute for it. But of all flies which are not 'per- 

 manent,' like Miss Nipper, but ' temporary,' commend me to 

 the Red Spinner. In warm evenings, far into the dusk, I have 

 found it the deadliest of lures from June to September. Its 

 whirling flight and its colour make it conspicuous ; but it 

 figures in my evening cast whether I have seen it on the wing 

 or not. Oddly enough, I killed my best fish with it in Tas- 

 mania. The fault of the ordinary imitations is that the bodies 

 are of too crimson a tint. If you qualify the pure red, let it be 

 with a little golden brown. 



I might add to this list, but, after all, the real question for 

 the practical angler is not so much how many flies he can 

 utilise as how many he can safely dispense with. I have now 

 only to notice a few important flies which have a purely local 

 value, killing in one district, but being of little use beyond it. 

 Lists of this kind are dry reading at the best, so to avoid 

 tediousness I will name only three. The Blue Upright men- 

 tioned already is absolutely indispensable in Devonshire. It 

 varies much in the tying as to size, build, and shade of colour ; 

 its one constant characteristic being the hard smooth body. 

 For general use I prefer it without wings, tied with a black 

 hackle, not too stiff, and a slate-coloured body. 



The Silver Horns I have found very deadly in Salop and 



