120 ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 



ledge of the flies, and nature and system of the art, than 

 many years of angling, and is often the shortest way to the 

 favorite. The wheelings of the black and blue gnats, in 

 sunny calms and clear waters the trotting of the stone fly, 

 and the majestic floating of the green drake overmatch 

 the craftsman's art. Nature reigns there supreme, when 

 her own works only can avail the flyfisher. The first cast 

 of his artificials comes the nearest ; they float for an instant 

 and oft flatter him with a rise, or by chance a fish, but in 

 a cast or two more they are disfigured, dishevelled, and 

 drowned, and so must continue during his sport. Many of 

 the small flies perish at hatching and laying times, and are 

 immersed in the water, when we may suppose they are 

 taken by the fish. We may also suppose that good imita- 

 tions, being somewhat elastic and of better stamina, will 

 maintain their appearance better in the water than the 

 drowned shrouded-up natural flies, and will better preserve 

 their shape and expression, the gleam and tinge of linger- 

 ing life, which is the test of the fly, and the attraction of 

 the fish. Be these as they may, certain it is that the fish 

 will readily take good imitations of the small fly they are 

 feeding off, by the panniers of fine trout, grayling, and 

 smelt, so frequently killed by the first class of small fly- 

 fishers. 



These hints and observations are the leading landmarks 

 and guides in the flymaker's track, paced by persevering 

 craft to the last sentence ; and if, flyfishers, these hours of 

 idleness, casually spent in fifty seasons, give zest to the 

 sport of your days and lend you a lift on your way, I'll not 

 begrudge the years if not, pace on, for I have done. 



NOTE. On our northern streams, such as the Yore and 

 Wharfe, artificial flies are usually dressed hackle wise, and 

 as a general rule they will be found to kill as well, if 

 not better, than the winged patterns ; the reason for this 



