20 FLY-FISHING. 



Moreover the colours of the bodies of the 

 ordinarily imitated flies made of silk, dubbing, &c., 

 generally change their colours when wet, and thus 

 lose another important item of the exact imitation ; 

 whilst as a rule they always lack the glossy, semi- 

 transparent appearance of the real insects. To the 

 question of colour I have accordingly devoted a 

 large share of attention, and the three typical 

 flies which are hereinafter described are new 

 both in principle and detail. They will be found 

 to give the real colours strongly and unmistakably, 

 and in a form which makes any discoloration on 

 wetting impossible. 



Size, a most important point in artificial flies,, 

 demands the next consideration. As we have no 

 longer imitations of individual species, size is a 

 matter of no moment as regards the flies them- 

 selves, though of the utmost consequence in an- 

 other point of view. And this is one of the greatest 

 advantages which those who may act on the 

 principles here advocated will reap. For nothing 

 is more certain than that some waters usually 

 large ones, whether rivers or lakes require 

 large flies ; whilst small ones, almost equally 

 universally, have to be fished with small flies, This 

 necessity cannot be ignored by the " formalists" any 



