PALMER WORMS. 37 



may conclude that they will be the most killing flies for 

 that day : therefore if you have not any of that kind make 

 one. 



There is also another good rule poetically described by 

 Mr. Gay as follows : 



" Mark well the various seasons of the year, 

 How the succeeding insect race appear; 

 In this revolving moon one colour reigns, 

 Which in the next the fickle trout disdains 

 Oft have T seen a skilful angler try 

 The various colours of the treacherous fly; 

 When he with fruitless pain hath skimmed the hrook, 

 And the coy fish rejects the skipping hook. 

 He shakes the boughs that on the margin grow, 

 Which o'er the stream a waving forest throw ; 

 When if an insect fall (his certain guide) , 

 He gently takes him from the whirling tide, 

 Examines well his form with curious eyes, 

 His gaudy vest, wings, his horns and size ; 

 Then round his hook the chosen fur he winds, 

 And on the back a speckled feather binds. 

 So just the colour shines through every part, 

 That nature seems to live again in art.'* 



It is well to use the palmers if there is a stiffish breeze 

 stirring, for then they drop from the trees. Once a cir- 

 cumstance occurred which I shall here mention, not that 

 it was of an unusal occurrence, for cases of that kind hap- 

 pen many times during the season, but for the better informa- 

 tion of the young angler. As I was angling one day in the 

 river Derwent, my sport was pretty regular till about 

 ten o'clock (this was in May), when there came on a gentle 

 shower, and with it came crowds of flies, not duns as I ex- 

 pected, but fles with a very bright pale yellow wing, and the 



