STONE-FLIES. 71 



must be used after the hook is once fixed ; the line, 

 as previously mentioned, being strong, the fish's head 

 must be held up to the top of the water ; play in such 

 circumstances being out of the question, nothing but 

 work, energetic work, can be allowed. A long-handled 

 landing-net, adroitly slipped below the trout, removes 

 all doubt of safety, and he is at once transferred to 

 the basket. On a very wooded water, once in posses- 

 sion of the writer, a dish of fish could be ensured at 

 almost any time during the season by this means.* 



The keeper called it " circumventing 'em," and it 

 differs little from what Mr. Kingsley, in his enter- 

 taining Chalk Stream Studies, terms " foxing." Who- 

 ever may try it successfully will no doubt agree with 

 that reverend author and angler that there is a con- 

 siderable amount of pleasurable excitement in " foxing 

 a great fish." 



STONE-FLIES. 



The class of insects known as the Phryganidae, 

 spring or stone flies, are, as bait, only second in import- 

 ance to theEphemeridse or May-flies, while both genera 

 are equally remarkable in their natural economy. The 

 word " Phryganea" or " spring-fly" has little more 

 actual reference to the history of the class than 

 " Ephemera," for all the Phrygaiiidae are not peculiarly 



* Using, of course, other insects when the May -fly was not on 

 the water. 



