FLIES. 27 



CHAPTER IV. 

 FLIES. 



A GREAT deal has been offered upon this matter by va- 

 rious writers, which we deem absurd and unnecessary. 

 Trout are no doubt nice and capricious feeders ; but 

 any pretensions in anglers to classify and distinguish 

 their favourite flies, according to the month, are almost 

 totally without reason. The colours of water and sky 

 are the only indicators which can lead us to select the 

 most killing hook, and even these are often deceptive. 

 We have fished in one stream where dark, and, in the 

 next, red flies, took the lead. There is no trusting to the 

 fancy in certain places. On Tweed, we have seen it 

 veer about, like the wind, in one moment, without a 

 note of preparation. Most rivers, however, are more 

 steady ; and when the water is of a moderate size, may 

 be relied on with at most two sorts of flies all the year 

 round. For ourselves, our maximum in every Scottish 

 stream is reduced to only four descriptions of artificial 

 flies, with one or other of which we engage to catch 

 trout over all the kingdom. Knowledge and practice 

 have convinced us of the needlessness of storing up 

 endless and perplexing varieties, which some do, to 

 look knowing and scientific. 



Foremost is the fly commonly called the Professor's, 

 after Professor Wilson of Edinburgh. The wings are 

 formed of a mottled, brown feather, taken from the 

 mallard or wild-drake ; the body is of yellow floss silk, 

 rather longish, and wound about close to the head with 

 a fine red or black hackle ; tails are often used, but we 



