12 LIST OF FLIES. 



numbers, and when just hatched, their legs are of a 

 hair-like fleshy grizzle, and the folded wings a glossy 

 steely blue, and bio transparency; the females have 

 a dim orange line running down the back ; when in full 

 perfection their bodies are a rich orange color, with a 

 black spot on each joint, along each side, which indi- 

 cates their time of breeding ; when their full length is 

 three-eighths and some to half an inch ; they are the 

 smallest of the brown class, and the most durable of 

 all angling flies ; they are hatching nearly throughout 

 the year, and are the flyfisher's daily companion ; in se- 

 vere frosts the warm sun draws them out and enables 

 them to take wing ; they increase as the summer ad- 

 vances, and in autumn are the most numerous of all 

 the aquatic flies, and are excellent for grayling and 

 smelt to the end, when they are left alone to face the 

 rigours of winter. On the Nidd they call them the 

 Spanish Needle, from their steely hue and small lengthy 

 appearance. Some, probably the males, leave the wa- 

 ter when their wings are only in the bud, and may 

 often be seen this month and next, running on the tops 

 of posts and large stones, by the water sides, when the 

 sun shines warm upon them. 



Their bodies are imitated with fine bright orange or 

 yellow silk, more or less waxed, shoulders darkest ; 

 various feathers are used to represent the wings ; bio 

 from under the judcock or snipe ; brown from the 

 water rail or swift; purple from the cock pheasant's 

 neck ; and the blue grizzle from the rump of the field- 

 fare, dressed hackle-wise, with a few fibres of fine fleshy 

 grizzle hair or fur wrought in at the breast, but all 

 must be very small. 



