ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 129 



drowned, and so must continue during his sport. Many 

 of the small flies perish at hatching and laying times, 

 and are immersed in the water, when we may suppose 

 they are taken by the fishes. We may also suppose 

 that good imitations, being somewhat elastic and of 

 better stamina, will maintain their appearance better in 

 the water than the drowned shrouded-up natural flies, 

 and will better preserve their shape and expression, 

 the gleam and tinge of lingering life, which is the test 

 of the fly, and the attraction of the fish. Be these as they 

 may, certain it is that the fishes will readily take good 

 imitations of the small fly they are feeding off, by 

 the panniers of fine trout, grayling, and smelt, so fre- 

 quently killed by the first class of small flyfishers. . 



These hints and observations are the leading land- 

 marks and guides in the fly-maker's track, paced by 

 persevering craft to the last sentence ; and if, flyfishers, 

 these hours of idleness, casually spent in fifty seasons, 

 give zest to the sport of your days and lend you a lift 

 on your way, I '11 not begrudge the years if not, pace 

 on, for I have done. 



R1PON : PRINTED BY WILLIAM HARRISOX* 



