XVI. 



EPHEMERAE. 



OF all nature's beautiful objects submitted to 

 the plyer of the contemplative art, perhaps 

 none are so surpassingly beautiful, or have more 

 exquisite form and colour than the gauzy-winged 

 flies which afford food to the pink-spotted trout. 

 Every one of the angler's months from dry 

 March to sodden October brings its own flies, 

 all more or less delectable to the denizens of 

 the streams. We say " more or less " because 

 the fisherman regulates his likes and dislikes 

 by those of the trout, and praises most the fly 

 that the fishes have already passed their verdict 

 upon. Here, for instance, is the black alder. 

 "What shall be said of this queen of flies ? O, 

 thou beloved member of the brute creation ! 

 Songs have been written in praise of thee ; statues 

 would ere now have been erected to thee had 

 that haunchback, and those flabby wings of thine, 

 been 'susceptible of artistic treatment.' But ugly 



