FACTS AND FANCIES IN FLY FISHING. 265 



year's end to year's end ? Be this, however, as it may, I will relate my first ex- 

 periences with the ' Red Underwing.' 



" I was staying with some friends at the same hotel in Crieff. Overnight we 

 had arranged plans for the next day. Mr. F. M. Mackenzie, whose identity I am 

 at liberty to mention, decided to come with me. After a couple of hours, neither 

 of us being in luck, my companion made oft' in another direction and left me alone 

 for a time. All of a sudden a voice from behind enquired : 



" ' Halloa ! Out of the water. What are you up to ? ' 



" ' I have just completed a couple of flies, one for each of us ; the day ought 

 not to turn out blank with this opportunity. Take a glance in what direction you 

 like ; look at the hundreds of those lovely ' red wings ' flying about, and you'll 

 guess what I am up to,' I answered. 



" ' You don't mean to say,' he replied, ' that you have taken all that trouble 

 for me ! ' 



" I told him that I had often killed fish in trying this principle when other 

 means failed. The ' Dolly Varden,' a pool which had been fished twice down 

 by me and several times by others, was given up to my friend. He was soon en- 

 gaged in a fair up and down fight, and, as the day was drawing to a close, I made 

 for a little catch below, which I knew held one good ' tenant.' To my friend's 

 delight, he weighed in no fewer than three good fish that evening. But this is not 

 all. The duplicate fly was seized directly in the catch below, a struggle ensued, 

 and we were the only two successful Anglers of the day on the whole beat, five 

 miles in length. 



" No one intimately acquainted with the river Lee, and the way in which fly 

 fishing has been ruined by bait fishing, would be likely to accept the remark just 

 made about Salmon waiting to ' classify.' On settling down, the water in this river 

 becomes so bright that with the unaided eye a pin can be easily detected lying at 

 six feet depth. After an interval of many long years I spent three months in the 

 vicinity of Macroom (early in 1889), and was sorry to find how extremely shy and 

 particular the fish had grown. In former days a body of Rabbit's fur, veiled with a 

 grey speckled hackle, and having a light wing was enough to ensure good sport, 

 ifou would never stir a fin now with a body of this description, which changes 

 colour soon after use. The insect that haunts these Irish waters, seen in magical 

 numbers, almost double the size of a bluebottle, but grey in colour, and with 

 speckled body, wings, and legs, is in these days imitated with the finest Irish-grey 

 hackles taken from fowls bred on purpose, and with fur from a silver Monkey, 

 which together produce the very image of the natural fly itself. 



" I could multiply instances in support of the conclusion which has been 

 forced upon me by experience, but it is needless. Winged flies, as well as cater- 

 pillars, can be imitated and used in Salmon fishing with success. Believing this, 

 let alone the other arguments, I cannot insist too emphatically that Salmon take 

 artificial flies from precisely the same motive as Trout ; indeed, by reason of a long 



