268 THE SALMON FLY. 



The nature of this combination will be determined by the colour of the 

 water, light and shade thrown upon it, natural aspects of the river bed, 

 banks, and other surroundings, as well as by the particular character of 

 flies generally used in the district." 



To this Editorial statement a pressing request for me to treat it 

 fully being appended I recorded several instances of the success of ex- 

 aggerations which had occurred to myself and others, who, commencing as 

 thorough sceptics, had become the most faithful of converts. From these 

 I select first the following case. 



A few years ago I was fishing some private water, immediately above 

 which there were a couple of miles of the best holding-pools on the river. 

 Owing to the long continued drought, the water fell lower than it had been 

 for years. So low did it become that my own pools were worthless 

 for Salmon in fact, in was impossible for the fish to stay in them. 

 Above and below it was rumoured that Anglers were giving up fishing 

 altogether, owing to sheer absence of sport. A party consisting of 

 three rods on the water below, had been fishing all they knew for 

 three whole weeks unsuccessfully, during which time they had special 

 permission to fish the best waters. At the end of their visit they 

 returned to Town. 



Overnight I obtained permission myself to try the same water on the 

 morning of their departure the pools still getting lower and lower. 

 Knowing that a strong " exaggeration " would be required, I was up betimes 

 and tied a few flies dressed in the following manner : Tag : silver twist, 

 but three times the usual amount. Tail : Ibis,- two extended strips of 

 Summer Duck, and the point of a Jungle. Butt : scarlet herl. The first 

 half of the body was divided into two equal sections, butted as before, as 

 well as having two bunches of Goat's beard above and below arching 

 after the fashion of the golden toppings ; the first set, dyed crimsoii- 

 majenta ; the second, or those merging from the middle of the body, dyed 

 light blue and extending over the former to the butt of the fly. The first 

 section of the body was made of yellow silk, ribbed with gold lace and 

 silver tinsel. The second section, of crimson-majenta silk, ribbed in the 

 same way, but with larger materials. The other half of the body had 

 dark blue silk, ribbed with very large gold tinsel, leaving space at the 



