PRACTICAL FLY FISHING 



those which are found everywhere; they are 

 unlike Bees, Wasps, and Hornets : they bear, 

 however, some affinity to each of these, for, 

 together with a degree of boldness, which they 

 possess in common with many others, they 

 have the size of the Hornet, the colour of the 

 Wasp, and like the Bee make a humming noise 

 (the inhabitants call them Hippuri). These 

 insects, fluttering about on the surface of the 

 water, are not unnoticed by the fish; for as 

 soon as a fish sees one of these flies come upon 

 the water, he sails to it in the quietest manner, 

 lest the agitation of the water should cause it to 

 change its situation ; and approaching directly 

 to its shadow, like a wolf snatching a sheep 

 from the flock, or an eagle a goose from the 

 flight, so does he with his widely-gaping mouth 

 devour it. 



'Now, although the fishermen are by no 

 means ignorant of this circumstance, they do 

 not make use of these flies to ensnare the fish, 

 for upon being touched with the hand, they 

 immediately lose their natural colour, their 

 wings fall off, and they become unfit for the 

 food of fishes, as they do not value them in the 

 least. They, however, who are eminently 

 skilled in the art of angling, by a certain crafty 

 device and cunning machination overreach 

 these fishes. They wrap the hook round with 

 scarlet wool, and to this they add two wings 

 from the beard or wattles of a cock, and of a 

 yellowish colour : they form these into the 

 figure and shape of the fly : their rod is four 



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