A QUESTION FOR THE PHILOSOPHERS. 53 



I say they will rise at these imitations, and rise 

 at them only, with very few exceptions, when the 

 natural fly is on the water or in season. 



Will the philosophers answer this question? 

 How is it that neither trout nor grayling will dur- 

 ing the spring, autumn, or winter months rise at 

 an imitation of the May-fly, their especial favour- 

 ite during a part of May and June ? If trout, or 

 grayling, or chub would prefer nondescripts to the 

 imitations of flies on the water, no more attrac- 

 tive nondescript could be presented to them than 

 the imitation of the handsome May-fly. But they 

 never take it, except during the " drake season," 

 or a little before or a little after it. In that 

 season, viz. when the May-fly (ephemera vulgata) 

 or green-drake is out upon the waters, fish will 

 prefer an imitation of it to an imitation of any 

 other fly, except indeed at mornings or evenings, 

 when other natural flies are out, and the May- 

 fly is not. I will here grant, and doing so will 

 strengthen my argument, that it is impossible to 

 imitate well the delicate and beautiful May-fly. 

 Still, fish will sooner take the bad imitation, I may 

 say the worst imitation of it, than the best of any 

 other fly not in season. 



The artificial May-fly is not a killing bait 

 except under peculiar circumstances, and when 

 thrown upon the water amongst the real flies, 

 fish will generally prefer the latter. Use any 



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