EFFECTS OF THE MAY-FLY ON TROUT. 135 



This fly is seldom a good angling one, and never 

 kills well except towards evening. Dress it thus ; 

 Body, the middle part of white floss silk, ribbed 

 over neatly with silver twist ; extremities, brown 

 peacock's harl ; wings and legs made buzz with a 

 mottled feather of the mallard, stained a faint 

 purple ; legs, three rabbit's whiskers. Hook, 

 No. 6 or 7. Of this fly, Mr. Elaine says, " It 

 usually shows itself on the water at a later hour 

 in the day than the green drake, being most pre- 

 valent from 3 P.M. until sunset. When an unfa- 

 vourable day has prevented the green May-fly from 

 appearing in sufficient numbers, the grey will com- 

 mit vast havoc among the trout in the evening." 



During the prevalence of the May-fly, trout 

 fatten and grow into condition. They are never 

 so before that fly appears, and when it has disap- 

 peared they remain in good condition until the 

 spawning season. When fish have gorged them- 

 selves with this fly, and leave off feeding towards 

 the evening, they will be tempted by flies of very 

 different sizes and colours. The best are for 

 mild weather, little dun hackles of every shade, 

 the grouse and wren hackle, house-fly, and at 

 dusk a moth-fly. Should you want trout very 

 badly during the drake season, try a minnow 

 morning and evening, and your wants in one 

 respect will be soon supplied. 



K 4 



