THE FISHERMAN'S CALENDAR. 169 



bait. The most sagacious of the trout family are deceived 

 by it. In a retired nook or cranny on the banks of the 

 rivers, or under damp mossy stones, they may be looked 

 for and found. The yellow May-fly now appears as a pre- 

 cursor to the May-fly. The stone-fly jerks along the surface 

 of the water, and the black gnat lies thick on the water, 

 but the angler should beware of its sting. The yellow 

 " sally " on some streams forms an excellent bait ; but in 

 others, gray and green drakes are in request, and the 

 " alder " forms a tit-bit seldom refused. Dipping with 

 either of these flies on warm days will secure a good basket- 

 ful of fish. The appetite of the finny tribes, however, is 

 satiated by the plentiful supply of food, and it is only by 

 presenting the most attractive bait that the angler can suc- 

 ceed. In the very early morning, or in the " gloaming," a 

 pair of light wings, and the top of the hook covered with 

 a gentle or a creeper, will bring the angler a run, and fur- 

 nish him with a breakfast or a supper. 



JUNE. Beautiful, indeed, are the flowers of the field in 

 a June morning, when the dew is still upon them, and 

 before the heat of the sun makes their beautiful heads 

 droop. Salmon will not now take the large and gaudy 

 flies ; their appetites require to be tickled with a choice, 

 pretty, and delicate morsel, no bigger than a trout-fly. 

 The sea-trout (seroius) and grilse are coming up. Bottom- 

 fishing commences on the Thames, but the fish are not in 

 condition yet. Dace will take a gentle, which, with red 

 worms of the tinniest description, form the best bait for roach. 

 Trout will rise to any of the flies mentioned last month. 

 All kinds of dun-flies, fern-flies, and the coachman, is 

 adopted for evening sport. All flies must be small and 

 delicate in size. The jenny-spinner (which, by-the-by, is 



