8 



ANGLING. 



fore the success of the angler, in by far the greater 

 proportion of cases, does not depend on the resem- 

 blance which subsists between his artificial fly and 

 the natural insect. This statement is no doubt 

 greatly at variance with the expressed principles of 

 all who have deemed fishing worthy of considera- 

 tion, from the days of Isaiah and Theocritus, to 

 those of Carrol and Bainbridge. But we are not 

 the less decidedly of opinion, that in nine instances 

 out of ten a fish seizes upon an artificial fly as 

 upon an insect or moving creature sui generis, and 

 not on account of its exact and successful resem- 

 blance to any accustomed and familiar object. 



If it is not so, let us request to be informed upon 

 what principle of imitative art the different varieties 

 of salmon-fly can be supposed to bear the most dis- 

 tant resemblance to any species of dragonfly, to 

 imitate which we are frequently told they are in- 

 tended 2 Certainly no perceptible similarity in form 

 or aspect exists between them, all the species of 

 dragonfly, with the exception of one or two of the 

 sub-genus Calepterix, being characterized by clear, 

 lace-like, pellucid wings, entirely unadorned by 

 those fantastic gaudy colours, borrowed from the 

 peacock and other " birds of gayest plume," which 

 are made to distinguish the supposed resemblance. 

 Besides, the finest salmon-fishing is frequently in 

 mild weather during the cooler seasons of the year, 

 in autumn and early spring, several months either 

 before or after any dragonfly has become visible on 

 the face of the waters, as it is a summer insect, and 

 rarely makes its appearance in the perfect state 



