82 



examine his stomach to see what kind of 

 flies he has been feeding on, and to put on 

 his artificial fly accordingly. My advice is : 

 continue to fish with the fly which you have 

 succeeded with, and when the fish refuse to 

 take it, you may then, if you please, examine 

 the stomach of one which you have caught. 

 But even this is a very questionable guide, 

 as fish will not unfrequently rise at an arti- 

 ficial fly of quite a different shade to those 

 that are playing on the water, and on which 

 they have been previously feeding. I have 

 often known a red hackle or a dun fly take 

 trouts when they would not look at either 

 the artificial or the natural May fly, though 

 hundreds of the latter were at the same time 

 skimming the surface of the stream. 



Oliver. As we are upon the subject of 

 dressing flies, allow me to ask what sort of 

 material you prefer as dubbing silk or 

 wool? 



Reed. Silk ravellings generally, mixed, as 

 occasion requires, with camel's hair, various 



