'GREEN DRAKE FISHING. 229 



feathery atoms of life, they speedily become as bold 

 as the angler could desire. 



Before fully entering on the subject of Drake 

 fishing, it would be as well, perhaps, to enumerate 

 the small flies that are killers, more especially early 

 and late in the day, before the May flies or Drakes 

 appear. These we give as under : Little Chap, Black 

 Gnat, Oak fly, Alder fly, and the Spinners. These 

 naturals often in part accompany the Drake upon 

 the water, before and after its appearance. The fish 

 feed upon them when prevalent ; before ten a.m. and 

 after six p.m. being the most likely times for their 

 proving useful ; though it is by no means uncommon 

 to find the fish taking the small flies at mid-day, when 

 the Drake has been on for awhile. We have often 

 watched a heavy trout eagerly skim the surface of 

 the water in chase of a small gnat, which fish has 

 ultimately proved, on being brought to land by this 

 minute insect, to be fairly gorged with the May fly. 

 The only explanation we can suggest is, that Master 

 Speckle was anxious for a change of diet. 



The Green Drake appears upon the lower portions 

 of the streams first, often being four days or a week 

 later in rising near the source, where the water, being 

 colder from the springs, retards its maturity. The 

 season of these flies varies in different localities. 

 There are three lakes at varying altitudes at Mullingar, 

 in Ireland. The May fly first makes its appearance 

 upon the lower lake and is plentiful, and the fishing 

 here is good so long as these flies remain on the 

 water. They usually last ten or twelve days, and 



