78 DIFFEKENT FLIES FOR DIFFERENT TIMES OF DAY. 



both in size and colour. And I might further remark, 

 that it is sometimes good policy, in visiting a strange 

 river, to call upon one of the professional piscators of 

 the village, generally to be found impersonated in the 

 shape of a barber or cobbler, whose tongue will be 

 readily loosened by the application of a glass of Glen- 

 livet, and from him much necessary information may be 

 gathered regarding the best kind of flies, and the likeliest 

 parts of the river to afford sport. 



While each particular tribe of flies has its own 

 peculiar season for appearing on the waters, so in like 

 manner different tribes come abroad only at certain 

 times of the day, when the fish almost immediately leave 

 off taking the earlier ones, for the new comers. In re- 

 gard to this, trout seem to be guided by an unerring 

 instinct. A short time previous to the advent of the 

 new fly, they will suddenly cease taking the earlier 

 comer, which they may have been greedily devouring all 

 the morning, altogether, and wait apparently in anxious 

 expectation for its successor without stirring a fin, 

 when its appearance is immediately welcomed by the 

 lashing of a hundred tails. Amid the extensive popu- 

 larity of this new comer, it would be the height of folly 

 for the angler to waste his time in offering any other 

 lure than a well-dressed imitation of the favourite. 

 Should any one be sceptical upon this point, let him 

 attach a dun drake, or any other afternoon fly, on his 

 cast, in the early part of the day, even in the middle of 

 April, when that popular fly is in the height of its season, 

 and see how many fish he will succeed in taking with 



