APRIL FLIES 157 



long as the hook, a black cock's hackle, but not too much of it 

 two turns are fully sufficient ; wings, two fine slips from the 

 woodcock's wing, dressed cold and flat. 



All of the last three flies belong to the order of Diptera, the 

 last two of the family of Tipulidae or crane flies, of which the 

 Daddy or Harry Longlegs is a prominent member. This 

 family have but two wings, which are either expanded, as in the 

 longlegs, or incumbent, that is, resting partly on the body, as 

 in the two specimens depicted, and they are devoid of the two 

 small supplementary wings called poisers, which may be seen 

 in all the Ephemeridae. 



The Sand Fly (see Plate VIII, Fig. 14, p. 134). This is a fly 

 which has found many patrons. It is one of the numerous 

 class of Phryganidae, the natural history and characteristics of 

 which I have already sufficiently described. The sand fly is a 

 pretty taking looking fly ; it is a general favourite, being a 

 native of most streams. Some anglers never try it, and, though 

 I often use it, I never find it very deadly. There are flies of the 

 same class which I like better ; and so many other flies are on 

 at this time of the year, that one need not use it, unless a 

 special fancy for it be indulged in. Dress it on a No. 10 hook 

 of reddish fur from a hare's poll, mix well with buff fur, to give 

 it the sandy tinge ; legs, hackle from buff Cochin hen ; wings, 

 two scraps of starling, with two larger slips of landrail's reddish 

 wing feather over the starling. 



The Grannom or Greentail. This is another member of the 

 Phryganidse. It has, like the last, a great name with some 

 anglers, and on some streams it is very abundant, though 

 its duration is rather limited. I must confess that I have not 

 that faith in it which it may probably deserve. Size, same 

 as the last fly, or one size smaller ; body, hare's ear and 

 water-rat fur mixed, the former prevailing ; at the tail a 

 turn of two of green floss silk to finish off and give the 

 green tail, which is, in reality, a mass of eggs about to be 

 deposited by the insect, and which have that tinge ; legs, 

 a grizzled blue dun hackle wing, from the rump of a brown 

 speckled game hen. This fly lasts but for some ten days 

 or a fortnight in the earlier part of April, though others of 

 a similar species, with the green peculiarity at the tail, appear 

 later in the season ; I have seen them on thickly as late as 

 July. Hook, No. n. 



The Sedge Fly. This is a capital fly for all the southern and 

 mid-county rivers throughout the summer, and kills better 



