REV. H. AINSLIE'S FLIES 181 



DEAR SIR, 



First, I wish to endorse what you say on p. 232 of 

 your new work, viz., that fish may be taken on the Scotch 

 lakes with most of the usual English river flies. Of these 

 I prefer the yellow dun, the red spinner (great), the soldier, 

 black gnat, black palmer, and alder (I take these from Ronalds), 

 and I have used these with great success in perfectly still 

 water, or with the slightest curl. But for rougher water 

 and the Scotch lakes are ordinarily rough enough I use larger 

 flies, and I enclose you patterns of my especial favourites. 



Nos. i, 2, 3 are irresistible ; 4, 5, 6 are nearly as deadly. 



Referring to the ten flies described by you on pp. 232, 233, 

 I find your No. 4 somewhat similar to my No. 2, of which I 

 should say the body ought to be a bright red ; it is much 

 more deadly, as I have often proved, but I have not one in my 

 possession quite to my liking. My No. i is your alternative 

 of No. 10. I have used both dressings, and can affirm that teal 

 wing kills six to one of the light jay. It is true to nature, for 

 I have often caught the natural fly, of which it is a good 

 representation. My No. 3 is excellent, especially in cold 

 rough weather and rain. I use it two sizes larger on Loch 

 Awe, and find it most persuasive. No. 4 is a very useful fly, 

 and I sometimes use it with a brighter and lighter yellow 

 body with gold twist. It is admirable on fine clear water. 

 No. 5 is more killing in rough, but not cold weather ; and No. 6 

 is local, only suited to some lochs high up on the moors. 



I don't know whether the woodcock wing feather or the 

 teal's is the more killing. I can only say that with these 

 flies I can reckon on six dozen per diem, and have killed as 

 many as ten dozen in half a day. I wish when you have an 

 opportunity you would give them a trial. 



Very faithfully yours, 



H. AINSLIE. 



The following is the dressing of each of these flies : 



1. Body, medium green crewel, fine gold thread ; hackle, a rusty 

 coch-y-bondu, with very little red showing ; teal wing ; tail, two 

 fibres of the golden pheasant sword feather. 



2. Body, dark red crewel ; black hackle ; teal wing ; a turn of 

 gold tinsel at tail ; tail, fibres of gold pheasant ruff. 



3. Body, dirty reddish brown (about the colour of tolerably used 

 leather), well ribbed up with gold thread ; hackle, a brownish red, 



