PREFACE 3 



other works on angling, and its acquisition involves no 

 arduous research. When in quest of a particular fly, 

 he may select the first encountered, satisfied that, 

 however widely it may differ from others similarly 

 named, its resemblance to the object it is meant to 

 simulate is as accurate as need be. 



To the standards of the angler the trout display 

 an inexplicable apathy. 



Mr. E. M. Todd informs us that he had been for 

 years in the habit of fishing with a Red Spinner 

 dressed with mallard wings ; with, that is, a variety of 

 wing prescribed by Ronalds but not, apparently, in 

 general favour with — the angler. He had been with- 

 out suspicion of his error, and, as he was perfectly 

 satisfied with the practical success of the lure, might 

 have been living in ignorance of it still, had it not been 

 discovered for him by a friend. The trout, lacking an 

 adviser, failed to discover it at all. 



