vi PREFACE 



My reader therefore must not hope in this first part 

 to meet with many imitations of creatures that have 

 not been imitated before ; but if he finds that the 

 manner in which the flies are dealt with as a whole is 

 any step forward, be it ever so small, I shall be satisfied 

 in having attained the object at which I aim. 



My reader may be surprised at the order in which 

 I have arranged the various flies ; but it was necessary, 

 or at any rate very much more convenient, to arrange 

 them in the way I have, as entomological accuracy of 

 arrangement in a work on fishing must not be the 

 first consideration of the author. That the wings of 

 the Alder and the Caddis flies are in practically the 

 same position in relation to their bodies, was my reason 

 for placing the descriptions of these flies next each 

 other, and this instance is sufficient to suggest to those 

 of my readers who are entomologists, reasons for the 

 other cases in which I have not placed the descriptions 

 of the various flies in their correct sequence. 



A disclaimer must also be my preface to the second 

 part of my work, for I know that I am far from being 

 the first in thinking that the wet fly of the fisherman 

 is not taken by the fish for the natural fly it is supposed 

 to represent. 



Here my hope is that my reader will find a definite 

 theory which is sufficiently plausible to interest him, 

 at least for the moment. 



I have to acknowledge the kind assistance of Dr. G. 

 A. Buckmaster, Lecturer on Physiology at St. George's 

 Hospital, of Mr. Ernest E. Austen, of the British 

 Museum (Natural History), and of several other 

 gentlemen. 



