PREFACE 



IN the first part of this little work I do not wish my 

 reader to suppose that I claim to be the first who has 

 dealt with any particular imitation in the manner he 

 will find that I have dealt with it. In the case of 

 particular flies, others have frequently observed that 

 the imitations generally used were inaccurate. The 

 imitation of the Alder-fly has perhaps been most treated 

 in this way, but it is not alone. One instance, how- 

 ever, of inaccuracies in imitations of natural flies having 

 been observed, will I hope not be trespassing too much 

 upon my reader's patience. 



Elaine, in his Encyclopaedia of Rural Sports published 

 in 1840, says when speaking of the Cow-dung fly : 

 " By some extraordinary mistake Bowlker describes 

 this fly as having upright wings ; and as many of the 

 London fly-makers dress their flies by his directions, 

 we need not wonder that they are often bought with 

 their wings unnaturally glaring outwards." 



What I have tried to do, is to work out and bring 

 down to a definite rule the position in which the wings 

 of the imitations of the various kinds of flies should be 

 placed. 



M83895O 



