24 CRANE-FLIES AND GNATS. 



The speckled one, No. 3, is often seen flying in 

 swarms over the water in quiet corners on Summer 

 evenings. 



No. 4 is sometimes called the Gravel Spider. It is 

 found on the gravel beds of rivers, and is often seen 

 quietly floating down stream standing on the water ; 

 on some streams this insect swarms on the dry gravel 

 in countless thousands about the middle of May. 



No. 5 is a very common yellow variety found 

 about the grassy or reedy margins in May and June. 



No. 6 is an Olive Coloured Gnat and a great 

 favourite with me, either the winged or hackled 

 imitations are exceedingly successful, they float well, 

 and dressed in various sizes to suit the different 

 waters, are exceedingly useful lures. 



It seems rather invidious to praise the Olive Gnat 

 so much when its brethren, the black, the green, 

 the ruby, and the brown Gnat are at hand, and each 

 in its turn is quite capable of upholding the high 

 opinion we have formed of the Gnat tribe as patterns 

 well worthy of attention and careful imitation. 



All these Gnats have a true aquatic history, and 

 may be seen emerging from the pupal stage on the 

 surface of the water, then they either take to flight 

 or quietly drift ashore or down stream as the case 

 may be. On a calm summer evening a Gnat on a 

 No. hook will often do great execution, when a more 

 heavily dressed fly will meet with but scanty notice. 



The Brown Gnat is most in evidence towards the 

 end of the season, when it is quite a favourite. 



