348 SALMON AND TROUT. 



with it, and rising fish only a few yards apart as far as one 

 could see. Some of the heaviest fish I have ever killed in 

 Hampshire have been taken with this fly ; still I have never 

 been satisfied with any of the imitations I have yet devised. 



The body is of delicate greenish olive, legs a pale 

 watery olive, and the wings distinctly blue, like those of 

 the Indian yellow. I have made the body of silk, wool, 

 dyed fur, ribbed with gold, and with quill of different 

 sorts. I hope some day to hit off the right shade in 

 dyeing fibres of the condor's wing feather, and also to 

 discover what will make the best wing. Possibly the 

 blue feather from a merlin hawk's wing might do, or 

 perhaps the coot's wing might solve the mystery. It 

 must not be a soft feather which sucks up water and 

 gets sodden directly, for the natural fly sits up and rides 

 cockily on the water, and no half-drowned imitation can 

 ever do much execution. I am convinced we have not 

 got the right pattern yet. 



Hook^ o or GO. 



XV. THE LITTLE SKY BLUE. 



This is a splendid grayling fly in August and September ; 

 in fact, all free-rising fish take it well in the warm autumn 

 mornings from ten to midday. 



^ody : Pale straw colour, of silk, quill, or fur. I have killed 

 well with all three, but silk I like least, as it changes 

 colour after it is wet much more than other materials. 



Legs and Whisks : Light honey dun. 



Wings : A pale delicate blue, best imitated with a jay's wing 

 feather. 



Hook, CO or ooo. 



XVL THE RED TAG. 



This is generally regarded as a grayling flj', but at times it 

 does wonderfully well among trout. The brighter the day and 



