FLIES AND FLY-DRESSING 193 



tints, its bright body and wings act as a 

 series of mirrors, and reflect the blues and 

 pearly greys of the sky beyond the window. 

 Now, if we take the glass bowl and raise 

 it well above our head, looking up through 

 the water against the light, we find the 

 colours of the fly have all changed. He is 

 warm and honey-coloured, rather than blue 

 and opalescent as a moment ago. Not 

 only Mayflies, but the Duns, the Spinners, 

 and their various relations, have rich blood 

 in their veins. Their bodies contain a more 

 or less coloured liquid, which is sheathed 

 from the fisherman's vision, but is very 

 apparent to the fish. We can never hope 

 to obtain artificial dressings that wdll rival 

 those of nature in effulgence and trans- 

 parency, but perhaps, by using a warmer 

 hackle or rib, we may, more or less, adjust 

 the balance. 



When dressing dry-flies, we must always 

 keep in mind the fish's point of view rather 

 than our own. The trout looks up from 

 below, and sees objects floating above him 

 in silhouette. At all costs therefore must 

 this silhouette be retained, and the fly- 

 dresser's chief endeavours should be to 



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