OF AN INSECT-HUNTER. 405 



treat of fly-fishing. The argument used was, that true fisher- 

 men always fished " bottom ;" and, therefore, that Sir Hum- 

 phrey did not understand fishing. Thus, it seems, that 

 although an author may write never so pleasantly, and be a 

 master of general knowledge, he must not hope to obtain a 

 reading on subjects of such vast importance as angling ; for 

 those more skilful than himself are more qualified to teach than 

 to learn : still, to the unlearned, Sir Humphrey's is a de- 

 licious book. 



The grey drake is a fly after which trout are excessively 

 greedy, and on which they get in excellent condition. It may, 

 perhaps, be said, that this preference for the immature Ephemera 

 is only ideal, and that the same insect, after having cast its last 

 skin, would be equally acceptable, but that its flight is now so 

 active, that it seldom has the ill-luck to fall in the water ; — 

 whereas, its sluggish, ill-sustained flight in the prior state 

 makes it an easy prey. It is not unworthy of notice, that the 

 Ephemera has a metamorphosis different from that of every other 

 insect, and that this very difference causes il to become, as v 

 were by wholesale, the prey of the scaly tribes. There are a 

 variety of flies besides the grey drake, at which the trout rise 

 eagerly; among these I may mention more particularly the 

 pearl-flies and the stone-flies : the latter frequent the banks of 

 the rivers in countless myriads: of an evening, when they are on 

 the wing, the atmosphere is loaded with them. By day they 

 rest on the alders and other trees by the river side ; and, by a 

 slight touch of his beating-stick, the Insect-Hunter has some- 

 times knocked hundreds into his net. 



I have never yet seen an insect on the wing that 

 possessed so elegant a flight as the perfect Ephemera, the 

 white drake of fishermen. This common though beautiful 

 insect is fond of company, seldom flying alone. It rises by 

 an elegant movement of its wings, its slender triple tail being 

 pendant and without motion : having mounted about four feet,, 

 it spreads its wings, and, holding them perfectly still, descends 

 by its own weight to the spot whence it rose : in descending, 

 the tail points upwards. Although words may describe the 

 kind of flight in which this happy creature delights, the Insect- 

 Hunter knows how vain would be his attempt to give any idea 

 of its surpassing grace. He has watched for hours a company 

 of these aerial dancers, and has never yet been tired of gazing 



no. v. VOL. IV. 3 G 



