40 DOWN THE BECK 



know something of these curious tribes ; and no- 

 where is a better account of them to be found 

 than in that fascinating book, " Salmonia." The 

 phryganece (the " stone-flies " of the angler) have 

 long antenna?, with veined wings which fold over 

 each other when closed. The eggs of the adult 

 flies are laid on the leaves of willows or other trees 

 which overhang the water. When they are hatched, 

 the larvae fall into the stream, collect a panoply of 

 gravel, bits of stick, shell-fish, &c, to surround 

 them, and after feeding for a time on aquatic plants, 

 rise to the surface, burst their skins, and appear as 

 perfect flies. The ephemerce (or " May-flies ' ) were 

 noticed so Ions a<?o as Aristotle's time, in connec- 

 tion with the brevity of their life. They may be 

 known by carrying their wings perpendicularly on 

 their backs, and by several filaments or long bristles 

 protruding from their tails. Their aqueous exist- 

 ence, like the stone-flies', sometimes lasts for two or 

 three years ; but as flies their life is thought never 

 to exceed a few days in length, often but a few 

 hours. In fact their life is, to all intents and 

 purposes, over when their eggs are laid, and this 

 function takes place directly they emerge into the 

 winged state. Besides these, however, there are 

 multitudes of nondescript flies used by those 

 anglers who commit themselves to the persuasive 



