INTRODUCTION. ii 



into creepers, the following year developing into flies. The 

 creepers are curious little creatures with big heads and eyes, 

 powerful looking legs, and long tails— the largest being Perla 

 maxima (Fig. 50, plate 5) — and the creeper of this fly is often 

 used up stream much the same as a worm. 



In the North of England, fly fishing is of little use for a 

 week or two at least, after a good hatch of this insect, so 

 greedily do the fish take it. It has often been stated that the 

 Yellow Sally {Perla Viridissima^ is a bitter fly and fish do not 

 care for it. This is a great mistake; what the fish do not like 

 is the wretched imitations which are offered in place of this 

 very beautiful fly — a really bright imitation with good light- 

 yellow glassy wings is taken freely under suitable conditions. 



The smaller perlidcB are all remarkable for the curious 

 way in which they roll up their wings until the insect looks more 

 like a thin bit of stick than a fly; however, all are worth 

 imitating, and are great favourites with trout and grayling 

 alike. 



Trichoptera. — We next come to the Caddis flies, at 

 present considered as a sub-order or family of the Neuroptera^ 

 though each succeeding generation of Entomologists seems to 

 delight in moving them to another place. They are divided 

 into seven families, and 250 species. 



These again are aquatic insects. The eggs are laid in the 

 water in the form of a gelatinous globule, whence the larvae 

 emerge, and at once make themselves a covering of tubular 

 form of either reeds, weeds, stones, shells, or other handy 

 material which they cement together. Some varieties retain 

 free movement, others cement their dwellings on to stones and 

 stay there until hatching time comes. The larvae of the larger 

 varieties are very voracious and do not hesitate to attack small 

 fish, which they grip from below with their powerful front 

 claws, never letting go if once they get a fair hold. The larva 

 is known as a stick bait or cad bait, and is much used in some 



