12 INTRODUCTION. 



districts. Phryganea Grandis is the largest species. It is the 

 bustard of the North Country, and is often found running 

 round the collar when one is on angling bent, especially at 

 dusk. Possibly the white attracts its attention. As the hay 

 ripens numerous white and yellow moths may be seen during 

 the summer evenings hovering over the flowers and flying with 

 considerable speed from plant to plant. These are the 'Ghost 

 Swift " moths {Hepialis humuli) of which the white is the male 

 and the yellow the female, and have nothing whatever in 

 common with the " bustards " of the angler, although they are 

 frequently erroneously called by that name ; no doubt owing 

 to the fact that they are strongly in evidence during the height 

 of the bustard season, and the ill-informed taking them as 

 such, ties an imitation which is passed off as a bustard. They 

 never go near the water except by accident, whereas the real 

 bustards are born and bred in the water, lay their eggs there, 

 and are a continual temptation to the lusty trout by reason of 

 the way they skate upon, or hover over its surface. 



The position of the wings when at rest is roofwise over the 

 body and they are covered with curious downy hairs, which 

 under the microscope look like small spear heads and from 

 which the tribe derive their name. They are easy flies to 

 imitate, and well worth using when the naturals are about. 



The Chrysopidce or Lacewings (see plate 8, figs. 75, 76, 'j'j^ 

 number 1 5 species — three of them are frequently seen on and 

 about the water, namely : the Green one. {Heinei'obius Alba); 

 the Blue one {H. Nervosus); and the Yellow one (//. Hirtus); 

 and all are taken eagerly by the fish. The Blue one at times 

 is seen dancing over the water in hundreds and might be mis- 

 taken for a small caddis fly ; but its clear, rather prismatic 

 wings and different nervuration quickly reveals its identity. 

 The eggs of this fly are laid on bushes, each egg being carried 

 on a hair-like support attached to a leaf of the bush. The 

 larger species in spite of their ample and resplendent wings 

 have a curiously feeble flight. 



