S8 BEETLES, &.C.—COLEOPTERA, &c. 



the golden pheasant, seems to have escaped the notice 

 of most. We have taken fish after fish with this 

 imitation when the conditions were distinctly unfavour- 

 able to sport — being too bright and calm. 



One of the first I ever caught was taken from a 

 small stream — more years ago than I care to remem- 

 ber. Going out fishing without bait I began grubbing 

 in a meadow to find some, all that came to hand being 

 two or three of these small beetles. Puttingf one on, 

 I crawled to the brink and dropped it cautiously in at 

 the head of a stream, where it was instantly seized by 

 a lusty half-pounder, which, after a brief struggle, was 

 ignominiously swung on to the bank. Such an experi- 

 ence makes one greet these small beetles as friends 

 whenever they come under notice. The capture of 

 trout in those days was like " angels' visits " — few and 

 far between. 



