AMERICAN TROUT-STREAM INSECTS 



No. 9, Redhead gnat. Captured early in the 

 month, yet not seen in June, this is a good all-round 

 fly for hot days, when few if any others are about. 

 It is slow in flight, and the deep blackness of its 

 body makes it very conspicuous on water or on 

 land — it is seen in both places in the daytime. Ex- 

 cept right under the mouth, which is red, the under 

 body is black; the wings are slightly gray-black; 

 and on top of the head, encircled in black, is a bril- 

 liant red patch. 



For some days anglers on the stream were asking 

 me for a black gnat or redtag, proof positive they 

 observed trout feeding on this little black insect. 

 I should place it in the forefront for July days, and 

 I have taken much pains to make a good imitation. 

 When in flight it is singularly hke the wingless 

 hackle gnat made in England. It is not a floater ; 

 so I think it will be more effective as a wet fly. 



Though aquatic insects of July are so scarce, 

 compared with May and June, the land is swarm- 

 ing with butterflies of every size and color. They 

 cross and recross the rivers ; grasshoppers in myri- 

 ads skip on before you in passing through a 

 meadow; nimaberless are the night moths, that begin 

 to wing their flight as the sun goes down ; especially 

 conspicuous are the white and yellow miUers as they 

 flick over the water time and time again. 



No. 10. White miller. On dark days, and even 



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