THE CLASSES. 6 
2nD.—Drakes.—The Drake genus claims next the atten- 
tion of the flyfisher ; they are all bred in the water. The 
green drake is the largest, and the pattern fly of the class 
—the white drake is the smallest. They have close thick 
shoulders and smooth taper bodies, which curve upwards 
like the feathers in the tail of a drake—from which it is 
said they are named. Their bodies consist of eight or nine 
joints or rings of a dim transparency, and in length near 
two-thirds of the fly ; they have a pair of smooth oblong 
wings which, when at rest, stand upright like those of a 
butterfly, and are generally about the length of the fly, and 
better than half the breadth; a diminutive wing stands at 
the root of each large one; and they have two or three 
hairs in the tail. They are indifferent runners on both land 
and water, and will suffer themselves to be taken up by the 
wings. They are not so hardy as the browns ; their shoul- 
ders and bodies are naked and exposed, but nature has 
furnished them with a temporary covering to protect them 
from the cold, which they cast off when it is no longer 
required. They are hatched and take wing, a perfect fly, 
in this protective covering, which is a thin filmy skin, that 
fits close to all the parts, and obscures or tinges the real 
colors of the fly; at its own time, probably when the 
weather suits, it bursts open its temporary covering at the 
shoulders, in the same way as it did the creeper case [see 
Creeper], and comes out generally a different color, giving 
it the appearance of a different fly. The wings are then 
more transparent and sparkling, the colors more distinct, 
and the whole fly, as if imbued with fresh spirit, is more 
smart and active. They then sport on the wing, and 
assemble together into those groups or swarms we see 
about the waters in summer evenings, usually called spin- 
ners, when they are in their matured state and last dress. 
Individuals vary in each species of the Drake class: some 
may be seen with very long fore legs, long hairs or whisks 
in the tail, and case eyes, which seem placed on a flat or 
convex projection from each side of the top of the head ; 
