42 LIST OF FLIES. 
coarse days, retard the tender tribes, which, as they can 
snatch portions of sunshine, when the wily trout, wide 
awake, sees all that passes and snaps his favorite victim. 
The gravel spinners are in good perfection, with the light, 
dark, and bloa brown, blue and brown drake, are good for 
the Ure—the duns, with the Royal Charlie, are good for 
the brooks, fished with or without the gold and black silver 
hackle. 
The beginning of this month the old smelt begin to pack 
and draw downwards on their passage to salt water, when 
vast shoals make their halts on the tops and hovering parts 
of the streams of the Ure; which affords the Ripon angler 
as animated sport as he can wish. On meeting with a shoal 
on a fine forenoon, at low water, they will frequently race 
each cast at every fly on the stinting.” They take small red 
hackles and flies—the maggot and codbait are excellent 
auxiliaries. The first May flood takes the main body away, 
but many of the largest pass Ripon the latter end of this 
month. 
MAY. 
Hai, smiling May! Queen of the year—robed in bright 
emerald—spangled with garlands of blossoms and flowers. 
She chants her joys in wide spread melody ; and charms 
the light heart of the angler. Myriads of flies flock the 
air; the pregnant waters teem with life; and the tyrant 
trout, night and day, revels and fattens in carnage. 
The merry smelt, in tints of blue, 
Forsakes its home and bids adieu 
To its native streams—their first, best nurse ; 
And to the ocean steer their course. 
(27) As I have previously mentioned in the preface this practice is now put an 
end to by law; the word “stinting” is a local phrase signifying the fly cast. 
