196 



are more simple, less gorgeous in golden pheasant top- 

 knot than the English and Scotch, and for sea trout and 

 the trout of Long Island and the ocean coast the red 

 ibis is in vogue, while it is generally discarded on inland 

 waters. The latter peculiarity has been explained on the 

 theory that trout having access to salt water take it for 

 shrimp. There is only one objection to this explanation ; 

 shrimp are red, it is true, but only after they have been 

 boiled, and as trout do not boil their shrimp so far as we 

 know, the resemblance to an ibis is lost. 



We cannot within the limits of this work give rules 

 relating to the colors and make of the innumerable flies 

 that are used ; for that a book equally voluminous would 

 be needed, but there are points in reference to their size 

 which must be borne in mind, and partial directions 

 that we can give for their tying. For large, turbulent, 

 rough waters, and early in the season, large flies are 

 needed, but in bright, summer weather on clear streams 

 or ponds they should be as small as they can be made. 

 There is a regular natural gradation between these 

 points. In Lake Superior, a large, coarse, red hackle 

 made " buzz " as it is called, that is, with the hackle 

 standing 'but the whole length of the body is probably 

 the most killing. For Caledonia brook and the ponds of 

 Long Island, in the day time during July and August, 

 it is only the smallest midges made of various colors 

 that will take at alL On dark days larger flies may be 

 used than in sunshiny weather. 



In disposing the three flies on the leader or casting 

 line, the largest should be used as the upper dropper 

 and the smallest as the stretcher. This arrangement 

 will maintain the taper of the line and make them- fall 

 more lightly on the water. The gat lengths that fasten 

 the droppers to the leader should be short, the upper 



