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MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. 



A Mr. Oliver, an experienced fly-fisher of England, con- 

 trary to the opinion of many of his brethren, does no' believe in 

 examining the stomach or a Trout to find [he successw fly : he 

 says — « I have often known a red hackle or a dun fly take trout 

 when they would not look at either the artificial or natural 

 May-fly, though hundreds of the latter were at the time skim- 

 ming the surface of the water. No directions for fly-fishing are 

 better than the following rhyme : — 



" A brown red fly at morning grey, 

 A darker dun in clearer day ; 

 When summer rains have swelled the flood 

 The hackle red and worm are good ; 

 At eve when twilight shades prevail. 

 Try the hackle white and snail ; 

 Be mindful aye your fly to throw, 

 Light as falls the flaky snow." 



In some parts of Pennsylvania, a fly called the Professor is used 

 with good success. It is made on a number 4 Trout hook, and 

 is dressed with a bright yellow worsted or silk body, and a 

 light grey mottled wing. 



On Long Island and in the northern part of the state of New 

 York, a bright red fly is often in favor. Red body, red wing, 

 and red tail. A fly called the grey drake, with grey wings, and 

 a transparent body similar to the appearance of a worm, is also 

 used at the above mentioned places. 



Trout are certainly very capricious in their tastes, and there 

 is no accounting for their desires or fancies, any more than for 

 the changeable notions of the angler who pursues them. The 

 best way is to be well prepared, and if plain bread (red Hackle) 

 won't suit them, try them with plum pudding, a fly composed 

 of a variety of bright colors. 



