132 BRITISH SPORTING FISHES. 
not one already, thou and all things which live), 
and make thee happy in all zous to come! But 
as it is, such immortality as I can bestow on thee 
here is small return for all the pleasant days thou 
hast bestowed on me.” 
That which Kingsley here expresses for the 
black alder is only an echo of what goes forth from 
the heart of every angler towards a dozen other 
flies which may happen to be his favourite, or the 
“killing ” fly of his own particular stream. Every 
fly-fisher has some speciality with which he has per- 
formed doughty deeds, and how anxiously does he 
wait for his beloved fly to “come on”! As soon as 
the warm weather returns, and the trout begin to 
feed, every month brings its more or less season- 
able flies. Of these gauzy creatures, which con- 
stitute the food of trout, there are myriads ; but of 
course the number of species is comparatively 
few, and, speaking generally, these are represented 
by four great families, representing two general 
classes of flies. The £phemer@ are the “ up- 
winged ” flies of anglers; the P/ryvance the flat- 
winged. But with all the myriad water-flies 
which constitute the bulk of fish food, there are 
a dozen on most streams which carry the angler 
right on through the season. Though what “the 
season” means in particular districts only the 
angler knows. What will kill in one place in 
