SALMON FISHING WITH THE FLY. 201 
see all the colours much plainer, and more distinctly in propor- 
tion as the background was darker. IfI held up the fly ina 
room, I could distinguish the colour of almost every fibre in 
the fly, but when it was dark a white fly was seen plainer than 
any other colour. 
There were certain conditions of sky and atmosphere, 
however, when I was puzzled to distinguish the colours. If 
the sky was not wholly overcast, and there was a great glare 
caused by the sun shining through the broken clouds during the 
summer months, and on a dull heavy day, with a dark murky 
atmosphere, I could not tell one colour from another, but 
I could tell whether it was dark or light. In all states of the 
background I could distinguish black and red better than any 
other colour, and if it is taken for granted that a salmon can 
see a fly as we do, when it is held up to the light in the manner 
IT have explained, it may assist us in the choice of a fly as regards 
colour. 
In clear water, on a bright day, a fly composed of red or 
black, being decided colours and easiest seen, might scare a 
salmon when coming near it, or just about to take it ; therefore 
it may be advisable to use a fly of a neutral or any light colour 
on a bright day. Upona dark day, particularly if there is a 
wind, or should the water be stained after a fresh, as black 
and red are more distinctly seen, the more likely are they 
to attract a salmon’s attention than a neutral colour, and in 
such a case I should say that a fly with a black or dark body 
would be most suitable. It must, however, at best be only 
guess-work. Large, gaudy flies, such as are used on the Shan- 
non, are not suitable for ordinary-sized rivers, and are only 
good for fishing in deep rapids of big rivers, where they are 
more likely to attract the attention of fish than flies of more 
sombre or neutral colour. 
In a deep and rapid stream a black or red fly, of a proper 
size, will be more likely to attract a salmon’s attention than 
any other colour. Whether he would take a fly body, hackle, 
and wings all black, I am not prepared to say, but I have taken 
