348 SALMON AND TROUT. 
with it, and rising fish only a few yards apart as far as one 
could see. Some of the heaviest fish I have ever killed in 
Hampshire have been taken with this fly ; still I have never 
been satisfied with any of the imitations I have yet devised. 
The body is of delicate greenish olive, legs a pale 
watery olive, and the wings distinctly blue, like those of 
the Indian yellow. I have made the body of silk, wool, 
dyed fur, ribbed with gold, and with quill of different 
sorts. I hope some day to hit off the right shade in 
dyeing fibres of the condor’s wing feather, and also to 
discover what will make the best wing. Possibly the 
blue feather from a merlin hawk’s wing might do, or 
perhaps the coot’s wing might solve the mystery. It 
must not be a soft feather which sucks up water and 
gets sodden directly, for the natural fly sits up and rides 
cockily on the water, and no half-drowned imitation can 
ever do much execution. I am convinced we have not 
got the right pattern yet. 
Hook, © or 00. 
XV. THE LITTLE SKY BLUE. 
This is a splendid grayling fly in August and September ; 
in fact, all free-rising fish take it well in the warm autumn 
mornings from ten to midday. 
Body: Pale straw colour, of silk, quill, or fur. I have killed 
well with all three, but silk I like least, as it changes 
colour after it is wet much more than other materials. 
Legs and Whisks: Light honey dun. 
Wings: A pale delicate blue, best imitated with a jay’s wing 
feather. 
Hook, 00 or 000. 
XVI. THE RED TAG, 
This is generally regarded as a grayling fly, but at times it 
does wonderfully well among trout. The brighter the day and 
