ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 81 



No. 24. The Willow-Fly. — Wings — A dark grizzled cock's 

 hackle. Body — Blue squirrel's fur, mixed with yellow mohair. 



This fly appears very late in the season, and is a favorite with some 

 good anglers. 



I have thus gone through the catalogue or list of flies in the colored 

 plate, but I do not desire to be understood as intimating that this list 

 contains a specimen of all the best killing flies. 



Every angler has his own peculiar notion in regard to the best fly ; 

 and the difficulty of presenting a perfect catalogue, will be very appa- 

 rent, when it is considered that there are upwards of one hundred and 

 twenty-five flies which compose the list of various writers ; and as the 

 name of the fly of one writer bears a difi'erent name and description 

 from that of another, it is more than probable that the name and de- 

 scription of some of the flies in my list may not be in accordance with 

 the views and opinions of many old and experienced anglers. 



It is a mooted question among the very best " fly-fishers," whether 

 an exact representation of the living insect, is necessary to insure suc- 

 cess in angling with the fly. The Scotch flies are not imitations of 

 living insects ; and the best anglers in that country maintain the 

 opinion that it is absolutely useless and unnecessary to imitate any in- 

 sect, either winged or otherwise ; and 1 find that Professor Wilson ad- 

 vocates the inutility of such imitations. 



Professer Rennie says that " the aim of the angler ought to be, to 

 have his artificial fly calculated, by its form and colors, to attract the 

 notice of the fish ; in which case he has a much greater chance of suc- 

 cess, than by making the greatest eflforts to imitate any particular spe- 

 cies of fly." 



The opinion of such authorities tends to shake old settled notions ; 

 and although I invariably endeavor, when dressing a fly, to imitate the 

 livinc insect, still I have seen nondescript flies beat all the palmer 

 hackles, and the most life-like flies that ever graced a casting-line. 



I shall leave the subject where I found it — in doubt — trusting that 

 some more experienced hand, and lover of the art, will, ere long, en- 

 lighten the angling community, not only upon this branch of the sub- 

 ject, but upon the "fly "in general. Every distinct insect has a 

 history full of interest and instruction ; and although some valuable 



