ifiKEiev GENERAL UfiRARY uNivtMiTt or CAlirOKNIA u ^ ^^^y'it^ , y,/. 6^jm<. y Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/britishanglingflOOthearich BRITISH ANGLING FLIES. ^k^^^k^^^ LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO., STATIONERS' HALL COURT. RIPON : \V. HARRISON, MARKET-PLACE. 1862. INDEX. At the time this book was written, the angling flies were a mixed mass, without order or class, and without any descriptions of their kinds, sizes, shapes, or colors. Their names were a chance medley given by the anglers of diiFerent streams, and what they were called on one water would rarely distinguish them on another. After years of examination of the flies for the purpose of imitation, it was observable that several of them were of the same shape, but difiering in their sizes and colors, and that several more were of another shape, varying likewise in their sizes and colors. This hinted the system of separation according to shapes and construction, which divided the mixed mass of flies into seven distinct parts or classes. Researches were resumed each succeeding season, so long as any of the aquatic or land flies that are of interest to the flyfiisher could be met with. They were generally taken alive, and were closely examined, measured, drawn, and described, and placed to their respective classes. This ultimately severed the mixed mass, and gave to each individual fly in the classes a " local habitation and a name." The design and order of their structure was by the great Architect that made them : He formed them in classes, and stamped each class with its own peculiar family likeness. IV1842053 U. LIST OF FLIES. After the flies were divided into classes, it became necessary to give an appropriate name to each class, in order to distinguish them. Their names are as fol- lows : — PAGE. 1st Class, Browns.— From the prevailing color, which is brown, more or less mingled with orange and yellow. The Stone fly is the largest of the class, and superior trout fly of the angler's list. There are eleven species, all termed Browns. . . . . . . . . 2 2nd Class, Drakes. — Named by the flyfishers of yore. The Drakes are the only class that have protective skins when they leave the water, in which they can fly about and cast off at leisure. Casting changes their color, and to appearance doubles their number. There are about sixteen difi'erent species, all of the name of Drake. The green, grey, and brown Drakes are the largest types of this class . . . . . . 3 3rd Class, Duns, are named from their colors of deep sable hues to the light tinges and shades of an even- ing summer cloud in the setting sun. There are seventeen species, all named Duns, of which the red Dun is the largest species . . . . . . . . 5 4th Class, Spinners, are named from their round shoul- ders, long small bodies, narrow wings, and long legs. There are twelve species, all of the name of Spinners. The type of this class is the Jenny Spinner, or Harry Longlegs 7 5th Class, House Fly. — Named from their resemblance to the House fly. There are seven species termed Flies .. .. 8 6th Class, Beetles. — Nine species of their common name 9 7th ,, Ants. — There are two species of their common name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 INDEX. 111. Few of the flies in these classes bear the old conven- tional names, which do not fall in with this arrange- ment ; most of them having been given without regard to distinction or description. The terms "Browns," *' Drakes," " Duns," and " Spinners," are significant and proper, and are of very ancient usage by flyfishers, but the misapplication of them has ever caused great confusion. Thus all the " Drake" class, except the green and grey, before casting their skins, are com- monly, bat erroneously, termed " Duns," and after casting, " Spinners." The terms " Dun" and "Spin- nner" are misapplied ; they and the other class names can only be applied to flies of their own shape and class. In the following list every fly is surnamed after its class; which distinguishes its shape, and the ad- ditional name or names given from color or other peculiarities, distinguishes one species or fly from another, and gives their sizes and colors, as ^^Red Brown," ^^ Golden Legged Beetle," ^^ Sand Fxy," &c., &c. FEBRUARY. CLASS NAMES. DISTRICT NAMES, &C. PAGE. 1st, JVecrf/e Brown .. " Spanish Needle," ** Willow Fly," or the " Withy Fly" 11 2nd, Early Brown . . '* Dark Brown," " Winter Brown," ** Inside of Woodcock's wing " ., .. ., 13 3rd, Little Early Brown 13 4th, Early Spinner .. .. ., .. .. 14 5th, Grated Spinner .. " Spider Fly," '* Sand Gnat" 14 6th, Red Brown " Red Fly," " Coch-y-bonddu" of Wales 15 1^. LIST OF PLIES. MARCH. CLASS NAMES. DISTRICT NAMES. PAGE. 7th, Early DtiN 17 8th, 5/Me Drake .. ** Blue Dun" .. .. 17 9th, Orange Drake . . ** Red Spinner." The Blue and Orange Drake are one and the same fly ; the Blue Drake casts her skin and becomes the Orange Drake ; casting her skin changes her color, but it does not transform her shape — she is a drake fly both before and after casting. Nature seems to have fitted out the Blue Drake with three coats. When she is not dismayed by cold days, she casts one by one early in spring, and strips into buflf towards summer, a rich lemon color. . • .. .. .. .. .. 18 loth, Golden-legged Beetle .. .. .. .. 19 11th, Tortoise Shell Beetle .. .. .. .. 19 12th, Heron Spinner 19 13th, Royal Charley Brown ^ .. 20 14th, Cow Dwwy Fly .. "Lion Fly".. .. 21 15th, Brown Drake .. " March Brown," ** Dun Drake," in Wales the " Cob Fly" 22 16th, Amher Drake .. " Great Red Spinner;" "Spin- ner" is misapplied to any of the Drake class . . 22 17th, Light Brown .. ** Outside of Woodcock's wing".. 23 18th, 5/ac^ Fly .. .. "Midge" .. .. 23 APRIL. 19th, Afo^/ecf Brown .. 25 20th, House Fly .. .. .. 25 21st, Blue Bottle Fly . . " Flesh Fly" . . 26 22nd, Grannam Dun . . " Green Tail" . . 27 23rd, Spinner .. *' Jenny Spinner," " Harry Longlegs" 28 24th, Stone Fly Brown .. " Stone Fly," "May Fly" in the Northern Counties .. .. .. •• 29 INDEX. CLASS NASiES. DISTRICT NAMES. PAGE. 25th, Male Stone Fly Buowii .. " Stone Fly Jack" .. 32 26th, Bee or bank Fly 33 27th, Iron Blue Brake .. " Iron Blue" .. 33 28th, Pearl Drake . . Iron blue before casting . . 34 29th, Spiral Brown Drake .. ** Checkwing" .. 34 30th, 12e(? Drake .. " Great Red Spinner" .. 35 3l8t, J5/ac;t Spinner .. " Black Gnat" .. 35 32nd, Bio Brown 36 33rd, Little Dark Drake 36 34th, „ Red ,, 37 35th, Hawthorn Fly 37 36th, Red Brown Drake 38 37th, Dark Amler Drake .. Red Brown Drake before casting .. .. .. .. .• .. 38 38th, Sa«(fe^ Dun .. .. *' Sand Fly" .. 38 39th, JDar* Drake .. " Dark Watchet" .. 39 40th, ,v Red ,, Dark Drake before casting ., 39 41st, Plover Dun 40 42nd, Freckled Dun 40 43rd, ii^A^ Dun .. " Orl Fly," ** Alder Fly" .. 41 • MAY. 44th, Fc/^om; Brown .. " Yellow Sally" .. 44 ^hthy Little Freckled Bj3V .. .. .. .. 45 46th, Least Dun 45 47th, Xi^A^ Drake .. *' Light Watchet" .. 46 48th, ,, Red ,, .. Light Drake before casting .. 46 49th, F«^erf Dun 46 50th, Dark „ 47 51st, Red Dun Suppose "Great Whirling Dun," " Huzzard" 47 52nd, /Serf Beetle .. ., ** Fern Fly" .. 48 VI. LIST OF FLIES. CLASS NAMES. DISTRICT NAMES. PAGE. 53rd, Mealy Brown Beetle .. •• .. .. 49 54th, 5rotf 39 ft 46 jr 51 53 57 52 58 65 73 76 3iiD. — Duns. — The red dun is. the largest of the dun tribes and the representative of this class ; the least freckled dun is the smallest mentioned here. They have two long feelers, small heads, short necks, and small jumped-up shoulders ; their bodies consist of eight or nine joints, is rather longer than the head and shoulders, and a little thicker in the middle ; they 6 THE CLASSES* have two pairs of large wings set near the head, the under ones of some fold double, and all close together along the back and slope down over the sides like the roof of a house, in an irregular triangular form — com- mencing like a point at the shoulders and growing broader to the ends. The top of the head, shoulders, and exposed parts of the folded wings, are in general set with a fine short down, which fringes the edges of the wings, and glistens in the sun with rich reflections ; the under wings and parts are plain ; their thighs are thick and fleshy, their legs long, and set with like small feet similar to the moths — to which they seem akin ; and they sport on the wing much more in the dusk and twilight than in the day time ; they are in general ten- der and susceptible of cold — a warm evening shews many of the species up in great numbers, when they are very active and nimble, flying off" in quick whirls and rounds, and running exceedingly fast. They are a very numerous class, of various sizes, colors, and mot- tles, varying in shade from the light coppery tinge to the deep dun hue of the thunder cloud, which has named them. They are all bred in the water, from creepers, that are enclosed in artificial cases, singularly composed around them for their preservation ; most of them swarm twice a-year. The following species have been under notice : The early Dun Page 17 Granam or Greentail . . . 27 Sanded Dun 38 Plover 40 Freckled " Light . .. . . . 41 THE CLASSES, The Little freckled Dun , ,f Least . ,, Foeted . „ Dark . ,, Red ,, Brown ,, Horned . „ Tufted ,, Dark pied ,, Bustard (white moth) ,, Black . , ,, White- legged ,, Dotterell ,, Fring'd ,, Light pied „ Grey . ,, Little brown . 45 f> 46 47 f> 60 63 64 65 66 ff 70 tf H 75 i> 77 Some of these three classes of aquatics are hatching and on the water throughout the season ; and by their daily appearance become known to the fish, and form part of their daily food. The smooth wings and fleshy bodies of the browns and drakes prevail in streams like the Ure; the duns are oft plentiful and well taken in such as the Laver and Skell. The three classes comprise a store for selection that may serve for every day in the season. 4th. — Spinners. — This class is intended to include those long-legged slender tribes of flies, called here jenny spinners ; the grey spinner is the largest of the class, and the heron spinner the smallest that is mentioned here. They have small heads and smaller necks, large rounded shoulders and small cylindrical bodies : con- sisting of about nine joints, from two-thirds to three- fourths the length of the fly. They have in general 8 THE GLASSES. two small feelers and a small trunk or brush at the nose ; they have six long small legs, and a pair of long narrow wings : some slanting upwards from the shoulders ; others laying horizontally on each other over the back. In cold weather they are weak and fly heavy, but when warm and suitable they take lofty flights. There are vast varieties of them, many of very delicate texture and rich colors. Some are bred on land and some in the water ; and all are very natu- ral and attractive to fish. The early Spinner . Pagb 14 ,, Gravel (spider fly) ff ,y Heron . . . . . 19 ,, Spinner 28 „ Black (gnat) . . , . 35 „ Spotted 51 ,, Little spotted ff „ Grey .... 52 „ Black and Yellow . . 59 „ Black tf ,, Blue (gnat) . . 60 „ Late Black (gnat) . . 77 5th. — House FiiY. — The flies of this class resem- ble the house fly in having large heads, thick shoul- ders and body, which is about half the length of the fly, with a pair of clear oblong wings which lie flat or horizontal, and point more or less from the body. They are principally bred on land, but being exceed- ingly numerous, many fall casually on the water and are taken by the fishes. THE CLASSES. 9 The Lion Fly (Cowdung) . , Pagb 21 ,, Black (or midge) . , . .23 ,, House 25 „ Bluebottle 26 ,, Bee or Bank .... 33 ,, Hawthorn . . . . .37 ,, Oak (woodcock or downlooker) . 50 6th. — Beetle. — The outer parts of the beetle are hard and shelly, and the shoulders are united to the body by a flexible joint which enables them to turn and steer ; the fore legs are attached to the shoulder, and the other four to the shelly breast plate. They have two pair of wings, the upper ones hard, which stand close to the shoulder plate, and fold over a pair of soft ones and the upper parts of the body. They are of an ob- long or oval shape, more or less flattened. Many of them are bred in the water, and are very natural food for fish ; and are a very numerous class. The colors and sizes of the following species are very attractive, and suitable for imitations for the small flyfisher. The golden -legged Beetle , . Page 19 Tortoise shell . . . . '* Red 48 Mealy brown . . . . .49 Brown " Soldier 50 Sailor 61 Jumper ..... 64 Bronze 77 7th. — Ant. — The Ant genus, which includes the pisimire tribes, consists of many species, that live in 10 THE CLASSES. communities, often of immense numbers, and are dispersed over the fields and in the woods, in places of their own peculiar choice. A portion of each commu- nity are annually furnished with wings; and in the summer season, at their appointed time, fly ofl" and leave the colony as bees do their hives, when numbers fall on the neighbouring streams and are readily nipped up by the fishes. The working portion of the com- munity have large hawk -like heads, and large oval bodies — which are united by two or three comparatively very small shoulder joints, to which their legs are attach- ed, but those that have wings appear to have but one jumped-up shoulder, as thick as their bodies, and uni- ted by a small, hair-like link ; they have two jointed feelers, which they make constant use of, and run ex- ceedingly fast. Some species have one, and some two pair of thin glassy wings, which fold flat over the back and reach beyond the end of the body ; the top ones are the length of the Ant, Their colors vary, shading from black to red and the lightest amber. They are brilliant little gems on the top of the water : sparkling with short gilded reflections, and rich transparencies. Descriptions of these two species may suffice for the whole ; their most striking difierence being but in size and shades of the above colors. The red Ant Fly , . . . Page 68 ,, black ,,..... 70 On Creepers .... Page 104 On Hackles 113 Artificial Flies 118 END or THE CLASSES. THE LIST OF FLIES. FEBRUARY. The feathered choristers resume their song — the starv- ed trout begins to stir as winter retires, and he courts the genial currents — Grayling glide in the calms, and Smelt abide in the deeps. Few are the flies and short the intervals of flyfishing during the days of February — an hour or two before, and after noon, opens and closes the sport for the day ; and often for days, and sometimes the whole month, the weather and water forbid flyfishing. 1st. — The Needle Brown. — Full length*, a quarter to a quarter and one-sixteenth ; length, short of a quarter ; wings near a quarter, which close very small over the body with a brown horny shine upon them; of lighter or darker shade, and dim transparency ; shoul- ders and body dark brown and shiny. Some shew orange at the joints, thighs, legs, and feelers, from a light fleshy grizzle to a dark red brown, dim transparency. This is their winter appearance ; as the season ad- vances they vary from this description in both sizes and colors ; in April they come out of the water in great • " Full length " is the length from the nose to the ends of the folded wings, where they lie close over the back like the stone fly, &c., and extend beyond the end of the body. " Length " is the length of the flies in parts of an inch, measured from the extremity of the face or nose to the end of the body. C 12 LIST OF FLIES. numbers, and when just hatched, their legs are of a hair-like fleshy grizzle, and the folded wings a glossy steely blue, and bio transparency; the females have a dim orange line running down the back ; when in full perfection their bodies are a rich orange color, with a black spot on each joint, along each side, which indi- cates their time of breeding ; when their full length is three-eighths and some to half an inch ; they are the smallest of the brown class, and the most durable of all angling flies ; they are hatching nearly throughout the year, and are the flyfisher's daily companion ; in se- vere frosts the warm sun draws them out and enables them to take wing ; they increase as the summer ad- vances, and in autumn are the most numerous of all the aquatic flies, and are excellent for grayling and smelt to the end, when they are left alone to face the rigours of winter. On the Nidd they call them the Spanish Needle, from their steely hue and small lengthy appearance. Some, probably the males, leave the wa- ter when their wings are only in the bud, and may often be seen this month and next, running on the tops of posts and large stones, by the water sides, when the sun shines warm upon them. Their bodies are imitated with fine bright orange or yellow silk, more or less waxed, shoulders darkest ; various feathers are used to represent the wings ; bio from under the judcock or snipe ; brown from the water rail or swift ; purple from the cock pheasant's neck ; and the blue grizzle from the rump of the field- fare, dressed hackle-wise, with a few fibres of fine fleshy grizzle hair or fur wrought in at the breast, but all must be very small. FEBRUARY. 13 2nd — The Early Brown (dark or winter brown,) — Full length, near or about five-eighths of an inch ; length, from three-eights to three-eights and one-six- teenth ; wings and feelers near half an inch ; head, shoulders, and body, a dark brown soil color ; legs and thighs a dark red brown dim transparency; wings, when folded, have a dark brown grizzly hue and horny shine upon them, broken with dark veins, and three or four wavy stripes across, of a darker shade, which are more or less visible ; the under sides dark, when looked through singly to the light are of a dim brown transparency, shewing the dark veins. They com- mence hatching the beginning of this month, and con- tinue to the end of April. Body, head, and shoulders, orange silk, waxed ; fea- thers, for wings, from under the wing of the woodcock, of double shade of color, with a few fibres of dark red brown mohair wrought in at the breast, for legs. 3. — The Little early Brown. — Full length, three -eights to half an inch; feelers and whisks, one- eight to one-fourth ; head, shoulders, breast, and body, dark brown, and rather shiny, with a slight down upon them, which reflects in the sun a deep gild ; feelers, legs, and thighs, a dark, dim, red brown transparency, with faint deep gilded reflection; folded wings, a grizzly brown hue, veined, and of a brown transparency. They are broader than the needle brown, and probably males to the early brown ; they hatch the beginning of this month, and continue through April. Hackled with a feather, from under the swift's wing ; body, orange silk, waxed, with a few fibres of red brown mohair at the breast. 14 LIST OF FLIES. 4th. — Early Spinner. — Full length, near three- eights ; length, better than one-fourth ; wings, full one-fourth, fine, and clear, veined lengthways, and tinged light brown ; thighs and legs, long and small, of a dull reddish transparency ; is a very slender fly ; hatches this month, and continues through April ; body and shoulders a light leady grey color. Winged or hackled with a feather in the redwing's wing ; body, yellowish ashy silk ; legs, a dark red brown hackle ; must be drest very small and slender. 5th. — Gravel Spinner (Spider Fly). — Full length, about a quarter of an inch ; wings lie one upon ano- ther over the back, and extend a little beyond the body ; they are fine and clear, but when closed have a darkish blue shine upon them ; body, a dark ashy leaden hue rather lighter at the joints ; legs, a dark grizzly brown, dim transparency ; is a thicker fiy than the early spin- ner, and much darker in color. Commence hatching this month. Body, lead or ashy colored silk ; winged or hackled with a starling's feather or the blue bio of a crow, with a few fibres of dark brown mohair at the breast. This description is of the early hatchings of the gravel spinners, just after they come out of the water. In the beginning of May they assemble together in great numbers, on dry sand beds by the water sides, where they may be seen in quick rambling motion. Their full length is then three-eights to three-eights and one-sixteenth ; length, three-eights ; wings, three- eights, which, when folded, lay one upon the other over the back, and extend a little beyond the end of FEBRUARY. 15 the body ; they are then of a brown tinge and transpa rency, with dark veins ; head, shoulders, and body, a dark leady color ; a glass shews a few fine short hairs or down on the body, which reflects in the sun copper or gild ; legs, a dark brown dim transparency — the hind ones five-eights in length. They are out from morning until near night ; and are excellent flies du- ring their existence, which may be until near the end of spring. They are usually hackled with a feather out of the woodcock's wing, lead colored silk, and legged with a black red hackle or coppery silk, tinged with water rat and a few fibres of red brown mohair, but must be made smart and fine. 6th. — The Red Brown. — Full length from half an inch and one-sixteenth to five-eights ; length, better than three-eights : feelers, three-eights to half an inch ; wings near half an inch, which are of a light red brown ground broken with veins of darker, and three faint fleecy patches of darker shade, which run across, the most distinct in the middle. As the summer advances they grow lighter in shade ; the under side of the fold- ed wings, of some, appear as light as the outer skin of a dried onion ; when looked through singly to the light, the red brown tinge is faint, and all the fly ap- pears of a light red or amber, dim transparency, bright- ening with light; head, shoulders, and body, a light red brown, with touches of darker shade ; legs and thighs a dim, pale-ale transparency ; the males are less, and their colors rather darker. They commence hatch- ing about the middle of this month ; when they are 16 LIST OF FLIES. darkest in color ; and continue to the end of April. They are fine trout flies, and in March and April very numerous. Wings, from the landrail, or a slightly broken fea- ther from a light freckled brown hen, or selected from the brown owl ; orange or yellow silk for body, with a few fibres of mohair or squirrel's fur, at the breast, in imitation of the legs. Note for February. — These are the earliest hatchings of the aquatic angling flies, and the first of the season to raise and cheer the lone trout — the har-^ bingers of his better days ; the warm sun draws out the firstlings of these hardy families ; and they increase in numbers as the season advances, and the weather per- mits. They may be fished, especially the browns, in the middle of the day, when the weather and water suits, with the black silver and golden hackles. MARCH. March brightens the dark brows of old winter — the sun's increasing power confronts resisting frosts and storms ; and in the strife of elements, their subtle agent the shifty wind, blusters or breathes their mute decrees — if his bright eye illumine the eastern horizon, chill winter yet prevails — still, sols charioteer, drives on animating and restoring, with new life, and often MARCH. 17 Trout rise voracious in the wild March day, And hungry homer in the snow storms prey ; Smelt sports in his prime, his second winter past ; Flies follow flies in thick succession fast ; Nature revives ; animation crowds the land ; And the sport lengthens as the days expand. 7th. — The early Dun. — Full length from three- eights to half an inch ; length, one-fourth and one-six- teenth ; feelers, three-eights ; the closed wings are brown, of the cinnamon cast, which, with the head, are laid aad fringed with a fine down, which glistens in the sun with coppery and gilded reflections ; there are some with lighter marks or staddles, on the top parts of the wings, and light spots round the end. The body- is a copper bottom, tinged on the back and belly with light purple or blue dun, leaving a line of lighter on each side, which is characteristic of most of the duns ; legs, a light reddish brown, dim transparency. They hatch the beginning of this month ; and are out in the afternoon and evenings of warm days — their eggs are a cream color. Winged with slips from a feather from an old bronzed brown hen, or selected from the brown owl ; legged with a few fibres of gingery squirrel's fur or mohair ; body, copper colored, silk tinged with water-rat's blue fur. 8th. — Blue Dkake (blue dun). — Length, near three-eights ; wings, three-eights ; whisks, a quarter to half an inch, with two small short feelers ; top of head, shoulders, and down the back, a bluish ashy hue, of lighter or darker shade, upon an orange bottom ; rather lighter along the sides ; along the breast and 18 LIST OF FLIES. belly, and on the edges of each joint ; thighs, a light grizzly hair-like transparency, with a gleam of amber, and darkening to the feet. Wings, faintly veined, longitudinally, and of a dim transparency, of a fine smoky blue tinge. When the fly is held to the light, its tinges and reflections are of a light grizzly blue cast. Slips, for wings, are generally selected from those of the starling ; body, orange silk, tinged and dyed with fox-cub down, and two or three fibres of amber mohair. The blue drake hatches the first of the drake tribes — commencing last month, if the weather be open ; and it is very probable she continues through the sea- son ; she hatches on fine days, in good numbers, from nine or ten in the morning to three or four in the af- ternoon, and continues a favorite leader through the spring. Like all the drakes, she is most successful when fished in her natal garb, at the time she is hatching ; she is a hardy fly, and will hatch in cold wea- ther, if it be tolerably dry and open ; when there is oft good sport, for the flies are benumbed with the cold, and cannot clear the water, which is their natural propen- sity to do, as soon as they are hatched ; and the fishes avail themselves of it. The blue drake is darkest when first hatched, and soon casts her skin, when she is all- together of a lighter shade and smarter fly — she also casts it and becomes the orange drake. 9th. — Orange Drake. — Dimensions about the same as the blue drake, but more smart and slim in its appearance, and altogether of an orange color ; tinged dusk on the top of the head, shoulders, and down the MARCH. 19 back; wings, clear and sparkling, with orange reflections. Body, orange or yellow silk, with orange or golden tinged cock's hackle, for wings and legs. 10th. — Golden legg'd Beetle. — Full length, about a quarter ; outsides all black and shiny ; legs, a barley sugar color and transparency, which, in some, sparkle in the sun with brilliant glistenings of pale gold ; the under wings are soft, fine, and transparent, tinged with the color of the legs. They are bred in the water, and come out the beginning of this month, and take wing on fine days, through the season. They may be found under loose stones by the water sides. Wings, from the gilded feather in the magpie's tail ; body, a strand or two of the same ; legged with a few fibres of honey or gold colored mohair. 11th. — Tortoise Shell Beetle. — Full length, about a quarter ; top wings, brown, with four marks or spots of a lighter shade, and, when looked through to the light, resemble the lights and darks of tortoise shell ; body, dark brown ; thighs, an amber or dull ale color and transparency, darkening to the feet. They are bred in the water, and may be found with the golden legs to the end of the season, but are not so numerous — query, are they male and female ? Wings, slips from a rankly freckled feather from the woodcock, moorcock, or snipe ; body, orange silk or magpie's gilded harl, with a few fibres of amber mohair, or squirrel's fur, at the breast, in imitation of the legs. 12th. — Heron Spinner. — Full length about one- 20 LIST OF FLIES. eight and one- sixteenth ; length, about the same ; wings, one-eight ; when they come out of the water their colors reflect the ashy blue shades of the heron, which, with their shape, brings that bird to mind ; the wings are very fine and clear, they slant down the sides, similar to the duns, but they are rounded on the top edges, and, when looked down upon, appear of a fine rich blue color; thighs, a pale, dim, yellow transparency, darkening to the feet ; their shoulders are round ; body, small, and legs, long ; with a small brush at the nose. As the season advances they become yellower ; they come out of the water in great numbers this month and next, and may be found under stones close by its side, and on spider webs. They are good for old smelt. Dressed very fine, with small, pale yellow silk ; wings, from the blue feather of a kingfisher, or blue titmouse ; legs, pale yellow mohair. 13th. — Royal Chaelie. — Full length, about half an inch ; length a quarter to a quarter and one-sixteenth; wings, three-eights, which, when closed, are of a light ashy ground, broken and crossed into checker work, with dark veins, the under sides glossy, dark, and woody ; when held to the light, the ground is clear ; the dark veins of the top one's are back shaded with darker, and there are faint cloudy patches of the same hue ; shoul- ders, head, and body dark brown, and shiny, which in the females become more or less orange ; thighs and legs, a tortoise shell mixture of light orange and dark brown ; the dark at the joints. Hatches in good num- bers this month, and is an excellent day fiy into May. MARCH, 21 Head, shoulders, and body, orange silk, more or less waxed ; wings, a partridge grey feather from the side of the breast, that are tinged brown ; legged with a freckled hackle from a red or yellow-dun hen. The following artificial fly, called the Royal Charlie, and which named the above, has been proved a good fly in the Laver, where the Roj^al Charlie is numerous, and may be rep- resents them. Crimson silk, head, shoulders, and body, with a small piece of macaw's scarlet feather at the last joint ; black hackle for legs, and wings from the mottled tail feather of a partridge. 14th. — Cow Dung (or lion fly). — Full length from three-eights to half an inch ; length, near three-eights ; wings, a quarter to three-eights, which are thin and transparent, of a red brown to an orange tinge, towards the shoulders ; the top of the head, and shoulders re- flect shades of ash brown and orange, with black bris- tle-like hairs on the shoulders ; body, and th?ghs, appear dusky, in a covering of flne short hair of an orange or gold color ; breast and sides of shoulders hairy, and of the same hue ; the cheeks of some look as if gilded ; eyes, red brown ; legs, a dim orange tran- sparency, set with a few small black hairs. Orange silk with gold colored mohair and squirrel's fur, mixed, for body ; wings, from the landrail ; yellow or ambry hen hackle, for legs. The cowdung flies are bred on land, and are exceed- ingly numerous, in the fields among the grass, to the end of the season. They are a savage fly, preying upon others ; and from their strong shoulders, black bristly mane, and tawny hide, might be called the lion 22 LIST OF FLIES. fly. They fly much about and are often blown, or fall casually, on the waters, when their rich colors, reflec- tions, and size, are natural and attractive to fish. They are most conspicuous this month and next, and from September to the end. 15th. — The Brown DRAKE(March brown). — Length near or about half an inch ; wings, half an inch to five- eights, which are of a dim light brown, ground broken with strong dark lines from the shoulders, crossed with fine ones, and cloudy patches a shade or two darker run across ; top of head, shoulders, and down the back, a light ashy brown, touched with darker upon an amber bottom, showing a line of lighter along each side, and around the lower edge of each joint ; a slant- ing dark line crosses each joint along the sides ; breast, and belly, a light shade of brown of an ambry tinge ; legs and whisks, a light ambry brown and dim trans- parency. Wings, a feather from under the wing of the hen pheasant ; body, yellow silk, with a few fibres of light fur from a hare's ear, wrought in at the breast. The brown drake commences hatching the latter-end of this month, if the weather be very favorable. She is a favorite leader with the craft through the spring ; next in size and importance to the head of her class, the fairy queen or green drake, to whom she resigns her supremacy ; she casts the brown badge and becomes the brilliant amber drake, or the largest of the red drakes, erroneously called spinners. 16th. — Amber Drake. — Size of the brown drake; MARCH. 23 wings clear and sparkling, with red and amber tinges and reflections ; body, a rich orange or amber color ; the dark marks and slanting dark lines on the sides, distinct and clear, of a dark red brown color ; legs and whisks a dim amber transparency ; eyes, dark. Is the most splendid in colors of any of the drakes, and may sometimes be seen almost as large as the grey drake. Body, bright orange or yellow silk, with eight or nine open rounds of dark red brown wound upon it ; winged and legged with a red or amber cock's hackle, with a few fibres of amber mohair wrought in at the breast. 17th. — Light Browns. — Full length near or about five-eights, or about the same as the dark brown, which the craft distinguish by ^' inside and outside of wood- cock ; " top of head and shoulders, dark and shiny ; body and breast darkest brown, which becomes more orange ; thighs and legs a dull ale transparency, dark at the joints ; the closed wings appear of a light brown ground, broken with veins ; and four fleecy stripes across, of a darker shade. When looked through are of a light bloish brown, dim transparency. Commences hatching this month and continues into summer. Legged and winged with a feather from outside of woodcock's wing ; and orange silk for body ; and a few fibres of mohair or squirrel's fur, for legs. 1 8. — Black Fly (or midge). — Full length about one- eight ; shape of the house fly, but rather darker, and folds the wings one over the other ; are very numerous 24 LIST OF FLIES. through the season, among the grass, &c., being bred on land, and may often come on the water ; but their diminutive size renders them of little use to the fly- fisher. Material for imitation similar to those of the house fly, but much smaller in size. Note for March. — The sudden changes of this fitful month sometimes conduce to the success of the hardy flyfisher, that bides the pelting of the pittiless storm — the aquatic flies hatch in fine mornings, in in- creasing numbers, but if cold gusty storms come on they are benumbed and readily nipt up by hungry grayling or the half- fed trout ; they have tasted of top food, and a natural fly on the water rarely escapes them. All the browns mentioned, and the blue drake, are good for this month, every day the weather will allow them to hatch or come upon the waters. The needle dark brown and blue dun are the hardiest, and will bear cold weather the best. The red browns become most numerous, and with the dark browns, are in full force, hatching and breeding. The light brown and Royal Charlie are favorite trout flies, and all new comers soon become known to the fish, and their favorites should be met on their first appearance, which shall be noted each month, as near as observation warrants ; for the fish will naturally taste the various flies that of- fer themselves, and feed on those they like best. These flies, which are all aquatic except the cow dung, form nearly all the top food of the fish at this part of the season ; for the land flies and insects have scarce come into being, or are so numerous as to come upon the waters. They may be fished with the black, silver and golden, hackle, during the middle hours of the day. APRIL. Sol wins the ascendancy, and blunts the sharp teeth of rebellious winds — withered winter vanishes in flowery green and woodland music — the welcome swallow halts on her native chimney, while thick around descend the vital sparks. Stick to the streams fisherman, while spring invigorates the game. Trout squats by sharp streams and in ambush cheeks the rapids, hungry and bold he dashes unerring at the passing fly. Grayling woo in the gravelly draws — disturb or take them not. The royal samlet deserts the narrow limits of his native home, and joins in shoals to seek dominion in encircling seas. The waters pour their winged progeny into air. Among the rest, fishermen ! take heed ! the imperial Empress comes. 19th. — Mottled Brown. — Full length about half an inch ; length, better than a quarter ; wings near three-eights, which, when folded, appear of a red brown ground veined and spotted, or mottled with darker, like the feathers in a partridge's tail ; shoulders and body darkish brown ; legs, a tortoise shell mixture, dark at the joints ; is hatching this month and continues through the next. Body, shoulders, and head, orange silk ; wings and legs a partridge's tail feather, red, spotted with darker. 20th. — House FxLY. — Full length near three-eights; length, a quarter ; wings, a quarter, which are clear 26 LIST OF FLIES. and transparent, of a brown tinge ; eyes large and brown, set in a rim of silver ; shoulders, a mixture of dark stone and brown ; body, stone color, which, with the shoulders, are hairy, and reflect in the sun tints of various colors — blue, green, etcetera. Thighs and feet dark brown ; legs, a dim ale transparency set with small black hairs. This is a description of a fine one taken in a wood by the Ure side ; they vary in their sizes and colors. They are bred on land, and are out ex- ceedingly numerous, every day from morning 'till night throughout the season, and are well taken by the fishes whenever they come upon the waters. Hackled with a blackbird's feather, for wings and legs ; body, brimstone colored silk, with a small portion of fine black hair or fur, worked in. 21 ST. — Blue Bottle (or flesh fly). — Full length, half an inch or better; length, three-eights; wings, three - eights, which are clear and glassy, of a darkish blue tinge, a point of light stone or bees' wax color at the setting on of the wings ; head, shoulders, and body, a rich dark glossy blue, with rich reflections, and shifting shades of light blue, etcetera — which are thinly set with dark blue or black hairs. Eyes, brown ; nose, cheeks, and chin, a light bees' wax hue, with deep reflections ; legs and breast, blue black, and hairy. During the season they are found of various shades, some, top of shoul- ders and the back, checkered with squares of dim stone, mingled with blue and bright, wath moving shades and rich reflections. They are land flies, breeding daily throughout the season, and are out from morning 'till night. They are not much used artificially ; their APRIL. 27 larvae, the maggot, is a well known natural bait. They may be imitated with threads of light and dark blue shining silk or Alpaca wool, wound on the arm- ing, for body, shoulders, and head; fastened at the head with orange or yellow silk ; hackled with a cock pheasant's purple neck feather, for wings and legs. The fly from the clapbait is exactly of the same shape as the blue bottle, but larger, and near the same color, except the wings, which are orange at the shoul- ders, and the cheeks brilliantly gilded. 22nd. — Grannam (or greentail). — Full length, about half an inch; length, a quarter and one-six- teenth, which appears longer when the female has her cluster of green eggs about the end. Wings, three- eights and one-sixteenth ; top ones downy, of a light rusty brown tinge and transparency, with faint freckles of darker shade. Head, shoulders, body, legs, and feelers > coppery brown with a blue tinge on the back and belly ; eyes, dark. Commence hatching last month and continues into May. She is one of the cod bait or light colored tribe of duns, and shews herself more in daylight than some others of her class ; hatching in the forenoons, and sporting in small groups over the waters in the afternoon and towards evening. Several species of the duns, the dotterell, black dun, etcetera, come out and sport over the waters from ^ve to near sunset, when other species make their appearance. Winged with slips from a feather out of a partridge or hen pheasant's wing; body, coppery silk, tinged with water-rat's blue fur ; with a few fibres of mohair to imitate the legs ; or winged and legged with a land- D 28 LIST OF FLIES. rail, or slightly freckled feather from a light red brown hen. 23rd. — The Spinner. — Length, half an inch or better, of which the body is three-eights ; wings, five- eights, clear and tinged brown, with a scroll of dark and light near the ends ; top of shoulders and body, brown ; a round spot of lighter shade on the top of each joint, running down the back, which is flanked on each side by one of darker. Sides of shoulders and breast mingled light and dark brown, lead, ash, and azure ; thighs, a dim brown transparency, darkening down the legs, which are very long. There is a smaller species near the same colors : numerous on fogs and grass, in September and October. Body, light brown or fawn colored silk, or even woollen thread, tinged with a mixture of ash, blue, and azure fur, at the shoulders, on a pale yellow bottom. Wings from a feather out of a partridge or hen phea- sant's wing ; legs, a black brown cock's hackle. The spinners are often numerous on the banks of the streams at this part of the season : in the warm months they are larger in size and more brilliant in colors : when their length and wings is five-eights or better ; and the hind legs of some two inches ; top of shoulders and body, a brown ash or reflective fawn color, in some lighter at the joints, others uniform ; the sides of shoulders are a rich light blue and azure, touched with ash, upon a pale yellow bottom — which shew, with the thighs, a rich dim transparency, of a light amber shade, darkening down the legs. The wings a fine rufous brown tinge and transparency, with APRIL. 29 dark veins. In autumn they are exceedingly numerous, and appear to breed on land and in the water, for they are very often rank by the water sides and also in grass fields, particularly in low swampy parts. They are good natural baits in summer and autumn. 24th. — The Stone Fly. — The full length of a fine female is near an inch and a quarter ; length, near or about seven-eights ; feelers and whisks, three-eights ; wings, one inch ; the hind legs, which are the longest, are full five-eights; the diameter across the belly is near one-eight and one-sixteenth, and full that at the shoulders, where the wings are set on. The founda- tion color is orange or yellow, darkened on the upper and prominent parts with brown; the forehead, top and sides of shoulders, a dark tortoise-shell mixture of orange and brown; body, yellow; each joint uni- formly marked, at the top and sides, with brown ; throat, breast, and belly, dull yellow, with faint touches of brown ; legs, feelers, and whisks, a lightish brown and dim transparency. Top wings, when closed shew veiny, of a brown grizzly hue and horny shine ; when looked through to the light, are a dim transparency of a light brown tinge, shewing the dark veins; eyes, dark. She is imitated with brown bear's hair and yellow camlet. Body, yellow camlet, with eight or nine open rounds of dark brown floss silk, or camlet thread warpt over it ; head and shoulders yellow camlet, darkened on the upper parts, etcetera, with the brown bear's hair ; wings selected from the feather of a wild drake, partridge, or hen pheasant ; legged with hair or 30 LIST OF FLIES. a stiff hen hackle. The stone fly brood commence hatching the begin- ning of May, and continue for three or four weeks — the time when they may be got — and by the middle of July the generation is swept off for the year. Some few, which are generally rather less in size, hatch this month in advance of the main body — which generally appear in these waters about the eighth of May ; and the latest that have been seen, were on the fourteenth July — when the flyfisher may wish her good bye. She is the head of her own class, and the Imperial Empress of all trout flies ; her size and nutritious qualities, whereof the trout feeds to satiety, and it is said per- fects his condition, has no equal. Her name is famous among anglers ; but few arrive to the extent of her merits. She comes out of the water during the day, and creeps to concealment under stones by its side — hence the origin 'of her name ; and where she may be found. Her gi-izzly brown appearance is dull, and she is unseemly to the sight ; Nature's brilliant touches are not there ; and, as if conscious of her plainness, she shuns the light, and is seldom seen by day ; after sunset she comes out, for her sports and enjoyments are chiefly in the dusk and twilight of night and early morn ; the whole family are then in motion — fly- ing about — running among the stones, and paddling upon the waters. It is then she feeds the trout, and gives the last finish of perfection to that beautiful fish. Her unpolished colors are the same as his ; she feeds him from her infancy : the creeper at the bottom and the fly at the top of the water, are both his favorite food, and she unconsciously meets him in the height APRIL. 31 of her pleasures and greatest numbers, at the very time and place of his murderous prowl. It might seem that our great Creator, amidst his animated masses, threw in the sequestered devoted stone fly a peck for the trout, as the burnisher of his beauties and his chief nourisher in life's feast. The stone fly is in general fished natural, for which herself, like all others, is the truest teacher. Unlike the green drake that rarely uses her legs on the water, but moves with the current, the stone fly seems at home on its surface ; she drops and runs upon it with the same ease and freedom she does on the ground — trotting and making her way across or down the streams, and lands where she lists, perfectly dry ; it is thus she presents herself to the trout — paddling in quick motion, lively and dry, in various directions on the water; and the angler must present her to him in the same way as near as he is able — with a tough springy rod and a line about the same length, two- thirds of it fine strong gut. Move, unseen, with easy motion up the stream, and dab the fly with precision on the eddies behind stones, or other places of succour where the trout takes his station ; or let it glide free and natural down on the current over his likely haunts ; never drag it against the stream (unnatural for any fly) or sufier it to drown ; but succour and recover it by by easy lifts and gentle jerks, to keep it on the water alive and dry ; for a dead fly hanging at the hook like a piece of wet moss, will not be taken on the top ; and a good artificial will maintain its appearance better in the water. No time need be lost, for the stroke of the trout is often quicker than the falling of the fly ; 32 LIST OF FLIES. if he refuse at first sight, he rarely stands bantering, try about, hit the mark, and preserve the fly — be handy with the net, and days may be seen for every fly a trout. Fish early and late, as darkness will allow, and on drizzly days, which sometimes brings the flies out. At times of flood, in May and June, trout are very vora- cious, and screened by the thickness of the water, cry havoc among minnows, bullheads, etc. ; but when the flood has subsided and the waters are brown, the stone fly comes in with great force. She is a true trier of skill, and probably the best test of the general merits of the flyfisher. Each rustic craftsman along the banks of the winding streams, where the true art and science of flyfishing is best known and practised, greet with glee the presence of the stone fly — she fills his pannier with the finest trout — replenishes his pocket, his pipe, and his pot — then in the village fo- rum the happy angler sings and recounts achievements glorious — ** O'er a' the ills of life victorious." Walbran, of Mickley, says he killed a trout about one and three quarters pound weight, that had a hundred stone flies in its stomach. The author killed one with the minnow soon after sunset, in brown water, in the mill race above Skellbank, which weighed near two pounds, and had in his stomach four large bullheads and a great old mouse, which all seemed as if just ta- ken, but did not satisfy the trout, for he ran twice at the minnow which cut short his evening forage. 25th.— -The Male Stone Fly is less in size and APRIL. 35 rather darker in color ; shews more gild in the sun, and is extraordinary quick on the legs, but short in the wings, which do not reach the end of his body — pro- bably to confine him to his native element. The craft unanimously prefer the female. Materials for his imitation may be selected from those for the female. 26th. — Bee or Bank Fly. — Full length, half an inch or more ; length, from three-eights to half an inch ; has four narrow wings, a quarter and one-six- teenth, which fold flat over the back, clear and tinged brown like those of the honey bee, which the fly re- sembles. Head, shoulders, belly, and legs, hairy, of a red brown or hoary grey color ; back, dark brown and shiny, with a ring of lighter on the edge of each joint. They breed in soil banks by the water sides ; there are great numbers in the bank opposite Fishergreen, which is full of their small holes. They come home loaded, like bees, on the body and thighs, with what they collect from flowers — which gives them a rich orange hue. They continue nearly through the season, and are out from morning 'till night. Body, brown silk, dubbed and tinged with yellow fleshy grizzle and hoary grey fine hair, or fur from the fox-cub, squirrel, etc. ; blackbird's feather for wings ; and red brown mohair or hen hackle, for legs. 27th. — Iron Blue Drake. — Length, a quarter ; wings, a quarter or better ; of a dark blue bio dim transparency. Legs, whisks, and middle joints of the body, are of a light grey azure transparency ; head. 34 LIST OF FLIES. shoulders, and end joints, a dark brown. She hatches through the day, and continues in succession nearly through the season. She is a hardy little fly ; a great favorite, and in good numbers on the waters daily. She casts her skin and becomes the pearl drake. Dark brown silk for the head, shoulders, and two or three last joints of the body ; and light blue grey for the middle joints ; hackled with a water rail or water- hen's small leady breast feather ; with a few fibres of light blue-grey fur from the fox-cub, to imitate the legs. 28th. — Pearl Drake. — Size same as the iron blue, but smarter, and a little more slim ; wings, sparkling and glassy, with a light pearly tinge, or nearly color- less transparency. Eyes, head, shoulders, and the end joints of the body, a fine dark brown ; legs, whisks, and middle joints, a light pearl transparency. They are out and assemble in groups, every day and evening to the end of autumn. Fine coffee-brown silk for the brown parts, and white for the pearl parts of the body ; winged and legged with a glassy silvery cock's hackle. 29th. — Spiral Brown Drake (or Checkwing). — Length, three-eights or better ; wings the same, of a light brown ground, with strong longitudinal dark lines crossed into squares, with small ones, which have named them. When seen through a glass the lines are back shaded with darker, like the Royal Charlie. Body, a darkish ashy brown, with a ring of lighter on each joint, and a light line runs along each side ; whisks and legs, a bio -brown, dim transparency ; eyes, APRIL. 35 some gogling and some cased ; as the season advances they shew distinctly the slanting dark lines along the sides, similar to the brown drake. Body, orange or yellow silk ; hackled, for wings and legs, with a freckled- brown feather from the back or shoulder of a partridge ; with a few fibres of hare's ear wrought in at the breast. The checkwing varies from this description, as will be seen afterwards, for she continues into October ; in the warm months she nearly equals in size the March brown, and is as fine and bulky a fly. The principal distinction is the clouded wing of the March brown, which the pheasant's feather has long represented, and the partridge brown for the trellaced wings of the checkwing. For time out of mind they have been great favorites with the craft — yclept " hare's ear and yellow." 30th. — Red Drake (or great red spinner). — Size of checkwing but smarter ; long fore-legs, long whisks ; wings, glassy and transparent, crossed into squares, sparkling with red reflections ; body, a red or ambry dim transparency, tinged darker on the upper parts and along the sides. Legs and whisks, a red dim transparency ; eyes, round and gogling or cased. Are out in groups in the evenings. Red cock's hackle with orange silk. 31 ST. — Black Spinner (or gnat). — Full length, short of a quarter ; length, one- eight to one-eight and one-sixteenth ; round thick shoulders ; body, tapering to a point, of a dark brown leady or black color. 36 LIST OP FLIES. Some shew faint reflections in the sun. Wings, trans- parent, of a slight brown or neutral tinge. Black silk and starling's small feather. This little aquatic comes out of the water the beginning of this month, and increases daily to immense numbers ; it is often the leading favorite of the fish, and as often the pest of the flyfisher. They are out all day, mustering exceedingly numerous in the evenings until dusk, and continue through summer. They wing and wheel over the whole face of the water in dry and warm times, rousing the fish ; when the best imitation cannot work. Like the small midge and gnat tribes, they may trifle away time, but do little for the pannier. 32nd. — Blo Brown. — Full length, near or about half an inch ; length, three-eights ; wings, three-eights, which, when folded, are of a light grizzly blue tinge, and when looked through are glassy and colorless, with small veins, and a dark patch or blot on the outer edge. Head, shoulders, and body, a brown orange tinge ; legs, a brown amber dim transparency. Is about the sub- stance of the early brown, and commences hatching early this month. Snipe blo feather from under the wing ; yellow or orange silk, with a few fibres of ambry-brown mohair at the breast. 33rd. — Little dark Drake. — Length, about a quarter ; wings, a quarter or better, altogether of the hue of the water-hen's breast. When held up to the light the middle joints of the body shew lighter, like the iron blue, but the iron blues are a blue grey, and APRIL. 37 the little dark drake a dim red. Eyes, dark and cock- ling. She commences hatching about the middle of this month, and continues through the summer ; then she cast her skin and becomes the little red drake. Winged and legged with a small feather from the water-hen or water rail ; body, orange silk, waxed. 34th. — Little red Drake. — Length, a quarter; wings, a quarter or better, clear and transparent, with red tinges and reflections. Shoulders, red ; body, a red lemony dim transparency ; eyes, red brown, large and gogling. Long whisks, which stand square, and long fore-legs, of a red light-brown dim transparency. Muster in groups towards evening. Pale orange or dim yellow silk, and red cock*s- hackle feather. 35th. — Hawthorn Fly. — Full length, from three- eights to half an inch; length, nearly the same. Head, shoulders, body, and legs, jet black and shiny, thinly set with black short hair ; wings, fine, of a light grizzly transparency. They resemble the cow dung or lion fly, but are a little more slender, and, like him, is a savage warrior fly — devouring others. They are sheathed, body and limbs, in glossy black mail, haunt- ing hawthorn trees and hedges. They are bred on land, making their appearance the latter end of this month, and are gone by the end of May. Head, shoulders, and body, black silk, with black seal's fur or mohair, twisted or wrought in ; winged with a light neutral feather from the snipe or starling; with a black hen-hackle for legs. 38 LIST OF FLIES. 36th. — Red Brown Drake. — Length, about three- eights ; wings, rather more ; in outline and clouded wing it resembles the brown drake, but is less in size, and its colors all darker ; the wings resembling the mottled red feather in the partridge's tail. Body, orange, with dark red brown marks on the upper parts; legs, a dim ale or amber. Hatches the latter end of this month, and casts her skin, when she becomes the dark amber drake. Dressed with a mottled red feather out of the par- tridge tail, and orange silk, with a few fibres of orange or amber mohair at the breast. 37th. — Dark Amber Drake. — Length, three- eights ; wings rather more, which are clear and glassy, with deep orange reflections ; body, rich orange bottom, marked distinct, with a good portion of rich dark brown on each joint ; legs, amber. Deep orange hackle for wings and legs ; and orange or yellow silk for body, more or less waxed. 38th. — Sanded Dun. — Full length, half an inch or more ; length, three-eights ; wings, three-eights and one-sixteenth, the top ones, when closed, appear of a uniform palish sandy-red brown. The dark eyes form the only contrast, but on looking closely the wings are beautifully broken with faint freckles, and staddles of lighter on the top edges behind the shoulders, which are more conspicuous in some than in others. Body and legs, a light red-brown dim transparency ; belly, a bees'-wax dull yellow hue. They commence hatching this month, and may be seen in the day time until APRIL. 39 October ; but the great muster of the duns, is from five to seven in the afternoons, and dusk in the even- ings. In the course of the season varieties, slightly difiering, present themselves — the bodies and thighs of some have the purple blush, and shew clear the light side lines ; others have more or less down, or are of lighter or darker shade, but when held to the light, are all from the light colored or codbait tribe of creepers. Bright copper colored silk for body ; feathers, for wings and legs, from the landrail, throstle, or a yellow bronze brown hen, or the brown owl, with or without tinge of water-rat. 39th. — Dauk Drake (dark watchet). — Length, near or about three- eights ; whisks, three-eights ; wings, three-eights, which are of a dark plum hue, crossed into squares with dark lines. Body, dark and rather shiny, of a dim transparency, like the dark rind of a plum upon the orange pulp; dim yellow patches like epaulettes, at the shoulders, and a dark spot on each joint along the sides. The fore-legs of some Tery long, and of a dark ale dim transparency ; whisks, the same ; eyes, dark and cockling. She commences hatching the latter part of this month, and afterwards becomes numerous, with variations, to near the end of the season. She is a celebrated fly, of the first order of aquatics — the *' dark watchet " or " water-hen and orange " of the craft. Orange silk, and water-hen or water-rail's breast feather, or from under the wing. 40th. — Dark bed Dkake. — Size of the dark drake* 40 LIST OF FLIES. Wings, clear, with red sparklings ; shoulders shew the yellow epaulettes ; the dark parts almost black ; back, a reddish brown ; dark at each joint, which shew most along the sides ; belly, light brown, lightest at each joint; legs, a red brown ale transparency — the fore ones of some the longest ; eyes, cockling or cased. Are out in the day-time and evenings. Body, orange silk, and red cock's-hackle for wings and legs. 41sT. — Ployer Dun. — Full length, from three- eights to half an inch ; length, better than a quarter to three-eights. Top wings downy, of a rusty brown ground, with light freckles on the upper edges, and gilded reflections in the sun ; under wings a uniform bio tinge, and fringed. Body, a leady hue ; legs, a white yellow. Is something like the early dun, but has been observed to hatch freely the latter end of this month and the beginning of May. Hackled with a freckled bio feather from the golden plover ; for wings and legs, copper-colored silk, tinged with water-rat's blue fur. 42nd. — Freckled Dun. — Full length, better than half an inch to five-eights; length, three-eights or more ; wings, better than half an inch, the top ones a dark red brown ground and transparency, with longitu- dinal dark veins ; and beautifully freckled with marks and spots of a fawn or buff color. Light side lines, broadest next the shoulder ; back, belly, thighs, and legs, a dark, reddish ash or lead color — the two last joints of the body darkest ; eyes, dark ; the side lines APRIL. 41 light copper color. This is a fine dun fly, the produce of the stickbait. They appear to hatch twice a-year, commencing this month ; and are plentiful in May and June, and again in September and October. After hatching they may be seen flying about, in the day-time ; their eggs are an amber color. Winged and legged with a freckled feather from the moorcock ; and orange silk or copper colored silk, for body ; winged with slips from the moorcock, and legged with moorcock's hackle ; body, tinged with water-rat's blue fur. 43rd. — Light Dun. — Full length, better than half an inch to five-eights; length, three-eights or more; wings, better than half an inch, the top ones near the shade of the outer skin of a dried- onion, with faint mottles and crossings a shade darker; body, thighs, and legs, a light bees'-wax hue and transparency ; eyes, dark or black. Is altogether of a light dim ambry tinge, and dim transparency. This fly is the produce of the codbait. They com- mence hatching this month, and are plentiful in May and June, and again in autumn ; but are out most in the dusk of evening. There are varieties of them, some darker freckles and smaller size. The artificial cases of some of the codbait tribe, have small particles of vegetable substances mingled with those of stone, attached to them, which may impart a darker shade or freckle to the files. The largest codbait creepers, when the case is covered with particles of stone only, produce the largest and lightest colored flies. 42 LIST OF FLIES. They are imitated with feathers from the landrail, brown owl, dotterell, brown hen, etcetera ; with tawny, coppery colored silks, of lighter or darker shades. Note for April. — This genial and life-cheering month teems with sport for the flyfisher. Hungry trout and smelt in abundance, unscathed through win- ter and the streams ample, they forage and feed with- out fear or scruple. Any of the flies hitherto described that may be hatching or on the water, may be fished this month; the needle, dark, light, red, mottled, and bio brown, with the Royal Charlie ; the blue, brown, check- wing, iron blue, dark brown, and dark Drakes; the plover, freckled, and light duns, etc. ; or in the language of the craft, who have handed down the feathers rather than the flies — the snipe bio, inside and outside of woodcock, landrail, partridge tail, partridge grey, fox-cub, hen pheasant, partridge brown, water-hen and orange, plo- ver bio, moorcock, brown owl, etcetera. By those tra- ditional materials the craft along the banks of the streams, both imitate and distinguish their flies, which are the finest of the aquatic tribes for small flyfishing, and are all in full force hatching and breeding daily. The weather affects them : a fine warm time sets them all afloat ; cold, coarse days, retard the tender tribes, which, as they can snatch portions of sunshine, when the wily trout, wide awake, sees all that passes and snaps his favorite victim. The gravel spinners are in good perfection, with the light, dark, and bio brown, blue and brown drake, are good for the Ure — the duns, with the Royal Charlie, are good for the brooks, fished with or without the gold and black silver hackle. MAY. 43 The beginning of this month the old smelt begin to pack and draw downwards on their passage to salt water, when vast shoals make their halts on the tops and hovering parts of the streams of the Ure ; which affords the Ripon angler as animated sport as he can wish. On meeting with a shoal on a fine forenoon, at low water, they will frequently race each cast at every fly on the stinting. They take small red hackles and flies — the maggot and codbait are excellent auxiliaries. The first May flood takes the main body away, but many of the largest pass Ripon the latter end of this month. I MAY. Hail, smiling May! Queen of the year — robed in bright emerald — spangled with garlands of blossoms and flowers. She chaunts her joys in wide spread melody; and charms the light heart of the angler. Myriads of flies flock the air; the pregnant waters teem with life ; and the tyrant trout, night and day, revels and fattens in carnage. The merry smelt, in tints of blue, Forsakes its home and bids adieu To its native streams — their first, best nurse ; And to the ocean steer their course. E 44 LIST OF FLIES. From briny waves, their sires' domain, Their native streams cannot detain — Cheerily the striplings journey forth, The heirs apparent and lords of both ; But grieve not, angler, to loose such store, They '11 never cease to bring thee more. Drakes, in their swadlings, tempt the trout by day. And in the evenings in new dresses play. Browns, beetles, spinners, during day come on — Duns, moths, and th' Empress, after day is done. Tribes of busy house flies,- and nameless numbers 'bound Rank in the woods — the grass — the air — the ground ; And numbers, unconscious, on treacherous waters light. Which, struggling on its surface, tempt the fish to bite. Through this gay month the Empress feeds the trout, Joined by the fairy ere the month be out. Of all the viands this rich season brings, These, the trout's choice : whence his perfection springs ; Re-rich his gildings — his spotted sides expand — But dire 's their havoc, when in true angler's hand. 44th. — Yellow Bkown (or Yellow Sally.) — Sizes vary. Full length, from three-eighths to half an inch or more ; length, three-eights more or less. Colors alto- gether yellow, of paler or deeper shade, except slight touches of brown on the head, shoulders, and body ; eyes, dark or black. They commence hatching with the month, and are very numerous to the end of July ; are out on fine days from morning 'till night. They are a small smart fly ; but, the Razor Grinder says " they taste bitter, and fish don't like them." Hackled and legged with a small canary or yellow MAY. 45 oriel's feather ; body, yellow silk ; with a few fibres of yellow mohair, or hair from the hare's ear, for legs. 45th. — Little Freckled Dun. — Full length, about three -eighths; length, rather less ; wings, one quarter and one-sixteenth, which, when closed, are of a dark brown ground, rankly spotted or freckled over with dull yellow or buff color ; with gilded reflections in the sun ; under wings, a snipe bio hue, fringed at the edges ; top ones, when looked through, a blue-dun tinge ; shoulders, body, feelers, thighs, and legs, cop- pery, with its blue tarnish of lighter or darker shade. They are very like the feeckled dun, but much smaller. Commence hatching with the month, and are out numerous most part of the day and in the even- ings, through summer. Wings, a rankly freckled feather from the snipe or judcock ; tinged and legged with blue-dun fur. 46th. — Least Dun. — Full length, about one-eighth of an inch. Top wings downy, fringed and freckled like the goat-sucker, and glistening in the sun with coppery and gilded reflections ; legs and body, a dark cloudy dun, which grows more coppery as the season advances ; under wings plain and fringed, of a uniform blue-blo tinge. They are the least of the dun tribes, and like others of its size, scarce worth the angler's notice. They commence hatching with the month, and continue in- creasing through most of the season. In September they are out most of the day, and are exceedingly nu- merous and brisk in the evenings ; they run very quick. 46 L.IST OF FLIES. and their appearance is like a piece of dark down. Body, small copper-colored silk ; winged and legged with a neck feather from the golden plover. 47th. — Light Drake (light watchet). — Length, a quarter to near three-eighths ; wings, the same, of a fine light smoky-blue tinge and transparency : the veins and crossings slight. Head, shoulders, body, feelers, and legs, a dim yellow — some have three whisks* and a little darker, and some a shade darker generally. From their varying in sizes and shade there may be two species of this beautiful little Drake. They begin to hatch early this month, and may be seen nearly through the season. They cast their skins and be- come a light red drake. Blue-dun feathers from a tern or sea swallow, for wings ; body, yellow or straw colored silk ; with a few fibres of amber fur, from the squirrel, at the breast. 48th. — Light red Drake. — About the size of the light drake. Wings exceedingly slight and colorless, scarce visible but for their slight red sparklings ; body, light red or amber, a shade darker on the back ; legs and whisks, a light dim red; eyes, cockling. Are out in the day-time and evenings. Fine small red cock's-hackle for wings and legs ; amber silk for body. 49th. — Fceted Dun. — Full length, better than half an inch ; length, three-eighths ; feelers, three-eighths ; wings, near half an inch, slightly downed, and of a MAY. 47 darkish chesnut brown tinge and transparency, veined, and slightly freckled with sparklings of gold in the sun. Head, shoulders, back, and belly, a dark leady dun, with light coppery side lines ; legs, coppery, with its tarnish of blue — when taken has a singular smell. They commence hatching the latter end of April, and continue through June, increasing to great num- bers ; and may be seen after sunset sporting by the water sides — flying among the willows, and running along the battlements of bridges. Wings from the landrail or the light chesnut feather from the cock-pheasant or the brown owl ; body, cop- per colored silk, tinged with water-rat's blue fur ; wdth a few fibres of light coppery mohair, or from the hare's ear or squirrel. 50th. — Dark Dun. — Is in appearance altogether a dark dyed fly, almost black. Full length, five- eighths ; wings, better than half an inch, with a horny shine upon them, very veiny and much crossed ; when looked through, shew the dark veins on a dim brown ground. Head, shoulders, legs, and body, dark brown. Hatches the beginning of this month, and continues through June ; after hatching flies about the water in good numbers, in the day-time. Winged with a dark feather from the moorcock ; brown silk for body ; legged with a dark brown hen hackle. 5 1st. — Red Dun. — Full length, seven-eighths to an inch ; length, half an inch to five-eighths ; wings, three- quarters to seven-eighths ; the top ones above a quarter of an inch across the broadest part. Color altogether 48 LIST OF FLIES. a light red ambry hue and dim transparency ; the up- per wings slightly broken with faint freckle, lines, and marks ; under-wings plain, and fold up double ; body, fleshy, nearly cylindrical, and better than half the length, shewing the light side lines. They vary in shades and sizes — the spring flies, called musk flies from their musky smell, are of a lighter shade. In September they are more of a cinnamon hue : some shew more freckle and darker ground. Wings, slips from the landrail, brown owl, or red dun hen ; with coppery or amber silk, for body ; legged with a red dun hen hackle. The red dun is the largest, and master fly, of the aquatic dun tribes. She hatches during this month and again in autumn, when they are very numerous ; but like the stone fly, she is seldom seen out in the day time, but creeps into the cracks and crevices of soil banks, overhanging sods, etc., where she may be found by beating them ; in the dusk of evening they come out and sport on the wing, probably through the night. She is a fine fleshy fly, but not much noticed by the craft. 52nd. — Red Beetle.- — Full length, about half an inch ; length, the same ; wings, near three-eighths, of a red brown tinge and amber transparency ; legs, back, belly, and breast, dark or black ; head, shoulders, sides, and thighs, red as a boiled lobster ; eyes, black ; feet and feelers, notched — feelers, black at the ends ; under wings, veined and shaded with light and dark bio. Comes early this month, and continues through the next. MAY. 49 Amber feather from the cock -pheasant's breast, for wings ; body, orange or yellow silk, tinged with the mole or water-rat ; with a few orange and black fibres of mohair at the breast ; or hen hackle for legs. 53rd. — Mealy brown Beetle. — Full length, bet- ter than half an inch ; top wings, a grey mealy brown, with very little transparency ; under wings, fine and clouded light and dark bio ; body, thighs, neck, chin, and feelers, a rich deep orange ; centre of the belly and remaining parts, a dusky brown; eyes, black. Are numerous among the grass, in the fields, by the Ure side, the middle of this -month — numbers were seen in the pasture opposite " Skittergate." Wings, from the grey brown feather from a mallard's wing; orange silk for body, tinged with water ■ rat ; legged with a yellow brown hen hackle, with a yellow stripe down the middle. 54th. — Brown Beetle. — Full length, about three- eighths ; length, near the same ; top wings shiny, and of a darkish bronze or red brown, and dim amber transparency ; head, shoulders, body, and legs, black ; legs notched ; with a thin hair upon them, and on the other parts ; under- wings, tinged at the shoulders with amber, which shade into a leady bio to the ends. They have two black feelers, with a tuft at the ends. Are very numerous, flying about in the day-time among the grass and on the hedges, from the middle of this month through June. Wings from a red brown hen, of ambry transpa- 50 LIST OF FLIES. rency ; body, black floss silk ; with a black hen hackle or black mohair, for legs. 55th. — Soldier Beetle. — Full length, various, three-eighths more or less. Color altogether red or am- ber, of lighter or darker shade, except the ends of the top wings, which are tipped with black, and of a dim amber transparency ; under- wings clear, and of a bio brown transparency ; veined and clouded with lighter and darker shades ; eyes, black. Are numerous among the grass the latter end of this month and into July. Wings, a small amber feather with the black top from a cock-pheasant's breast ; body, amber or yellow floss silk ; with a few fibres of orange mohair or hen hackle, for legs. 56th. — Oak Fly (or downlooker). — Length, better than half an inch ; wings, near half an inch, of a light red brown ground and dim transparency ; darkest on the outer edges, and marked vvith patches and spots of lighter or darker shade ; head and shoulders a leady ashy color ; body, a bufi* or bees'-wax hue and transparency ; with a black spot on each joint along the back, and a small black line on each side, the three last joints darkest. Belly and thighs buff, darkening to the feet; breast, dark ; eyes, brown. Is a land fly, found often on the buts of oak, ash, or other trees ; generally with their heads downwards ; and may often be seen in great numbers, flying about the hedges, from the middle of this month through June ; and is a fine fleshy and rich colored fly — sometimes fished natural. Dressed with various materials : wings from the woodcock or partridge ; or winged and legged with a MAY. 51 bittern hackle, or a yellow brown freckled hen ; body, yellow or pale amber silk, with open rounds of deep redjbrown; shoulders, tinged with water-rat or squir- rel's ashy fur. 57th. — Spotted Spikner. — Length, half an inch ; wings, half an inch, of a light transparent ground, beautifully spotted with rich dark brown, and reddish towards the shoulders, which, with the body, are of an ashy leady hue : with green and various reflections ; some are a fine light blue or azure, darkest on the edge of each joint ; thighs, a red dim transparency, dark- ening to the feet. Appear the middle of this month, and continue through June. 58th. — Little Spotted Spinner. — Full length, three-eighths; length, a quarter and a sixteenth; wings, the same color as the spotted spinner ; clear, marked, and spotted with dark brown; body and shoulders, darkish brown, with gilded reflections in the sun ; legs, a light brown , dim transparency. Is out in the after- noon and evenings, from the middle of this month through June. Rankly freckled feather, of neutral ground, may be selected from the wild mallard or teal, for the wings of these tw^o flies, which are nearly similar in colors ; body, dull yellow or fawn colored silk, tinged with fine blue fur ; red hackle for legs. 59th. — Black Drake. — Length, various, from one-eighth and one-sixteenth to three-eighths. Is the darkest of the drake tribes, altogether of a leady black hue. Commence hatching the middle of this month ; 52 LIST OF FLIES. and continue through June and July. They cast their skins and become the black red drake. Hackled, for legs and wings, with a dark leady fea- ther from the coot or water-hen; body, red or crimson silk. 60th. — Black ked Drake. — Near the same size as the black drake, but smarter. Head, top of shoul- ders, and body, a deep red or black brown ; shewing orange or yellow at the joints, sides of shoulders, and setting on of the legs. Belly, a dim amber ; legs and whisks, a dim ale transparency ; eyes, large and dark. The drawing was from one taken oiF a spider's web ; the wings tied to the tail by the spider's threads. Black red cock's hackle, or purple feather from the cock -pheasant's neck, for wings and legs ; orange silk for body. 61 ST. — Gkey Spinner [see spinner class]. — Length, one inch more or less ; wings, the same, which are of a brown transparency, with patches of lighter shade, branched and crossed, with dark veins. Shoulders, thighs, and breast, shades of ash, with dark marks ; body, a greenish ash, with dark touches along each side ; when held to the light the middle joints shew a dim transparency ; thighs, lighter, darkening down the legs. Is the largest of the spinner class, not numerous, but may be sometimes seen on the banks of the streams, from the beginning of this month into July. They are not imitated for small flyfishing — the hind legs of some measure three inches. Slips, for wings, may be found in those of the wood- MAY. 53 cock or hen-pheasant ; with fawn or amber colored silk or Alpaca woollen thread, for body, etc., tinged with blue-dun fur ; and legged with a black red hackle. 62nd. — Green Drake. — Length, various, from three-quarters to seven-eighths, may be the medium ; wings, nearly the same, which are of a light grass green ground, and dim transparency ; veined and crossed with darker lines ; two or three small blotches near the middle. Head and shoulders, a light grass green hue, with touches of darker at the sides ; and a dark blotch on the back and on the sides of each joint of the body, darkest on the three last joints ; legs and whisks, a dim light green tinge and transparency. Hackled, for legs and wings, with a light colored mottled feather from the wild mallard, that is stained the ground color of the wings of the fly ; body, pale yellow-green smooth woollen thread, warpt with eight or nine open rounds of darker shade. The green drake is the superior fly of the drake tribes. All the genus are bred in the water — first an egg, then a creeper: the green drake remains in it above ten months. About the twenty-fourth of this month the forward creepers are matured ; and from ten o' clock 'till four, on fine days, rise to the surface, when the struggling fly splits open the creeper case at the shoulders, and draws out its body, wings, whisks, and legs, as it floats on the current. When all the parts are at liberty, up springs on the wing the new hatched fly, like a water nymph in fairy green — leav- ing the empty creeper skin on the water, an exhausted senseless slough. In this way, while the sun's beams 54 LIST OF FLIES. (the accoucheur general) shine warm on the water, the unseen drake creeper is metamorphosed into a beautiful fly, which the eye catches springing up from various parts of the water, when we wonder from what or whence they come ; but on looking close, the empty creeper skins will be seen floating in the places. Each succeeding day, for three or four weeks, continues to hatch them until the whole family are brought into this breathing world. Her first flight is heavy but shortened by the first tree, grass, or bush, she can light upon. She springs from the bosom of her cradle and her nurse, surrounded by dangers, the reckless swallow often traps her in her first flight. She floats on the current majestic, the little "lady o' the lake ; " oft' on the brink of eternity — for, beneath, her deadliest enemies lie watching in her track ; and in her short sail — with scarce time to breathe her new element — she is waylaid and gulped by the reckless trout. Es- caped these dangers, the green drake reposes under the leaves of trees and plants, in her green garb, which is the covering nature has bestowed upon her to protect her tender frame, on its first encounter with the air and its changes. She soon grows strong and splits open her green covering, at the shoulders, in the same way as she did the creeper case, and casts it off*, and probably shortly after a second, which clears away the green, and she becomes the grey drake. The green drake is fished both natural and artificial ; and at the time she is hatching is as peerless for trout, in the sunshine, as the stone fly is in the shade. The large trout feed deliberately on them both ; they are cotemporary and rule by turns, the empire of the MAY. 55 stream. The glories of the stone fly are chiefly in the dusk of night and early morn, when she hath no com- peer. The green drake holds her court in the full blaze of day, in undisputed majesty Queen of the streams ; which, in clear waters, renders her less suc- cessful to the angler, for the clear eye of the trout catches every thing that flits within its vision — the form of the fisherman — the wave of his rod — or the appendages to the falling fly, will rouse his fears, and scare him from his food ; but on sunny days and dark waters (when the green drakes are hatching) every trout is on the watch — hovering in the current like a kite in the air — wheeling from side to side, to snap the passing prey ; and so intent upon it the imperial Em- press may trot over their heads unnoticed. It is then the natural fly fills the craftsman's pannier, and the trout she kills are in their full prime and splendour. The green drake is plentiful in all the streams of Ripon — the mill races and dams, which in summer are well stocked with trout, abound with them — particularly above Bishopton mill, where the trout are the finest in the neighbourhood, when feeding on the green drake. She is tackled and fished natural, similar to the stone fly, sometimes two on the hook, the heads contrary way ; thrown lightly on the water and left to the motion of the current. On fine calm hatching days artificials have little or no chance, but may succeed on breezy days and stirring -waters. On a sunny afternoon early in June, I was sitting by the side of the millrace just below Bishopton mill, enjoy- ing a slight luncheon. To please my children, who had brought it, I told them to catch me one of those flies, 56 LIST OF FLIES. and I would catch them a trout — for the green drakes were hatching freely, and lighting on the grass around us. My rod was at hand, I put on a fly and dropped it on the dark water, amidst the silvery foam flakes which marked the main track of the current. It had scarce sailed a yard when it was chucked down, and I hove out a trout ; in a few minutes and in a few yards space, I took out four, from half a pound to a pound each. My time being spent, and wanting no more, I was winding up, when an old craftsman (who had toiled through a Ashless day) dropped upon us, and seeing the four trout alive and jumping in his path, stood amazed, and asked what I had taken them with ; I an- swered, the green drake, but did not add the important point, it was alive. Next afternoon (which was sunny and the drakes hatching) I saw the old craftsman — the late Miles Shepherd — whipping up the mill-race with his usual small fly dexterity, and met him on the spot I had killed the four : '' What sport, Mr. Shepherd." '* Sport, M 1, why no sport at all ; I went to Jackey Stubbs, and he dressed me a green drake, and they wont touch it — I reckon '' nowf of your green drakes," and making no stop, away walked the disappointed an- gler ; and, I believe, never troubled the fishery more with the green drake. John Stubbs' imitations are bad to equal ; and Miles Shepherd was the most successful small flyfisher in all the neighbourhood. In April and May he frequently brought home, from the Laver, his pannier full of trout, some a pound to two pounds weight. He was dexterous in whipping his flies beneath bushes, and over the haunts of large trout. His favorite fly was MAY. 57 the freckled dun, the produce of the stickbait, which he called his " moorcock and spicy silk." But the first generation of the freckled dun had past, or was eclipsed by the green drake, then in full force ; and the artifi- cial green drake in the sunny calm, was in total eclipse by the living fly ; which would have filled a pannier in an hour. Those who practise flyfishing in all its varieties, find, amidst the changes of weather and waters, suitable times and occasions for either ; and neither overrate the one or undervalue the other. 63rd. — Grey Drake. — Size about the same as the green drake, but smarter, and shews her real colors. Wings, transparent and sparkling, of an inky tinge, with dark or black veins and crossings, thickening to the shoulders, the tops of which are dark ; and the spots or marks on the joints of the body, dark and distinct, of a deep red or black brown ground. Body and shoul- ders, a creamy yellow white, dimly transparent ; some with long whisks and long fore-legs, of a light ale tinge and transparency ; case or pellet eyes — which varieties appear in some individuals — of most species of the drakes. Hackled, for wings, with a black cock's hackle ; for legs, fibres of red brown hair ; body, light cream co- lored smooth woollen thread, warpt with eight or nine open rounds of brown floss silk. The grey drake continues the history of the green one ; unencumbered with the green mantle, the grey drake pursues her pleasures with ease and vivacity. She shuns the streams and seeks society ; and soon they draw together in increasing numbers. Towards 58 LIST OF FLIES. evening they muster in swarms in the vicinity of the streams, towering upwards, higher than the eye can see. Each individual fly keeps long on the wing, in up and down motion, rising and falling nearly perpendic- ular ; this is repeated each evening until the females leave the society, and repair back to the waters, which is often their destruction, but the salvation of their offspring. She fearlessly braves all its dangers, hovers over it, and frequently drops upon it to deposit her fu- ture progeny safely on its surface, which seems to be her only care and last enjoyment in life. After laying her eggs she becomes weak and languid ; numbers fall exhausted on the waters and are taken by the fishes, or die. Their continuation as green and grey drakes may be for six weeks, when they disappear for the year — small groups of later flies may be sometimes seen to the end of July. In this manner the blue, brown, check wing, the watchets, and all the drake species have their beginning, career, and end of life. The brood or swarm of each species, at their appointed times, burst from their creeper skins at the top of the water, sport their short lives, and make their exit similar to the green and grey drake. 64th.— White Drake. — Length, about one-eighth, altogether white, except a brown dab on the top of the shoulders ; wings, rather broad, and shew pinky tints ; body, thickish, with three whisks. After casting is much smarter, and the dab on the shoulders a fine ru- fous or red brown. There is another variety of the same size, but a pale blue color : both are too small for the purposes of the angler. MAY. 59 This little peri, like a small atom of waxwork, is the smallest of the drake tribes mentioned here. They come out of the water on warm afternoons, and may be seen in great numbers from six to seven o' clock, in serene and sunny evenings ; when they will alight on the fisherman's garments, and cast their skins on his hat or coat. Numbers may be seen on the battlements of bridges, etc., the latter part of this month, and nearly through June. It is curious to see how dexter- ously they slip off their skins with their fore-legs, as " sharp," says the Razor Grinder, " as a lady doiFs her bonnet and shawl." 65th. — Black and Yellow Spinnek. — Length, half an inch to five-eighths ; wings, about the same, which are fine and transparent, of a rufous brown tinge, with dark veins, and a small staddle near the end ; head and top of shoulders, a fine bright yellow, with a black line down the back and belly, and black spots along each side. The shoulders are large, some freckled black and yellow, at the sides. The females are the largest and the colors not so perfect ; in many the yel- low is dull, and the black, brown. They appear the latter part of this month, and are out, daily, until even- ing, into July. There is a smaller species, about three- eighths, nearly the same colors, and out much in the evenings. Wings, slips from the woodcock; body, shoulders, and head, yellow silk, marked and warped with black ; legs, a dark red cock's hackle. 66th. — Black Spinner. — Length, three-eighths 60 LIST OF FLIES. and one-sixteenth to half an inch ; wings, the'same, of an inky tinge and transparency ; and the fly altogether a dull black or dark brown color — except the thighs, which are of a dull ale transparency, darkening down the legs. Appear the latter end of this month, and continue into July. Wings, from the swift, coot, or water-hen ; body, dark brown silk ; legged with a black red cock's hackle. 67th. — Blue Spinner (or gnat). — Full length, near or about a quarter; wings, not quite so long, transparent, and of a blue tinge ; with small longitudi- nal lines, and a black spot towards the end of the outer edge ; body, pointed, and a little more cylindrical and full than the black gnat ; which, with the shoulders, reflect an ashy blue shade, darker on the back ; head and legs, a dark brown. They are bred in the water, and commence hatching the latter end of last month, increasing to great numbers ; and are on the waters through September. Body, light ashy blue silk ; hackled, for wings and legs, with a cock-pheasant's neck feather ; or from the starling or rook. 68th. — Brown Dun. — Full length, half an inch ; length, a quarter and one-sixteenth ; wings, veined lengthways, and, when closed, are of a dark dull brown hue — not very downy, but rather hairy on the shoulders. Body, small, of a dark brown or chocolate hue ; with light side lines ; legs and feelers, a brown ale dim transparency. Hatch the latter end of this month, and are out at seven in the evening, through June. MAY. 61 Slips, for wings, from a brown hen or brown owl ; legged with mohair or hen hackle ; or hackled, for wings and legs, with the same; body,, coppery silk, tinged with water-rat's blue fur. 69th. — Sailor Beetle. — Length, various, from a quarter to three-eighths, or better. Color, altogether red or amber, of lighter or darker shades — except the ends of the top wings, which are tipped with black ; with a dark or black line on the upper edges; and are of amber transparency. Eyes, black ; under- wings, a bio brown transparency, veined and clouded, with lighter and darker — resembles, the soldier beetle — ex- cept the dark or black line on the top edge of each wing. Are numerous among the grass, until July. Wings, amber feather, tipped with black, from the cock-pheasant's breast ; body, orange silk ; with a few fibres of orange mohair at the breast, for legs. Note. — Numerous swarms of different flies now meet their arch enemy, the swift, that, like a winged dart, cleaves their devoted ranks. The angler's list shrinks, when compared with the vast varieties. House flies, spinners, beetles, etc., increase and expand their species far beyond the ken of the flyfisher — -whose skill is often foiled, when the fishes are rising around him at some fly or insect known to themselves only. Many of the choicest species of the three aquatic tribes — the brown drakes and duns are this month in their greatest numbers and virgin freshness ; while trout are exceed- ingly bold and their appetites keen. The needle. Royal Charlie ; light, mottled, and bio browns ; the blue, 62 LIST OF FLIES. brown, red brown, checkwing, iron blue, dark, and light drakes ; also the light and freckled duns, etc., are all hatching and on the water, more or less, daily ; and the gravel spinners in their best perfection. All these are first-rate day flies for trout, and may be used at the times of hatching, or such as are most numerous on the water, or the fish are taking. Any others hith- erto mentioned, may be selected from the list, and tried with or without the hackles. Some of the duns and drakes assemble, on warm evenings, this month ; and lay their eggs on the water, which commences evening fishing. The three superiors — the stone fly, green drake, and red dun — are in conjunction this month. The stone fly commences her imperial reign about the eighth, and the green drake about the twenty-fourth. When the weather is genial, at the times of hatching and coming on the water of these two flies, the trout generally take their fulth of them in preference to all others, when the natural flies only can succeed ; but if rude, westling weather then prevails, it gives good imitations a chance. The red dun is a flne large night fly, when she may be taken ; but she is not much u^sed or noticed by the craft. JUNE. The Queen and empress reign harmonious, and shine resplendent in the gilded sides of the fatted trout ! The travelling stream presents its daily stores, and nightly forages gorge his craving maw ! Stately he glides in his forenoon rounds, and selects his lunch from the browns or checkwing. Drowsy he doses the sultry hours of noon, 'till roused by the Queen to dinner ; and he sups through the night until gorged by visits of the Imperial fly. Grayling cling close to the bustle of sharp streams, but are ever found in the eddies. 70th. — Horned Dun. — Full length, half an inch and one-sixteenth ; length, near half an inch ; top wings, a darkish cigar brown, rather lighter on the main veins, and downy ; head, dark, flat, and downy ; shoulders, a dark brown color, and downy; body, a dark leady color; belly, ashy reflections; thighs, ashy; legs, light brown ; feelers often erected upright, like horns, which has named them. They commence hatch- ing with the month, and are out in the day time and evenings. Wings, slips from a bio brown feather from a snipe or dotterell's wing; body, copper -colored silk, tinged 64 LIST OF FLIES. with water-rat's fur; legs, a light gingery hen hackle or mohair. 71st. — Jumper Beetle. — Full length, about a quarter, plump and thick ; head and eyes, black ; shoul- ders, red ; top wings, a brown red, and of amber trans- parency; under- wings, fine, of a bio brown tinge and transparency ; body, a light red or amber ; legs, notch- ed, and a red brown color : the hind ones long, and seem fixed low on the breast plate near the centre of the belly, as if for jumping, from which they are named. They are most numerous about the middle of next month, and may be found out in the day time, and often on spider webs. Head, black silk ; shoulders and body, bright orange or yellow ; wings, the amber part of a cock-pheasant's breast ; and a light red brown hen hackle for legs. 72nd. — Tufted Dun. — Full length, three-eighths or better ; top wings covered with a light red brown down, which fringes the edges ; and are of a light red snuiFy transparency. Under-wings, thin, and fringed, of a bio brown transparency ; body, a blue dun, with light side lines; legs, a light stone color; shoulders, hairy, with a tuft on the top of the head, which distin- guish and name them. The feelers are a red brown freckle, and dim transparency; they often stand erect, and seem jointed to two short tufts, which stand up- right on the head. They hatch this month, in the middle of the day, and are out in the evenings ; they are often met with under broad leaves by the water sides. JUNE. 65 Wings selected from the landrail, or a red or yellow dun hen ; body, copper-colored silk, tinged with water- rat's fur ; legs, a cream colored hen hackle, or light hairs from the hare's ear. 73rd. — Vermillion Drake. — Length, near a quarter ; wings, near a quarter, which, with the legs and whisks, are of a dim light (almost white) transpa- rency ; shoulders and body, a light lemony ground, of dim transparency, touched and pencilled on the upper parts, with a rich vermillion red. She hatches about the middle of this month, on warm sunny after- noons, and continues into July. She casts her skin, which takes with it the vermillion touches ; when her body and shoulders are of a rich lemon or straw color; wings, clear and glassy, with pinky sparklings. She is a pet of summer, not very numerous, and probably of no use to the angler : her delicate texture and colors are bad to imitate. Small straw or lemon colored silk, and a small white pinky cock's hackle, for legs and wings. 74th. — Dark pied Dun. — Full length, three- eighths ; length, about a quarter ; feelers, near five- eighths, spotted light and dark. Wings, a very dark dun, almost black ; with two small white lines on the upper, and two on the lower edge of each ; and, when folded, the upper lines join and form two small white stripes across the back, tinged blue at the edges. Head, shoulders, body, and thighs, a dark brown dun color, with the light side marks on the body ; legs, and feet, a light stone color. Is hatching this month, and 66 LIST OF FLIES. out in the day time and evenings, into August ; when they may be seen on bridges or on spider webs. Wings from a blackbird's wing feather that has a reddish tinge on the under-side ; body, coppery silk, tinged with water-rat's fur ; hen hackle or hairs from the hare's ear, for legs. 75th. — Black Dun. — Full length, three-eighths to near half an inch ; length, a quarter or better ; feel- ers, five-eighths to an inch. Is altogether of the bright black hue of the crow; the legs and feelers rather browned. Hatches this month. Small groups may be seen flying near the edges of the navigation, at six p.m., through July. Wings from the water-hen, coot, or crow ; body and shoulders, dark leady brown silk ; with a few fibres of dark brown mohair at the breast, for legs. 76th. — White Dun (or Bustard). — Full length, near or about an inch ; length, three-quarters to seven- eighths. The top wings are near seven-eighths, and slant down over the sides, like the duns. The top sides are a glossy silvery white ; the under-sides freck- led with brown ; the other parts are all of a light tawny amber, and yellow shades. The breast, head, shoulders, and body, are thickly laid with a fine down of the same hues ; with a long yellow silken fringe at the back of each thigh. The shoulders are thick, and about half the length ; body and upper parts touched with brown ; belly, of some, bare, and of a yellow bees'-wax hue, ending in a blunt point; the feelers are short, and of an amber hue ; eyes, dark or black. JUNE. 67 Slips, for wings, may be found in the white or bro- ken feathers of the yellow or screech owl; body, etc., light tawny colored woollen thread; legged with a tawny hen hackle. The white dun, or *' bustard " of the craft, is classed with the duns, being nearly of the same con- struction, but is considered a land fly. They appear about the middle of this month, and continue until near the end of July, They are found flying about in meadows and long grass, from half-past nine to half- past ten at night ; when they are taken by the craft and fished natural, with great success ; for large trout take them greedily, in streams- where the stone fly does not come or is on the decline. These large flies are generally fished natural, which is termed " dibbing " or " dabbing." The stone fly, green and grey drakes, and white bustard, are the chief, being all good to get. There is the brown bustard and spotted moth, both night flies, but do not shew themselves in numbers like the others. They come out about half-past nine every fine night, and continue into August. The brown bustard is similar in size and shape to the white : top wings, shades of brown, with zigzag lines and marble streaks ; the other parts red brown, about the shade of the tawny parts of hare's fur. The spotted moth : length, five-eighths ; wings, three-quarters, which it erects like a butterfly, or lays them flat like a moth ; they are of a yellow white ground, spotted with a rich dark brown ; touched at the shoulders and across the broad parts, with yellow. Under -wings, no yellow and less spotted ; body and shoulders, smooth and fleshy, and yellow ; with a black spot on the top of the shoul- 68 LIST OP FLIES. ders and each joint down the back, and black spots along each side. Feelers, three-eighths, which, with the legs, are a red brown dim transparency. There is also a light freckled brown moth, of the [size of the spotted, but more downy, and of the tawny hue. There are other moths out at night, in the summer part of the season, of the dark brown freckle of the nightjar; but the light colored flies are best taken. There is a small long snouted (three-eighths) silvery moth makes itself very conspicuous, from its numbers, from eight to ten on fine evenings, through July ; and sometimes rouses the smaller fish. It often occurs, in both moths and flies, that there are two or three different sizes, all of the same colors — like the freckled, little freckled, and least freckled duns, etc., etc. 77th. — Red Ant Fly. — Full length, three-eighths to half an inch ; length, a quarter to three-eighths ; wings, the same, which are veined, and of a brown tinge ; they fold flat one upon the other over the back, and reach beyond the body. Shoulders and body, thick ; waist, small, which, with the head, are all of a dark red brown color ; legs and feelers, the same ; when held up to the light, shew thick amber and red transparencies. Are altogether glossy and smooth, but a fine short hair may be seen, through a glass, on the parts which, in the sun, throw off short gilded re- flections. They are well taken by the fishes whenever they come upon the waters. This species have but one pair of wings. The shoulders and body are usually formed with a small strand of a peacock's feather, with small red or JUNE. 69 amber silk; with a few fibres of red brown mohair wrought in at the the breast, for legs ; wings, slips from the light brown web of a feather in the snipe or starling's wing. The red ant fly plants her colony on the ground, in or near woods, and often on the sloping banks of rivers and small streams, in dry and sheltered places ; there they find protection and materials for building their City ; which is composed of small pieces of dried sticks, straws, stones, and dead leaves, etc , which they form into mounds or beds, with passages into the in- terior, extending the suburbs as the citizens increase. There are several beds in Mackershaw, on the Skell; and in Magdalen's wood opposite Hackfall, on the Ure. Their sizes vary in different situations ; the largest are found in the dells and sheltered places on the edges of the moors. Near Mr. Calvert's stone quarry, in Skellgill, there are several beds, and the ants are larger than those below. The winged portion begin to leave their colony next month, in vast swarms ; the country people sometimes see them take wing, on warm sultry days, which, they say, is prognostic of wet wea- ther. They are a marvellous insect ; the Supreme has written their everlasting laws, which they all instinc- tively obey ; and the power that entailed labour upon them, made that labour voluntary. There is a large bed just within the low fence of the plantation in Mall White, well worth the walk to see. The scriptural man- date : " Go to the Ant, etc." may be applied generally, for — as well as their lessons of industry — they cannot but create the most lively feelings of admiration and won- der in all who behold them. 70 LIST OF FLIES. 78th. — White legged Dun. — Full length, about three-eighths ; feelers, three -eighths, rankly marked light and dark ; wings, a dark brown dun or choc- olate hue, with light reddish touches; eyes, shoul- ders, and body, dark brown dun, almost black ; part of thighs, legs, and feet, a dull white. When looked through to the light, is of a dark dun bio hue, except the legs, which show light. They are hatching this month, and may be seen through the next and into autumn, flying about the waters, at seven p.m. Wings from a dark broken feather from the moor- cock or snipe ; slaty ashy silk for body ; and a light gingery hackle, with a black stripe down the middle, for legs. 79th. — Dotterel Dun.— ^Full length, five-eighths; length, three-eighths ; feelers, half an inch ; head, breast, shoulders, thighs, legs, and feelers, a dim honey dun tinge, or the hue of the tawny part of hare's fur ; body the same, but tinged leady ; wings not downy, and narrow, close more cylindrical, like the browns ; and answering in shade to the outside of a dotterel's wing ; eyes, dark or black. Hatches early this month, and may be seen wheeling to and fro over the water on fine evenings, at six p.m., through July. Body, etc., copper-colored silk, slightly tinged with water-rat's fur ; winged and legged with a dotterel's feather ; or winged with slips and a few fibres of mo- hair or hare's ear, wrought in at the breast. 80th. — Black Ant Fly. — Full length, about three- eighths and one-sixteenth ; length, near a quarter ; has JUNE. 71 two pair of wings, the top ones better than a quarter ; under-wings, one-eighth and one-sixteenth ; both stand on the shoulder, one just behind the other ; the fore- legs are at the breast of the same shoulder; the other four on the joint next the body. The wings fold flat over the body, and appear of a silvery whiteness, and glassy transparency, with a few small dark veins ; head, shoulders, and body, a black Japan color and brightness ; legs and feelers, dark ale transparency. Wings, a silvery grizzle cock's hackle ; dark, blood red or black, silk, well waxed, for body, etc. ; with a few fibres of dark red mohair at the breast, for legs. The black ant selects for her. dwelling, the roots of large oak or other trees, that are decayed, or have openings sufficient to admit them ; she is constantly busy, and has her time of swarming, like the red ant. There is a community of them within the roots of a large oak tree, that stands close to the stile by the foot path near Masterman's cottage, going to Whitcliffe. Some may be seen with wings, the beginning of next month; they are tender and susceptible of cold, only coming out freely on warm soft days, and most towards evening. Note for June. — This radiant remnant of the spring consigns her vast handiworks to summer, and mazy multitudes of insects are on the wing, both day and night. The rising sun rouses the day tribes, and its setting rays rise those of the night. The Empress and fairy queen enter the month in full force : the Em- press, with her nocturnal allies, revel through the short twilight of night, which is as fishable as the, day. The 72 LIST OF FLIES. amber drake, with all her kindred of red drakes ; the red dun, with all her nightly trains of duns, throng the waters, and are taken by the fishes, through the shades of night; but the princely trout prefers the Imperial fly. The fairy queen, with the day tribes : the browns, drakes, and duns, spinners, house flies, and beetles, revel their rounds through the lengthy light warm day ; but when the Queen appears in sunny splendour, she eclipses all, and foils the craftsman's mimic art ; and, be it remembered, that foul days for the Queen are fine days for the Empress. The vast variety of flies — their various times of hatching, and appearance on the water — with the varying tastes of the fish — render variety the order of the day, extend- ing through the night. On seasonable days, in the morning part, when flies are thin on the water, the black gnat, needle brown, and house fly, may be tried, along with the hackles. In the forenoon the aquatics of last month are hatching and out, when the light, mottled, and bio browns, the checkwing (hatching nu- merous, and probably the best), light and dark drakes, may be tried ; and as they decline, in the afternoon, tribes of smaller flies increase ; when the needle and yellow brown (yellow Sally), little light, and little dark drakes (some in their red dresses), the little freckled dun, black and blue gnats, etc., may be fished until or after sunset, when the larger drakes and duns come out for twilight fishing. Any of these files may be changed for any of the others, during fishing hours, as circumstances may require ; and any that are not taken, change for those that are ; for change and variety is the order of the day. JULY. The stars of the spring are fading, but their splendour remains iu the trout ! Fat and capricious, the gilded monarch selects his fulth from the good things that surround him. When hot droughty days drain the streams to the springs, when flies disperse through the warm air, and soar up aloft \Yith the swallow — the chrystal streams are bare, and bad to lure is the cun- ning quick-eyed trout. Seek him in his brooks and shaded retreats — screened from his view, dib in his round with finest tackle, the living- house fly; in the evenings and twilight ply him with the duns, the drakes, and the moths. After loud thunders and reek- ing rains freshen and revive nature — float over the dark waters, the welcome fly, or jerk in his glimpse, the glishing minnow — nor leave him alone in his glory ! 81 ST. — Spotted whisk Drake. — Length, a quar- ter ; wings, a quarter, which are fine and of a light blue bio tinge ; shoulders, strong, and, with the body, is of dark red brown color ; legs, a pale ale or gingery transparency ; large dark eyes ; whisks, a light hair- like transparency, spotted with dark. 74 LIST OF FLIES. Body, orange silk, waxed; hackled with a small snipe bio feather, or from the tern or sea swallow ; with a few fibres of light red mohair or squirrell's fur, at the breast. After casting becomes a small red drake ; hackled, for wings and legs, with a small red cock's hackle ; orange silk, for body, waxed at the shoulders. 82nd. — Fringed Dun. — Full length, a quarter; length, one-eighth and one-sixteenth ; top wings, a light cigar brown color, and bloish transparency, fringed long at the edges ; legs and body, a red brown trans- parency ; eyes, dark. Are out and hatching in the day time. May be hackled with a feather selected from the dotterel or sandpiper ; copper-colored silk, with a few fibres of hare's ear or squirrel's fur, at the breast. 83uD. — Orange Brown. — Full length, better than half an inch ; length, about three-eighths ; feelers, a quarter, notched light and dark; eyes, small and dark; top of head, shoulders, and closed wings, appear of a middle brown, of an orange tinge ; shoulders, body, and legs, are orange bottom, touched and marked with light brown ; wings, three-eighths or better ; veined from the shoulders, and crossed half length ; are of a pale reddish brown or light amber tinge — a rich orange hue and transparency pervades the whole of the fly. They are hatching this month, and are out, daily, to near evening, until October. Hackled or winged with a landrail's feather ; bright orange silk, for body ; with a few fibres of mohair or squirrell's fur, at the breast. JULY. *J5 84th. — Light pied Dun. — Full length, about three-eighths and one-sixteenth. Top wings covered and fringed with a fine fawn colored down, which glis- tens in the sun with coppery and gilded reflections ; and are of a darkish red brown transparency. Feelers, five-eighths, spotted rank, light and dark; forehead and legs, white, with sprinklings of darker ; and has white strokes on the wings, same as the dark pied dun ; body, coppery, with a purple tinge. They are batching this month ; numbers may be seen flying about and running on the battlements of North-bridge, at seven o' clock on fine evenings, to the end of August. Wings, from the landrail or bronzy yellow-brown hen ; coppery silk for the body, slightly tinged, white for the head ; legged with a yellow white hen hackle, or hairs from the hare's ear. 85th. — Grey Dun. — Full length, five-eighths ; length, near half an inch. 1 op wings, a light grey freckle — like the ends of the feathers on the back of the yellow owl — and of a yellowish dim transparency ; under- wings, plain bio ; thighs, legs, breast, and feel- ers, a honey or dull copper color; body, blue dun. Was taken from under a stone by the water's edge, just hatched, about the middle of this month, but has not been seen since. Is a fine fleshy fly, equal in size to the light and dark duns, of which it may be a variety. There is a smaller species, about half an inch full length, and nearly the same in colors — out at the same time. Wings may be found in the light freckled feathers of the mallard ; body, copper-colored silk, tinged with wa- ter-rat's fur ; and legged with a yellow dun hen hackle. 76 LIST OF FLIES. 86th. — Coral- EYED Drake. — Length, near three- eighths ; wings, the same, of a fine slaty bio tinge ; legs, whisks, shoulders, and body, a dim amber ground and transparency ; touched with brown or darkish coral red, on the top of the shoulders and down the back ; eyes, round and cockling, like two little coral shot corns. Hatches in good numbers the latter part of this month, and continues through the next. After casting her skin she is a very neat and cockish fly. Her wings are clear, sparkling with red tinges ; large eyes, cockling, round, and red ; shoulders, body, and legs, light amber ground ; top of shoulders and down the back, a darkish coral red ; two or three longish whisks. Their creepers are numerous, and may be found under stones just within the water's edge. They shew the dark wings through their thin skins, which, when cast off", appear almost colorless, and dry white. Hackled, for wings in the first state, with a light blue bio or blue dun feather from the water -rail or sea swallow ; pale amber silk for body, headed with a round of the red part of a small strand in the eye of a pea- cock's feather ; legged with a few fibres of squirrel's fur or mohair. Second state : winged and legged with a fine amber cock's-hackle. 87th. — Pale blue Drake. — Length, about a quarter; wings, the same; altogether of a light dull pale blue color. She throws off" her swaddlings and shews her glistening wings and blue dun body and legs. Hackled in her first state, with a light blue dun fea- ther from the tern ; and light ashy blue silk for body. Second state: light blue cock's-hackle for wings and legs. JULY. 77 88th. — Bronze Beetle. — Full length, a quarter ; head, shoulders, and body, black ; top wings a light brassy shine, with small dabs or marks of darker, and of dim amber transparency, shewing the dark touches ; under- wings, clear, of a brown tinge ; honey glistening legs. Out on fine days, often in good numbers, into autumn. Head, shoulders, and body, black silk; wings, a slightly broken feather from an old bright bronzy yel- low brown hen ; legged with a few fibres of mohair. 89th. — Little brown Dun. — Full length, rather better than three-eighths ; wings, near three-eighths ; top ones a dark whalebone brown, set round the ends with small light spots ; shoulders and body a dark dull brown ; belly, rather lighter ; legs and thighs, a dim fleshy transparency; wings, a bloish transparency; feelers, spotted light and dark. Are hatching and breeding and out in the evening, about six o' clock, wheeling in small groups to and fro, just over the water. There is another small brown dun, rather less than a quarter. Hackled, for wings, with a small slightly freckled feather from the moorcock ; with a few fibres of red brown fur or mohair, at the breast ; body, deep coppery silk, waxed. 90th. — Late black Spinner, Gnat, or Fly. — Full length, a quarter ; wings, not so much, which are of a clear inky tinge, and fold over the back like those of the blue gnat; body, black, more cylindrical and rather longer ; shoulders, a bright Japan black ; legs, 78 LIST OF FLIES. black. Out all day to near the end of the season. Body, black silk ; wings and legs, a neck feather from the cock -pheasant or starling. Note. — The empress declines, and the needle yellow and orange brown, are all that remain of her kindred. The needle and yellows are hatching and on the water daily, in great numbers ; the orange are not so numer- ous, but is rarely refused by the trout. All the various sized drakes for small flyfishing — -the check wing, and wings of all shades, from the pale blue dun of the tern to the dark plum hue of the water-hen and coot — -are hatching and taken by the fishes, in the day time and again in the evening, in their second dresses. The little freckled duns are hatching very numerous, and the spinner tribes, in great numbers and varieties The spinner and black and yellow spinner, may be fished natural, for the fish are in the midst of living food ; and the trout, like the lion, " feeds on nothing that doth seem as dead." Flights of ants and the pismire tribes, are common this month. The beetle and house fly tribes have their turns with the fish. The wily craftsman strives to fall in with the favorite, when he marks the fish rising, and notes each flitting fly ; for the flies and the fish must lead him the way. At this high temperature of the air the aquatic flies are strong at hatching, and on seasonable days soon out of the reach of the flsh. The red drakes and the duns come out numerous, for evening and twilight fishing. The bustard enters the month in full force, and may be fished so long as she continues. In the early part of the season, when flies are few, fish rise freely and AUGUST. 79 give good sport ; but, as the vital heat of the sun keeps increasing so do the flies ; and after the fish are fatted with the stone fly, green drake, etc., the sport lan- guishes ; and July and August, the two centre months, and most salubrious of the season, are generally con- sidered the worst for flyfishing ; the variety of food and easy circumstances of the fish, lessen the chance of success, and require the flyfisher to be more particu- lar and nearer the mark, than in the spring. Good imitations of the favorite flies, fished naturally, at their time of hatching, can only keep pace with the choice of the fish ; and on healthsome cool breezy days, which whet up their appetites, the flyfisher may have good sport. AUGUST. The lofty swift prunes her wing for departure, first in- dex to a change. No longer do sportive swarms of flies feed her in her airy tracks. Numbers of tiny tribes now end their summer trip ; and less and less are the numbers that succeed ; but still the waters, the storehouses of the angler, pour forth daily supplies. " All 's flsh that comes to the net." Trout, grayling, and smelt ! how beautiful to the flyfisher, as he dishes them from his pannier. The full-ripe trout feeds secure at the bottom, or with majestic caution rises 80 LIST OF FLIES. scrupulous at the well scanned fly ; or like the monarch of the wood, '* fleshes his tooth " in his nightly prowls. Grayling range the stills, watching the streams and catching the food they bring. The wreckless young smelt springs boldly at the maggotted hook — an easy prey for the Tyro. Fkom the beginning of the season to the present month, the sun seems to have about finished his an- nual work of reproduction of the Insect Tribes, and such angling flies as are now in existence — or may hatch or come upon the waters during the remainder of the season — are continuations (or the second swarms) of those species that have been described in the list. Some of the later flies slightly differ from those of the spring, in sizes and shades, and may or may not be of the same species, but not to entitle them to other names, which might render the list less distinct and clear. The waters are full of creepers, and numbers of flies are hatching daily, particularly drakes and duns, the former the most numerous in the day time ; which with their changes of colors, long and short whisks, long forelegs, case and round eyes, etc. ; present many va- rieties for examination and copy. The following extracts from Note-books, may best shew the flies etc., that are hatching and on the water during the remaining months of the season. They were written from observation, made on or about the days mentioned, in many different years. EXTRACTS FROM NOTE- BOOKS. AUGUST FIEST. Checkwing. Rather larger and lighter in shades than the spring description. Wings distinctly crossed and tinged to the shoulders with dull pale yellow ; head, top of shoulders, and down the back, light yellow green or pale brown olive ; a dark line on the lower edge of each joint of the body, crosses the back and slants on the side to the next joint. Throat, breast, belly, and legs, a greenish yellow ; eyes, dark. Is a thick, fleshy, fine fly ; one cast its skin in the flybox, which changed it to the red drake. Length, near half an inch ; wings, clear, squared, and sparkling, with red and am- ber towards the shoulders. Legs, head, shoulders, and body, light red or ambry foundation, touched on the upper parts with dark red or brown, shewing the slant- ing lines on the sides. Blue drake. Not so large as the spring flies. Length, a quarter and near a sixteenth. Wings, fine, and of the blue dun tinge ; top of head, shoulders, and body, dark ashy hue ; joints edged with lighter ; belly and breast a blue dun tinge ; legs, a pale ale transparency, darkest to the feet. Taken from under a large leaf, that grows by the water sides, where many of the aquatic flies take rest after hatching. The blue drake, which hatches in cold weather, appears to cast ofi" three 82 LIST OF FLIES. protective skins. After the first she is of a lighter shade, and a smarter fly ; second she is orange ; and the third or last, when in a state of nudity or stripped to the (true) skin, a lemon or straw color. Examined one taken June 5th, at seven p.m. — Length, three- eighths ; whisks, three-eighths ; wings, fine and clear, of a faint smoky tinge ; veins, small ; eyes, small and dark, or black. Iron blue drake. Took one off a leaf, which cast its skin in the flybox, and became the pearl drake. Pearl drake. In small groups, flying up and down, or laying their eggs on the water daily. (The iron blue and her counterpart continue numerous through the month.) Little dark drake. Hatching (another variety — length, rather above a quarter ; wings, the dark leady hue ; body and legs, a yellowish olive brown.) Orange brown. Hatching and out all fine days. Light drake. Hatching and out. Length, a quarter, (under the wing of judcock, with lemon colored silk.) Freckled dun. Hatching and out in the day time. Little freckled dun. Hatching very numerous, and out in the day time. Golden legged beetle. Out in the day time. Bio brown. Orange thighs — the same in spring. Seems of another genus, probably the cleg. Needle browns. Hatching in great numbers, and out all day. Dark drake (watchet.) Hatching in good numbers, and a first favorite. Took one, which cast its skin in the flybox, and became the red drake. A sparkling and lively fly ; out in good numbers in the evening ; AUGUST. 83 saw several on the North -bridge, Ripon, at seven p.m. Light pied duns. Out in the evenings ; saw several on the North-bridge, at seven p.m. FIFTH. Coral eyed drake. Hatching and out in the day time. Took several from under stones, in the evening, appa- rently hatched in the afternoon ; one of them cast its skin in the fiybox. The cast off skin was very thin and nearly colorless, except when dried it looked white. Checkwiny. Out and hatching. Took several from under stones, as if just hatched. Blue drake. Nearly same as first; length only a quarter. Black dun. Hatching. Needle hrown^ little freckled dun. Out and hatching ; numerous all day. Early dun. Hatching and out. .Full length, three- eighths. Light patch on the top edge of the wings. Spinner. In great numbers by the w^ater sides and in the fields, all day, in their best perfection of size and summer beauty ; of azure tints and rich transparencies. Red ant fly. On the water ; full length, a quarter. Black and yellow spinner. Out until evening. Oranye brown. Out until evening. Dark drake (watchet.) Hatching freely and for some time back. Light drake., black drake. Hatching in the middle hours of the day. Light pied duns. Out in the evenings Little red drake^ dark red drake. Out in the evenings. TENTH. Blue drake., iron blue drakcy pearl drake, little red 84 LIST OF FLIES. drake, and needle brown. Great numbers of these flies struggling alive in spider webs and on posts and rails, by the water sides, at three p.m. Blue spinner or gnat. Hatching in great numbers ; several on the under side of a single stone, taken up by the hand from the edge of the water, when they had just come out. FIFTEENTH. Pied duns Numbers out in the evening. Orange brown. Full length, half an inch and near a sixteenth. Out plentiful. Least freckled dims. Vast numbers at six p.m., run- ning in the sunshine, on walls, etc., near the water. Chechwing. Hatching, some a shade darker. Red drake. Out in the day time, and assemble in the evening. Slanting lines on the sides. Needle brown. Numbers out and hatching. Brim- stone colored backs ; light grizzle legs ; and steely blue wings. TWENTIETH. Blue drake. Length, a quarter. Hatching numerous. Blue spinner or gnat. Out and hatching, increasing to great numbers towards evening. Spinner. Out through the day, but most numerous towards evening. Black ants. On the water in the afternoon until evening. Needle brown, little freckled dun. Hatching and out in great numbers until evening. Orange brown. Out and hatching. AUGUST. 85 Red ant. Saw several beds at Mr. Calvert's stone quarry, in Skellgill ; length, a quarter and a sixteenth to three-eighths. None with wings. Their eggs large like small maggots. Opened a pismire bed at the same place, full of bright amber pismires, and numbers of them with thin glassy clear wings. Light pied duns. Out in the evening. Late black spinner or gnat. Out all day. TWENTY-FIFTH. Little dark drake. Length, a quarter ; wings, a dark reddish water-hen hue ; legs, whisks, and body, light red brown, with a dark spot en each joint of the body, along each side ; eyes, dark and gogling ; longish fore- legs. A cockish sprightly fly. Checkwing. Hatching ; length, three-eighths ; slant- ing dark lines on the sides. Altogether of a brown ambry transparency. Light dun. Full length, half an inch to near five- eighths ; wings of the onion peel tinge, with light freckles ; back and thighs, tinged ashy ; belly, bees' - wax or wheat corn color ; legs and feelers, light red brown. Hatch in the day time, and are out numerous in the evenings, from eight to ten. Little dark red drake. Length, a quarter ; shoulders, dark or black ; yellow eppaulettes on the sides of shoul- ders ; small light spots along each side ; wings, finely crossed, glassy, and sparkling ; long fore-legs. Light drake. Out and hatching in the day time. White bustard. Took one — very late. Dark drake (watchet.) Out and hatching, many on spider webs. 86 LIST OF FLIES. THIRTIETH. Needle hroivns. Hatching and out in great numbers in their best perfection. Full length of some, three- eighths and a sixteenth, or more ; orange bodied, with black spots, and snipe bio wings. Red ant. Full length, better than a quarter. Saw numbers on the North-bridge, at ten a.m. Wings, near a quarter, tinged brown ; body and legs, red brown. Orange hrown. Out ; saw some on the North-bridge. Cream colored eggs on the last joints of the belly. Light pied duns. Out at seven p.m. Red drakes^ Saw some on the North-bridge, at seven p.m., large and beautiful, like amber drakes, and numbers of small grey ear wigs at the same time. Dark red drakes. Out ; length, a quarter and a six- teenth ; wings rather more, clear, and scarce visible but for the red tinges ; three notched whisks ; shoul- ders, a darkish red ; body, a shade lighter ; legs, gin- gery. Black ant flies. Numbers struggling on spider webs, wove in the angles of posts and rails by the water sides, where numbers of the larger, as well as the smallest, flies of the day, are held fast in their fine fibred toils. Ambry at the feet and end of body. Red ant fly. Took one off a spider web, at Robin Hood, which sparkled in the sun with fire and gold, and of a dull amber transparency. Full length, near three-eighths ; wings, an amber tinge. Red dun. Full length, three-quarters ; length, half an inch ; feelers, half an inch. Altogether of a dullish AUGUST. 87 red or ambry hue; upper-parts a shade darker. Body, nearly cylindrical, with a few short hairs round the last joint ; top wings slightly broken with veins and faint freckles ; under-wings, thin and uniform, of a light shade of amber, when looked through to the light, a red ambry tinge altogether. This fly was hatched in a water pot. The creeper was put in in May or June, and soon after fastened itself to the side, near the bot- tom, and was hatched on the 18th instant. The pot stood in the garden, and the fly was found floating on the water, alive and perfect, with its empty creeper skin beside it ; and its empty artificial case fast to its original place. The pot was . covered with a piece of gauze, fastened to a wire hoop, to prevent escape. Late black gnat. Out in the day time. Note for August. — The chafige of temperature of the air begins to tell on insects, this month, and swarms of the tender tribes are swept ofl"; but the waters continue full of creepers ; the constant breeders are unimpaired, and the second swarms of some are turning out more numerous than the first. The ex- tracts for the month are taken from notes made on fishing days and other times of research and observa- tion, during the seasons of many years; which, after numberless close examinations and corrections, formed the foundation of the list of flies. The aquatic flies men- tioned in them this month, are hatching and on the water, more or less, every day. The orange and needle browns are the only ones, of the stone fly class, that remain ; the needles in their varieties and best perfec- tion ; and the orange browns, are excellent for trout 88 LIST OF FLIES. through the day. The drakes are numerous in species and varieties, particularly the smaller tribes, which swell their numbers above any other class. The check- wing, light and dark drakes (watchets) in their grades of sizes and shades ; with the iron blues, are hatching on the surface of the water, in the fore and afternoons ; when many are snapt by the fishes, in the face of the unconscious angler, before they have used their wings. The duns are hatching; the second swarms of t^e light and freckled are turning out; which, with the little freckled dun, may be tried in the day time, and again in the evening. The spinners are numerous and good natural baits. The ants sometimes fall numerous on the waters this month, and are greedily taken by the fish. SEPTEMBER. The sun, with his summer, is departing ; but leaves a full lap to declining autumn. Trout, the prince of the sport, is in the wane ; the hour of his prime and his beauty is passing. The merry Smelt and gliding Grayl- ing, mingle their charms with the lovely days of au- tumn. The air becomes thinned of towering tribes of tiny flies ; but, the waters, — the wonderful waters ! — half the life of our globe ; vvhich fosters in fields of ice the huge leviathan; and nurtures in its warm SEPTEMBER. 89 bosom the tender summer bred fly, pours out its motley stores. Swallows flock on the house top, med- itating their long flight ; and the Martins mingle at even in the willows, their sonorous departing song. SEPTEMBER FOURTH. Orange brown, needle hroicn, dark drake, light drake, f lengthy a quarter), iron blue drake, little dark drake, f quarter or better)^ checkwing-, coral eyed drake. All out and hatching in the day time. Numbers may be seen, in fine weather, in spider webs. The drakes cast their skins, and are most numerous about the waters a little before and after sunset. The checkwing is the finest ; and the red drake nearly equal to the amber. Blue drake. Some near the size of the spring flies, but of browner shades, hatching in good numbers ; one cast its skin and became the orange drake. Took one off" a spider web — length, near three-eighths; wings, three-eighths and a sixteenth ; crossed into squares with fine lines ; which alone made them visible ; eyes like two light pearl pellets. Top of shoulders, red ; lighter down the back, and growing lighter to the belly ; legs, a pale dim amber ; whisks an inch, and spotted. (Suppose the pearl colored eyes not natural.) Little brown dun. Wheeling over the water in small groups, at«ix p.m. Foeted dun. Saw one similar, out in the day time. Light dun. Full length, half an inch and a sixteenth; 90 LIST OF FLIES. yellow brown freckled wings ; body, legs, and feelers, amber. Hatching and out, numerous, at nine a.m. Red dun. Hatching daily, and out in the evenings. Spinners. Out numerous, and in best perfection. Blue spinner or gnat. Hatching, and out very nu- merous towards evening; flying and wheeling just over the water, like the black gnats in May and June. House Jlij^ cowdung or lion flg, hank fly. Out from morning 'till night. Golden legged beetle^ bronze beetle. Out in the day time. Red ant fly. On the water. Two pair of light fine transparent wings, of a bright brown tinge ; shoulders and body, dark red brown, brightening to amber at the end of the body. Orange brown. Hatching and out, laying their eggs on the water, in the day time. Needle brown. Hatching and out, very numerous all the day. Dark drake. Hatching and out. Wings, a dark red plum hue, much crossed, the small ones conspic- uous ; large case eyes ; body, a dark plum hue and orange bottom, with darker marks on the sides ; legs, a dim red fleshy transparency. Little red drake. Out in the day time, and numer- ous in the evenings. Blue drake. Length, a quarter to near three-eighths; wings, smoky blue dun ; body, dark brown red, lighter at each joint; small head; thickish shoulders; faint dark spots on the sides. SEPTEMBER. 91 Hackled with a small feather from under the wing of judcock, pale amber silk, with hare's ear. Checkwing. Hatching. Wings, darkish ; longish fore-legs ; case eyes ; and slanting dark lines on the sides. Red drake. Out in the day time and evenings. Length, about three-eighths ; wings, clear and crossed, with amber glishes ; body, amber ground, touched on the upper parts with Turkey red ; dark slanting lines on the sides ; and case eyes. (The checkwing before casting.) Pearl drake. In groups at ten a.m., flying up and dowUj and laying their eggs oh the water, all day. Least freckled dun. Very numerous on fine days and sunny evenings, when they may be seen running on walls, bridges, etc., by the water sides. Light dun. Hatching and out at seven p.m. White legged dun. Full length, a quarter and a six- teenth. Out in the day time. Spinner^ blue spinner or gnat^ late black spinner or gnat. Out, and most numerous towards evening. Bank fly, house fly, lion fly, blue bottle, bronze beetle^ golden legged beetle. Out all fine days. Red ant fly. Full length, near half an inch ; length, near three-eighths — one pair of wings strongly veined half-way up, and the lower half of thick brown trans- parency ; the upper half more clear. Shoulders about the same thickness as the body, red brown color. Ta- ken in the evening off Bondgate -bridge, Ripon. riFTEENTH TO TWENTIETH. Orange brown, needle brown. Out and hatching. Vli LIST OP FLIES. Checkwing. Hatching in best perfection. Length, half an inch ; wings, half an inch and a sixteenth, squared, and of light ambry brown ; body, dim orange or amber, touched darker on the back, etc. ; with slant- ing dark lines on the sides. Red drake f checkwing. J Length, half an inch ; wings, half an inch and a sixteenth, of the ambry hue, with slanting dark lines on the sides. Dark drake fwatchetj Hatching. (A leader with the craft.) Red drake (from the watchet.) Length, three -eighths. Long fore-legs. Out in the day time and evenings. Blue drake. From a quarter to three-eighths, of the brown tinge. Out and hatching. Numbers of empty creeper skins by the water edges. Little red drake. Length, a quarter, some more ; long fore-legs. Out in the day time and evenings. Little dark drake. Hatching, and out numerous in the day time. Iron blue drake. Hatching daily. Pearl drake. Out daily. Light dun. Half an inch to five-eighths. Hatching in the day time, and out in numbers in the evening. Freckled dun. Out and hatching. Little browfi dun. Hatching and out. Some three- eighths. Cigar-brown wings; amber body, tinged pink. Spinner, spinner (smaller species. J Out about the waters and in the fields, all day, often numerous. Late black spinner or gnat. Many out all day. House, lion, and bank fiies, blue bottle, golden legged, bronze beetle. Out all fine days. SEPTEMBER. 93 TWENTY-FIFTH. Orange brown. Full length, near half an inch and a sixteenth ; wings, transparent ground, of a brown tinge, veined and crossed from the shoulders about half the length ; back, a rich dim yellow ; breast, belly, and sides, tinged and touched darker ; legs, a dim orange, darkest at the joints. Needle brown. Hatching, breeding, and laying their eggs on the water, in great numbers, and best perfec- tion. Eggs, a cream color, on the last joints of the body. Checkwing. Hatching in good numbers and best perfection. Red drake. Fine and large. Length, half an inch ; wings, half an inch ; whisks, an inch. Long fore-legs, slanting dark lines on the sides ; amber body, with touches of darker on the upper parts ; wings, clear and crossed, reflecting red amber and gild. Out in the evenings. Dark drake (watchet.) Hatching. Red drake (from the watchet.) Out in the day time, but most in the evenings. Iron blue drake. Hatching. Pearl drake. Out in the day time. Light drake. Length, a quarter. Wings of the light smoky blue of the sea swallow ; body and legs, a light dim yellow. Hatching. After casting, a light red. Little dark drake. Hatching. Length, a quarter or better. Amber body, mottled with darker; and fine dark purple water-hen wings. One cast its skin in the flybox : amber body, touched on the upper-parts with fine dark brown ; wings, clear, glistening with red re- flections. 94 I-IST OP FLIES. Little red drake. Out numerous, many on spider webs. Little brown dun. Out. Full length, about three- eighths. Brown, downy, fringed wings, with marks of lighter shade ; body, leady, and thickish in the middle ; legs, light. Freckled dun. Hatching, and out in the day time. Full length, five-eighths ; length, three-eighths. Top wings, freckled with dark brown and fawn color ; un- der- wings, broad, and of a uniform blue bio tinge ; body, fleshy and cylindrical, which, with the thighs, is of a leady hue, with the light side lines ; legs, lighter. When held to the light, is of a red brown tinge, show- ing the dark freckle on the wings. Light dun. Full length, three-quarters ; length, half an inch ; feelers, half an inch. Eyes, black ; all the other parts of a light ambry bees'-wax hue ; top wings slightly broken with faint marks and freckles. When held to the light, of a dim ambry tinge, shewing the freckle on the top, and plainness of the under- wings. This fly was hatched in a water-pot, on the 26th in- stant, from a cod-bait creeper, which was put in the pot in May ; water six or seven inches deep. It soon fixed itself to the side of the pot, near the bottom. Fresh water was put in night and morning, or rather oftener at first ; and a gauze cover over the pot. When hatched, was found on the under side of the gauze cover, alive and perfect — the creeper skin on the sur- face of the water, and the empty artificial case attached to the pot where it first fixed. Eed dun. Hatching, and out in the evenings and after dark. Full length, an inch ; wings, seven-eighths. Gravel spinner. Found several flies on the under- SEPTEMBER. 95 sides of stones, by the water's edge, resembling this fly : round shoulders, striped light and dark brown, and about the same size and colors. Spinner, little spinner. Out among the grass most of the latter part of the day. House, lion, and hank flies, blue bottle, bronze beetle. Out, more or less, daily. Several species of ear wigs out daily, three-eighths, black ones, probably the most numerous ; and vast numbers of dark midges, of the house fly shape, were pouring out of the water, and may be found on the under-sides of loose stones by the water's edge. Note. — This is a good angling month, and may be called the April of the later Season^ Trout, grayling, and smelt, are all good, although the trout may be somewhat declining and the others improving. Much of the summer top food of the fish, flies, insects, etc., have disappeared, from the change of temperature of the air, which has not afiected the waters ; they are full of creepers, and are turning out numbers of flies daily. Many of the favorite aquatic flies of spring, are in full force and numbers this month. Their shades of color must be attended to, and their sizes and parts natural in their imitations. The leaders for trout are nearly the same as for last month : the orange and needle browns, the checkwing, blue, dark, light, iron blue, and coral eyed drakes, are taken as they hatch and come on the waters. OCTOBER. The cold breath of Autumn which creeps up in the dark, and shrivels the leaf, spares not the summer fly ; they dwindle away with the declining warmth of the sun ; still the waters, faithful to their trust, on genial days pour out their winged tribes. Grayling and smelt, fat and well favored for the remainder of the season, furnish the sport of the small flyfisher. Farewell, Trout ! my old and charming acquaintance ; fare thee well in peace and security, until we meet in other days. Thou art the best trump in the streams ; thy beauty, thy cunning, and thy courage, I ever admired. How have I loved to tackle thee in the days of thy freedom and prosperity. I have delighted to deceive thee in thy prime and ruthless moments ;• but I ever detested the snare and the Ij^ster ; nor is the grey fiy^ in my list. Neither would I disturb thee in thy connubial joys, or persecute thee on those days when thy spirit is subdued by adversity; no ! I would then succour and protect thee. I now beseech all men to spare the trout, take or touch him not until the returning sun rouses him again to action. Drained are the riches of his delicate flesh, and dimmed and dusk his late lovely sides; but a ** change has come over the spirit of his dream" ; a ho- ney drop creeps in his blood and fevers in his brain ' Poachert' term for the Net. OCTOBER. 97 —one feeling influence the females ; and an upward movement commences : the males follow : when every matured trout in the broad trunk of our river and all its branches, to the twig rills of the hills, are in a state of emigration, higher up the waters. OCTOBER FIRST. ^ Orange brown. Out in small numbers. Needle brown. Numerous, hatching and breeding. Checkwing. Not many. Dark drake, iron blue drake. Hatching. Light drake. Hatching. Length, better than a quarter. Sea swallow and orange, or yellow. Little dark drake. Hatching. Pearl drake. Out in small groups on fine days and evenings. Red drake, little red drake. Out on fine days and evenings. Light dun, freckled dun (numerous,) little freckled dun. Hatching, and out on fine days and evenings. Eed dun. Out on fine evenings ; of a cinnamon hue. Spinner. Out on fine days. Little spinner. Numbers in fogs and grass on fine warm days and evenings. House, lion, and bank flies, blue bottle. All out on fine warm days. SEVENTH. Orange brown. Few in numbers. 98 LIST OF FLIES. Needle brown. Out, hatching and breeding in full force and numbers. Dark, little dark, light, and iron blue drakes. Hatch- ing and out on mild fine days. Red and little red drakes. All out in the day time when it is fine. Freckled dun. Out in good numbers at noon. Little freckled dun. Out on mild fine days. Light dun. Full length, half an inch. Wings, a light red brown ground, beautifully freckled with spots, patches, and marks of a darker shade, and a light staddle on the upper edges ; legs and body, a light yellow soap transparency. Hatching and out on fine days and warm evenings ; and may be seen flying about the water or on the bridges, after sun-set. Spinner, little spinner. Out in good numbers on fine days and warm evenings. House and lion flies. Out numerous. Blue bottle, bank fly. Out on fine days. THIRTEENTH. Same as the Seventh, except the orange brown and iron blue drake. TWENTIETH. Needle brown. Same as the Seventh or Thirtieth of August. Little red drake. Out in the day time. Dark, little dark, and light drakes. Hatching on fine warm days. Freckled dun. Full length, five-eighths. Back, leady; belly, light ash, with brimstone colored side OCTOBER. 99 lines ; top wings, freckled light and dark red brown, to look through of a chesnut tinge ; with shades of bio. Numbers out at noon, sporting about and running on the leaves of Alder trees, etc , by the water sides. Red dun. Out in the evenings. Full length, an inch ; cinnamon hue. Light dun. Out in the evenings, same as on the seventh. Numbers on North-bridge after sun-set. lAttle freckled dun. Saw some out, weather very mild. House and lion flies. Out. Bronze beetle. Out numerous on fine days. Num- bers may be seen on the North-bridge ; and several of the ear wig species — the three-eighths black — most numerous. Bank fly. A few out at noon. Note. — Leave we the trout, in his fence months, monarch of his brooks — the Laver and Skell — and pass to the spacious Ure — the track of the salmon and the home of the grayling. Fish the resort of the smelt and the grayling, but avoid the trout — kill not the goose for the golden e^g — and protect the fish as you would the fowl. All the flies mentioned in the extracts for the month, have been out or hatching on or about the days mentioned in them. Towards the latter part of the month their existence hangs in the balance, and, like the flyfisher's sport, depends on the weather. The browns and drakes may best furnish the favorites, with the lion, house fly, and bronze beetle. The duns are much out on fine warm days and evenings ; and the ear wigs are numerous. The needle and orange brown, 100 LIST OF FLIES. the dark and light drakes, with the small black silver and golden hackles, may be fished in the day time ; towards evening, small red drakes and the duns. NOVEMBER. Ardently the trout pursues his unknown and oft difficult track, dams, or obstructions, or the most furious rapids — stop not the fury of their ardour. By the eve of St. Martin* the lengthened lines halt ; the • On the 28th of November there were some sharp splashes in the water a little above Skellcrooks dam ; on peeping unperceived over the edge of the bank opposite the place, there were several pairs of trout laid in the water. It happened to be their spawning time. They were not in the descending' or streamy part, but in the tail-end of the deep above, where the water runs smooth and shallow over the gravel, similar to the gravelly shoal just above the North-bridge, where we see grayling spawn and copulate the beginning of April. The female trout kept her station in the spawning bed, with but little motion, exeept every four or five minutes she ploughed up the gravel with her nose, which seemed to be her own peculiar task. In doing this she turned herself nearly an one side, and, with very quick motion of tail and body, thrust her nose against the gravel, which swam down about her and muddied the water, but showed the quick light glishes of her silvery sides. The male kept in constant motion, about half to a full length behind, hovering over her and veering from one side of her to the other, but could not perceive that he ever touched her. His business seemed solely then to watch and protect her. He frequently and furiously darted at other trout, which was the cause of the splashes in the water that first attracted my notice. These attacks were sudden and quick as lightning, they scarce could be seen before the male was with his mate again. The spawning beds seemed rather hollow and the gravel bright. In about a week after, weather and water much the same, there were no splashes, and the trout had settled into the dam below. NOVEMBER. 101 files take up their ground — the chosen stream and place — their journey's end and summit of their joys. In a few days after the streams are deserted ; no longer is the sovereign trout the companion and compeer of the roughs and the rapids ; slimy and shrunk in the still dungeons of the deeps, whither they congregate for safety and for succour — dimm'd, lank, and lousy, he passes his cheerless Christmas, there to 'bide his time. Grayling and smelt, the treasures of the Ure, may con- tinue to give sport to the flyfisher, in the frostless hours of noon, if flies be on the wing. November comes, when the remnants of annual life must totter to their fall. Few are the flies and short the intervals of flyfishing during the days of November, a noontide hour or twain, and the curtain drops for the season. NOVEMBEE FIKST. Needle hrown^ Out daily in full numbers and per- fection. Lights darky and little dark drakes. Hatching, and out on fine warm days. Red and little red drakes* Out on warm days and evenings. Light and freckled duns. Out in the day and warm evenings. Found two or three of the latter under a stone, as if just hatched : length, half an inch. House and lion JlieSy and bronze beetle. Out in good 102 LIST OF FLIES. numbers, with the ear wigs. Red dun. Out on fine evenings. TENTH. All the same Flies as on the First. TWENTIETH. Needle brown. On fine days in full niimbers and best perfection. Hatching, copulating, and laying their eggs on the water. Light, dark, and Utile dark drakes. Continue to hatch, more or less, as the weather and water permit. Red and little red drakes. Out on fine days, but less in numbers. Freckled and light duns. Out on fine days and warm evenings, but not numerous. Red dun. Out on fine evenings. House and lion flies, and bronze beetle. Out in good numbers, on fine days, to the end. Ear tvigs. Out numerous at the back-end and close of the season, when many fall on the waters, and are taken by grayling and smelt. They vary from a quar- ter to half an inch in length. Some are red, others jet black, and are glossy. The short flappers of some are edged with amber, and, in the sun, throw ofi" short gilded reflections, from a thin fine down. The three- eighths black are probably the most numerous. The black silver and golden hackle will imitate these insects if drest to shape and size. Note. — The dark drakes bear cold days like the blue drake in the spring. According to observations of NOVEMBER. 103 many years, the remnants at the close of the season, are the needle brown, lion and house fly, the bronze beetles, and the ear wigs, with some small hardy gnats, beetles, etc., that are of no use to the flyfisher. The angling flies have dwindled away, a touch or two of frost and all the top food of the fishes will be swept off. The needles are the last to give in ; and imitations of bygone flies will not prevail. The fish will continue to rise so long as flies come naturally on the water, but not longer ; they rarely rise in the absence of all top food. The hardy winter craftsman with his bramblings may pack his pannier with black fat graylings, but the flyfisher's occupation 's gone'; his flimsy foundations have perished ; they w^ere but a breath, subject to all the skiey influences, which begins and ends their career; and the genial breath of air that imparts vigour and action to the flies, gives spirit and appetite to the fishes. Farewell, the homely village Inn ! and adieu to the fisherm-an's revels ! Farewell, fly fishers ! The ele- ments of your art are all laid prostrate ; your sports get starved and solitary, and gone are the days of its charms ; the scenes are changed ; murky mists and rains, and ominous sable clouds now darken the short- .ened day ; the torrents' roar swells in the gale, and howls and rattles through the leafless woods. The lightsome day, the leafy shade, and the flowery banks, have passed away. The warblers have fled ; the lark, the blackbird, and the thrush, swelled their wild carol; but now they are silent all. Fishermen, farewell 1 END OF THE LIST OF FLIES, ON CREEPERS. All the flies of the browns, drakes, and dun classes, are bred in the water, from eggs or spawn laid on its surface by the females. These eggs or spawn become animated and hatch the young insects, which grow in the water the same as fishes, in the same shape and to the full size of the bodies of their parent flies, when they are called creepers. These creepers are cased and sheathed in a thin waterproof skin, which protects and fits them for the occupation of the water until they are matured for a change ; the skin is then split open at the shoulders, and the fly is hatched, leaving the empty creeper skin behind, as a bird does its shell. A description of the creepers of two or three species of the flies of each of these classes, may suflice to give a knowledge of the whole, sufiicient for the purposes of the flyfisher. CREEPERS OF THE BROWNS CLASS. The females of this class may be frequently seen on the tops of posts and rails, battlements of bridges, etc., exuding their eggs as they stand, which adhere to their bodies on the first and second joint of the belly, and which they flap off* on to the water with their wings. The eggs of different species vary in color. The creep- ON CREEPERS. 105 ers resemble in shape and construction, and also in sizes and colors, the bodies, legs, etc., of their parent flies. Their creeper skins are thicker than those of the drakes and duns, and most of them beautifully marked and lined with dark brown on the top of the head, shoul- ders, and down the back. They are very active, and run as quick in the water as the flies do upon land, un- til the time when they produce their flies ; they then repair to the shallows and edges of the streams, to fix to some substance preparatory to their hatching. Some leave the water and run up the stems of plants that grow by its side, and fix to the under-sides of leaves, but, according to observation, by far the greatest num- ber fasten themselves by the belly and under-parts with some glewy matter, peculiar to them, to the under-sides of stones that lay just without the edges of the water, which enables the flies to split open their creeper skins at the shoulders, and unsheathe their legs, whisks, and feelers. Numbers of the empty creeper skins may be seen on the under-sides of stones taken up by the hand just without the edges of the water, and often the new hatched flies beside them. 1st. — Stone Fly Creeper. — Length, about seven- eighths ; head, shoulders, body, legs, whisks, and feelers, resembling those of the flies, but more bulky, and the legs are fringed ; ground color of the upper- parts, brown, of lighter or darker shade, distinctly lined and marked with dark brown ; belly and under- parts, shades of yellow. At the time of hatching they repair to the edges of the water and fasten themselves to the under-sides of stones, where they hatch their flies, 106 ON CREEPERS. and are found by the natural flyfisher ; but soon after they find other places of repose. They are the largest creepers, and produce the largest and master fly of the angler's list. In April they are in perfection, and are found under loose stones that lie hollow in shallow- streamy places, and near the edges of the water. Trout roam in search of them. 2nd. — Needle brown Cheeper. — Shape and size nearly similar to those of the bodies, legs, etc., of the flies. Colors, brown, of lighter or darker shade. Is the smallest creeper, and produces the smallest fly of the browns class. Numbers of them may be seen on the under-sides of stones, taken up from just within the water's edge, and their empty creeper skins on those without. They are hatching, when the weather is open, nearly the year round. Some of them leave the water with their wings only in the bud, and may be seen run- ning exceedingly fast on the tops of posts or large stones by the water sides, when the sun shines warm upon them — query, are they males ? 3rd. — Yellow brown (yellow Sally). — Length, about three-eighths, more or less ; legs and whisks, yellow ; head, shoulders, and body, yellow ground, marked on the upper parts with dark brown. Is a beautiful little creeper, and may be found when the water is low, under stones by the sides and in shal- low runs, at the time of hatching, when they fix themselves to the under-sides of stones just without the water's edge. All the creepers of this class are readily taken by the ON CREEPERS. 107 fish, but they instinctively keep themselves close under the stones. CREEPERS OF THE DRAKE CLASS. No eggs have been seen attached to the bodies of the females of this class, but from their frequent dropping upon the waters it may be supposed they then deposit the germ of their creepers, which have an uncouthly appearance when compared with their neat trim flies. The heads of most of them are large and round, par- ticularly those species which produce flies with large gogling and case eyes : th^r shoulders are round and made larger by the enclosed wings ; the body and whisks are similar to those of the flies, but more bulky, and the whisks, legs, and some of the joints of the body, set with fine hair, which flows and moves in the water, and may answer the purpose of fins. The smaller species require looking at closely to distinguish them. They are of a jelly-like transparency ; the co- lors and marks of the fly appearing through their thin creeper skins ; they are much quicker in the water than the flies are upon land, up to the last moment before hatching. Some species may fix themselves to something, but it is certain that the greater part, if not the whole, class, hatch themselves on the top of the water, and spring on the wing from the empty creeper case as it floats on the current. 4th. — Green DrxVke Creeper. — Length, about three-quarters. Two short feelers, two or three whisks, z 108 ON CREEPERS. which, with the legs, sides, etc., are fringed with hair. Ground color, a lightish green, shewing, in the dim transparency, the dark marks of the fly within. Shape similar to the body and parts of the fly, but bulkier. A fine small line is visible betwixt the shoulders, where the creeper skin splits open at hatching ; the same may be seen on the shoulders of the protective skin of the fly. They are generally in deeper water, and hatch on the surface. 5th. — Brown Drake Creeper. — Length, half an inch. Legs, whisks, feelers, and sides, fringed with fine hair, which flows and moves in the water. Is a broad and thick creeper, wi{h largish head, altogether of a light ambry brown ground ; touched and marked on the upper-parts with darker. The checkwing creeper is nearly similar. Both shew the slanting dark lines on the sides, and hatch on the top of the water. 6th. — Coral eyed Drake Creeper. — Length, about three-eighths ; whisks, a quarter. Legs, whisks, feelers, and body, fringed with fine hair, and of a dull dim amber transparency ; eyes, a deep red brown ; wings shew through their thin creeper skins like an ob- long black mark on each side of the shoulders. Hatch on the top of the water. Like the browns, the creepers of this class are readily taken by the fishes, but pre- serve themselves in the same way. CREEPERS OF THE DUNS, OR CASED CREEPERS. Nature has changed her operations in perfecting ON CREEPERS. 109 the dun tribes of flies. The females carry and lay their eggs or spawn upon the waters the same as the browns, and like them the dun creepers are naturally cased in a thin skin to protect them while in it ; but when the eggs of the duns are hatched, each infant creeper singularly composes an artificial case around it, which it increases in size and substance with its growth. These artificial cases are a hollow cylinder of tough texture and smooth insides. The creeper in its pro- gress covers the outsides with rougher materials, such as small pieces and knobs of sticks, stems, straws, particles of sand, soil, etc., etc., which are fixed to the outside by an adhesive mattei-, peculiar to the creeper. When a full grown creeper is taken out of its case, its appearance is that of a dull sluggish grub, with but little animation or resemblance to the bodies of their flies. Their legs are short, their motions slow, and they would soon be devoured by the fishes had not na- ture endowed them with the instinctive power to com- pose an artificial covering around them for lodgment and protection. When in motion the head and shoul- ders come out of the case, which sets their short legs at liberty, and the case and creeper move together. When the creepers are full grown they prepare for a change, and ramble in search of a 'biding place to fix to, as we sometimes see the stickbait crawling at the bottom of the water, often against the stream ; for it seems to be instinctive in the aquatic flies to move up- wards same as the fish. They in general fix themselves to the under-parts of stones that lie hollow in the wa- ter, and protects them from the violence of the stream, where they remain in a fixed and dormant 110 ON CREEPERS. state for two or three months or until Nature has fini- shed her work and the fly is matured. The creeper then leaves its fixed dwelling and rises to the surface of the water, where the creeper skin is split open at the shoulders, like the browns and drakes, and the fly takes wing, or paddles to land. Many take their flrst rest under loose stones by the water's edge, where they may be found ; but after taking wing find other places of repose. In this way all the dun tribes of flies — from the least freckled to the red — progress to perfec- tion, from the egg to the fly in the water. The soft empty creeper skins (scarce the thickness of a min- now's bladder) float away on the top. The empty artificial cases remain in their original places until washed away. 7th. — Red Dun Creeper. — Length, five-eighths to three quarters. Head, shoulders, and legs, black or dark brown ; body, a dark dirty shade of yellow or amber. Length of case, better than an inch, covered over with small short pieces and chubby knobs of bits of sticks, of a black appearance, which probably im- parts a dark shade to the fly. Is the largest creeper and fly of the dun class. They are found under stones in shallow streamy runs, but are not so numerous or good to find as the cod and stickbait. The drawing represents the case and fly of 30th August. 8th. — Light Dun Creeper (codbait). — Length, half an inch. Head, legs, and shoulders, black ; body, yellow. Is the lightest colored creeper, and produces the lightest dun flies ; their stony covering imparts no ON CREEPEllS, 111 dye. Length of case, three-quarters to an mch, cylin- drical, and rather bowed ; is studded rough on the out- side with particles of sand, which presents a piece of tessalated work would puzzle a Roman. They lie un- der stones in shallow currents that run over sand and gravel, which their rough-cast coats exactly resemble, and keeps them safe at anchor. Several may oft be found under the same stone. They are good for trout and old smelt in April and May, fished on the fly hooks. They may be kept in water pots, for use, or until they fix and hatch, by keeping the water fresh ; close thick woollen bags (to exclude the air) are the best to take them out in, now and then dipping them in water. 9th. — Frecklp:d Dun Creeper (stickbait). — Length, half an inch. Head, shoulders, and legs, black ; body, a light blue dun. The vegetable appen- dages impart a dye which freckles or darkens the stickbait tribes. Length of case, about three-quarters, with its appendages of stems, etc., to an inch and a quarter. Their buoyant dwellings compel them to choose still waters, but in their rambles for fixing they oft may be seen propping and contending against the stream. 10th. — Least freckled Dun Creeper. — Length, better than one-eighth. Head, shoulders, and legs, black ; body, leady. Case, near a quarter, covered smooth with fine brown soil, and looks like a short piece of rusted wire. Note. — The remaining portions of the creepers of 112 ON CREEPERS. these three classes have their growth in the water, and hatch their flies in the way that has been described. The creepers and flies furnish the greatest portion of the insect food of the fish — the choice of trout, grayl- ing, and smelt, and the select of the craft the season through. They may be termed the regular forces of the flyflsher, for nature has bound each numerous swarm — when its time comes to appear and shew itself on the water — to the fishes, every day of their duration. The land flies and insects come on the water by acci- dent, and never so numerous or ever so regular. The creepers tell the forthcoming of the flies. The streams of Ripon abound with every variety ; in fine weather and low waters they may all be found at their times, under loose stones that may be taken up with the hand within the edges of the stream — the rough cases of the duns sheltering under or attached to the stones — the browns and drakes scampering about for cover again. They will hatch their flies in water pots if not disturbed, and the water kept constantly fresh. They draw to the edges of the waters, towards their maturity, and as the season advances, and in summer, they swarm with them, when the waters run quick with life, as the Poet sings : — ** See through this air, this ocean, and this earth, All matter quick, and bursting into birth." In addition to these three classes of creepers vast vari- eties of the spinners, beetles, gnats, midges, etc., are perpetually progressing and pouring their winged pro- geny on the waters, daily, throughout the season, ma- king ample store and choice for the fish, and a task for the flyfisher to discover and imitate the fly they prefer. ON HACKLES. The hackles or palmer flies have been handed through ages from angler to angler, dressed in the same way, and with the same materials, but without any descrip- tion as to their originals, which seem unheeded or lost in the fame of their counterfeits. It is the general impression they represent, or are derived from, hairy worms, or those caterpillars that are hairy, to which they bear a kindred and very striking resemblance ; but the angler never uses the hairy worms as baits, and they are never seen upon the water ; if they were, the hackles (for excellence of imitation) when immersed in the water would take the lead of all artificials. The appearance of the hairy worms may be natural to the fish — like the maggot, clapbait, and other larvae — al- though the fish never see them. Close as the hackles imitate the hairy worm, they seem to be or have grown into ingenious theories more than original imitations. Their attractions as baits has adapted their brilliant materials into many fanciful varieties — without founda- tion and probably of no semblance to anything on the water — which, in the absence of originals, cannot be other than casual or trial baits, which at the best are but a precarious dependance. The skilful craftsman throws his imitations of the flies among the hatching hordes, that are rousing the fish and baiting the waters 114 ON HACKLES. for him. He casts them among then- living kindred — spread numerous over the waters — while the fishes are taking and feeding upon them all around him. The hackle goes on the water, a chance comer, alone, un- known, and untasted, a solitary stranger, without com- panion or friend ; save its form and glitter — by which it now and then dazzles the eyes of the fish — but is rarely noticed when the living supplies are at hand. Still it scarce can be doubted that the hackles are the best casual artificial baits that can be used when the fish are not roused to feed on any favorite. Time has hallowed them, and experience has stamped their worth to many a flyfisher, who has often proved them the lions of the day. The hairy caterpillars are the larvae from the eggs of moths and butterflies, embracing numerous species, many of which — with the flies and moths they produce — are brilliant foundations for the salmon fisher. They are bred on land, of various sizes, from a quarter to- two inches and more in length ; but when dressed for stream fishing, from a quarter to three-quarters. Their colors are various, rich, and reflective — red, brown, black, and grizzle — which are the colors of the old standard hackles. They are covered on the back and sides with a fine thick short hair, which stands up per- pendicular from the body. From out this covering of short hair there grows, but much thinner, some hairs that are longer and more bristly. Nothing can be found to imitate these long hairs equal to the fine fibres of the matchless cock -hackle feather, and peacock or other harl, for the short hairy covering of the body. Their rich colors, their elastic and reflective qualities, ON HACKLES. 115 give the hackles a life-like appearance in the water, superior to all other artificial baits. When the trout is not engaged he may be lured from his lair by any promiscuous fly or insect coming in his way, that is natural to him, particularly if it shew symptoms of life or motion. The hackles are often taken below the sur- face, where the undulating motion of the water close or expand their springy fibres — as the Razor Grinder says, "like a struggling fly" — always recurring to their original form, and glistening in the water with their original lustre, as if fresh and dry from their Maker's hands. With a judicious assortment of good cock- hackle feathers ; peacock, ostrich, and other harl ; silks, and gold and silver twist, master imitations may be produced of all the known species of the hairy worms — comprising a numerous assortment of brilliant and enticing artificial baits for small flyfishing, never to be parted with until better are discovered. Many flyfishers, and particularly the greatest adepts in the art, gradually leave off" using the hackles as their knowledge of the aquatic flies increases. Walbran of Mickley, the best flyfisher on the Ure, never fishes them. The celebrated golden hackle, so fascinating and fatal to many a cunning old trout, has lost its charms to Walbran ; and so have most of the land and other flies that come casually on the water, and are but casually taken. It is too slow a process for Walbran. He is at home only in the midst of the bursting swarms of the aquatic flies ; and relies on his imitations of those that are hatching or on the water at the time he is Ashing. When he goes out in the morning he tries the aquatic flies of the season and time of day ; 116 ON HACKLES. if they do not succeed he grovvs impatient, and tries changes, continuing very restless until he can feel or see the fish, which he can do if they stir with electric quicknes. When the fish are roused to feed (which they are, more or less, every fishing day) Walbran seems rivited to the streams, and deceives the fish with his imitations of the food they are feeding off; he throws his well dissembled fly on the waters, to take its chance among its living likenesses, and does his work while the fish are doing theirs. Among the many varieties of insects that haunt or come by chance upon the waters, the ear wig tribes may claim the attention of the fiyfisher. There are many species of them, all of the same shape and con- struction, running in length from less than a quarter to an inch. They are bred on land, and are very quick on both legs and wings. Their bodies are smooth, shelly, and bright, and have the appearance of small reptiles. They have a pair of short husky wings or flappers on the shoulders, which fold over a pair of fine soft wings that are never seen but when unfurled for flight ; which the insect can quickly replace with two or three jerks with its tail. Their colors vary, like those of the hairy worms — red, brown, black, grey, etc. — but black is the most common; some with short gilded reflections and amber tinges. They are numer- ous the three last months of the season. In October many were found in the stomach of a fine grayling, black, and about three-eighths in length. They may be found on the water or flying about, and oft seen, on fine days, on the battlements of bridges. Their smooth and shiny bodies may be imitated with floss silk, gold ON HACKLES. 117 and silver twist, and cock-hackled to below the middle. It is very probable the gold and silver hackles may be taken for these insects, which are flying around numer- ous, and often fall upon the water in good numbers, rather than the hairy worms, which are never seen upon it at all. ARTIFICIAL FLIES. The cottage holmster tanned and trained pockets his fishing book, no other book he wants, and wends his way with rod and pannier to his accustomed streams. His intuitive glance quickly catches the prevailing fly, when his ready hand as quickly creates the mimic fa- vorite that sends him ladened home. The purpose of this book is to bring the natural flies before the eyes of the flyfisher ; for the art of imitation is in much better perfection than the know- ledge of the natural flies, and it is essential that both should be known alike. A lesson or two on the art from the profession or skilful craft, is much shorter and surer than book instructions. The following observa- tions may furnish some necessary and useful hints. The weather affects the stomachs of fish, and greatly varies their appetites. During pending rains and easterly winds they are dull and abstemious, when few are ta- ken by the flyfisher. When the atmosphere is genial the trout, under cover of thick waters, dark nights and cloudy breezy days, or in the absence of top food, is ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 119 often as voracious as the pike — he scours the streams and margins of rivers in search of substantial bottom food, when he will chace minnows until they fly out of the water, and runs at any sizeable living thing that comes in his way. His dart and his grab is like the cat with the mouse, when his prey rarely escapes, or him the baited hook ; although daring, he is very cun- ning and acute in seeing and avoiding danger. In colored or clearing waters he will oft run great risks, when it is evident he is aware of danger. He will cut away the tail-end of your minnow or strip it off the tackle, and adroitly avoid the hooks ; or if struck his desperate blast to dislodge them oft sends the minnow several inches up the gut, and his game and struggles are those of the salmon tribes. He will feint and gambol with your fly or bait, and dash it with his tail ; but the artful dodger has been stayed by the tenacious hook in his slippery side. After rapacious nights he grounds himself alone in his haunts by the side of a stone un- til roused on his fins again by the flutter of the new hatched flies above his head. He then takes no notice of the minnows, or the minnows of him, save giving him way as he moves, like other inferiors. When the fly he selects comes in good plenty he refuses all others, until he is satisfied or the supplies cease. Such is the trout — the most beautiful, cunning, and coura- geous of all the finny tenantry of the streams — the lead- ing customer of the small flyfisher, with which he has to deal in open day, and mostly in clear water; and for which he must assimulate his wares to such as are issuing on the market from nature's storehouses, and are in immediate request. 120 ARTIFICIAL FLIES. Grayling rise boldly and freely at the top food of the season, and often give capital sport to the flytisher. They have their choice and favorite flies, but are not so tenacious or scrupulous as the trout ; they are a more simple and more social fish, gliding together in the eddies and stills of moderate depth, that lie betwixt or close to the streams. They spawn the beginning of April, and are in best condition in autumn. Smelt are expert flycatchers — the readiest customers of the small flyfisher ; from August to the end of the season the streams up the Ure are full of them. They occupy the same haunts and places the old ones had done before them. On fine days and low waters imitations of the small lively colored aquatics of the day and small hackles, with a maggot at each, cast into the short runs and ripples of stony streams, are irre- sistible. Towards the end of autumn they verge into the deeps, where they remain until spring summonses them away, when they offer good sport all along their line of march to salt water. A shoal will straighten the flyfisher's line at every cast, when the kicks and flings of these tiny sportlings may suggest the furious tugs and struggles in store for the angler, when he holds at bay the full grown king of the fishes. The sizes and situations of the component parts of an artificial fly must be the same as those of the natu- ral ones, or as near as materials will allow. If a drake fly be hatching, and the fishes watching and feeding upon it, in order to deceive them the wings, legs, head, shoulders, and body of the artificial drake must be the same in sizes, situation, and outline, to those of the natu- ral fly. The length of the fly gives the length of the ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 121 shank of the hook required. Artificial flies are winged with slips or cuts from the inner web of the large feathers. They are hackled by winding the stem of the feather tight over the shoulders, keeping the fibres free. The flies in the list are divided into seven classes, being of seven different shapes. The same shape of the natural flies in each class must be given to ^their artificial- imi- tations. The Browns require the cylinder like form of head, shoulders, and body, in their proportions, for they are the bulk and substance of all flies, from which the wings and legs are but shades and offshoots. Body, half length, of eight or nine' rounds of suitable sized silk, which is the number of joints. Winged on the middle shoulder, and legged at the breast. Hackled on the second and third shoulder, the fibres of the fea- ther to lie down flat at the stem, by the action of the water, and close over the back and sides in the wire like form of the closed wings of the flies. The Drakes. Head according with that of the fly ; shoulders, short and thickish ; body, above half length, rather smaller to the end ; wings, on the mid shoulder, to stand up like those of a butterfly, slantingdicular over the body ; leg at the breast ; hackle over the mid and third shoulder, the fibres of the feather to start upwards from the stem, and have a natural tention in the direction of the wings of the flies. If the color of the feather suit for both wings and legs, pinch the up- per fibres together for wings, and trim and shorten the under ones for legs ; which is the shortest way of dressing a fly, and often done by the craft. The glit- tering wings of all the drake tribes, after casting their 122 ARTIFICIAL FLIES. skins, are best represented by the glittering cock-hackle feathers. The Duns. Small heads, and small jumped-up shoulders ; body, rather fuller, and better than half length ; wing near the head, and leg at the breast. Hackle on the shoulders near the head ; the fibres to close flat at the stem by the action of the wa- ter ; for if they appear thick at the shoulders when the fibres of the feather are closed, the shape of both these flies and the browns is lost. The Spinners. Small heads, large round shoulders, bodies cylindrical, near two-thirds the length. Wing or hackle on the shoulder, leg at the breast. The House Flies. Head, shoulders, and body in their proportions thickish ; body, somewhat oval, and about half the length. Wing on each side of top of shoulders, to lie horizontal and point more or less from the body ; leg at the breast ; hackle over the fore-part of shoulder. The proportions of this class rather vary. The Beetles. Head, small ; shoulders and body growing broader, into an oval form ; body, about three- fifths of the length ; wing where the shoulders and body join, to close over the back ; leg at the breast ; hackle for under-wings close behind the top ones. The Ant Flies. Largish head, thick shoulders, small waist, plump oval body, thickness of the shoul- ders, and near or about half the length of the fly. Wing on each side of top of shoulder, to slant upwards and from the body ; leg at the breast. May be hackled over top of shoulder, and trimmed for legs. The colors, shades, and reflections, of the natural flies, must be imitated as well as their sizes and shapes. AtlTlFIClAL FLIES. 123 Defects in any of these lead to disappointment. Books are imperfect guides to colors and shades. To pursue the art to its best perfection, it is necessary to take the first steps. The materials for an artificial fly should be compared and matched with the natural one, by the eye and judgment of the flyfisher. The top'and under side of feathers, for wings, must resemble, and the transparent tinge, with any marks or freckles, must match that of the natural fly. Take the dead fly on a needle point, and compare it with the artificial materi- als. Match the wings with the feather ; the body with silk ; legs with hair, etc. Hold them together, side by side, up to the light and in the sunshine, and look through them as we may suppose the fishes do, turning them into different positions in order to catch their foundation colors, with their tinges, r-eflections, and hues. This gives the flyfisher a grounded knowledge of the natural flies ; and the materials once selected and proved, become familiar in his mind and items in his book, with which he can afterwards picture life with but little trouble, and fish his flies with the greatest confidence. Feathers for wings must be small fibred, close and thin, of silky surface and transparent texture, that will least shrink or change color on the water. Fine old glossy birds, about Christmas, produce the best. The length of the wings of the fly gives the length of the fibres of the feather. The olden craft selected the bard feathers from the inside and outside of woodcock wings, for the bard wings of the early and light brown. The_clouded feathers from under the wing of the hen- pheasant, for the clouded wings of the March brown ; 124 ARTIFICIAL FLIES. the partridge grey from the breast ; brown from the shoulders ; and spotted red from the tail for the veined and checkered wings of the Royal Charlie, check wing, mottled brown and red brown drakes. For the light and blue drakes (and the bio shades of the plain wings of some others) they took from the starling, snipe, etc. ; and for the dark drake (watchet) from the waterhen (for the dark shades of wings of some others from the swift, blackbird, etc). For the wings of the freckled duns they took the freckled feather of the moorcock (where they found for others of the dark stickbait tribes) ; and for the tawny and light wings of the cod- bait tribes, the light, grannam, sanded, plover, dun, etc., they took from the brown owl, landrail, dotterel , plover, etc. These feathers have been chosen by the anglers of yore to imitate the wings of these aquatic chiefs of the small-fly list, which are the principal flies they imitated. The feathers are still held good. Their popularity seems to have outlived the flies. They are all fished by the craft, not at hap-hazard through the day, but on the days and at the hours when they or such of them as shew themselves on the waters to the fishes. If better matches are known or can be found in other birds, adopt them, for the fiyfisher must look round for himself and scrutinise every fly, or he may often be deceived. All is when his flies are like those that the fishes are taking, he will have the best chance of a kilL The feathers on the outsides of the dotterel wings, with light edges, assimulate naturally with the ends of the closed wings of several species of browns and duns, as they shew at the end of the body. The wings of many of the flies are thick and veiny at the ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 125 shoulders, and the transparent shade lighter at the ends ; and the breast and shoulder in general shew a shade or two darker than the body. Suitable grounds with marks, mottles, etc., are oft to be met with in the common hen, ducks, etc. Small flies, gnats, etc., re- quire the finest fibred feathers ; the small birds present a field not much explored. The feathers are picked from the neck, shoulders, back, rump, breast, and sides, and the outside and inside of wings : the fibres of the latter are straight, and some rather stifier suitable for drakes. Silks, hairs, wools, furs, etc., must be of an elastic and transparent quality ; for all the flies, as well as the more substantial food of the fish — such as min- nows, bullheads, loaches, worms, larvae, etc — are of a dim transparency ; and all the flies throw off", more or less, tinty sparkling reflections, and, shew rich transpa- rencies, which, when aptly imitated the better ; dull opaque imitations are not natural to them. The noble Salmon takes not the glittering bait as children choose toys, but from the rich transparencies and sparkling reflections with which nature has tinged their insect food. Hairs, such as mohair, or from the hare's ear, shank, or other parts ; or from the squirrel, or other animals of suitable fineness and shade, represent the natural gleam of the legs of flies much better than the formal and glittering cock-hackle. The few fibres of the hare's ear, on the breast of the brown drake and checkwing, mingle naturally with the other parts, and make up the fly. Many flies are tinged of other colors and shades, with furs from the water-rat, mole, squir- rel, etc. The blue drake is internally orange, but her thin inky skin tinges her blue, which is imitated with 126 ARTIFICIAL FLIES. a few fibres of fox-cub down wrought in with the orange silk, but it should be used sparingly (in all cases) not to hold water or increase bulk : its purpose being to throw off the blue tinge of the natural fly. Many tinge with small strands of silk. Fibres from the peacock, and other feathers are occasionally used, as for the head of the coral-eyed drake, etc. ; but their sizes must not exceed the bounds of nature, the object being to give to the artificial the same size and shape, and to throw off the colors and tinges of the flimsy fabrics of the natural flies. The air changes the hues of some of the new hatched aquatics. The favorite spring fly of a successful crafts- man was a small one dressed with orange silk and cock- pheasant's small purple hackle only. He knew nothing of the natural fly, which probably was the needle brown, then hatching in great numbers ; but usually dressed with waterrail, swift, etc. It is very likely the purple hackle, when in or on the water, throws off the steely blue tinge of the wings of the- new hatched needle brown. It is not every fly, from the most skil- ful hands, that pleases the bright eyes of the fish. If a craftsman make three or four all of the same sort and materials, some will be preferred to othersome. Passing from Mickley to Black Robin with a brother or two of the angle, we bespoke a craftsman silently plying his art. He had only just begun. Said he had rose some good grayling, but they '' wadnt tak hod." I saw him make three or four casts with his flies, which he watched as if they were alive, but with the same results. The fish rose but turned tail without touching them. He turned aside to avail himself of the chance ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 127 a change might give, saying he would dress them ano- ther or two of the same sort, " they '11 mebbe like 'em better.'* Many a time that day I saw him with bent and quivering rod hurrying down the rough margin of the streams of Hackfall. Towards evening we repaired to Richard Heaths'. Soon after Walbran came in, his ample basket was full of fine trout, grayling, and smelt, but principally large grayling, which were all soon caught a second time with the silver hook. The best like imitations can scarce be pronounced good until tested by the fishes. Hackled flies are in general better taken than those that are winged ; but dress both and give the fish which they prefer. I have seen a craftsman sit on a stone, make short and sound work of tlie checkwing. He took the par- tridge brown and stripped the stem on both sides, to the few fibres he intended to remain, which he closed together with his lips, and then laid it aside. He waxed the ends of the silk, hair, and shank of the hook, whipping three or four open rounds of the waxed silk tight up the bare hook to the top and turned near half-way back. He then laid the waxed end of the hair within the hook and whipt them close and tight toge- ther to the top, and formed the head. Waxing the silk at the lap, he plied to it a few hairs from a hare's ear, then laid the thicker part of the stem of the fea- ther at the fibres, close to the silk at the lap, and whipt over it ; then cutting of the surplus stem, whipt tight down the length of the shoulders and fastened. He next took the feather in his pliers by the small end and wound it twice over the shoulders, tight as it would bear, keeping the stem straight by the twirl of the 128 ARTIFICIAL FLIES. pliers ; and the fibres pointing over the head whipt it to, at the low shoulder ; and, after cutting off the sur- plus, whipt tight down to the bend and carefully back again, to form the body ; then fastened, and cut the silk close off. He finished with a pin, separating and straightening the fibres of the feather, pinching the up- per ones together for the wings, and trimming and adjusting the under parts, for the legs ; then cast his fly on the water. Absent or ill-made and ill-matched flies are bad to depend on ; also flies of our own design or fancy ; for we cannot design or finish equal to Nature. The best we can do is to copy her designs and finish after her in the best way we can. The first business of the small flyfisher is with the aquatic flies of the day, which, if he cannot see out or on the water he may oft on spider webs, or he may find them with their creep- ers at their times of hatching, at the edges of the streams, the same as the creeper and stone fly. An hour or two spent in research and observation at inter- vals through a season, will give a truer and more cor- rect knowledge of the flies and nature and system of the art, than many years of angling, and is often the short- est way to the favorite. The wheelings of the black and blue gnats, in sunny calms and clear waters — the trotting of the stone fly, and the majestic floating of the green drake — overmatch the craftsman's art. Na- ture reigns there supreme, when her own works only can avail the flyfisher. The first cast of his artificials comes the nearest ; they float for an instant and oft flatter him with a rise or by chance a flsh, but in a cast or two more they are disfigured, dishevelled, and ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 129 drowned, and so must continue during his sport. Many of the small flies perish at hatching and laying times, and are immersed in the water, when we may suppose they are taken by the fishes. We may also suppose that good imitations, being somewhat elastic and of better stamina, will maintain their appearance better in the water than the drowned shrouded-up natural flies, and will better preserve their shape and expression, the gleam and tinge of lingering life, which is the test of the fly, and the attraction of the fish. Be these as they may, certain it is that the fishes will readily take good imitations of the small fly , they are feeding off", by the panniers of fine trout, grayling, and smelt, so fre- quently killed by the first class of small flyfishers. . These hints and observations are the leading land- marks and guides in the fly-maker's track, paced by persevering craft to the last sentence ; and if, flyfishers, these hours of idleness, casually spent in fifty seasons, give zest to the sport of your days and lend you a lift on your way, I '11 not begrudge the years — if not, pace on, for I have done. RIPON : PRINTED BY WILLIAM HARRISOX* ADDENDA. The preceding list presents a number of flies, which fall by chance or come naturally on the water, and often several species present themselves to the choice of the fish at the same time. They are a numerous mass of various natural baits, each individual fly to be nicely imitated artificially, and fished by the small flyfisher, which forms his branch of the art of angling; a great majority of these flies are unknown, and all are taken as they appear on the water by the fish. A de- scription of each different fly, with its quality and time of appearance may lead to a knowledge of the whole, when the favourite fly of the fish will not easily escape. The three aquatic tribes, abounding numerous in the Ure, which runs in the centre of England, are as com- mon to its other streams as the fish that are in them — or as the land flies — the Blue Bottle, the Cow Dung, and the House Fly are common to their district lands. This is verified by the Stone Fly, the Green Drake, and Red Dun being well known in rivers far north and south of the Ure ; and if the aquatic flies of the rivers and burns in Scotland and Wales were examined, they would be found to belong to these three classes. Some of the most popular flies are named by their colours, 132 ADDENDA. which rather confuses than distinguishes them; for instance, the blue dun (blue drake), March brown (brown drake), the former named a dun, the latter a brown, when both are drake flies, being of the green drake shape. Neither are the feathers used in dressing by which they are often named, any guide to the flies, the wings of which they represent. But the striking difference in shape of the three great divisions of the aquatic angling flies are a sure and plain distinction, and an easy introduction to the knowledge of all their species to which all practical flyfishers and fly makers must come, who mean to persevere through the season with the best success, the general routine of small flyfish- ing. They are for all seasons to come, and to those who know them, a key to the aquatic angling flies of all the trout streams in our Island. Some portion of the top food of the flshes — the flimsy foundations of the small flyfisher — have been discribed, which when on the water the fishes eagerly indulge in, but their main supplies are generally more substantial, which they find at the bottom or in the water. The minnow, worm, and the larvae of insects are favourite food of the fish, and the most popular baits with the craft ; these form another branch or rather branches in the art of angling. They are fair and unexceptionable baits for the general and honourable angler, and free him from many preparatory labours and attentions which are required in small flyfishing. There are no varieties of them to puzzle him, they fill up intervals, give the same roving exercise as the small fiy, and do well for the pannier, for they in general kill the largest fish. (133) THE MINNOW Is a beautiful little fish, which contributes much to the sustenance of the trout during the spring and summer, and for which it excels all other baits for underwater fishing. Length about three inches, belly white, sides shades of green, olive and brown, tinged with gild and yellow with blue reflections which thicken up al- together on the back into a uniform dark shade. Their shape is that of the smelt or young trout, which likens them to diminutive recklings of these noble families. They are smooth and fleshy, a rich and delicious mor- sel for the trout, or the fishing boy's tansy, whom they teach his first lessons in angling. They are a quick, cun- ning, and courageous, but harmless little fish, having no teeth or weapons of defence or attack, but their fine shape, fins, and tail, give them great power of agility and quickness in the water, by which they escape their inces- sant enemies. They go in shoals, a few inches from the bottom, in still places or where the water runs gently over them ; they glide easily about, turn quickly and shoot like a meteor, to avoid danger. Copious streams, running smoothly away over sloping shoals of sand and gravel, seem to be most congenial to their nature, and where the trout is of first-class colour and quality ; rougher streams have fewer of them, and some pro- bably none at all. But our business with the minnow is as a trolling bait for the trout. (134) THE TACKLE. Minnows of all sizes are taken by trout and other fish of prey, and, therefore, all sizes of them are good natural baits, when proportionate tackle can be attached to them. 1st.— The old original small lip and large bottom (or spit) hook is the simplest minnow tackle, and many good minnow fishers use it in preference to any other ; it is applicable to all sizes, the bottom hook being in proportion to the size of the minnow, and at proportionate distance from the lip. The principle may be extended to the gudgeon, &c. for pike fishing ; the hooks whipped tight and even with small strong silk, to the end of a small sound piece of gut, the other end put twice through one of the holes of a lilliput swivel and fastened with a double knot, taking in the gut below, and drawn tight up to the swivel. One end of a line of gut six or eight feet long must be fast- ened in the same way to the upper end of the swivel, the other end of the gut is to link to the wheel line ; three or more split shot sinkers must be fixed on the gut, eight or nine inches above the hooks. The point of the bottom hook is put into the mouth,, and run down the inside of the minnow, the point and barb to come out on the side betwixt the vent and the tail. The body drawn straight over the lapping or shank of the hook, and the tail part rest in the curve, which The MiruLow. I^TofSo sjjitlwok taxTtZe anoL 'bouuteoL. 2'^ Least d^ioble. Tioolc tcuKL and. taiteoi. smker andy lazieoi. 4-^ Mobggot on fly Tioolc. 4 S^ Broun^Ufi^ worm tackle & ADDENDA. 135 gives it the turn in the water. The lip hook is put through the upper lip, or through both. 2nd. — The Lip with Double and Treble Hooks. — The double and treble hOoks for this tackle, are single hooks tied back to back on the gut, and each set may have its hooks all of the same size. It is ap- plicable to various sized minnows by proportionate sized hooks and distances ; three of the smallest single hooks, viz : — two tied together back to back for the bottom, and the other for the top, is the smallest min- now tackle that can be made ; and if the lip and bottom hooks are about three-quarters- of an inch apart from bend to bend, it will take a minnow an inch and a quarter in length from the nose to the setting on of the tail. The lip hook put in under the chin through both lips, and one of the bottom stuck in at the side, a little below the back fin, so as to curve it to make it spin. Sinkers, gut line, and swivel same as first. For a two-inch minnow, two double hooks and the lip, a size larger, the middle hooks one inch from the lip, and near three-quarters from the bottom. For a three inch minnow, two double hooks and the lip, or the middle a triangle, about one inch and a half from the lip, and near one inch from the bottom. One of the middle hooks of the two latter sizes of tackle to be stuck in at the back fin, and one of the bottom towards the tail, so as to curve it to make it spin. The sinkers, swivel, and gut line must be at- tached thereon, or the sinkers of the two latter varied by an oblong piece of lead of suitable length attached to one end of a piece of gut, the other end whipped in 136 ADDENDA. with the lip hook, the lead to be put into the mouth and thrust down the throat of the minnow. TROLLING THE MINNOW. The small minnow is well taken in becks and run- ners which a man may leap over, where the trout runs small and often numerous. The two-inch minnow is the best general size for brooks and rivers, and the two double hook tackle, with the lead sinker the snuggest and least seen. The minnow is fished both up and down the stream — open streams fish up ; banky or woody parts, up or down as may suit the place or screen the angler. It is pitched underhand on the water, or cast overhead like the fly without check or damage ; it is kept in constant motion by the rod, the stream, and the eddy. Fishing up least exposes the angler to the view of the fish, and the natural dart and sudden appearance of the minnow rouses the lurk- ing trout. To commence at the foot of a stream and cast upwards, try with a few short casts the nearest water, advancing and extending further and higher, radiating with the rod into fresh water each cast, from one side to the other, troll down or athwart, and on each side the descending deep or wherever the trout may resort or shelter. Cast up the running stream, and as the minnow falls upon the water just straighten the line to feel him, and have him at command, to free him of the bottom, accelerate his speed, or veer him to the right or left in his headlong course down the untried ADDENDA, 137 water, then take him out and cast again. Pitch or cast him into the eddies, behind stones, or any obstruc- tions of the water ; shoot him down the runs and ripples, which arise from obstructions beneath the surface, where the trout prowls for food, or finds places for rest. In thick and discoloured waters, or on dull heavy days troll him gently in the stills near the bottom. When trolling down the stream, the minnow being checked and guided by the rod will spin itself across from side to side. If the stream be rough whelm it in the falls, troll it through the eddies, scours, or any other gliding and hovering parts of the water where the trout may lodge. Spin it in the runs, and through the ripples, across the descending deeps, by the sides of heady currents ; and in discoloured water troll across the gentle broad flow to the summit of the next stream. Leave no retreat of the trout untried, and either fishing up or down, shew the minnow in fresh water every cast, that every trout may have a glimpse of it, then hasten away to another stream, repetitions (except after a rise) are generally a loss of time, for a hesitating trout is seldom taken, and the more chances the more fish. THE MAGGOT. The larvae of insects are a very natural food and well taken by most fresh water fish. The excellence of the maggot as a bait, which is the larvae of the flesh 138 ADDENDA. fly or blue bottle, has been long established. It is used by the roving angler as an appendage to the small fly, and fished with them. In smelting it is of the greatest importance, and its attraction fatal to many a trout. It is baited by putting the fly hook in at the head and out at the tail ; or by putting the point in at one side and out at the other, a little below the head, when two or more may be put on the same hook. They are the best that are preserved over winter in the scraps and bits of refuse of chandler's tallow ; procure the latest blown and put them in a jar or small barrel, in a cool place or cellar. THE BRANDLING WORM. Worms are a general and natural food of fish. The yellow, amber, and red shades marked and mingled in the brandling, together with its moderate size, ren- der it a more fascinating and attractive bait to trout, grayling, and smelt, than any other worm. For trout and smelt fishing, put the point of the hook in towards the head and out again towards the tail, leaving both ends at liberty, and all the hook covered except the point and barb ; or put the hook in near the head and down about an inch of the worm, running it up on to the gut. Then put the point in at the tail and run it up over the bend, letting out the point and barb and drawing the part on the gut back over the shank of the hook ; in this way the bait is least liable to be entangled at the ADDENDA. 139 bottom. When fishing it is dropped in the eddies and stills, behind stones, or at the sides of the water, also in runs and ripples, or dribbled down among the stones of the descending deep, as may best suit the water and resorts of the fish ; the line seldom exceed- ing the length of the rod, with split shot sinkers eight or nine inches above the hook. In grayling fishing the brandling is put on a bristled hook, one end of a short piece of bristle or gut whip- ped in with the silk at the lower part of the lapping, the top end to stand free to keep the worm in its place ; put the hook in at the head, and move the worm up to cover every part of it, then let out the point and barb, leaving the tail at liberty. Two hooks are sometimes used, one just above the other, instead of the bristle. The brandling is fished in the stills, a few inches from the bottom with a float, or where length is required with two, to bear the line on the water. Eight feet of gut line next the hook, and a single split shot sinker eight or nine inches above it, with a small sound hair line on the wheel. The brandling is cleansed by being put among clean washed and half-dryed moss, twenty-four hours before using. To continue them, attention must be paid to cleanliness and feeding — the moss re-washed or fresh put to them, and a little cream dropped here and there among it. They are lively in the folds of a greasy dishcloth, and a woollen cloth soaked with the greasy water of the dripping pan. They are found in rotten horse or cow dunghills, to which they are drawn from the soil by the warmth, and other qualities con- genial to them, and where they acquire the best per- 140 ADDENDA. fection of sizes and colours. The brandling, particularly the smaller sorts, may be fished the same as the small fly — up the stream at full length, without sinkers. ANGLING RODS. Heavy angling rods are tiresome and unnecessary ; the winch and line ease and equalize much weight and pressure of a struggling fish. A fly rod that fishes flies on a single hair, with its winch and a small spun hair line, which absorbs the least and is most buoyant on the water, cannot be altogether too light in propor- tion. A two length spliced rod, two-thirds or three- fourths of the bottom part well seasoned, tough white pine, and the remainder lance wood, is the smplest and lightest elastic fishing rod that can be made. It fishes the easiest, the lance wood giving good impetus to the cast, and it is most sensitive to the touch of the fish and the feel of the hand. Three-length rods are more portable, which may be made on the same prin- ciple and with the same materials, with light ferrules — bottom, one straight-grained piece of pine ; middle, two or three pieces of pine ; top, first piece about one foot of pine, and the remainder pieces of lance wood lessening to six inches, and a piece of whalebone at the top. These pieces planed square and spliced true, glue the splices tight together, cant and round each length to its proportionate substance, graduating their ADDENDA. 141 elasticity towards the hand ; lap strong and well- waxed silk tight and close over the splices and at the rings, and then finish with colouring or a little paint. When gut is used for the fly or for the float, the rod may be somewhat stronger, which may answer changes for the worm or minnow. Length of rod for these purposes, from twelve to fourteen feet. The top splicings for pike and salmon rods, which require sub- stance, may be seasoned hazel, or holly for lightness. Fishing the fly is subjected to fine weather, it begins in February and ends in November ; the minnow is fished from March, through all times, weathers, and waters until October ; and the worm the same throughout the year. These are the most common and natural food of trout, grayling, and smelt — the flowers of the finny tribes — and are used as baits in angling, each of which are taken at peculiar times, giving to the roving angler who uses them, opportunities of sport every day in the year except those of frost and snow. FEBRUARY. Flies. — As ruthless winter passes, nature's earliest sympathies visit the poor fish, and in the sunshine the winter brown first trots the waters to cheer her favour- ite trout; the needle, red brown, &c., &c. make up his bill of fare, and these only in the extremes of mild weather and temperate waters. They are the first flies of the season which nature throws out to fhe fishes, 142 ADDENDA. and the angler must follow her to the last The flies of the month may be fished in the middle of fine days with the black, silver, and golden hackle. If the weather be fine, the trout move upwards towards the stream, and if it has been open since his spawning, he will be in as good condition as in April. Worm. — In open weather the worm may be fished all the day in stills and deeps, where trout and smelt may lay, or grayling assemble. When sudden and heavy floods come down the becks, brooks, or rivers, they drive all the fish out of their holes and places close to the sides, which draws up the cowl netters, and stones of trout are bagged every flood, which, wherever it is practised, spoils the angler's sport, and greatly impoverishes the streams. Under cover of the thick water, the trout rests himself in the small stills and places of smooth bottom, by the edges of the water, where he will readily take the worm or salmon spawn, which is as fair an angling bait — the destruc- tion of the old unseasonable fish and her progeny being the only objection. As the flood begins to ebb, the fish leave the sides and roam abroad, and as it runs in, settle into their old haunts. To cure salmon spawn, separate the eggs and wash them clean, strain ofi" the water and lay them thin on a plate or dish, then with a dry cloth take off the remaining moisture so as not to bruise them ; sprinkle as much salt over as will cure them, and let them remain two or three days, then draw off the brine, dry them gradually by the air of the fire, bottle and cork them up. When used, take some of the eggs on a plate with as much flour as is necessary to make into ADDENDA. 143 a stiffish paste, bruise the eggs among the flour with a broad pointed knife, to prevent spirting, mixing them well together to the proper consistency ; put about the size of a bean, of an oval form, around the shank of the hook, leaving out the point and barb. MARCH. Flies. — March hails us with brighter smiles or brisker frowns, howsomever rough a refreshing in- fluence comes with him ; flies increase and the fish are anxious for food. In fine weather several of the first- rate aquatics are hatching. The Royal Charlie, the needle, dark, light, and red brown ; the blue drake, gravel spinner, &c. may be fished with the hackles, in fine mild weather. The trout advance up to the eddies at the head of the deeps, but if it is frosty and the water chill and clear, he remains in the deeps waiting a change, when little sport may be expected. Worm. — The worm may be fished all the day in the absence of frost and the flies ; if about ten o'clock the flies appear, and the fish are rising, leave ofi" the worm and fish the fly. In case of floods or muddy water that is free from ice or snowbroth, the worm or spawn ; a bold unconscious grayling may seize your bait — but don't fish for them, they are far declined — leave them alone until May or June. (144) APRIL. Flies. — Numbers of new flies are now added to those of the last two months, as may be seen in the list, and the whole of them are on the water more or less every fine day. The needle, dark, light, and red brown ; the Royal Charlie, the blue and brown drake, and the light and freckled dun, are the leaders of the aquatic tribes, and well known to the fish. Any part of them may be fished when hatching, or such as may appear most numerous, and are taken by the fishes, with or without the black silver, or golden hackle. The maggots preserved over last winter are now valuable for smelting."^' It is the time of the annual migration of the young salmon, when every smelt that wears the blue badge, in every part of the Ure, is in motion, wending its way downward to salt water. * Smelting in the Ure is coeval with small flyfishing, as it most likelj' is in all trout and grayling streams where salmon come up to spawn. The smelt are natives of the same streams as trout and grayling, and the food and haunts of the three fish are so nearly similar, as well as the baits, that the best anglers cannot separate them if they would ; but, when fishing for one, will unavoidably take the other. In spring and autumn, when a dish of young salmon may companion the leveret or the lamb, smelting is fair angling, so long as the smelts continue in the trout and grayling streams, where the salmon fly is of no use. The smelt are the young of the salmon and salmon trout of various sizes, from two or three to twenty or thirty pounds weight, and their produce each year, the salmon smelts, vary much in their size, but all have the fit^ger marks on the sides and the blue tinge, the badge of the salmon, in the spring of their departure. It is the opinion of some observing craft, that the smelt is two and a half years in Jresh water : the first year after being spawned their growth is to about the size of a rninnow ; in the autumn of the second year we fish for them; during the following winter they acquire tlie blue tinge ; in the spring take their de- parture, and summer in the salt water. This opinion' is founded on the frequent opportunities in summer of seeing the yearlings in low clear ADDENDA. 145 Minnow.— The genial influence of April whets up the appetite of the fish, and greatly augments their food, when the general angler must suit their tastes under each varying circumstance of weather and water. In addition to the increase of flies, the minnow, bull- head, and loach leave their winter coverts and spread themselves about in the water, supplying a substantial food for the trout, whenever it is his mood to run at them. The minnow is the principal bait, but the trout at times will run at any of them ; it is fished at all times and in all waters. At the first spring of a flood the trout is often seen in anxipus pursuit of them, and also at its full flow, in the stills close by the sides, where he then resorts. As the flood recedes, particu- larly the following day, when the water is dark brown, the minnow gives glorious sport and the finest of trout ; it is also fished in clear water through the day, unless neglected for some favourite fly. If the weather is water like minnows. Their time in fresh water seems long compared with their stinted growth, but it may be required to prepare them, and to mature their irresistible instinct to migrate into salt water, where their colours and quick growth plainly proclaim their royal origin. In autumn all the salmon and salmon tribes in the broad salt waters of the H umber and Ouse ascend the rivers that run into them, for the purpose of depositing their spawn in fresh water. Vast numbers crowd up into the contracted course of the Ure and distribute themselves in its streams, as they may, all the way up as far as they can get, or as far as there is sufficient water for them. After perform- ing their duties lor the preservation of their offspring, they all make back again to salt water as fast as they can. In October and November, when they are in our streams, their flesh, like that of others in similar circum- stances, is impoverished and unwholesome, and longer they remain in them worse they grow. All fresh waters that are open to the salt tides of the sea should be places of sanctuary and safety for them ; they are an annual god-send into the streams, for another purpose than unseasonable slaughter ; and all true anglers and right-thinking men, will not take or in- jure them, but view them with admiration, and wish them safe back to their destined element, where they soon recover, and become the seasonable game 146 ADDENDA. seasonable, troll him in the eddies, close up and into the stream. Smelt pack together in shoals, and keep moving downwards, making their halts in the broad hovering parts of streams. Worm. — The worm in floods and muddy water is always good, as is salmon spawn ; the brandling is also good in clear water, particularly in the morning part, and for smelt through the day, but probably the fly and maggot is preferred. MAY. Flies. — Nature brings up her reserves this month, and her finny tribes are benefitted by the addition of the heads of five of the classes — the stone fly, green drake, red dun, grey spinner, and the oak fly, which may be considered the head of the house fly class. But the main angling feature of the month is the hatching of the stone fly, about the 8th ; when her and property of the salmon fisher. Their journey up the Ouse and the Ure is pestered with delays and dangers ; their first encounter is with Neyburn dam, which barriers the salt tides. Four more dams cross their way before they come to a stream to spawn in, and there are several more higher up the streamy trunk of the Ure. These dams block the way of the salmon, like turnpike gates, where vast numbers of them accumulate in low water times, trying to get over, and waiting sometimes Aveeks the assistance of floods ; this in droughty seasons must be a severe blow to the natural in- crease of the salmon in these waters. It holds them back from the spawning beds of their own free choice, where their progeny would be most secure ; for which they feel the strongest impulse, and exert all their powers. The dams also, otherwise so beneficial and nectssaiy, give facility to their de- struction, with nets, lysters, click hooks, etc.; and great weights of smelt are netted at the doughs, in their descent into the sea. These evils must, at times, shorten the number of salmon in the Ouse and the Humber ; bat ADDENDA. 147 swarms are in motion their presence is supreme, which is principally in the evening, night, and early morn ; and is sometimes well taken in the day time. All the day flies of this month and last are good at their times of hatching, and in the evening the duns, and the drakes after they have cast their skins ; some of the early flies may have past their prime, but probably not wholly ofi' the water. Continue the maggot or cod bait, for the old smelt keep coming down during the fore-part of the month, and use the hackles as they may answer. Trout are in the eddies at the head of the deeps and in those behind stones, &c., in tjie streams. Minnow. — It is said the trout takes the minnow better this month than any other, which may be from his increasing appetite for substantial food. In clear water keep out of his view, and fish up the stream with No. 3. tackle and bait ; in dark brown water he is good through the day, but if he flag, change for the the fly or worm. Each of these baits has its votary^ and a good flyfisher, a good minnow fisher, and a good worm fisher will within the same day each kill their nature has given them wonderful instinct and power to surmount diffi- culties. Many influences of wind, weather, etc. vary their places of resort, and their apparent numbers, and also the successes of all fisheries. Some- times they are scarce, at others abundant. In hard fished salmon localities, the net may scare away a hundred into other quarters, while it takes one ; for nothing is more instinctively alarming to fish, than the meshes of a net staring them in the face, and they have memory and reflection sufficient to guard them against repeated dangers. Like a hard-fished trout stream, although full of trout, scarce a fish can be taken until the absence of the angler or a flood, restore confidence. Nature's aggregate myriods can be but little aff'ected by human means. The small flyfisher nibbles at the smelt, as the school-boy at the minnow, or the pigeon at the marl rock ; and all smelt and salmon angling is no more than taking a few panniers from the shoals of hen-ings which, like the salmon, surround our Isles. 148 ADDENDA. pannier of trout and smelt with but little difference — so much for the application and management of these baits. Worm. — Fish the worm and spawn as heretofore. JUNE. Flies. — The green drake, which appeared at the end of last month, from ten o'clock in the forenoon, pour out of the water in great numbers ; and in the after- noon the grey drake lays her eggs upon it until after eight o'clock in the evening, when the stone fly makes her appearance. These two superior flies, with the bustard, wherever they are, draw the attention of the trout from the minor flies of the day, when the small fly must be assisted by the natural appendages — the maggot, clap bait, &c. These large flies are fished natural ; the small flies of the day and evening must be selected from those of this and last month. The trout changes his places of occupation in the water as the season advances, or rather he ranges over every part of it, particularly after floods, when the water is brown. Instead of the head of a deep, as in the beginning, he will hover on the watch in broad places at its very tail, or he is up in quick currents or sharp descending streams; he will maintain himself with ease in a heavy draw, watching the approach of his floating food ; he is a fish of the stream and the cur- rent, and the grayling the eddies and stills. ADDENDA. 149 Minnow. — ^The minnow is excellent morning and night, and on such days as are unfavourable for the fly, and in brown water. Worm. — The worm may be fished in clear waters, in the morning part — in floods and muddy waters both it and spawn all the day. JULY. Flies. — There are few green drakes or stone flies now to be found by the natural flyfisher, although there are some still afloat, and are strong in the remembrance of the fish ; good imitations will succeed in breezy days in the roughs and stirring parts of the waters, or when it is tinged brown. The bustard is numerous for night fishing, the needle and orange brown, the dark, light, and blue drakes, and the checkwing are hatch- ing ; these, with others selected from the list, with the maggot and clap bait for the day, with or without the hackles — the duns and red drakes for the evenings. The ant and pismire tribes swarm during the day time this month, when many fall on the neighbouring waters. Minnow. — In mornings and evenings — in brown waters, and in days unfavourable for the flies. Worm. — In clear waters in the morning part — in floods and muddy waters, it and the spawn. (150) AUGUST. P'ltes. — The flies of last month, with any others that are on the water, selected from the list for small flyfishing, will answer for this ; the larvae of insects are often well taken at this part of the season. The wasp grub is a successful and favourite bait with many anglers, in dark water, for trout — in the evenings the duns and red drakes. In drought and low waters, the young smelt, now growing strong, are found most nu- merous in the short runs and ripples of stony streams, or among stones at the sides of deeper places, where they invite the angler with the fly and maggot. Trout screen themselves in rough streams, and in the holes ; grayling in the eddies, and hovering parts of deepish streams and their falls. The ant and pismire tribes continue to swarm, and fall on to the water in the day time. Minnow. — The same as last month. Worm and spawn, under similar circumstances, fished the same as last month. SEPTEMBER. Flies. — There are serene days of the richest beauty, shed over land and water by a September sun, when nature smiles on the pleasures of the angler. The land flies are brisk and sportive, and the aquatics are ADDENDA. 151 hatching and on the wing, rousing the playful fish ; the ants, in buoyant spirits, swarm their vast numbers, and take their unknown flights. The aquatics of July continue good, with the addition of the light and freckled dun, and any other in the list that may be on the water, and fancied by the fish. When the orange brown, checkwing, dark drake, and the light and freckled duns, or any one of them are hatching numer- ous, and shew their well-known rich transparency to the trout, they will rouse him on the watch, and he will chuck them as the water brings them to him, with a stomach of spring. They may be fished, for trout and grayling, with or without the maggot or hackles. Small hackles and flies, with the maggot for smelt, in clear and low waters, in the ripples and runs of shallow places ; the trout at low water k^eps in the holes or deep currents in the day time, and at night forages in the streams. Grayling keep in the sheltered parts of running water of moderate depth. Minnow. — This is the last month's service of the minnow, to the angler for the hero of the streams. It may be fished, suiting circumstances, same as in April and May. Worm. — As the top and bottom food of the fish decreases, the worm is more freely taken. It may be fished in this month as in April. OCTOBER, Flies. — The gild of the trout grows dark and dim, indicating his annual change ; tempt him no longer in 152 ADDENDA. his bronzy hue. Grayling and smelt give sport, and are seasonable to the end. The needle and orange brown, the iron blue, light and dark drake, and little freckled dun are good grayling and smelt flies ; and such as may be hatching, or on the water, may be fished with the gold and silver hackle, with or without the maggot. Grayling keep quiet in harbour, and smelt move into deeper water. Worm. — The Worm maybe fished in clear water, and probably the best bait to depend on for grayling and smelt. After the flies are all gone the brandling is an excellent winter bait for grayling, when they are in the finest condition. A respected brother of the Inn and the Angle, walked from Ripon to Masham on the morning of St. Thomas* day, to meet two friends, each for a day's grayling fish- ing. They commenced in the Ure about two miles above Masham, at nine o'clock a.m., and fished up to near Ellinstring, and back to near Masham — winding up about four in the afternoon, and walked back to Ripon the same night. Returning by way of Mickley the three kills were weighed by Richard Heath, the landlord of the , where they stayed for re- freshment ; and amounted to forty-four and a quarter pounds. One of the party, considered the best angler, did not wade (a great disadvantage,) whose kill was thirteen pounds ; our friend, fourteen ; and the other, about seventeen pounds. NOVEMBER. Flies. — The few flies of this month mentioned in ADDENDA. 15S the list, conclude the flyfishing season — the fly and maggot fisher has wound up — the minnow fisher has laid by his tackling — and last, though not least, comes the hardy winter craftsman with his Brandlings, armed capapee, with worm and dust bag,* rod, net and pannier ; rations, flask, and pipe, he takes his morning, and ofi" to the streams. Quickly he plies tackle and baits, adjusts his floats to lengths and depths — then with quick and firm strides, in his waterproofs, steps into the flinty streams. Careless of fortune, with morning confidence, he drops into such parts and places of the water as shoulders his bait into the eddies, stills, and harbours of the grayling. ' His watchful eye catches the first tremblings of the distant float — wait a wee — the fish is sucking in the worm — the hook is in his mouth, and quickly he is in the pannier — and another and another and another — lengthening out line as farther distances require, he tries every grayling station within his reach, and the next moment he is in another place. These baits— the fly and maggot, the minnow and the worm — have given, after these fashions, many an hour and many a day's healthy exercise and happy pleasure ; and often a good dish of Trout, Grayling, and Smelt, to Your Humble Servant, MICHAEL THEAKSTON. * A small pocket attached, to dip in the finger and thumb, better to bold the slippery worm. 154 ADDENDA. My home-spun book is written, which will suit but few readers — one saving point — the description of the angling flies, may be its preserver. Fond of flyfishing, many of the former years of my fishing career I sought in vain for such descriptionSj and never found them yet. May these give to the enquiring angler the gratification they would have given to me ; and should they lead him — not by slow and uncertain steps — but with fore- knowledge and a quicker pace, through the mazes of the foundations of the gentle art, it will answer to my purpose, and my end is gained. I need not say when fish tug hard, and fleetly fly the angler's richest mo- ments — stick to the game ; but there are vacant mo- ments, while by the side of the singing streams, which give opportunities for seeing the Flies and Creepers in their living freshness. I then would say, take a peep into these scientific operations of Nature, which are so intimately connected with the flyfisher's Art. CLASSES 4-*^Spvmers jf^ 5*f'Eouse Fly « 6-^BeetU I^AfvtFly BROimS PL] mT '^W^ ^ll^ -^•- f f # 2 1 3 I 13 ^17 " Stone ■piy Seeiiie 1^^ Class BRIBES ^r J^^^^ 29 ^ .<^.. --i^-;. 4<. 28 -/|^/^36 DRAKES pi.r 4y: 87 DUNS 4<3 V ^ DUNS n: ":?r* 78 'srr "r^ SPINISERS M. \ JT^ frr SPINNERS HOUSE TLIES # «f ff^ BEETLES *: f BEETLES Pl.TI DRAEES & THEIR CREEPERS n.TT 6^ CoraJLEy'dDrcLkeS^Creeper 4^' 3"^ CLASS DUNS & THEIR CREEPERS 1'^.ReoL Dun , Creeper d IHCfzctad Coose W^Ieast Freeh leob Jhun Creeper d ArtifvciaZ Cause. =^^ 8''^I^MT)iar,CreeT3erSiJtrti-ficial Couse. d^FrecMeoblkm, Creeper & Artiftcial Coos e ARTIFICIAL PLIES P1.7III /•^* Browns 2^T}roCke^ ■Ml;^r ** h'-^DiAns "^^^^f^^^j ^^ '•^ptriners ^ J ^"'■ - -M—j 5^-Eov^emes -^ '*^> 6*}.Bedles ^ I'^Jtnts EoLckle Blouck louryfici ^P"b ^f^^k "W.lConldious_e, IiQi..Tort ^'A 0/285