and under it put a thickish body of green yellow wool: tie with bright yellow silk. As a golden plover's feather is not always to be procured, you may use the reddish dun feather from a landrail, either as a hackle or wings; or even a light ginger hackle or starling's wing, with the above body, will answer; for, being used only in rough water, the imitation need not be so very exact.

THE GREEN TAIL, OR GRANNAM FLY.

SEASON.-April.

Natural. They have four wings, which lie sloping over the body, so as to entirely hide it, and are of a light and yellowish dun, with brown sandy spots. The head and body very dark, with a whitish stripe on the sides of the tail, where there is sometimes a lump of green eggs, which, in handling the fly, will drop off: they have six legs, of a ginger colour, and two black feelers at the head. They are to be seen from the end of March till late in May; but the exact time depends entirely upon the weather; for a wet season destroys them, as a fine one brings and continues them.

In their season, they appear in flights from ten till four or five o'clock, and are easily known by their short returns, in a zig-zag manner, in numbers together, over the water. They abound mostly in those rivers whose sides are covered with orl (i. e. alder) trees, and may be seen running very fast on their leaves.

Artificial. When they are flying, their wings appear of a light dun, and their body dark; and for that reason we always make them with a light yellowish dun hen's hackle, round the top of the hook, and the body of dark fur, with yellow tips from a hare's ear, tied on with green silk, which should be seen at the tail. Or thus: wings from those of a hen pheasant, where you perceive the colour answers; two turns of a small light ginger hackle for legs; a little mole's fur for body, with a tail of the green silk.

THE PURPLE, OR IRON BLUE FLY.

SEASON. April and May.

Natural.-In shape resembling the blue dun, but much smaller. The wings a clear purple, the body a reddish dark purple, legs almost white, and two whisks at the tail. They begin to appear early in April, but towards the end of the month, and about the middle of May, is their greatest season. They are never seen in any considerable numbers but in cloudy, showery days, when the fish take them more freely than any of the other flies on the water at the same time. From about ten till three or four o'clock, is their usual time of appearing, and, being a small fly, they are most numerous in the middle of the day.

Artificial. Make them with a dark blue dun hackle, and use reddish purple silk only for the body. As winged flies, use a hen blackbird's wing

58 THE SAND, GRAVEL, OR SPIDER FLY.

feather for the wings, and water rat's fur, with purple silk, for the body.

THE SAND, GRAVEL, OR SPIDER FLY.

SEASON. From towards the end of April till past the middle of May.

Natural. They have more the appearance of a long-legged spider than a fly. Their two small brown wings, the colour of a new oak table, lie flat on the back; their bodies are thin, and of a lead colour; they have six legs, which are very long, and rather black. In bright days, with an easterly wind, at the end of April, and till near the middle of May, if the weather continues bright and the water low, you will see them in great numbers on the sand, near the river side, where they are generally struggling three or four together, and are blown thus along the surface of the water; at these moments the fish rise strongly at them, and then is the time to throw your artificial fly, which, if made neatly, and cast lightly, will succeed.

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Artificial. The weather and water being both bright, use a long rod and a light line, the bottom being of the smallest round gut you can procure, with the finest wire, taking care to have the wind your favour. Wind a wren's tail feather twice or thrice, at most, round the top of the shank of the hook, and make a small body below it of mole's fur and lead-coloured silk. We have usually had most sport from about ten till two o'clock, and find

the fish generally towards the end of the streams. If May should be wet, or with full water, you must not expect the sport which a bright frosty time will give.

STONE FLY, WITH THE WATER CRICKET, CREEPER, OR CRAB OF THE STONE FLY.

SEASON.-The crab, from the end of April to the end of May. The fly, from the end of May to the beginning of July.

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Natural. From the end of April till near the middle of July, you will find, in the rocky and stony rivers and brooks of Wales, under the loose stones near the water's edge, and generally towards the upper end of the stream, first the crab of the stone fly, in shape like an earwig, but much larger, and of a dark colour, nearly inclining to black. It has two whisks and two feelers, without wings. Towards the middle or end of a warm May, when you perceive their empty cases sticking upon the pebbles, are found, in the same places, the stone fly, of a similar shape, but lighter and larger, being a full inch in size. At their first appearance their bodies are nearly black, except under the throat and belly, which are of a strong yellow; the six legs are also of a dirty yellow. When they are numerous, in the middle of June, the wings are lighter, their bodies of a drab or stone colour, and the whisks and legs much lighter.

Artificial.

In the early part of the season wind a dark speckled cock's hackle round the top of the hook, which must be rather large; make the body of black sheep's wool mixed with strong yellow, and ribbed with waxed silk. In June use a lighter hackle, with drab-coloured wool and lighter yellow, ribbed with primrose silk.

For a winged fly, you will find on the back of a wild mallard a dark, brownish, spotted feather, which is very suitable for the purpose; the legs a darker dun hackle, the body of black and yellow wool, ribbed with waxed yellow silk. In June, the lighter part of the same, or a goose's or dun hen's weak feather, with a lighter hackle, and drab and pale yellow wool, ribbed with primrose. The time to use them is during a strong breeze, when the water is rather low: when you will perceive them paddling or fluttering along the surface, generally early in the morning, or towards evening. Throw principally on the ruffled deeps, and particularly on the end of those currents where you observe they abound; for, though plentiful on the river, they are not found on every one of its streams. If a heavy flood should happen in their season, or full water continue, they are hardly worth attending to, as it either sweeps them off, or prevents their appearance.

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