using the alder. But far more often the downstream method is efficacious. I was sent last year a pattern of a small partridge hackle fly which had killed several good trout on the Mimram, all tailing fish. On enquiry I found that the fisherman, a clergyman who, like most of the cloth who are anglers, is a capital performer with the rod, had caught these fish by casting up-stream and letting the fly sink just above where they were feeding. It cannot, of course, be expected that as good a basket can be obtained when trout are 'tailing,' as when they are rising. Nevertheless no one need despair of killing some 'warrantable' fish when he sees not noses, but tails, breaking the surface of the river he is about to exploit.

As I have before mentioned, hackle flies are most useful. In fact, winged ones (always excepting the alder) are really not worth thinking about in connection with 'tailing' trout. Palmers, Zulus, spiders, all do execution. But the fisherman must not expect that a 'tailer' will be incited to hook himself at once. Endless perseverance will in all probability have to be exercised. For remember that a trout feeding in this fashion is rather like a man enjoying a particularly good dinner, to whom a strange and incongruous dish is suddenly offered

by some-one totally unconnected with the feast. He would probably hesitate considerably before accepting the proffered novelty, for fear of either spoiling the proved excellence of his meal, or from the dread of some form of practical joke. And that is just what trout do when 'tailing.' They think over the matter deeply, before venturing to attend to the allurements of the daintiest hackle fly. So the fisherman, when he tries for a 'tailing' fish, must make up his mind. to work hard for him, and then, with luck, he may eventually be well rewarded for all his time and trouble.

The second condition I have mentioned is, when trout are found to be 'bulging.' Often on reaching the riverside the fisherman will notice what at the first glance might seem to be innumerable rises. On closer inspection these will prove to be fish taking what I believe are called the nympha of the duns or mayflies just before they reach the surface, there to hatch out. When trout are thus employed, they are very difficult to catch by means of the artificial fly, however skilfully used. A stray fish may be induced to look at a floating dun, but it is a rare occurrence, and on the whole I don't know any more aggravating mood to find fish in than that of 'bulging.' What makes it worse is that the water is being constantly

moved by the trout hurrying about just underneath the surface to secure the tasty morsels which are rising to the top; and there must be always a general impression that, with all these fish apparently 'looking about,' by some means or other a few should be secured. But believe me, brother anglers, to succeed when fish are 'bulging' is an extremely difficult task. Some weird, odd, fancy fly is, I think, then more likely to entice a trout than the regulation dun or alder.

I have as yet said nothing about those most aggravating of all created insects, the smuts,' or 'fisherman's curses.' Now, whether the latter nomenclature was applied to them because of the nuisance they are to the angler, or because they cause the wearied fisherman to use strong epithets, I am unable to decide; all I can say of myself is that many and many a time have they utterly destroyed the remnants of my own temper, and I know of nothing which can compare with them in this respect except the game of golf! These infinitesimally tiny creatures, when they do appear in force-not that they are even then clearly visible to the eye of man-seem to deprive the trout of the power of attending to the charms of any other insect.

After a toilsome hot day's fishing, when but

little success has been achieved, how often have I seen trout begin to rise quietly but regularly, and have imagined in my ignorance that the short timestill left me would prove not unprofitable! Then have I fished as carefully and steadily as I could, but not a fish would look at olive-dun, red-quill-gnat, blue-dun, or alder !

On closer examination of the water and its stubborn inhabitants, I have observed the trout rising persistently at some object so absolutely indistinguishable that it was an impossible task to attempt to essay the use of any artificial copy thereof. The fish were 'smutting.' That was the simple explanation, and one which is, as a rule, a final extinguisher to any hopes that might still linger of being able to make up a decent basket before going home. Myriads of insects, no larger than a pin's head-if, indeed, they were as big-were wheeling in the air-millions upon millions of them—and multitudes were dancing on and over the water. Upon these the trout were feeding, and no other fly was then of any avail whatsoever.

It is true that on rare occasions I have known an incautious fish to take a small black gnat or a wee dark dun; but these are exceptions that prove the rule. No, the 'fisherman's curse' when it comes up

in strength, and the fish have made up their minds to take it, is almost certain to completely and absolutely defeat the unfortunate angler. And with this somewhat discouraging statement I will take leave of 'smuts' and their evil influence over the trout.

Before quitting altogether the subject of fishing with a dry fly-or, indeed, with the artificial fly at all--a few words must be devoted to that most fascinating and weird insect, the Mayfly.

From the moment the first pioneers of the tribe are seen, to the day when a few scattered stragglers are the sole survivors of the vast multitudes who have fluttered their little hour away and have died either a natural death, or have been devoured by bird or fish, the Mayfly is the thought uppermost in the fisherman's mind, and he will travel far to procure a day's fishing in waters whereon that fly is found. Apart from the wondrous tale of its inception, and curiously ephemeral existence, the Mayfly is always affording the fisherman some new material for astonishment. One year it will not appear at all, or only in such insignificant numbers as hardly to merit recognition, under which circumstances the fish take no notice of it whatever, and the angler need not trouble to 'put on' its likeness; whereas on the same stretch of water during the previous season the fly

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