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animals； the pickings of any pond； a minnow or two； an eft； a few
of the delicate pond…snails （unless they devour your plants too
rapidly）： water…beetles； of activity inconceivable； and that
wondrous bug the Notonecta； who lies on his back all day； rowing
about his boat…shaped body； with one long pair of oars； in search
of animalcules； and the moment the lights are out； turns head over
heels； rights himself； and opening a pair of handsome wings； starts
to fly about the dark room in company with his friend the water…
beetle； and （I suspect） catch flies； and then slips back demurely
into the water with the first streak of dawn。 But perhaps the most
interesting of all the tribes of the Naiads； … （in default； of
course； of those semi…human nymphs with which our Teutonic
forefathers； like the Greeks； peopled each 〃sacred fountain；〃） …
are the little 〃water…crickets；〃 which may be found running under
the pebbles； or burrowing in little galleries in the banks： and
those 〃caddises；〃 which crawl on the bottom in the stiller waters；
enclosed； all save the head and legs； in a tube of sand or pebbles；
shells or sticks； green or dead weeds； often arranged with quaint
symmetry； or of very graceful shape。 Their aspect in this state
may be somewhat uninviting； but they compensate for their youthful
ugliness by the strangeness of their transformations； and often by
the delicate beauty of the perfect insects； as the 〃caddises；〃
rising to the surface； become flying Phryganeae （caperers and sand…
flies）； generally of various shades of fawn…colour； and the water…
crickets （though an unscientific eye may be able to discern but
little difference in them in the 〃larva；〃 or imperfect state）
change into flies of the most various shapes； … one； perhaps； into
the great sluggish olive 〃Stone…fly〃 （Perla bicaudata）； another
into the delicate lemon…coloured 〃Yellow Sally〃 （Chrysoperla
viridis）； another into the dark chocolate 〃Alder〃 （Sialis lutaria）：
and the majority into duns and drakes （Ephemerae）； whose grace of
form； and delicacy of colour； give them a right to rank among the
most exquisite of God's creations； from the tiny 〃Spinners〃 （Ba塼is
or Chloron） of incandescent glass； with gorgeous rainbow…coloured
eyes； to the great Green Drake （Ephemera vulgata）； known to all
fishermen as the prince of trout…flies。 These animals； their
habits； their miraculous transformations； might give many an hour's
quiet amusement to an invalid； laid on a sofa； or imprisoned in a
sick…room； and debarred from reading； unless by some such means；
any page of that great green book outside； whose pen is the finger
of God； whose covers are the fire kingdoms and the star kingdoms；
and its leaves the heather…bells； and the polypes of the sea； and
the gnats above the summer stream。
I said just now； that happy was the sportsman who was also a
naturalist。 And； having once mentioned these curious water…flies；
I cannot help going a little farther； and saying； that lucky is the
fisherman who is also a naturalist。 A fair scientific knowledge of
the flies which he imitates； and of their habits； would often
ensure him sport； while other men are going home with empty creels。
One would have fancied this a self…evident fact； yet I have never
found any sound knowledge of the natural water…flies which haunt a
given stream； except among cunning old fishermen of the lower
class； who get their living by the gentle art； and bring to indoors
baskets of trout killed on flies； which look as if they had been
tied with a pair of tongs； so rough and ungainly are they； but
which； nevertheless； kill； simply because they are （in COLOUR；
which is all that fish really care for） exact likenesses of some
obscure local species； which happen to be on the water at the time。
Among gentlemen…fishermen； on the other hand； so deep is the
ignorance of the natural fly； that I have known good sportsmen
still under the delusion that the great green May…fly comes out of
a caddis…bait； the gentlemen having never seen； much less fished
with； that most deadly bait the 〃Water…cricket；〃 or free creeping
larva of the May…fly； which may be found in May under the river…
banks。 The consequence of this ignorance is that they depend for
good patterns of flies on mere chance and experiment； and that the
shop patterns； originally excellent； deteriorate continually； till
little or no likeness to their living prototype remains； being tied
by town girls； who have no more understanding of what the feathers
and mohair in their hands represent than they have of what the
National Debt represents。 Hence follows many a failure at the
stream…side； because the 〃Caperer；〃 or 〃Dun；〃 or 〃Yellow Sally；〃
which is produced from the fly…book； though； possibly； like the
brood which came out three years since on some stream a hundred
miles away； is quite unlike the brood which is out to…day on one's
own river。 For not only do most of these flies vary in colour in
different soils and climates； but many of them change their hue
during life； the Ephemerae； especially； have a habit of throwing
off the whole of their skins （even； marvellously enough； to the
skin of the eyes and wings； and the delicate 〃whisks〃 at their
tail）； and appearing in an utterly new garb after ten minutes'
rest； to the discomfiture of the astonished angler。
The natural history of these flies； I understand from Mr。 Stainton
（one of our most distinguished entomologists）； has not yet been
worked out； at least for England。 The only attempt； I believe； in
that direction is one made by a charming book； 〃The Fly…fisher's
Entomology；〃 which should be in every good angler's library； but
why should not a few fishermen combine to work out the subject for
themselves； and study for the interests both of science and their
own sport； 〃The Wonders of the Bank？〃 The work； petty as it may
seem； is much too great for one man； so prodigal is Nature of her
forms； in the stream as in the ocean； but what if a correspondence
were opened between a few fishermen … of whom one should live； say；
by the Hampshire or Berkshire chalk streams； another on the slates
and granites of Devon； another on the limestones of Yorkshire or
Derbyshire； another among the yet earlier slates of Snowdonia； or
some mountain part of Wales； and more than one among the hills of
the Border and the lakes of the Highlands？ Each would find （I
suspect）； on comparing his insects with those of the others； that
he was exploring a little peculiar world of his own； and that with
the exception of a certain number of typical forms； the flies of
his county were unknown a hundred miles away； or； at least；
appeared there under great differences of size and colour； and
each； if he would take the trouble to collect the caddises and
water…crickets； and breed them into the perfect fly in an aquarium；
would see marvels in their transformations； their instincts； their
anatomy； quite as great （though not； perhaps； as showy and
startling） as I have been trying to point out on the sea…shore。
Moreover； each and every one of the party； I will warrant； will
find his fellow…correspondents （perhaps previously unknown to him）
men worth knowing； not； it may be； of the meditative and half…
saintly type of dear old Izaak Walton （who； after all； was no fly…
fisher； but a sedentary 〃popjoy〃 guilty of float and worm）； but
rather； like his fly…fishing disciple Cotton； good fellows and men
of the world； and； perhaps； something better over and above。
The suggestion has been made。 Will it ever be taken up； and a
〃Naiad Club〃 formed； for the combination of sport and science？
And； now； how can this desultory little treatise end more usefully
than in recommending a few books on Natural History； fit for the
use of young people； and fit to serve as introductions to such
deeper and larger works as Yarrell's 〃Birds and Fishes；〃 Bell's
〃Quadrupeds〃 and 〃Crustacea；〃 Forbes and Hanley's 〃Mollusca；〃
Owen's 〃Fossil Mammals and Birds；〃 and a host of other admirable
works？ Not that this list will contain all the best； but simply
the best of which the writer knows； let； therefore； none feel
aggrieved； if； as it may chance； opening these pages； they find
their books omitted。
First and foremost； certainly； come Mr。 Gosse's books。 There is a
playful and genial spirit in them； a brilliant power of word…
painting combined with deep and earnest religious feeling； which
makes them as morally valuable as they are intellectually
interesting。 Since White's 〃History of Selborne；〃 few or no
writers on Natural History； save Mr。 Gosse； Mr。 G。 H。 Lewes； and
poor Mr。 E。 Forbes； have had the power of bringing out the human
side of science； and giving to seemingly dry disquisitions and
animals of the lowest type； by little touches of pathos and humour；
tha