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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
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（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
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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； that living and personal interest； to bestow which is
generally the special function of the poet： not that Waterton and Jesse
are not excellent in this respect； and authors who should be in every
boy's library： but they are rather anecdotists than systematic or
scientific inquirers； while Mr。 Gosse； in his 〃Naturalist on the Shores of
Devon；〃 his 〃Tour in Jamaica；〃 his 〃Tenby；〃 and his 〃Canadian
Naturalist；〃 has done for those three places what White did for Selborne；
with all the improved appliances of a science which has widened and
deepened tenfold since White's time。 Mr。 Gosse's 〃Manual of the
Marine Zoology of the British Isles〃 is； for classification； by far the
completest handbook extant。 He has contrived in it to compress more
sound knowledge of vast classes of the animal kingdom than I ever saw
before in so small a space。 （35）
Miss Anne Pratt's 〃Things of the Sea…coast〃 is excellent； and still
better is Professor Harvey's 〃Sea…side Book；〃 of which it is impossible to
speak too highly； and most pleasant it is to see a man of genius and
learning thus gathering the bloom of his varied knowledge； to put it into
a form equally suited to a child and a SAVANT。