Wings. Transparent quill feather of starling.
Hook. Nos. 00—1, new size.
(Illustrations of imitation, Plate II.)
Cow-dung Fly (Scatophaga stercoraria, Linn.).
This fly appears as a rule in February, but I have seen it on warm days in January, in fairly large numbers. It lasts all the year till the frosts set in. Those cow-dungs which appear early in the year are not so large as those which appear later. The body is covered with short hairs which gives it a velvety appearance. The thorax is large and also has a number of hairs upon it. In order to imitate this large thorax, it is necessary to have more room on the hook above the hackle and wings than in other flies to leave room for a turn of the chenille, of which the body is made, just below the head of the fly. This will be seen in the illustrations of the artificial fly on Plate II.
The body of the male is a bright yellow colour, that of the female is greenish. The male is rather larger than the female. These flies, which on windy days particularly, frequently fall on the water, are often taken very freely by the trout.
Though when at rest the wings are flat upon each other, as shown in the illustration of the natural fly in Plate I., they often, when the fly falls on the water, are spread out slightly; so in the imitation it is best to put them in the position shown in the illustration of the artificial fly.
Body. Yellow or greenish yellow chenille ribbed with gold tinsel.
Hackle. Ginger.
Wings. Light landrail, or brownish starling.