(for in a whistling wind, a made-fly, in the deep, is better,) and rarely, but early and late, it not being so proper for the mid-time of the day; though a great Grayling will then take

it

very well in a sharp stream, and here and there, a Trout too, but much better toward eight, nine, ten, or eleven of the clock at night, at which time also the best fish rise, and the later the better, provided you can see your fly; and when you cannot, a made-fly will murder, which is to be made thus: the dubbing, of bear's dun with a little brown and yellow camlet very well mixt, but so placed that your fly may be more yellow on the belly and towards the tail, underneath, than in any other part; and you are to place two or three hairs of a black cat's beard on the top of the hook, in your arming, so as to be turned up when you warp on your dubbing, and to stand almost upright, and staring one from another; and note, that your fly is to be ribbed with yellow silk; and the wings long, and very large, of the dark grey feather of a mallard.

14. The next May-fly is the BLACK-FLY; made with a black body, of the whirl of an ostrich-feather, ribbed with silver-twist, and the black hackle of a cock over all; and is a killing fly, but not to be named with either of the other.

15. The last May-fly (that is of the four pretenders,1) is the LITTLE YELLOW MAY-FLY; in shape exactly the same with the Green-Drake, but a very little one, and of as bright a yellow as can be seen: which is made of a bright yellow camlet, and the wings of a white-grey feather died yellow.

16. The last fly for this month, (and which continues all June, though it comes in the middle of May,) is the fly called the CAMLET-FLY, in shape like a moth, with fine diapered or water wings, and with which (as I told

(1) See p. 323.

you before) I sometimes used to dibble; and Grayling will rise mightily at it. But the artificial fly (which is only in use amongst our anglers) is made of a dark-brown shining camlet, ribbed over with a very small light green silk; the wings, of the double-grey feather of a mallard; and 'tis a killing fly for small fish. And so much for May.

JUNE.

From the first to the four-and-twentieth, the Greendrake and Stone-fly are taken as I told you before.

1. From the twelfth to the four-and-twentieth, late at night, is taken a fly called the OWL-FLY: the dubbing of a white weasel's tail; and a white-grey wing.

2. We have then another dun, called the BARM-FLY, from its yeasty colour. The dubbing of the fur of a yellow dun cat, and a grey wing of a mallard's feather.

3. We have also a HACKLE with a purple body, whipt about with a red capon's feather.

4. As also a GOLD-TWIST HACKLE with a purple body, whipt about wit ha red capon's feather.

5. To these we have, this month, a FLESH-FLY. The dubbing of a black spaniel's fur and blue wool mixed, and a grey wing.

6. Also another little FLESH-FLY, the body made of the whirl of a peacock's feather, and the wings of the grey feather of a drake.

7. We have, then, the PEACOCK-FLY, the body and wing both made of the feather of that bird.

8. There is also the flying-ant, or ANT-FLY, the dubbing of brown and red camlet mixt, with a light-grey wing.

9. We have likewise a BROWN GNAT, with a very slen

(1) White Miller, or Owl-Fly. The body of white ostrich herl, white hackle, and silver-twist, if you please; wing of the white feather of a tame duck. Taken from sun-set till ten at night, and from two to four in the morning.

der body of brown and violet camlet well mixt, and a light grey wing.

10. And another little BLACK GNAT,' the dubbing of black mohair, and a white grey wing.

11. As also a GREEN GRASSHOPPER, the dubbing of green and yellow wool mixt, ribbed over with green silk, and a red capon's feather over all.

12. And, lastly, a little DUN GRASSHOPPER, the body slender, made of a dun camlet and a dun hackle at the top.

JULY.

First, all the small flies that were taken in June are also taken in this month.

1. We have then the ORANGE-FLY,' the dubbing of orange wool, and the wing of a black feather.

2. Also a little WHITE DUN, the body made of white mohair, and the wings, blue, of a heron's feather.

3. We have likewise this month a WASP-FLY, made either of a dark brown dubbing, or else the fur of a black cat's tail, ribbed about with yellow silk, and the wing of the grey feather of a mallard.

4. Another fly taken this month is a BLACK HACKLE, the body made of the whirl of a peacock's feather, and a black hackle-feather on the top.

5. We have also another, made of a peacock's whirl without wings.

6. Another fly also is taken this month, called the SHELLFLY, the dubbing of yellow-green Jersey wool, and a little white hog's hair mixt, which I call the palm-fly, and

(1) Black Gnat. The body extremely small, of black mohair, spaniel's fur, or ostrich feather; wing, of the lightest part of a starling or mallard's feather. A very killing fly in an evening, after a shower, in rapid rivers; as in Derbyshire or Wales.

(2) Orange-Fly. The body of raw orange silk, with a red or black hackle; gold twist may be added; warp with orange. Taken when the May-fly is almost over, and also to the end of June, especially in hot gloomy weather.

do believe it is taken for a palm, that drops off the willows into the water; for this fly I have seen Trouts take little pieces of moss, as they have swam down the river; by which I conclude that the best way to hit the right colour is to compare your dubbing with the moss, and mix the colours as near as you can.

7. There is also taken, this month, a BLACK BLUE DUN, the dubbing of the fur of a black rabbit mixt with a little yellow, the wings of the feather of a blue pigeon's wing.

AUGUST.

The same flies with July.

1. Then another ANT-FLY, the dubbing of the black brown hair of a cow, some red warpt in for the tag of his tail, and a dark wing. A killing Fly.

2. Next, a fly called the FERN-FLY, the dubbing of the fur of a hare's neck, that is of the colour of fern or bracken, with a darkish grey wing of a mallard's feather. A killer too.

3. Besides these we have a WHITE HACKLE, the body of white mohair, and warped about with a white hacklefeather; and this is, assuredly, taken for thistle-down.

4. We have also, this month, a HARRY-LONG-LEGS;1 the body made of bear's dun and blue wool mixt, and a brown hackle feather over all.

Lastly, in this month, all the same browns and duns are taken that were taken in May.

SEPTEMBER.

This month the same flies are taken that are taken in April.

(1) Harry-Long-Legs. Made of lightish bear's, hair, and a dunnish hackle; add a few hairs of light-blue mohair, and a little fox-cub down; warp with light-grey or pale blue silk; the head large. Taken chiefly in a cloudy windy day. I have formerly, in the rivers near London, had great success, fishing with a long line, and the head of this insect only.

1. To which I shall only add a CAMEL-BROWN fly, the dubbing pulled out of the lime of a wall, whipt about with red silk; and a darkish grey mallard's feather for the wing.

2. And one other for which we have no name; but it is made of the black hair of a badger's skin, mixt with the yellow softest down of a sanded hog.

OCTOBER.

The same flies are taken this month that were taken in March.

NOVEMBER.

The same flies that were taken in February are taken this month also.

DECEMBER.

Few men angle with the fly this month, no more than they do in January: but yet, if the weather be warm (as I have known it sometimes in my life to be, even in this cold country, where it is least expected) then a brown, that looks red in the hand, and yellowish betwixt your eye and the sun, will both raise and kill in a clear water and free from snow-broth: but, at the best, it is hardly worth a man's labour.1

(1) Some, in making a fly, work it upon and fasten in immediately to the hooklink, whether it be of gut, grass, or hair; others whip, on the shank of the hook, a stiff hog's bristle bent into a loop: and concerning these methods there are different opinions.

I confess the latter, except for small flies, seems to me the more eligible way: and it has this advantage, that it enables you to keep your flies in excellent order; to do which, string them, each species separately, through the loops, upon a fine piece of cat-gut, of about seven inches long; and string also thereon, through a large pin-hole, a very small ticket of parchment, with the name of the fly written on it: tie the cat-gut into a ring; and lay them in round flat boxes, with paper between each ring. And when you use them, having a neat loop at the lower end of your hook-link, you may put them on and take them off at pleasure.

In the other way, you are troubled with a great length of hook-link, which, if you put even but few flies together, is sure to tangle, and occasion great trouble and loss of time. And as to an objection which some make to a loop, that the fish see it, and therefore will not take the fly, you may be assured there is nothing in it.