300 THE COMPLETE ANGLER 



yellow silk ; the wings, of the pale gray feather of a 

 mallard. 



5. There is also a YELLOW DUN, the dubbing of camel's 

 hair, and yellow camlet or wool, mixed, and a white-gray 

 wing. 



6. There is also this month another LITTLE BROWN, 

 besides that mentioned before, made with a very slender 

 body, the dubbing of dark brown and violet camlet, 

 mixed, and a gray wing, which, though the direction for 

 the making be near the other, is yet another fly, and will 

 take when the other will not, especially in a bright day 

 and a clear water. 



7. About the twentieth of this month comes in a fly 

 called HORSE-FLESH FLY ; the dubbing of which is a 

 blue mohair, with pink-coloured and red tammy mixed, 

 a light coloured wing, and a dark brown head. This 

 fly is taken best in an evening, and kills from two hours 

 before sunset till twilight, and is taken the month 

 through. 



[The above is not a bad list of flies for April the best 

 month in the year for fly-fishing I mean for catching the 

 largest number of trout, but by no means the largest in 

 size, and still less the highest in condition. Trout, in 

 English rivers, are not in full season until after they have 

 fed and fattened on the May-fly say, from the 15th of 

 June to the 15th of August. 



The list of flies I have written for March will kill in April. 

 Add to them the following more appropriate ones : 



No. 1. THE OAK-FLY. Wings, to lie flat, of the wing- 

 feather of a young partridge or hen pheasant ; body, 

 yellow mohair, ribbed with dark brown silk ; legs, a 

 honey-dun hackle, lapped round thrice at the shoulder ; 

 tip, pale gold twist. Hooks, 9 and 10. This is a favourite 

 fly of mine. In April I never fish without trying it. 



No. 2. THE STONE-FLY. Wings, hen pheasant's tail- 

 feather, dressed long, and flat and full ; body, large and 

 long, of a mixture of light hare's-ear fur and yellow-brown 

 mohair, ribbed with yellow silk ; legs, a brown-red hackle ; 

 and tail, two fibres of brown mallard. Hooks, 6, 7, and 



