306 THE COMPLETE ANGLER 



long small whisks of a very dark colour, almost black, 

 and his tail turns up towards his back like a mallard ; 

 from whence, questionless, he has his name of the GREEN- 

 DRAKE. These, as I think I told you before, we 

 commonly dape, or dibble with, and having gathered 

 great store of them into a long draw-box, with holes 

 in the cover to give them air (where also they will con- 

 tinue fresh and vigorous a night or more) we take them 

 out thence by the wings, and bait them thus upon the 

 hook. We first take one (for we commonly fish with 

 two of them at a time), and putting the point of the 

 hook into the thickest part of his body, under one of 

 his wings, run it directly through, and out at the other 

 side, leaving him spitted cross upon the hook ; and 

 then taking the other, put him on after the same manner, 

 but with his head the contrary way ; in which posture 

 they will live upon the hook, and play with their wings, 

 for a quarter of an hour or more ; but you must have a 

 care to keep their wings dry, both from the water, and 

 also that your fingers be not wet when you take them 

 out to bait them, for then your bait is spoiled.* 



* The two preceding paragraphs are worthy of Cotton's reputa- 

 tion. They contain a good description of the natural May-fly, or 

 Green Drake, and teach how that fly is to be angled with in a live 

 state. His method of making it artificially is not the best, in my 

 judgment. I have written fully, carefully, and, I think, as accur- 

 ately as may be, of the May-fly in A Handbook of Angling, saying 

 of it, " This famous fly is the opprobrium of fly-makers. Try how 

 they will, they cannot, in my opinion, imitate it well. The wings 

 are their greatest foil. In making the body, they succeed tolerably 

 well. Still, the best imitation is defective, and, except upon certain 

 occasions, the artificial May-fly is not a deadly bait. The natural 

 fly used in dibbing, far surpasses it. However, the imitation, faulty 

 as it is, will kill when the natural fly is scarce on the water, as in cold, 

 dark, windy days. The artificial fly answers best in currents, and 

 in pools or deeps that are moved to small waves by a blufl south or 

 west wind. The general feather used for the wings of this fly is a 

 dappled one, found on the sides under the wings of the mallard, and 

 dyed a pale yellow-green colour. To hit the true colour is the great 

 difficulty. How to get over it, I know not. I must be content 

 to cite the best authorities. First, I will take Mr. Blacker, a capital 

 judge of colours, who dyes his feathers yellow by the following 

 recipe : Boil two or three handfuls of yellow wood one hour in a 



