SALMON ANGLING IN IRELAND. 



CHAPTER 11. 



Choice of a Profession Spring Flies The Round Hill The Last Chance 

 The Finesk The Valley of the Bride At Home in the Evening Awful 

 Deficit, and the Occasion thereof. 



A stranger's first question to the waiter, on arriving at his hotel, 

 probably is, "Who can show me the water?" and ten to one the 

 luckless wanderer is saddled with some idle cousin or brother-in-law, 

 who, in an easy obliging manner, eats and drinks all he can get, 

 receives his money, and does nothing he undertook to do. 



It may not, therefore, be out of place to speak of Ned Ray, than 

 whom a more skilful fly-maker or a better fishemian never cast angle 

 on the waters. Having spoken of honest Ned's manufacturing ability, 

 we will show you two of his favourites. 



No. 1. Tip, gold thread and one turn of crimson seal ; tail, 

 topping with a few bright sprigs ; body, gi'een pig's- wool, two turns 

 of crimson at the shoulders, ribbed with gold ; legs, smoky blue 

 hackle ; jay shoulder ; wing, mixed with plenty of bustard ; horns, 

 crimson ; head, yellow seal ; hook, O'Shaughnessy, Nos, 2, 3, 4. 



No. 2. Tip, silver thread and turn of blue seal ; tail, topping and 

 blue macaw ; body, light grey donkey fur, well picked out ; breast, 

 two turns of blue seal; ribs, broad silver; legs, none; shoulder, jay; 

 wing, a few bright sprigs, and two long feathers of the jungle cofck ; 

 horns, blue ; head, black; hook, O'Shaughnessy, Nos* 2, 3, 4, 5. 



These flies are incomparably the best for the first thi-ed weeks of 

 the season. 



Never did kelpy haunt his favourite rill with greater constancy 

 than I did the Blackwater. From morning till evening, all day and 

 every day for the last week, the salmon have been attended with 

 laudable perseverance. Had I stucl^ to business half as well my 

 fortune would have been made long ago. Yesterday (Feb, 7) proved 



