INDEX. 



AT the time this book was written, the angling flies were a 

 mixed mass, without order or class, and without any 

 descriptions of their kinds, sizes, shapes or colors. Their 

 names were a chance medley given by the anglers of dif- 

 ferent streams, and what they were called on one water 

 would rarely distinguish them on another. After years of 

 examination of the flies for the purpose of imitation, it was 

 observable that several of them were of the same shape, but 

 differing in their sizes and colors, and that several more 

 were of another shape, varying likewise in their sizes and 

 colors. This hinted the system of separation according to 

 shapes and construction, which divided the mixed mass of 

 flies into seven distinct parts or classes. Eesearches were 

 resumed each succeeding season, so long as any of the 

 aquatic or land flies that are of interest to the flyfisher 

 could be met with. They were generally taken alive, and 

 were closely examined, measured, drawn, and described, 

 and placed to their respective classes. This ultimately 

 'severed the mixed mass, and gave to each individual fly in 

 the classes a " local habitation and a name." The design 

 and order of their structure was by the great Architect that 

 made them : He formed them in classes, and stamped each 

 class with its own peculiar family likeness. 



After the flies were divided into classes, it became neces- 



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