TREATISE ON FLY-FISHING. \*J 



men of the highest philosophic attainments, find- 

 ing pleasure in the rod and line. 



Chantrey, was much attached to this amuse- 

 ment, and prided himself on the superiority of his 

 equipment. 



A sport which is thus seen to be so universally 

 popular, has naturally been selected as a subject 

 upon which some of our ablest men have written 

 many instructive and interesting pages. The 

 first treatise in our language appeared in 1496. 

 but the earliest allusion to the art, is by Elian, 

 who flourished in the year 225. In the fifteenth 

 book of his History of Animals, he says, " that a 

 fish of various color is taken in the River Aus- 

 treeum, between Bereea and Thessalonica." He 

 also describes a fly which frequents the river, 

 which is greatly preyed on by this fish ; he states, 

 that the skilful fisherman, dresses an imitation of 

 it on his hook, forming the body of purple 

 coloured wool, and adding two yellow feathers 

 of a cock's hackle for wings. 



