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The following is a proper recipe to die the 

 mallard's feather of the colour required. Cut 

 into minute slices a small quantity of the inner 

 bark of the barberry tree, add a piece of alum 

 about the size of a small walnut, then boil the 

 whole for ten minutes in a pint of rain or soft 

 water. Immerse, for a minute, your feathers 

 in the boiling liquid ; take them out and wash 

 them in clean water, and afterwards expose 

 them for two hours to the action of the heat of 

 the sun. 



Grey Drake: Body, puce-coloured silk 

 ribbed with silver-twist; legs, a dark-blue- 

 dun hackle; wings, a sooty-grey mallard or 

 widgeon's feather. Hook, No. 9 Redditch. 



On this fly Mr. Ronalds's remarks are so 

 opposite, that we will confine ourselves to 

 quoting them : f( This is the metamorphosis 

 of the female green- drake. She lives three or 

 four days, and is caught by the fish whilst lay- 

 ing her eggs on the water. She lasts a few 

 days longer than the green-drake, and is to be 

 fished with in the evening. Some fishermen 

 prefer other flies in season to this ; when well 

 made, it will, however, furnish excellent sport, 

 especially towards the evening." 



Black Gnat : Body, the feather from the 



