CHAP. VIL] THE SECOND DAY. 253 



the neck of a black greyhound, and the down that sticks in the teeth will 

 be the finest blue that ever you saw. The wings of this fly can hardly be 

 too white ; and he is taken about the tenth of this month, and lasteth till 

 the four-and-twentieth. 



6. From the tenth of this month also, till towards the end, is taken a 

 little BLACK GNAT. The dubbing, either of the fur of a black water-dog, 

 or the down of a young black water-coot ; the wings, of the male of a 

 mallard as white as may be ; the body as little as you can possibly make 

 it, and the wings as short as his body. 



7. From the sixteenth of this month also, to the end of it, we use a 

 BRIGHT BROWN ; the dubbing for which is to be had out of a skinner's 

 lime-pits, and of the hair of an abortive calf, which the lime will turn to be 

 so bright, as to shine like gold ; for the wings of this fly, the feather of a 

 brown hen is best. Which fly is also taken till the tenth of April. 



APRIL. 



All the same hackles and flies that were taken in March will be taken 

 in this month also, with this distinction only concerning the flies, that all 

 the browns be lapt with red silk, and the duns with yellow. 



1. To these a SMALL BRIGHT BROWN made of spaniel's fur, with a 

 light-grey wing, in a bright day, and a clear water, is very well taken. 



2. We have, too, a little DARK BROWN ; the dubbing of that colour, 

 and some violet camlet mixt ; and the wing of a grey feather of a mal- 

 lard. 



3. From the sixth of this month to the tenth we have also a fly called 

 the VIOLET-FLY ; made of a dark violet stuff; with the wings, of a grey 

 feather of a mallard. 



4. About the twelfth of this month comes in the fly called the WHIRLING 

 DUN, which is taken every day, about the mid-time of day, all this month 

 through, and, by fits, from thence to the end of June ; * and is commonly 

 made of the down of a fox-cub, which is of an ash colour at the roots next 

 the skin, and ribbed about with yellow silk ; the wings, of the pale grey 

 feather of a mallard. 



* The inutility of laying down precise rules for the colour of the flies to be used on 

 particular days or hours of the day must be obvious. Walton himself has humorously 

 observed, "that whereas it is said by many, that in fly-fishing for a Trout, the angler 

 must observe his twelve several flies for the twelve months of the year ; I say, he that 

 follows that rule shall be as sure to catch fish, and be as wise as he that makes hay by 

 the fair days in an almanac, and no surer." The directions contained in the following 

 rhyme, respecting the colour of flies adapted to a certain time of the day, are at least as 

 useful as the others which have been published : 



A brown-red fly at morning grey, At eve, when twilight shades prevail, 



A darker dim in clearer day ; Try the hackle white and snail : 



When summer rains have swelled the flood, Be mindful aye your fly to throw 



The hackle red and worm are good ; Light as falls the flaky snow. 



" To make a fly is so essential, that he hardly deserves the name of an angler who 

 cannot do it. There are many who will go to a tackle-shop, and tell the master of it, as 

 Dapper does Subtle in the Alchemist, that they want a fly : for which they have a thing 

 put into their hands that would pose a naturalist to find a resemblance for: though, 

 when particular directions have been given, I have known them excellently made by the 

 persons employed by the fishing-tackle makers in London. But do thou, my honest 

 friend, learn to make thy own flies : and be assured, that in collecting and arranging the 

 materials, and imitating the various shapes and colours of these admirable creatures, 

 there is little less pleasure than even in catching fish." H. 



