CHAP. V. THE COMPLETE VNGLER. 177 



not in honesty catch a trout or in ApriL if the weather 

 be dark, or a little windy or cloudy the best fish- 

 ing is with the PALMER WORM, of which 

 1 last spoke to you; but of these there Ante page i^ t 

 be divers kinds, or at least of divers 

 colours : these and the MAY-FLY are the ground of 

 all fly-angling : which are to be thus made : 



First, you must arm your hook with the line, in the 

 inside of it : then take your scissars, and cut so much 

 of a brown mallard's feather as, in your own reason, 

 will make the wings* of it, you having, withal, re- 

 gard to the bigness or littleness of yonr hook : then 

 lay the outmost part of your feather next to your 

 hook; then, the point of your feather next the shank 

 of your hook, and having so done, whip it three OF 

 four times about the hook with the same silk with 

 which your hook was armed ; and having made the 

 silk fast, take the hackle of a cock [cock's] or capon r s 

 Beck, or, a plover's top which is usually better, 

 take off the one side of the feather, and then take the 

 hackle, [and whip it three or four times round with] 

 silk, or crewel, gold or silver thread ; make these fast 

 at the bent of the hook, that is to say, below your 

 erming ; then you must take the hackle, the silver or 

 gold thread, and work it up to the wings, shifting or 

 Jitill removing your ringer, as you turn the silk about 

 the hook, and still looking, at every stop or turn, 

 (hat your gold, or what materials soever you make 

 your fly of, do lie right and neatly ; and if you find 

 they do so, then when you have made the head, make 

 all fast: and then work your hackle up to the head, 

 and make that fast : and then, with a needle or pin^ 

 divide the wing into two ; and then, with the arming 

 silk, whip it about cross-ways betwixt the wings; and: 

 then with your thumb you must turn the point of the 

 feather towards the bent of the hook ? and then work 

 three or four times about the shank of the hook ; and 

 then view the proportion ; and if all be neat, and to 

 your liking, fasten. 



* See Part II. Clap. VII. fly for February 8. n. -Walton givei direc- 

 tioni for making the MAY-FLY //, 



