CHAP. V. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 1?9 



Bag*, and trying to make a fly, though he miss at 

 first, yet shall he at last hit it better, even to such a 



barges carry, and which in time dyes the tilt of a fine bnnvn ; this 

 would be excellent dubbing, but that the material of these sails is sheep's 

 wool, which soaks in the water, and soon becomes very heavy : however, 

 get of this as many different shades as you can ; and have seal's fur and 

 hog-wool dyed to match them, which, by reason they are more turgid, 

 stiff, and light, and so float better, are, in most cases to be preferred to 

 worsted, crewels, and, indeed, to every other kind of wool, and observe 

 that the hog-wool is best for large, and the seals fur for small flies. 



Get also furs of the following animals, viz. the squirrel, particularly 

 from his tail ; fox-cub, from the tail where it is downy and of an ash- 

 colour; an old fox; an old otter; otter cub; badger fulimart, or 

 filmert ; a hair, from the neck, where it is of the colour of withered 

 fern ; and above all, the yellow fur of the martern, from off the gills or 

 spots under the jaws, All these, and almost every other kind of fur, arc 

 easily got at the furrier's. 



Hackles are a very important article in fly-making : they are the long 

 slender feathers that hang from the head of a cock down his neck : there 

 may also be fine ones got from near his tail ; be careful that they are not 

 too rank, which they are when the fibres are more than half an inch long, 

 and for some purposes these are much too big ; be provided with these 

 of the following colours viz. red, dun, yellowish, white, orange, and 

 perfect black, and whenever yon meet, alive or dead, with a cock of the 

 game breed, whose ancle is of a strong brown-red, never fail to buy him, 

 but observe that the feathers of a cock chicken, be they ever so fine for 

 shape and colour, are good for little ; for they are too downy and weak to 

 stand erect after they are once wet, and so are those of the Bantam-cock. 



[Other] Feathers are absolutely necessary for the wings and other part$ 

 of flies : get therefore feathers from the back and other parts of the wild 

 mallard, or drake ; the feathers of a partridge, especially those red ones 

 that are in the tail ; feathers from a cock pheasant's breast and tail, the 

 wings of a black-bird, a brown hen, of a starling, a jay, a land-rail, a 

 throstle, a fieldfare, and a water-coot ; the feathers from the crown of 

 the pewit, plover, or lap- wing ; green and copper-coloured peacock's, and 

 black ostrich, herle ; feathers from a heron's neck and wings. And re- 

 member, That in most instances, where the drake's or wild mallard's 

 feather is hereafter [in the text] directed, that from a starling's wing will 

 do much better, as being of a finer grain, and less spungy. 



Be provided with marking-silk of all colours, fine but very strong, 

 flaw silk ; gold and silver flatted wire, or twist ; a sharp knife ; hooks of 

 all sizes ; hog's bristles for loops to your flies ; shoemaker's wax ; a large 

 needle to raise your dubbing, when flatted with working ; and a small, 

 but sharp pair of scissars. 



And lastly, If any materials required in the subsequent LISTS OF FLIES 

 may have been omitted in the foregoing Catalogue, be careful to add 

 $hem to your former stock, as often as you shall find any such omissions. 



Remember, With all your dubbing, to \rnix bear's hair and hog's 

 wool, which are stiff, and not apt to imbibe the water, as the fine furs, 

 and most other kind of dubbing do ; and remember also, that martern's 

 fur is the best yellow you can use, 



* TJbe use of a Bag, is attended with mauy inconveniences ; of which, 



