x Preface. 



differ considerably, especially in winter, as compared 

 with summer, and they became quite familiar to me ; 

 also the habits and life -history of each formed 

 interesting studies. I attained so much expertness 

 as a Thames angler that success was nearly always 

 certain. I had nothing more to learn, nor sub- 

 sequently while living for sixteen years at Great 

 Mario w had any sort of bottom fishing the least 

 charm for me, except for perch in the winter months 

 with a one-hook paternoster, or occasionally to show 

 a tyro what and how sport could be obtained when 

 he went out with me in the punt, and under my 

 directions used his own rod and tackle with good 

 effect. In fine, I left off keeping a record of coarse 

 fishing (coarse is hardly a fitting term for it), but 

 my last takes of perch mentioned in my diary were 

 published in the Field, viz., one day under Quarry 

 Woods, 421b. weight, and the next, Glib., the Editor 

 remarking in a note : " Mr. Englefield uses a pater- 

 noster with only one minnow thereon, and these fine 

 takes reflect great credit on his certainly sportsman- 

 like method." 



Elsewhere, however, sport with the artificial fiy, 

 and that in its very highest and most artistic form, 

 namely, with the dry floating fly, had gradually 

 evolved from my life-long experiences and practice 

 with ordinary rods and tackle into a more engross- 

 ing and fascinating hobby than (wonderful for me, 



