The Compleat ^Angler 



I must tell you, this month deserves, and requires to be insisted on ; 

 forasmuch as it alone, and the next following, afford more pleasure to 

 the fly-angler than all the rest ; and here it is, that you are to expect 

 an account of the green-drake, and stone-fly, promised you so long 

 ago, and some others that are peculiar to this month, and part of the 

 month following ; and that (though not so great either in bulk, or 

 name) do yet stand in competition with the two before-named ; and 

 so, that it is yet undecided amongst the anglers, to which of the 

 pretenders to the title of the May-fly it does properly and duly 

 belong ; neither dare I (where so many of the learned in this art of 

 angling are got in dispute about the controversy) take upon me to 

 determine ; but I think I ought to have a vote amongst them, and 

 according to that privilege, shall give you my free opinion ; and 

 peradventure when I have told you all, you may incline to think me 

 in the right. 



VIAT. I have so great a deference to your judgment in these 

 matters, that I must always be of your opinion ; and the more you 

 speak, the faster I grow to my attention, for I can never be weary of 

 hearing you upon this subject. 



Pise. Why that's encouragement enough; and now prepare your- 

 self for a tedious lecture ; but I will first begin with the flies of less 

 esteem (though almost anything will take a trout in May), that I may 

 afterwards insist the longer upon those of greater note and reputa- 

 tion ; know therefore, that the first fly we take notice of in this 

 month, is called the turkey-fly ; 



1. The dubbing ravelled out of some blue stuff, and lapt about 

 with yellow silk ; the wings of a grey mallard's feather. 



2. Next, a great hackle or palmer fly, with a yellow body ribbed 

 with gold twist, and large wings, of a mallard's feather dyed yellow, 

 with a red capon's hackle over all. 



3. Then a black fly, the dubbing of a black spaniel's fur ; and the 

 wings, of a grey mallard's feather. 



4. After that, a light brown, with a slender body, the dubbing 

 twirled upon small red silk, and raised with the point of a needle, 

 that the ribs or rows of silk may appear through ; the wings, of the 

 grey feather of the mallard. 



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