14 ANGLING IMPROVED. 



may be forced by the feathers left on the inside of the 

 hook, to swim upwards j and by this means I conceive 

 the stream will carry your flies' wings in the posture of 

 one flying ; whereas if you set the points of the wings 

 backwards, towards the bending of the hook, the stream, 

 if the feathers be gentle as they ought, will fold the 

 points of the wings in the bending of the hook, as I have 

 often found by experience. After having set on the 

 wing, I go on so far as I judge fit, till I fasten all, and 

 then begin to make the body, and the head last ; the 

 body of the fly I make several ways ; if the fly be one 

 entire colour, then I take a worsted thread, or moccoda 

 end, or twist wool or fur into a kind of thread, or wax 

 a small slender silk thread, and lay wool, fur, &c. upon 

 it, and then twist, and the material will stick to it, and 

 then go on to make my fly small or large, as I please. 

 If the fly, as most are, be of several colours, and those 

 running in circles round the fly, then I either take two 

 of these threads, fastening them first towards the bend of 

 the hook, and so run them round, and fasten all at the- 

 wings, and then make the head; or else I lay upon the 

 hook, wool, fur of hare, dog, fox, bear, cow, or hog, 

 which, close to their bodies, have a fine fur, and with a 

 silk of the other colour bind the same wool or fur down, 

 and then fasten all : or instead of the silk running thus 

 round the fly, you may pluck the feather from one side 

 of those long feathers which grow about a cock or ca- 

 pon's neck or tail, by some called hackle; then run the 

 the same round your fly, from head to tail, making both 

 ends fast; but you must be sure to suit the feather an- 



