OX SELECTING CASTS OF FLIES. 153 



change, he can do so at once with little or no delay, as 

 when the fish are rising well delays of any kind are in- 

 tolerable ; and to have at such times to be hunting your 

 book through for a fly or two, which should be ready to 

 hand, is sure to be productive of three great and allitera- 

 tive losses loss of time, loss of tackle, and loss of temper. 

 He must of course judge for himself whether in setting 

 up his spare cast it is desirable merely to repeat the one 

 he has on or to vary it. I find it most convenient to wind 

 my cast round my hat, as it makes a larger coil and does 

 not require soaking to take the turns out ; and I find the 

 fly hat-band, which I invented some years since and gave 

 to Mr. Farlow, of great service, as spare and stray flies 

 can be looped on and safely stuck into it without damage 

 to gut or hook-point, and when it is not wanted the band 

 can be taken off and put away. The question of the best 

 form of tackle-book has for some time been on my mind. 

 For general tackle, other than flies, a box is the best 

 method of carrying it. For trout flies there are various 

 methods of stowage, and books upon various principles 

 but after mature consideration I can find none that are 

 preferable to the ordinary plan of having three or four 

 shallow pockets in parchment on each page, with a few 

 leaves of felt or thick flannel here and there between for 

 loose flies. But to assist the young angler in his selection 

 of and use of flies, as well as to form a convenient method 

 of finding a fly in a hurry for older ones, I have invented, 

 or rather modified a plan formerly in existence, of ap- 

 pending the name and description to each fly, and to this 

 nd I have arranged a list of a series of flies suitable to 

 each month, and printed on parchment, so that each name 

 and description stands opposite its separate pocket, with 

 a line of advice as to use, &c. This list has been very 

 carefully chosen, and the young angler may fairly con- 

 sider that with a selection of the various flies there set 



