FLY FISHING FOR TROUT AND GRAYLING. 179 



With regard to the best size of moths to use, we do not 

 advise them to be too heavy. It has become the prac- 

 tice recently upon some waters to use lures well-nigh as 

 weighty as the American half-ounce.* The size should 

 average that of a live May-fly. An artificial dressed by us 

 to imitate the fluttering action of the moth when upon 

 the water, is much used in the Midlands, since its recent 

 introduction we refer to the "Dun Cut." This dress- 

 ing has proved itself to more than equal the usual repro- 

 ductions of the moths. It is a double-hackled artificial, 

 the feathers being dun and brown hen's breast feathers 

 (usually used for wings), the outside feather being dun; 

 body, drab fur ribbed with silver twist; hook, long 

 shanked Limerick or Kendal May-fly size. 



Before the subject of trout and grayling fishing (which 

 has been dealt with more in detail elsewhere) is concluded, 

 we feel it incumbent upon us to make some allusion to 

 the Dove, upon whose banks resided the first writer upon 

 this, the highest branch of the art piscatorial, in our land. 

 This is classic ground to every follower of Walton. Here 

 have assembled all noted fishermen since the days in 

 which the common sire of us all trod its banks and 

 wielded the rod; and they still come, though many a 

 famous rod that was wont to whip these waters is laid 

 away for ever. Every rock and pool seems to embue one 

 with 



"Meek Walton's heavenly memory." 



The ancient and original fishing-house, too, standing 

 as it does, scarcely imparied by the ravages of time, 

 seems to impress the mind with familiar associations. 

 It requires no great stretch of imagination to call up the 

 venerable and benevolent features and stalwart form of 

 the " Modern Patriarch Izaak," and his adopted son, 



* The author doubtless alludes to the large black bass flies sold in 

 America, which are certainly heavy enough to kill a bass, if they should 

 happen to strike it in or out of the water. 



