CHAP. VII.] THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 2/3 



shall make you amends by an addition to his catalogue. And 

 although the forenamed great Master in the art of Angling, for 

 so in truth he is, tells you that no man should in honesty catch 

 a Trout till the middle of March, yet I hope he will give a 

 man leave sooner to take a Grayling ; which, as I told you, is 

 in the dead months in his best season ; and do assure you, 

 which I remember by a very remarkable token, I did once 

 take upon the sixth day of December one, and only one, of the 

 biggest Graylings, and the best in season, that ever I yet saw, 

 or tasted ; and do usually take Trouts too, and with a fly, not 

 only before the middle of this month, but almost every year in 

 February, unless it be a very ill spring indeed ; and have some- 

 times in January, so early as New-year's-tide, and in frost and 

 snow, taken Grayling in a warm sunshine day for an hour or 

 two about noon ; and to fish for him with a grub it is then the 

 best time of all. 



I shall therefore begin my fly-fishing with that month, 

 (though I confess very few begin so soon, and that such as are 

 so fond of the sport as to embrace all opportunities, can rarely 

 in that month find a day fit for their purpose,) and tell you 

 that, upon my knowledge, these flies in a warm sun, for an 

 hour or two in the day, are certainly taken. 



JANUARY. 



1. A RED BROWN, with wings of the male of a mallard, al- 

 most white ; the dubbing, of the tail of a black long-coated 

 cur, such as they commonly make muffs of; for the hair on 

 the tail of such a dog dyes and turns to a red brown, but the 

 hair of a smooth-coated dog of the same color will not do, be- 

 cause it will not dye, but retains its natural color. And this 

 fly is taken, in a warm sun, this whole month through. 



2. There is also a very little BRIGHT-DUN GNAT, as little as 

 can possibly be made, so little as never to be fished with, with 

 ^bove one hair next the hook : and this is to be made of a 



