THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 91 



tell you which wind is the best in the third degree : and yet 

 (as Solomon observes), that " he that considers the wind shall 

 never sow," so lie that busies his head too much about them, 

 if the weather be not made extreme cold by an east wind, 

 shall be a little superstitious : for as it is observed by some, 

 that " there is no good horse of a bad colour," so I have 

 observed, that if it be a cloudy day, and not extreme cold, let 

 the wind set in what corner it will and do its worst, I heed it 

 not. And yet take this for a rule, that I would willingly fish 

 standing on the lee-shore : and you are to take notice, that 

 the fish lies or swims nearer the bottom, and in deeper 

 water, in winter than in summer ; and also nearer the 

 bottom in any cold day, and then gets nearest the lee side of 

 the water. 



But I promised to tell you more of the fly-fishing for a 

 trout, which I may have time enough to do, for you see it 

 rains May-butter. First, for a May-fly, you may make his 

 body with greenish-coloured crewel or willowish colour; 

 darkening it in most places with waxed silk, or ribbed with 

 black hair, or some of them ribbed with silver thread ; and 

 such wings for the colour, as you see the fly to have at that 

 season, nay, at that very day, on the water. Or you may 

 make the oak-fly, with an orange tawny, and black ground, 

 and the brown of a mallard's feather for the wiugs ;* and you 

 are to know, that these two are most excellent flies, that is, 

 the May-fly and the oak-fly. And let me again tell you that 

 you keep as far from the water as you can possibly, whether 

 you fish with a fly or worm, and fish down the stream : and 

 when you fish with a fly, if it be possible, let no part of your 

 line touch the water, t but your fly only ; and be still moving 

 your fly upon the water, or casting it into the water, you 

 yourself being also always moving down the stream. 



Mr. Barker commends several sorts of the palmer-flies, not 

 only those ribbed with silver and gold, but others that have 

 their bodies all made of black, or some with red, and a red 



* The best way to imitate this excellent fly is thus shown in my" Handbook 

 of Angling." Wings, Partridge's wing-feather dressed of a full size, and to 

 lie flat. Body, bright yellow mohair, ribbed with dark brown silk, and tipped 

 with gold twist. Legs, a honey-dun hackle wound twice under the wings. 

 Hook, No. 9 and 10. ED. 



t This is impossible, unless you dib with the artificial as with the natural fly, 

 which is never practised. The method of throwing or casting is more particu- 

 larly treated of in the notes on part 2, chap. v. ED. 



