284 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



it close underneath), leaving the whole length of the feather 

 on the top or back of the fly, which makes it swim better, and, 

 as occasion serves, kills very great fish. 



5. We make use, also, in this month, of another great 

 hackle, the body black, and ribbed over with gold twist and 

 a red feather over all ; which also does great execution. 



6. Also a great dun, made with dun bear's hair, and the 

 wings of the grey feather of a mallard near unto his tail ; 

 which is absolutely the best fly can be thrown upon a river 

 this month, and with which an angler shall have admirable 

 sport. 



7. We have also this month the great blue dun, the dub- 

 bing of the bottom of bear's hair next to the roots, mixed with 

 a little blue camlet, the wings of a dark grey feather of a 

 mallard. 



8. We have also this month a dark-brown, the dubbing of 

 the brown hair off the flank of a brended cow, and the wings 

 of the grey drake's feather. 



And note, that these several hackles, or palmer-flies, are 

 some for one water and one sky, and some for another ; and, 

 according to the change of those, we alter their size and 

 colour ; and note also, that both in this, and all other months 

 of the year, when you do not certainly know what fly is 

 taken, or cannot see any fish to rise, you are then to put on a 

 small hackle, if the water be clear, or a bigger if something 

 dark, until you have taken one ; and then thrusting your 

 finger through his gills, to pull out his gorge, which being 

 opened with your knife, you will then discover what fly is 

 -taken, and may fit yourself accordingly. 



For the making of a hackle, or palmer-fly, my father Walton 

 has already given you sufiicient direction.'"" 



[I am not very favourable to simple hackles, or to any sort of palmers, 

 ^either in this month, or in March. I would not use palmers until April. 

 Indeed I consider them summer and autumn baits. They are repre- 



* But, with Mr. Cotton's good leave, he has not, nor any author that I know 

 of, unless we are to take that for a palmer, which Walton has given directions 

 for making, page 88, which I can never do till I see, what I have never yet 

 seen, viz., caterpillars with wings. Rejecting, therefore, wings as unnatural 

 and absurd ; supposing you would make the plain hackle or palmer, which are 

 terms of the same import, the method of doing it is as follows : So far, Sir 

 John Hawkins. But I reject his instructions for making a hackle, and substi- 

 tute my own. They will be found at the end of this work, following the plate 

 on which are engraved diagrams of winged flies and hackle in their first, 

 middle, and last stages of manufacture. ED. 



