272 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



smooth-coated dog of the same colour will not do, because it 

 will not dye, but retains its natural colour.* 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 

 above one hair next the hook ; and this is to be made of a 

 mixed dubbing of marten's fur, and the white of a hare's scut, 

 with a very white and small wing ; and it is no great matter 

 how fine you fish, for nothing will rise in this month but a 

 Grayling ; and of them I never, at this season, saw any taken 

 with a fly, of above a foot long, in my life : but of little ones 

 about, the bigness of a smelt, in a warm day, and a glowing sun, 

 you may take enough with these two flies ; and they are both 

 taken the whole month through. 



FEBRUARY. 



1. Where the red brown of the last month ends, another, 

 almost of the same colour, begins with this : saving that the 

 dubbing of this must be of something a blacker colour, and both 

 of them warpt on with red silk. The dubbing that should 

 make this fly, and that is the truest colour, is to be got off the 

 black spot of a hog's ear : not that a black spot in any part of 

 the hog will not afford the same colour, but that the hair in 

 that place is, by many degrees, softer, and more fit for the 

 purpose. His wing must be as the other, [1. in January ;] and 

 this kills all this month, and is called the lesser red-brown. 



2. This month, also, a plain hackle, f or palmer-fly, made 

 with a rough black body, either of black spaniel's fur, or the 

 whirl of an ostrich feather, and the red hackle of a capon 

 over all, will kill, and, if the weather be right, make very good 

 sport. 



3. Also a lesser hackle, with a black body also, silver twist 

 over that, and a red feather over all, will fill your pannier, if the 

 month be open, and not bound up in ice and snow, with very 

 good fish ; but, in case of a frost and snow, you are to angle 

 only with the smallest gnats, browns, and duns you can make ; 

 and with those are only to expect Graylings no bigger than 

 sprats. 



4. In this month, upon a whirling round water, we have a 

 great hackle, the body black, and wrapped with a red feather of 

 a capon untrimmed ; that is, the whole length of the hackle 



* The dubbing is to be warped on as No. 1. in February, infra. 



f The author is now in the month of February; during which are 

 taken, the plain hackle, which we should recommend to be made of black 

 ostrich herl, warped, or tied down, to the dubbing with red silk, and a 

 red cock's hackle over all. 



