HANDBOOK OF ANGLING, 



CHAPTER I. 



ANGLING DEFINED. DIVIDED INTO THREE BRANCHES. 



EACH BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. THE SUPERIORITY AND 



MERITS OF FLY-FISHING. 



ANGLING, or the art of taking fish with rod, line, 

 and hook, or with line and hook only, is one of 

 the oldest of out-door .amusements and occupa- 

 tions. At first the modes of practising it were 

 exceedingly rude, as they still are amongst un- 

 civilised nations. There are tribes in existence 

 now that fashion the human jaw bones into fish- 

 hooks. Even unto this day angling implements, 

 amongst many of the politest people of Europe, 

 are manufactured with imperfect roughness. The 

 inhabitants of the British isles alone cultivate all 

 matters pertaining to rural sports, of whatsoever 

 kind they may be, but particularly hunting, shoot- 

 ing, and angling, with that persevering ardour 



B 



