CHAP. VII. THE COMPLETE ANGLER, 315 



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 dubbing of the bottom of bear's hair next to the roots, 

 mixt with a little blue camlet; the wings, of the dark 

 grey feather of a mallard. 



8. We have also this month a DARK BROWN, the dub- 

 bing, 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 ano- 

 ther : 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 open'd with your knife, you will then 

 discover what fly is taken, and may fit yourself accord- 

 ingly- 1 



For the MAKING of a Hackle, or a Palmer-fly, my 

 father Walton has already given you sufficient direction.* 



(1) You may also observe, that the fish never rise eager) y and freely at any sort 

 of flie, until that kind come to the water's iie; for though 1 have often, at the 

 first coming-in of some flies, (which 1 judged they loved best), gotten several 

 of them, yet I could never find that they did much (if at all) value them, until 

 those sorts of flies began to flork to the river's side, and were to be found on 

 the trees and bushes there in great numbers. Venablts, p. 15. 



When you first come to the river in the morning, with your rod beat upon the 

 bushes or boughs which hung over the waters; and by their falling upon the 

 waters, you will see what sorts of flies are there in greatest numbers ; if divers 

 sorts, and equal in number, try them all, and you will quickly find which they 

 most desire. Sometimes they change their flie (but its not very usual) twire or 

 thrice in one day ; but, ordinarily, they seek not for another sort of flie, till they 

 have, for some days, even glutted themselves with a former kind, which is com- 

 monly when those flies die and go out. VtnabLen, p. 16. 



(2) But, with Mr. Cotton's good leave, he has not; nor has any author that 

 I know of: unless we are to take that for a palmer which Walton has given 

 directions for making, p. 93; which 1 can never do till I see what I have never 

 yt seen, viz. Caterpillars with wings. Rejecting, therefore, wings as unnato- 



