HISTORICAL 13 



men must derive considerable pleasure in the fact that 

 this pioneer fly was used to catch " speckled fishes." 

 The fly itself is still in use, being the pattern known 

 as the red hackle. It is a killing trout fly and fairly 

 good for bass. Every true fly fisherman should carry 

 one if only for its association. The story of this fly 

 is charmingly told by Mary Orvis Marbury in her 

 " Favorite Flies and Their Histories." 



It has been said that our Saxon ancestors earned 

 the tribal designation " Anglo " because of their great 

 skill in hook and line fishing, but it is quite probable 

 that fly fishing was introduced into the British Isles by 

 the Romans. They are also said to have introduced 

 red chickens into Britain and we venture the theory 

 that they took them there not only for cock fighting 

 but to be assured of plenty of red hackles ! 



ii 



THE TREATYSE 



One of the very first books printed in the English 

 language was a sporting work: "The Boke of St. 

 Albans." This volume was printed by Caxton in 1496 

 and contained, in the second edition, the famous 

 " Treatyse of Fyshynge with an Angle," generally at- 

 tributed to Julianna Berners " Prioress of the nunnery 

 of Sopewell, near St. Albans, a lady of noble family 

 and celebrated for her learning and accomplishments." 



The book contains a number of the crude drawings 

 of that day and, as Marston points out, these old 



