CHOICE OF PATTERN 79 



subject he will realize that there exists a great 



„ diversity of opinion among- the 



Colour. / , ^, . . ^ 



recognized authorities, borne 



deem colour to be the most important factor in the 

 choice of the pattern. Some believe fish to be colour- 

 blind, and there are a number of divergent theories 

 between these two extremes. 



Personally, I am charged with having apparently 

 recanted to some extent the opinions enunciated in 

 " Dry-Fly Fishing in Theory and Practice.'' The late 

 Edgar Williamson, who was my fishing companion in 

 1902 and 1903, was a consistent and ardent advocate 

 of the exact shade of colour theory, and persuaded me 

 to devote all my spare time during those years to the 

 congenial work of designing a new set of patterns 

 imitating as nearly as I could in size, form and colour 

 the natural insects of the Itchen which serve as food 

 for the fish of that river. The result of my 

 work on these lines is set forth fully in detail In 

 " Modern Development of the Dry-Fly," published in 

 191 1 by Messrs. George Routledge and Sons, Ltd. 



I must ask my reader to arm himself with a copy of 

 this book and read in it the history of the new patterns, 

 their dressings, the modern manipulation of fly- 

 dressing, and a number of chapters describing my 

 practical experiences of their use. The numbers of 

 patterns of artificial flies given- throughout this book 

 are those appended to these patterns respectively in 

 " Modern Development of the Dry-Fly." 



In page 2 of that book I said: "I am desirous of 



