CHOICE OF PATTERN 99 



The old standard pattern of the spent gnat worked 



out by Marryat is dressed with 

 Patterns of spent gnat, wings of four dark grizzled 



blue dun cock hackles set on 

 horizontally ; a grey partridge hackle at head, a badger 

 cock hackle at shoulder, and another badger cock 

 hackle ribbing the body which is of condor, dark at 

 the point and white at the root, the white part at 

 shoulder and two or three turns of the dark part of 

 the quill at the tail end of the body ; a fine silver wire 

 ribs the body and fastens securely each turn of the 

 ribbing hackle ; the whisk is of gallina dyed a very 

 dark brown, and the hook is No. 3 long. 



In the set of new patterns Nos. 5 and 6 the male 

 and female spent gnat respectively were worked out 

 with the greatest care, and I firmly believe that, had 

 he been spared to see them, my dear friend Marryat 

 would have been the first to admit that they were 

 more lifelike and nearer to nature than his own 

 standard pattern. I think, too, that he would have 

 warmly approved of my plan of representing both 

 sexes instead of only the female, of which his pattern 

 is an admirable imitation. The dressings of the two 

 new patterns are given in detail on pages 34 and 35 

 of " Modern Development of the Dry-Fly." 



I have given some space here to the consideration 



of mayfly fishing in deference 

 ^JWelshman's button. to the opinions of those who 



urge- that it may in time to 

 come be as plentiful as it was in olden days. An 



