DRY-FLY FISHING. 
II 
ford’s great text-book, will be a living tutor. Let me 
advise the disciple, if he possibly can, to put himself 
under such a tutor. If he have the good fortune to 
have a friend who is an expert, let him ask that 
friend to allow him to accompany him on some of 
his angling expeditions, and let him watch him, care- 
fully observing his ways — taking care, however, to 
stand some distance away from him so as not to 
scare his fish, nor annoy him by asking him questions 
at inopportune moments. But it is not every man 
who has the advantage of possessing such a friend. 
And it must be confessed that an expert must be a 
very amiable man if he consent to be accompanied 
by a learner on his fishing excursions. A good 
angler loves “the bliss of solitude” on such occa- 
sions ; nor does he care when fish are rising to be 
watched (it always makes me nervous, for one), still 
less to be bothered by questions, and less still to 
spend what is always precious time to allow a friend 
to whip the stream for practice — perhaps with his 
rod. If the learner, however, has such an amiable 
and self-denying friend, pray let him go to him rather 
than read a booklet of this kind. 
But if not, the latter, or something of a kindred 
nature, is not the only alternative. It is quite possible 
to find a teacher who is certainly willing to teach, who 
will give him in a few lessons far more serviceable 
instruction than I can with a mere pen. Let him 
find out some professional dry-fly teacher. Does he 
say he would gladly do so, and would not object to 
the fee, if he knew of such an one, but that he does 
not, and would be very thankful if he knew where to 
