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accomplish it. Never incumber yourself with too much line at first, but increase the length of it as you find you make improvement; and as it is ten to one, that you lose a fly every time you cast your line, until you are arrived at some degree of perfection in doing it, it will not be amiss to practise sometimes without one. But let me return të the subject: your line should run taper from the top of the rod down to the fly, that is, if the first link is composed of thirty-five hairs, the next must be of thirty-four; so leaving out one hair in each link, till the whole is completed; then comes the silk worm-gut, on which you should whip all your hooks.

But the best lines for artificial fly-angling are those that are wove, and are all one piece, and are to be bought at any of the shops in London, where fishing-tackle is sold, and run taper like the lash of a coach-whip, and may be had at any length; as froin thirty to forty yards, &c.

These are the only lines that can be used on a winch; because they have no knots to prevent then running glibby through the rings of the rod.

By the line being made taper, you will be able' to throw it into any place you like with a greater exactness, and it will fall much lighter on the water, which will very much increase your sport.

The reader now being informed of the rod and lines best calculated for artificial fly-fishing, I shall in the next chapter give him a list of the materials. he must be in possession of before he attempts to make flies, and afterwards give him the best instructions for making them.

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CHAP. II.

A List of the Materials necessary for an Angler to have, and the best Method to make the Palmer and May-Fly.

COME

Hog's Down,

OMBED from the roots of the bristles of black, red, whitish and sandy-coloured hogs; the white down you may have dyed to any colour you like. It is excellent dubbing, because it will stand the water and shines well. To be a competent judge of the real colour of any dubbing, you must hold it between the sun and your eyes. This is a standing rule when you imitate a fly.

Camel's Hair,

Of a dark and light colour, and one in the medium of both.

Badger's Hair,

The brown soft fur which is on the skin, and the blackest.

Bear's Hair,

Grey, dun, light and dark coloured, bright brown,

and shining brown.

From

Spaniel's Hair,

From the different parts of a spaniel, especially from behind the ear, brown, dark brown, light brown, and black.

Sheep's Wool,

Of all colours, both natural and artificial; you may have it dyed to any colour.

Seal's Fur,

To be had at the trunk-makers; get it dyed from the lightest to the darkest brown, and you will find it much better dubbing than cow or calves' hair.

Mohairs

Of all colours, black, blue, purple, white, violet, yellow, and tawney, philomot from feuille morte, a dead leaf; and Isabella, which is a whitish yellow, or soiled buff colour.

Cow's Hair,

The softest you can get from a black, brinded, and red cow; and of these colours, have brown, dark brown, light brown, and black.

Colt's, or Calve's Hair. .

These afford very good dubbing, and a variety, especially those hides that have been tewed, or dressed in a Skinner's lime-pit; but, as I said be

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fore, seal's fur dyed is much better than either cow's or either of the hairs of these two; because it is not so harsh, and does not require so much trouble to work it on the hook; and observe further, that this für is for small flies, and bog's down for large ones.

Camlets,

Both hair and worsted of all colours, blue, yellow, dun, brown, dark brown, light brown, red violet, purple, black, horse-flesh, pink, and orange.

Furs,

Off the squirrel, especially his tail; a hare, the part off the neck which is a whithered fern colour; foxcub from the tail where it is downy and of an ash colour; an old fox, and old otter, otter-cub, futimart, or filmert; a mole, a black cat's tail; a bouse-mouse, and water-rat; a marten, particularly from off the gills, or spots under the jaws, which is of a fine yellow. These are all to be had at the furriers.

Hackles.

These are the feathers that hang from the head of a cack, down his neck, and likewise near his tail, they are particularly used in making the palmer-fly; get the following colours of them, viz. red, dun, yellowish, white, orange, and black; let not the fibres of them be above half an inch long. Whenever you meet with a cock, whose hackle is of a strong brown red, buy him, and make the

most of the hackles. Note, the feathers of a bantam or cock chick, are good for nothing.

Feathers.

To make the wings of artificial flies, &c. it is necessary to be provided with all kind of feathers; procure therefore those from the back, and other parts of the wild mallard or drake; of a partridge, particularly the red ones in the tail; those of a cock-pheasant's breast and tail; also the wings of a stare or starling, jay, land-rail, black bird, throsle, fieldfare, water-coot, and a brown hen; likewise the top, or cop, of a pevit, plover, or lap-wing, peacock's herl, green, copper-coloured, and white, also black ostrich's herl, and feathers from the neck and wings of a heron. Observe, that in many instances hereafter that you will meet with, where the mallard's feather is set down for the wings of an artificial fly, that the starling will be preferable, because it is of a finer grain, and will not imbibe the water so much.

Carpets and Blankets.

There is very good dubbing to be got from blankets, also from an old Turkey Carpet; untwist the yarn, and pick out the wool, then separate the colours, wrap them up in different papers, and lay them by.

Silks, &c.

In this drawer, which is the last, keep small, though strong silk of all colours, wrapt on little reels; also straw silk, gold and silver flatted wire, or twist; hooks in small chip boxes, with the number of

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