The two last-mentioned flies, with the dun fox, (which, as before observed, comes again in this Month,) continue till the dark fox and dark claret come in again, which is in October; only recollect, from the beginning of the Month to about the tenth, to let the mohair be green for the dark Fox, instead of straw-colour; and after that time as before, to the end of the Season, which in some Countries continues till November, if the weather be moderate and without Frost *. * With the foregoing Species of Baits, an Artist will do uncommon Execution. WALTON asserts that, in 1754, a Gentleman in Six weeks Fly-fishing in Wales, killed a Thousand brace of Trout and Grayling, as appeared by an Account regularly kept in Writing of each Day's Success. As a further Proof of the destructive Effect of these tempting Insects, and also of the Abundance of Fish in the Welch Rivers, a similar Account of Ten Years, One Month, and five Days Angling, was sent to Mr. LOWE, in Drury Lane, in 1766, and is here inserted in the Gentleman's own Words. Fish taken in the Counties of Carmarthen and Glamorgan, commencing } 6272 rom} 3758 3739 1757. Ditto in the County of Glamorgan 9272 1758. Ditto in the Counties of Glamorgan, Brecon, Radnor, and Hereford 7762 1764. Ditto in the County of Carmarthen to 23d July, being my last Day's Angling in the Principality 1814 The Rich, the Poor, the Sick, and the Healthy, have tasted of the Labours of my Hands. In the first Five Months in 1751 I took in the Counties of Pembroke and Carmarthen above a Thousand Trouts, and though I have taken Trouts in every Month in the Year since, yet I could not in any one Year reach that Number; perhaps I have done it before 1751, but I did not then keep an account all the Year round, only noted those Days in which I had Diversion more than Common. N. B. There were some Pike, Chub, Eel, and Flounder, taken, which are not stated in the above Account. It should be always remembered to vary the size of the Hook as the Fly is intended to be either large or small, or according to the kind of Fish proposed to be angled for. Before the Beginning any fly, have a proper quantity of feather for the wings (if a winged fly) ready stripped from the stem, and a proportion of stuff for the body well mixed, (for the Colours should be kept properly shaded, never using the whole of any one mixture till mixed again; by which means, when the right shades have been once acquired in the different mixtures, they may always be preserved;) the hackles and all materials should be ready at hand, with silk to match in colour, and waxed; and when making a fly let the wings, and also the fibres of the hackle, be proportioned in length to its size. Another mode of dressing flies is thus recommended. For a Hackle or Palmer, having selected materials, shorten the superfluous parts of the Hackle, so as to have no use for the Scissars after finishing, except to cut off the remaining part of the stem and the silk; place the hook upon the gut, holding the upper end of the shank between the forefinger and thumb of the left hand; fasten the end of the gut by three turns of the silk; then hold the hook by the bent, and whip it neatly up to the top of the shank, where it should be whipped two turns around the gut alone; to prevent its galling, place the hackle with the root end down the shank, and fasten with two turns of the silk: the Dubbing must next be whipped neatly down the shank, securing it with one knot; upon the place where began hold the point of the Hackle, and whip it down the body until opposite the point of the hook; there fasten, and the hook is complete. When small or tender Hackles, such as Partridge's or Woodcock's, are used, they may be whipped three or four times around the upper end of the shank, and there fastened; after which dress the body down to its proper place, and fasten it. If an Hackle is so short that it cannot conveniently be held, tie a piece of waxed thread to it. To make a Fly with Wings, whip the hook as before directed; lay the feather provided for the wings upon the shank, with the points towards the bent; the roots are consequently upwards; fasten it on the top of the shank firmly by four or five turns of the silk; raise the feather from the shank, and divide it in two equal parts; then bring back between the wings the root ends of the fea ther, and fasten them. Dress the dubbing to the proper length of the body, and fasten it. Where Wings and Hackle are used. When the wings are secured whip the root end of the Hackle close below them; then lap the dubbing one third the length of the body; hold the silk tight between the second and third fingers, while twisting the hackle to that place; there fasten it, and then finish the body. A small slice of Camphor placed amongst the Fur, and a little ground Pepper strewed among the Feathers, will prevent either from being destroyed by Moths or other vermin. The Indian Grass and Silk-worm Gut will be best preserved in a piece of Bladder or oiled Paper, and Hooks may be protected from rust by the same inclosure. In WALTON We find the following Instructions, by way of Appendix to the Sixth Edition of the COMPLETE ANGLER. These are here inserted, in the hope of rendering the List of Flies, and the mode of making them, so numerous and full as not only to suit the different Rivers, but also the various practice of Sportsmen who resort to them. First List. February. PEACOCK-HACKLE. Peacock's herl alone, or interchanged with ostrich herl, warping red silk, red cock's hackle over all; it may be varied by a black cock's hackle and silver twist. Taken chiefly from nine to eleven in the morning, and from one to three in the afternoon. This, and the several other hackles, which we have before and are hereafter described, being most tempting baits, should always be first tried when the angler comes to a strange river; and not changed till he has found out, and is certain what particular fly is upon the water. March. GREEN PEACOCK HACKLE. Greenish herl of a peacock; warp ing, green silk, a black hackle over all. Taken from eight to eleven in the morning. ASH-COLOURED DUN. Dub with the roots of a fox-cub's tail; warp with pale yellow silk; wing of the pale part of a starling's feather. Taken from eight to eleven, and from one to three. This fly, which is also called the violet dun and blue dun, is to be found on almost every river; is produced from a Cadis: it is so small that the Hook No. 9 is full big enough, if not too large for it; the shape is exactly the same as the Green Drake; so early in the Year as February they will drop on the Water before Eight in the Morning, and Trouts of all Sizes will rise at them very eagerly. It varies much in its colour, according to the season of the year in March and September it is called, and that very properly, the violet dun, for it has often that hue: and therefore we recommend the mixing blue-violet crewel with the fox-cub down. In April it assumes a pale ash-colour, and in May is of a beautiful lemon-colour, both body and wings. In June and July it is blue black, and from July it insensibly varies till it becomes of its primitive colour, violet dun, which it never fails to do by September. April. Pearl colour, or HERON DUN. Dub with the yellowish or ash-coloured herl of a heron, warp with ash-coloured silk: wing from the short feather of a heron, or from a coot's wing; of an ash-colour. Morning and afternoon. BLUE DUN. Dub with the fur of a water-rat; warp with ash-colour; wing of a coot's feather. Morning and afternoon. May. THE GREEN DRAKE, or MAY FLY, should be made upon a large hook; the Dubbing Camel's hair, bright Bear's hair, the soft down that is combed from a Hog's bristles, and yellow Camblet, well mixed together the body long, and ribbed about with green silk, or rather yellow, waxed with green wax; the whisks of the tail, of the long hairs of Sable or Fitchet; and the wings of the Whitegrey feather of a Mallard, dyed yellow. Or it may be made the body of Seal's fur, or yellow Mohair, a little Cub fox down, and Hog's wool, or light brown from a Turkey Carpet mixed; warp with pale Yellow, pale Yellow or red Cock's hackle under the wings; the Wings of a Mallard's feather dyed yellow; three whisks in his tail from a Sable Muff. Taken all day, but chiefly from two to four in the afternoon. SILVER-TWIST HACKLE. Dub with the herl of an ostrich feather; warp with dark green, silver twist, and black cock's hackle, over all. Taken from nine to eleven, especially in a showery day. SOOTY DUN. Dub with black spaniel's fur, or the herl of an ostrich; warp with green; wing, the dark part of a land-rail or coot. Taken best in a showery day, as also in April or June. LIGHT FLAMING, or SPRING BROWN. Dub with light brown of a calf; warp with orange-colour; wing of a pale grey mallard's feather. Taken chiefly before sun-set in a warm evening.-A good fly. OAK-FLY. By some called the ash-fly, (by others, erroneously, the hawthorn-fly.) The head, which is large, of an ash-colour; the upper part of the body greyish, with two or three hairs of bright brown mixed, and a very little light blue, and sometimes a hair or two of light green; the tail part is greyish mixed with orange; wing of a mottled brown feather of a woodcock, partridge, or brown hen; hook No. 8 or 9. This is the fly which is seen much in March, April, May, and June, on the body of ash-trees, oaks, willows, and thorns, growing near the water, standing with its head |