nil disputandum-will direct him in his selection of the "osier creel," the value of which depends upon its size, the sort of materials with which it is made, that is, whether of whole or split withies, and the style of its manufacture. The French excel in basket work, and the best and neatest creels sold in this country are made in France, or, at least, by French artists. A creel of the best kind, of middle size, ought not to cost more than six shillings.

Here we would advise and caution the inexperienced — and, whatever may be the imputed motive, on the honour of an angler we do so conscientiously,—against cheap tackle of all kinds. If you use it on the ground of economy, you will certainly find yourself deceived. It will prove, longo intervallo, exactly the reverse, for you will have occasion to be always buying, and will be constantly losing fish through its defects. If it cost little, it must be of inferior qualityfor good materials and good workmanship cannot be obtained for a trifle, and a few shillings extra bestowed on best articles cannot be extravagant when their advantages are taken into consideration.

CHAPTER VI.

"Next pouch must not fail,
Stuffed as full as a mail,

With wax, crewels, silks, hair, furs, and feathers,

To make several flies,

For the several skies,

That shall kill in despite of all weathers."

COTTON.

WE now proceed to our instructions for the manufacture of artificial flies — laying it down at the outset, as a strict condition, that all who honour us by adopting these instructions and expect us to teach what they desire to know, shall follow them implicitly in every particular, and resort to no others unless ours shall have been found to fail; that one stage of the process shall be thoroughly mastered before proceeding to another; and that these stages be mastered progressively in the order in which we have arranged them. We ask this in justice to ourselves, and will undertake the task of preceptorship on such conditions only.

Before commencing the operative part of fly

ment.

making, it is indispensable to procure a stock of "the raw material," the collecting and arranging of which are attended with considerable interest, and afford scope for not a little taste and judgWe shall proceed to enumerate the principal articles required, arranging them under their proper heads, with descriptions and remarks to assist the novice-premising that the fitting place in which to store the materials is a box with two or three sliding tiers or compartments one above the other, made to lift out like the box of a "wandering Jew." The upper tier should be mapped out into partitions for hooks and other small articles, and the bottom of the box should be appropriated to the larger wing and tail feathers, skins, &c., all wrapped in separate papers duly labeled. There, also, should be kept the store of hackles, in a large book, between the leaves of which the different kinds should be separately and smoothly arranged. Every care should be taken to protect the feathers, &c., from moth; no particles of flesh must be allowed to adhere to them, and musk or bitter apple should from time to time be liberally applied to them. The latter must be used with caution, being poisonous; but it is an effectual preventive and destroyer of these destructive insects.

H

SILK.

The bodies of some flies are imitated with this material, either in its floss state or from stout sewing silk prepared by drawing out its two or three separate strands, and using them singly in the manner of floss silk. Silk, however, is not so often used for this purpose as fur, and therefore the stock need not be very extensive. The principal colours are yellow, straw-colour, purple, brown, and claret-colour, and they can be procured at any mercer's. Good silk for tying flies is not so easily obtained. It should be of a sombre colour, such as drab, and very fine, strong, and free from dross. The last is as indispensable for waxing properly as strength and fineness are for the strength and neatness of the flies. The silk used for the finest description of kid gloves answers nearest to this description; and the strands of silk braid, drawn carefully out, are often an admirable substitute.

FUR.

This material, which is of great importance, is also used to form the bodies of artificial flies, and

is technically called dubbing. It should not be very soft and sappy, so as to imbibe the water too readily, nor so stiff and coarse as to render its winding on a difficulty-although almost the coarsest hair is, by proper preparation, available in the hands of an experienced artist. This preparation, which indeed is almost always necessary, consists of breaking the fur or hair into minute pieces, and must be particularly attended to when furs of different colours are required to be mixed together. Of these, a small portion of each must be taken between the forefinger and thumb of one hand, and, with the forefinger and thumb of the other hand, be repeatedly broken up together till thoroughly incorporated with each other into a uniform mass. The furrier's shop presents the means of procuring a supply of much of this useful material, of which, indeed, a great assortment is only necessary to the fly-maker by trade. As indispensable may be enumerated the brown fur which one's wife or sister's boa will perhaps readily furnish, albeit at the expense of a scolding if detected at the pilfer; mole and water-rat's fur, which are valuable, and fortunately obtainable without the risk alluded to in the case of the boa; a lighter blue fur than these last, which is found at the roots of the squirrel