- - of its Growth? - What is the Parr? These Questions Entomology.-The Flies eaten by Trout.-The two princi- pal Classes, Phryganidæ and Ephemerida.-Peculiarities of each and their Habits described. - Times of the Ap- General Remarks on Tackle.-Dame Juliana Berners lauded. The Fly-rod.-Copious Remarks thereon, with Instructions for its Selection, and Information concerning its Manufacture. Our Notions of a good Rod, and Selection of the Tackle concluded. - The Line. - The - - - - - Method of fitting it up with Flies. The Angler's Knot described. Silkworm Gut.-Process of its Manufacture, and Directions for choosing it. The different kinds of Hooks. What constitutes a good Hook. - The Kendal Hook recommended. — Different Parts of a Hook shown by a Diagram. The Fly-book. -Its Make and Cost. The landing Net. When desirable and otherwise. - - Fly-making. — Introductory Remarks. Selection of the our own. - Remarks on Imitation.-Our own Opinion.-Size, Colour, - Theory and Practice. - A Word about "Book-learning.' Throwing the Line and Flies.-Striking-its Necessity and Object. Quotations from Mr. Ronalds, Mr. Younger, and "Ephemera."-Friendly Hints on pisca- torial Etiquette. — Instructions for playing and landing a Fish.-A Word about Patience, and a Glance at Love. -Insensibility of Fish to Pain. - Sir Humphrey Davy General Remarks on the Fly-fishing Season. Spring. The proper Flies to use, and what Parts of the River to Fish. Rising "short." Summer Fishing. - Best in a wet Season.-Proper Flies enumerated. -Evening Fish- ing. Its peculiar Delights.—The best Flies for use. Dace Fishing. A good preliminary "School" for the superior Art of Trouting. Remarks and Instructions thereon. Autumn Fishing.— Where to fish, and what THE VADE-MECUM OF FLY-FISHING, &c. &c. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. My good scholar, we may say of angling as Dr. Boteler said of strawberries, 'Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did;' and so, if I might be judge, God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling."-IZAAC WALTON. GLORIOUS old Izaac! What delightful thoughts what poetical imaginings-the bare mention of thy name evokes! They come fresh and uncontaminated from the pure fountains of nature -as if haloed with cowslip garlands, bespangled with the blue-bell and the water-lily — stealing along amid the murmur of the summer stream, the hum of insects, and the song of birds! B What more can be said in praise of angling than that which the good and quaint old father of anglers has so charmingly discoursed? What more delightful picture of an angler's life and pleasures of the scenes 'mid which he wanders, and the poetry which shines in his heart and illumines the mental atmosphere in which he lives can be presented than that which Walton has bequeathed to us in the delightful book which he designed as "a picture of his own disposition," and which is described as having "hardly its fellow in any of the modern languages?" Who, on reading, or recalling to his recollection, the beautiful scenes and dialogues in that exquisite production, will not fancy himself the delighted companion of Piscator, Auceps, and Venator? will not be carried away for a while from the stern realities and corroding cares of the world, to the quietude and poetry of nature to the flower-spread banks of a lovely river in some sequestered vale embosomed by its tree-clad hills? -will not feast, in imagination, upon the glorious and ever-varying scenes through which an angler roams, and taste the indescribable enjoyment which is peculiar to his fascinating pastime? "God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling,”—let cavillers |