man of my weight,” (renewed cheering), he continued, giving the Clerk of the Course's fat nag a slap to clear him out of the way, and having caressed his pet jumped on his pony, and took £13,000 to £1,000 about himn from the Leviathan as soon as he reached the ring. The Squire must send him to the “Great Exhibition "if he can pull through with him—a consummation of happiness which we fancy is not in store for him, either over those cockney-loved Downs or Doncaster Moor.

Speaking of the latter place, reminds us of the tournament of Rous versus Hatfield, which amused the sporting world not a little, about Christmas tide. There is no doubt but the Captain is right in saying that the Corporation ought to give more than they do; but his letters contained so many little mistakes as to facts, and he showed such undeniable signs of annoyance when he found that a “racing official” presumed moreover to set him right, to say nothing of the confession of not having spoken from the book, expressed in his closing letter, that it would have been just as well if he had let the matter alone. As far as we can hear, individual members of the corporation are anxious for an increase of the grant; but as a body the corporation are like “ Jack Bunsby,” and require a long time before they can get an idea into their heads, and have strong Alfordian influence brought to bear on them. Experience will teach them that the Captain is right in the main, though he did not take the most effective mode of driving conviction home, by trying to gibbet them up for the scorn of the racing world, just as their principal entries were closing. Their Leger 25 p.p. alterations (the original conditions of the race) are not really obnoxious to the charge made against them by a very eminent writer, who says that “the abstraction of the additional 25 sovs. each from the stake, put down for the ten or dozen horses which are usually to be found at the post, is just so much taken out of the owner of the winner's pocket.” Now under the late conditions the second horse received £300, and the third £100; whereas for the future, as in the Derby, the second will merely receive £100; so the £300, or (as the £125 deductions are increased to £150) the £275 thus spared, will make the stake, if less than 12 horses start, the same to the winner as under the old system. The nominations for the 1853 St. Leger were not so good as usual, and the Clerk of the Course is anxious to have the entry to close when the Derby and Oaks do, instead of the January before, as owners do not fancy a six months' extra risk with their foals.

The rage for betting lists and prophets seem to continue in full force. The only good we can see in the latter is, that they must pay nearly £300 a year to Government in advertisement duty, and something like fifty times that amount in postage stamps. We never look round us, near the winning-post, without wondering which among the odd specimens of slang-loving humanity is “Stamford,” which

Vatican,” which “ Besborough,” which “Abd-el-Kader," and so on. We have taken good care to send neither post-office stamps nor orders to any of them ; but we never fail to read their advertisements, which form a strictly unique species of national literature; in future ages some sporting D'Israeli will publish them as “ Curiosities of Turf Literature." In those parts where they speak in a spirit of

crushing irony of certain impostor opponents, they are especially rich. Nimrod, for instance, feeling it his duty to the public to denounce a rival, writes thus :

“N.B. A person having advertised my tips lately in the papers, I not only disclaim all knowledge of him as a subscriber, but emphatically pronounce the tips sent by him not to be mine. I merely state this to put gentlemen on their guard against being duped by such humbugs." James Besborough gently eulogizes himself

“J. B., although hating self-praise and idle puff, so prevalent in the present day, boldly defies the world to find his equal.'

Again, the eminent firm of Howard (“ N.B.-Mr. H. has been in a racing stable") and Clinton become the historian of their triumphis. The "blood of all ihe Howards" must have flowed in the veins of the senior partner, when he compo:ed this “ cracker:”—

"All the betting circles in town ring with nothing but HOWARD and CLINTON'S extraordinary success at Liverpool. We copy verbatim from our letters to our subscribers :- Liverpool Steeple-chase-Abd-el-Kader has been bottled for this event in particular, his party book it as already won, the stable money is on Maria Day, and Sir John will run very forward, but Abd-el-Kader wins to the greatest certainty. Unity will win the Spring Cup in a canter, Doubt and Caurire placed. For the Hurdle Race, Little Queen or Cogia. This is but a repetition of our triumphs at Southam, Lincoln, St. Alban's, &c." Greatness has thus been thrust upon this lvrace of worthies, and they become “liong.” The public are uaturally anxious to see men who “have particulars of a great trial with some two-year-olds, to come off at Malion next week," and flock to gaze on the prophets, or to make them stump up. Hence they “ have been much annoyed with frivolous personal applications at our office lately, and will not publish our address in our advertisements.”

Again, Hotspur and Osborne, to save a few shillings, have joined hands in advertising, and write thus :

“Our advice for Liverpool Spring Cup was Unity, sent to all before the acceptances. We lost the Hurdle race by a neck, Little Queen could have won in a canter. We had, on the dispatch of our last message, sound reasons for our advice on the Steeple Chase, but tactics at the eleventh hour defeated what otherwise would have been a certainty."

The “ Robert Southey," however, of the lot is not “My tongue is not for falsehood framed,” “ James Besborough," nor “ California without cholera, gold without danger, James Arkwright," nor even the modest “ Hero of a Hundred Fights" Alfred Milo, who “ defies all England and all the wonderful would-be prophets to boot, to equal him in the extent and value of his information;" but a certain “ Joe,” of Kensington. Joe is the man for our money; there is a breadth and point about Joe's prose writings which takes one's heart by stora. If her Majesty was to offer him a baronetcy to-inorrow, he would think that she had done nothing more than was right and proper, considering his efforts in prophetic science and English literature. One week he assures his friends, that he “has been travelling about to have a peep at the Derby favourites, a privilege no other

ON THE CHOICE OF TROUT FLIES.

MY DEAR Piscator,

In my last letter I promised to send you a few hints with regard to a choice of flies : I now sit down to do so, and shall endeavour as concisely as I can, to give you a list of good killers. I might refer you at once to any list of flies to be found in almost any book on fishing, but I find one very great fault runs through them all, and that is, too many sorts are given : and the young inexperienced angler is led into confusion, where he might expect to find no difficulty.

“The Fly-fisher's Entomology," by Alfred Ronalds, is a most useful bcok, and ought to be in the library of every angler. The book lies by me now; and out of it I copy several of the flies I give below. Still there are too many kinds given, which are not wanted. Doubtless they will kill trout, but there are others which will do much more. I allude more particularly to the summer months. I have always been exclusively a fly-fisher, and have paid much attention to flies. I always keep an account of the number of trout I kill ; and on looking at my list, I see I bagged during the seasons of '49 and '50 2,769 trout, and all with the fly. I may therefore be able to give you some few hints which I have learnt from experience. Practice that great master-has taught, and can teach, more than all the treatises ever written ; and I trust you may find it so ; and when you next pay me a visit, I shall find you much improved both in fishing and fly-making. No person, however well he can throw a fly, can aspire to the name of a true brother of the angle, unless he can make one. The pleasure of imitating Nature; of collecting dubbings, silks, feathers of all sorts, and indeed all the paraphernalia required; the making a fly, and killing a trout with it when made, are all quite as delightful as the act of fishing itself. When you begin to fish, your judgment is called into exercise in selecting a fly; for when a fly is said to be in season, it is not therefore always on the water, as the temperature of the air has great effect on the tender insects. You should therefore bear in mind that on cold days the cock-wing blue, the iron blue, and flies of that species, are on the water ; on hot days the beetles, as the cockabonddu and the wren-tail, spinners, spider, &c. ; on windy days, the cow-dung and the blues. As for the time of year to begin fishing, you must be guided by inclination, the mildness of the weather, and state of the brooks. Frost and snow greatly retard the progress of the fish towards recovery from spawning ; while a wet mild winter, like the present, has a contrary effect., Thus in January this year the trout were in as good season as they were last year six weeks later. In a mild climate, such as Devonshire, fishing generally begins, even on preserved water, on February 1st. I will give you January and February together, as the same flies will do for both months. Now, as for giving you directions to make a fly, I shall not do so. If you look into any book on the subject, you will find ample instructions, and a few attempts will soon get you into the way of mak

ing them. As for hooks, I advise you to use either the Limerick or Sneck bent : I myself seldom use any other, and I find them excellent. You must be careful in buying Limerick hooks, as many spurious goodfor-nothing hooks are sold for real Limericks. To prove a hook, stick the point into a piece of soft wood, and pull by the shank : if well tempered, it will not break without great force ; and if it bends, it is useless. “ Frangas non flectes” ought to be the motto of a good hook. Your gut should be round and fine, and stained a pale blue, which is easily done in the following manner : Boil a small quantity of logwood in a pint of water, and when boiling put in a small piece of copperas : put your gut in the pan when the dye is hot, and let it remain in till it has become the colour required; sometimes a minute will be sufficient. When you take the gut out, put it in a basin of cold water : if the colour is not deep enough, put it again in the dye. Your bag of materials ought to consist of something of everything, to use an odd phrase. For dubbings collect fur from hare's face, neck, and back ; from a mouse--this is superior to a rat ; a squirrel, especially the blue fur next the skin ; an old gun-cover åffords an excellent yellow dubbing; mohairs of all colours, and floss-silks; starlings' wings, young and old ; woodcocks', landrails’, and hen-pheasants'. Whenever you see a cock with deep red hackles, buy him, especially if there is any black about them. Blue fowls are most difficult to get, of a very good colour. I have at last, after some time and labour, got a very good breed of them, A pale blue hen is very valuable. In brief, or as Hume says, “ to sum up the tottle," I quote the poet Gay's lines :

" To frame the little animal provide

All the gay hues that wait on female pride;
Let Nature guide thee: sometimes golden-wire
The shining bellies of the fly require;
The peacock's plumes thy tackle must not fail,
Nor the dear purchase of the sable's tail;
Each gaudy bird some tender tribute brings,
And lends the growing insect proper wings :
Silks of all colours must their aid impart,

And every fur promote the fisher's art.” January and February.--Hook, No. 9 and 10. 1. Dark Blue: tail, two strands of a dark cock's hackle ; body, mouse and mole's fur mixed ; legs, a dark blue hackle ; wings, from a blackbird. Used on cold windy days. 2. February Red: Hook, No. 9. Body, squirrel's dark red fur, with a little claret wool next the tail ; legs, of a claretstained hackle—a red cock's hackle will do ; wings, from a pale gingerbrown hen.

March.-1. February Red, as above. 2. Cockwing Blue: Hook, No. 10. Tail, two strands of a cock's hackle ; body, yellow floss silk, well mixed up with the blue fur of a squirrel ; spun on yellow silk ; legs, a blue hen's hackle ; wings, from a starling, slightly stained in onion dye. 3. Red Spinner : Hook, No. 10. Tail, two strands from a red cock's hackle ; body, brown silk, ribbed with fine gold twist ; legs, red cock’s hackle ; wings, pale part of starling's wing. 4. March Brown : Hook, No. 8 and 9. Tail, two strands from a partridge's tail; body, fur from hare's face, ribbed over with olive silk, and tied with brown; legs, feather from the back of a partridge ; wings, from a pheasant's wing, or speckled tail of partridge. Towards the end of

M.B. season, use for body yellow mohair slightly softened down with rabbits' fur.

April.-All the flies for March except February Red. 1. Great Red Spinner: Hook, No. 9. Tail, two strands from red cock's hackle; body, brown floss silk, ribbed with gold twist ; legs, a plain red hackle; wings, from a starling's wing. This is a most excellent fly, and is taken by trout most voraciously, especially if the water is dark. 2. Sand Fly : Hook, No. 10. Body, sandy-coloured fur from hare's neck ; legs, a light ginger hackle ; wings, made full from a landrail's wings. 3. Cow Dung: Hook, No. 10. Body, yellowish mohair ; legs, ginger hackle ; wings, landrail's. A very killing fly on a windy day, and may be used throughout the year. 4. Stone Fly: Hook, No. 7. Tail, two strands from partridge's tail, speckled ; body, fur of hare's ear mixed with yellow worsted, and ribbed with yellow silk, leaving most yellow at the tail ; legs, a blue grizzle cock's hackle, of a brownish hue ; wings, from a pheasant's wing. 5. Spider, or Gravel Bed : Hook, No. 10. Body, lead-coloured silk, dressed very fine ; legs, a blackcock's hackle, left long, and wound twice only round the body; wings, from a woodcock's wings. I have killed great numbers of fish with this fly on warm days : it lasts till the middle of May.

May.-1. Iron Blue, or Purple : Hook, No. 11 and 12. Tail, two strands of a blue cock's hackle, or a blue hen hackle ; body, fur from a mole ; legs, a very small yellow dun hackle ; wings, from the wing of a tomtit, or the tip of a moor-hen's breast-feather. This fly is a most excellent one, and is a very killing one on a cold windy day. 2. Yellow Dun: IIook, No. 9. Tail, from a blue cock's hackle ; body, yellow silk, well waxed, to give an olive tint; legs, a light yellow dun hackle; wings, the lightest feather of a young starling's wing. 3. Black Gnat: look, No. 12. Body, black ostrich herl ; legs, a small black hackle; wings, the dark part of a starling's wing. This fly lasts till July, and when on the water trout will gorge themselves with it. 4. Fern Fly, Soldier and Sailor: lIook, No. 9. Body, orange floss silk ; legs, a red cock's hackle ; wings, from a red feather of a hen. The Sailor has wings of a dark blue, from the wing feather of a heron, and is the better of the two kinds : both, however, are greedily taken by fish on hot days till the end of July. 5. Alder Bud, or Orl Fly : Hook, No. 9. Body, dark mulberry floss silk ; legs, a dark grizzle dun hackle ; wings, from a brow-hen's wing

June.-1. Green Drake: Hook, No. 7. Tail, three rabbit's whiskers ; body, straw-coloured floss silk, ribbed with peacock's herl stripped, leaving a little unstripped at the head ; legs, a grey partridge hackle, slightly stained olive; wings, the grey feather of a mallard, stained olive. This fly is used in the morning and through the day, while the grey is used in the evening. 2. Grey Drake : Hook, No. 7. Tail, three rabbit's whiskers ; body, same as Green Drake, only the floss silk must be white ; legs, a grizzle blue cock's hackle ; wings, the mottled feather of a mallard. 3. Cockabonddu : Hook, No. 9 and 10. Body, ostrich-berl ; legs and wings made buzz, with a deep red hackle, with black running up the middle. This is an excellent fly, and though it properly belongs to this month, yet it may be used almost every month. I have found it kill better ribbed with gold twist.

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