Parson E
Parson : (or Canary) Tolfrey, Jones's guide.
Tail : Golden topping.
Tag : Gold twist.
Body : Yellow silk.
Ribs : Flat, golden tinsel.
Hackle : Yellow dyed hackle.
Throat : Yellow Macaw.
Wings : Four golden toppings.
Head : Yellow.
Parson : Hardy.
Tag : Gold tinsel and light orange floss.Tail : A topping and Chatterer.Butt : Black herl.Body : Bright claret floss.Ribs : Gold tinsel.Hackle : Bright claret.Throat : Blue.Wings : Tippet in strands; dark turkey, Swan dyed yellow, red and blue, Peacock, Bustard, Golden Pheasant tailSummer duck, Teal, Mallard, Guinea fowl and a topping.Cheeks : Chatterer.Horns : Blue Macaw.Head : Black.
Parson : Hale.
Tag : Silver twist.Tail : A topping and Chatterer sideways.Body : three turns gold floss, three turns gold Seal's fur, remainder orange Seal's fur.Ribs : Silver twist.Hackle : Golden olive.Throat : Orange hackle, then Jay.Wings : Toppings.Cheeks : Chatterer.Horns : Blue Macaw.Head : Black.
Parson : Adamson. 1860.
Tag : Gold and yellow.
Tail : A topping.
Body : Very dark claret floss.
Ribs : Gold twist.
Hackle : Dark claret.
Throat : Blue.
Wings : Golden Pheasant breast and tail feather, green Parrot, Blue Macaw and a topping over.
Sides : Summer duck.
Cheeks : Kingfisher.
Head : Black herl.
Parson : Francis Francis 1867. * Richard Nivin discribes the same fly in his book The British Angler's Lexicon
also from Fr. Fr., under the name Golden Parson
Tag : Silver tinsel and mauve floss.
Tail : A topping, a few sprigs of tippets and kingfisher.
Body : 2 turns golden floss, golden Pig's wool merging into orange.
Hackle : Golden-orange hackle over the wool, red orange hackle over that.
Ribs :
Throat : A few short toppings instead of throat hackle.
Wings : A tippet with Cock of the Rock on either side and one above, Pintail or Woodduck; 7 or 8 toppings over.
Cheeks : Kingfisher.
Horns : Blue Macaw.
Head : Black.
Parson : Francis Francis. 1867. * Because there is a little history of the Parson, within the letter, Francis Francis
got from Dr. Sheil, I include the whole letter, for reffernce.
" My dear sir;--- I send four Parson's I have borrowed from Mr. Hobson, and I will send you a couple made with summr duck
in the wing. The first 'Parson' and called from him, was used by the Rev. Arthur Metrick of Romsbury; it was two large
toppings, a yellow body, yellow hackle, very thin twist run close together up the body. I mean half as close as in any of
those flies I send. He said he got it from Lord Bollingbroke at Christchurch.
He changed the body to orange; both were silk bodies. The late Mr. William Larket, of Derby, put Cockm of the Rock in the
wing. I think I put the first fur body to the fly, it was orange Pig's wool. Mr. Larket and then Mr. Hobson altered the fur to a
mixture of red and yellow. Mr. Hobson adde to this the purple and fiery brown under the wing, which Pat McKay borrowed
and adopted, and nothing has beaten this pattern.