Which Came First: Wet or Dry Fly?

This kind of topic usually stirs some good discussions.

I happened to be looking through the book, Favorite Flies and Their Histories, by M.O. Marbury and this piqued my interest. Between pages 29 and 31, she talks about and quotes a translation from Aelian?s, De Animalium Natura. In part it reads,

?These fish feed on a fly which is peculiar to the country and which hovers over the river?The natives call it Hippourus. As these flies seek their food over the river, they do not escape the observation of the fish swimming below. When, then, a fish observes a fly hovering above, it swims quietly up, fearing to agitate the water lest it should scare away its prey; then, coming up by its own shadow, it opens its jaws and gulps down the fly ?; having done this ,it withdraws under the rippling water.? ?? but they(the fishermen) have planned a snare for the fish, and get the better of them by their fishermen?s craft. They fasten red wool round a hook, and fit on to the wool two feathers which grew under a cock?s wattles, and which in color are like wax. Their rod is six feet long, and the line is of the same length. Then they throw their snare, and the fish, attracted and maddened by the color, comes up, thinking to get a dainty mouthful; when, however, it opens its jaws, it is caught by the hook and enjoys a bitter repast, a captive.?

Now, to me, this sounds like these fish were taking the Hippourus fly off of the surface. In all probability, the antique imitations would sink fairly quickly because of the hook weight and material. Regardless, it sounds like it was the intent of the ancient Macedonian fishermen to fish their flies on the surface, dap them, or even hover them above the surface of the water. So, I conclude that the first flies used, in recorded history, were Dry Flies.

Your thoughts?

Allan