198 FLY.MAKING. 



over a flat surface without catching, while the point 

 of the O'Shaunessey, by projecting, catches and 

 penetrates. 



Fish-hooks of the best quality of home manufac- 

 ture, of all shapes and sizes, may be obtained at 

 from twenty-five to seventy-five cents a hundred, 

 and will be found equal if not superior to any Eng- 

 lish hook at double the price, or they can be 

 manufactured of any shape desired. 



So few persons make their own flies in this coun- 

 try that none of the tackle-makers sell the mate- 

 rials, and hence the amateur will have to collect 

 the latter as opportunity oflers. Gut, of course, can 

 be purchased anywhere; but the strongest kind of 

 that suitable for salmon-fishing is often difficult to 

 obtain, if not entirely out of the market. In trout- 

 fishing, select fine, round, transparent strands, and 

 pay from one to two dollars per hank of one hun- 

 dred strands ; for salmon choose the strongest and 

 roundest, and pay from three to four dollars. Gut 

 is imported from Spain and Italy, and is made by 

 drawing out a dead silk-worm till it is of the proper 

 fineness ; and none imported from the East, and no 

 imitation of grass, sinew, or the like, is worth using. 

 The quality can be determined by its hardness ; if it 

 resists the teeth well, it is good ; age weakens and 

 finally decays it. 



The best wax, although it is by no means perfect, 

 is made of one part of resin, one of beeswax, and 

 four of shoemaker's wax, the two former melted 

 together and poured into water, and then worked in 



