470 



AMERICAN GAME FISHES. 



flies. The fibers are apt to get criss-crossed, and entangled, 

 one with the other, and the result is, a mass of fibers as in- 

 effectual as unsightly. To obviate this, the hackle is taken, 

 and after stripping off the fluffy feathers from the butt-end. 



Fig. 21 . 



the fibers are stroked carefully in the reverse direction until 

 they resemble fig. 19. 



The next process is to attach a pair of pincers to each end 

 as in fig. 20. Now let an assistant take A firmly whilst the 



tyro grasps B in his left hand. Passes are now made on 

 each side of the mid-rib, as shown, with the forefinger of 

 the right hand, bringing the nail close to the roots of the 

 fibers. This proceeding doubles them back and downward 



