94 SY HOOK AND BY CJROOK. 



two to workj for which reason perhaps it is in more 

 general use than pig's wool, which we much prefer, 

 except for small flies, as it is far more brilliant in the 

 water and the fibres well assert themselves. 



To prepare pig's wool, which can be purchased dyed 

 in all shades, it is necessary to first clear it of the very 

 coarse hairs and then break the remainder up in the 

 fingers until the fragments are of required length, say in 

 a medium size fly about \ of an inch, or longer for use 

 towards the shoulder of the fly. 



To dress the body — having whipped on the tinsel and 

 hackle, well wax the whipping-silk, roll the pig's wool 

 out into thin lengths for use near the tail and thicker 

 for above, then spin them on to the silk, and wind it 

 up the body of the hook until it be covered, fixing with 

 a half-hitch. 



Wind on the tinsel and hackle in usual manner and 

 make fast, then with a needle pick out the hairs of the 

 wool between the coils of tinsel, so that the whole 

 tapers gradually from shoulder to tail. Seal's fur will 

 not require much breaking up. 



To fix a Single Wing. 



It is much more difficult to fix a single- wing fly than 

 a mixed wing, as the single strip of feather which forms 

 each wing is very liable to split. 



Unless the slips are taken from the centre tail- 

 feather, they should be cut from feathers on dififerent 

 sides of the tail, or, in the case of wing-feathers, from 



