590 OCEAN, LAKE, AND RIVER. 



used in tying trout flies than others. Then there are those, the 

 fibres of which are red at the stem, or say at the roots, and black 

 on the outer edges of the feather, and frequently black at the stem 

 and red at the outer edges ; both of which are called furnace hackles. 

 There are also light yellowish red, termed "ginger hackles." 

 Black hackles are essential in tying dark flies. Grey are used in 

 tying dun colored flies when dun hackles, which are very scarce, 

 are not to be had. Add to these the ginger barred and black 

 barred on a white ground, and we have most of the natural or un- 

 dyed colors. But hold, there are a few more, the feathers from 

 the wren's tail, from, the ruff of the grouse, from the partridge and 

 snipe, and the short spotted feathers of the guinea fowl are occa- 

 sionally used, but they are soft of fibre and poor substitutes for 

 cocks' hackles. 



Wings. — The feathers of which the wings of flies are made, 

 are numerous. Those of the mallard, teal, red-neck, sheldrake, 

 wood-duck, and other wild fowl correspond in position to the sad- 

 dle hackles of the cock, and are, I think, what ornithologists term 

 " tail coverts." Few others, except the secondary wing feathers 

 of the red-neck, canvas-back and teal, are used. The tail coverts 

 of ducks are difficult of manipulation on account of their extreme 

 delicacy and lightness. Of all feathers from the wings of birds or 

 domestic fowls the secondary only are good ; the pinions are 

 worthless. If a man's arms were wings the pinions would be 

 found growing from the wrist to the tips of the feathers, the sec- 

 ondaries from the elbow to the wrist. I hope this will explain 

 their true position, for if one asks his friend in the " rural districts " 

 to get him the feathers of a certain fowl, in nine cases out of ten 

 he will be presented with any other than the right ones. The 

 great variety of plumage in domestic fowls, produced by crossing 

 and interbreeding, has furnished some feathers invaluable to the 

 fly-maker, especially to the beginner ; these are in nearly every 

 case the secondaries of hens. They are much easier of manipu- 

 lation than the tail coverts of wild ducks or the short fibred wing 

 feathers of birds, and in all cases should be used instead by the 

 tyro when he can get them near the shade or markings of any 

 duck's feathers he may admire. The Earl Derby, the dark brah- 

 mas, and most of the various crossings producing so many shades 



