ON MATERIALS. 31 



Of speckled feathers, those of the pheasant's 

 tail are the most generally useful. They make 

 very natural imitations of the wings of the March 

 Brown and of some other well known flies. 

 Speckled mallard feathers, .brown and grey, are 

 also used in large quantities, especially in Ireland, 

 for lake and white trout flies. Barred teal 

 feathers, which are of a much darker shade than 

 grey mallard, are correspondingly favourites in 

 Scotland, as are also the bronze-coloured tail 

 feathers of the turkey. 



Grey mallard and teal feathers are used, dyed, 

 for May Flies ; also guinea fowl and Eouen drake 

 feathers, which are recommended by Mr. Halford. 

 Feathers of the wood (or summer) duck, a native 

 of South America, are used, undyed, for the same 

 purpose. 



Next to the wings come the whisks or tails. 

 These are simply two fibres cut from a large 

 hackle, or saddle feather of the cock or hen, or from 

 any fine and long plumed feathers of suitable 

 colour. 



The wing coverts and back and breast feathers 

 of the coot and water-rail, and the feathers from 

 beneath the tail of the sparrowhawk, afford a 

 good assortment of iron blue, brown olive, and 

 yellow dun fibres which are difficult to obtain 

 elsewhere. Unfortunately, they are not very 

 durable. 



Golden pheasant feathers, both toppings and 

 tippets, are also largely used for whisks, and 

 make particularly attractive ones for fancy flies. 

 The feathers from the back and sides of the 

 mallard and drake teal, already mentioned in this 

 chapter, are also useful. 



I have found that many varieties of hair, 

 human especially, make most natural looking 

 whisks. The whisks of various animals, chiefly 

 rats and rabbits, are recommended. They are 



