INTRODUCTION. 



be considerably modified by his acquiring a good 

 knowledge of the material used in making flies, 

 which, with the entomological knowledge that he 

 already possesses, will carry him more than half 

 way through the task that the beginner who 

 aspires further has to face. 



I could say a great deal about the enjoyment, 

 the artistic enjoyment, if I may be permitted so 

 to call it, which is to be derived from fly dressing ; 

 but, then, my remarks might easily be mistaken 

 for those of an enthusiast ! I will, therefore, 

 content myself by saying that I consider its 

 difficulties to be very nrnch exaggerated both 

 outside and inside the ranks of its votaries. 



One reason why the efforts of some to learn 

 fly dressing have been irksome or unsuccessful 

 is that they have begun with the most 

 difficult style, namely, the professional's, or fly 

 dressing without the aid of a vice. As this was 

 the way in which I myself commenced I well 

 know what difficult, finger cramping work it is 

 for the beginner. I trust, however, that the 

 reader will be so far guided by my experience as 

 to adopt the use of a vice and some such acces- 

 sories and tools as I shall shortly describe, and in 

 a very short time he will know fly dressing to be 

 what, if rightly gone about, it always is an 

 interesting, easy, and useful recreation. 



One often sees in papers requests for informa- 

 tion regarding profitable home employment. It 

 has been a matter of surprise to me that fly 

 dressing does not receive more prominence in this 

 connection. There seems to be everything to 

 recommend it. The stock-in-trade necessary for 

 a beginning is small and inexpensive. The profits 

 are good, and, highest recommendation of all, the 

 demand for flies is always brisk, and the market 

 never seems to be overstocked. I hope that these 

 pages may be of use to some of those who may 

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