302 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [part n. 



Which being done, clip off the root-end of the fea- 

 ther close by the arming, and then whip the silk 

 fast and firm about the hook and towght, until you 

 come to the bend of the hook : but not further, as 

 you do at London, and so make a very unhandsome, 

 and, in plain English, a very unnatural and shape- 

 less fly. Which being done, cut away the end of 

 your towght, and fasten it. And then take your dub- 

 bing which is to make the body of your fly, as much 

 as you think convenient ; and, holding it lightly with 

 your hook betwixt the finger and thumb of your 

 left-hand, take your silk with the right, and twist- 

 ing it betwixt the finger and thumb of that hand, 

 the dubbing will spin itself about the silk, which 

 when it has done, whip it about the armed-hook 

 backward, till you come to the setting on of the 

 wings. And then take the feather for the wings, 

 and divide it equally into two parts ; and turn them 

 back towards the end of the hook, the one on 

 the one side, and the other on the other of the 

 shank, holding them fast in that posture betwixt 

 the fore-finger and thumb of your left hand. Which 

 done, warp them so down as to stand and slope 

 towards the bend of the hook ; and, having warped 

 up to the end of the shank, hold the fly fast betwixt 

 the finger and thumb of your left-hand, and then 

 take the silk betwixt the finger and thumb of your 

 right-hand, and, where the warping ends, pinch or 

 nip it with your thumb-nail against your finger, and 

 strip away the remainder of your dubbing from the 



