THE MAKING OF FLIES. 91 



wings, hackles, dubbing, silk, and wax neatly assorted, 

 and prepared for instant use. The hooks require to be 

 sized for your different flies; the gut demands the most 

 careful examination and adjustment; the hackles must be 

 stripped, and the dubbing well waxed; the silk must be 

 carefully assorted, and of the very finest texture; and 

 the wings must be tied the length of the hook they are 

 to be fastened to, in order that the fibres of the feather 

 may be all brought into the small compass of the hook. 

 This previous care and trouble not only save time in the 

 process, but ensure a degree of neatness in the execu- 

 tion that is otherwise almost unattainable. 



The tying of the wings is thus performed. A piece of 

 well waxed silk is laid in a noose on the forefinger of the 

 left hand; the wings, or feathers, are put in the under 

 part of the noose, and at the distance of the length of 

 the wing required; the thumb is then applied closely to 

 the feather, and with one end of the noose in the mouth, 

 and the other in the right hand, the noose is drawn quite 

 tight, and the silk is then cut within an inch of the knot, 

 thus leaving a handle by which to hold the wing. If 

 the thumb be not firmly pressed the feathers will be 

 pulled away. 



FIRST METHOD. How to make a fly with the wings 

 in the natural position in the first instance. 



Hold the hook by the bend, with the point down- 

 wards, between the forefinger and thumb of the left 

 hand. With your waxed silk in your right hand, give 

 one or two turns round the bare hook, about midway ; 

 lay the end of the gut along the upper side of the hook 

 (if tied on the under side the fly will not swim true, but 

 continually revolve) and wrap the silk firmly until you 

 get within a few turns of the top. Then you must take 



