COCK'S HACKLES 55 



and rather exceptional nature viz., Heron, 

 Golden Eagle, Spey-cock. 



1. Cock's hackles are used in their natural 

 colours or dyed. For salmon flies the latter 

 are more commonly employed than the former. 



Natural cock's hackles in salmon flies are not 

 used in anything like the same variety as in 

 trout flies, and the following kinds are prac- 

 tically all that are really necessary viz., 

 furnace and cochybondhu, badger, grizzled, 

 blue dun, rusty dun, and honey dun, red 

 game and black. Except the duns, these are 

 easy enough to procure, but not always easy 

 to procure really good. 



It is important to know the points of a good 

 cock's hackle. In the first place, of course, it 

 should be strongly marked and in the finest 

 condition. (Three-year old birds in their 

 mid-winter plumage furnish the best hackles. ) 

 It should be of a transparent brilliance when 

 held up to the light, and both sides of the 

 feather should be equally richly coloured (this 

 is by no means common, especially in the 

 furnace and cochybondhu varieties, which, on 

 the under or inner surfaces, often show a dull 

 whitish quality, which is not pleasing). Further, 



