64 SALMON FLIES 



else of a little discrimination one can usually 

 tell whether any particular feather is in good 

 condition or not. If it has natural gloss, feels 

 supple to the fingers, and has no fraying or 

 irregularity at the tips of the fibres, it is prob- 

 ably worth securing. Care of selection is of 

 importance when purchasing expensive feathers, 

 such as Bustard, Peacock, Summer Duck, 

 Golden Pheasant, and so forth. There is 

 nothing more annoying than to have to work 

 with brittle feathers, especially if a stiff price 

 has been paid for them. 



The easiest and cheapest feathers for winging 

 to procure are those of some of the duck tribe 

 viz., Mallard, Teal, Widgeon, and Pintail. 

 These may be purchased from the dealers in 

 bundles of a dozen, but the cheapest way is to 

 combine two purposes in one, so to speak, by 

 purchasing the entire bird, selecting the feathers 

 required, and delivering the carcass to the 

 guidwife as an item in the house - keeping. 

 Only male birds, of .course, are suitable, and 

 about the New Year is the best time. On the 

 Mallard a few feathers from the saddle only 

 are of any use. These are the brown freckled 

 ones, with the greyish base to the fibres, which 



