FEATHERS FOR WINGS 65 



are used on the plain Mallard wing patterns 

 and on Spey flies. 



The Widgeon has good feathers from the 

 saddle (for small patterns) and from the sides 

 under the wings. Teal and Pintail supply 

 feathers under the wings only. All these three 

 last named have feathers very similar to each 

 other in general markings viz., black stripes 

 on a white background but a good Teal is 

 the most strongly marked, though the feathers 

 cannot be used as wings for any but small 

 flies. They are very frequently used as throat 

 hackles as well. 



Summer Duck (or Canadian Wood-Duck) 

 the barred feathers are very expensive items. 

 They are sold for 4s. 6d. per dozen, and each 

 bird has only about a dozen feathers under 

 each wing. Do not buy, or at any rate do not 

 use, Summer Duck feathers until you are fairly 

 proficient at fly-dressing, because they are not 

 very easy to put on and their cost is impressive. 

 The unbarred feathers are cheaper, but they 

 are not often used as wings for salmon flies.* 



* Grey Mallard and Egyptian Goose are sometimes used, 

 but the markings are not very strong, and the feathers 

 generally are rather "dead." 



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