MA TERIA LS, IMPLEMENTS, E TC. 7 



Tying silks should not be kept a long time, but 

 should be bought fresh and fresh, as they lose 

 their strength. 



Floss Silks. Always buy these from the tackle- 

 dealers, as they are specially made and dyed for 

 the purpose ; the colours are faster. They are 

 made of two thicknesses : the finer is best for tags, 

 and for the bodies of very small flies. The 

 beginner should provide himself with several 

 shades of all colours. The skeins should be care- 

 fully opened, the silks wound on to cards, and the 

 whole wrapped up in soft paper, care being taken 

 to prevent their fraying, as they cannot then be 

 wound neatly on the hook. The hands should be 

 perfectly clean when handling them, for they are 

 very easily soiled. 



Seal's fur, pigs wool, and mohair, dyed all 

 colours, are used for the bodies of flies, and can 

 be bought at any of the tackle-shops; but if the 

 beginner intends to dye his own feathers, I advise 

 him to dye these also. The undyed material is 

 sold by the ounce. Of the- three, I prefer seal's 

 fur ; the pig's wool is too coarse, and the mohair 

 too fine and limp. 



Chenilles of two kinds are used, namely, silk 

 chenilles and tinselled chenilles, or frosted threads. 

 The former are made of different thicknesses, in 

 all colours, which unfortunately wash out very 

 quickly : they should therefore always be soaked 

 in alum and water, or tartaric acid and water, for 



