ON DYEING FURS AND FEATHERS. 27 



yellowish hackle blue, the feather would have a 

 green tinge when held up to the light. 



The colour of a hackle can only be judged cor- 

 rectly when held up to the light, in such a position 

 that the colour can be seen through the fibres. 

 If you look down on, say, a black hackle, it would 

 be impossible to tell whether it was dyed or not. 

 The only colour which I believe cannot be ob- 

 tained from any of the kinds of dyes mentioned 

 at the commencement of the chapter is a golden 

 olive. To obtain it, boil an ounce of turmeric in 

 a quart of water for a quarter of an hour, strain 

 off the liquid, and dye the feathers in it. The tur- 

 meric must be fresh. It can be obtained from 

 chemists. 



Many other colours can be obtained by dyeing 

 feathers and fur, first one colour, then another, or 

 by mixing two or more colours together. 



To kill or sadden any colour, place the feathers 

 after they are dyed in hot water in which copperas 

 has been dissolved. A piece the size of a hazel 

 nut in a quart of water will be sufficient ; but you 

 must watch the feathers, and immediately they 

 have obtained the shade required, wash them 

 well in clean cold water. 



