GUT LOOPS, ETC., TAGS, AND TAILS. 41 



placed them back to back, best sides outwards as 

 before, then one would turn up and the other 

 down, so that symmetry would be lost. 



Another fact, a very useful one too ; the edges 

 of every fibre in a feather are covered with fluff, 

 by means of which single fibres or strips of 

 different feathers can be united, so as to form one 

 broad strip, but you can only unite a * right ' to a 



* right ' and a * left ' to a ' left.' The curves of the 

 fibres going in opposite directions prevent a 

 1 right ' and ' left ' uniting. 



Take a strip, say, of bustard and of swan, both 

 ' right ' ; hold both by the butts between the fore- 

 finger and thumb of the right hand, one above the 

 other, best side of both towards you ; pass the 

 left thumb and forefinger along them, from right 

 to left, two or three times ; you will find that the 

 two strips will unite, forming one broad strip. 



One more useful fact is, that the centre shafts 

 of all feathers curve more or less in exactly the 

 same way as fibres do. There are *' rights ' and 



* lefts ' ; and whenever whole feathers are tied in 

 for tails, or wings, these feathers must be placed 

 on their proper side of the hook. For example, 

 take a ' right ' and * left ' blue chatterer 

 feather, both the same size, one from 



the right shoulder of a bird, the other 



from the left shoulder. Strip off all 



the fluff; place them back to back, i.e. Fig. 21. 



the best side of both outwards. They will then 



