HOW TO MAKE NATURE LURES 169 



are tied on close to the hook-eye for the purpose 

 of hiding the open division of the two parts. The 

 tail is tied on to the cork before the raffia is wound 

 over it. The plume is a selection of feathers first 

 bunched together, then tied on, near the eye, at the 

 very last. The raffia on the minnows should be var- 

 nished, but leave the metal as it is. The smaller 

 minnows are much more simple and it is advisa- 

 ble to make trials of them first. The smallest 

 tiny minnows are merely wound with mercerized 

 cotton round the hook shank to pad it thicker for 

 the cut metal to be tied over with wire. The small 

 mixed feather plumes are tied in separate bunches, 

 then fastened on at the last. The terror and feather 

 minnows have a thin piece of cork cut to shape tied 

 to the shank, with the covering of metal wound 

 over it, with plumes as before. Many Maine and 

 Canadian guides send me crude, self-made min- 

 nows as specimens, asking me to tie a number for 

 them like pattern, with improvements to be made 

 as I see fit; and I have received several excellent 

 kinks from them, which I have found most valuable 

 as suggestions to improve on. I have had two very- 

 good ideas furnished me by doctors, who seem to 

 particularly enjoy this interesting work. 

 The difficult thing is to get materials for those 



