432 AMERICAN ANGLER'S BOOK 



floss to C (figure 3), then the tinsel, and then the hackle 

 in the spaces left between the spiral coils of the tinsel; 

 they are fastened each with two turns of the silk, and the 

 ends cut off in the order in which they are mentioned, and 

 then the head of the fly is finished as before directed. 



The term *' dubbing," is applied more especially to mate- 

 rial of short fibre used in making the body of the fly, as fur, 

 or pig's or seal's wool ; it is spun sparsely around the waxed 

 wrapping- silk, and wound on with it. In making a body of 

 peacock hurl, three or four of the little plumelets are fastened 

 in at the tail, then twisted with the wrapping-silk and wound 

 on. The hurl does not fray off if wound on thus, as it does 

 when it is wrapped around by itself. 



I have now described the manner of making four different 

 kinds of hackles. First, a plain Hackle without tinsel. 

 Second, a Hackle, its end tipped with tinsel. Third, a 

 Hackle, its body ribbed with tinsel or gold thread. Fourth, 

 a Palmer, its body ribbed with tinsel or gold thread, and a 

 hackle wound between the spaces or coils of the tinsel or 

 gold thread, from tail to head. A Palmer may also be made 

 without any tinsel, that is, it may be wound with the hackle 

 alone. When a Palmer of this description is intended to be 

 "buz," that is, very bushy, two hackles, are tied in at the 

 tail and wound together to the head, where they are fastened 

 as before directed. 



Before we go any further, let me say a word or two about 

 selecting your hackles — I mean the feather of which you 

 make your Hackle-fly — and warn you against a fault, which 

 professional fly-makers, who are not practical fly-fishers, are 

 apt to fall into. In choosing your feathers, the length of the 

 fibres should be in proportion to the size of the hook, or 

 rather the length of its shank. We frequently see a Hackle 

 or a Palmer wound with a feather, the fibres of which are so 



