Haw to Tie Artificial Flies 373 



at this point that the gut generally breaks, and 

 if a wrapping or two of thread is placed between 

 the gut and the hook, it will act as a cushion and 

 prevent the gut from chafing on the sharp end 

 of the shank. 



Now we are ready to lay on the gut, which 

 should have been soaked a few minutes in luke- 

 warm water, and bind it on with the binding silk, 

 all the while keeping quite as much strain on the 

 silk as it will stand without parting. The gut, 

 owing to its having been soaked, will be soft and 

 the strain on the silk will make little indentations 

 in it, and these, together with the sticky wax, and 

 the few turns of silk between the gut and the 

 shank of the hook, will hold it firmly. It would 

 be well, however, to test it by giving a strong, 

 steady pull at the gut after it is fastened on. 



Before you put on the last two or three turns 

 of the binding silk, place the end of a strip of 

 tinsel, two or three fibres of gray mallard feather, 

 and the end of a short piece of silk floss so that 

 these last wrappings will fasten them. The floss 

 should be prepared first by untwisting it. As 

 silk floss is only of two strands, this is easily 

 done by parting the strands at one end and sepa- 

 rating them, and then lay together again with- 



