454 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



tion, tie it there by means of the well waxed thread at the end of the 

 shank, and cut off the projecting piece of the hackle. 



Wind the other parts of the hackle two or three times round the upper 

 end of the body, and bind it tightly and neatly there. This represents 

 the legs. 



Take two pieces from the under covert feather of a starling's wing and 

 bind them on with the butt end, towards the top of the shank, firmly 

 and neatly at nearly the same place (a little nearer to the top of the 

 shank), part them with the pricker, snip off the butt ends obliquely, bind 

 the short stumps down upon the shank (so that they may not be seen), 

 and fasten off. Then is the great red spinner made. 



To make a salmon fly is a somewhat easier process. The following 

 correctly describes it as well as words can do. Select some hook and gut, 

 and whip on as in a trout fly. Fix on the tail with two turns, and one 

 turn under it ; then whip on and twist a hackle, whipping it on at the 

 points. Before putting on the hackle, take the point in the left hand, 

 bhe stump in the right, the inside of the hackle towards your mouth, 

 then between your lips draw up the fibre of the hackle so that the top 

 fibres sway up and the bottom ones be palled up towards them. If you 

 use coloured worsted for the body whip twice round the short end, 

 leaving the long end hanging out towards the tail. Then whip the silk 

 back towards bhe head, then twist the worsted back to the head 

 and fasten off, then the twist, then the hackle, fastening it each off 

 with two turns. If you use fur or dubbing, you must spin on the 

 silk with your fingers, and whip it round the hook with the silk, then 

 fasten a fibre of ostrich or peacock tail for the head, then whip on the 

 wings with three turns, letting the ends of the fibres come under the hook 

 at each side, then form the head by twisting round the tail, and finish 

 off with two half hitches, and varnish. In dressing a large salmon fly 

 the jeweller's table vice will be found useful instead of the fingers. 



Willingly would I attempt to detail the manufacture of other flies, 

 but space, even were it likely to be a successful attempt, will not 

 permit. In conclusion of this branch of the subject, I can only say 

 that the tyro must exercise the utmost patience and persevere. This 

 advice I am almost inclined to place first, before all I have said expla- 

 natory of fly-making. 



The plate given on the opposite page illustrates the natural flies most 

 in use during the tror ting season. It is obviously impossible to show the 

 exact tints of each, but the outline is carefully secured. Eeference to 

 the flies will be found in the Chapter on " The Common Brown Trout." 



Before concluding this chapter I will here advert briefly to some 

 beautiful imitations of the grasshopper, grub, &c., often valuable,. 



