4 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



to warp was evinced, you altered your reel to the 

 reverse side and thus counteracted it. However, the 

 better plan, I should say, would be to use the reverse 

 sides day about. The only objection to this double 

 arrangement of rings is additional weight, but that 

 .must be very trifling. 



Having now described the rod, the reel, the line, 

 and the cast, I approach a subject that I hesitate to 

 touch, viz., fly-tying, for I do not think that any one 

 can become an expert but through constant practice, 

 after having received numerous elementary lessons 

 from an adept. I believe I can tie a fair fly ; but how 

 long do you suppose it was before I reached my pre- 

 sent excellence ? Years ; and even now I discover 

 wrinkles and new methods of which I was not pre- 

 viously aware ; however, one rule may be laid down : 

 never to take a turn of the silk round your hook with- 

 out purpose, or without giving it sufficient strength to 

 keep it in its place and perform the duty intended. 

 The most important part is the simplest and first, the 

 securing of the gut to the shank of the hook. Unless 

 this is attended to, all your labour is vain and worth- 

 less so much time thrown away and wasted. Here 

 comes all the strain, and a thoughtless turn or two will 

 cause nought but disappointment. Some anglers, 

 particularly Irish ones, place the wings on so that the 

 feather points from the hook, then double them back 

 and tie them down. In this method much practice is 

 necessary to form a handsome head ; but its advocates 

 claim for it strength. However, I have so frequently 

 found the silk slip, and the feathers consequently 

 point in the reverse direction, that I unhesitatingly 

 condemn the practice. To make a handsome and 



