DRESSINGS OF SPINNERS 159 



points of dun hackles for use as wings, and 

 such are far more realistic. In Mr. Halford's 

 work, the wings of spinners are, in nearly every 

 instance, dispensed with, the fly being dressed 

 hacklewise ; and this appears to me to be by far 

 the best plan, and my own experiences go to 

 prove such to be the case. 



Mr. Halford gives a dressing of the red spinner 

 which he has christened the ' detached badger/ 

 the body being detached, and the wings repre- 

 sented by what is termed a ' badger hackle ' i.e., 

 a pale-yellow dun hackle, with a black stripe 

 running down its centre ; and this pattern, though 

 his own invention, he, with becoming modesty, 

 states to be the best imitation of the red spinner 

 yet produced. And a very excellent fly it is ; 

 I could only wish it were not detached. It 

 would, I think, as would all flies so made, be 

 better when, as is sometimes the case, semi- 

 detached. 



DRESSINGS OF SPINNERS THE GREAT RED 



SPINNER. 



This is the imago, or perfected state, of the 

 March brown after it has cast its skin. 



Ronalds seems to be a little uncertain about 

 this fly ; for he states that, although the March 

 brown is not seen on the water after the middle 

 of May, nevertheless the great red spinner still 



