UTILITY OF WOODEN TRAYS 199 



and, if I remember rightly, I gave less for that 

 pair than the rest. 



I find the use of two or three shallow wooden 

 trays, with a few divisions and tops to fit on 

 them, most useful. If I am interrupted in my 

 work when fly-tying, it is an easy matter to put 

 on the lids, and to slip the boxes away in a 

 drawer, where they are safe ; the materials also 

 are less liable to be wafted about the room by 

 reason of a door or window being suddenly 

 opened. 



Let me beg the reader never to tie trout-flies 

 by lamplight, if he can avoid doing so. He will, 

 as I have done, most certainly regret it. It is 

 work which is most trying to the sight, and with 

 the strongest eyes and the clearest lamplight the 

 result is rarely as satisfactory as might be desired. 

 When working by daylight, he should always 

 endeavour to do so in a good light, facing the 

 window, and with a large sheet of white paper, or 

 a board painted white, laid on the table in front 

 of him. By this means, not only can the colours 

 of the different materials be more readily dis- 

 tinguished, but the strain on the eye will be very 

 much lessened. A glass, similar to those used by 

 watchmakers, will be found most useful when 

 dressing the smaller patterns. I should advise 

 the use of one in which the eyepiece is made of 

 cork in preference to those made of horn or metal, 



