152 THE DRY FLY AND FAST WATER 



of the natural insect; and this, it seems to 

 me, is a very important consideration. Using 

 materials available, it is quite impossible to 

 duplicate this delicate appearance of the live 

 insect, and my own conclusion is that materials 

 which will most nearly represent it by permit- 

 ting a filtering of light are the ones to be em- 

 ployed preferably materials of quiet tone and 

 colour. 



I am of the opinion, also, that the colour, or 

 perhaps the transparency, of the wings of the 

 artificial fly is quite as important as the colour 

 of the body; and I am satisfied, so far as my 

 own angling is concerned, that all erect-winged 

 flies should be tied with wings made of feathers 

 from the starling's wing, or flues from the in- 

 side wing feather of the mallard or black 

 duck. For, while trout may not be able to 

 distinguish quite so readily the colour of the 

 wings out of the water as the body of the fly 

 on the water, the natural appearance of the 

 wings may prevent them from scrutinising the 

 body too closely, and thus discovering discrep- 

 ancies in its colouring; and, while wings of 

 light silvery grey may not appear so to the 

 fish, to my eye they produce a close resem- 

 blance to the transparent, gauzy wing common 



