FLIES, FLY-DRESSING, ETC. 81 



superiority consists in their much greater resem- 

 blance to the legs of an insect, and their extreme 

 softness. So soft are they, that when a spider is 

 made of one of them and placed in the water, the 

 least motion will agitate and impart a singularly life- 

 like appearance to it, whereas it would have no 

 effect upon a cock-hackle. Spiders dressed of very 

 soft feathers are more suitable for fishing up than 

 for fishing down, as if drawn against the stream 

 it runs the fibres alongside of the hook, and all 

 resemblance to an insect is destroyed. 



Killing spiders may be made of all the feathers 

 we have mentioned, but the three following are all 

 we consider necessary : 



1st. The Black Spider. This is made of the small 

 feather of the cock starling, dressed with brown silk, 

 and is, upon the whole, the most killing imitation we 

 know. We were first shown it by James Baillie, 

 and have never been without one on our line ever since. 



2nd. The Red Spider should be made of the small 

 feather taken from the outside of the wing of the 

 landrail, dressed with yellow silk, and is deserving of 

 a very high rank, particularly in coloured water. 



3rd. The Dun Spider. This should be made of 

 the small soft dun or ash-coloured feather, taken 

 from the outside of the wing of the dotterel. This 

 bird is unfortunately very scarce ; but a small feather 

 may be taken from the inside of the wing of the 

 starling, which will make an excellent substitute. 



The only objection to spiders is, that the feathers 

 are so soft that the trout's teeth break them off, 



F 



