THE SHIN 275 



The Snow Fly. Tag, silver tinsel ; tail, ibis, wood-duck, 

 and small topping ; butt, a turn or two of black wool ; the 

 body is in four joints, and is composed of stout silver twist, 

 at every joint a wad of pig's wool is tied in and picked out ; 

 this at the first joint is light blue, at the second, medium 

 claret, at the third, orange, and the head of the fourth on the 

 shoulder is yellow, this is picked out to answer for a hackle : 

 over this is a short orange hackle, the main fibre of which 

 is well covered by the butt of the wing and the head, which latter 

 is of blue wool ; the wing is three or four good slices of dark, 

 almost black turkey, with light (not quite white) tips, and one 

 topping over all. It will be seen, if examined, that there is 

 nothing in the composition of this fly which can be cut. The 

 butt is of wool or crewel, as is also the head ; the body is almost 

 solid ; the pig's wool at the joints may be chewed, but cannot 

 be destroyed. The only hackle is at the shoulder, and that, 

 as I have said, is well protected. The kelts may do their 

 worst with it. It is almost, if not quite, impervious. It kills 

 well also on the Helmsdale. I had the pattern of Farlow. 

 As it is only for heavy spring \vaters it is dressed large. (Plate, 

 XVII, Fig. 3.) 



THE SHIN 



Is a very fine river, often showing excellent sport. In the 

 spring the salmon are seldom found above the falls, but as the 

 summer gets on, the higher reaches become better stocked. 

 This river was for many years in the hands of my poor old 

 friend Andrew Young, whose name is so well known in the 

 history of the salmon. Since his death it has been let out in 

 rods. 



Patterns from Snowie. 



No. i. Tag, gold tinsel and orange floss ; tail, one topping ; 

 butt, black ostrich herl; body, two or three turns of gold- 

 coloured floss, half yellow and half bright claret-red pig's 

 wool ; black hackle, light claret at shoulder ; under wing, a 

 tippet, strips of peacock, gold pheasant tail, mallard, peacock 

 stained pale yellow over ; blue macaw ribs ; topping over all. 



No. 2. Tag, silver tinsel and gold floss ; tail, a topping ; 

 butt, black ostrich; body, one-third gold floss, the rest light 

 olive-green mohair ; silver tinsel ; black hackle ; blue jay on 

 shoulder ; under wing, two short gold pheasant saddle feathers, 

 over this strips of gold pheasant and common hen pheasant 

 tail, a good slice of bustard and pintail on either side, with a 



