THE HACKLE AND THE WING 335 



the same time. Having " prepared " them both, lay one 

 lengthwise within the other, and wind them on both at the same 

 time. I may state here, that this is a good plan where very 

 thick hackling is desired, as in palmers, for chub-fishing, 

 for example. 



fa One of the most difficult hackles to strip^andjnake ready for 

 the hook is the small blue barred feather in the jay's wing. It 

 requires to be stripped with great care and nicety, so as to take 

 off as much of the quill as possible without weakening the 

 feather too much ; the process is much the same with a grouse, 

 bustard, or other hackle. Taking care to select the proper side, 

 separate the fibres on one side or the other near the top, and 

 then pull them steadily apart as evenly as possible, so as to 

 strip off one side of the feather entirely. If too much of the quill 

 be left on near the butt of the feather, so that it would roll on 

 clumsily, take a very sharp knife, and with great care not to 

 cut or damage the quill, shave off some of the pith until you 

 have it to the requisite thickness of substance. It is a common 

 practice to prepare a large number of jay's feathers thus, 

 so as to have plenty in hand ; but it is not a good plan, as 

 they are apt to fade somewhat, and lose some of their bril- 

 liancy, which is a great desideratum in a jay's feather. The 

 newer you can get your feathers the better, and it is not there- 

 fore desirable to prepare a very large stock, more especially 

 as, by long keeping, the stripped and shaved quill gets dry and 

 brittle and weak, and an old one is very apt to break in the 

 rolling on. Hackles, more particularly in the spring, when 

 kelts abound whose lean jaws and long teeth play havoc with 

 good flies, are very apt to get cut ; they then unroll, and the 

 fly is almost useless. In such flies the method of rolling on the 

 tinsel the reverse way, and after the hackle, so as to strengthen 

 the hackle, and to secure it from damage as much as possible, 

 will be found useful. This plan was first used on the Spey flies, 

 and it is invariably used on them now : it is by no means a bad 

 plan, but requires some little care and neatness. 



And now we come to the nicest operation of all, which is that 

 of winging the fly. If the body and hackle have been put on 

 judgmatically, a short space at the head of the hook is left 

 uncovered. See that the silk is strong and well waxed, and then 

 select the feathers or fibres of feathers you design to use. In 

 some flies but one feather, as mallard or turkey, is used to form 

 the wing. Two slips of this material can be tied on in the usual 

 way, no further directions being needed than are given in trout 



