460 THE BUT AND BODY. 



Then comes the tail, which is usually a small topping 

 or some other fragment of feather. If two or three sorts 

 of feathers or fibres be used, care must be taken to make 

 them all lie together, and in the same direction, which is 

 usually, in the case of a topping or other whole feather, 

 bending upwards and slightly away from the bend of the 

 hook. Having placed the feathers on the back of the 

 hook, take three laps of the silk and a half hitch. If a 

 but is required as is often the case, as it serves to set off 

 and add brilliancy to the fly, besides hiding the tie and 

 the stump of the tail after taking two turns of the silk, 

 nip it with a pair of spring tweezers, 1 and let them hang 

 down so as to keep the silk in its place. Plate XIV. 

 fig. 8 shows the spring tweezers holding the end of the 

 hackle. Then take a strand or two of peacock or ostrich 

 herl, or whatever substance be selected, tie on the end of 

 it as in the former processes (see Plate XV. fig. 3), take 

 two or three turns of it, taking care that the fibres of the 

 herl point towards the tail, and then tie and fasten off. 



Next comes the body and the tinsel : as the simplest, 

 we will suppose that the body is of silk. Cut off enough 

 floss to make the body and to spare, also as much tinsel as 

 may be needed, and tie the ends of them in close down to 

 the but in the usual way (see Plate XV. fig. 4). If the 

 hackle is to reach from head to tail, the point of the hackle 

 must also be tied in ; if only half or two-thirds of the way 

 down the body, it can be tied in after the bilk and tinsel 



1 The flj here will require two pairs of them ; they should be short and 

 strong, and of the shape shown in Plate XIV. fig. 8. The fly tyer will also 

 require two pairs of scissors, one of a stoutish build, such as a pair of nail 

 scissors for cutting rough feathers, tinsel, &c., and one very fine pair to nip 

 off fine fibres neatly. The points of these should always be in good order. 

 They should be kept in a leathern sheath, and out of the ken of all females, 

 or they will be looked on as lawful spoil and degraded to lace-work, or 

 to some hideous muslin enchantment designed to entrap some wretched 

 gudgeon instead of a lordly salmon. 



