THE BRITISH ANGLER'S LEXICON. 31 



lapping on the wings, be sure and have the shank of hook 

 clear for a sixteenth of an inch ; this can be managed if the 

 dubbing or hackle encroaches upon it by pushing them well 

 back with the thumb nail. After the fly is finished cut 

 off the butts of the wing feather, close to point of shank, 

 also the tying silk, and put a touch of varnish on the head, 

 which will make it firm. In Halford's book on dry fly 

 fishing, a very full description is given of modern fly tying, 

 and the illustrations are numerous and perfect. He recom- 

 mends a vice, which leaves both hands free to manipulate 

 the fly. But it can be done without. The making of the 

 dry flies is more particular than the wet ones, as they are 

 floating, and must closely imitate the dry living fly. But 

 there is no reason why as much attention should not be 

 paid to wet fly making, and the more perfect the imitation is 

 the better success will attend it. Most artificial flies have too 

 much fur and feather about them ; the finer the shape the 

 better, but the colour is the most essential element, as 

 large and coarsely made flies are often seen in the hands of 

 the rural angler, doing good work, when the most perfect 

 specimens of the fly dresser's art in the hands ot a stranger 

 may be barren of results, and that stranger a good angler 

 too, but there will be something wrong with the colour of 

 the fly he is using. Hackle flies are made in a similar 

 manner, but without wings, and the hackle is tied in 

 at the tail and wound right up the whole body with 

 some flies which have no hackle, the dubbing is pulled 

 out at the head with the dubbing needle, leaving the 

 fibres loose, and these form the legs. Spider flies are made 

 by taking the hook in the left finger and thumb ; lay the gut 

 along the shank, and with a well-waxed silk thread, 

 commence in centre of hook and whip it and gut together 



