152 ON FLY MAKING. 



Body, to be tied on, or dressed with pale brown silk, 

 ribbed with yellow silk ; wings, from a cock pheasant's 

 wing feather ; legs, a pale dull brown cock's hackle. 



We now come to the May-Fly, or Drake the 

 Ephemeral series. The green drake, like all the 

 smaller flies, requires copying accurately, in respect to 

 the most minute detail. As we elsewhere pointed 

 out, there exists no greater diversity amongst the 

 imitations of any particular fly, than is the case with 

 this. That it is an extremely difficult one to dress, 

 we readily admit, and that it is quite possible to 

 copy effectually is also readily conceded. But 

 to suppose that much more than one-third of the 

 immense variety of patterns manufactured can be 

 successful is an absurdity, hence it is they are so fre- 

 quently discarded altogether, the live fly being sub- 

 stituted. But these are not always to be had, even 

 upon the most prolific waters, therefore a good artifi- 

 cial proves a most desirable auxiliary, even to the live 

 fly fisher. The main point to engage the attention of 

 the artist, is the choice of material. This should take 

 the precedence of all and everything else in May-fly- 

 making ; skill in construction is not nearly so much 

 called for as in the smaller orders of the same species. 

 Indeed it may be affirmed that the drake, owing to its 

 size, is comparatively easy, whilst the smallest 

 ephemeral insects may be classed amongst the most 

 difficult The fly-dresser has to reproduce; but, as we 

 have stated, the difficulty lies in procuring the mate- 

 rial requisite for a good artificial. Dyed mallard 

 feathers are for the most part used for wings, but of 



