52 THE ART OF FISHING. 



cock or dotterel, will be found useful. Other sorts 

 might be mentioned, but the fewer the better in 

 order to simplify the process of fly-making. Be 

 sure to select your feathers from the wild bird 

 whenever you can, which are brighter and cer- 

 tainly stiffer, and therefore not so likely to become 

 flabby in the water. So do not use the feathers 

 from the common barn-door cock, or the bantam, 

 nor yet those of the tame pigeon or drake. The 

 wings of the May fly made with the feathers from 

 the breast of the tame drake will not resist the 

 water, but collapse and stick to the sides of the 

 fly ; whereas those from the mallard or wild 

 drake, having more stiffness in them, will recover 

 their position after having been drawn across the 

 stream. The same observation will apply as re- 

 gards the hackle which you bind round the body 

 of your fly. The hackle of the game cock will 

 remain stiff, and retain its natural appearance, 

 and show itself till your fly is worn out, like the 

 body of the caterpillar in the broad sun, whereas 

 other hackle from the tamer brood will be liable 

 to stick to the body of your fly and impair its 

 deceptive qualities. You should also avoid using 

 the feathers from young birds, for the same rea- 

 son, as they will not be sufficiently stiff. Before 

 you make the wings of the drake or May fly, boil 



