FLIES, FLY-DRESSING, ETC. 



blance to the legs of an insect, and their extreme 

 softness. So soft are they, that when a spider is 

 made of one of them and placed in the water, the 

 least motion will agitate and impart a singularly 

 life-like appearance to it, whereas it would have 

 no effect upon a cock-hackle. Spiders dressed of 

 very soft feathers are more suitable for fishing up 

 than for fishing down, as, if drawn against the 

 stream, it runs the fibres alongside of the hook, 

 and all resemblance to an insect is destroyed. 



Killing spiders may be made of all the feathers 

 we have mentioned, but the three following are all 

 we consider necessary : 



ist. The Black Spider. This is made of the 

 small feather of the cock starling, dressed with 

 brown silk, and is, upon the whole, the most kill- 

 ing imitation we know. We were first shown it 

 by James Baillie, and have never been without 

 one on our line ever since. 



2d. The Red Spider should be made of the small 

 feather taken from the outside of the wing of the 

 landrail, dressed with yellow silk, and is deserving 

 of a very high rank, particularly in coloured water. 



3d. The Dun Spider. This should be made of 

 the small soft dun or ash-coloured feather, taken 

 from the outside of the wing of the dotterel. 

 This bird is unfortunately very scarce; but a 

 small feather may be taken from, the inside of the 

 wing of the starling, which will make an excellent 

 substitute. 



