HOW TO TIE FLIES 151 



soft pitch for the purpose, and even a drop of 

 melted chewing-gum. 



The day will come when you must needs tie 

 a fly possessed of wings, like the Royal Coach- 

 man, for illustration. Begin exactly as you did 

 before. At the head catch in a hackle for legs, 

 and a couple of white feathers for wings. Now 

 take up the filaments of peacock herl and pass 

 them carefully about the body-form, working 

 with the waxed thread in the same hand. As 

 you wind the body with herl be careful to keep 

 the winding silk underneath. Tack the ends of 

 herl in position with two or three turns of the 

 waxed silk. Now wrap the hackle in position 

 about the head, "feet" sticking backward over 

 the body; a little experience will enable you to 

 hackle very creditably. You will note this dif- 

 ference between the fly we are now tying and 

 the one just tied: in the former the hackle 

 "feet" extended the whole length of the body, 

 while in the latter it is found beneath the wings 

 only. When the hackles are all picked out, bend 

 back the two white feathers, "wings," and bind 

 them in position with the waxed thread. Now 

 place a drop of shellac on the head of your fly 

 and it is complete. 



Before attempting to build a fly, study the 



