ON FLT-MAKING. 17 



mohair, lead-coloured silk warped with gold twist, and a 

 cock's hackle dyed a deep blue, the head and tail same 

 colour as the body ; it must have two pair of wings, the 

 undermost made with part of a red brown mottled feather 

 from a mallard, and the uppermost with the blue feather of 

 a heron. 



You may begin the season with these flies, and indeed 

 you may use them successfully to the end, though in the 

 warmer months, Salmon often fancy something more showy ; 

 therefore you must provide for them. Your flies then 

 must be dressed in the most glittering plumage that can be 

 produced ; both foreign and British birds will be called into 

 requisition to make their gaudy wings ; their bodies must 

 be adorned with gold, silver, and all the richest colours of 

 silk; whatever they take them for I cannot say, though 

 there are many colours of dragon flies, and some say they 

 are taken for them and for butterflies. 



These flies must be made upon smaller hooks than the 

 others, though there is no particular size for them, for some 

 may be made larger and some smaller than those in the en- 

 graving. 



The loop at the head of the fly is to loop the end of 

 your lash or bottom ; for you must only use one at a 

 time, and by being looped you can soon change it if it should 

 not answer to your liking. 



All fish of the salmon kind will take these flies, and 

 sometimes large trout will rise at them. 



I have now given you a description of most of the ma- 

 terials requisite for artificial fly-making ; these, together 

 with your own observations, if neatness be observed, will in 



