FLIES AND KNOTS. 209 



flies, and those in vogue in Canada are much gayer than 

 those of New Brunswick. In Great Britain it was once the 

 custom, as it still is in Wales, to use sombre colors ; in 

 England and Ireland the gayest are now the rage ; per- 

 haps it will be the same here, and in the end we may 

 find that handsome, gaudy feathers answer best. 



The turkey wing is of various colors, but where no 

 other specific direction is given, the common mixture of 

 black and brown is intended. Some sportsmen pretend 

 to assimilate their flies to the sand-lance, others to the 

 shrimp ; as the salmon obtain neither in fresh water, 

 there is little to choose between the plans. 



As will be seen, therefore, from the foregoing, salmon 

 flies are much more complicated than trout flies, and 

 require more skill in their manufacture. The wings are 

 ordinarily made of numerous fibres, frequently of dis- 

 tinct feathers, which are fastened separately upon one 

 another, and usually called toppings. The hook is often 

 first tied securely with thick silk and then varnished, 

 while a small loop instead of a length of gut is used. 

 This is allowed to "dry, and finer silk, usually the color 

 of the intended fly, is employed to tie the feathers. 

 Occasional fastenings may be made by taking a hitch 

 over the whole, and varnish is applied, especially at the 

 head and tail. After the hook is tied on, the silk is made 

 fast at the bend, where the tinsel, the whisks, the body 

 and the hackle are inserted ; the latter may, however, be 

 introduced after several turns have been taken with the 

 body, and the body may be divided into sections of 

 various colors, in a manner that the least practice will 

 render easy. 



