FOR FLY DRESSING. n 



the extreme point between the thumb and fore- 

 finger of the left hand, and with the right thumb 

 and forefinger, slightly moistened, stroke back the 

 whole of the plume except the small portion held 

 between the left thumb and forefinger, as shown 

 by the sketch (fig. 7). 



Fig. 7- 



For the legs and bodies of some flies the hair 

 or fur of certain animals (dubbing) is used in 

 place of ordinary hackles ; and in such cases the 

 plan adopted is to spin or twist it on the tying- 

 silk for the body of the fly, taking care to put 

 an extra thickness on to the shoulder-end of the 

 body, tapering it to the tail, and after the fly 

 is completed to pick out with the dubbing-needle 

 a few fibres to form the legs. There are, how- 

 ever, patterns in which the body is of plain silk 

 or quill, and the legs only of dubbing, and in 

 these instances a somewhat more complicated pro- 

 cedure is necessary, viz. : Thoroughly wax a 

 short length of tying-silk and double it over the 

 dubbing-needle, the point of which is firmly stuck 

 into the edge of die operating- table. Separate 



