1 6 ON MATERIALS AND IMPLEMENTS 



used in their natural state for ribbing the bodies of 

 the Spent Gnat, and the cinnamon-coloured ends 

 only, when stripped, are invaluable for the bodies 

 of such flies as the Cinnamon Quill. The green- 

 peacock herl is obtained from the sword feather, 

 and the long strands of it should be invariably used 

 when the body of a fly is ribbed with peacock, ex- 

 cept in patterns where the copper-coloured ribbing 

 is indispensable, the herl from the sword feather 

 beiflg much narrower and stronger than that from 

 the ordinary tail feather. For green-peacock herl 

 bodies two or three of the shorter strands of the 

 sword feather twisted together should be used. 



Strands of ostrich feathers, black and white, 

 heron herl, and the fibres from the wing feather of 

 an ordinary grey goose are also occasionally useful. 

 Tail and pinion feathers from the condor and the 

 adjutant are very difficult to obtain, but immeasur- 

 ably superior to any other quills for bodies, whether 

 dyed or in their natural state. They are far 

 tougher and stronger than any peacock ; there is a 

 flue on each side of the quill, one much longer and 

 fuller than the other ; and the longer of these flues 

 only can be stripped from the quills by tearing it 

 down with the thumb-nail and forefinger of the 

 right hand. The pale colour of the condor quill 

 lends itself admirably for dyeing to the pale unde- 

 cided tints so prevalent among the duns during the 

 summer months. The slate blue of the adjutant, 

 when dyed in the manner and preparation here- 



