ON liAPID STREAMS. 65 



in condition for taking his feathers long before 

 another; we must then from time to time catch 

 our birds and observe the condition of their 

 feathers, their colour and maturity of growth; 

 and when they are most bright and regularly 

 tapered in shape, pluck out as many as are of 

 proper size, remembering that those which are too 

 small nearest the head usually will grow, and if 

 we patiently wait our time, we shall be able to 

 take them of proper size and shape. As soon 

 as plucked they should be placed in regular 

 order, one overlying another, and subjected for a 

 time to gentle pressure, which will flatten and 

 straighten them, and prevent their coiling up, 

 which they have a constant tendency to do ; they 

 are thus better seen, and are less likely to get 

 rumpled and creased, and are more easy, to turn 

 when we use them. Of the different varieties of 

 feathers, as I have said, the rusty are the most 

 valuable in all respects, and therefore we must 

 seek to procure a good assortment of rusty blues ; 

 a series of shades in colour resembling exactly 

 the hare's back, these feathers are beautifully 

 spangled in yellow and gold, on a dark blue 

 grounding, they are very scarce, and of all 

 feathers the best for rapid stream fishing : also 

 rusty reds not forgetting the blood red, the 

 black red, or a feather whose central rib, apex, 

 and base are black, whose back or hinder surface 

 is shining and dark, and all the intervening part 

 dark blood-red colour ; this of red feathers next 

 to the rusty is the best : then come the browns, 



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