ON RAPID STREAMS. 71 



This is not the way I make flies myself; usually 

 I select a good brilliant hackle, which I know is 

 nearly allied to the fur I am about to use, and 

 then if I find the fur deficient in any of the 

 shades which the feather possesses, I mix some 

 other fur which has the desired shade, in con- 

 spicuity above all other shades ; for example, I am 

 about to tie a fly with the hare's flax, I select 

 what I should call a killing hackle, a superbly 

 attractive one, and then turn to my hare's flax ; 

 now, if I find the hackle has a reddish tinge in 

 excess above the flax, I take a little cow's hair 

 (if that agrees with the red shade on the feather), 

 and mixing that with the flax in due proportion, 

 comparing my flax and feather frequently, I at 

 last arrive at the precise harmony of shading I de- 

 sire, and then tie my fly. Sometimes a yellow or 

 golden tinge is excessive in the feather ; I then 

 add some hare's flax which has been dyed yellow 

 to the natural fur, and so obtain my proper 

 colours. The greatest care must be paid to this 

 assortment of colours ; and though I speak of 

 using a particular fur for a body and hackle to 

 match it, the best rule in practice is to make the 

 fur match the hackle it is far better to be guided 

 by this rule in tying flies, than to copy the pre- 

 scribed receipts for making a body, and then 

 trust to. the indefinite terms of a blue or brown 

 hackle for legs and wings ; and though it may 

 appear we are not adhering so closely in our 

 general rule to the imitation of nature, depend on 

 it if we have brilliancy of colour to stimulate the 



