76 TROUT FISHING 



laid on a bunch of fur upon the silk,, and taken 

 care that the ends of the fur are close up to the 

 attachment of the silk to the hook, you carry your 

 right fore-finger and thumb down over the bunch, 

 and spread it, as it were, down over the waxed 

 thread, and when this is properly done, you have 

 a tapering roll of fur just adhering to your silk, 

 the finer end nearest the attachment of the silk, 

 and becoming thicker and more bulky as it 

 approaches the free end; this being done, and 

 you being satisfied that the length of your furred 

 portion of silk is sufficient, you place your fore- 

 finger and thumb of the right hand upon the 

 thicker end, and twist it round, moving your 

 thumb over your fore-finger, in a direction to- 

 wards its point or tip, and rolling the fur between 

 them, till, after several revolutions, the fur seems 

 to be entwisted firmly, and is regularly tapered, 

 and lies evenly, with its points tending towards 

 the tail of the hook ; you have now to bring the 

 silk down to the free extremity, or head of the 

 hook, and in so doing, you will make the body 

 and splice on the hackle ; continue then to wind 

 your silk, now covered with fur, in the same 

 direction as you began, but of course bringing it 

 evenly downwards to your right hand, instead of 

 upwards to your left ; as soon as you have arrived 

 at a point in the shank of the hook corresponding 

 to the junction of the middle with the lower third, 

 pass the silk down, so that you may hold it firmly 

 between the little finger and palm of the left hand ; 

 this prevents your silk unwinding, and sets your 



