ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 125 



shoulders, and the transparent shade lighter at the 

 ends ; and the breast and shoulder in general shew a 

 shade or two darker than the body. Suitable grounds 

 with marks, mottles, etc., are oft to be met with in the 

 common hen, ducks, etc. Small flies, gnats, etc., re- 

 quire the finest fibred feathers ; the small birds present 

 a field not much explored. The feathers are picked 

 from the neck, shoulders, back, rump, breast, and sides, 

 and the outside and inside of wings : the fibres of the 

 latter are straight, and some rather stiffer suitable for 

 drakes. Silks, hairs, wools, furs, etc., must be of an 

 elastic and transparent quality ; for all the flies, as well 

 as the more substantial food of the fish such as min- 

 nows, bullheads, loaches, worms, larvae, etc are of a 

 dim transparency ; and all the flies throw off, more or 

 less, tinty sparkling reflections, and, shew rich transpa- 

 rencies, which, when aptly imitated the better ; dull 

 opaque imitations are not natural to them. The noble 

 Salmon takes not the glittering bait as children choose 

 toys, but from the rich transparencies and sparkling 

 reflections with which nature has tinged their insect 

 food. Hairs, such as mohair, or from the hare's ear, 

 shank, or other parts ; or from the squirrel, or other 

 animals of suitable fineness and shade, represent the 

 natural gleam of the legs of flies much better than the 

 formal and glittering cock-hackle. The few fibres of 

 the hare's ear, on the breast of the brown drake and 

 checkwing, mingle naturally with the other parts, and 

 make up the fly. Many flies are tinged of other colors 

 and shades, with furs from the water-rat, mole, squir- 

 rel, etc. The blue drake is internally orange, but her 

 thin inky skin tinges her blue, which is imitated with 



