126 ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 



a few fibres of fox-cub down wrought in with the 

 orange silk, but it should be used sparingly (in all 

 cases) not to hold water or increase bulk : its purpose 

 being to throw off the blue tinge of the natural fly. 

 Many tinge with small strands of silk. Fibres from the 

 peacock, and other feathers are occasionally used, as 

 for the head of the coral-eyed drake, etc. ; but their 

 sizes must not exceed the bounds of nature, the object 

 being to give to the artificial the same size and shape, 

 and to throw off the colors and tinges of the flimsy 

 fabrics of the natural flies. 



The air changes the hues of some of the new hatched 

 aquatics. The favorite spring fly of a successful crafts- 

 man was a small one dressed with orange silk and cock- 

 pheasant's small purple hackle only. He knew nothing 

 of the natural fly, which probably was the needle 

 brown, then hatching in great numbers ; but usually 

 dressed with waterrail, swift, etc. It is very likely the 

 purple hackle, when in or on the water, throws off the 

 steely blue tinge of the wings of the- new hatched 

 needle brown. It is not every fly, from the most skil- 

 ful hands, that pleases the bright eyes of the fish. If 

 a craftsman make three or four all of the same sort 

 and materials, some will be preferred to othersome. 

 Passing from Mickley to Black Robin with a brother 

 or two of the angle, we bespoke a craftsman silently 

 plying his art. He had only just begun. Said he had 

 rose some good grayling, but they " wadnt tak hod." 

 I saw him make three or four casts with his flies, which 

 he watched as if they were alive, but with the same 

 results. The fish rose but turned tail without touching 

 them. He turned aside to avail himself of the chance 



