38 



project about three- sixteenths of an inch below 

 the bend, or tie the gut underneath in the 

 usual way, and lay a piece of gut on the top 

 somewhat thicker, to work the tail upon, (see 

 the tail in the engraving, — look often at the 

 flies to refresh the memory) ; take three hairs 

 of the mane of a black horse, and tie them on 

 the end of the piece of gut, about an inch in 

 length, let the silk be fine and well waxed, then 

 tie in the end of the gold tinsel, and the finest 

 end of the piece of india-rubber at the tail, 

 that the thick end may be towards the shoulder 

 to make it taper ; after the body is made very 

 even with a little yellow floss silk, hold the fly 

 by the shank in the left hand, with the nails in 

 close contact with each other, and roll the 

 tinsel closely up, shifting your hand ; this 

 fastened down with the tying silk, take hold of 

 the india-rubber in the right, and the extreme 

 end of the gut tail in your left nails ; warm the 

 rubber a little in the fingers to soften it, draw 

 it out to its full extent, and roll it over the end 

 of the gut, and at every roll keep the third 

 finger of the left hand tight against it to 

 prevent it starting, move the nails up the hook 

 as you proceed with the rubber to the shoulder; 



