THE BODY FLY. 41 



particularly valuable. Berlin wools are occasionally called for, but rarely 

 by myself, as I prefer Seal's fur. When coils are wanted, as in Sun-flies, 

 Berlin wool conies in handy for the purpose. 



Mohair can be passed over, as I have said all that is needful. 



As body-material, silks are of less equal value than furs if the stock 

 of flies is to be a catholic one. The main care in procuring silk should 

 be to get really fast colours, and, therefore, in purchasing, a first-class 

 tackle shop is to be preferred to a Berlin depot. These floss silks are 

 best stored in glazed paper, and laid straight in the length in which they 

 are usually sold. The best silk in the market. I repeat, is " Pearsalls 

 French Floss," dyed with his special unfading Eastern dyes. 



Bodies are also made in part or wholly of chenille, in various colours. 

 The "Black Creeper," well known on the Earn and Usk, is a most useful 

 variety of Grub. It kills on some Scotch rivers in bright weather, and 

 throughout Wales in dull. 



Tinselled chenilles are also popular the " Glowworm " (copper) 

 to wit ; and there are also bodies of silver and of gold tinsel, as everyone 

 knows. 



The materials named are those in commonest use, but, of course, 

 there is a wider field for the adaptive inventiveness of the artist. Mr. 

 Basil Field, for example, has successfully used a change on the silver 

 body a fly known as the " Kendle " is made by him of white floss silk, 

 covered with gold beater's skin. Again, a body may be covered with 

 small feathers, as in the " Chatterer." 



Ribbings are chiefly of silver or gold tinsel (flat or oval), or lace, 

 used singly or in combination with each other, and sometimes with floss 

 silk, as in " Black Dog." There is a great difference of quality in these 

 materials. Only the best should be used. Especially does this caution 

 apply to oval tinsel, which is now-a-days so much in request. It has the 

 merit over flat tinsel that it is not liable to become wholly severed by one 

 rake of the Salmon's tooth, and so unwinding to the utter disablement of 

 the fly. 



To prevent confusion, the names of the several kinds are here given 

 according to the system in general use among amateur fly-dressers. The 

 manufacturers have unfortunately lately started a new series of names ; 



