42 THE SALMON FLY. 



these are given in brackets as employed by Kenning, the wholesale maker 

 of all the varieties here mentioned. 



Thread. Solid round gold or silver wire. 



Twist (thread) . Is a white floss silk entirely covered with windings of 

 fine silver wire ; it is round, and used principally for " tags." 



Lace (Twist). Is compound "twist" i.e., three lengths twisted 

 together. 



Tinsel (Plate) is either flat or oval. "Flat tinsel" is a ribbon of 

 gold or silver made by flattening solid metal wire. " Oval tinsel " (Flat- 

 worm) is made on the same principle as "twist," but is much stouter, 

 and, in section, oval instead of round. The encircling silver or gold 

 thread may be severed, but the silk core, with which this sort is pro- 

 vided, holds on, and, by its tightness, prevents the thread from unwind- 

 ing. It is altogether better than flat tinsel and easier handled in work, 

 but is not as yet made sufficiently broad for very large patterns. 



Embossed Tinsel is also made in silver and gold, and lends the pretty 

 effect of subdued brilliance to a body, as seen in the " Dusty Miller " and 

 in the " Dunkeld," but it must be handled gently, as being of a very 

 brittle nature. 



With regard to the colour of twists and tinsels, silver is generally 

 preferred for the Spring fishing, gold for the Autumn. Where, however, 

 there is a preponderance of yellow tones on the body, I prefer silver early 

 in the day, the rays of the gold being signally eclipsed by the materials it 

 embraces ; and gold in the afternoon. 



For brightening tinsels of all sorts other than tinselled chenilles, 

 Steven's " Silicon tablet " should be used. It is sold by Mr. Thomas, 

 Chemist, Talbot Road, W. The little cardboard box contains a brush 

 and a piece of wash-leather. The former is useful for polishing old silver 

 bodies ; the latter for twists and tinsels before being employed in fly- 

 work. Silicon is used sparingly for gold. In polishing with the leather 

 the tweezers are applied to those tinsels having a silk core, a small 

 portion of which is exposed by nipping off the metal covering. The 

 length for use is pulled with them through the wash-leather, not to the 

 end, but near thereto ; then the length is reversed and pulled through in 

 the contrary direction. 



