DYED QUILL. 99 



needle before the final ironing takes place. It is only necessary to add 

 that the final layer of floss itself binds the point of the hackle at the place 

 desired. 



(As most floss silks change colour in use, the dresser can acquaint 

 himself with their appearance by applying paraffin with a camel's hair 

 brush to any of them. But I much prefer dyed quill to the best of floss 

 silk, and I get it from Courtney, at Killarney. It is easily cut into narrow 

 strips, and far easier than silk to put on the hook. Quill is doubly useful. 

 It lasts longer than silk, and you knoiv where you are in "keeping accounts 

 of, and making deductions from, the circumstances and conditions attend- 

 ing the rises and captures of fish. Consequently, you are less likely in 

 future to fall into error, and be mistaken in choosing a particular coloured 

 fly for similar occasions and conditions. Once you make a " Jock Scott " 

 with good yellow quill, and you will not hurriedly return to floss silk.) 



No. 2. Oval tinsel bodies may be briefly dismissed. 



Prepare the oval tinsel by exposing the core to tie on, and by 

 brightening with silicon. In coiling it headward, press each coil with 

 right thumb and middle finger nails, tailwards, whilst the length of tinsel 

 is held taut in CATCH. This tinsel ties in the body-hackle. 



No. 3. Sides : Generally of one Jungle feather put on each side of 

 the wing in the centre, and extending from the head to the middle of the 

 wing. Strip stump of Jungle, and partially fix with two turns of tying- 

 silk, tailwards ; inspect work by raising left thumb on near side, and 

 fore-finger on far side. Provided the feather lies close all along the wing, 

 carefully replace thumb and finger, and tie down headward. But if, on 

 inspection, either feather turns outwards or upwards, twist it by catching 

 hold of root to the position desired before tying down. 



No. 4. Cheeks are one third the length of sides, and are generally of 

 Chatterer. 



Follow directions given for Sides. 



No. 5. Whole feather winged flies. 



Measure length ; strip end ; indent for tying-silk. 



No. G. Strip winged flies. Here I would first recommend for 

 beginners the method of fixing given in the illustrated instructions for 

 " mixed wings." By following it the fibres are made to sit on their side 



H2 



