158 THE SALMON FLY. 



some success. The "Green King" sinks into insignificance from the fact 

 that it is rarely used except in its own short season when the natural 

 insect is flying about. 



THE GORDON. 



The taste for varying this pattern has doubtless arisen from the fact 

 that there are Fishermen who, like myself, are not always satisfied with 

 any of the standards. We tone them down or brighten them up as 

 circumstances in fishing direct. 



" But," writes a friend who knew the inventor, " the swift impress 

 that a truthfully dressed ' Gordon ' makes on the mind of a Dee Fisher- 

 man is one it needs no special studio training to enjoy." 



As most people know, this fly is simply " lionised " on the Dee ; not 

 even " Jock Scott " can boast so many friends and supporters in any one 

 district. But what the " Gordon " was and what it is are two widely 

 different things. No two dressers of to-day make the fly alike. 



Mr. Cosmo Gordon, the inventor, used to be particular about the 

 colour and amount of hackle, frequently using two feathers together. 

 He also had Jay at the throat instead of the dyed hackle as used now. 

 He, moreover, had the tippet in strands, and objected to the whole 

 feather in the wings. 



" At one time," says William Brown, "Jay was employed as a throat 

 hackle." 



Mr. Gordon was not only a good Salmon-angler, but also a good 

 judge of flies, an experience not picked up at home, by any means, for the 

 Dee was, and is still, early in the season, little more than a four-fly river 

 in his day. It is reported that he fished with other people's flies ; but I, 

 who knew he bought them, stoutly maintain that they were his own. Of 

 the many doubtful but conscientious representations of the "Gordon" 

 I have decided to give the two following dressings as practised at present 

 in Aberdeen. 



