DIFFERENT COLOURS OF FLIES. 25] 



Tn illustration of the quality of colour, the Tweed and Earn fish love 

 blue; the Dee (N.B.) and Usk fish prefer red; the Spey and Don, yellow ; 

 the Lochy and Wye, grey. It need not be inferred that the combination 

 of any of these flies (or of other decided patterns) is not to include some 

 blue, or some red, yellow, or grey, or even two or more of these or of other 

 colours. The dresser completes his fly en regie, so as to make a decided 

 blue-river pattern, a decided red-river pattern, etc., as the order from the 

 Fisherman necessitates rather than directs. The silk tag, in all cases, 

 tallies with the colour of the river, except in the case of grey rivers, when 

 instead of grey silk, the dresser uses silk of any colour which, in common, 

 also pleases the fish. The Lochy and Wye, as I have said, are grey rivers, 

 but I use a yellow tag for both. 



In order to obviate misconception about grey rivers, I would explain 

 that, in making up everyday patterns for them, we depend more upon 

 the effect of grey feathers than upon silks, furs, and wools. A " dash " of 

 mouse-grey Seal's fur in some part of the body of an ordinary fly is 

 admissable and helpful ; but here we look more to a judicious employ- 

 ment of Teal, Widgeon, grey Mallard, Summer Duck, Gallina, etc. ; and 

 to Irish-grey or Plymouth Rock body-hackles, whilst we use Amherst 

 Pheasant for horns. 



The dresser may now wish to know how to enlarge his method of 

 dressing. For this purpose, I will deal first with the Variegated Sun Fly 

 by itself. 



The chief point of all to bear in mind is size. I have tried 

 large specimens for years, and never once succeeded with one. 

 They are not to be dressed larger than No. 1 Eedditch scale ; No. 4 

 being considered as the most useful all-round size even smaller, if 

 the surface of the water happens to be smooth, would pay better. 

 This condition cannot be too strongly put ; from it there is no 

 departure. 



The results of my experiments have also led me to the conclusion 

 that a thick body is desirable. So thick have I made these flies that the 

 bulky lump at the throat would, without the greatest care, cause them to 

 " skirt " and " wobble." To overcome this defect, I decided to make the 

 bodies spindle-shaped. They answer uncommonly well so much so, 



