MODIFICATIONS. 275 



But if the fishing be under trees, on dull days, the fly should be toned 

 down with such feathers as dark mottled Turkey without the white 

 tips. On cold, windy days the size of all "modifications" must be 

 increased. In hot weather, without wind, the bed of the river being 

 fairly level we use large tinsel for ribs and put the coils closer allowing 

 six upon a No. 1 hook. In coloured water we make the whole fly dark in 

 tone and increase the length of hackle. 



Although size is so important, other matters must be observed. 

 Never do we use floss silk to form the whole body of a " modification," 

 but Berlin wool for dull days, Seal's fur for bright, and Pig's wool if the 

 water be exceptionally deep. But in the event of the " exaggeration " 

 that roused the fish having been dressed after the fashion of the 

 " Chatterer" we make the body of the fly, which is to finish the business, 

 with the same kind of feathers taken from the Blue Rock (a darker 

 Chatterer) ; choose very much smaller feathers, and instead of putting 

 them in uninterrupted sequence, arrange them in three small sections, 

 filling up the spaces between, in this case, with floss silk of exactly the 

 same colotir. 



In treating of silver bodies which were made with flat tinsel, we soften 

 the conversion by the adoption of oval or round tinsel, or perhaps by gold 

 beaters skin (Mr. Field's plan) over a white floss silk body. For that 

 purpose the skin is cut in an even strip the thickness of our broadest flat 

 tinsel. 



The art of using these patterns is easy to describe. Carefully get 

 No. 1 fly in front of the catch by paying out line, and in one minute 

 remove it as carefully. Then cast in the ordinary way after five minutes 

 interval with Fly No. 2. 



I feel compelled to state that I have not yet quite worked out to my 

 own satisfaction the systems of "exaggerations." I have only once or 

 twice succeeded in rapids, and never in still pools. Streams and Flats are 

 the only places in which a beginner may expect to find it answer. One 

 thing, however, it is absolutely necessary for the Angler to be stationed 

 in front of the catch, so as to be able to let the " exaggeration " go down 

 straight to the fish. Drawn across the water, these preliminary agents 

 are more frequently productive of harm than good. 



T2 



