76 PLY-DRESSING : ** THE TAIL. 



cated in the wood-cut. Three firm whips of your 

 silk will be sufficient to fasten them. Then cut 

 away any of the butt-end fibres that may remain 

 uncovered by the silk. Wind your silk down 

 towards the bend of your hook, stopping at the 

 spot at which you first began the arming of your 

 gut, as described in Figure 1. You are now ready 

 for the placing on of the tail. 



Here you see it placed on and whipped over 

 with your silk. The tail 

 is generally made of 

 two fibres of a feather, 

 or of two hairs. In 

 tying on the tail use 

 three fibres or three 

 hairs, lest one should 



drop off or be in any way injured whilst you are 

 dressing the other parts of the fly, and afterwards, if 

 you have succeeded in fastening on three, you 

 may cut away the worst of them, and allow only 

 two to remain,' the generality of angling flies 

 having but two tails, and a few only being pachas 

 of three. These illustrious insects have their 

 appendages particularised in our list of killing 

 flies. You have now, attentive learner, per- 

 formed three things, armed your gut, fastened 

 on your fibres for wings, and fixed your tail. 

 You now come to making the body, and attaching 

 it round your hook. 



