MATERIALS FOR ELY-MAKING. 87 



seen in Fig. 12. 'Tis six of one, and half-a-dozen 

 of the other. 



I have now shown the reader, as clearly and con- 

 cisely as I could, how to dress the usual sorts of 

 trout and grayling flies. The cuts are rather 

 rough ones, because the originals were designedly 

 left in a rough state ; but, if they were too much 

 fined down, and finished, the learner, seeing that 

 he could not easily approach their neatness, might 

 be deterred from fly-dressing. When the learner 

 can tie flies in this passably rough way, he must 

 get finished models, and laying them before him, 

 he must pick, trim, and shave his own rough 

 insect statues until he can fashion them as deli- 

 cately as the most cunning professional artist. If 

 he confides in the sure and steady improving pro- 

 gress which time and perseverance invariably 

 produce, he will become his own complete artist 

 in flies. In arranging the heads of this chapter, 

 I have been materially assisted by the intelli- 

 gence of Mrs. Little, the wife of Mr. Little, 

 fishing- tackle- maker, No. 15. Fetter Lane. 



MATERIALS USED IN FLY-DRESSING. 



The substances which the fly-dresser wants to 

 make flies of are various, chiefly feathers, fur, hair, 

 and silk. The colours he requires are still more va- 

 rious than the materials. There is scarcely a bird 



G 4 



