46 SALMON FLIES. 



Some prefer the mallard, insisting that its feathers 

 are softer. I prefer the tame drake, as its feathers 

 are soft enough, far more distinctly mottled, and more 

 varied in light and dark shades of colour, to be used 

 according to the state of water and other circum- 

 stances. The grey feather of the argus, or that of 

 the silver pheasant, with its fine white bars across, 

 is perhaps as good as either turkey or drake. A 

 small feather lies below the wing of the snipe, about 

 an inch and a half long, of a beautiful light grey, 

 very well adapted for a large-sized fly, by tying the 

 two corresponding feathers on entire for the pair of 

 wings, adjusting the length by the body of the fly. 

 The wings should never be so long as to project over 

 the tail-tuft, and they may be put on unbroken, with 

 the upper sides of the feather kept outermost, and 

 lying along not too widely expanded from the body 

 of the fly. Slight variations may occasionally be 

 used with effect. As, for instance, dark blue wool 

 for body, or water-rat fur, over which roll a cock 

 hackle, preferring the kind which are black half way 

 along from the root and red towards the top, the col- 

 our as bright on both sides as can possibly be got. 

 In low water and bright weather, the light grey wings 

 should be supplanted by others of a bright brown 

 hackle, even as deep as the colour of the woodcock- 



