SALMON FLIES. 47 



wing. The bittern's is an excellent wing of this kind, 

 and large enough for any size of summer fly. 



SECOND FLY. 



The second fly has in all respects the very same 

 body as the first, the only variation being in the 

 wings, which have what we technically term a ivhite- 

 top. This is a black or dark brown feather, with a 

 little white on the top, from the tail of the turkey 

 for the largest size of fly, or from the rump above 

 the tail for the smaller sizes ; the feathers being 

 smaller every row as they ascend upwards from the 

 tail to the back of the fowl. Of this last rump 

 feather, which is alike in length of pile on both sides 

 of the stem, you have the advantage of forming the 

 pair of wings with the greatest facility, by cutting 

 with the point of a pen-knife the stem of the feather 

 at the exact breadth of the wings intended for your 

 fly, which are thus more easily tied on unbroken, as 

 most wings had best be. Those white-topped feathers, 

 the lower part of which are of a glossy black, are 

 preferable ; and the white top had best not exceed 

 three eighths of an inch, and even three sixteenths 

 make a fine fly of a small size ; and if the hook is a 

 large size, I would not disapprove of three colours in 

 the wing say a dun white below (as they often are 



