146 ON FLY MAKING. 



pose for the time being that the intending operator 

 has already fashioned the body, and has in readiness 

 the material for its remaining appendages, viz., the 

 legs and wings. Now, instead of next placing the 

 legs, and lastly the wings, he must reverse the operation 

 by attaching the wings first, the addition of the legs 

 completing the process. To particularize, the wings 

 should not be detached prior to being put upon the 

 fly. The feather should also be ample in dimensions. 

 A half-inch breadth of fibre from a small bird's quill 

 feather, doubled so as to form the separate wings 

 when attached, is about the amount requisite for the 

 March brown, two thirds of this quantity for the olive 

 dun order, and one half for the iron blue duns. After 

 securing the wings, which should be about the length 

 of the hook, thus a little longer than the body, they 

 are placed in their correct position. The hackle, 

 with which it is intended to form the legs, is then 

 turned or wrapped into position underneath the ivings^ 

 the whole being well supported by a few well-planted 

 turns of the tying silk, which done, all that remains is 

 for the silk to be knotted or looped off in the usual 

 way, and your up-winged fly is complete. With 

 reference to the first stage of its construction, much 

 necessarily depends upon the precise nature of the 

 material to be used and worked up. The best and 

 most reliable way of reproducing the varying tinges 

 of the bodies of the flies is by the use of raw silks 

 and natural furs. The foundation of the body of the 

 fly is formed as follows : The hook is taken in the 

 forefinger and thumb of the left hand (point down- 



