loo MATERIALS. 



exaggerated idea of their value often obtains. Lastly, 

 there is the taxidermist, who sometimes has badly shot 

 or spoilt skins to dispose of. To buy specimen birds 

 is, of course, out of the question, as the price is 

 prohibitive. 



TYING The colour of these is immaterial, as the body and 



SILKS. other materials used mask it to such an extent that it 

 shows very little, if at all ; the all important qualities 

 it should possess are fineness and strength, the finer it 

 is the less does it pull round in tying, consequently 

 wings are put on straighter, and in every way it is 

 easier and more pleasant to handle, when really fine. 

 The second quality is strength ; some might put this first, 

 but with a very fine silk an extra turn or two may be 

 employed, which compensates for any moderate failure 

 in strength. Some colours seem to be stronger than 

 others, and in consequence, orange has established 

 itself as our favourite, and we now seldom use any 

 other colour. 



Waxing Silk and Bobbin. 



WAXING The best way to wax very fine silk is to take a 



SILK. small portion of good wax about the size of a pea, and 

 warm this between the finger and thumb, then run the 

 silk once through it, when a good coating is left on the 

 silk, which should at once be wound on to a narrow 

 bobbin. 



It increases the usefulness of this bobbin if a 

 small hole is drilled through one flange. When tying 

 a fly, the end of the silk is passed through this hole, 



