Chapter XIV. 



MATERIALS. 

 Their Selection. Collection. Storage. 



The selection of suitable materials contributes largely 

 to the success of an artificial fly. Before any material 

 can be considered suitable for use, it should be submitted 

 to the most critical examination with regard to its colour, 

 texture, strength, and last, though not the least, its 

 durability under the very searching tests to which it will 

 be put later on. 



It is not the least use employing a delicate shade 

 of material to match some delicate insect, when such 

 material will totally alter its colour on coming in 

 contact with either oil or water the first time it is used. 



This is not confined to silks and textile materials, 

 some feathers being very bad in this respect. There 

 is a beautiful blue American bird called a Roller, the 

 feathers of which turn a curious puce colour in the 

 water, but quite regain their lovely lustrous blue when 

 again dried, and this alteration of colour by immersion 

 in water is not confined to the feathers of the Roller. 



The conclusion we came to some years ago was to 



totally discard silk as a body material, 

 Silk. except for tying or packing purposes 



under tinsel. It is most mortify- 

 ing to expend considerable time and pains in exactly 

 matching some delicate dun, and then find the colour 

 entirely disappear the first time it is used. Therefore, 



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