108 MATERIALS. 



Tinsel may occasionally be used with advantage, but 



sometimes trout will, by preference, 

 Tinsel. take a fly that is without it. The 



intention of its use is as an attraction 

 to or advertisement of the fly, and its justification is the 

 fact that many insects have more or less ciliated bodies, 

 and when they alight on the water the cilia carry air, 

 which, when viewed from below, looks exactly like 

 gold or silver tinsel as the case may be. 



There are five varieties of tinsel used, viz., flat, 

 oval, wire, braided, and lace ; the flat and the wire 

 are the two most used in small flies, and may be 

 obtained " untarnishable " ; the common sorts turn 

 black very soon, and of little use for this reason. 



Any aniline dye, if carefully used, will give a fair 



result. Only one word of warning, and 

 Dyes. that is : do not overdo it. Many 



of the colours in nature are delicate 

 and suggestive rather than positive and aggressive. 

 It is as well to dye several shades of the same colour 

 by giving the material under treatment, either various 

 strengths of dye, or by giving different times of 

 immersion to portions of the material. 



When commencing to get a stock of material together 



for fly dressing, the very first thing 

 Storage. to do is to obtain a thoroughly 



suitable box to contain such materials. 

 This provides a place for them, where they will keep in 

 condition ready for use. 



The desiderata are : first, a thoroughly insect-proof 



