RIVER FISH AND FISHING. 403 



and moulded with the teeth into slight ridges, so as neither 

 to present an abrupt and unsightly edge where they leave 

 off, nor to be so smooth as to be liable to slip from the 

 hook. This eye or length of gut is to be first whipped on 

 to the hook in the usual way with strong waxed silk, which 

 is then to be fastened off and removed ; and for the sub- 

 sequent tying, a finer and generally a bright-colored silk 

 adapted to the particular fly, is to be employed. For 

 American fishing, the gaudy flies seem generally to find 

 the most favor ; and the fish are so bold and little used to 

 the angler's tricks, that coarser tackle and less finely 

 finished flies will be found to succeed with them. 



Sea trout-flies may be made of sizes and colors inter- 

 mediate between the trout and salmon-flies. They are 

 tied of all colors, and with or without the addition of a 

 gaudy tail of golden pheasant fibres, and tinsel wound 

 round the body. The following size and form, however, 

 will suit the trout in lakes, and the average size of the 

 sea-trout when ascending from the sea. The body is of 

 brown mohair ; legs of a black cock's hackle ; wings of a 

 brown mallard's feather ; head of plain waxed silk. Hook 

 No. 5 or 6. A good variation consists in using purple or 

 scarlet dubbing for the body ; red or lilac-dyed hackle, 

 and the green-dyed feather generally used for the May-fly 

 for the wings' with a tail of a few fibres of the common 

 pheasant's tail-feather. Numberless variations of these 

 flies are made and sold, but the whole of them are fanciful 

 creations of the maker's brain, and not imitations of any 

 living insect. The fisherman, therefore, may please his 

 own fancy, and try his skill in any way that strikes him, 



