206 GOLDEN DAYS 



skin, which covers and preserves any 

 brightly coloured body materials which 

 the dresser may wish to employ. Collo- 

 dion will, in liquid form, answer a like 

 purpose. This solution, when thoroughly 

 dry, makes a waterproof and transparent 

 body-coating. There are many other 

 substances not in general use which are 

 worthy of the fly-dresser's consideration. 

 Unvulcanised indiarubber cut in very fine 

 narrow strips makes a life-like body ; so, 

 too, does that cream-coloured material 

 used for tying up roses, and known to 

 gardeners as " bass " or " matting." The 

 use of minute beads for eyes in some of 

 our more bulky wet-fly patterns greatly 

 adds to their alluring quahties. Not only 

 do the beads make for glint and irides- 

 cence, but they add to the weight of the 

 " fly," and so assist it to work attractively 

 well under water. 



I have often wondered if some form 

 of glass might not be introduced in the 

 making of certain types of fly. Could 

 not the finest of spun glass be successfully 

 used as a " dubbing " for various loch 

 flies ? At present these flies have bodies 



