96 MATERIALS. 



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, 

 for bodies, the best material of all, wherever suitable 



Quill. in texture and size, is beyond doubt fibre taken either 

 from a quill from the condor, peacock, turkey, or other 

 large bird, or carefully stripped from the centre rib of a 

 smaller bird's feather. 



This material easily dyes any colour, does not fade, 

 keeps clean, and is not affected by either oil or water. 

 We here refer to quills from which the feathery 



To Strip part has been stripped by careful scraping ; the quill 



Quills, under treatment being meanwhile supported on some 

 slightly yielding substance, such as celluloid or 

 vulcanite. 



When a thicker or hairy body is required, such is 

 usefully imitated by fibres of quill from the peacock, 

 heron, condor, pheasant, turkey, or other bird, without 

 being either stripped or even dyed. 



Raffia. Raffia grass is another capital material, very tough, 



and a good substitute when quill is not available, but 

 it does not give such a good stripe or rib to the body 

 when finished, nor does it keep its colour so well as 

 quill, nor take quite such a brilliant dye. 



In some golf balls a fine indiarubber tape is used 

 as a core, if this is wound tightly over a yellow or 

 other light coloured wool, it makes a good body of an 

 olive shade, which keeps its colour well. It is unfor- 

 tunate that this material has such a limited range of 

 colours, as it is easy to obtain and pleasant to work. 



