MATERIALS. 103 



Tinsel may occasionally be used with advantage, but Tinsel. 

 sometimes trout will, by preference, 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 are of little use for this reason. 



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

 result. Only one word of warning, and that is : do 

 not overdo it. Many of the colours in Nature are 

 delicate and suggestive rather than positive and aggres- 

 sive. 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 afet a stock of material Storage. 

 together for fly-dressing, the very first thing 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 

 box ; and second, a system by means of which any 

 material or implement used may be instantly found, so 



