FLY-MAKING. 421 



proper shape and size of the vice and spring-pliers are repre- 

 sented by the foregoing cut. 



Materials. — In collecting materials for flies, the angler 

 becomes "seised and possessed" of many chattels, which he 

 may husband for years before he finds use for them, and it 

 may be necessary, occasionally, to overhaul his wallet, and 

 discard those that are useless, if he does not wish it to grow 

 to an inconvenient size. There are some materials, in the way 

 of feathers and dubbing, described by English writers, which 

 cannot be had here, unless imported to one's order ; but he 

 who has a proper appreciation of his wants, and keeps his 

 eyes open, can collect all that is necessary, with very little 

 outlay of time or money. He does not see a bird — a wild 

 duck, a cock, an old hen, a turkey, or a peacock, without 

 suitable feathers being presented to his eye. He will see 

 dubbing everywhere : his wife's muff, the cat, or a lapdog, 

 or a gray or red squirrel, or a hare, or a pile of mortar with 

 tufts of cow's hair lying about it, or the place where there 

 has been a hog-killing, with the refuse, down, or furze cast 

 heedlessly by, a buffalo-robe, a bear-skin, a foot-rug, all sug- 

 gest dubbing. Old pattern-cards of moreen in the store of 

 his dry-goods friend are begged for. Silk floss of suitable 

 colors are sought after, as well as gold and silver thread and 

 tinsel. All these are garnered up with miserly care, and 

 stuffed into the dubbing-pocket of his book or wallet of fly 

 materials. He need be in no hurry to collect them, for if he 

 has the bump of acquisitiveness, he will in good time stock 

 his wallet to repletion, without sending to Demarara for green 

 monkey's fur, or to India for the feathers of a golden pheasant, 

 or to England for a starling's wing or the fur of a water rat. 



A wallet, with suitable pockets and compartments to hold 

 the necessary implements and materials, need not be over 

 eight inches long, five deep, and four or five wide. There 



