METHODS OF MAKING FLIES 21 



length of the wing required ; the thumb is then applied 

 closely to the feather, and with one end of the noose 

 in the mouth, and the other in the right hand, the 

 noose is drawn quite tight, and the silk is then cut 

 within an inch of the knot, thus leaving a handle by 

 which to hold the wing. If the thumb be not firmly 

 pressed, the feathers will be pulled away, and the 

 article will be useless. 



First Meiliod. — How to make a fly with the wings in 

 the natural position in the first instance. 



Hold the hook by the bend, with the point down- 

 wards, between the forefinger and the thumb of the 

 left hand. With your waxed silk in your right hand, 

 give one or two turns round the bare hook, about 

 midway, lay the end of the gut along the upper side of 

 the hook (if tied on the under side the fly will not 

 swim, but continually revolve), and wrap the silk firmly 

 until you get within a few turns of the top. Then you 

 must take the wings, lay them along the shank with 

 your right hand, and hold them stilfly in their 

 place to the hook with the left hand. This done, tie 

 the feathers tightly at the point of contact with two 

 or three turns, cut off the superfluous ends of the 

 feathers; and, tying the head of the fly tight, you 

 must carry the silk round the hook, until you come to 

 the knot which fastens the wings. Divide the wings 

 equally, and pass the silk through the division, alter- 

 nately, two or three times, in order to keep the wings 

 separate and distinctly from each other. 



Now prepare the hackle, by drawing down the fibres, 

 taking care to have two or three less on the butt, on 

 that side of the feather which comes next to the hook, 

 in order that it may revolve without twisting away. 



Tie the butt-end of the hackle close to the wings, 

 having its upper or dark side to the head of the fly. 

 The Scotch dressers of flies reverse this, and tie the 

 hackle with its under side to theThead, and also strip 

 the fibres entirely from that side "which touches the 

 hook. Take the dubbing between^ the forefinger and 

 the thumb of the right hand, twist it very thinly about 



