METHODS OF MAKING FLIES 23 



the silk between them, pulling them back to their 

 proper position, and finishing the head; fasten oif by 

 one or two loops. 



The Irish tie over the roots of the wings, which 

 interferes with their action in the water and renders 

 them lifeless. 



If the wings are placed at once in their natural 

 position, and the fly is to be finished at the head, the 

 gut must be tied on the hook, beginning near the head, 

 and finishing at the tail ; twist on the body up to the 

 legs, fasten on the hackle by the point, finish the body 

 and the legs, and then apply and fasten the wings ; 

 and, when properly divided, cut off the butt-ends, finish 

 the head, and fasten off your silk by one or two loops. 

 This concludes the method of making the winged fly. 



TO MAKE THE PALMEB OE HACKLE-FLY 



The making of the Palmer or Haclde-fiy, with the 

 cook's or hen's feathers, is simply as described in the 

 foregoing methods, namely, by twisting on the legs and 

 body, taking care that the hackle has fibres as long as, 

 or rather longer than the hook it is to be twisted 

 upon. 



But in making hackle-flies with the feathers of other 

 birds, such as the snipe, dotterel, etc., the feather is 

 prepared by stripping off the superfluous fibres at the 

 butt-end, and then drawing back a sufficient quantity of 

 fibre to make the fly. Take the feather by the root, 

 and put the whole of the fibres into your mouth and 

 wet them, so that they may adhere together, back to 

 back. When the gut is fastened to the hook, then 

 twist it twice or thrice round the hook, and fasten it 

 by one or more loops ; the fibres of the feather will 

 then lie the reverse way. Cut off the superfluous parts 

 of the feather that remain after tying, and twist on the 

 body of the required length ; fasten by two loops ; draw 

 down the fibres of the feather to the bend, and the fly 

 is finished. 



If the tinsel, or gold, or silver twist be required for 



