FLY-MAKING. 203 



separated coils from the lower towards the upper 

 end of the shank, but not quite to the head. If the 

 silk is well waxed it will remain in its place while 

 you pick up the gut with your right hand, and lay 

 it along the under side of the shank upon these 

 coils. Hold it there with your left while you wind 

 firmly and closely toward the bend; catch the last 

 turn beneath the gut or pass a half hitch, and cut 

 off the end. Take a fresh piece of silk, always 

 thoroughly waxed, and pass a few turns over its end 

 so as to fasten it; then hold a piece of tinsel four 

 times as long as the shank between your left fore- 

 finger and the further side of the hook, just project- 

 ing above it, and nearly vertical ; pass three turns 

 over it, and wind the silk in separated or loose coils 

 towards the head and let it hang there. Fasten the 

 spring pliers on to the lower end of the tinsel length- 

 ways with it, and holding the shank in the right 

 hand, with the left forefinger in the pliers, twist 

 several turns down and then back to form the tag, 

 covering the edges of the first turns with the second 

 carefully and neatly; let the pliers hang; pass the 

 hook to the left hand; unwind the silk with the 

 right down to the tinsel ; fasten off with three turns 

 and cut the tinsel close to the hook. Unwind from 

 the floss-spool over your right hand a dozen strands, 

 and smoothing them evenly together and holding 

 them against the hook with the left, tie in the ends 

 firmly, and again coil the tying silk toward the head 

 out of the way. You may wind the floss with either 

 hand or with the pliers as you please ; if you wind 



