396 MANUAL FOE TOTING SPORTSMEN. 



ever, he ought to select with great care ; but he 'will expe- 

 rience some little vexation and disappointment when he 

 attempts to tie an artificial fly, especially without the prac- 

 tical instruction of some older craftsman. 



Hackles and Palmers — The mode of tying the 

 peacock-hackle, fig. 1, which is one of the simplest of 

 all flies, is as follows : — Begin by whipping the hook on 

 the gut, leaving a loose end of the silk hanging from the 

 shoulder where the whipping is to be commenced. When 

 the whipping has proceeded to within two or three turns 

 of the bend, include within its folds the ends of two 

 or three peacock-herls, which are to be left projecting 

 beyond the bend, and after making these turns fasten off. 

 Then take a red cock's hackle, and smooth the fibres of it 

 well ; with a pair of scissors trim these off at the point, 

 leaving the shank bare for about an eighth of an inch ; 

 next include this within two or three turns of the silk 

 left at the shoulder, directing the hackle towards the gut 

 and fastening off the silk. Then, taking the bend of the 

 hook between the finger and thumb of the left hand, lay 

 hold of the herls with the right, and wind them carefully 

 round the shank of the hook up to the point where the 

 hackle is tied, where they are to be included in the silk 

 which is still left there and then cut off. The body is now 

 complete, but the legs are still to be imitated by the 

 hackle, which should be carefully wound round the hook 

 above the herl ; arranging the fibres, as it is wound, by 

 means of the picker, and fastening off at last by means of 

 the silk which is still projecting, and left for the purpose. 

 Now cut off the silk at both ends, lay on carefully a very 



