RIVER FISH AND FISHING. 403 
and moulded with the teeth into slight ridges, so as neither 
to present an abrupt and unsightly edge where they leave 
off, nor to be so smooth as to be liable to slip from the 
hook. This eye or length of gut is to be first whipped: on 
to the hook in the usual way with strong waxed silk, which 
is then to be fastened off and removed; and for the sub- 
sequent tying, a finer and generally a bright-colored silk 
adapted to the particular fly, is to be employed. For 
American fishing, the gaudy flies seem generally to find 
the most favor; and the fish are so bold and little used to 
the angler’s tricks, that coarser tackle and less finely 
finished flies will be found to succeed with them. 
Sea trout-flies may be made of sizes and colors inter- 
mediate between the trout and salmon-flies. They are 
tied of all colors, and with or without the addition of a 
gaudy tail of golden pheasant fibres, and tinsel wound 
round the body. The following size and form, however, 
will suit the trout in lakes, and the average size of the 
sea-trout when ascending from the sea. The body is of 
brown mohair; legs of a black cock’s hackle; wings of a 
brown mallard’s feather ; head of plain waxed silk. Hook 
No. 5 or 6. A good variation consists in using purple or 
scarlet dubbing for the body; red or lilac-dyed hackle, 
and the green-dyed feather generally used for the May-fly 
for the wings; with a tail of a few fibres of the common 
pheasant’s tail-feather. Numberless variations of these 
flies are made and sold, but the whole of them are fanciful 
creations of the maker’s brain, and not imitations of: any 
living insect. The fisherman, therefore, may please his 
own fancy, and try his skill in any way that strikes him, 
