TROUT FLY-FISHING. 317 



prairie fowl ; a cock partridge's feather is still better ; a snipe's 

 or -woodcock's will do. This is a good fly on clear water, as 

 well as on a full stream ; if for the latter, it is better to have 

 the body tipped with gold tinsel It is better used as a drop- 

 fly ; the hook should never be larger than No. 6 on full 

 water, and 8 or 10 when it is fine. 



A light mottled lead-colored Hackle may be made from the 

 feather that hangs on either side of the rump of an English 

 snipe; it is slightly barred. The body may be made of 

 lead-colored floss, or a pale but distinct yellow ; it is a good 

 drop-fly on hooks from No. 6 to 9. It is almost identical 

 with the Dotterel. 



The last seven of the aforementioned Hackles are better 

 without having the bodies tipped with tinsel, and are good 

 ones to induct the beginner in the art of tying his own flies. 

 Most of them should be used exclusively as droppers. The 

 Bed, Brown, Soldier, and Gringer Hackles are quite as suc- 

 cessful as stretchers. The Eed Hackle, I am in the habit 

 of dressing on hooks from No. 3 to 5, made of stout heavy 

 wire, so that it will sink somewhat below the surface of 

 the water ; which mode of fishing I have frequently found 

 necessary, especially after a freshet ; the Trout in the rifts 

 appearing to take it as bait, carried along by the current 

 beneath the surface, rather than as a fly. 



Winged Flies. — Of the great variety described in English 

 books on fly-fishing, I place foremost of all, the Great Bed 

 Spinner, which Hofland says is made, "body of hog's wool 

 dyed red brown, ribbed with gold twist; tail, two long 

 whisks of red hackle ; wings from the feather of a star- 

 ling's wing ; legs, bright amber, stained hackle." This is 

 the Eed Spinner found in the tackle stores. As we have no 

 starling with us, I generally make the wings of a brown 

 mottled feather from the wing-covert of the mallard ; body 



