110 
THR TROUT. 
il First Method — How to make the Fly with the Wings in 
the natural position in the first instance. Hold the hook by 
the bend, with the point downwards, between the fore-finger 
and thumb of the left hand; with your waxed silk in your 
right hand, give one or two turns round the bare hook, about 
midway ; lay the end of the gut along the upper side of the 
hook, (if tied on the under side, the fly will not swim true, 
but continually revolve,) wrap the silk firmly until you get 
within a few turns of the top ; you then take the wings, lay 
them along the shank with the right hand, and hold them 
firmly in their place to the hook with the left hand. Next, 
tie the feather tightly at the point of contact, with two or 
three turns ; cut off the superfluous ends of the feather, and 
tying the head of the fly very firmly, you carry the silk around 
the gut beyond the head, that the end of the hook may not 
chafe, or cut away the gut ; then retrace the silk, until you 
come to the tying on of the wings. Divide the wings equally, 
and carry the silk through the division alternately, two or 
three times, to keep the wings distinct from each other. Now 
prepare the hackle, by drawing back the fibres, and by hav- 
ing two or three less on the butt, on the side of the feather 
that comes next the hook, that it may revolve without twist- 
ing away. Tie the butt-end of the hackle close to the wings, 
having its upper or dark side to the head of the fly. The 
Scotch reverse this, and tie the hackle with its under side to 
the head ; and likewise strip tho fibres entirely oft' that side 
which touches tho hook. Take the dubbing between the 
fore-finger a2id tho thumb of the right hand, twist it very 
thinly about your silk, and carry it around the hook as far as 
you intend the hackle or legs to bo carried, and hold it be- 
tween the fore-finger and thumb of the left hand, or fasten it. 
Then, with your plyers, carry the hackle around your hook, 
close under the wings, and down to where you have brought 
your silk and dubbing, then continue to finish your body, by 
