The twist and herls are to be fastened in the same way. Two or three herls are the number generally used, but to prevent confusion only one is drawn in most of our diagrams. Taking one end of the gold twist with the fore-finger and thumb of your right hand, and applying its extreme point to the bend of the hook, secure it there with two or three turns of the tying-silk in the same way that the herl is shown to be fastened in fig. 7., Then take the herls, and in the same.

at a.

Fig. 7.

manner fasten them in by the smaller end, as already shown (fig. 6 and 7). Take two turns with the tying-silk, and then fasten the hackle by the point f (fig. 8.), with that side of the feather uppermost which grew nearest the body of the fowl. The fly in this state will present the appearance of fig. 8., in which e and a indicate each end of the herl, c and b each end of the twist, g a portion of the tying-silk, and f that part of the hackle by which it is fastened to the hook.

Fig. 8.

With the right thumb applied to the hackle,

press it back as

shown in fig. 9., in which c and d represent the two ends of the twist, b and e the two ends of the herl, a the point of the hackle, and fa portion of the

Fig. 9.

tying-silk. Take the tying-silk (f) between your right fore-finger and thumb, and wind it over the ends of the herl and twist (b and c) to the head of the shank. Fasten the tying-silk there by placing it between the head of the shank and the gut, as shown at a (fig. 10.), and cut off any

I

superfluous portion of the herl

and twist that

may remain at

that place. This

mode of secur

ing the silk may also be resorted to when you require to lay down your work, from fatigue

or otherwise, and is frequently called into use.

V. Winding the herl to form the body. - Now take the end of the herle (fig. 10.), and commence winding the herl, closely, up the shank, as in fig. 11., using the stop* at

Fig. 11.

* This operation is performed by pressing tightly against

the hook-shank, with the

tip of the second finger of the left hand, the tyingsilk, herl, or other material employed, as shown in fig. 12. The object is to prevent the material from uncoiling when you relax your hold of it with your right hand, which, in winding herls, &c. you must do at every turn to prevent their becoming twisted.

Fig. 12.

every turn.

Continue winding as far as the point a. There stop, as directed in the footnote, and taking the tying-silk b in your right hand, remove it from between the gut and head of the shank at c; pass it two or three times round the hook, gut, and end of the herl at a, and then secure the silk by placing it between the gut and head of the shank, as before, and cut off what remains unwound of the herl.

VI. Winding the twist. The fly will now appear as fig. 13., in which a represents the gut, b a portion of the tying-silk, and c the gold twist. Take the twist c in your right hand, and wind it up in open coils, as in fig. 14., and

Fig. 13.

a

Fig. 14.

fasten it in the same way as you have been directed to fasten the herl; afterwards securing the tying-silk between the gut and head of the shank, and cutting of the superfluous twist.

in the same perfectly horizontal position, in the left hand, as we suppose you to have done during all the previous operations, and taking the hackle by the stem (a, fig.

15.), commence winding it up the body, taking a turn between each coil of the twist, till you come to the point d; stopping it, of course,

Fig. 15.

at every turn, and arranging the fibres, as you proceed, that they may lie evenly and smoothly, turn after turn. From the point d to the point b wind what remains of the hackle in close coils, so that it shall be all exhausted at the last named point. Stop it there and employ the catch to hold down the silk c at the same time. Push the fibres of the hackle in their proper position, making them cover the body smoothly and regularly, and keep them down in that position by covering them with the tips of your left fore-finger and thumb. Then, still holding them down in this way clear of the shank-top, the tying-silk being also tightly held by the catch, let go the stop and draw the stem of the hackle up, to bring it under the last turn of the silk; stop it there, and make two