Skues Wet Flies

[Traditionalist]

                            Rough Spring Olive        Iron Blue Dun
                                 No. 1                               No. 00

           Greenwell's Glory     Greenwell's Glory     Watery Dun
                  No. 1                 No. 00 double          No. 00 double

               Pale Summer            Pale Summer                    
            Greenwell's Glory     Greenwell's Glory        Black Gnat
                   No. 1                 No. 00 double                 No. 00  

         Tup's Indespensible    Tup's Indespensible      Olive Nymph
              Wet No. 0                 Wet No. 00 double           No. 00

                       Dotterel Hackle                 Tup's Indespensible
                      Tied Stewartwise                          Floater
                             No. 00                                  No. 0

Although the plate labels state that some flies are dressed on double hooks, they obviously are not!  This is however referred to in the book.

The patterns listed in "Minor Tactics of the Chalk Stream and kindred studies"

Rough Olive
Wings : Darkest starling
Body  : Heron herl from wing feather dyed brown olive and ribbed with fine gold wire.
Legs  : Dirty brown-olive hen hackle, with dark center and yellowish brown points.
Hook  :  No.1

Greenwell's Glory
Wings: Hen blackbird, dark starling, medium starling, or light starling. ( Lighter as season advances).
Body : Primrose or yelloe tying silk, more or less (Lighter as season advances), ribbed with fine gold wire.
Legs : Dark furnace hackle : black centre, with cinnamon points, to medium honey dun ( Lighter as season advances).
Hook : Nos. 1. 0 or 00

Blue Dun
Wings : Snipe
Body  : Water-rat on primrose or yellow tying silk. Vary body by dressing with undyed heron's herl form the wing, and ribbing with fine gold or silver wire.
Legs  :  Medium blue hen
Hook  : No. 1 or 0

Iron Blue
Wings : Tomtit's tail.
Body  : Mole fur on claret tying silk.
Legs  : Honey dun with red points
Hook  : No. 0 or 00

Watery Dun
Wings : Palest starling.
Body  : Hare's poll or buff opossum on primrose tying silk.
Legs  : Ginger Hen's hackle
Hook  : No.  1 or 0

Hare's Ear
Wings : Dark or medium starling.
Body  : Hare's fur form lobe at root of ear ; rib narrowest gold tinsel or fine gold wire.
Legs  : A few fibres picked out or placed between the strands of the silk and spun.
Hook  : 1 or 0

Bloack Gnat
Wings : Palest snipe rolled and reversed.
Bodfy : Black tying silk with two turns of black ostrich herl or knob of bolack silk at shoulder.
Legs  : Black hen or cock starling's crest, two turns at most.
Hook  : no. 00


Skues, Illustrations of various styles;

[Traditionalist]

In "Silk Fur and Feather"  The Trout-Fly Dresser's Year. Skues, writing under the pen name "VC for Val Conson"  gave this list of birds and feathers for fly-dressing.

The Fly Dresser's Birds

(In view of the protection now afforded to many wild birds, a number of those listed below as Fly Dresser's Birds are of historical interest only. Dealers in fly tying materials will be able to advise in this matter.)

In the following list the writer has endeavored to set out all the birds whose feathers are found in the books, or in his experience, as being used for dressing small flies.   It would be absurd to pretend that all of them, or nearly all, are essential.   He has marked with an asterisk all which necessary for a good all-round modern collection, and with a double asterisk those, which no fly dresser should be without.

* Adjutant. - "The adjutant half turned his head, sheered a little . . . and landed stiffly on the sandbar below the bridge.   Then you saw what a ruffianly brute he really was.   His back view was immensely respectable, for he stood nearly 6ft. high, and looked rather like a proper bald-headed parson.   In front it was different, for his Ally Sloper-like head. and neck had not a feather to them, and there was a horrible raw skin pouch on his neck under his chin - a hold-all for the things his pick-axe beak might steal.   His legs were long and thin and skinny, but he moved them delicately, and looked at them with pride as he pressed down his ashy-grey tail feathers, glanced over the smooth of his should, and stiffened into 'Stand to attention ! '"

 The above is Kipling's description of the adjutant, an ill-looking bird, belonging to the cane family.   It is common enough in India, where it performs the office of scavenger, and is protected by law.  It is, therefore, somewhat difficult to obtain.  The aforesaid ashy-grey tail feathers and the pinions are the only parts useful to the fly dresser, being particularly serviceable to the dry-fly man.   The single strands of the feathers, stripped of their flue by catching the fine end between one's thumb and a knife edge, and tearing of the whole flue in one movement, make excellent quills for the bodies of flies, dyed and undyed, being especially recommended by Mr. Halford for the body of a Red Spinner, dyed for the purpose in a sort of brick red. Mr. Halford also gives a pale Iron Blue under the title "Adjutant Blue."

Bald Coot. - See Coot

Barn Owl. - See Owl, Barn.

Black Amsel. - See Blackbird.

**Blackbird. - (Mavis, Black Ousel, or Amsel). - This is a very useful bird.   The primaries and secondaries work up very sweetly as wings.   The hen is much paler than the cock, and has a faint olive shade over the dull black brown of the body and wings. She is the more useful of the two. The correct pattern of Greenwell's Glory is winged with hen blackbird, and a great many of the old patterns of Dark Olive used on the Itchen are similarly winged.   One of the books gives the tail of the hen for winging a fly.   There are a number of soft feathers both on the wings and bodies of both birds, which, though not quoted in the books, may be at times used with advantage for legs of dark flies, or alone as hackles.   A fine delicate feather under the wing of the cock, used hackle-wise, makes an excellent wing for a Red Spinner fished upstream, in rough, tumbling water.   The quills of the primaries, secondaries, and tail, stripped cleanly off, make excellent dark quill bodies.  

Blackcap. -  This bird is only named here because Wade's "Halcyon" gives, as a good fly for the Wear in June and July, a Sky Blue Bloa, dressed thus:

 Head. - Peacock's herl.

 Wings. - Blackcap.

 Body. - Sky blue floss.

 Legs. - Partridge grey neck hackle.

 Hook. - No. 0 Limerick

Now, there are three English birds known as the blackcap, viz., the blackcap warbler, the black-headed bunting, and the great or ox-eyed tit, and the present writer has not a notion which of these is meant.   He should doubt its being the warbler, but he does not know the wing of that bird.   The wing of the great tit is admirable for the Iron Blue Dun, but the pattern in question is hardly that.   The common or corn bunting makes a very nice wing, so perhaps its cousin, the black-headed bunting, a bird of the waterside, is what is meant.

Black Ousel. - See Blackbird.

Blue Back. - See Fieldfare.

*Bittern. -  This bird is more useful to salmon fly dressers than to try fly dressers. Bowlker gives a dressing of the body of the Downlooker with "bittern's feather," probably the herl of the mottled wing feather is meant.

The female sedge imitated as Hammond's Adapted is dressed with a wing from one of the smaller wing feathers of this bird.   A March Brown is occasionally winged with one of the smaller feathers.  The hackle is occasionally used.   The present writer knows of no other use for this bird's plumage for small fly-dressing.

*Bullfinch. - The primaries and secondaries of this bird are used for winging the famous Yorkshire pattern, the Fogg Black. The quick gradation of colour from dark blue at the quill to pale blue at the edges makes the value of the feather.   It is difficult to get, and one would be sorry to see the keenness of pursuit after this beautiful bird intensified for the sale of its wing feathers. It may ease the minds of many to know that the bloa part of the brilliant blue shoulder feathers of the jay makes a fairly efficient substitute.   The quills of the bird are probably worth stripping for use as bodies of flies.   This bird does not fall in the way of every collector.

The amateur's best chance, probably, is to secure the reversion of a pet bird, or to arrange with a bird fancier for the wings of any bullfinch that he loses by death.

*Bunting, Corn (Common Bunting or Ebb). - The primaries and secondaries of this bird, especially the latter, provide a very delicate and beautiful dun wing for small flies. The late Mr. Stewart prized this bird very highly for dressing purposes.  There are about the body a number of feathers of admirable colours, but they are all too tender in the stem for practical purposes.   The quills of the primaries and secondaries are worth stripping for bodies.

Blackcock (Black Game, Heath Cock, and Heath Poult). - The only feather of any use to the small fly dresser in this bird is the sickle feather of the tail, the long strands of which laid sideways, wound around the hook, make a good dark Blue Dun body. The female is the Grey Hen (q.v.).

Black Game. - See Blackcock.

Bustard. - This bird belongs to the turkey tribe, and at one time coursing it with dogs was not an uncommon sport.   It is, however, now very rare in England. There is an Indian variety.  Both are largely used for salmon fly dressing.  The smaller hackles of the latter are occasionally used for fronting May Flies, and the celebrated North country pattern, the Professor, is winged with slips of some of the smaller feathers of this bird.  March Browns, Alders and Sedges, are occasionally winged in like manner.  The feathers are beautiful, but very dry in texture, and very tender.

*Canadian Wood Duck. - The breast feathers of this bird are considered very valuable for May Fly wings.

They are, however, lacking in cohesion and therefore not very suitable for floating May Flies, though making good hackled patterns.  The separate fibres of these feathers may be used for whisks.  The barred feathers of the breast are of service for salmon flies.  These feathers are only to be had through the dealers.

Capercailzie. (Capercaillie, Capercally, Cock of the Woods, Cock of the Mountain, Wood Grouse, Great grouse). - St. John Dick, in "Flies and Fly Fishing" (1873), gives the wing of hen capercailzie as the best feather for March Brown.  It would also do for Black Alders.

Canary. - Most of the birds body feathers are too tender for use, but the wing and the tail might perhaps be used for the Yellow Sally.

*Chaffinch (Spink, Pink, Twink, Skelly, Shilfa &c.). - This bird affords the fly dresser only one important service. The quill stripped from the primaries and the secondaries and tail feathers forms the body of Mr. H. S. Hall's pike-scale pattern of the Black Gnat.  There are one or two feathers about the roots of the tail which would serve as Blue Dun hackles, but in general the hackles of the bird are far too tender for practical purposes. The wing feathers , moreover, are too delicate for winging purposes, and are, indeed, too short in the fibre for any but the tiniest of flies.

Chough (Cornish Chough, Cornish Daw, Red-legged Daw, Cliff Daw, &c.) - The writer is sure he has seen this bird quoted by some author, but cannot now trace it.

Church Owl. - See Owl, Barn.

Cliff Daw. - See Chough.

Cole Goose. - See Cormorant.

Common Bunting. See Bunting, Corn.

*Condor. - The pinion and tail feathers of this bird yield quills of unequalled strength and toughness, and capable of taking dye well.  Each fibre is provided with a close flue all down is length, which can indeed be pulled off in one piece if carefully handled, but cannot, without much labour and difficulty, be stripped in the way a peacock's quill can be, by means of drawing it between the finger and thumbnail.  Each feather yields quills of a variety of colours.  They can be had from white, through brown dun, to a dark ashy grey.

Each quill has a fine dark stripe down one margin, which has the effect of imitating the sections in the bodies of flies.  The feather is somewhat difficult to procure to procure, as the bird is an inhabitant of the Andes.

*Coot or Bald Coot. - This bird is of a beautiful blue dun colour all over, and is of great service to the fly dresser.  From some of the smaller feathers of the wing (the primaries and secondaries being somewhat too coarse),  wings for small duns can be had in a variety of shades.  Some of the body and wing feathers may be used as hackles but in general the quill is too stiff too turn well on the hook. The quills stripped from the primaries and secondaries are not to be despised for bodies.

Corbie. - See Crow, Carrion.

*Cormorant (Cole Goose, Skart, &c.). - This bird has some flat feathers under the wing (in its armpit , as it were), which are of a lovely dark, rusty iron dun, and they are much prized for winging the Iron Blue Dun.

Feathers from the breast are also used hacklewise for the same purpose. They are loose fibred and do not adhere.

Corn Bunting. - See Bunting, Corn.

Corncrake. - See Landrail.

Cornish Chough. - See Chough.

Cornish Daw. - See Chough.

Crane. - Probably when this bird is named in the books the heron is meant. (See Heron.)

The crane is a very rare and casual visitor to this country. In some parts, Herefordshire, for instance, the heron is called the crane.

Creeper. - In Wade's "Halcyon" is to be found a fly called the "Tree Creeper," dressed with wings from large creeper (a grey mottled feather with black band upon it). It is a feather the amateur may safely neglect. There seems to be no other authority for it.

Crow, Carrion (Corbie, Hoody. &c.). - Theakston directs one to wing a Gravel Spinner with the blue bloa feather from a crow, but what that means is somewhat difficult to guess; perhaps the rook is meant. That bird is called crow in some parts.

Crow, Hooded. - See Crow, Norwegian.

*Crow, Indian. - See Indian Crow.

*Crow, Norwegian (Hooded Crow, Dun Crow, Grey Crow). - This bird, mainly black in the body, has a beautiful pale blue dun ruff and breast, which furnishes hackles for the well known grayling fly named Bradshaw's Fancy. The bird is plentiful where it is found, and may be had without difficulty.

Cuckoo. -There are two kinds of hackle to be had from this bird. One a medium slate blue, and the other a barred yellow colour. But the bird is not commonly named in the books.

*Curlew or Whaup. - This bird furnishes only one kind of feather of use to the fly dresser, namely the hackle from the shoulder and the side of the throat, and this, to be the right colour, should be taken from a young bird killed not later than August of the year of his hatching. This feather is largely used as a substitute for dotterel  hackle, but is not considered equal to the real thing.

Daker Hen. - See Landrail.

Daw. - See Jackdaw.

Dipper (Water Ousel, Waterpiet, &c.). - The primary and secondary feathers are quoted furnishing wings, and scapular and breast feathers legs or hackles.  The latter are a dull black, and look as if the should be serviceable ; but the writer has no experience 0f them.

*Dotterel (Dotterel Plover or Foolish Dotterel). - The hackles from the shoulder and back of this bird are perhaps the most highly prized of all of all the feathers of the fly dresser.   They are a sort of pale brown dun (coffee and milk colour, with plenty of milk), with a fine rim of yellow round the edge of the feather, so that every fibre is tipped with a yellow point.   They are the model of a honey dun.  These feathers are also remarkable for their susceptibility to the slightest motion of air and water and, doubtless, in rapid and tumultuous streams, they give the fly a vivid appearance of life.  The two great patterns are Dotterel and Yellow, and Dotterel and Orange.  Hackles from breast, neck and back are also used and present much the same characteristics.  The bird is now a rare one, and the angler is driven to the use of substitutes - the honey dun feather under the starling's wing, the gold plover's shoulder and neck hackles, and the curlew's shoulder hackle being the substitutes generally used. Of the other feathers of this bird a cursory notice is only necessary. Jackson wings a Yellow Legged Bloa with "inside dotterel or teal" by which one gathers he means the secondary feathers.  There would seem to be no reason why the hackle under the wing should not be used, and the primaries are named by some writers for winging purposes.

Duck, Canadian Wood. - See Canadian Wood Duck.

Duck, Wild. - See Mallard.

Dun Crow. - See Crow, Norwegian.

Dunlin (Dunlin Sandpiper, Stint, Oxbird, Sea Snipe, Sea Lark). - Wade's "Halcyon" gives a dressing of "the Pale Green," winged with this bird, presumably primary or secondary. It does not appear that any other of the books quote this bird, but some hackles from the breast were given the writer by a well-know Scotch (?) angler. They look serviceable, though rather tender. They are of a brownish dun, with a slight freckle.

Ebb. - See Bunting, Corn.

Felfet or Feltyfare. - See Fieldfare.

*Fieldfare (Felfet, Feltyfare, Blue Back, Jackbird). - The primaries and secondaries of this handsome bird make excellent wings. They are , however, much neglected in this country ; they are of a blue-dun colour.

The late David Foster recommended them for some of his Derbyshire patterns, and Mr T. E. Pritt, in "North Country Flies," gives a pattern of "Fieldfare Bloa," winged with a soft feather from the rump, and Jackson gives a spider legs similarly winged.  In Scotland the bird is highly prized. There is no apparent reason why the shoulder knob feathers should not be used as hackles.  As alternative wings for his Fieldfare Bloa, Mr. Pritt offers (1) tern, (2) "blue tail," and (3) jay; but the rump feather is both browner and dustier than any of these.

Foolish Dotterel. - See Dotterel.

Frenchman or French Partridge. - See Partridge, French.

*Gallina or Guinea Fowl. - This is a great stand-by for salmon fly dressers, but is of less service to the small fly dresser. The breast feathers, dyed, are used for winging May Flies, and are good in colour and shape, but easily become waterlogged. Many of these birds have white feathers in the breast, and these, dyed or undyed, make very good whisks. A very good whisk for the Iron Blue Dun may be had from the dark neck feather of the cock bird. From the neck the mottling which is so conspicuous on the breast feathers is almost absent, and the colour is practically uniform. Procurable of any good poulterer.

Gallinule. - See Moorhen.

Game, Black. - See Blackcock.

Game, Red. - See Grouse, Red.

Gargeney Teal. - See Teal, Garganey.

**Golden Plover (Yellow Plover, Green Plover, Whistling Plover). - The neck, breast, back and shoulder of this bird afford beautiful hackles of mixed dark dun and yellow, varying little in colour and of an admirable texture. The stiff wing and tail feathers are not serviceable.  The Golden Plover and Yellow is a capital hackle fly, and dressed on a No. 6 Kirby bend will entice large dace and chub in the Middlesex Colne. The summer plumage is the best.

Golden Pheasant. - See Pheasant, Golden.

*Goose, Common. - It is not commonly known that the hackles of this bird, dyed or plain, make excellent legs for a variety of flies, and, now that paraffin is to the fore, can be used even for floaters. A large variety of shades of blue and brown duns can be had. The broad fibres from the quills of this bird, dyed and undyed, are also of service for such patterns as Mr. F. M. Halford's Goose Dun. Fibres from the broad breast feathers wound for bodies are very successful.

Goose, Wild. - This bird has, in even higher degree, the same advantages as the domestic variety, but is not quite so easy to obtain.

*Goose, Egyptian. - The breast feathers of this bird are highly valued for winging floating May Flies.Obtainable only through dealers.

Greenfinch. - The tail of this bird contains some bright yellow feathers suitable for Yellow Sally. There are a few nice dun hackles about the root of the tail, but the body and shoulder hackles, though a lovely green olive, are too tender to be of any service.

Green Plover. - See Golden Plover ; see also Lapwing or Peewit.

Grey Crow. - See Crow, Norwegian.

Grey Hen (the female of the Blackcock). - See Blackcock. - There are ruddy feathers with dark bars on the breast of this bird, useful as front hackles for floating May Flies.

**Grouse, Red (Moor Game, Moor Poult, Red Game). - There is a long series of hackles from this beautiful bird - from neck and breast, shoulder and back - all of them useful to the fly dresser, either for spiders or for legs of winged flies. From the young birds shot in August a very pretty dun hackle is obtained from under the wing, from which hackle the Poult Bloa is dressed. The primaries are more often used for loch flies than for small flies, but the secondaries make nice dun wings. The Indian Yellow is winged with an under covert feather of this bird.

Guinea Fowl. - See Gallina.

Gull, Common. - See Seagull.

Heath Cock, Heath Poult. - See Blackcock.

*Heron (Herne, Hernshaw). - In some parts this bird is also called crane.  There are a few feathers on this bird which can be used for winging small flies. They are to be found among the short outside covert feathers of the wing. On the shoulder and crest are to be found a few hackles, but the herls or strands from the long drooping breast feathers, and the primaries, secondaries, and tail feathers, make excellent bodies, dyed and undyed.

Mr. Halford's Rough Spring Olive is dressed with a feather of this kind. I myself have made excellent March Browns thus, and a long series of Duns, from Pale to Iron Blue, can be had from the plumage of this beautiful bird.

Hooded Crow. - See Norwegian Crow.

Hoody. - See Crow, Carrion.

House Martin. - See Martin.

*Ibis. - The brilliant red breast feather of this bird makes an excellent tag for the Red Tag, beloved of grayling fishers.

*Indian Crow. - The tag from the breast of this bird, a brilliant fiery orange, is much used for grayling flies. It sets and wears well, and keeps its colour.

Indian Bustard. - see Bustard.

Jack. - See Jackdaw.

Jackbird. - See Fieldfare.

*Jackdaw (Daw, Kae, and Jack). - The ruff of this bird provides a good dark dun hackle, valuable for Iron Blue Duns (inter alia). Another good dark hackle may be had from the shoulder knot, and another from the neck. Some author (Wade?) wings a Watchett or Iron Blue Dun from the primary feathers.

**Jay (Jay Pie, Jay Piet). - The wing feathers, primary and secondary, of this handsome bird make a lovely series of wings, from the palest to the darkest blue. They are fine and brilliant in texture and colour, and work up well. The dun part of the brilliant mottled blue feather from the wing is a good substitute for bullfinch wing feather in the Fog Black. The ruddy soft hackle on the shoulder and under the wing is said to make an excellent spider pattern of the red spinner.

Jay Pie or Jay Piet. - See Jay.

*Junglecock. - The jungle-cock, dear to salmon fly dressers, the bird whose hackles are flecked with little spots of enamel, has some feathers just below the hackle which are said to be useful for bumbles.

There is another junglecock, however, with an appearance very like the common red game cock. Its hackles are the beau ideal of what a cock's hackle should be, long, fine, brilliant, and exquisite alike in shape, texture, and colour. The hackles of the hen bird are also beautiful and useful.

Judcock. - See Moorhen.

Kae. - See Jackdaw.


Kingfisher. - Theakston gives the "blue feather" (whatever that may mean) of this bird as the hackle of his "Heron Spinner," as an alternative to a blue titmouse. This is the sole authority for introducing this bird in this list.

Kite (Gled, Puttock). - This bird is now a rare one, practically unobtainable.  Its feathers are prized by the salmon fly dresser rather than by the trout fisherman. But some of the books give the wing feathers for winging dun flies ; "the Driffield Angler" give a Dun Cut with a wing of "dun from kite's wing" also a Stonefly winged with kite.

**Landrail (Corncrake, Daker Hen). - This bird is admirable from the fly dresser's point of view. Always walking in long grass, its feathers are soaked with natural grease, as are all good fly dresser's feathers.  

The starling, and the coot are other examples, while the pigeon is the awful example of the contrary.

The primaries and secondaries of a deep ruddy dun make wings for numerous flies, such as the Cowdung,

the Pink Wickham, the Silver Sedge. The whole series of rails (as sedge flies are called in the south) take their name from this bird and the water-rail. The ruddy hackles on the shoulder and under the wing are much used for spider flies. Landrail and Yellow (Mr. Stewart's pattern) is a typical example. In Scotland many winged flies are legged with this bird's smaller wing hackles.  A few of the back and breast feathers are of service, but they are mostly too tender for use as hackles. The quill stripped from the wing feathers make nice bodies.

Lapwing. - See Peewit.

*Lark (Skylark). - The primaries and secondaries of this bird make passable wings, but have rather a bad tendency to split in tying. About Winchester, in the early days of the century, the wing was much more used than it is now, especially for Pale Olives and Red and other Spinners. the lower part of the feather is lighter than the point. The quill stripped from the primaries and secondaries makes a nice quill body. the hackles are, in general, too tender for use.

Lark, Wood. - See Lark.

Laverock. - see Lark.

*Macaw, Blue. - Strands of the tail feather of this bird, blue on the upper side and mustard colour underneath, are used as quills on the well known grayling fly, the Macaw Tag. Feather from the breast are also occasionally used as tags for grayling flies. Through dealers only. Sold by the feather or the inch.

Macaw, Red. - Feathers from the breast are, I believe, used as tags on grayling flies. Through dealers only.

Magpie, or Pyet. - This bird is not of great service. One writer recommends the white part of the quill feathers of the wing for winging the Coachman. It is a very nice quality, but white feathers of a good enough quality can be had without recourse to this bird, which has a small supply only.  The fibres of the tail feather, a sort of deep metallic blue black, are used as herls for dubbing, and as heads for several Yorkshire patterns.

Theakston wings his Golden Legged Beetle, and dubs its body from the same feather, which he calls

"a gilded feather."

**Mallard, or Wild Duck. - In the old books rather more than half the patterns were described as dressed with mallard wing feather. This is now considered much too coarse for small patterns. There is, however, a series of dun feathers lying between the primaries and secondaries which are suitable for winging fairly small flies. They have a fine sheeny underside, but are less transparent than they look. The breast and flank feathers duly dyed are the main stand-by for May Fly wings. The feathers know as "Brown Mallard" from the wings - white feathers, with 1/2in. or more freckled deep red, brown, and black - are in great demand for salmon, seatrout and loch flies, and are also used for the March Brown, the Great Red Spinner, the Professor, and other small trout flies. Ronalds calls it a "ginger dun coloured feather." Fancy patterns and beetles are dressed from the glossy metallic blue black feather in the wing, including or excluding the white point. Of any poulterer.

Mavis. - See Thrush.

Martin (House Martin, Martlett, Window Swallow). - A hackle from the back is the sole contribution of this bird, so far as the writer can find.

Martlett. - See Martin.

Merlin (Blue Hawk, Stone Falcon). - Now a very rare bird. The hackles and wings are very much prized for Blue Duns in the north country. D. Foster wings one of his Iron Blue Duns (April series) with the cock bird's wing. "Arundo" also dresses a Dark Blue Dun with the quill feather of the male bird, and Walbran speaks highly of the feather.

**Moorhen (Waterhen, Gallinule, or Judcock). - A useful bird. The straggling loose plumed slate feathers of the back and breast make wings for Iron Blue Dun. The flat feather under the wing provides the hackle for

the Yorkshire pattern of the Blue Dun, the Waterhen Bloa. The hackles outside the wings make good dark olive legs, and the primaries, secondaries, and some of the smaller wing feathers make tolerable wings of a dark colour for a variety of flies.  The primaries and secondaries are perhaps a trifle coarse for winging small flies.

Plentiful by rivers and marshy places.

Nightjar (Night Churr, Eve Churr, Night Hawk, Goatsucker, Dorhawk, Fern Owl, Puckeridge). - Feathers from the wing and back are quoted for winging purposes by some few authors, among others by Bainbridge for the Gravel Bed.

Norwegian Crow. - See Crow, Norwegian.

Oriole, Golden. - Theakston's dressing of the Yellow Sally is from the wing of this bird. It may, however, be safely disregarded.

**Ostrich. - The useful part of this bird is the herl of the plume feathers, either in their natural dun colour, or dyed black, brown, &c., or bleached white. Obtained from a plumassier or by raiding the bonnets of one's womankind.

**Owl, Brown (Tawny Owl, Wood Owl). - The small mottled brown hackles on the upper edged of this bird's wing are used in some north country patterns. The blue for from the base of the plumage is also recommended by one writer for the dubbing of bodies.   The larger wing feathers are used for winging large moths or night flies.

Oxbird. - See Dunlin.

**Partridge, English. - The wing of this bird is often recommended for winging March Brown, but the cock pheasant's wing is probably much preferable. The primaries and secondaries are coarse in texture. The tail provides a variety of colouring, from a strong red brown, through a pinky shade of the same with black freckles, to a strongly freckled grey feather tinge with pale brown. The latter makes, among others, good March Brown wings.  The first provides a variety of flies with wings, including one dressing of the Pink Wickham.  The breast provides a grey hackle used either plain or dyed. It is much used for May Fly legs.

A brown hackle of similar shape is obtained from the back and rump, and it is the most useful feather on the bird.  A deeper coloured hackle still may be had from the shoulder knot, but it is seldom used.

The stalk of of the tail feather, with all the fibres trimmed close with scissors, is turned round the hook to make a body for one of Mr. Halford's patterns, the Corkscrew.  To be had at any poulterer's.  The Russian variety has some pretty feathers, but for richness and warmth of colouring the English bird is far better.

Partridge, French (Frenchman, Red Legged Partridge). - This bird seems to be mentioned in none of the dressings quoted in books to which the writer has had access, though the bird is occasionally named as among those of which feathers could be obtained. This neglect is probably due to the fact that the suitably coloured feathers are lacking in translucency, and are somewhat coarse in the fibre.  But there are many among them which look good of colour, and a very nice looking Dark Brown Olive may be dressed entirely from this bird, except whisks, the body being quill stripped from a primary or secondary. the bird is to be had of any poulterer.

**Peacock. - The fibres of the secondary of this bird's wing are use for bodies of various flies. The are of a ruddy brown hue. The sickle feathers  protruding from under the wings are of a brilliant metallic green.

The are known as green herl, and are useful for ribbing Bumbles and other flies. The shorter plumes on one side are used to wing Alexandras. The fibre of the longer ones on the other side when stripped, then known as quill, is useful for a variety of bodies. Some are entirely black, some blackish brown, some have a white root and a white line along the side. The tail feathers are the most useful of all. With the flue on, which should be a brilliant coppery colour, the loose fibres (known as copper coloured herl) form numerous bodies and heads of flies. The Alder, the Coch-y-bondhu and the Little Chap are instances of bodies dressed with this herl. The effect is heightened by dyeing the feather in Cranshaw's Magenta. Stripped of its flue, these fibres give valuable brown quill for bodies. It can be used dyed and undyed. The eye feather is almost invariably used for quills. the flue being stripped off. These quills are parti-coloured, one edge being dark and the other more or less pale, and the surface being glossy, the effect of the divisions of the bodies of insects is splendidly imitated. These quills take dye well, and innumerable patterns are dressed with them, both plain and dyed. Some of the longer herls down the stalk are pale ginger for a short distance from the stalk. These are excellent for pale ginger quills. As much of both kinds of herl and of the tail feathers as will last one for a long time can be had of Mr. Peek, of Gray's  Inn-road, or Messrs. Carter, of 11, South Molton Street, W.1.  There also some grey feathers under the eyed feathers of the, which, without stripping, provide very good body material for flies, dyed or undyed.

*Peahen. - The soft ruddy feather of the wing makes a good wing for several close-winged flies, including the Welshman's Button and the Stone Fly. A soft feather from the back is also used for winging.

*Peewitt or Lapwing (Green Plover). - The crest, or topping, of this bird is used as a hackle, and a number of useful hackles are obtained from the neck, breast, and from the back and rump of the bird, and from the scapular feathers.

**Pheasant, Cock. - This beautiful bird is one of the fly dresser's stand-bys. The metallic dark blue-green feathers of the neck are used for small hackled flies, and for the legs of small beetles.  The larger feathers immediately below, which are of a red colour, with tips of metallic blue, are used for hackling that queer north country pattern, the Brackenclock, or bunched together for tags in lieu of Golden Pheasant's tippet.

The saddle furnishes soft whisks of a greenish brown hue. The tail has many uses, the broad part of the side feathers being used for winging Alders and similar patterns, and the centre feather providing herls for ribbing or dubbing bodies, and whisks for May Flies.  The secondaries abound in feathers suitable for dressing March Browns and Sedges.

**Pheasant, Hen. - This bird is nearly as useful as her lord and master. Similar feathers from the wing and tail are of service, mainly for March Browns, the tail in particular being very rich. Some of the scapular and breast feathers look tempting for hackles, but the are seldom used. The breast feathers may be used as front hackles for floating May Flies. Ther is a feather under the wing the late Mr. G. S. Marryatt used to consider the best wing for the female March Brown.

*Pheasant, Golden. - The big arched centre tail feather of this bird is the only one of use to the small fly dresser. The feather is beautifully marbled with brown and black, and single strands containing these colours are wound to form the bodies of the Spring Black Gnat, as an alternative to, or improvement in, strands of turkey tail. The breast feather of the hen is used to front May Flies, and bits of the smaller tipped feathers are sometimes used as tails to fancy patterns.

Pheasant, Poonah. - Currell used to dress a large Cinnamon Sedge with a wing of the brown feather from the tail of this bird.

Piet. - See Magpie.

Pigeon, Wood. - This bird affords a number of beautiful blue feathers of colours that look admirable, whether one resorts to neck or wing, or back. But there is a harshness, a stiffness and opacity, and a tendency to split about the feathers which are characteristics common to all the feathers of the pigeon tribe, rendering them very disappointing to the dresser.  Still, they are given in some of the books, and, without recommending them, the writer feels bound to give them. For all purposes for which the lighter coloured feathers of the woodpigeon can be used, the feathers of the common gulls and sea swallows are greatly to be preferred.

Pigeon, Domestic, and other Varieties. - The hackle from the glossy neck of a ruddy brown pigeon is used for a Derbyshire pattern called the Whistler. The wings of white varieties can be used for the Coachman and other white winged flies.  But see remarks under "Pigeon, Wood."

Pink. - See Chaffinch.

Plover, Bastard. - See Lapwing.

Plover, Green. - See Golden Plover; see also Lapwing.              

Plover, Golden. - See Golden Plover.

Plover, Whistling. - See Golden Plover.

Plover, Yellow. - See Golden Plover.

*Ptarmigan. - This bird in its white plumage is useful for winging all white winged flies, such as the Coachman.  The primaries are too coarse. The secondaries. however, and the larger of the other feathers of the wing, are serviceable for these purposes.

Pyet. - See Magpie.

Quail. - There are a number of seemingly nice hackles to be had from neck, wing, back, and body of this beautiful little bird; but they do not seem to be used or even quoted as useful in any book; and if some had not been sent to the author by a well-known Scotch angler, I should not have included this bird in this list.

Red-Legged Daw. - See Chough.

Redstart. - The tail of this bird is quoted by some author (whose name has escaped noting) for a wing. No other use for the bird, which may safely be omitted from the amateur's collection.

*Redwing. - The pinion feathers, primary and secondary, of this bird, make a very nice wing, and there are some likely looking hackles of a ruddy hue underneath the wing, and some nice brown dun shoulder hackles. David Foster and some north country dressers use the wings. This bird comes in flocks winter at the same time as the fieldfare.

Robin, American. - Hofland gives a dressing of the Iron Blue dun winged with the tail of this bird, which is of a bluish colour.

Rook or Crow. - There are feathers in the wing of this bird which are of occasional use to the fly dresser.

Theakston gives a dressing of the Blue Spinner or Gnat hackled with rook - but not indicating more precisely what part of the bird to use. Probably the young birds which are shot in the spring to provide rook pie are the best, as their plumage is comparatively soft.  The secondaries close to the body seem the most workable part. The roots of the quill feathers cut off, soaked in hot water, and split, make glossy clear wings for spinners. This is the "Athenian's" tip.

*Rouen Drake. - The breast feathers of this bird are used for winging floating May Flies. Of dealers and fanciers only.

Royston Crow. - See Crow, Norwegian.

Sandpiper. - See Dunlin.

Screech Owl. - see Owl, Barn.

*Seagull (Seamew). - There are numerous pale blue feathers in the wing of this bird, which, for winging pale summer duns like the Little Pale Blue, and for hackling hackled patterns, look equal to sea swallows.

Sea Lark. - See Dunlin.

Sea Mew. - See Seagull.

Sea Snipe. - See Dunlin.

*Sea Swallow (Common Tern). - Numerous feathers other than the primaries and secondaries, occur in the wing of this bird and on the back, which are highly prized for winging and hackling pale summer patterns of  duns. The feather is exceedingly delicate and mobile, and is of a most delicate blue grey.

Sheldrake. - This bird is named in some of the early books as affording wings for duns, but it has been superseded by the starling and the snipe. There are some feathers in this bird corresponding to the "brown mallard" feathers in the mallard, which are suitable for winging Red Spinners.

Shilfa. - See Chaffinch.

Skart. - See Cormorant.

Skelly. - See Chaffinch.

Sky Lark. - See Lark.

**Snipe, Common. - One of the standard birds. The primaries (of a nice grey) are admirable for winging floaters, and wet flies, too, dressed with water rat or mole's fur, and other materials. the scapular hackle is the hackle of the Dark Snipe and Purple, and Dark Snipe and Orange, and the hackle under the wing is that of Light Snipe and Yellow, &c.

*Snipe, Jack. - This bird is a small edition of the last, and serves much the same purposes. It is smaller and much less common.

Snipe, Painted. - The only instance of the use of this bird known to the writer is Currell's Little Dark Green Sedge, which is dressed with the secondary feathers (silver grey feather with a faint bar) from the wing of the painted snipe. The bird is a native of Asia, and is something like a blue woodcock.

Sparrow. - Occasionally the wing feathers of the cock of this bird are used as hackles.

Spink. - See Chaffinch.

**Starling. - This bird is the fly dresser's stand-by, and if he had only one bird to rely on all the year round he would chose the starling without hesitation. The birds usefulness begins early in life. When his plumes are just out, and he is leaving the nest, he is a delicate dull brown dun in hue, and then his wing feathers, primary and secondary, afford lovely pale wings for flies of all sorts. As he grows older the colour of the wings darkens, and in an old bird the fibres become very dark indeed.  The wings are often dyed in onion and other olive dyes.

A large range of colour is thus obtained. The hackles from underneath the wing, both of  young bird and old, are used as substitutes for the dotterel hackle, though not considered equal to it. There are numerous feathers about the body and wings tipped with yellow which make beautiful glossy green black hackles, and in the cock bird the neck hackles have a purple black metallic hue at the back of the neck, and a greenish metallic hue under the throat, and are long and shapely.  The short side of the secondaries of this bird is used in Scotland to dress the well-known Tweedside pattern, the White Tip, so called because of the pale yellowish tip to each wing.  The tail, with a soft brownish edge, wings the female Black Gnat. The quills of the primaries and secondaries stripped off make good bodies, dyed or undyed.

Starling, North American. - Arundo gives a dressing of what he calls the Silk Fly, hackled with a bright yellow hackle from the breast of this bird. It is unknown to the writer. It is a bird that may be omitted from any but a fancy collection.

Stint. - See Dunlin.

Stormy Petrel. - W. Blacker, in his "Catechism of Flymaking" (1843), gives a nameless Scotch pattern winged with this bird as an alternative to starling and bunting. The bird must be difficult to get, as there is a superstition against shooting Mother Carey's chickens.

Summer Duck. - See Teal, Garganey.

Swan. - There are numerous white feathers suitable for winging the Coachman and other white winged flies.

Swallow. - This bird is of little value to the dresser, and may be omitted. A "dark blue feather from the Swallow" is recommend in one of the books.

*Swift. - The secondary of this bird is used for winging certain flies. It is a shabby black. The primary is too short in the fibre for any flies but the smallest. The brownish black hackles from the back and under the wing are also of occasional service.

Tawny Owl. - See Owl, Brown.

*Teal. - The primaries and secondaries of this bird, like those of the duck tribe generally, are too coarse for use for dressing Duns, but there is a nice glossy intermediate feather which makes very pretty dun wings. The barred black and white feather from the side is more useful for lake trout and sea trout flies than for trout flies, but "Teal and Red," dressed small, is an excellent Red Spinner.

*Teal, Garganey (Summer Duck). - A good quill can be stripped from the blue feather of this bird's wing.Its breast feathers are used for May Flies. It is a rare bird - a spring visitant, seldom breeding in this country.

*Tern, Common. - See Sea Swallow.

Tern, Roseate. - A sort of glorified sea swallow, useful for the same purposes, and much more scarce.

Throstle. - See Thrush.

**Thrush (Throstle, Mavis). - The wing of this bird affords some valuable feathers. Many of the secondaries have a very yellow part as well as a brown part. The yellow part is used in Derbyshire for a variety of Throstle-winged Duns, while the brown part of the feather makes an excellent wing for a Dark Olive. These feathers work up very sweetly and cleanly. There is also a yellow hackle underneath the wing which is used for dressing hackled varieties of similar flies; and the brown hackle on the knot of the shoulder makes good brown olive legs for a sunk fly, though, perhaps a little coarse in texture. There is a great range of colour in this bird. The enamel stripped from back and front of the primary and secondary makes some nice quills for bodies.

Tit, Blue. - The tail of this handsome and common little bird is often used as a substitute for that of the great or ox-eyed tit for the wing of the Iron Blue Dun; but it is not quite the right colour.

**Tit, Great, or Ox-Eyed. - The tail of this bird affords the feather par excellence for winging the Iron Blue Dun, though the wing is not to be despised. The feathers are, however, very tender, and when wet shrink into small compass. The tail feather is sometimes wound as a hackle. The central tail feather affords the best wings. Much less common than the last.

*Turkey. - Practically speaking, for small fly dressing no part of the turkey is much used, except the tail feathers. Alders, March Browns, Governors and Dark Sedges can be winged from these, and for these purposes the feathers of the turkey poult, being younger and finer, are best. The tougher fibres fibres o the same feathers of older birds can be wound as quills or herls to form the bodies of small flies. Aldam's Tail-y-tail is an example of this. A large variety of shades of feather can be had, from a pale blue with a sandy freckle, to a near black with a dark cinnamon freckle.

Twink. - See Chaffinch.

Waterhen. - See Moorhen.

Water Ousel. - See Dipper.

Waterpiet. - See Dipper.

*Water-rail. - This bird is in type and texture of feather the counterpart of the landrail, but whereas the tone of colour of the landrail is ruddy, that of the water-rail is lead coloured. The primaries and secondaries are suitable for dark winged flies like the Iron Blue Dun. The breast feathers are also used for winging flies with iron blue wings, and the scapular hackle is probably worth attention. The bird is more valued by fly dressers in Ireland than here. Hi Regan has a great opinion of it.

Whaup. - See Curlew.

Whistling Plover. - See Golden Plover.

White Owl. - See Owl, Barn.

*Widgeon. - The glossy metallic feather from the wing of this handsome bird is available for imitating beetles' backs, and for winging some fancy patterns. The barred black and white from the back and side is much like teal, and can be used for much the same purposes. In former days the primaries and secondaries of this bird and the mallard and teal used to be used for winging Duns, but they are nowadays considered too coarse. There is, however, a beautiful glossy dun feather between the larger feathers of the wings, which is well suited to wing small Duns.

Window Swallow. - See Martin.

**Woodcock. - There is scarcely a part of this beautiful bird that does not render tribute to the fly dresser.

Head, neck, breast, back, and wings are all valuable. Besides the primaries and secondaries (which are of a dark dun with yellow brown flecks), there are a number of feathers suitable for winging flies to be had from the wings, and both outside or shoulder hackles, and hackles from under the wing are of great service.

This is one of the essential birds; wings for March Browns and Red Spinners, Hare's Ears, Sedges and what not , are provided by this bird; legs for March Browns, little and early Winter Browns, and a host of other flies are to be had from the hackles. The head feathers are used for wing the Oak Fly or Downlooker.

Wood Duck. - See Canadian Wood Duck.

Woodlark. - Foster's "Scientific Angler" recommends the wing for dressing the Oak Fly or Downlooker.

Wood Owl. - See Owl, Brown.

Woodpecker, Green. - Robert Salter in the "Modern Angler" (1811) wings a fly he calls the Woodpecker Fly with a pale green feather from a woodpecker's back, and Wade's "Halcyon" has a Yellow Dun or Bloa No. 1 winged with woodpecker, but from what part of the bird the feather for the purpose is taken does not appear.

These are the only dressings noted by the writer in which woodpecker is recommended. It is a bird that amy be omitted by the amateur as unnecessary.

Woodpigeon. - See Pigeon, Wood.

**Wren. - There are few feathers only on this dainty little bird fit for fly dressing, viz., the tail feathers and a few of the secondary feathers, which resemble the tail feathers. They are spotted brown, and are used for dressing the Froghopper hacklewise, and for hackling the legs of a winged March Brown.

Wryneck. - The colouring of this shy bird suggests the same sort of uses as the wren tail. The breast, the back, and the shoulder afford some likely looking hackles.

Yellow Plover. - See Golden Plover.