FLYMPH FORUM

One you read about but rarely see the Cowdung.This dressing is from the list of J.Turton 1837. I found the dressing in
Leslie Magee's book Fly Fishing The North Country Tradition.

Hook.Daiichi #1480 size 12.
Silk. Pearsalls gossamer golden Olive #11.
Body. Golden olive dubbed with pea green mohair.
Hackle. English Jay under covert feather.

Excellent! This gives me inspiration to pull out the English Jay skin I have at home.

It look forward to drowning some of these, come spring. It is always a blast, catching fish on century(+) old patterns.

Question - Is the brownish colored thorax region the color of the hackle stem?

Yes Ray that is the color of the stem. The under covert feathers of the Jay are a Lt.dunnish Brown and the overcoverts are a darker brown. To my eye they are dead ringers for land rail which I think is mostly called for in other similar patterns by this name but Turton's recipe from 1837 calls for Jay. Who knows maybe they were substituting back then. Also I used Veniards Cellire clear varnish on the head which may have darkened it slightly.

Tom