Partridge feather (legs) Natural or brown partridge feather (1 small feather)
Head cement Clear head cement (One drop)
How to tie it
Slide the bead onto the curved-shank hook, then put six or seven wraps of lead wire on the shank and push them up into the back of the bead to jam it in place; break off both ends.
Start black thread with a dam right behind the weight, take a few wraps over it, then run the thread all the way back to the tail position.
Select two black goose biots, flip one so the curves splay away from each other, and tie them in about a hook gape long, laying one on each side. Use two wraps first to check they are splayed and sloping slightly down, then medium wraps and finally tight wraps. Clamping down too hard at the start will spin them.
Tie in the copper wire right behind the weight, on the near side of the hook, and bind it back along the shank as smoothly as you can. Any lump in the underbody shows badly through the wire body.
Wind the copper wire forward in touching turns with no black showing between them, stopping at the back of the weight; secure with tight wraps, push the wire forward, add a couple more wraps, then spin it off and bury any nub.
Tie a strand of pearlescent tinsel in on top, then tie in the Thinskin strip on top of that (slant the front end to make it easier), and check by folding it forward that you have left enough length for the wingcase before you commit.
Tie in one strand of peacock herl, leave the thread just behind the bead, and take four or five turns of herl to build the thorax; tie it off.
Cut a small V-notch out of the tip of a partridge feather so the fibres come off both sides, lay it over the thorax and secure with a loose wrap or two, adjusting until the legs sit out to the sides; trim the stem.
Pull the Thinskin over the thorax and lock it with one wrap, check it, then pull the pearl flash over on top of that and add wraps to hold both; trim close around the bead.
Smooth the area between the bead and thorax with a few thread wraps, whip finish with three or four turns, then trim the partridge legs short and stubby and add a drop of head cement behind the bead.