This fly is tied according to the illustration by Charles Orvis in Favorite Flies and Their Histories by Mary Orvis Marbury, 1892.
(click on photos for larger view)
Hook: not specified, but here #16 scud emerger, could be any #12 – 18 wet (in video below tied on #18 1x long nymph)
Thread: black
Tag: red (feather used in photos, yarn used in video below)
Body: peacock herl
Front hackle: soft black, here starling but black soft hen would work also
Lay down a thread base, leave the thread tag to be used later as a “rib”
Tie in the tag; clip for a short, blunt, bushy look
Tie in one strand of peacock herl at the hook bend; tight wrap forward to an eye or plus behind eye; tie off and clip
Counter spiral wrap the thread tag through the herl being careful not to lay down the herl fibers; tie off and clip
Tie in a black, soft hackle an eye or plus behind eye in soft hackle fashion (by trimmed tip, shiny side up); wrap soft hackle, tie off; clip out stem/quill
Wrap thread head; whip finish; head cement
