Good question, John.
Leeson and Schollmeyer (Benchside Reference) give a good definition but I could not locate any definition in Webster's 1970 Edition. Roman Scharabun's Web site refers to AK's use of "biots" in 1990 for his quill body patterns. There is a Special March Brown in "Flies of the Northwest", (1986 ) which uses a similar body pattern but they refer to it a 'brown and black hackle fibers".
Going to an earlier reference of a Prince Nymph in Orvis' "Index of Patterns" (1978), they refer to the wing and tail as "Goose Quill Fibers". As far as I can discern, the use of the name "Biots" may have been started in the 1980's and AK Best might have an idea as to whoever started that term. (It's either that or someone named John Francois Biot who was interested in Electromageticism in Biot, France) ;-)
Steve Schalla
- [VFB] Definition of "Biot" John Martinez
- StevenOjai
