Indian are short but not too short to use. They have stiff hackle and rounded tips for streamers and dry fly wings. Duns were the biggest problem to get a hold of. The patterns of the time did not go much smaller then a 18, I could see how now many would have problems with old hackle.

As for silk black was around along with other colors but if you look at flies of the time most were tied with white thread and lacquered heads. Salmon were tied with black more offen with black, but I'm talking Catskill.