Hi dryfly86,
The eye feathers that have the most or best light/dark contrast are typically also the longest tail feathers on a peacock. They are usually 45 - 50" in total length and are at the very back of the tail. They also have the largest eyes, that average about 2 inches across right at the eye, and that doesn't include the fringe herl that keeps going. Unfortunately, flyshops don't sell them based on stem length. Not every large eye feather is the same either. Some are quite a bit more white on the back of the eye, and they're the ones that you want. The more white, the more contrast. If you just order eyes online, it's a real crapshoot. If you can find a shop that sells only large eyes, your chances are way better. Look for large eye feathers that are worn, or look bald at the very top right above the eye. These have been dragged around on the ground since they're the very back ones on the tail. To check for whiteness, you just look at the back of the eye, and push the quills a little sideways between your thumb and index finger under a bright light. It's better if you have a good one to begin with for comparison, but it's not rocket science.
If you want to avoid all that hassle, Performance Flies has them already stripped and in different colors. These are good, but they still contain several quills per pack that just have so so contrast. Here's the link http://www.performanceflies.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=159
Here's an example of the type of eye feather to look for that I described above. They're on a standard size sheet of paper. The small one in the lower middle is useless for stripped bodies. The middle top one is from a place that pampers them in the northwest, so it's herl is intact at the top.
Regards,
Mark
thank you very much mark much appreicated i think maybe a hat or hobbie shop will b my best bet for these will be scouring the country this w/end lol !
