236 ROOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 



metal ; will not rust or tarnish, and if it is used at all, let 

 us use it on its merits; and for deceney's sake, avoid the 

 common practice of j)lating it with nickel, or, what is 

 worse, silver — for the plating soon wears off and exposes 

 the cheat. 



Rings, instead of standing guides, are used, as they are 

 lighter, and on the flv-rod answer just as Mcll ; thev are 

 lashed on with spool-silk by means of small metal strips, 

 known as "' keepers." The rings should graduate in size 

 from the butt to the tip, and should be of the same metal 

 as the ferrules. The metal tip of the fly-rod is a single 

 ring, which is preferable to a solid tip, or the three-ring 

 style, on account of its extreme lightness, for it will be 

 remembered that the tip, or top, of a fly-rod is of very 

 small caliber. 



