MISCELLANEA. 55 
strength is really essential, as in the case of Salmon 
casting -lines and gut-traces used for Pike - spinning, 
a simple modification of the above knot will be found 
useful. It is tied thus :—Join the strands of gut in an 
ordinary single fisherman’s knot, pulling each of the half 
knots as tight as possible; but instead of drawing them 
together and lapping the ends down on the outside, draw 
them only to within about an eighth of an inch of each 
other, and lap de¢ween them with light-coloured silk, or, 
still better, fine gut previously well soaked in water. 
This lapping relieves the knot itself of half its duty, and 
on any sudden jerk, such as striking, acts as a sort of 
buffer to receive and distribute the strain. It is one of 
the simplest possible forms of knot ; and from its being 
much neater and nearly twice as strong, may be substi- 
tuted with advantage for the ordinary whipped knot in 
Salmon casting-lines. As commonly tied I find that 
stout Salmon gut will break—at the knot—on a steady 
strain of from 12 to 15 pounds: tied as suggested, it will 
break at any other place in preference, no matter how 
great the strain may be. Facsimiles of the two knots, 
tied with the same strands of gut, are annexed. 
—fini>—= —=lraiS— 
New knot. Ordinary knot, 
