204 CATERPILLARS, 



full, and slanting a little over the body, to be 

 made of any brown-red feather ; body, long and 

 tapering, of yellow floss silk, covered with gold- 

 beater's skin, and ribbed with brown silk. Head 

 a lap or two of bronze peacock harl. 



Caterpillars as baits are too highly praised. 

 Fish, it is true, will take them, but they are more 

 trouble than they are worth. If you do not ob- 

 serve the greatest caution in putting them on your 

 hook, you will spoil them, either by puncturing 

 them too deeply, or by pressing them too hard. 

 Either of these accidents will cause their internal 

 matter to exude, and so spoil them. The best 

 way of baiting with the caterpillar is that recom- 

 mended by Mr. Elaine, who says : 6 In putting 

 caterpillars on the hook some nicety is required. 

 A bristled hook (a hook with a bit of hog's bristle 

 projecting upwards from the top of the shank, to 

 prevent the bait from slipping down) also is ne- 

 cessary, of No. 5, 6, or 7 size, according to cir- 

 cumstances, on which the caterpillar should be 

 threaded, passing it up from the shoulders, leaving 

 half an inch of the tail pendant : pass, or thread 

 another contrariwise, taking care to have the 

 barb completely covered. Inspect the bait very 

 frequently, and change it often. We have also 

 daped successfully with a pair of brown wings on 

 a hook No. 5, and with one caterpillar passed up 

 the hook to meet the wings, where a retaining 



