12 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



movable band. In those cases where the butt is pierced, 

 or the reel held on the rod by a brass band attached to it, 

 which closes with a screw, the nuts are constantly getting 

 lost or loose, through the thread being worn out ; more- 

 over, the hand not unfrequently gets chafed by coming in 

 contact with the edges or termination of the screw. 



On the subject of fly-lines there is great diversity of 

 opinion. Of whatever materials they are composed they 

 should taper. Hair and silk I was at one time much in 

 favour of; but after a lengthened trial I found one great 

 objection the two materials had not the same amount of 

 elasticity, so that a heavy strain would bear more severely 

 on one material than on the other, ultimately causing 

 brittleness. A plaited silk line, which has been submitted 

 to a process of varnishing, rendering it impervious to water, 

 will, I think, do the greatest amount of work, and throw 

 the greatest length of line ; but for delicate, light, fine 

 fishing, nothing I know of can surpass the old-fashioned 

 line, composed entirely of horse-hair ; for they are 

 possessed of more vitality, elasticity, and quickness. In 

 the selection of one of these every foot should be carefully 

 examined and tested, for a careless slop-shop maker will 

 frequently work in short and worthless hair, possibly in 

 the centre, which wilr destroy the whole fabric ; for if the 

 line be once broken it is useless, it matters not how much 

 ingenuity and time you spent over the splice. For a day or 

 two it may pass through the rings, but the friction will 

 wear it rough, and it will catch sooner or later, not 

 improbably when a large fish is on, for then the strain is 

 greatest. Can anything more disgusting be imagined than 



