Fig. 9. 



GUT LOOPS, ETC., TAGS, AND TAILS. 31 



and placing it under the shank, hold it there be- 

 tween the forefinger and thumb of the left hand, 

 while you wind the tying silk closely and tightly 

 round both hook and gut, towards the bend of the 

 hook. Be very careful to 

 keep the gut straight under 

 the hook, and do not let the 

 silk twist, or one coil ride 

 over another. The more 

 evenly this is done the 

 more easy will it be to 

 form the body correctly 

 afterwards. Wind on un- 

 til all the gut is covered, 

 then pressing the fore- 

 finger of the left hand against the last coil of silk, 

 on the far side of the hook (to prevent it getting 

 loose), form a half hitch as shown, pull it tight, and 

 cut off the end close. With the nails of the fore- 

 finger and thumb of left hand, pinch the 

 gut tightly at the head, while you push 

 the stilletto up through the loop from 

 below, to shape it as shown. Now var- 

 nish all the tying lightly. If all has been 

 correctly done, the fastening will be per- 

 fectly smooth and evenly tapered, and 

 the loop will appear as shown. 

 With eyed hooks gut is of course unnecessary, 

 but to prevent the work slipping it is advisable 

 to wind a smooth, tight layer of the doubled tying 



