16 



tightly, fitted -, being first smeared with tar, or heated 

 cobler's wax. 



The other end of the plug, which should be about one- 

 tliird the length of the quill beyond its insertion, should 

 taper to about the thickness of a very large knitting* 

 needle. 



The plug should be well whipped at both ends, to pre- 

 vent its splitting or swelling ; and, in the small end, a 

 little brass tail-ring should be inserted. To make this 

 tail-ring, turn a piece of thin brass wire once round the 

 small end of a goose-quill ; then Uvist the ends regularly 

 together with a pair of small plyers, or with your finger 

 and thumb ; cut away all that may exceed about half an 

 inch of twist, arid having, with a very fine awl, or with 

 a large pin, made a hole up the small end of the plug, 

 insert the twisted end of the tail-ring, which will screw 

 into the hole, and remain perfectly tight. 



The other, or upper end of the quill, must have a 

 cap, which will be found more firm and durable if 

 whipped round in its middle, about five or six times, 

 with some well-waxed silk. See Fig. 6, Plate I. 



It is not amiss to have a double-plug jloat, when you 

 fish in places where you are very often under the neces- 

 sity of shifting the depth between your float and your 

 hook. These are made the same at loth ends as floats 

 are in general at the bottom ; so that you have no quill- 

 loop on the top part, but instead of it, your line runs 

 through a brass ring set in wood, whereby only the 

 centre of the float is of quill. This answers well when 

 fishing for gudgeons, roach, &c. ; but must be put 

 into the water gently, lest it should change its place. 

 See Fig. ?, Plate I. 



Cork- 



