82 THE COLLAR. 



a direct line with the rings, and at a greater or 

 less distance from the butt end as may be re- 

 quired to balance the rod ; generally, from three 

 to six inches will be found the proper distance. 

 There are two principal methods of fastening the 

 reel. One requires a hoop of brass at the back of 

 the reel, to encircle the butt, and is kept tight by 

 a screw. The other, in place of a hoop, has a plate 

 of brass to fit into a groove which must be cut to 

 receive it in the butt ; two light circlets of brass, 

 or leather, drawn tightly over the plate, keep the 

 reel firm. The first is by far the preferable 

 method, as it admits of the easy shifting of the 

 reel for the proper balancing of the rod. The 

 price of such a reel as that which we have de- 

 scribed (if of the best workmanship) is about five 

 shillings. 



THE COLLAR. 



The lowermost part of the line, when fitted up 

 for actual use by the river's side, we mean the 

 part to which the flies are attached, is called in 

 the West of England the collar, and in other 

 parts of the country the foot-line, casting-line, 

 and gut-link. It is composed of a series of 

 lengths of silkworm gut, which should be of good 



