66 SALMON AND TROUT. 



In all the foregoing reels the handles are so attached as, in 

 one way or another, to prevent the line getting caught under 

 them. 



There is still, however, something left to be desired in this 

 matter of reel and line hitching. The snake is ' scotched,' not 

 killed. In whatever manner the handle may be attached, the 

 line still is left free to hitch round behind the back of the reel 

 itself- a freedom of which, it is almost needless to say, it 

 seems to have a provoking determination to avail itself to the 

 utmost. It appeared, therefore, that a stop might be put, once 

 for all, on this never-ending worry, by partly covering over the 

 space at the back of the reel with a ' protector ' or guard of 



BRONZE ' LEVER REEL,' WITH REEL PROTECTOR (C, D). 

 A, regulator ; I?, oil hold. 



some sort. The mechanical realisation of the idea was easy ; 

 the protector springs from the middle bar of the posterior 

 curve, over which (bar) it ' clasps,' the exterior end, c, pressing 

 close on to and against the rod, whilst the ' interior ' end is 

 fixed to the metal support of the foot plate, D. 



Messrs. Bernard, of 43 Jermyn St., subsequently brought 

 out a reel-guard on the same principle, but differently applied : 



