WHIPS 153 



with fine gut. The silver mounting is usually 

 hexagonal shape, to match the stock. There are 

 likewise jointed whips, which are particularly use- 

 ful for travelling, because they can be taken to 

 pieces and fastened on to a board and put under 

 the seat of a railway compartment, &c. As we 

 mentioned before, modern whip-makers cannot 

 make "shagreen" handles, but they can produce 

 others that are even prettier. However, the 

 Japanese surpass the English in this art, and 

 plain ivory handles are frequently sent to Japan, 

 and are returned in twelve months' time beauti- 

 fully lacquered. A great number of the fancy 

 handles made at home are cut out of lizard and 

 crocodile skins. The most serviceable are pig- 

 skin ; they are more durable than Russian leather, 

 althouQfh their smell is less aoreeable. Then we 

 have seamless handles ; each one is made by a 

 calf's tail being dragged tightly over an iron 

 tube. 



To omit to call attention to crops, stock-whips, 

 cutting whips, American straight buggy whips, 

 besides many other sorts, would be unsatis- 

 factory ; yet to give more than a few lines to 

 each would mean lengthening an article until it 

 became as voluminous as a book. Nevertheless, 

 the following facts ought to be laid stress on, 

 if only to call attention to the advance in the 

 whip industry during the nineteenth century. 

 We will run through the chief points of the 

 leading varieties, and implore the reader's for- 

 giveness if we fail to allude to some that are well 

 worthy of being mentioned. A modern hunting 



