BOTTOM OR FLOAT FISHING. 221 



fishing is a fine undressed spun cotton line, of the 

 manufacture described at p. 26. The lower, or ' float- 

 line,' should invariably consist of single gut, stained as 

 directed at p. 30, and as fine as it can possibly be used 

 with safety. This point is perhaps of more importance in 

 bottom fishing than in any other kind of angling, because 

 in this mode the fish have more time for examination 

 before biting. They are able, as it were, to take a 

 leisurely survey of the position and of the arrangements 

 prepared for their benefit. Hair shotild never be used in 

 any kind of fishing, because gut can be procured which, 

 when stained, is both finer and stronger than any hair. 

 It is also transparent, whilst hair is opaque. Some ob- 

 servations on this subject will be iound in Chapter III. 



Hooks. 



As regards the hooks, for the reasons already given in 

 the chapter devoted to that subject, I recommend for all 

 kinds of bottom fishing the patterns of hook therein 

 described ; and the sizes mentioned in this part refer to 

 the several sizes of those hooks as shown in facsimile at 

 p. II. The proper sizes for each fish and bait are given 

 under the separate chapters. 



Floats. 



The best and most durable floats are made of por- 

 cupine quill ; for the finer description of fishing, of a 

 single quill simply, and where larger floats are required, 



