DAMPING-BOX FOR GUT-FLIES 75 



The same friend who put me up to the dodge 

 of making taper-casts also showed me a most 

 excellent little arrangement for carrying flies tied 

 on gut, and keeping the latter damp without 

 interfering with the flies. It consisted of a tin 

 box, about ten inches long, four or five wide, and 

 half an inch thick. It was lined on both sides 

 inside with spongiopiline, and made to open like 

 a book, so as to admit of the flies being placed 

 lengthwise, the gut only being between the layers 

 of spongiopiline, the flies themselves protruded at 

 either end, being arranged alternately head and 

 tail. The box, when closed, was fastened by 

 means of a catch, and the two ends were fur- 

 nished with hinged tops, which protected the 

 flies. Thus when a fly was required, the cover at 

 either end was thrown back, and the kind wanted 

 was visible, and could be drawn out, the gut 

 being perfectly straight and damp, and ready for 

 tying on. The wings were by this means kept 

 unruffled, and as sprightly and well set up as 

 when they left the tackle-maker's shop. It is the 

 best thing of the kind I have ever seen. My 

 friend did tell me who was the inventor, but I 

 forget. They are doubtless to be bought at one 

 or other of the leading shops. 



I may as well here caution the reader, if 

 his gut casting-line by chance becomes knotted, 

 never to trust it, but to at once either unpick the 



