FISHING-BAGS v. BASKETS 79 



looking affair, but it possesses no one other 

 advantage. It is heavy, it lets the wet in, is 

 perpetually swinging round just at the very time 

 it is most desirable to be free and unhampered, 

 as when getting over a fence, etc. ; and unless 

 it is large and furnished with divisions, fish, tackle, 

 and luncheon must all jostle about together, and, 

 as may be expected, agree as well as three tom- 

 cats in a sack. The tackle-book is smeared all 

 over with the blood and scales off the fish, sand- 

 wiches are rendered uneatable, and the fish get 

 bruised and knocked about. The convenient 

 little hole with which baskets are furnished, is 

 useless for anything but the smallest of fish to 

 be passed through, and in wet weather the rain 

 of course finds ready entrance through it. More- 

 over, unless baskets are constantly scrubbed out, 

 they are apt to smell most disgustingly. 



The best arrangement instead of a basket is 

 a good-sized oblong bag, made of strong twilled, 

 waterproofed canvas, furnished with a broad 

 webbing strap and buckle. The strap should 

 at either end be provided with a stout brass 

 hook, the bag being fitted with brass eyes for 

 the latter to fit into. Outside the bag, a pocket 

 made of netting, with one or two leather tabs 

 to button on to the former, is by far the best 

 way to carry the fish, which latter are easily 

 shielded from the sun by cutting a handful or 



