ANGLER'S EQUIPMENT 31 



venience. Some anglers, who, we suppose, must 

 belong to the new school of muscular Christians, 

 allege they never feel comfortable till they get wet ; 

 but if, as we suppose, the greater number never feel 

 comfortable when they do, a waterproof coat, a wide- 

 awake hat, and wading-boots, will render them quite 

 independent of the weather. 



Wading-boots and Stockings. Anglers who can 

 stand knee-deep in water, for a whole day during any 

 part of the angling season without any danger of 

 suffering from it, require nothing to wade with but 

 a pair of good stout shoes or boots. If the water is 

 very cold, wearing two pairs of stockings instead of 

 one will add to the angler's comfort. Many anglers, 

 however, particularly those whose mode of life is 

 sedentary, cannot expose themselves to wet with any 

 degree of impunity, so that they must either refrain 

 from wading or wear waterproofs of some description. 

 The ordinary leather boots, such as are generally 

 worn by fishermen, are undoubtedly the most sub- 

 stantial article of the kind to be had. The only 

 objection to them, and it is certainly a serious one, 

 is their great weight; the lightest of them when 

 properly ironed weighing four or five pounds each. 

 To leather wading-boots we prefer waterproof 

 stockings, which are now made light as well as 

 substantial, and may be procured at a very moderate 

 price. These waterproof stockings are intended to 

 be worn over the ordinary worsted ones ; some even 

 wear two pairs of stockings below them to keep their 

 feet warm in cold weather. Between the waterproof 



