IRISH AND ROUND BENDS. 83 



as manufactured in various parts of the kingdom. 

 Without giving the absolute superiority to either, I 

 have, in the place alluded to, divided my recommenda- 

 tions pretty equally betwixt what is called the round- 

 bend, and that adopted by Philips, or the Irish form of 

 hook. The former, the round-bend, I prefer using for 

 all sorts of bottom and under-surface fishing ; for worm, 

 roe, and minnow tackles of every description ; but I do 

 more, I allow it the preference also, and that decidedly, 

 as a ground-work for the smaller kinds of flies; not 

 that it possesses even half the strength of a properly 

 tempered Irish hook, but in shape, it is much better 

 adapted than the other, both to fasten upon the lip of 

 the fish, and what is of as much importance, when fas- 

 tened, to retain its grasp. All trouting flies, therefore, 

 from the size 00 up to No. 5, 1 recommend to be dressed 

 upon hooks of the above description. At this point, 

 however, I find it advisable to substitute the Irish bend ; 

 the turn of the wire being now sufficient to allow a 

 ready admission to its entire barbed portion through 

 the cartilaginous parts of the fish's mouth; which 

 accomplished, every thing else, as regards the hook 

 itself, is in favour of the substitution. It possesses, for 

 instance, to a greater extent the virtues of temper and 

 durability, is more retentive of its colour, and less 

 liable to become corroded or rust-worn. These remarks, 

 be it observed, have no reference to the many spurious 

 imitations of the hook in question, which crowd the 

 general market ; they are confined entirely to the best 

 descriptions of manufactured wire, such as proceed from 

 the hands of Philips, O'Shaugnessy, Martin Kelly, 

 and Bartleet; and in the case of round-bends, those 

 made by Adlington, and other well-known Kendal 

 manufacturers. 



