FL Y-BooKS LANDING-NET. 17 



stained gut would doubtless be the best if it would 

 retain its transparency ; but it will not. When 

 soaked it becomes opaque and white a colour 

 of all others the most visible in the water. 



Fly-Books. Fly-books, like shooting-coats, are 

 generally made too small. They should be as 

 large as can conveniently be carried in your 

 pocket. Besides flies, your book should contain 

 a skein of fine silk, some strands of gut, a piece 

 of prepared wax, a pair of scissors, half-a-dozen 

 spare casting lines, and some Nottingham twist 

 (with which to splice a broken top). Two or three 

 leaves of some soft, spongy substance I hardly 

 know what, but not flannel should be inserted, 

 wherein to stick used flies to dry. Flannel is too 

 tough, and is apt to retain an inconvenient hold 

 on the hook, should the barb penetrate it. Bottom- 

 fishers' books must, in addition, be furnished with 

 plummet, split-shot, spare lines, disgorger, floats, 

 and quill caps. I take for granted that no fisher- 

 man ever goes out without a good knife, a piece 

 of string, a cork-screw, and a button-hook in his 

 pocket. 



Landing-net. The landing-net for trout should 

 be light and deep, and manufactured of fine 

 but strong twine. When carried by an attendant, 

 the handle can hardly be too long, in reason ; 



