THE BRITISH ANGLER'S LEXICON. 83 



the thread, and seldom requires to be cut out. The jacket 

 should have plenty of room about the armpits, a broad 

 belt to encircle the waist, and a small buttoned shoulder 

 strap to confine the girth web strap of the fishing basket, 

 to prevent it rising over the collar of the coat, as it is apt 

 to do from using the arm in casting. The knickerbockers 

 can be used with or without waders, and, if properly made, 

 are the most comfortable of nether garments. A man, 

 when fishing, should always wear a flannel shirt with turn 

 down collar, loose at the neck. It is always well for 

 the angler to carry with him either a light waterproof coat 

 or cape. This'can be strapped to the basket, and increases 

 the burden very little. The stockings or socks worn should 

 be hand-knitted, made from Alloa wool, which is strong and 

 stands the wear and tear of going through briars, furze, &c., 

 and heather mixture or grey are the best colours. 



Dropper is the name given to each artificial fly 

 depending from the casting line above the terminal or 

 stretcher fly, which is at the extreme point of the casting 

 line. The lowest one is called the first dropper, the next the 

 second dropper, and if there are more they go on thus by 

 numbers. These droppers should hang on a link of gut, in 

 length about two and a half inches. Some anglers, in 

 making up their casts, have the first dropper two inches, 

 the second three inches, the third four inches ; but this 

 is only a fancy, as they do well of equal length, if not better. 

 The idea of the varied lengths is that they would all alight 

 on the water at the same time. The objection to long 

 droppers is that they are apt to get twisted round the casting 

 line more readily than short droppers, and are not so easily 

 shaken loose, as they occasionally throw themselves into a 

 regular knot when casting against a wind. The mode of 



