228 THE BRITISH ANGLER'S LEXICON. 



handles or rings ; other colours are objectionable. Gut 

 should be stained a bluish grey or a muddy yellow colour. 

 The first colour can be obtained by steeping the gut 

 in ink free from acid, slightly diluted with water, or by 

 putting it into a decoction of warm logwood half an hour, 

 and then immersing in a weak solution of alum and water, 

 a tablespoonful to half a pint of warm water. For a muddy 

 yellow colour, let the gut lie in a warm decoction of onion 

 peel until the shade is obtained, or steep in tea or coffee, 

 or in a decoction of green walnuts. A grassy green can be 

 obtained by boiling a small piece of green baize, and 

 steeping the gut in when warm. A very slight change in 

 colour is all that is necessary. 



Stone Fly BOX. This is made for carrying the live 

 flies, with a sliding lid at the top for dropping them in. 

 The best is made to strap round the waist. The flies are 

 taken out by raising the slide at the end. (See article on 

 "Stone Fly.") 



Stoppers are the plugs used to insert into the female 

 ferrules of the rod after it is taken to pieces and before 

 placing in the bag. 



Straps are necessary to carry the fishing basket slung 

 over the angler's shoulder. They are usually made of 

 girth web, with leather points, tongued and buckled. An 

 advantage is to have a waistbelt in connection with the 

 strap, to ease the shoulder. The "Facile" is an improve- 

 ment on the old plain strap, and when slung over the left 

 shoulder it is claimed that it affords perfect- freedom of the 

 arm, at the same time keeping the basket in position by 

 the waiststrap, no matter how vigorous the action of the 

 body may be ; it is also easily detached. Leathei straps 



