GUT VERSUS HAIR. 53 



some the other. There are equally good anglers upon 

 both sides, but the ancient hair, it cannot be denied, 

 is rapidly losing ground before refined gut, which is 

 now imported in such immense quantities from Spain, 

 Sicily, China and elsewhere, and may be said to be 

 thrice the strength and half the substance of the tradi- 

 tional hair. It is or should be the object of the fisher- 

 man to reduce his lines and general tackle so as to be 

 as nearly invisible as possible, to which end it is 

 essential that the bulk and surface presentable 

 should be reduced as far as is compatible with 

 strength. It is therefore an advance in the right 

 direction (and one that should have been taken 

 before) to have the gut drawn whilst in its gummy 

 state to as fine proportions as are requisite to meet 

 special cases, for, although we were the originators of 

 the gut drawing system, we have no hesitation in pro- 

 claiming the superiority of the gut drawn accurately, 

 prior to its being set and hard, as then it retains its 

 enamelled surface entire. Had this been done a 

 quarter of a century or so ago, the necessity for our 

 oft repeated researches would not have existed. To 

 assert that hair of any description is equal to even gut 

 of equal thickness is absurd. The former is not only 

 weak, being hollow, but is given to stretch when 

 strained, and is very susceptible to breakage at knots. 

 It magnifies greatly in the water, and, lastly, absorbs 

 the wet and swells. On the other hand very little 

 can be urged in regard to the use of the gut that is 

 detrimental. It can now be obtained one third the 

 thickness of hair, each strand being far superior in 



