EXPERIMENTS UPON HOOKS. 139 



requires to be baited afresh every bite ; and that 

 the exposure of so many hooks is calculated to scare 

 away some trout that would otherwise take the 

 bait. But, upon the whole, the advantages pre- 

 ponderate considerably over the disadvantages, 

 particularly when trout are biting shy. 



From using this tackle occasionally and finding 

 it answer, we were led to think that by using it 

 continually more trout might be captured than 

 with the common bait-hook. We resolved to de- 

 vote three successive days in order to test this, 

 and to fish one half hour with the common hook, 

 and the next with three or four small ones ; vary- 

 ing the number and size to suit the worms. The 

 first trial was in Gala, between Bowland and 

 Stow, where the trout are of good size and 

 remarkably wary; so that the exposure of the 

 hooks would tell with full force. On this occa- 

 sion we captured 20 J Ibs. of trout, of which 9^ 

 Ibs. were taken with the common hook and n 

 Ibs. with the tackle. The next trial was in 

 Leader, between Earlston and Lauder, when we 

 captured with the common hook 14 J Ibs., and 

 with the tackle 17^ Ibs. The third day was also 

 in Leader, when the result was with the common 

 hook 12 J Ibs., and with the tackle 13 J Ibs. mak- 

 ing a total during the three days of 36 \ Ibs. with 

 the common hook, and 42 Ibs. with the tackle ; 

 leaving a difference in favour of the latter of 5| 

 Ibs., or about fifteen per cent. Had we been fish- 



