140 ON ANGLING WITH THE WORM. 



ing all these days with the single hook we should 

 only have had 19 Ibs., 29 Ibs., and 25 Ibs. respec- 

 tively; whereas, had we fished continually with 

 the tackle, \ve should have had 22 Ibs., 35 Ibs., 

 and 27 Ibs. no small difference. All these trials 

 were made in the middle of July, when the waters 

 were very small and clear, and consequently when 

 every objection that can be urged against the four 

 hooks was likely to tell with full force ; added to 

 which, the stones, as is frequently the case after 

 long-continued dry weather, were covered with 

 green slimy vegetable matter, which stuck to the 

 small hooks whenever they came in contact with 

 it, and occasioned considerable loss of time. 



A brother of the writer made the same trial 

 with the same result. He also observed that with 

 the tackle he got fewer trout, but larger ones, 

 which seems surprising, but may be accounted for 

 by supposing that though some trout had been 

 alarmed by the exposure of the hooks, the lively 

 and natural appearance of the worm had been 

 more attractive to large trout. Whether or not 

 every angler will meet with the same result, 

 entirely depends upon Ms capabilities for baiting and 

 managing the respective tackles; but probably all 

 really good anglers will catch more weight of 

 trout with the three or four small hooks than 

 with the one large one ; and since we first intro- 

 duced it to the attention of anglers four years ago, 

 it has come into very general use. 



