14 PIKE AND OTHER COARSE FISH. 



the sides forming a continuation of the ring itself, and acting 

 as a guard on either side to throw off the line if it should 

 attempt to curl over, very much as the sloping sides of a gate 

 on a barge-walk throw off the towing line. The inclination of 

 the ring is also towards instead of away from the butt, the 

 head or loop forming, in other words, an acute instead of an 

 obtuse angle with the rod. 



The woodcut gives the shape recommended for the inter- 

 mediate rings, of which it is important that there should be 

 enough on the rod to prevent the weight of the line bagging 

 between the intervals, and yet not so many as unnecessarily ;o 

 increase the friction of the line passing through them, or add 

 to the weight of the rod. 



FIG. 3. ' PRONGED' BOTTOM RING. 



For all these rings steel or iron wire is found to answer best ; 

 brass, from its softness, is easily cut or worn into sharp grooves 

 by friction, and these grooves very speedily wear out the dress- 

 ing of the line, and, before long, the line itself. Many ' dodges ' 

 have been tried to obviate this cutting process, more especially 

 in the case of the top and bottom rings, where the friction is 

 naturally greatest. Mother-of-pearl, agate, &c., have been used 

 as ' linings,' or inner rings, to receive the immediate friction of 

 the line, but besides being too expensive for ordinary purposes, 

 these solid additions add, not inappreciably, to the weight of 

 the rod. I have always been of opinion that some sort of 

 china or glass enamel or lacquer, such as that used in the lining 

 of saucepans, might be adapted to rod rings. There is an 

 American process especially, the depot of which is in New 



