24A THE SCIENTIFIC ANGLER. 



been shown in the case of the heavy Limerick. The re- 

 lative weight-sustaining powers of straight-pointed and 

 " rake-pointed" hooks may be exemplified in the follow- 

 ing manner. Take a "rake" pointed, deeply-barbed 

 Limerick, Kendal, or any other bend, and take also a 

 "straight" pointed hook of the same size and strength 

 of metal. Secure a length of gut to the shank of each 

 hook, and stick the points slightly into a deal board, and 

 now attach a spring-balance to each piece of gut, and 

 pull. The staying powers of the " straight point " will 

 be found to be almost double that of the others. 



The eyed hook (Plate 6, fig. 4) is a new bend, the joint 

 production of Capt. Bankart, Leicester; Capt. Turle, and 

 Mr. H. S. Hall, of Clifton. The bend is a sort of cross 

 between the old Kirby and the Limerick. The color is of 

 a light brown, like that of an ordinary steel pen. This is 

 a decided improvement on the japanning system, and de- 

 serves to be more generally adopted. The advantages of 

 the loop at the head of a made-up artificial are consider- 

 able, the loss occasioned by the gut fraying or necking 

 off being greatly diminished, if not entirely obviated. 

 All large or heavy flies have of necessity to be dressed 

 looped. In the case of the very finest, for dry-fly or 

 grayling fishing, it is scarcely so advisable, especially in 

 still waters, or the chalk streams of Hampshire, where, 

 as in the lower portions of those of Derby and neighbor- 

 ing counties, it is absolutely necessary to float the dry fly 

 over every fish. It will be seen that the loop projects 

 upwards. This in a manner casts the weight upon the 

 wings, and preserves the equilibrium of the "artificial." 

 The gut may be attached to the loop, as in the case of 

 Salmon flies, by means of the slip knot, known as the 

 "Carrick bend," with this difference, that the gut is 

 passed through the underside of the loop first. 



Hooks used for spinning purposes are required to be 

 very heavily ironed, more especially for pike ; weak trian- 



