IDEAS ON FLY-FISHING. 239 



be proud, of. In fact, I am not certain that its pos- 

 session should not entitle the owner to be arrested, in 

 the same way as a pocketful of snares for game would 

 a known poacher. Hybrids, whether in rod or gun, 

 are to be carefully avoided. I remember being once 

 entrapped into using a hybrid gun, in the town- 

 ship of Markham, Upper Canada. Going through 

 some brush I flushed a quantity of woodcock. I sta- 

 ted the circumstance when I returned to the farm- 

 house where I was residing. As I had no gun with me 

 the host offered me the use of his, which from his de- 

 scription was worthy of a royal duke and therefore I 

 accepted the offer. On production it proved to be half 

 shot-gun, half rifle that is, the right-hand barrel was 

 smooth, the left rifled. This was my first experience of 

 such a weapon, and most probably my last. The game 

 was found, the cover was close, and snap shooting ne- 

 cessary. It was of no use. The gun would not come 

 up, or the game come down. The fact was, that the shot 

 barrel was only half the weight of the rifled, conse- 

 quently the whole fabric was without balance, and do 

 what I would my aim was invariably disconcerted. 



Of the joints used in fly-rods the plain sliding one 

 is probably the most convenient. If properly fitted 

 it should never jam or work loose; but if I lived on 



