TACKLE. 19 



diminishing the thickness till you arrive at three or four. 

 These ought to be regularly spun and carefully fastened 

 between the lengths by a single knot. A strong series 

 of gut should be similarly attached to the lowermost 

 length. The upper end ought to be looped, so as to 

 conjoin easily with the pirn-line, the extremity of which 

 should be provided with a small noose of the same de- 

 scription. Loops of all kinds, however, ought to be 

 avoided below this point, as they both disturb the water 

 and perplex the tackle. As for the gut casting. line, 

 three 7 threads are a sufficient maximum, although four 

 may be used in the upper part to render the tapering 

 more harmonious. This latter sort we ourselves pre- 

 fer, yet many anglers abjure it on account of its heavi- 

 ness. Hair casting-lines often prove faithless, especially 

 when half wetted, and not equally spun. Perhaps a 

 mixture of the two materials might be recommended, 

 as best combining the requisite qualities, strength and 

 lightness. While on casting-lines, we may remark that 

 the common practice of securing the various knots and 

 joinings with silk thread is a bad one, since it gives them 

 the appearance of insects when drawn through the 

 water, and induces the fish to rise without advantage 

 to the angler. 



We shall now treat briefly of gut. This article, ori- 

 ginally imported from the East, and now brought in 

 considerable quantities from Spain and Italy, is, as far 

 as we have been able to learn, fabricated from the male 

 silk- worm in a state of decomposition. The operation 

 is principally conducted by children, and consists in 

 removing the external slough of the worm with the 

 fingers, elongating at the same time the gluey substance 

 which composes its entrails. To do this properly re- 

 quires some care and attention. Should the worm be 

 kept too long, a hard crust forms itself over it, in de- 



