ON RAPID 'STEEAMS. 105 



for these, as well as for many practical instruc- 

 tions.) The crooks are two a larger and stronger, 

 adapted for boughs of trees, &c. ; and a smaller 

 and lighter one for rushes, brambles, and the like. 

 The larger is formed of a curved piece of steel, 

 sharpened on the inner border like a common 

 sickle on a minute scale, having its point more 

 incurvated or crooked instead of standing out as 

 in the sickle ; the iron piercing the handle of the 

 sickle would correspond to a spill-like process 

 descending from the thicker end of the curve, and 

 through the point of juncture of the spill with the 

 curve traverses a pin, to either end of which is 

 attached the ends of a bent piece of wire, descend- 

 ing and turning round the free end of the spill ; 

 to this loop of wire is attached a strong piece of 

 sash cord, which should be about five or six yards 

 long. The crook is thus used we suppose the 

 flies entangled in the branch of a tree overhead, 

 at a part where the wood is not more than half 

 an inch or one inch thick line being let out from 

 the end, the top joint of the rod is taken off, and 

 in the ferrule from which it came is placed the 

 spill of the crook ; the curve of wire with the cord 

 being turned on the other side of the spill to that 

 on which the free end of the curved crook pro- 

 jects, the crook is now simply placed over the bough 

 which is desired to be cut, and by a little dexterity 

 in mode of pulling made to cut its own way 

 through, by the force exerted in traction on the 

 cord ; a few attempts will readily instruct a novice 

 in the use of this instrument. The smaller crook 



