THE PIKE FAMILY. 207 



4 



of the disgorger was doubled, and its power and readiness 

 for use very greatly increased. The advantage of this 

 arrangement of the disgorger, both in trolling and other 

 fishing, suggested the advisability of extending the prin- 

 ciple so as to embody in the same knife the rest of the 

 Angler's desiderata, and thus spare him the necessity of 

 collecting and stowing each individual article before start- 

 ing for the river. I am aware that knives intended to 

 fulfil the object have been already produced; but they have 

 generally been excessively clumsy and expensive, and have 

 either not embraced the really essential implements, or 

 have sacrificed their efficiency to a number of others which 

 are practically useless. 



The engraving on the next page represents the form and 

 arrangement of a fishing-knife which will, I believe, be 

 found to contain all that is really required, viz. a power- 

 ful blade suited for crimping or other general purposes 

 (marked 3), a ' disgorger- blade' (4), a minnow-needle (6), 

 an ordinary baiting-needle (7) (the last two slipping into 

 a box (1) in the handle of the knife), a sharp-pointed 

 pricker (5) (an exceedingly useful instrument for unpick- 

 ing knots, loosening drop flies, separating feathers, &c.), 

 and last, not least, a strong corkscrew* 



I have furnished Messrs. Weiss, of No. 62, Strand, Lon- 

 don, with the pattern for this knife, which they inform me 

 they can supply, of the best materials and workmanship, 

 for 12s. 6d. (or about their price for an ordinary double- 

 bladed pocket-knife) . 



