112 SEA FISH; 



placed in a large pipkin or other convenient vessel ; 

 warm gradually until the glue is thoroughly dissolved 

 and quite clear, when your coil of line should be put 

 in and boiled for twenty minutes. Take out your 

 line, cut the bands, and lay it on the grass, a dry 

 day, of course, being chosen for the operation, ar- 

 ranging it up and down like the teeth of a large saw, 

 so that the strands shall not come in contact. In 

 about four hours it will be dry, when it must be 

 recoiled round the hand, and placed in a boiling solu- 

 tion of catechu ; half a pound of catechu to one pint of 

 water; keep boiling for three-quarters of an hour, 

 remove it from the solution, and hang it up to cool 

 for a quarter of an hour. "When cool, wash it well in 

 clear cold water, and dry for use. For this very ex- 

 cellent method of preparing the round-plaited hemp 

 or flax line, I am indebted to " "W". W.," a correspon- 

 dent to the Field newspaper, and I beg to congra- 

 tulate him and his brother fishermen on the discovery 

 he has made, as it is excellent of its kind, and far 

 superior to anything which has hitherto been made use 

 of for the purpose. 



Finishing Varnish. 



The durability and strength of fishing tackle is 

 materially increased by using the varnish, directions 

 for which I am about to give, to such portions as 

 are fastened with thread or silk, the fastenings of 



