280 ABOUT HOOKS. 



shown in the case of the heavy Limerick. The 

 relative weight-sustaining powers of straight-pointed 

 and " rake-pointed " hooks may be exemplified in the 

 following manner. Take a " rake " pointed, deeply 

 barbed Limerick, Kendal, or any other bend, and 

 take also a " straight " pointed hook of the same size 

 and strength of metal. Secure a length of gut to the 

 shank of each hook, and stick the points slightly into 

 a deal board, and now attach a spring-balance to 

 each piece of gut, and pull. The staying powers of 

 the " straight point" will be found to be almost double 

 that of the others. 



The eyed hook (fig. 4) is a new bend, the joint 

 production of Capt. Bankart, Leicester ; Capt. Turle, 

 and Mr. H. S. Hall, of Weymouth. The bend is a 

 sort of cross between the old Kirby and the Limerick. 

 The colour is of a light brown, like that of an 

 ordinary steel pen. This is a decided improvement 

 on the japanning system, and deserves to be more 

 generally adopted. The advantages of the loop at 

 the head of a made-up artificial are considerable, 

 the loss occasioned by the gut fraying or necking off 

 being greatly diminished, if not entirely obviated. 

 All large or heavy flies have of necessity to be dressed 

 looped. In the case of the very finest, for dry-fly 

 or grayling fishing, it is scarcely so advisable, 

 especially in still waters, or the chalk streams of 

 Hampshire, where, as in the lower portions of 

 those of Derby and neighbouring counties, it is 

 absolutely necessary to float the dry fly over every 

 fish. It will be seen that the loop projects upwards. 



