HOOKS. 27 



when of fine quality, are still preferred by many scientific 

 Anglers. 



Plate No. 1, represents the best pattern of Limerick hook 

 now in use. They are, as the reader will perceive, perfectly 

 straight, without the slightest* kirb or bend, the point and 

 barb delicately finished, and the hook neatly japanned black, 

 to prevent corrosion. Its great superiority, over any other 

 hook, consists in its perfect adaptation to artificial fly-fishing ; 

 in fact, it is rarely the case that any other hook is used for 

 that purpose. They were originally invented and made by 

 one O'Shaughnessy, of Limerick. Sir HUMPHREY DAVY, in 

 his " Salmonia" says : " I never use any hooks for salmon 

 fishing, except those I am sure have been made by 

 O'Shaughnessy, of Limerick."t He also gives the following 

 method of tempering hooks : " It is requisite that the iron be 

 pure and malleable, such as is procured from old horse-shoe 

 nails, which we believe to be generally made from Swedish 

 iron. This should be cemented with charcoal into good soft 

 steel, and that into wires of different sizes." The original 

 O'Shaughnessy hook thus highly spoken of, is not made of 

 wire like the ordinary hook, but is forged and hammered into 

 shape from the rough steel, which gives an opportunity of 

 varying the form, and of throwing proper strength into those 

 parts of the hook which most require it. This latter advant- 

 age, it will be remembered, cannot be attained in the ordi- 

 nary wire hooks. Their general superiority, as Anglers say, 

 consists in their excellence of temper, perfection of the barb, 

 shape of the bend, and position of strength. The price of the 



* Some Anglers prefer the Limerick slightly kirb'd, which can be 

 easily done by subjecting them to a moderate heat in the flame of a cau- 

 dle, and bending them with a pair of plyers. 



t Professor Rcnnie objects to Davy's opinion, and says that inferior 

 hooks were made at that time, but good hooks could be had both ut 

 London and Birmingham. 



