LOOSE STRANDS 183 



known it slip, and if it has displayed the other faults 

 ascribed to it, they have escaped my notice. 



I confess to a preference for Mr. Cholmondeley- 

 Pennell's hook. The upward bend close to its ex- 

 tremity brings the shank in line with the cast, and lifts 

 the eye out of the way of the point of the hook — a 

 feature of the device which, though of little moment 

 in the case of large, is said to be vitally important in 

 the case of small hooks. 



To the upturned eye I find it impossible to reconcile 

 myself Its appearance displeases me ; though, like 

 the gentleman who so cordially disliked the harmless 

 Dr. Fell, I am unable to say why. My reason is the 

 usual woman's reason, "just because." And it seems 

 to me a mechanical mistake. If the fly is to assume in 

 the water the position we desire, there should be no 

 weight of metal above the shank of the hook. I am, 

 however, prepared to admit that the objection is alto- 

 gether frivolous. It may be taken for granted that the 

 upturned eye is innocent of evil ; what influence it 

 might be supposed to exercise on the attitude of the 

 lure is fully counterbalanced by the dressing. It would 

 be less popular with the dry-fly angler did it prevent 

 his fly from sitting upright on the water. 



The angler who employs the eyed-fly, and who de- 



