THE PIKE FAMILY. 207 



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-poiuted 

 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. Qd. (or about their price for an ordinary double- 

 bladed pocket-knife) . 



