260 



THE ANGLER-NATURALIST. 



males assuming a browner or more golden tinge, and the 

 cheeks being marked with orange-coloured stripes ; the 

 lower jaw elongates, and a gristly projection or horn turns 



turns of lipflit-coloui'L'd silk, as shown in iifx. 1 of the accompanying 

 engraving; and the eft'oct of this arrangement will bo found In be that 

 the casting-line at that point is trebly stiffened, with sciuwly a per- 

 ceptible increase of tliickiiess or clumsiness. Ovcv the Cfiitvnl knot 

 the loop of the drop-fly should be pasaud in the usual manner and 

 drawn close (fig. 3 ■©-). 



-==3ite-i 



^^ 



For the tying of these loops, and all others used in fishing, I have, 

 I believe, succeeded in hitting upon a lu-w and coiiNidonibly improM'd 

 form of knot, — the ordinary loop bring both I'hiiiisy and crooked (a 

 serious drawback to the perfect set of the ily), and, in Ihicli gut, -scry 

 difficult to manipulate. My knot ((ig. 1', and x in lig. .",) is simply a 

 new application of the principle of the ordinary single ILshrnnan's-knot, 

 thus : a half-knot is made, about an inch and a lialf or two iucht's 

 from the end of the gut of the fly, linl. not <lnitrn qiiilr tight ; the end ul' 

 the gut is doubled over and passed back again through the opening on 

 the same side from which the end issues; and then again, with tliis 

 end, a further half-knot (cmliracing the main link) is made below the 

 first. Both half-knots are then pulled tight, and drawn togctln'r. 

 This produces flic smallest possible knot, and one which will never 

 draw and is perfectly .striiight. 



Of course the foregoing knots, so far as regards flies, are only appli- 

 cable to those used in Salmon or Sea-Trout fishing, or where a ury fine 

 tackle is not essential. 



