20 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 
down, thus giving quite a contrary motion to what is in- 
tended. Again: if you have to fish against the wind, they 
will not only be found most difficult to manage, but excess- 
ively fatiguing. There is a rod made in Castle Connell 
(principally for salmon), after the above pattern; it has 
many admirers, who doubtless through experience have 
become proficient in its use; still I can speak only from 
what I know, and my verdict is, leave them to their pres- 
ent advocates. : 
A combination-rod has always been my horror. I mean 
such as fishing-tackle shop proprietors guarantee to be both - 
a perfect fly and bait rod by only altering the tip. If per- 
sons will but use their brains they can in a moment see 
that such is impossible. The two cases are essentially 
different, requiring the spring and elasticity in totally dif- 
ferent parts. The act of placing a dull, lumbering tip on 
the first three joints of a delicate, pliant trout-rod is really 
absurd. However, some may say, you will find a medium 
between the two more generally useful. My answer is, 
what is worth doing is worth doing well; and if your in- 
tent is fly-fishing, the most perfect rod for that purpose 
should be selected. If the river is so discolored or swollen 
that bait has to be resorted to or you must go supperless 
to bed, for goodness’ sake, go and cut a hazel wand, unless 
you carry a bait-rod. Hybrids, whether in rod or gun, are 
to be carefully avoided. I remember being once entrapped 
into using a hybrid gun, in the township of Markham, Up- 
per Canada. It was in this way: Going through some 
brush I flushed a quantity of woodcock. I stated the cir- 
cumstance when I returned to the farm-house where I was 
residing. As I had no gun with me the host offered me 
the use of his, which from his description was worthy of a 
royal duke; I therefore accepted the offer. On production 
it proved to be half shot-gun, half rifle—that is, the right. 
