FISHING AS A PINE ART. 109 



better present could a gentleman make to a " lady angler " 

 than a pretty mottled gudgeon-rod, which is manufactured 

 to weigh only 10 oz. with its two tops and bag, and yet 

 will stand any amount of fair and even unfair work ? 



A marvellous amount of ingenuity has been shown of 

 late years in manufacturing a variety of articles to meet 

 the angler's wants. Compare, for instance, old-fashioned 

 to modern landing-nets, with their whalebone rings and 

 netting of prepared silk, which prevents the annoyance of 

 artificial flies catching in it, with their hinges, and spring 

 " knuckle joints " enabling them to be packed by the 

 side of the rod, or slung over the arm ; a slight jerk 

 being all that is required to make them spring out 

 straight for use. Even the more comfortable slinging of 

 fishing-baskets has been attended to. Instead of being 

 made after the old fashion, with a single strap to lie 

 diagonally over the chest and back of the angler, and ruck 

 up his collar to his great discomfort, a strap or webbing 

 is passed over the left shoulder like a deacon's stole, while 

 another comes round his waist and is attached to the 

 shoulder-strap near the basket by means of a spring swivel 

 which he can unfasten in a moment, and relieve himself of 

 his load. By this arrangement, too, his right arm and side 

 are free from impediment, and the waistband is also avail- 

 able for hanging his landing net on, by means of a 

 flattened hook. Another admirable article I have recently 

 noticed is a new multiplying winch. I know that the 

 majority of artistic anglers are against multipliers, but 

 I must side with the minority, for in trout-fishing, 

 when you are wading, and especially when fishing up- 

 stream, a multiplyer, in my opinion, is the greatest com- 

 fort both in playing your fish, and in recovering your line 



