18. SALMON AND TROUT. 
the bend ; (2) the angle at which the short, or point-side, of 
the hook stands in relation to the shank ; and (3) the shape of 
the point and barb. In proportion as the point is long, fme, 
and cOnically tapered (which necessarily includes the barb not 
being too ‘rank’), so, ceteris paribus, will be its tendency to 
bury itself in whatever it comes in contact with ; as the direc- 
tion of this barbed point, and the angle of the short or point- 
side (or angle of impact), coincides with the direction of the 
applied force (i.e. in this case the ‘ pull’ of the line) so will be 
its hooking and penetrating inclination ; and as the shank is 
long in proportion to the width of the bend, so will be the 
general power it gives the hook in striking a fish and in holding 
him when struck. ~ 
It may be added that, as the greatest strain is always borne 
by the top angle of the bend, such angle should be formed, not 
‘square,’ but in the strongest shape known to mechanics, viz., a 
curve (or the segment of a circle) sharper or more gradual accord- 
ing to the other conditions desiderated. 
Although it is very difficult to give an accurate rendering of 
fish-hooks by means of wood-engraving, a glance at the diagrams, 
pp. 11 and 16, will, I hope, convince the ‘educated’ eye that 
an attempt, at least, has been made to combine these various 
essentials—giving to each its due weight and proportion—so as. 
to bring out a mechanically reliable result. 
"NEEDLE POINT.” ‘ROUND BEND” 
- ~ \ 2 : 
DEFECTIVE HOOK-BENDS, 
The diagrams above are good illustrations of defective 
hooks. They embrace nearly every vice which, mechanically 
