68 SALMON AND TROUT. 
seems to me to comprise theoretically all the points of a 
perfect trout reel, and I find in practice its performance is 
equal to its promise, its great diameter enabling a fish that 
‘runs in’ to be wound up so fast that the evils of a 
‘slack line’ need seldom be felt. Besides lightness, the per- 
foration of the side plates, allowing the air to get to the line, 
are intended to prevent the latter rotting if left damp, and I 
must say that though the line has been—day after day, and in 
fact since I began to use it some months ago—left wet, it does. 
not seem so far to have suffered any deterioration whatever in 
consequence. The only imperfection in the reel was that 
owing to the old-fashioned ‘ crank’ form of handle the line not 
unfrequently got hitched round it, and to remedy this I have 
had a handle fitted to mine, as shown in the engraving, which 
effectually overcomes the ‘hitching’ tendency, whilst at the 
same time increasing the leverage. The double handle is also 
of considerable advantage in real work, as the handle is more 
rapidly found, and consequently less time is lost in winding in 
—this is an advantage possessed by the Slater reel also ; and it 
has saved me many a fish, more especially in boat work, when 
