138 ACANTHOPTERYGII. — SCOMBRTDiE, 
to which the flies are attached. The weight of | 
the plummet is a matter of some nicety, as on it 1 
depends the depth at which the hooks run ; the 1 
greater the speed the heavier must be the lead, | 
to insure the same depth ; a pound and a half ji 
is the average weight. 
The snood is about twelve feet in length, to !| 
carry the hooks clear of the plummet’s wake. It || 
is ordinarily formed of fine hemp, but sometimes | 
of silk ; a length of gut or weed, such as is em- j, 
ployed in Salmon-fishing, may, with advantage, i; 
be interposed between the snood and the hook, | 
but this is generally omitted. The bait must be 
conspicuous ; almost anything showy or glittering, 
a piece of light blue leather^ or a strip of scarlet | 
cloth, is frequently successful ; but the best is | 
a slice taken from the side of a Mackerel, about 
two inches in length, and half an inch in breadth 
at the free end, tapering to the end which is 
affixed to the hook. A waving, vibratory motion 
is imparted to this bait, very much resembling 
that of a small fish. ji 
Some practice is required in order to determine || 
with precision when a fish is hooked. The weight | 
of the lead, and the constant but unequal action j 
of the w’ater upon it, keep up a tremulous mo- | 
tion, that to the inexperienced hand feels very | 
much like the jerking of a fish. Some skill, j 
moreover, is needful in order to strike the fish, |l 
even if he have actually touched the bait. The ! 
Mackerel is said almost invariably to dart at the I 
hook in a direction across its course. It is, there- 
fore, needful to strike forward when a bite is felt, j 
and after hauling in about a fathom of line to i 
sway it, a moment, gently in the hand. The j erking || 
