New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-07
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

FIJI Illustrated Harper Bros. Sew-fork' 1850
~. woI,.,s Intelligent and logical exposition Oh
tho materials proved by experience 10 pe ihos'
.sstohIs for the anglers use will DO warmly wel-
so,nao Of this season. Already the Long isiahu
nrassryes have yielded up multitude Oh 'nen
beautiful inmates and rods and flies are Deins Plo
a rd for snort in the Adirondacks or in the hange
the naradise of our fly fishermen. The
,rofessonal and business men of our cities "ho nnu
a.doa recreation in "the gentle craft" are 'n-
La,v IN have time or patience for the manuIacture
a. their own rods or leaders. and part OIL MI
Wels's instructions will therefore interest only
limited class On the other hand, TINS Vsiuaoie
hook contains precisely the information winch ou,
c,tv anglers as we'll their country brethren WISH
to acouire. They have no time FOR eIaooraso
experiments with tackle and they VIII gi"uy
accept the results which so competent an au'hoI"y
ms Mr. Wells has arrived at In regard 10 INC o.e'
variety of hook, line and rod WIN sclcn'ii~
sxaetness Mr. Wells analyses different varieties OF
books. appsaring finally to accord the preference
eitbertothe Sproat-bend hook, used chiefly IN hsoWh
6sb;po and To the Pennell hook. He recommends
a"level enamelled waterproof line" size f. ABOUT
ffty wards in length. This line OF course 10 "a
braided silk and of American MANUFACTURER anu MI
Wells makes some interesting suggestions Iegaruhs
.be feasibility of making leaders from silk worms
raised in this country instead Of depending as az
present upon Spanish gut In rous reei'
and lines we lead the world says MT. Wels'
"why not in thsS" lie. the raising OF sliK-worms
IN afford supply of domestic gut. Tho important
points as to the dyeng of leaders either by ink or
Norr,s,s preparaton of logwood and copperas IN
order 70 secure invisbity and the subject OF knots
are illustrated in practical and valuable manner
Mr.. Wells believes that leader which Will pear a
strain OF five pounds with spring balance WIZ
resist when backed by a fairly elastic rod, the
largest RaAgeley Lake trout
A plain click reel of brass and German-slver or
aluminium and copper with narrow spoon ana
crank handle protected by a flange is recommended
as most desirable for fy-fshing. As to rods, we
find some amusing statistics regarding the size OF
the clumsy English rods which have evidently I'M
proved but slowly from the time of Dame Juana
Berners who recommended rod IA feet long, the
Init nine feet in length as thick around as
mans arm and bound with hoops OF iron. Like
most modern fishermen, Mr.. Wells prefers the spnt
bamboo rod. If made from the best quality OF
Calcutta bamboo and purchased from reliable
dealer In the humorous vein which frequently
enlivens his style, Mr.. Wells gives SIX explanations
of the charmed marks whieh appear on the bamboo,
leaving his readers to take their choice. Other
materials, as the highly priced ash aud lancewood
green heart and several foreign woods receive dis
terminating attention and the writer hazards the
oplnion that fy-rods will some time be made out OF
hollow osely rolled steel joints at least with the
exception of the tips The chapter on rodmakins
will interest the majority OF anglers SIMPLY as a
ploof of the writer's knowledge and experience
but his practical suggestions as 70 repairs ana his
instructions in casting flies are worthy OF beng the
rade mecum of every fisherman. Mr. Wells DIS
courses concerning flies in an extremely sensible
manner. There has been great deal OF nonsense
written about fl Wishing aud especially about the
f,,r al, ipnmo
making frequent changes to tempt the fish, Nj.
Wells acknowledges that he has doubted " whether
trout regard the artificial fly in any other light
than that Of living thing small enough TO DC
eaten without thought as to what portion of the
animal kingdom it may belong" The skilful
angler will note the appearance OF sky and water
and the size and color Of the flies which may be
lowering over the fishing ground. but as Mr.. Wells
points out seven or eight varieties OF flies VIII
probably serve his parpose in any given place. al
though for fishing different waters In different
parts Of the country wider range of selection is
necessary Mr.. Weiss suggestive speculatiens as
10 the habits of trout and their powers OF seeing
and hearing we must leave unabridged for the
reader Scattered through the book are tales OF
anglers experiences serving to point morals
as also to adorn them. But the value
of this work does not depend upon the
descriptive and anecdOtal padding so common
tells the fy-fsherman precisely what the latter
wishes 10 know, and in nearly every instance the
writer fortiies his position by his illustrations.
The fruitful results of experience which 1t
would require many years of intelligent observa-
ton to attain are presented here in convenient
form accessible to every disciple of Izaak Walton.
PROSE WRITINGS OFNATHANIEL PARKER WILLIS.
Selected by HENRY A. BEERS 12mo, PIP. XVI, 800
Charles Scrlbners Sons
Professor Beers has probably done well in supple
msnting his judicous Lafe OF Willis" by a selec-
ton from that once popular authors prose, and he
has made the choice of pieces wisely. giving speci-
mems of WIllis's best work in several styles-the
spirited aud lively tales which he contributed to
the magazines, the sketch and essay letters dashed
off for the newspapers. and few of the pen pictures
OF celebrities by which he earned most of his endur
ing and least desirable fame. Among these last
productions are the account Of Dinner at Lady
and. =" Week at Gordon CASTLE