The line itself may be of twisted silk or hemp, terminated with about a yard of strong gut. The lead, preferably of a conical or pear-shaped form, should be placed at the extreme end, and its weight regulated according to the necessities of the occasion. A few ounces of lead are quite sufficient where there are no strong currents, but it is well to be supplied with larger sizes, to be substituted if circumstances require it. Two hooks will be ample. One of these should be only a few inches from the lead, and the other about eighteen or twenty inches higher. The whole arrangement, known as a Paternoster, is represented in fig. 33, in which the method of fixing the lead and the hook links is also illustrated. [Illustration: FIG. 33.--THE PATERNOSTER] It will be seen that a swivel has been introduced in connection with the bottom hook, the object being to show the manner in which this useful piece of tackle is fitted. It must not be supposed, however, that swivels are always necessary. It is often useful to insert a swivel on the line itself, above the Paternoster, when it is of twisted material, in order to prevent it from kinking; but its use is more frequently serviceable on the hook links, especially when fishing where the currents are strong. When the bait used is one that presents two flat surfaces to the water, as would be the case with a strip of mackerel, a strong current will set it spinning round and round, thus causing the hook link to kink if it has not been fitted with a swivel, and the same effect is often produced by the spinning of a fish on the hook. The employment of a suitable ground bait will often make a wonderful difference in the angler’s haul. It frequently attracts large numbers, keeping them near at hand for some considerable time, and apparently sharpens their appetite. It may be often observed, too, that a fish will bite freely at the angler’s bait when in the neighbourhood of the ground bait, while the former is viewed with suspicion in the absence of the latter. When fishing on the bottom only, the ground bait should be weighted if it is of such a nature that it does not sink readily or if it is liable to be carried away by currents; but it will often be found more convenient to secure it on the end of a string, tied up in a muslin bag if necessary, so that it may be adjusted to any desired depth. Among the attractive viands suitable for this purpose we may mention mussels, crushed crabs, pounded liver, the guts of any oily fish, and the offal of almost any animal. Along the east coast, and in some of the sandy bays of Devon and Cornwall, fishing from the beach is practised, but we can hardly recommend this as of much value to the amateur whose object is to obtain as great a variety as possible of fishes for study. Some good food fishes are often caught by this means, but the methods employed are often very primitive, and would lack all interest to those who love good sport.