294 
air four feet, shook his head and out came the 
fly. Iwas never more astonished, but admired 
his pluck and skill so much that I was almost 
willing to let him go. There was another in 
the same pool just like him. I hear he played 
the same joke on several people.’ 
The reader will note the coincidences. We 
both fished a river of the same name and at 
the same time, probably the same day, one of 
us being in Northern Michigan, the other in 
Northern New York, about 1,000 miles apart; 
and each of us caught the rainbow and discov- 
ered in them new (to us) game qualities sur- 
passing all other fish we had ever before 
killed. ‘There is no telling, as yet, where these 
coincidences will end, but we have written to 
find out what fly the New York ‘‘red-sides”’ 
took, what hour and minute he rose, his 
build, grades of coloration, if he shook his 
head or his whole body, numberof scales along 
the lateral line and other etceteras, which when 
known will make up a first class angler’s dual- 
ity. But be this as it may, it is settled with 
both of us that the rainbow trout, ‘‘inch for 
inch and pound for pound,” is the game fish 
of American waters.—Ep, 

Salmon Fishing at Seventy-Five. 
We have just received a letter from that old 
veteran of salmon anglers, John Mowat, of 
Campbellton, N. B., which is so characteristic 
that we publish extracts, dispite the strict 
amenities governing private correspondence: 
‘““My Dear Harris:—It’s a long time be- 
tween drinks, or rather its long since I heard 
from you; probably that book is not yet com- 
pleted, and times have been hard; however, 
they are on the mend and I trust you will get 
a share. I had some five weeks outing last 
summer; fished out of my light canoe, all 
alone, and I enjoyed it. It is not many men 
can do it at my age (75), handle twenty-five 
salmon, one a 28% pounder. Of course my 
canoe was very light and properly fitted for the 
work, and it is most exciting to have to do it 
alone, but I would rather kill one fish alone 
than kill a dozen with two men (the common 
number) to paddle you around. I lost only 
two fish, and in landing one of them, trying to 
gaff from the canoe, I had him on the gaff, but 
he broke my leader and then twisted off the 
gaff; as usual, he was a big fish, probably a 
thirty pounder. I am in good, fair health and 
hope to enjoy another year or two before go- 
ing. Should like to see the yacht race,—have 
bet on the Defender—Canadians all go on 
Valk. III. Iclip froma Canadian paper: 
CAMPBELLTON, N. B., Sept. 6.—As Driver Fraser, of 
the Northern division of the International Railway, 
was running a special into Sayabec, the other night, 
Lhe American Angler 
the locomotive ran into a herd of moose, killing one, a 
male, which was brought to Campbellton, and tipped 
the scale at 600 pounds. : 
That's how we get our fresh meat here. Oh! 
he was as tender as a chicken. Sold for 10 
cents per pound.” 

Does a Black Bass Shake His Head. 
Iobserve a long and somewhat drawn out dis- 
cussion in one of your contemporaries over the 
question, ‘‘ Does a black bass shake his head to 
get rid of the hook, and his object in doing it,” 
and would be glad to hear your views on the 
subject, as I read some ten years ago your 
interesting articles on ‘‘ Fly fishing for Black 
Bass,’”’ and know you have made this fish one 
of your specialities. Joun HoMaADeEr. 
New York, September 15, 1895. 
Unfortunately for an answer in the affirm- 
ative to this query, the black bass is so built 
that a supple or positive shake of the head, fer 
se, iS anatomically impossible. An effort on 
his part to do so will result, if you observe 
closely, in a lateral motion of the upper or 
anterior portion of the body, if not the whole 
of it. Of course the head shakes when the 
body does, but the neck (?) of a fish contains 
only cartilaginous disks or short cylinders 
which to all intents and purposes are inflex- 
ible. 
As to the object a black bass has in view 
when he shakes his head (and body) the solu- 
tion is easy. He wants to get his liberty, and 
brings into action every device known to his 
intelligent instincts, or handed down from his 
heredity to accomplish it, and when he does, 
the humane and loving angler should wish 
him “ God speed,” and but few returns of the 
fateful but lucky day for the bronze backer.— 
ED. 
The Tarpon Quantity Record Broken. 
SAN ANTONIO, ‘'ex., September 19, 1895. 
This is to certify that the undersigned A. 
Houston and P. J. Lewis, of San Antonio, 
arrived at Aransas Pass on the afternoon of 
the 12th inst., to fish for tarpon with rod and 
reel. On the 13th, Lewis landed two tarpon; 
on the 14th, Houston landed six and Lewis 
six (fishing about seven hours of the day); on 
the 15th, in the afternoon, Houston landed 
three and Lewis two, making total number 
landed nineteen, in two and one-half days’ 
fishing. 
‘The remarkable catch on the 14th of twelve 
in one day (six by each), is the largest catch of 
tarpon with rod and reel ever made in one day,,. 
so far as we can learn. Before this Mr. 
Wallace, of Racine, Wis., on November 3, 
1894, landed five tarpon in one day; he and 
two associates landing together twelve in one 
