116 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 



assured him that nothing but onr modesty liad prevented us from" 

 ordering the most select wines. 



Automobiles were placed at our disposal. The Christmas festivities 

 were in full blast, and we had special seats for the opera, "The Merry 

 Widow," also seats at the bull fight, which was attended by President 

 Diaz and 48,000 people. We shall always wish to forget the bull fight. 

 We were unable to leave the arena, so were compelled to witness some 

 of the most shocking brutality and cruelty ever perpetrated. Thirteen 

 magnificent bulls were slowly tortured to death. Eleven horses were 

 gored and dragged out of the arena alive, their entrails protruding, 

 amid the plaudits of 48,000 representative citizens. It is puzzling to 

 know that people possessing such qualities of refinement and hospitality 

 can witness such brutality. 



Believing that it would be of interest to obtain information as to 

 the success of the planting in Lake Chapala, the Mexican consul in San 

 Francisco was appealed to, with the result that the following interesting 

 reports were received: 



(translation.) 



Government of the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco. 

 Section Fourth, No. 16582. 



To the Consul General of Mexico, 



519 California Street, San Francisco, California. 



Referring to your attentive communication dated October 31st last, by which you 

 request information as to the success attained in acclimatizing in the Lake of 

 Chapala the fish called black bass (lobina), I beg to inform you that I have, on 

 my part, requested this information from the city mayors of the lake cities and 

 their replies were the following : 



Chapala Mayor's report : 



"I have the honor to refer to your respectable communication issued by Section 

 4th dated on the r2th inst. and in reply to it I beg to inform you that in the 

 Chapala Lake can be found the fish called BLACK BASS, in short number being 

 more abundant toward la Cienega, La Palma and Jamau as I have been informed ; 

 in this place are caught very few of them due to the fact the fish named Carp 

 (CARPA) fight them to death destroying either the fish itself or their spawn, being 

 more destructive in the latter case which danger has not been possible to avoid on 

 account of the latter named fish Carp is a courageous fighter against the other less 

 warlike fishes as is the case with the AVHITE FISH, BLACK BASS and other 

 named CHARAL. This is, in my opinion, the cause that the fish in question is not 

 more abundant, although I believe in its acclimatizing." 



.Tocotepec Mayor's reported on the 20th inst : 



"Informed to my satisfaction from the most prominent fishers of the Lake of 

 Chapala, in this region, I have the honor to say in response to your communication 

 No. .95081 issued by Section 4th on the 12th instant that: on the shores of said 

 Lake within the limits of this Municipality, they have not fished the BLACK BASS 

 (Lobina) or Delicious fish that is known but it is believed it can be found in Jamay 

 or in the emptying of the Rio Grande into the Lake." 



Jamay Mayor's reported on the 29th inst. as follows : 



''In reply to your communication No. 9509, issued by Section 4th on the 12th 

 inst. I state that after the investigations made in order to find if the fish known 

 by the name of LOBINA the fishermen of this place only informed me on the fishes 

 thtey fish in this pai't of the Lake, viz : BAGRE in very short amount, the WHITE ; 

 FISII very scarcely and that the fish named Carp is the more abundant." 

 .,Tu:^cueca Mayor on the 20th inst reported: 



"I ^eg to inform that respectable Government that in the region of Lake Chapala 

 within the jurisdiction of this Muuicipality the fish known by the name of LOBINA 

 has not been found and that I ignore whether this fish is to be found in any of the 

 other Municipalities around the lake." 



