FOKEST AND STREAM. 



181 



and, with uplifted bands, in admiration and awe, gaze wil.li 

 dazed eyes from alar upon that EorbiddOO land— that Urra in- 

 cognita— and then, having lived in vain, die and leave no Sigh. 



It is then with a spirit of rank heresy in my heart.; with 

 smoked-glass spectacles on my nose to dim the glare and 

 glamour of the transcendent shore: with the scales of justice 

 across my Shoulder— M, mtmoidei'm one scoop and .V. pallidus 

 in the other — I pass the. barriers aud confines of the enchanted 

 land and toss them into a stream thai, has been depopulated of 

 even fingerings by the diliMnnU of salmon and trout fishers ; 

 for I would not, even here, put. black buss in a stream in- 

 habited by salmon or brook trout. While watching the ple- 

 beian interlopers sporting m an eddy, their bristling spinesand 

 emerald aides gleaming in the sunshine, 1 hear an awful voice 

 from the adjacent rocks exclaiming: "Fools rush in where 

 angels fear to tread!" Shade of Izaak Walton defend us ! 

 While appealing to father lzaak for protection, I quote his 

 words: " Of which, if thou be a severe., sour complexioued 

 man, then I here disallow thee to be a competent judge." 



Seriously, most of our notions of game fish and fishing are 

 derived from British writers ; and as the salmon and the trout 

 are the only fishes in Great Britain worthy of being called 

 game, they, of course, form the themes of British writers 

 on game fish. American?, following the lead of our British 

 cousins in this, as we were wont to do in all sporting matters, 

 have eulogized the salmon and brook trout as the game fish 

 par excellence of Amciica, ignoring other fish equally worthy. 

 While some claim for the striped bass a high niche in the list 

 of game fish, f feel free to assert that, were the black bass a 

 native of Great Britain, he would rank fully as hiah in the es- 

 timation of British anglers as either the trout or the salmon. 

 I am borne out in this by the opinions of British sportsmen, 

 whose statements have always be<n received without question. 

 W. H. Herbert (Frank Forester) writing of the black bass, 

 says: "This is one of the finest of the American fresh water 

 fishes ; it is surpassed by none in boldness of biting, in fierce 

 and violent resistance when hooked, and by a very few only 

 iu excellence ripon the board.'' Barker Giluiore (•' Unique") 

 Bays : " I fear it will be almost deemed heresy to place this 

 fish tblaek bass) on a par with the trout ; at least, some such 

 idea 1 had when t first heard the two compared; hut I am 

 bold, and will go further. I consider he is the superior of the 

 two, for he is equally goof! as an article of food, and much 

 stronger and untiring iu his efforts to escape when hooked." 

 Mr. Uduiore again says: ''Americans have reason to be 

 proud of the black bass, for its game qualities endear it to (he 

 fisherman, and its nutty, sweet flavor to the gourmand," 



Now, while salmon fishing may be the highest branch of 

 piscatorial sport ; and while trout fishing in Canada, Maine 

 and the Lake Superior region justifies all the extravagant 

 praise bestowed upon it, I am inclined to doubt the judg- 

 ment aud good taste, of those anglers who snap their fingers 

 in contempt of black blaes fashing, while they will wade a 

 Stream strewn with brush and logs, catch a few trout weigh- 

 ing six or eight to the pound, and call it the only artistic 

 angling in the world! While they arc certainly welcome to 

 their opinion, 1 think their zeal is worthy of a better cause. 

 The black bass is eminently an American fish, and has been 

 said to be representative in his characteristics. He has the 

 faculty of asserting himself and making himself completely 

 at home wherever placed. He is plucky, game, brave and 

 unyielding to the last when hooked. He has the arrowy rush 

 aud vigor of a trout, the untiring strength aud bold leap 

 of a salmon, while he has a system of fighting tactics pecu- 

 liarly his own. He will rise to the artificial fly as readily as 

 the salmon or the brook trout, under the same conditions j aud 

 will take the live minnow or other live bait, under any aud 

 all circumstances favorable to the taking of any other fish. I 

 consider him, inch for inch and pound for pound, the gamest 

 fish that swims. The royal salmon and the lordly trout must 

 yield the palm to a black bass of equal weight. That he will 

 eventually become the leading game fish of America is my 

 oft-expressed opinion and firm belief. This result, I think, 

 is inevitable, if for no other reasons, from a force of circum- 

 stances occasioned by climatic conditions and the operation 

 of immutable natural laws, such as the gradual drying up and 

 dwindling away of the small trout streams, and the consequent 

 decrease of brook trout both is quality and quantity; and by 

 the introduction of predatory fish iu Ihe same waters with 

 trout. Another prominent cause of the decline and fall of the 

 brook trout is the c.reetiou of dams, saw-mills and factories 

 upon trout streams, which, though to he deplored, cannot be 

 prevented ; the march of empire and the progress of civiliza- 

 tion cannot be stayed by the honest, though powerless pro- 

 tests of anglers. But, while the ultimate fate of the. brook 

 trout is sealed beyond peradventure, we have the satisfaction 

 of knowing that in the black bass we have a fish equally 

 worthy, both as to game and edible qualities, and which, at 

 the same i ime, is able to withstand aud defy many of the causes 

 that will in the end effect the annihilation and' extinction of 

 the brook trout. 



As I have stated long since in the Fouest and Stream, the 

 bli.ck bass will exhibit game qualities that will at once con- 

 vince and surprise the most Skeptical salmon or trout fishers, 

 if they will angle for him with as suitable aud delicate tackle 

 as they employ for his more favored congeners of the tribe 

 Salmontda, It is high time, then, that anglers and sporting 

 writers should accept the situation ; accord to the black JJRBS 

 bis just due, and acknowledge him as the coming game fish of 

 America. J. A. Hunsitah, M. D. 



Qynlhiana, Xt/., XepL 23, 1878. 



[No doubt the Bass is the appointed successor of the Trout ; 

 not through heritage, nor selection, nor by interloping, but by 

 fore-ordination, and for the reasons which our far-seeing corres- 

 pondent advances. Truly it is sad to contemplate in the not 

 distant f uture the extinction of a beautiful race of creatures 

 whose attributes have been sung by all the poets, but we re- 

 gard the inevitable with the same calm philosophy with which 

 the astronomer watches the burning out of a world, knowing 

 that it will be succeeded by a new creation. As we mark the 

 soft vari-tinted flush of the trout disappear in the eventide, 

 behold the sparkle of the coming bass as he leaps into the 

 morning of his glory ! we hardly know which to admire the 

 most— the velvet livery and the charming graces of the depart- 

 ing courtier, or the flash of the armor-plates on the advancing 

 warrior. No doubt the bass will prove himself a worthy sub- 

 stitute for his predecessor, and a candidate for a full legacy of 

 honors. > 



By the same fate which has predestinated the trout, the 

 salmon may also bo superseded ; but there is no fish which 

 has ever yet swum, that can be accounted his peer, His 

 gigantic forccB must be encountered with heavier weapons 



than those we emp'oy for the diminutive bass, and however 

 much wo may admire the subtle strategy and the fighting 

 qualities of the latter, or estimate them by comparative value, 

 they cannot be measured by the same scale. 'Che manoeuvres 

 of ihe bass are merely amusing ; they are Liliputian. But the 

 efforts of the giants arc all-absorbing. It is only after a man has 

 captured a salmon that he feels as if he bad conquered a world. 

 The man who has landed six-pound bass, one after the other 

 with a light bamboo rod, as we have doue, greatly enjoyed the 

 sport, but he never felt like Alexander.— Ed,] 



THE MINNESOTA FAIR AND FIELD 

 TRIALS. 



THE editor of this journal was favored in being able 

 to attend the joint agricultural fair held last mouth at 

 St. Paul and Minneapolis, in the great and prosperous State of 

 Minnesota. Every courtesy was extended to him by the offi- 

 cers in charge of the exhibition, of which the bench show at 

 St. Paul, already described at length in our columns, con- 

 stituted so attractive a feature, especially to sportsmen. Of 

 course there is a sameness of character in all fairs and indus- 

 trial exhibitions, whether they be merely local aud limited, or 

 world's fairs and comprehensive ; but there were so many fea- 

 tures or this Western frontier display not found in stated 

 shows of like character, and altogether novel to residents of 

 older States, that we would have gladly described them at 

 length weeks ago, when we wrote up the Bench Show and 

 Field Trials, had there not been more legitimate demands upon 

 our space. There were to be seen aboriginal Indians with 

 their implements of industry and weapons of the chase ; furs, 

 robes and hides, with the rude tools used in dressing them ; 

 stuffed specimens of wild animals ; great structures created of 

 the products of grain, which now grows luxuriantly on quon- 

 dam buffalo ranges ; wonderful implements of farm industry, 

 doing the work of scores of men; steam threshers and self- 

 binding harvesters, all showing the marvelous development 

 of a very few years. Incidental and appropriate were the side 

 shows, the team of elk in harness, the feats of wild horsemen iu 

 the saddle • the marvellous execution with rifle and shotgun ; 

 the rough riders, fox running, and coursing of hares. Scat- 

 tered through all the great space, indoors aud out, were the 

 motley costumes of frontiersmen, voyagers, trappers, stock- 

 raisers, soldiers, scouts, surveyors, half-breeds and Indians, 

 all typical of the Far West and its recent change to civiliza- 

 tion. Fortunately, and very creditable to those enterprising 

 publishers, the Harper Brothers, of New York, that firm sent 

 an artist to the grounds— young Rogers, noted for the force 

 of his character sketches —who, by his own industry and some 

 slight service rendered by Mr. Hallock, to whom he bore a 

 letter of introduction, has preserved mauy strong points of the 

 Exhibtion in the engraving which we print to-day. 



Even more faithful and characteristic is the sketch of the 

 Field Trial Grounds and the camp, represented in the com- 

 panion picture. It is the first delineation of such an event in 

 America, and our thanks are due to the Messrs. Harpers for 

 the privilege of printing it. [In parenthesis, we feel sorry 

 for that fellow in the sketch who sleeps with his boots on and 

 feet outside of his blanket.] 



■lust hero our immediate reference to the subject gives us an 

 opportunity to correct some errors which occured by the trans- 

 position of figures in our score table for the All Ages Slakes in 

 the Minnesota Field Trials, as printed in our last issue. Those 

 using our paper for reference will please note this : 



SCALE OF POINTS, 

 , Merit. ■ — , l -Deimerti.— i 



a 



Knap 



Daisy 



Clipper 



Jaoiile 



Jrrienil 



Queeuot the 



West.. 



Ranger 



Jet 



Nellie 



Mat'gle May — 

 Countess Royal. 



Stratliroy 



Jack, withdrawn 



Pop Forest and Stream and Rod and Oun. 

 A CHASE FOR THE BRUSH. 



THERE arc particular localities which seem to be enchant- 

 ing to foxes. For forty years the Allen plantation, just 

 across from Roanoake, opposite my own, has been the favorite 

 resort of red foxes. From Curl's Hill to Gaston the cliff3 and 

 bluffs on the Roanoake are literally honeycombed with holes, 

 into which the foxes retreat when too closely pressed by 

 hounds for their comfort. Iu these dens, too, they raise their 

 young with security, and if left alone for a few years the 

 country would be overrun with them. They are never trapped, 

 or bunted with gun ; but the hunter, with practiced pack, be- 

 gins upon them early iu September, and by the close of the 

 fall but few are left. I have been their chief enemy lor near- 

 ly forty years, and have more than once during mat period 

 caught every one iu that focalitv- Tbis season 1 began upon 

 them the 2d of September, which I have continued every 

 other morning to the 18th, and with a success rivaling my 



IB oils companion some twenty years ago in the same hunt- 

 ing giound, when I caught or put to earth tweiny out of 

 twenty-one on as many hunling mornings, ihe longest race 

 being only ninety minutes. This season 1 took a servant with 

 ttxe and spade, and closed every hole I knew, and, as I ran a 

 fox into a new one, would close that the next day. In this 

 way ! closed the door upon them, and have fun now until it 

 isn't fun. At this season the red fox cannot be run out, of his 

 range, which is in this locality some three miles up and down 

 the Roanoake and about one from it. The first chase was 

 luckily after the old male. 1 had invited I). 0. Hardy. Jerry 

 Newsomeand Nat Showers to join in the sport, and right 

 readily did they respond, and brought in recruits of„no ordi- 

 nary promise. Our united forces amouuted to some thirty 

 hounds, and nearly all of them could boast of their lineal de- 

 scent from old Byron, Leader, Rebel and Pilot. Three sent 

 Gen. W. H. Jackson, of Bekmead, Tennessee, had brother and 

 Bister representatives. Comet and the peerless Vanity, the full 

 brother and sister to leader, though eight years old, displayed 

 on this oecasiou their usual vim and coinage. Winder, the 

 full brother of Rebel, but her junior, distinguished himself for 

 speed and dash, a fitting accompaniment of so much beauty. 

 Young Watchman aud Red Bird were not behind Jiim in these 

 qualities. I crossed the Roanoake on this occasion long before 

 sunrise in a small canoe, and niy pack took water and swam 

 over. The stream here is some half mile wide, but the water 

 being warm the hounds did not hesitate to cross it. 1 invari- 

 ably teach my dogs to take water iu the summer, and they 

 will do so then at all seasons, regardless of the temperature of 

 the water. Hardy had a horse at the opposite bank ready for 

 me. His dogs were in full cry on a lively trail as I landed. I 

 was just in time ; the thing was artistically done, and the re- 

 cruits went iu without jar or confusion. Off they dashed up 

 the Roanoake in as lively, merry aud joyous a mood aa ever 

 pack in its opening chase displayed. The huntsmen, too, did 

 nor, lack the enlbusiasin the thundering of a full pack of 

 hounds invariably inspires. For my part, quiet and steadi- 

 ness was my philosophy, occasioned by being mounted on an 

 old, stiff aud spiritless nag greatly addicted to falling down 

 when urged beyond the slowest, of paces. Two tumbles in 

 half a mile convinced me that her reputation for vaulting was 

 deserved, and for the first time in my life my caution in ii red- 

 fox chase overruled my enthusiasm. But. the old nag kept me . 

 out of the dew, and furnished a conveyance, if at 

 little better than foot. The fox kept 'up under ti 

 for some distance at a time, when be would come 

 on the hills as in search of his food. This made, lb 

 splendid, aud one mounted even as 1 was could ^ 

 the puck handsomely followed it around in all its tortuousuess, 

 bringing it back to the near point of its emerging from under 

 the bills. This movement was repeated several times before 

 the fox reached his cover on Curl's Hill, whore, closely aud 

 quietly at rest he lay, unsuspicious of danger. We were upon 

 him before he was aware of it. He had no time to arrange 

 his toilet or plan bis escape. He was surprised, and like all 

 surprises the result was dismay and confusion. He bolted 

 pell-mell first in one and then iu another direction, confronted 

 in every move by a hound, but the undergrowth being dense 

 he. finally safely got off, aud away he flew like a falling star. 

 The pack soon emerged from the thicket, aud in ranting style 

 made pursuit. But the pursuit was too hurried, breaks I iceiu red, 

 and the old red, panic stricken, took no lime to listen to his 

 pursuers. The morning, however, was suited to this condi- 

 tion of things, and iu a few minutes the pursuit was renewed, 

 and in earnest, too. With the advantage thus obtained the 

 fox turned down the Roanoake much in the line of his trail to 

 the Allen field. This he crossed, turned south and rounded 

 back west to Curl's Hill. I met the pack on this turn, and, 

 though the slowest of the huntsmen, saw this, the most mag- 

 nificent press of the chase, alone. Rebel's brother, Winder, 

 was in the lead, Logan aud Watchman, Jr., were next ihe fox, 

 barely out of view. But he stood this press without falter- 

 ing, and as the cry gradually faded away in the distance there 

 was no diminution of its jig-like character. The fox made for 

 Curl's Hill, but avoided the place of bis surprise and took to 

 earth near the mouth of Stouehouse Creek, so he is left for 

 another day. T. G. T, of Gaston, IN. 0. 



) safe, a 

 ver hills 

 and out 

 lil really 



Doos, Spoetino and Domkstki. — Whether it is merely 

 fashion or the result of a general increase of interest in the 

 animal generally, certain it i3 that dogs are being adopted as 

 pots aud protectors to an extent hitherto unknown in this 

 country. A few years ago pugs, or Yorkshire terriers, were 

 rarities, kept and looked upon as curiosities : now, in every 

 large city, and many smaller ones, they are so common as to 

 scarcely excite remark. The same may bu said of the mastiff 

 and St. Bernard. We had but few, and of those many were 

 mongrels ; now they are bred on a large scale. In St, Ber- 

 nard's, the kennels of Mr. Le Roy Z. Collins, Mr. Burdelt 

 Loomis, and others, will compare favorably with any in Eng- 

 land, from whence, indeed, the choicest blood has been im- 

 ported, and many gentlemen of this city and vicinity, and also 

 of Boston, have fine kennels of mastiffs. W T hile the dog used 

 for sporting purposes will naturally always hold pre-emi- 

 nence, yet the time has arrived when other breeds are entitled 

 to recognition, from the fael that they are not only as valu- 

 able intrinsically, but are equally cherished by their owners, 

 who may not be sportsmen. The ills to which all varieties 

 are subject are almost identical, and we hold ourselves in 

 readiness to do what lies iu our power towards alleviating the 

 sufferings, or adding to the well-being of one kind as well us 

 another. With small dogs used as pets, iu nine cases out of 

 ten, sickness arises from over-feeding and it may be set down 

 almost as a rule that a strict attention to diet, with cleanliness, 

 is at once preventive aud remedy. After all, it is by no 

 means a difficult thing to keep dogs in health, setting aside, 

 of course, that dreadful scourge, distemper, and its Irain of 

 attendant evils. We shall endeavor in future issues to give 

 some plain directions for the care of dogs, together with the 

 simplest remedies for the more common disorders. 



Very young dogs almost invariably point at sight. Pup- 

 pies are often seen standing on chickens, or even on flies. It 



always a capital sign, ami almost a sure Indication lhat the 

 " hunting" instinct exists, and merely wants development 

 with age, when the nose can be brought into play instead of 

 the eyes. The powers of scent can be developed by allowing 

 the puppy to trace a piece of meat or a fresh bone that has 



