DURE « i AND sTWJAM. 



1ST 



learn the niceties of 'the #«»(fe art from their friends iu Ire- 

 land. 



Our gun and dog friends, who take no interest in fishing, 

 will excuse us, we hope, for what may seem to thein the 

 senseless prolongation of an absurd discussion, when we as- 

 sure them that we are gradually evolving hy this colloquial 

 method a vast deal of information concerning the habits of 

 trout which is not found ,in works on natural history. The 

 letters which we print to-day are extremely instructive. It 

 should be a mutter of congratulation to the profession that the 

 score or so of gentlemen who have approached this subject 

 have done so over their true names, and that they are moat of 

 them widely known to the profession to he well versed in pis- 

 catorial matters. We hope others will lake a hand in until 

 the subject is squeezed dry : 



New Kcssia, N. r., Dec. 31, 1878. 

 ■ Editor Forest and Stream: 



I have been much interested in the discussion in your paper 

 of the manner iu which a trout takes a fly. I think the gen- 

 tlemen who have written on the subject do not give the trout 

 credit enough for intelligence. The truth is, trout are not 

 only game "fish, but first-class sportsmen. Iu proof of this 

 assertion T will slate what I have observer] while trout fishing 

 in the Adirondacks. 1 inclose sketch. The. lower figure shows 

 the maDceuvers of a trout to gain possession of a miller flut- 

 tering along just beyond his reach. Tin- trout jumped at the 

 miller twice, as high as he could, and failed to catch him: 

 then changed his tactics by making sudden darts to the sur- 



face, directly underneath the miller, throwing out his tai 

 with a sharp jerk for the purpose of spattering the insect 

 with water, wfiicb, of course, wets his wings and brings him 

 down where the fish snaps him up at his leisure. I have seen 

 trout make two ami three successive Shots iu this manner be- 

 fore bringing down hiu game. I have seen them catch in- 

 sects in this way that were flying eighteen inches above the 

 water. Now, as most artificial flies (especially hackles) are 

 made to represent buzzing insects, it is very evident that 

 trout often think they are above the surface, and instead of 

 seizing the fly in their mouth, endeavor to throw water with 

 their Tails to bring it down. The motion of an artificial fly 

 being unsteady, they sometimes break water just behind it. 

 The" other figure shows the mauaauver 1 have soeu trout 

 make when about to strike an artificial fly To one who did 

 not understand the trick it would seem to strike the fly with 

 its tail — which 1 do not doubt they sometimes happen to do. 

 If the gentlemen will carefully observe the motions of a 

 trout while hunting flies iu a still time they will see why it 

 appears to strike ai a fly with its tail, and, my word for it, 

 their respect for the little beauties will be increased. 



B. Bishop. 



Omaha— Nebraska, Bee. 30.— Well, what next? I have 



been an interested reader of the great variety of communica- 

 tions from the genial qui! Is of your sporting correspondents 

 upon all the varied subjects begotten by the manly sports 

 with rod and gun, such as the •' Drumming of the Ruffed 

 Grouse," " Quails withholding their Scent," etc., etc., but the 

 last, that the trout Hops the fly with his tail is the champion 

 of them all. The fellow who started this discussion is en- 

 titled to a monument in some wayuxpressive of a sentiment 

 of originality, and if any one will start a subscription list 

 '• Bob White" will not withhold his cent from the enterprise. 

 Until I emigrated to this delightful region of the Bportsman's 

 paradise some years a^o my favorite sport was trout fishing 

 with the fly in Northwestern Vermont and Northeastern New 

 York, But iu Nebraska my Waltonian pastime is confined 

 to bass, microplerux sultrmides, with both fly and spoon ; pike, 

 c*« luchm, commonly called pickerel, and pike-perch, Sucio- 

 puca, or wail-eyed pike. The same swirl is noticeable with 

 the bass in taking the ily as with the trout, the only difference 

 baiug that the trout is more active, lie comes to the fly with 

 greater velocity (if I may use that term in this sense) from 

 ihe bottom upward and as quickly returns to the bottom 

 again, hence the angle he describes is mere acute, and making 

 the turn the tail is brought into action necessarily somewhat 

 as described in the cut in Forest and Stream of Dec. 

 19. I have seen a trout in its eagerness jump clear of the 

 water and pass over the fly. Indeed, I have taken hundreds 

 Of them, yes, thousands of all sizes from that of a finger's 

 length to a three-pounder, under all the varied circumstances 

 known to fly fishing. Yes, I have caught them by the tail 

 and by hooking them in various parts of the body and head, 

 but I have never as yet been expert enough to see one flip a 

 fly into its mouth with its tail. If our piscatorial friends, 

 Van Siekleu and his confreres will observe the slower motion 

 of any fish in the act of turning about they will not fail to 

 observe the same movement of the tail toward the head when 

 there is nothing to flip into its mouth. The tail of the fish is 

 its rudder to guide it and steerit inany direction, and controls 

 all its movements with amazing facility, Bon White. 



Ronqevbktb, W. Va., Jan. 8, 1879. 

 ' Editor FQBEST and Steba-M: 



In discussing the grave question as to whether a trout knocks 

 a fly into bis mouth with his tail or simply seizes it with 

 his mouth in the orthodox way, it seems to me that you will 

 have trouble iu deciding so as to please both sides. The evi- 

 dence must be merely ol a negative character unless the wit- 

 nesses should be speaking of the same particular trout. One 

 man says he has seen trout play cricket and. caUi themselves 

 out • others say they have not seen any such game played. 

 In considering the point, therefore, I conceived that the 



weight, of evidence on either side must depend a good deal on 

 who gives it- The testimony of a man who has been for 

 twenty-five or thirty years fishing for trout in all sorts of 

 places and under all kinds of circumstances, whose eye, natur- 

 ally quick has been trained by constant use iu the woods, on 

 the cricket field or in the arduous duly of scouting iu active 

 service, would be worth more than that of a beginner in the 

 art, but it would take the evidence of move Qy-fishers than 

 read even the FOREST and Stream to convince me that any 

 trout ever knocks his food about before putting it in his 

 mouih. I caught many hundreds of trout" ihe past season, 

 and caught quite a number by hooking them iu various parts 

 of the body. One day I caught several iu one pool, none 

 looked iu the mouth, inside of live minutes. They jumped 

 freely, and in swift water missed the fly, but were hooked as 

 they went, over it. If I were Umpire to decide for mouth or 

 tail, t think my reply to the " how's that?" would be, mouth! 

 I have never seen the tail-knocking performance in twenty- 

 five years successful fishing. Let them keep on writiug about 

 it, though. One of the great points in making camp life iu 

 the woods is to keep things lively, uever lose temper, be in a 

 good humor and keep everybody moving. 0. Clay. 



^ Syracuse, Dec. 20, 1878. 



Editor Forest and Stream; 



I have taken a few trout at different times and places, and 

 have Been them strike a fly on the water with their tail, and 

 hooked them iu the caudal appendage by so doing. Now we 

 all know this : inany .flies breed and hatch under water. The 

 fly coining out of Us larval State rises to the surface of the 

 water, and, flying about four feet, alights on the water for a 

 moment's rest to gain strength before the next flight, which 

 usually carries them safely to shore. Master trout under- 

 stands this aud takes a whack at him with his tail, which 

 causes a whirlpool that draws the fly down into the water 

 about four inches, and then turns and takes the fly at his pleas- 

 ure, because he knows that the fly being under water is en- 

 tirely in his power as is the insect in the spider's web. Then 

 he Claris quickly to his hiding-place to swallow the sweet 

 morsel, after which he is ready for the next object which may 

 come in sight. Piseatorially yours, R. Wood. 



Putnam, Vt,, Dec. 30, 1878. 

 Editor Forest and Stream ; 



I have been very much amused and entertained by the 

 sketches pro aud con. about the trout flopping the fly into its 

 mouth with its tail. Now I don't see anything very remark- 

 able about that; but suppose the fly had flopped the trout into 

 the fishermau's mouth, or the fishermau had flopped the trout 

 into the fly's mouth, or the tail had flopped the fly into the 

 fisherman's mouth, or the Ily had flopped the tail into the 

 trout's mouth, or the flop had flied the mouth into the trout's 

 tail, or the tail had flied the flop into the trout's mouth, or the 

 fly had flopped its tail into its own mouth, or if the flop had 

 flipped its head into the trout's mouth, or the trout had 

 flopped its head into the fly's mouth, or, or—well, come up to 

 the Middle Dam next summer and we will explain more fully. 



O'Verious. 

 ♦♦♦ ■ 



Moon-Struck Fish.— We have received and pondered over 

 the following singular letter from a well-known sea-fariDg 

 man who just barely missed shipping on the self-same craft 

 with the historical "Ancient Mariner." 



Mr. Editor: Tlie Forest and stream, 1 see, cau explain almost 

 veryililng, and now I should like to And out the why and wherefore of 

 a fact which has always struck me as very singular. Any seafaring 

 man will tell you that flsh left in the moonshine is not (it to eat— that 

 Is, dead flsh, just caught, left lying on deck or in a boat, or on the 

 beach, or anywhere where the moon can shine upon them, gut affected 

 somehow, so that when eaten tliey make one feet very queer. I never 

 heard ol anybody djing iron such poisoning, but there certainly Is 

 something in it, and I can get plenty of men who, like myself, have 

 been to sea, and therefore naturally know more than those who stay 

 ashore. The moonshine seems to affect all sorts of flsh. Weather has 

 notbln? to do with it ; lor a cold moonshlny night In winter is just as 

 affecting as a scorcher la summer. The lish ain't tainted, bur, fast 

 poisoned ; and if you don't believe what I know to be a fact, it's only 

 because you don't know. However, all I want now is to know why this" 

 thing should be, and would be obliged if your book-learning would 

 clear it up. Ska. 



We have often heard the assertions repeated which our cor- 

 respondent mattes here ; for we ourselves have served a three 

 months' apprenticeship as a fisherman, having embarked in 

 June, 1860, on the good schooner Champion, of Newburyport, 

 Mass., and returned in September with a full fare of codfish, 

 mackerel, and herring. Over Sunday dinners of plum duff, 

 and appetizing kids of jo-floggers and lobscouse, we have 

 heard the stories of mackerel which laid on deck and rotted 

 iu the moonlight, and of phosphorescent emanations from their 

 bodies which drifted about the yard-arms and burnt blue in 

 the binnacle, until the man on watch yelled to call "all hands 

 up," as Tophet was just in sight. But we never have seen. 

 these weird effects of moonshine, nor have we perceived any 

 suggestive fish-like smell at any time, though the odor of oil, 

 gurry, and pickle, was always with us. Why such anopiuion 

 should prevail with substantial basi3 is what we wish to 

 know. Have not popular assertions come to be accepted as 

 popular facts ? Is the belief founded on proof, or is it not, it- 

 self, all moonshine ? In vain we have attempted to fathom 

 the question. The log of imagination reels oil knotB faster 

 than we can pay out the lead-liue, and there is no way to stop 

 headway except to scuttle the craft, aud let the mystery go to 

 the bottom ! We have consulted all marine authorities, and 

 referred the question to our scientific men, in vain. All, save 

 one, have given us no satisfaction. What that one says we 

 append. It seems that words of wisdom are contained in his 

 rejoinder, although he disclaims that his life associations have 

 been such as to bring him much in contact with moon-struck 

 fish. The burden of his argument is that the asserted fact 

 should first be proven before an explanation is demanded : 

 Smithsonian Institution, i 

 <( Washington, D. U, Juu. S 



Mh. Editor: 1 return herewi.h the letterof your friend of the lnquli- 

 lng mind, 1 can only say that it seems to me desirable that the faot 

 asserted should be proved true before any explanation of its reason la 

 attempted, i'eraoually, 1 very much doubt whether mackerel rot 

 luster In the moonlight than In the snnahui*, though I have lor many 



years been familiar with the popular prejudice, and have supposed it 

 to be equally worthy of credence with the popular theory that, beef 

 taken Irom cattle killed during the waning of the moon " will shrink In 

 the pot," or that the sailor always dies when the tide la ebbing, if 

 there be any truth in the theory of your friend, it may easily be provtd 

 by a simple experiment, siicm as putting two mackerel on the same 

 loof, oueofiliem being protected from the rays ol the moon. The 

 only other requirement would be the co-operation of true luveraof 

 truth who would test the two flsh cooked in the same manner. I am 

 always glad to aid yon with any informatiun In my possession, but this 

 but jeet is rather out ol my line. G. Ukown Gouee. 



Are our Gape Anners and Down East fishermen willing to 

 let this matter rest in this indefinite shape?— Ed. F. and S. 



New HAJtP8HHUt— Dover, -Tan. 11.— Fishermen at Great 

 Bay, situated five miles from here, report good catches of 

 smelts ; also the usual quanlity of eels are being taken from 

 our river through the ice. A few good strings of pickerel 

 have been brought in, mostly taken some distance here, as 

 the ponds are about fished out, being fished so much. 



Movements op tub Fishing Fleet. — The number of fish- 

 ing arrivals reported at this port the past week has been five- 

 one from Grand Menan and one from Eastport with herring, 

 and one from the Banks with 6, OOOlbs. halibut ; two other 

 Bankers arrived home yesterday, having first disposed of their 

 fares iu Boston. — Cape Ann Advertiser, Jan. 10. 



Florida.— Fishermen who visit the Halifax River this sea- 

 son will find boarding accommodations at the cottage of Bar- 

 talo Pacetti, whose name signifies that he knows how to han- 

 dle the hook and line. 



intitmal fljastimqs. 



MADAME ANDERSON'S WALK, 



LAST Monday evening Madame Anderson, the English 

 pedestrienne, brought to a successful completion her 

 task of walking 2,700 quarter-miles in 2,700 consecutive 

 quarter-hours, commencing each quarter-mile within three 

 minutes ofjthe beginning of each quarter-hour. 



Madame Anderson is of German and English descent, is 

 thirty-six years old, stoutly built, five feet one inch in height, 

 and weighed at the beginning of her task 140 pounds. Her 

 history is a checkered one. At first, a contralto singer, she 

 became successively a variety actress, a circus clown and a 

 manageress, finally evoluting into a pedestrienne. Iu Sep- 

 tember, 1877, she walked 1,000 half-miles in 1,000 half-hours; 

 shortly afterward she accomplished 1,230 miles in 1,000 hours, 

 making l| miles at the commencement of each hour. In an 

 attempt to walk 100 miles iu 2i hours, in a circus ring of 40 

 laps to the mile, she faiuted on the completion of the 87th 

 mile. Again she walked 1,500 miles in 1,000 hours, 1£ miles 

 at the commencement of each hour. The last feat before the 

 one just finished was doing 2,088 quarter-miles in 2,088 quar- 

 ter-hours. 



The Mozart Garden course measured seven laps to the 

 quarter-mile. Madame Anderson began her walk on the 36th 

 of last December, and has persevered in her terrible task with 

 wonderful courage and perseverance. Again and again it 

 seemed to her physicians and friends a physical impossibility 

 that she could go on. It was not the walking, but the lack 

 of sleep from which she suffered. The aggregate of 

 sleep for the whole twenty-four hours averaged only 

 about two and one-half hours, and even this was taken in 

 snatches of a few minutes. This struggle against nature was 

 a severe one and very painful to witness. Her attendants had 

 the strictest orders never to yield to her when she was over- 

 come by sleep. They never did yield, though at times nature 

 asserted itself even stronger thau her will,' and she resisted. 

 all their efforts to place her on the track. Many a lap was 

 made while Madame Anderson was fast asleep, an attendant 

 walking with her aud guiding her lagging, slow-moving foot- 

 steps. 



The sleepy times were periodical ; the walker would re- 

 cover from them to speed around the track in a style that 

 sorely taxed the most plucky of her attendants. The varied 

 accomplishments of the singer and the actress here came in 

 good play. Stepping ou the stage, Madame Anderson would 

 sing a song or make a speech, which the audiences never 

 failed to receive with the greatest enthusiasm. 



One noticeable feature of the exhibition was the character 

 of the audience. Beginning her walk without attracting 

 very much attention, people were generally incredulous, o s 

 time went on she became the subject of very wide aud marked 

 attention, and the character of the audieuce which thronged 

 to see her was such as any one might be proud of, and was in 

 very marked contrast to the O'-Leary-Campana gatherings. 

 Indeed the ladies vied in showing her atl ntiou. Flowers 

 and presents of all descriptions poured in upon her. But all 

 the good will and respect which she has succeeded in inspi- 

 ing are due solely to Madame Anderson herself. The whole 

 undertakiog has been conducted with a frankness, evident 

 honesty and unassuming self-confidence worthy of a better 

 cause. 



At 8 o'clock Monday evening the Garden was packed wilh 

 a tremendous jam, and as many more people were gathered 

 outside clamoring for admission. Madame Anderson's course 

 around the ring was then a triumphal procession amid the 

 wildest cheers and shouts of the enthusiastic spectators. Af- 

 ter finishing the 2,698th quarter-mile she ascended the re- 

 porters' stand and sang "Nil Desperandum," one of her fa- 

 vorite songs. After finishing her speech ami song elm re- 

 turned to the track and made the 2,699th quarter-mile in 3m 

 lSis. 



The final performance was a scene worthy of an artist. 

 Amid one continuous and deafening yell from thousands of 

 human throats, Mrs. Audersou sped around the truck, making 

 the first lap in 10 seconds, the second and third' in 17 seconds 

 each; the fourth in 20^ seconds, the fifth in 39 seconds 

 the sixth in 31 seconds, aud the seventh and Inst in 33 sec- 

 onds—the whole quarter in 2ra. 37^s , the fastest in ok during 

 the whole walk. Then came a speech, aud the plucky woman 

 wes driven off to Turkish baths, sleep, aud the satisfaction 

 of knowing that she had performed the most remarkable 

 pedestrian feat ever recorded of a woman. 



