Mamoh 10,1881.1 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



Ill 



walk on along an old portage through the woods with a pis- 

 tol cooked in my right hand ready for prowling, boar or 

 startled moose. 



Bnt no living thiug appears. After walking half a mile, 

 and passing over a little hill crest. I oaten sight of bright 

 water through the vista of the path, and soon'am standing 

 on a pretty bluff overlooking another woodland lake. To 

 my left, is the rapid forming "Unknown River, the outlet of 

 this second lake. I hear a shout, then the regular click of 

 the setting poles as their iron ferrules strike against the 

 rocky bottom ; then the canoe appears round a projecting 

 point, bravely forced up stream against the foaming torrent, 

 George and J im, bare headed, reeking with Sweat, briskly 

 ply their poles, and the canoe shoots up and on to the still 

 beach at my feet, A hard time the boys have had of it. 

 'Twas well I lightened their task by walking the portage. 



We pitch our tent on the bluff overlooking the lake, and 

 as George get6 ready for supper and cuts boughs for our bed 

 I push out with .Tim in the skiff. It is a great comfort to 

 have two guides, for While one is at work you are not com- 

 pelled to wait and loaf round and watch each slice of salt pork 

 as it is put into the frying-pan and wonder if on the whole the 

 cook is really neat and truly good, and when will that supper 

 be ready anyway, but off you shoot with your second guide, 

 and the time glides by as quickly as the swift flowing river 

 till you hear the call for supper from the shore. 



At here the lake drains into the river, and the low, quicken- 

 ing current glides s-uoolhly like bent glass toward the foam- 

 ing rapids, there lie the big trout behind great submerged 

 boulders along the river bottom. Heeling off a long line 1 

 deftly cast my flies across the stream. Jump, jump, jump, 

 leap the trout. A taut line, a quick turn of the'wrist and I 

 hook them all three. Wish! whirr.' How they buckle and 

 twist the. little red snag on my line, and reel off fathoms at a 

 plunge. The middle fish breaks away. Jim picks off the 

 little trout on the dropper with his hands, and then we make 

 short work with the two-pounder on the leader. So near the 

 camp are we fishing that Jim flings our last capture over the 

 bushes to George for our supper. 



We take five" more trout at the outlet, then pull ashore in 

 the twilight How brightly glows the camp lire ! What 

 great shadows the cook casts against the trees as he flits about 

 the flames! How cozy looks "the little tent illumined by the 

 blaze— white canvas above and pliant greeu boughs beneath, 

 and what a jolly supper we eat as darkness closes around us! 

 Theu taking out my note-book 1 reckon up uiy booty for the 

 day. I reckoned up for my own satisfaction. I surely take 

 no pleasure in deceiving myself, and though this is a fish 

 story, it is also the exact truth. 



Tiie figures in my note book are as follows : June 18, 1878, 

 took with fly 15 trout, one pound and over ; weight of same 

 31 pounds 9 ounces ; 36 trout less than a pound*; weight of 

 same, 19 pounds — 51 trout. Total, 50 pounds 9 ounces 



As I lie back on the boughs of the open tent, slippers off 



and feet toasting at the log fire, the full moon rises round and 



red over the wooded hills andlooked us full in the face. I fall 



asleep content. M/uistrand. 



. — ^»~-> 



Paklok Aquaria. — These household ornaments arc not as 

 common as they should be in order to interest, thi children 

 in the habits of aquatic life, either marine or fluviatile. We 

 recently dropped into Greenwood's Aquaria depot, 41 College 

 Place, New York, to purchase some nest-breeding stickle- 

 backs for our little tank, but the cold weather had prevented 

 their capture. Here we saw tanks of all sizes down to tiny 



f lobes, plants and all the appliarces of the aquarian lover. 

 Fpon inquiry for some short practical rules for regulating 

 the plant and animal life, we received the following : "A 

 small dip net should lie at, hand for the purpose of extracting 

 or putting subjects in the tank. The hand should never be 

 used for this purpose. Always keep the aquarium where it 

 will have plenty of light, otherwise it will be impossible to 

 succeed with it. Water-plants require as much light as gar- 

 den or green-house plants; also keep in as cool a position as 

 possible, and above all things, do not overs 1 ock it ; two small 

 fish to one gallon of water woidd be sufficient in warm wea- 

 ther, but in cold weather the number may be increased a lit- 

 tle. Avoid all kinds of sea-shells and corals, as they contain 

 lime and are injurious both to animal and vegetable life." 



The Banded Piokeeel —It Will be remembered that some 

 two or three years ago Judge Potter planted in various parts 

 of the lake the fry of the land locked salmon (Saimo *fbngo}. 

 Much interest has been felt among amateur and professional 

 fishermen as to the result of this experiment, and the water 

 has been carefully watched to see whether the young strangers 

 have succeeded in escaping the numerous dangers tharen- 

 viron them. The fishermen in Maumee Bay 'have several 

 times recently reported the capture of what they supposed 

 to be young salmon, but as they had never seen the genuine 

 nothing positive was known on the subject. The latest 

 specimen, taken a day or two ago, was brought to Mr. 0. O. 

 Brigham by his request, and by him referred" to Judge Pot- 

 ter. The judge decides that the fish is the banded or trout 

 pickerel, or in scientific nomenclature the. Eavj: mhericmus, 

 or otherwise the Esox ivger, or black pickerel. The 

 judge states that this fish is extremely rare, and that the 

 specimen in question is the second helias ever seen. The 

 banded pickerel seldom exceeds a foot in length, but is very 

 graceful and symmetrical in shape, with the head of the 

 larger members of the pike family. It usually lies close to 

 the bottom of the water, for which reason it is sometimes 

 called the mud pickerel, and when it takes the hook circles 

 about, affording little sport as a game fish. 



Although in this case the supposed salmon proved bogus, 

 it is interesting to learn that the fishermen at PJfeasantftBay 

 near Monroe have taken several of the true salmon in t.liei'r 

 nets. These were about eighteen inches in length and 

 seemed i.o be ihti -dug ami jnr_a;o._--y. :.,:'.*■ making ineir' v ,tiv in 

 the watery world. — Toledo (Ohu/) Telegram. 



This little nuisance is fortunately rare in Ohio waters, but 

 is painfully frequent in the trout streams of Long Island. 



Poaching the Pish— Ithaca, N. Y.— For some time past 

 the local authorities of Springport, situated near the foot of 

 Cayuga Lake, have been in 'a furor over the lawless raids 

 made by unknown parties upon their fisheries. AH attempts 

 to check it seemed useless so well did the fish pirates cover 

 up their tracks, and conceal all evidence of their methods. 

 The matter being brought to my notice 1 went, Ihere, and af- 

 ter the most diligent- reconuoitering — for the ice was then five 

 to six inches thick— I succeeded in raising several nets which 

 were set with the stakes chopped off below the ice in such a 

 manner that only those who knew their exact location could 

 discover them. The offenders have not been captured yet, but 

 I have obtained evidence sufficient to warrant several arrests, 



which I am about to make in a few days. The fisheries there 

 are well supplied with trout, and no doubt the pirates would 

 have had a rich harvest but fir the timely interruption of 

 their plans. On Ownseo Lake similar attempts have, been 

 made, but receiving timely notice, I have to a great extent, if 

 not entirely, prevented them. The offenders are desperate 

 and cunning, and have recourse to the most subtle and daring 

 schemes for the carrying on of their lawless traffic, and threats 

 of vengeance should they be detected arc. of leu indulged in: 

 but with the co-operation of local authorities we hope to be 

 able lo discourage the practice. A private fish pond near 

 Springport will soon be opened to the. public. It covers an 

 area of a quarter of a mile square, and contains trout, in abun 

 dance and of very rare quality. In this pond they may be 

 caught with the utmost facility, and at certain outlets even 

 picked up with the hand. In May the proprietor will allow 

 people to fish with a fly. 



D. B. Norton, State Game Constable. 



THE BERLIN MEDALS 



Fly Fishing in Japan —At the International Fishery 

 Exhibition in Berlin there were artificial flies shown in the 

 Japanese department. They were principally palmers with 

 a gilded head, and we were informed by the Japanese Com- 

 missioner, Mr. Malsubara, that they were used to a limited 

 extent by the gentlemen anglers of 'that country. Yery good 

 rods of bamboo and both sill? and hair lines were exhibited, 

 showing that the gentle art has its votaries in Japan. 



Tub Fly-oastinc Toiuinament.— S. W. Goodridge, rod 

 maker, Grafton, Yt , offers a rod as follows: " lam glad 

 you are going to make something more than a mere side slum 

 old of the fly-casting this year. Put me down for a baa 

 rod, one of Dr. Henshall's pattern, for throwing the min- 

 now, just such a one as the doctor approves." 



V 



The medals awarded at the International Fishery Exhibition at 

 Berlin have not yet arrived, but may lie expected noon. We pre- 

 sent our readers" with a picture of the medal, which will be the 

 same whether of gold, silver or bronze. We can furnish electro- 

 types of these cuts if desired. 



The Cod ^ishbribs — The use of the gill net for cod, 

 which, though long practiced by the fishermen of Norway, 

 has lately been tried here, at the request, of Prof. Bair 1, who 

 scans the implements in use by the fishermen of all countries 

 to find the best methods, is fast, comiug into favor. The re- 

 cent letter from Capt. J. W. Collins, the expert fishermen of 

 the U. S. F. O, in our columns has familiarized our readers 

 with its value. The Cape Ann Advertiser, in speaking of the 

 introduction of new methods and the prejudice against 

 them, says: " Now eod-uets have come upon the scene, and 

 the trawlers are claiming that the nets drift down upon 

 their tackle and cause them inconvenience and loss. But 

 nets are fasl winning their way into public favor andtheindi- 

 cations are that the many-hooked trawl will take a back scat, 

 and bait-bills be unknown." 



In another article the Advertfser alleges that Prof. Baird is 

 said to be "of the opinion that the only retributive remedy 

 we can apply to Canada foi cheating us in the fish question 

 is to refuse to admit Canadian fish to our markets free of 

 duty after the expira' ion of the treaty in 1885. He suggests 

 that we impose a heavy tax on fish imported from the Do- 

 minion as soon as we can do so without violating the treaty 

 A retaliation by the Canadians in the form of the exclusion 

 of our fishermen from waters within the three-mile limit will 

 not, he thinks, be a serious matter. Our fishing craft seldom 

 go within the three-mile limit, except to get bait, and the use 

 of the gill net will make bait unnecessary." 



In speaking of the cod fisheries, the Boston Herald says : 

 "If Prof. Baird's colony of cods and other good fish out on 

 the edge of the Gulf stream pans out all right then Glouces- 

 ter caii tell Canada to keep her foggy old banks to herself 

 and be blessed therewith. Fishing on the edge of the Gulf 

 stream would be a good deal more' comfortable than on the 

 chilly banks of Newfoundland." 



Size of Trout— New York, Feb. 28. — In reply to Mr. 

 Van Siclen's query in yours of 24th, I would sav that, the 

 limitation in the weight of trout allowed to be taken by the 

 proposed game law to a quarter pound was fixed by the joint 

 committee who had the matter in charge. My proposition 

 was a limit of eight inches — in a weight of probably one- 

 eighth of a pound. For many years I have persisted" in re- 

 turning to the water all trout' under eight inches long — re- 

 sult (frequently), return home with a very poor score. But, 

 if some concert and law are not adopted the result will soon 

 be no score at all. — Manhattan. 



" BoDtNES."— Now that the tramping, trouting and camp- 

 ing season is coming on, books on the subject are in order. 

 "Bodines, or Camping on the Lycoming," is a volume which 

 every angler ought to read. It is a good camp companion. 

 Next to a trouting jaunt with its author is the reading of. his 

 description of how he and his friends found pleasure and 

 profit along the Pennsylvania trout streams. The book may 

 be ordered through us at the regular publisher's price, $1 50 

 per copy. 



Habits of the Gar-Pike and Dogfish — Chicago, Feb. 5 

 — Do the gar-pike (Lepidosteua) and dogfish (Jm(a) hiber- 

 nate? In summer they cannot long remain without air. In 

 winter our inland lakes are entirely closed by ice, so that no 

 air is accessible to them. How, then, do they exist through 

 the long winters, unless upon the theory of hibernation ? I 

 do not see the above question answered in any work on zoology 

 within my reach. A. M. Wright. ' 



S§h gnltun. 



FISH CULTURE AND PISH LAWS. 



N chairman of the commit t 

 ^atjouns mil as proteciii 

 liuttee have done nothing as to prai tieal results : but at :< meeting 

 of the committee recently held at Detroit, al which meeting- Mr. 

 l'ortmau aud myself were present (Mr. Fimmgh being unable to 

 attend;, it was arranged that Mr. Tollman should prepare a paper 

 lo In- road at. the Association, giving his views in reference to the 

 needed legislation for the protection ami propagation of the food 

 fishes of the hdand waters ol tin State. while I would direct in y 



tion and increase of the supply of the valuablu loud fishes of the 

 great lakes. 



My remarks then will ho understood aa having reference ouly to 

 tin- gnat lakes 



I shall beg your indulgence but for a few moments, as my views 

 as to the necessarv stepH to be taken to secure an almost unlimited 



pply of fish food can he briefly stated. That an inexhaustible 

 supply of the valuable food fishes is a " consummation devoutly to 

 be wished," none will deny. 



But tbo question, as the" means to he employed to accomplish the 

 desired end, is as perplexing as it is important. 



Five years since it mighl have been said that " something mu.-t. 

 he done not only to secure an increase, hut to prevent a decrease of 

 this food tupplv, which the statistics of the past decade will 

 abundantly prove." The same asset tion will, to a certain extent 

 hold true to-day, aud although active measures have, since that 

 time been taken to avert the evil, additional measures should, 1 

 think, be inaugurated. 



But it occurs to me that, at present, the most important step to 

 be taken in the solution of the problem, alter the conclusion is 

 reached that laws are essential, is to ascertain whether the su- 

 ]jremc control of the fishing interests of the common waters of 

 the United States rests with the States bordering on such waters 

 or with the general government. 



However, as before stated, this step should be prefaced by evi- 

 dence of the necessity for laws and the discussion of this evidence 

 will necessarily involve discussions of some of tin remedies sug- 

 gested by those in favor of laws. Let us lirst determine that laws 

 are desirable in the premises. 



Must legislative aid be invoked to assist in perpetuating this 

 food supplyV 



As the matter now stands, no laws, either State or national, that 

 1 am aware of, are hi effective opera/ km, regulating the fishing 

 industry of the great lakes. True, the States and general govern- 

 ment arc doing a munificent work in thewav ol propagation, and 

 should this beneficial support be unlimited, aud continued in- 

 definitely, the problem would bo solved; but these donations are 

 an "unknown quantity," and may be "plus or minus. 1 ' 



The laws framed for purpose of inaugurating relief and infusing 

 now vitality into the languishing fishing interests contain no 

 provisions of a compulsory nature as regards propagation, and 

 therefore State and national aid in this respect is gratuitous, un- 

 certain and liable at any time to be withheld. The life, growth, 

 or future of this important industry should not hinge upon the 

 uncertainty of legislative or congressional appropriations, bnt 

 should, as far as practical, be independent and self-sustaining. 

 Nor should we exaet or expect to much aid from this direetion, 



No amount of sophistry can conceal the fact that the class of 



people most benefited by the results of propagation are those en- 

 gaged in the occupation of fishing ; aud therefore they phould, in 

 supple Justice, contribute to the maintenance of the source of 

 then- occupation aud income. 



But this can be regulated only by law, and we want a, law that 

 contains within itself ample provisions for its enforcement. Again, 

 tin: magnitude of the interests involved is, of itself, a complete 

 argument that a system of laws should be enacted, regulating 

 these interests, f lisk any gentleman present to name an industry 

 of equal proportions that is so much negleeted in this respect. It 

 is, indeed, Btrange that in this groat laud of ours, with its 

 numerous laws for the protection of property and the redress of 

 grievances, that the fishing interests of the great lakes, repre- 

 senting as it does, a eapitalioaching into the millions, it seems 

 strange, I say, that this vast interest should bo practically with- 

 out any legislature control of regulation. Such, however, is the 



And it must be patent to the most casual observer that this im- 

 portant commercial industrv is, at present, hut a suggestion of the 

 gigaufieproiiortions it may attain, if fostered and encouraged by 

 judicious, efficient and enforced laws combining protection and 

 propagation. 



In view of these grand possibilities need the quesiinn be asked, 

 are fish laws necessary '/ 



There is a law, the law of custom, which in some section? is ob- 

 served, aud which, so far as it is observed, regulates the rights of 

 certain individuals to certain fishing grounds. 



The States too, have passed some laws affecting the interests in 

 question, but from the want of enforcement are practically of no 

 value ; and until it is decided that thev have supreme .lunsdietion 

 in the premises it is useless for thi-m to ai tempt, to adjust this 

 complicated question. Perhaps it is not within the domain of the 

 States to legislate or control the hShiug interests of the common 

 waters of the United States, and therefore it is folly for the law- 

 makers of this or auv other State to enact measures which may 

 not he within their jurisdiction to enforce. This is, at present, 

 the most important question to be determined. 



Itisfollv to oiler resolutions, to sign and present, petitions aud 

 memorials to our Legislature for the enactment of laws which, 

 w hen i glased, in ay lie rendered power! us g by a., sin n- .-- g .,< ;.g_- Court 

 decision. All our labor would then be in vain and our efforts 

 neutralized, These things are, under the circumstances, of 

 secondary moment. 



But the question of jurisdiction stands out conspicuously as the 

 one that shoidd pre-eminently command our attention. 



The discusffionB of the measures to be incorporated in fish laws 

 can be left for the future. It is enough for the present to take 

 the necessarv steps to find wherein the control of the interests in 

 question rests, aud this is of primary imporiance. 



Wo want fish laws, but we want them enacted by that power, be 

 it State or national, whose authority shall be supreme and whose 

 decisions shall be final. In this connection I desire to read a let- 

 ler from Professor Baird in relation to this subject. I had pre- 

 viously written him for an expression of his views as to the ques- 

 tion of jurisdiction : 



" WA8H3N0T0N, D. 0., Jan. 17, 1881. 



Dear Mb. Clarke ; The question as to whetherlegislation for 

 the protection of fisheries of the great lakes aud of the ocean 

 should he enacted by the general government or the States is a 



