Jotb 16, 1881.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



391 



cloud; days or after sundown in the evening. They are fre- 

 quently caught iu winter through holes in the ice. There is 

 a chain of lakes connected hy drowned lands and canals 

 with locks, making navigation practicable between Ottawa 

 City and Kingston, the route being about forty miles north 

 of the St. Lawrence River. The whole is called the Rideau 

 Canal, and the largest body of water Rideau Lake, twenty 

 miles long and from one to tive miles wide, with an altitude 

 of 175 feet above Lake Outario. This work was constructed 

 about forty years ago, prior to which time the shiners were 

 not found in the lakes, though now they are very abundant 

 in them. 



In .Florida I have caught these fish in the lake called 

 Payne's Prairie, near Gainesville, and iu Lake Mail land, in 

 Orange County, but I have not seen them in the streams on 

 the gulf coast of that Slate. 



My much esteemed friend, the late Prof. Milner, once told 

 me that he did not think the. small mouth black bass existed 

 iu any of the waters on the Atlantic coast south of the James 

 Kiver in Virginia. Cannot some of your readers give in- 

 formation on that question ? 



I believe sheepshead fish are not found in fresh water in 

 the Northern States, but on the west coast of Florida they 

 appear to be equally abundant in fresh and salt water. In 

 Ihe small rivers there these fish are so plentiful that they do 

 uoi find a sufficient quantity of their natural food, such as 

 mollusks and crustaceans, so they accommodate themselves 

 to their circumstances and eat grass, which grows in great 

 profusion there, covering nenrly all the bottom in some 

 streams, except in the swiftly running channels. What toe}' 

 eat is a fibrous, moss-like species of conferva 1 , which grows 

 upon the. broad leaves of the grass. I have examined many 

 stomachs of these fish without finding anything in them ex- 

 cept this grass. I sent some of this grass to Dr. Leidy, who 

 examined it with, his microscope. He told me that it was 

 covered with myriads of diatoms. 



About the middle of March these fish are heavy with 

 spawn, after which time I could not find any in the fresh- 

 water rivers, except small fish too young to spawn. 



JOBBPH WlIXOOX. 



ANGLING AT MONSON, MAINE. 



I DESIRE to call the attention of the sporting and angling 

 fraternity to some of the many attractions which this 

 place offers as a centre for trout and land-locked salmon fish- 

 iug, gamiDg, etc. Monsou is situated five miles from the 

 Bangor and Piscataquis Kailroad, and fourteen miles from 

 Greenville, at the foot of Moosehead Lake, and eight miles 

 from the head of Sebec Lake. 



Hebron Lake is the first object that attracts the sportsman's 

 attention s it is only a few yards from the hotel (Chapin 

 House) in Mortson village— a picturesque little village which 

 nestles at the foot of this lake, and which is famous for its 

 roofing slate, industry. It is about three and a half miles in 

 length and one mile in width, surrounded by beauliful hills 

 and fine scenery, with Hussell Mountain in the distance. 

 Spotted and lake trout are very abundant. Auglers have 

 this spring caught hundreds of them from this lake. They 

 average 2 lbs. in weight, many from 2J lbs. to 5 lbs. 



The next most important resort in this vicinity is Lake Ona- 

 way sometimes called by the settlers Ship Pond and Green wood 

 Lake. The latter is eight miles and the former nine miles from 

 here. Lake Onaway is its original Indian name, and there is 

 a pretty legend about, the capture of an Indian maiden con- 

 nected "with it. From the Chapin House the tourist rides in 

 a carriage to a Mr. Holt's, in Elliottsville township a distance 

 of eighfTtniles. The scenery is charming and delightful all 

 along this drive. When arriving at Mr. Holt's lie. is but a 

 few rods from Greenwood Lake, a beautiful sheet of water 

 several miles in area. He grosses this in row boats, walks 

 three quarters of a mile, and then reaches Lake Onaway 

 which is about five miles long and two miles wide. The 

 lofty peakes of Bore Stone Barren and Benson Mountaus 

 rear their heads above, and it is surrounded by rugged hills, 

 mountains and dense forests. Here the sportsman can with 

 fly or bait secure , an abundance of handsome, spotted and 

 lake trout of different varieties, land-locked salmon, smelts, 

 yellow perch, etc. If lie is willing to walk a distance of one 

 and one-fourth miles through the forest at the North he will 

 be well rewarded by a visit to the two Benson ponds where 

 spotted trout fishing is unequalled. 



Besides these are also some thirty other ponds ranging 

 from ten to two hundred acres in. area within a radius of ten 

 mites of this village. The accommodations are ample, as 

 the Chopin House," kept by A. D. Sherman, is one of the 

 best country hotels in Maine. Boats, guides and teams are 

 furnished at reasonable rates to all fishing parties. Those de- 

 siring to visit this place will do well to correspond with E. 

 It. llaynes, A. D. Sherman, J. F. Sprague, Frank Holt or 

 W. S. Knight, Monson, Me., who will furnish all necessary 

 information. 



Among the prominent sportsmen who are visiting here at 

 the present (June 9) are L. L, Hubbard, of Cambridge, Mass. , 

 author of "Hubbard's Guide to Moosehead Lake;" J. C. 

 Withington, of the Boston Journal ; E. T. Rowel], one of 

 the editors of the Lowell, Mass., Courier; H. A. Ilildreth, 

 and G. S. Cushing, of Lowell, and G. A. Mathews, of An- 

 dover. The latter is arranging to supply several of the 

 smaller ponds here with German carp. Messrs. John F. 

 Sprague, Edwin R. Haynes, G. A. Mathews, E. T. Rowell 

 and others obtained a charter from the Legislature of Maine 

 last winter for the "Piscataquis Fish and Game Protective 

 Society." The object of this association is to assist iu the 

 propagation of fish in the many lakes and ponds in this re- 

 gion, and also to aid in the enforcement of the fish and game 

 laws now in force in Maine. 



The forests here also abound with grouse and the ponds 

 with duck. Other game of almost eveiy kind is to be found 

 in these woods. Pisoatob. 



SOUTH FORK FISHING ASSOCIATION. 



THK Subjoined account of a Pittsburg, Pa., enterprise is 

 taken from the Post of that city. Mr. W. A. Mcintosh, 

 the vice-president, of t lie association, is also a member of the 

 Pennsylvania State Field Trials Association, and of the Al- 

 legheny Sportsmen's Association, and is enthusiastic and ac- 

 eomplished in all matters pertaining to the sports of the field : 

 About two years ago the South Fork Fishing Association, 

 which was made up of forty or fifty Pittsburg gentlemen, 

 came into life. The association purchased from the Penn- 

 sylvania railroad the old reservoir of the canal, nine miles 

 above Johnstown on the South Fork of the Oonemaugh. 

 This reservoir was built some fifty or sixty years ago, and 

 cost between $300,000 and $300,0011. With the reservoir the 

 association bought about, fifteen hundred acres of land. The 

 reservoir was then converted into a lake. The reservoir 

 originally supplied all the water for the portion of the canal 

 between" it, and Pittsburg, and of course it was of larger 

 dimensions. The lake is Four miles long and three quarters 

 of a mile wide, which is no inconsiderable sheet of water. 

 The lake is formed by the South Fork of the Couemaugh 

 and four other streams which are smaller. The dam is a 

 magnificent piece of work and is three hundred feet thick at 

 the base. After the reservoir bad been bought from the State 

 by the railroad company it was abandoned, and persons in 

 the neighborhood destroyed about two hundred feet of the 

 dam in-order to get the Stone for building purposes. This 

 breach was repaired by the association at a cost of §15,001). 

 The dam has been finished for some time, and the 

 water is sixty feet deep at the breast of it. The object 

 of the association was to have the lake as a fishing resort 

 and in connection with it a club house. Last week the 

 association did some fishing on a grand scale. An ar- 

 rangement was entered into some time ago with parties at 

 Sandusky, by which they were to supply the association 

 with live black bass. Accordingly about one thousand bass 

 were caught iu the lake pound fisheries, and were kept alive 

 in special reservoirs. The fish in weight were from a pound 

 and a half to three pounds. On TuesSay last a car was sent 

 to bring the fish to the lake. This car was arranged by Mr. 

 W. A. Mcintosh, who is Vice-President of the association. 

 The car was fitted out with tanks to hold the fish, and the 

 water was aerated by a very ingenious air-pump, invented 

 for the purpose by Mr. Mcintosh. Messrs. Mcintosh and W. 

 C. Taylor accompanied the car and superintended the trans- 

 fer. On Wednesday night seven hundred fish were placed 

 in the car. The water in the lake from which they were 

 taken was at 72 dog., and by a plentiful use of ice the tem- 

 perature was reduced to 45 deg. and kept at that point. The 

 car was hurried through to South Fork station on the P. R. 

 R., and reached there on Thursday morning. The station 

 is two miles from the lake, aud the fish had to be placed in 

 3asks. which were covered with an ingouious head, planned 

 by Mr, Mcintosh, and which prevented the water from 

 splashing out, and at the same time admitted air. The casks 

 were carried on wagons to the lake and the fish were liber- 

 ated. Only thirty-five fish died in transit. This is the larg- 

 est transfer of grown live fish ever made in this country, it 

 is pr 'table that the ride on the wagons killed the greater 

 part of the. fish which were lost 



The association is now building a fine club-house, which 

 will soon be completed, and the place will then be one of the 

 most delightful in the mountains. The lake is now in charge 

 of a watchman, whose duty is to prevent depredations, and 

 thus far he has been quite successful. 



JR# gnltme. 



AN IMPROVED SHAD HATCHER. 



WE have received the following drawing and description from 

 Mr. Frank N. Clark, of the TJ. S. Fish Commission. It is in 

 practical nee now in the shad work at Havre de Grace, Md. This 

 is the second improvement which Mr. Clark has put upon the 

 coiii. ;il hatchers, one of whioh, the gate, received the diploma at 

 (lie Berlin Exhibition. 



The cut represents the hatching jar iu vertical section, with 

 tin i feed tube (Tl of glass, which is encircled at E by a ring of 

 rubber, so as to make a water tight joint when forced down into 

 ihapod opening at the lower end of the jar. The water 



i fed into the jar through the tube by l 



s of a rubber hone ; 



Black Bass Bait. — Newark, N. J., is a pleasant place to 

 live in, and is convenient for people who do business in New 

 York. One of its newspapers, the Sunday Call, says: 



"The common domestic cockroach is good bail, for many 

 kinds of fresh water fish, black bass especially, and no bait 

 can be more easily procured. They will collect under a 

 damp rag in quantities in almost any bouse in the city." 



We give the item for the benefit of bass fishers, who no 

 doubt can arrange with some friend in Newark for a supply. 

 If they have no friend there write to the editor of the Call, 

 who will doubtless respond with cheerfulness and alacrity. 

 By the way, what are cockroaches 1 



Do you eat a 'possum hot or cold 1 



Tub Sakanao Region. — Adirondacks, June 1, — Well, lam 

 here again as usual, and find many old friends to greet me. 

 i'iiis time came in via Keeseville. The road to Miller's, 

 formerly Martin's, is very good. A areat change at the old- 

 time hostelry on the Lower Saranac, many improvements 

 being rnaue, which will make it the Saratoga of the Saranacs, 

 if not of ih:i Adirondacks. I find registered here the Masons 

 of New York ■ Benl ley. of Rochester ; Shaw, of Hartford ; 

 Dr. Cammen, of New York. Proceeding through the lake to 

 Bartlett's Sportsmen's House, find Dr. Romeyn and 

 family, of Keeseville, N. Y. ; Messrs. Tileston, of Boston ; 

 Winants, of Bergen Poiut, N J. ; Col. T. J. Hoyt, of St. 

 Louis, aud Mr. Soms, of New York ; Vice-President Wheeler 

 and party, and others. There is only one Bartlett's in the 

 Adirondacks. The bouse looks uniuviting, but its comforts 

 are appreciated by all who are its guests. At Covin's the 

 Van Woerts, of New York, are stopping, and at the Prospect 

 House on the Upper Lake, find Dr. Trudo and family; Mr. 

 Penfold and sister, Mr. Meyer and daughter, of New York, 

 with Mr. and Mrs. Weed, of Malone ; also Mr. Afford and 

 party, of New York. Trouting in this section is not what it 

 was'in former d.tjs. owing to the inattention paid to the game 

 lsws -and to secure good trouting and continuance of the 

 sporting coimmmil y the waters must be stocked. During the 

 past winter, however, owing to the vigilance of Mr. Liberty, 

 the game deteclive, the amount of trout taken through the ice 

 was much less than iu former years, but the decrease of trout 

 is very marked and demands stringent laws to protect what is 

 left, or v.(. bid an everlasting farewell to the sport of trolling 

 and fly fishing throughout this region. And is it not a burning 

 shame that, if should be thus? From parties visiting the 

 Hitcbiua pond region, I learn that excellent trouting still ex- 

 ists there, and also at Robbinson Little Tuppers. The houses 

 here, are all well kept. Derby, at the Prospect, knows 

 well how to please his many guests. Many are expected at 

 all points throughout this region. You will hear again from 

 me while 1 wander around. L. MoN. 



The Megastio Distbiot — June 7.-T am having fine sport 

 among the trout here on the waters in the vicinity of Me- 

 gautic Mountain. A. few days ago I paddled up quite near 

 to a large bull moosu that was in the water, feeding on lily 

 pads. After gazing at me for some minutes he leisurely 

 walked out of the water back into the woods. I met on the 

 traiu to-day your Maine correspondent "Penobscot," which 

 has ircreased greatly the pleasure of my trip here. "Pe- 

 nobscot" is a genial gentleman, and alive to all legitimate 

 sport with the rod and gun except hounding deer. "None 

 o' that for iiim." Still hunting is his delight. Weather the 

 past two nights very cold. Yesterday at 1 r. m. I enjoyed 

 the luxury of a June snow-squall on the highest peak of Me- 

 gantic Mountain. So far as I can learn I am the first white 

 man who kas set foot, ou the highest peak of this mountain. 

 The magnificent view of mountain, lake and forest that I had 

 there amply repaid me for my trouble iu making the ascent. 

 In descending we took the advantage of a long slide that 

 starts within half a mile of the fop and extends to the base 

 and had a smooth though steep pathway down. — Stanstbad. 



Hollblrd Shooting Suits. TJpthegrove & McLellan, Valparaiso, Ind. 



the force of the current is arrested and broken by a heavy, non- 

 eon-OBible hollow metal cup or cone (O, which rests on the inside 

 of the jar on three short feet of equal height. The current from 

 the tube impinges on the under Bide of the hollow cone, and is de- 

 flected downward, to escape upward into the space above. At 

 three points between the feet upon which the cone rests the force 

 of the current is regulated by the unpply cock, and as the water 

 escapes from under the edgeof the hollow cone the entire mass of 

 Bggsiskeptin the gentlest possible condition of motion, being 

 thrown gently outward and upward all round, except at the points 

 whore the feet of the coue break the current. The only detach- 

 able portions of the apparatus are the cone and the tube, shown 

 separately at the right. The cone, of Britannia or block tin, is 

 niiiVicieLitiy heavy to remain in position by its own weight. Tho 

 water which is to escape passes out of the jar through the spout 

 (8), which is closed with a wire-cloth gate or slide when desirable, 

 at tho top, which is part of a japanned tin rim that is cemented 

 to the top of the jar, and rests on a rim or flange of glass just 

 bolow it. The jar is ten inches in diameter aud two feet high 

 from the point where the cone rests, and wilt hold 500,000 eggs of 

 the shad. 



THE GOUEAMI. 



TM vie 



*- rnor 



of the proposed introduction of the gourami into our 



more southern waters, tho following article by Col. Nicolas 

 Tike, which he has kindly permitted us to publish is advance of 

 his book on tho fauna of India and tho fishes of the Indian Ocean, 

 wall be read with interest. The cut to which Col. Pike refers is 

 not vet finished, and we substitute two cuts of the fish, drawn by 

 Prof. Gill. 



The gourami, a native of China, was introduced into Mauritius 

 in 1761 by Messrs. de Surville. Toanme and Magny, of the French 

 Navy. They moat probably brought it from Java, where it was 

 seen and much admired by Commerson, who found it kept in 

 large earthen vessels by the Dutch colonists, and was much pleased 

 to find it in the Isle of France on his arrival in 1770. From the 

 Isle of France some couples were taken to Bourbon, where they 

 existed and throve for many years iu some ponds at St. Suzanne, 

 but, to the groat disappointment of those who possessed them, it 

 was found they did not breed. 



The cause of this was not discovered tilt about twenty years 

 after their introduction. It was then ascertained that the lowness 

 of the temperature in the high localities in which they had been 

 placed was the cause of their" sterility, and on removing them to 

 spots on the levol of the sea they began to breed freely. 



Tho gourami is a remarkable looking fish, and the young differ 

 widely from the adults. In tho former state the muzzle is attenu- 

 ated " and produced, with a concave forehead, and the sides 

 show eight vertical bands. In its second year the gourami 

 begins to asMime its distinctive garb. The strife gradually disap- 

 appear. The white, tinged with lilac, whioh formed the 

 ground color of its body, changes to a bronze tint, with golden re- 

 Heotionson the sides and brown on tho back, and the head is 

 tinged with pink The colors of tho male are lighter and brighter 

 th'ui those of tho female, and he is also distinguished by it lump 

 on tho foreheard as well as on the symphysis of the jaw. The 

 eyes are small, prominent, and set high and forward, the nostrils 

 orescent shaped. The proportions of the gonrami in length aud , 

 breadth are as firo to two. 



It is a thick, solid fish, and possessed of great strength, and 

 unless a not be held a foot or two above the water, it will leap 

 over it to a distance of several feet outside. When caught and 

 laid on tho ground it will leap to a height of three or four feet, 

 and unless promptly secured it will batter itself to pieces, as it is 

 most tenacious of life. 



The gourami ib not a fish of rapid growth. When just hatched 

 it is loss than half an inch long and very flat. It attains a length 

 of about four inches the first, year, seven or eight the second, and 

 ten or eleveu in the third, when it begins to breed and is consid- 

 ered better for the table than at any other period, aud weighs 

 about three pounds. 



They are sometimes met with two feet in length, weighing 

 twelve or fourteen pounds, hut the flesh is not nearly bo good as 

 that of younger subjects. 



Few fishes are more accommodating as to food thau the goura- 

 mi j frogs, shrimp, insects, leaves, fruit, grain, roots or bread, all 

 are acceptable, and even the leaves of the acrid Arum colncaaia 

 (large leaved souge) are eaten with aviditv. Nor is it more diffi- 

 cult with respect to habitation. The rapid stream or stagnant 

 pool appears to please equally well, provided food be abundant. 



