232 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
tinue in place during the weekly close time, when all other 
nets are raised or disused. It is represented that there is 
no attempt made to liberato alive the forbidden fish in ac¬ 
cordance with the law and the license. This state of things 
has caused frequent remonstrances on the part of seiners 
and gill netters, as you are no doubt aware. And it was 
for such reasons that the Department found it necessary, 
after several years of expostulation and forbearance to¬ 
wards the owners of pound nets, to.insert, in their licenses 
for 1870 a specific condition .that the capture of pickerel, 
maskinotige, bass, or whitofish during the respective close 
seasons for those kind of fish would subject the licenses to 
forfeiture. The owners of pound nets, who have all along 
contended that their pounds arc fished in such a manner as 
to enable them to release alive all prohibited fish, suddenly 
declare that if held to a strict observance of the close sea¬ 
son at present in force for pickerel, maskiuongc, and bass, 
they cannot catch herrings, sturgeon, and Whitehall. This 
is the cause of all the outcry winch has arisen. There has 
heen no new fishery regulation sprung upen them, and 
nothing more than usual done heyond binding them to ob¬ 
serve the close seasons for certain fish, which all other 
fishermen find themselves compelled by the Fishery Laws 
to respect. 
It is hardly necessary to remark, in conclusion, that in 
making allowance for the lateness of the present spring, 
and other circumstances which you have urged on behalf 
of the fishermen, by permitting them to fish for all kinds 
of fish tip to the 1st of May, the Minister gives fresh proof 
that it is still, as it ever lias heen, the earnest desire of his 
Department to so deal with fishery matters as to promote 
the truest interests of the public and all others concerned, 
whilst affording always reasonable relief to those more im¬ 
mediately interested, on whom existing circumstances 
might, bear with undue severity, 
1 have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient servant. 
W. F. WntTCiiEii, 
Commissioner of Fisheries. 
TVst, McGregor, Esq., M. P., Windsor, Ontario. 
(From the London Field.] 
FISH CULTURE UNDERTAKEN BY 
COMPANIES. 
A RECENT official report on the industries of the 
Grand Duchy of Baden communicates the following 
Interesting information respecting the fish cultural under¬ 
takings of that country. 
Owing, it appears, to the advancing price of nearly all 
articles of food, and the greatly increased demand for 
trout, grayling, etc., at the different watering places of 
Die Black Forest, the culture of these choicer kinds of tish 
line been much more remunerative of late throughout the 
Duchy, and every year adds to the number of its piscicul¬ 
ture! establishments. Two of the most important of the 
latter are those carried on respectively by the Baden and 
Boflndorf Companies, and a few particulars respecting 
their organization and management may perhaps be not 
Unwelcome. 
Commencing with the Freiburg undertaking, that con¬ 
ducted by the Baden Company, is was proposed in 1865 to 
raise a capital of 40,00011. (nither less Ilian 113,400) by the 
issue of 1,600 shares Of 2511. (about 2 guineas), each payable 
by instalments in fi ve yearB. Should the net profits in 1870— 
the first, year fixed for the payment of any dividend there 
might be—exceed 5 per cent., the excess was to be;put 
aside as a reserve fund, the same measure being adopted 
annually utilil the reserve capital amounted to another 
40,001111- Private individuals or parishes not taking shares, 
hut contributing liy voluntary subscription to the sup¬ 
port of the undertaking, could in turn claim the assistance 
of the institution should they at anytime require profes¬ 
sional advice as to the erection of hatching works, the 
stocking of rivers, etc. Towards the construction of the 
building, Which is the properly of the present director, 
the Stifle contributed the sum of 2,000fl. (£1661, and the 
annual Government grant since 1871 has been 1,00011. (£83). 
This State support is given on condition that the company 
shall undertake to supply pisciculturists residenL in the 
Grand Duehy with fertilized ova and young fry at a 
lower charge than is made to outsiders; and since 1871 the 
prices have"been 3s. 4d. per 1,000 for salmon or river trout 
eggs, 3s. Old. per 1,000 for char, lake trout, and hybrids of 
salmon; anti loti. (25s.) per 100 for young fry, the latter 
having arrived at the close of the yoke-sac period. Pur¬ 
chasers not living in Baden have paid 6s. per 1,000 for 
river trout and salmon eggs, and Ss. for hybrid ditto; and 
such care is observed-in the packing of them, that in the 
case of a large consignment to Turin, which, owing to 
some irregularity remained eleven days en route, the mor¬ 
tality only amounted to 2 per cent., and the loss last winter 
on a sendiug of 5,000 ova (first hatch of a consignment of 
25,000) despatched to the north of England, did not exceed 
one eighth per cent,. The eggs lonvarded to Turin were 
packed in layers of moistened cotton wool; those sent to 
England in moss. 
Slice 1865, when the Freiburg works were first planned, 
the buildings have been considerably enlarged, and now 
contain appliances and accommodation for incubating over 
1,0U0,000 eggs. The cement hatching troughs, twenty- 
two in number lately introduced in Die place of wooden 
ones, are filled up with lids, which will open and shut; 
and til intervals in I,ho same there are wire-covered open¬ 
ings, with slide doors for admitting the light gradually. 
At one time spring water was preferred lor iucubatiug 
purposes; but experience having shown that brook water, 
Which is colder and more aerated, produces healthier and 
hardier fry, it is now arrauged that Die hatching troughs 
and ponds shall be supplied with, water from a mountain 
stream, and only receive sufficient spring water to prevent 
the temperature falling below 37‘ Fahrenheit. Each of 
the nine ponds belonging to the establishment, some made 
shallow for Die young fry, others tolerably deep for 
the spawning fish—in addition to the supply it receives 
direct from ihe stream, is led by the overflow from the 
pond immediately above it. By a simple contrivance, 
However, the water from both sources can be turned off at 
aDy moment and the pond run dry. 
UOucerning the food given at Freiburg, this consists of 
ox and calves’ brains, of finely-chopped refuse meat, etc., 
(heart, liver, lungs, etc., Of freshly killed animals), from 
the slaughter house, and of minced horseflesh. During 
.the first, tew monihs brains are looked upon as especially 
suitable food, being light and nulricious, and not liable, as 
is the case with meat, to sink to the bottom and taint the 
1R71-72. 
1872-73. 
1873-74. 
35.5U0 ... 
.. 91,(100 
3.500 . 
.. 4,000 
10.000 
6,000 . 
.. 16,500 
- ... 
13,000 4 
.. 6,500 
5,000 ,.. 
13,500 . 
.. 13,600 
2,000 ... 
3;ooa . 
2,000 ... 
11,800 . 
.. 6,100 
1,000 ... 
2,200 . 
.. 1,300 
;d in the 
months 
of Jan- 
water. Of this fare the young fry require a good supply 
three times a day. 
As to the number of young fish turned every year into 
tiro waters rented by tire company— i. a., the river Drcisaoh 
and its tributaries—this amounted in the winter 1873-74, to 
take an average season, t.o 100,000 river trout and hybrids 
of salmon, and 20,000 salmon. 
The subjoined figures, on the other hand, represent the 
quantity of ova and fry disposed of between 1870 and 
1874:- 
rERTlLlZED OVA. 
Name. 18*0-71. 
River trout. 26.100 , 
Salmon. 8,300 . 
Hybrids of Salmon. 7,600 . 
Chorr..... 
YOUNG 
River trout. 3,300 
Salmon. ICO 
Char. 500 
Lake trout. 300 
The eggs are mostly despatc- — 
uary and February, young fish in March and April. In the 
case of a long journey and large sending of fry, it is con¬ 
sidered desirable for a man to accompany the latter. Ap¬ 
plications for ova require to be addressed to Herrn 
Oberbttrgermeister Schuster, Director of the Institution, 
before October 1st each year; and for the guidance of any 
one desirous of visiting the works, we may mention that 
they are situated oh" the above gentleman’s property, 
Selzenliof, about six English miles from Freiburg, east¬ 
ward of Hexenlhal. 
With regard to Die only other piseicultural company out 
of the many lately formed, viz., that of BoDndorf, respect¬ 
ing which details are given in the official report, we are- 
told that its now and larger establishment in the valley of 
the Wutach was completed in 1873, and covers, including 
ponds and runlets, an area of about eight acres. The 
supply of water is obtained in part from tw-o springs, 
(which furnish 120 gallons per minute), in part from the 
neighboring river; the system of mixing the two kinds of 
water for incubating and rearing purposes being adopted 
here as at Freiburg. 
Iu the year 1873 tile company hatched out 600,000 eggs, 
turned 400,000 young fry into its ponds, and sold 4 cwt. of 
grayling, and rather over two tons weight of trout. Jt 
now rents the greater part of the river Wutach and its 
tributaries. 
—Dr. M. C. Edmunds, fish commissioner of Vermont, 
left Rutland on the 10th, says the Rutland Herald, with a 
quantity of salmon fry intending to plant them at Wells 
River. Before starting the fish began to show symptoms 
of dying, by reason of some carbonaceous substance in the 
water, and before he had proceeded far their mortality was 
so rapid that he concluded to turn them loose in the first 
water he came to. This he did in the Winooski River, at 
whuI is called Lime Kiln Fall. Thirty per cent, died in 
the transit, and the whole quantity would doubtless have 
perished before reaching their destination. Only once be¬ 
fore, Die doctor says, has he met with such ill luck, and 
then a stream in Massachusetts got stocked with salmon 
that otherwise would not have received any. Fatties in 
Northwestern Vermont will doubtless be disappointed for 
the time being by this loss, which has proved to be Winoos¬ 
ki’s gain, but dead fry would hardly have served Uieir pur¬ 
pose. The mortality of the fish ou this occasion cannot he 
accounted for, as the water had been changed just before 
starting. _ _ _ 
—Forty thousand more young trout have been placed it 
Lake George and adjoining streams in Vermont, making in 
all 120,000. A local fish and game protective association 
is to he formed at St. Albans. 
-- 
BLACK BASS IN WINTER. 
^ Jacbsonpobt, Ark ., Muy 5th, 1876. 
Editor Forest and St he am :— 
In your issue or April -271,11,1 noticed a lottcr from Fred Mather on the 
above subject. From an experience of several years, I am satisfied that 
our black ba«s tfiryst.es satmohides) do not liybernate in winter. They 
are caught here at all times in the winter mouths regardless of the cold, 
whenever the water is low enough. My friend Peter Bach, of this place, 
frequently fUlies for them when the intense cold requires a Are on the 
bank to keep warm by. On the 31st last December, in deep water at 
the month of Wall’s Lake, above here, ou White River, I took with the 
Whitehall spinning bait my half of n large wash-tub full of black and 
Striped bass—mixed about half nnd half—and on the next day, which was 
very cold, took both sorts together with domlnique perch, upon minnow 
bait, I have taken them, and have seen them taken here every winter for 
several winters by sportsmen fishing for “jack salmon,” (pike perch), 
and am fully satisfied that in this locality they are “lively" all winter, 
Wji. A. Monroe. 
t( West Meklden, Conn., May 8th, 1370. 
Editor Forest and Stream:- 
There is much said here and in different parts of the country, just 
now. about our bluck bass fishing. On all sides I hear expressions of 
dissatisfaction, and I believe there are good groands for it. Lovers of 
the rod who were wont to visit favorite ponds, certain to return with a 
satisfactory basket of pickerel, do so no more, for Borne body has planted 
the ponds hereabouts with black bass and our pickerel arc not to be 
found, and the worst of it is, that no'body seems to mectwith any success 
with the bass, either. 1 know that some few bass have been caught in 
a pond not fur from here, hut do they compensate for the toss of fine 
strings of pickerel which were caught there almost daily during the sea¬ 
son i Now if it he true that pickerel and treat are being destroyed by 
the bass, would it not lie well to he ou the safe side and not stock so 
many of our ponds with them? I would be glad lo hear the opinion of 
others on this subject. __ Von Q. 
Subterranean Fish — The Virginia Oily Enterprise (Ne¬ 
vada) is responsible for a report that curious specimens of 
fish have been found in Die water now flooding Die Savage 
and Norcross mines. The fishes are eyeless, and are only 
about three or four inches in length. They are blood red 
in color. The temperature of the water in which they are 
found is 128 degrees Fahrenheit—almost scalding hot. In 
appearance they somewhat resemble the goldfish. They 
seem lively and sportive enough while in their native hot 
water, notwithstanding the fact that they have no eyes nor 
even the rudiments of eyes. The water by which the 
mines are flooded broke in at a depth of 2,200 feet in a 
drift Dial was being pushed to the northward in the Day- 
age. It rose in the mine to the height of 400 leet. This 
would seem to prove that a great subterranean reservoir or 
lake hus been tapped, and lrom this lake doubtless came 
the fish hoisted from the mine. 
tmnl $istorg. 
t'Jhis Department is under the charge of a competent Naturalist, 
indorsed by the Smithsonian Institution, and will henceforth be made a 
medal feature of this paper. All communications, notes, queries, re¬ 
marks, and seasonal observations wilt receive cartful attention.] 
For Forest and Stream. 
^ THE AMERICAN GRAYLING. 
“The grayling is not found In America, except in the Arctic regions,. 
where swims the magnificent Thymaltus slgnifer, requiring as much dex¬ 
terity to land as a trout six times lie size-.’’ 
T HESE are the words of that enthusiastic angler, and 
most scholarly and eminent divine, Dr. Geo. W.- 
Bethune, in afoot note of one of the most popular editions- 
of “Walton and Colton’s Complete Angler.” Familiar as' 
he seems to have been with the entire rauge of authors, inr 
everything pertaining to fish and fishing, from Diodorus 
Siculus, and the Halieutics of Oppian, down to the latest 
monograph on practical angling, lie appears to have over¬ 
looked certain important, and interesting facts iu regard 
to the habitat of the grayling. Nor is he alone, for many - 
others, I find have fallen into the same error. It is with 
the intention of correcting what 1 honestly believe to be a 
mistake in regard to tbe discovery of the grayling within 
the United States, and from a sincere desire to have honor 
rendered to whom honor is due, that I send this contribu¬ 
tion. 
Although, the grayling was well known, nnd held in flie 
highest estimation in Central Europe, as far back, as Die 
days of St Ambrose, who considered it as the “flower of 
fishes,” aDd although it has been tbe coveted object of the 
angler's skill in the rivers of Great Britain from Die time 
of honest Izaac Walton, no specieBof the genns was known 
to exist on this continent until the discovery of Back's gray¬ 
ling (Thymaltus signifer), in one of the tributaries of the 
Polar Sea at the time of Sir John Franklin’s first journey 
to the Arctic regions in 1810. So far as I can learn from 
any works on ichthyology, or from the reports of Fish 
Commissioners, fish eulturists or anglers, no one claims to 
have discovered any species of grayling within the United 
States until 1847 or 1848. Prof. E. I). Cope, of Philadel¬ 
phia, in 1804 examined a collection of fishes belonging to 
some of the educationtd institutions of Michigan, and 
among them found some specimens of a grayling from Die 
waters of that State, to which he gave the name of Thy- 
mallus tricolor. Since tliat time the habitat of ibis fish 
seems to have extended over a wide area of oar country. 
It has been found to be more liberally distributed in the 
waters of Michigan than in any other portion Of the country- 
up to the present time; the (dear, cold rivers, Jordan,, 
Ausable, Muskigon, Marquette, Rifle, and other streams 
emptying into Lake Michigan, or Lake Huron, Con I tutting; 
this beautiful, delicious, nnd gamy fish in such numbers us 
to afford fine sport to the angler. Those of my readers 
who have not enjoyed the oportunity for personal experi¬ 
ence in taking this savory fish, have doubtless been de¬ 
lighted in reading tbe spicy sketches of the exploits of the 
renowned “Uncle Thud,” and his friend D. 11. Fitzbugli, 
on the Manistee and Ausable. Do far as discovered, the 
grayling of this country is much Inferior in size to the 
grayling (Thymaltus vulgaris), of England. While iu this 
country the average size is from half a pound to a pound; 
in England the average size is from one and a halt io two 
pounds, and specimens are often taken of three pounds. 
Since this fish has attracted so much attention, is found to 
afford such genuine sport to the angler, ami is reputed to 
be so edible and delicious as to rival Lite 8ahno fouiinalis, 
you will surely pardon me, if 1 propose the question: 
Who was the first to discover, and mention the grayling :is 
a habitue of tbe waters of the United {States? • in* solv¬ 
ing this problem, no doubt the name of Prof. E. D. Cope, 
will occur to Lite mind of Die intelligent reader. To liiui 
douUess belongs the credit of being the first lo describe in 
scientific form, and to name Thymaltus tricolor Ibe species 
which he found in 1864. To Mr. 1). 11. Filzhugh, of Bay 
City, Michigan, some credit is also due for his discovery of 
this species iu its native streams, ami for procuring and 
forwarding specimens to Chas. Halloek, Esq., Editor of 
Forest and Dtiikam, and also to the Naiional Museum at 
Washington, in 1873. 
In connection with this subject-, there is an important 
fact, which does not seem to be generally known; indeed 
it appears to have entirely escaped the observation of that 
class of persons who lake a special interest in ichthyology, 
and who would give to any new fact bearing upon the sub¬ 
ject, the consideration and credit which it justly deserved, 
Among the books which have chanced to come into my 
possession during Ihe last year, and which I read with un¬ 
abated interest, is the “Narrative of a Journey across the 
liocky Mountains to the Columbia River," by John K. 
Townsend, member of the Academy of Natural Sciences, 
Philadelphia. He and his friend, the late Thomas N uttall, 
ihe eminent botanist and ior many years Professor of 
Natural History in Harvard University, joined a party of 
men under Capt. Wyeth, who crossed the Rocky Moun¬ 
tains to the Pacific Coast, in the interest of “The Colum¬ 
bia River Fishiug and Trading Company." Tlie object of 
these distinguished naturalists in joining the expedition, was 
solely to obtain specimens, and gain information iu regard 
to the Fauna and Flora of the extensive counD’y intervening 
betweeu Die Mississippi and Columbia rivers. They were 
both eminently qualified for the Successful prosecution of 
their cherished enterprise. Leaving Bt. Louis ou March Sfil It, 
1834, nud pursuing their journey westward, they came at 
length to the banks of Green River, Siskudee, or Colorado 
of tbe West. This was on June 30th, a most favorable 
season for camping on the banks of a beautiful stream, 
abounding iu delicious fish. He soft's ou page 76, 
:’Our camp here is a most lovely one.* * * Our tents 
are pitched in a pretty lilltle valley, or indentation in the 
plain, surrounded on all sides by low bluffs of yellow clay. 
Near us flows tbe clear, deep water of the Siskadec; and 
beyond on every side is a wide, and level prairie interrupt¬ 
ed only by some gigantic peaks of mountains aud conical 
buttes in the distance. The river here coutuins a great 
number of large trout, some grayling, and a small narrow 
