32 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



Importations of the eggs of the California brook trout had 

 also been received, but out of 1,800 only 260 batched out." 

 Mr. Roosevelt also spoke of the great change that hud 

 taken place in the condition of the shad fisheries of the Hud- 

 son, and said that in consequence of the results of the 

 labors of the Commission there were now ten fishermen 

 employed where seven or eight years ago there was only 

 one. He also alluded to the difficulties under which the 

 Commission labored for want of proper legislation, and 

 cited the instances of Owasco Lake, which, after being 

 stocked with salmon trout, was being rapidly depleted by 

 spearing, a fact which was recently commented upon at 

 ld this journal. 

 Professor J. W. Milner of the Smithsonian Institution 

 being called upon read a paper on the protection of rish 

 by Legislation, recounting from the essays of Carl Peyer, 

 of Austria, Bouchou Bradley, of Franco, and Theodore 

 Lowda Kevies, of Vienna, the efforts since the middle 

 ages to preserve the fisheries by legislative enactment. The 

 continual amendment, repeal and re-euuetiucnt indicated 

 tin inadequacy in this means. Switzerland and England 

 in the last decade were the only countries of Europe which 

 gave encouraging tidings. In. the United Statesthe history 

 of the laws was similar. Canada, however, by the en- 

 forcement of stringent laws and artificial propagation, h ad 

 accomplished much. Mr. Miluer also gave a general an- 

 alysis of the legal enactments relating to fisheries, and the 

 Canadian system was dwelt upon at length. This, how- 

 ever, he considered impracticable in the United States 

 because of the large extent of waters to be protected. The 

 necessities advocated were an awakening of public senti- 

 ment, and penalties upon officers who fail to enforce the 

 law. 



Mr, J, C. Bottemanne, Superintendent of the Fisheries 

 of Holland, ihen Spoke of the laws of his country for the 

 preservation of fish, and .said that in Holland there was a 

 regular fishery police; and recommended the appointment 

 ot a similar loree in America. Mr. W. 0. Coup v>as then 

 elected an honorary member of the association. 



After a short recess Mr. Samuel Wilmot, of Canada, 

 who exhibited a splendid specimen of the Saimo Wiimod, 

 or salmon, that had had hecess only to fresh water, de- 

 livered an interesting address on the progress of fish 

 culture in Canada, in alluding to the specimen exhibited 

 he called attention to the fact that itweighed, when caught, 

 17 pounds, aud was discovered by means of holes punched 

 in the dorsal fin and tail, to have entered in two previous 

 years the small stream emptying into Lake Ontario, in 

 which in 1865 he had placed the first salmon fry it had 

 ever contained. Last autumn they had entered by thou- 

 i rying in weight from five to 20 pounds, although 

 the stream was so shallow that last year his men had ac- 

 tually to clear out the channel with rakes and hoes to 

 allow the larger ones to pass. He stated that fish culture 

 in the Dominion had been begun by himself in 1865 as a 

 private enterprise. The Government heard of it in 1866 

 aud 1S67, and had determined to take hold of it themselves, 

 considering that it could not be properly carried on as a 

 private enterprise. There were now iu Canada six large 

 fish-breeding establishments, aud there were at present 

 6,000,000 salmon and 9,000,000 of white-fish almost ready 

 to be placed at liberty in the streams. In alluding to the 

 subject of legislation Mr. Wilmot drew a comparison be- 

 tween this country with its fifty million of inhabitants and 

 the Domiuiou with three millions. 



The editor of this paper having sent for the inspection of 

 th»asBociation several specimens of Sulmo fordinalm and 

 also the \8akno eatia&enstS, all taken in salt water, a discus- 

 sion arose as to whether the latter fish was not identical 

 with the brook trout. Mr. Wilmot and Mr. Seth Green 

 thought that the}- were. Prof. Milner thought that a more 

 careful examination of different specimens would be re 

 quired before the question was definitely decided. 



Referring to the matter of legislation Mr. E. G. Black- 

 ford, of New York, thought that the present stringent laws 

 with regard to having trout iu possession out of season 

 should be so modified as to protect the honest dealer from 

 infractions which might arise through causes entirely 

 beyond his control. 



Mr. Wilmot having stated that the credit of having in- 

 troduced California salmon to Eastern waters was due to 

 Prof, Spencer P. Baird, that gentleman disclaimed the 

 honor aud stated that it was due entirely to the associa- 

 tion, Prof. Baird alsogaveanoutliueof the formation aud 

 labors of the United States Fish Commission and spoke at 

 some length of the proposed introduction of tench and 

 carp into this country from Europe. 



Mr. Milner then gave a history of shad culture in the United 

 Slates, under the auspices of the United States Pish Com 

 mission, and said that it had been conclusively proved that 

 Eastern shad fry that had been placed in the Sacramento 

 river, in California, had grown and flourished and that lie 

 hoped in time to hear thai they would inerea.se to such an 

 extent as to prove valuable as food for me inhabitants of 

 that State. 



Mr. Livingston Stone also spoke of the success of the 

 shad culture" m the Sacramento river, aud then gave a his- 

 tory of the exportation of the eggs of the California sal- 

 mon, which was becoming more aud more success! a 

 year Up to date there had beeu brought a total of 25,- 

 000, 000 eggs, which had cost about $1 per thousand iu 



gold. A new feature ia regard to the California salmon 

 eggs was their exportation to New Zealand, to which 

 island about 400,000 of Utein had bi i i , curried 



during the past year. (.A. full account of the successful 

 transportation of these eggs has recently been printed in 

 litis journal). 



Green, Tileston and Evarts having been ap- 

 pointed a Committee on Nomination reported the follow- 

 ing officers, who wore duly elected: President, Hon. 

 .■I. B. Roosevelt; Vice-FiGHideut, George Shepard 

 Treasurer, Eugene G. Blackford; Secretary, B. 

 Phillips; Executive Committee, 11. J. Heeder, Easton, Pa. ; 

 Fred Mather, New York; Alexander Kent, Baltimore; VV". 

 P. Whiichisr, Ottawa, Canada; Beth Green, Rochester. New 

 York. 



In the evening the members of the association were en- 

 tertained by Messrs, Coup and ICeicheBros. at an elegant 

 i given at the Qua , Eft >■ 



SliOOIiD DAV. 



The first paper read was by Fred Mather, giving an ac- 

 count of the operations iu fish culture conducted under his 

 Bapervision at the Aquarium. As this, with other papers 

 read, will be printed by ua in full we will only allude to 

 them here, 



Mr. "Wilmot gave an account of his method of impreg- 

 nating salmon eggs, and was followed by Mr. B. Phillips, 

 who read a paper on the "Waste of Fish." In his remarks, 

 Mr, Phillips called the attention of the association to the 

 large number of different kinds of fish which the people 

 of this country refused to eat, either through prejudice or 

 ignorance. Mr. Frederick M. Wallern, of the Fish Com- 

 mission of Norway, was the next speaker. Mr. Hallock 

 being present on this day the discussion over the speoi 

 mens of sea trout was resumed, Messrs. Hallock, Wilmot, 

 Evarts, Roosevelt and others participating. The prevailing 

 opinion was that the sea trout and biooR trout were identi- 

 cal, the former being brook trout which had sought salt 

 water from choice. "The question will be decided, however, 

 when a careful examination shall have heen made of both 

 fish and the Question of species determined. 



On motion'of Mr. Phillips, Bukezawa Akekio, Imperial 

 Pish Commissioner of Japan at the Centennial, was made 

 an honorary member. Iu accordance with a resolution in- 

 troduced by Mr. Miluer, tho work of the association was 

 divided into four sections, each wilh a committee of three, 

 and each section to be assigned subjects for essays to be 

 read and discussed at the next meeting. Following are the 

 sections, with the names of the gentlemen appointed: — 



ffimt— Methods of Fish Culture— Messrs. Green, Porter 

 and Wilmot. 



Second— Apparatus, Fishing-dams and Fishw ays— Messrs. 

 Evarts, Stone and Ferguson. 



Third— Natural History and Aquaria— Messrs. Milner, 

 Mai her and Hallock. 



Fburtb— Fisheries— Messrs, Blackford, Phillips and Ed- 

 munds. 



Mr. Charles Hallock then offered a resolution, which was 

 adopted, to the effect that iu future the annual meetings 

 of the association be held in the Aquarium, as it was the 

 most suitable place that could be found for the purpose. 

 It was further resolved that the Aquarium be recommended 

 to the public as well worthy of its patronage. The meet- 

 ing was then adjourned to meet on the second Wednesday 

 of February, 1878. 



Baknum Not to be Humbugged.— Mr. B. strolled into 

 the aquarium and admired, as he passed the tank in which 

 the Kingiyo geutly waves his superfluous tail and dreams 

 of the little grotto fish pond, where in the far oil land of 

 the Karnis he with many of his kindred sported iu days 

 gone by. He paused and closed one eye, thrust his tongue 

 in his cheek and severely chuckled, at tho to him trans- 

 parent humbug. 



"Pretty well done!" he remarked. "A beautiful case." 



"What's that, Mr. Barnum?" said Mather. 



"Why, that fish— that tail is well put on. I call that a 

 first-class job." 



"Do you think that's an artificial arrangement, Mr. Bv" 



"Of course it is. You know how they make homed rats 

 by inserting the cut end of the tail in a cut on the nose; 

 then trimming it off after it has healed iu. Same thiDg, 

 sir! same thing." 



Mather was naturally somewhat abashed. The idea of 

 his being associated iu any manner with a humbug or 

 fraud was not pleasant, aud that the fraud should be 

 in connection with a fish was touching him in a tender 

 point; but here is a keen reason, and not to be shelved at 

 the first onset. 



Mr. Barnum," he quietly said, "if you will answer me 

 one question, I'll own up that the Kingiyo is a humbug." 



"All right. What is it V" 



"Simply this: "If that tail didn't groic on that fish, where 

 did it grow?" 



Mr. B. passed on, and played with the pensive "Baby." 



Oh Pit. 



PROGRESS IN FISH FARMING. 



An Aquarium ih Boston. — We have already noticed 

 the movement to establish an Aquaria iu Philadelphia and 

 Brooklyn, aud now- Boston has become interested in a 

 similar enterprise. Last week Mr. Emerson Baker, 

 delivered a lecture on Aquaria before the Massachusetts 

 Anglers' Association, in which he suggested a plan for 

 an aquarial garden on a large scale, wilh a zoological 

 department attached, to be located on city land taken foi 

 the proposed system of public porks. A Committee of five 

 was appointed to take this into consideration and report 

 some feasible plan of action. 



In describing the uses and construction of Aquaria he 

 said: — 



"The idea had frequently occurred to naturalists thai 

 fish lite iu its native element might be examined tiy ex- 

 plorations with the submarine ai uior; but the invention of 

 the aquarium a quarter of a century ago enabled us to 

 prosecute this examination in a much more Ikoro 

 agreeable manner. The brst thing to be considered was 

 the best material for the frame work of these structures. 

 They were first made of iron, but this is subject to rapid 

 oxydization, which necessitates painting, and nearly all 

 paints aie poisonous to fish. Slate is a very good material, 

 but soap-stone is probably the best, as it neither expands 

 nor contracts, aud requires no coaling ot paint. The 

 cement must be selected with care, and music* 

 lime nor lead. But the all-iiuportaut point to be secured 

 is the aeration of the water in the tank. This must be ttc- 

 d either by forcing the air dowu into the water 

 or by forcing the water up into the air, in either case by 

 artificial means. Recently practical scientists have hit 

 upon an excellent method of mingling vegetable and animal 

 life iu the aquarium, which enures to the advantage of both 

 by maintaining a system of balance and compeusation. 

 The plants evolve oxygen and absorb carbon, while the 

 fish give out carbon and inhale oxygen, thus establishing 

 a mutually beneficial exchange of vital elements. Stand- 

 ing water is injurious to drink aud catches all the atmos- 

 pheric poisons, The wattr. plant also imbibes noxious 

 odors, and were it not tor tne intervention of the snail, 

 which is the scavenger of the aquarium and a Useful mem- 

 ber of the fish society, eating up impurities and decayed 

 particles, the former would cease its bu] 

 The remainder of the lecture was devoted to a considera- 



best and most economical methods of 

 flee citculation and aeraUougf water used for aquariums." 



EniTon Fohest and Stream:— 



It is simple justice to say IhatFoKEST and Stkeam, has 

 done more than any, and I might truthfully say, ail other 

 journals, to awaken and concentrate a spirit of inquiry on 

 the subject, of fish culture, and to disseminate the discov- 

 eries aud improvements which within the last few years 

 have been made in this important department of science. 

 The files of your paper constitute an invaluable repository 

 of information on ah branches of inquiry concerning the 

 preservation and propagation of fish, and the re.-ult is al- 

 ready apparent, not only iu the increased interest mani- 

 fested throughout the country, in slocking our depleted 

 lakes aud rivers, but in creating an extendeu interest among 

 farmers in the construction of private ponds for raising 

 edible fish. It is on this point that I desire to draw out 

 practical suggestions for tho benefit of those who are ex- 

 perimenting in that direction, it would be very interesting 

 to have the experience of those who have constructed ponds 

 for the purpose of supplying their own tables, as well as of 

 those who have made larger investments with a view of 

 raising fish for market. Let them give ferief reports of the 

 size ot ponds, character of the water-supply, whether from 

 spring, running stream, or natural lake,) manner of guard- 

 ing against freshets: protecting young fish, general cost of 

 constructing and slocking; kind of fish raised; the lood 

 supplied; quantity and size of fish, from year to year, aud 

 the general success or failure of various experiments made 

 There is a valuable fund of practical knowledge of these 

 details which it seems to me might most profitably supple- 

 ment the efforts of those who have labored so successfully 

 to familiarize the public wilh the scientific details of fish 

 culture. It has been claimed that an acre of water can be 

 made to produce a laigcr revenue than an acre of land ; and 

 the success which has attended the various hatching enter- 

 prises, whose operations have been reported in your col 

 umns, may be considered as demonstrating the great impor- 

 tance ot fish culture as a means of supplying cheap aud 

 healthful food for all classes of our population. Every 

 farmer should have a fish-pond, not only as a source of 

 healthful and interesting recreation, but as a matter of eeon- 

 my in supylytng food for his family, it is to encourage 

 farmers to avail themselves of the advantages which recent 

 Scientific inquiry has placed within their reach, that 1 havu 

 intruded upon your space. There are hundreds of your 

 readers who can furnish short reports of the result of their 

 experiments, which cannot fail to be of interest and value. 



PlSCATOli. 

 ■»♦••» 



Pisioulture at Moksemure. — Morscmere presents more 

 the appearance of a morsemer at the present time, since be- 

 tween the butts at the live hundred yard range and the tar 

 gels there is a huge lake about one hundred yards in cir- 

 euuiforeuee, and quite deep. This lake has been placed 

 here for the culture of trout and will soon he stocked. 

 Close at hand Mr. Morse has erected a small house in which 

 the trout eggs are being hatched out. A large spring sup- 

 plies the house with water and it is conveyed through pipes 

 to the top oi the buildings whence it passes through sever- 

 al filters to distributing pipes, The eggs, which are about 

 the size of small peas] are placed on glass trays which tit 

 in oblong pans, of which there are about a dozen, ranged 

 each lower one projecting a little beyond the up- 

 per like a flight of stairs. The water enters the pans on the 

 top row which overflow into those next below aud so on to 

 the bottom, each pan constantly receiving a fresh supply of 

 water. After the fish are hatched they arc transferred to 

 larger square tanks in which the water is about six inches 

 in depth, and the bottom covered with small white pebbles 

 and shells. The water iu these is also kept in motion, the 

 overflow passing out of the building. There are in these 

 tanks about five thousand liny trout, a little over an inch in 

 length, which gambol and sport about among the pebbles 

 In a lively manner. It is interesting to watch the manoeu- 

 vres of tne younger ones in their efforts to swim. They 

 first fioat on their side, then on their back, aud making a 

 desperate effort right themselves and proceed a short dis- 

 tance in quite good style. Last Saturday tlieie were 

 in the tank two pair of twin trout, they being joined near 

 the tail, but it is seldom these curiosities live. The tem- 

 perature of the water is kept as nearly uniform OS possible, 

 aud there is a thermometer in one ot the tanks, another on 

 the wall, and another outside the building, from which Mr. 

 Morse takes the temperature daily, and enters them on a 

 tablet hanging on the wall. In the center of the room is a 

 large stove, With which, in cold weather, he keeps up a 

 proper temperature. At one side of thiB little house is a 

 small resevoir about eight by lour feet in dimensions, and 

 quite deep, which will receive tire trout as soon they get too 

 huge tot their indoor quarters preparatory to their intro- 

 duction to the lake, their final place of abode, it would 

 repay one interested in such matters, to visit this place and 

 watch the miniature piscatorial tribe for even at ew minutes. 

 — Yvnlcei's Gazette . 



■ ■»«» 



Canned Salmon. — Since communication wilh the Co- 

 lumbia river, the greatest salmon stream in the world, has 

 been made easy of access by rail-road, there has beeu a 

 great increase in the canning establishments on its margin, 

 the annual catch being enormous; but it is already predictud 

 that unless stringent laws are enacted regulating the fishing, 

 before many years the number will be seriously diminisued 

 and eventually exterminated. 



The salmon before canning, is boiled in oil and thus re- 

 tains ils flavor much better than when put up in vinegar 

 aud spices. It is, prepared in this manner, tt very palat- 

 able article of food aud retails at three dollars per dozen 

 cans. The consumption is rapidly increasing iu this coun- 

 try aud a large quantity is annually sent to England. 

 Previous to the present year the packiug business ot '187-1 

 was the largest ever accomplished, aggregating 835,000 

 cases, being about, double that of any previous year. V\ liui 

 preparations for the present season began, packers estimated 

 that 400,000 cases would be needed, but the bare slate of 

 the market in England, and the rapid increase in the con- 

 sumption there, brought the large English houses into the 

 field, and almost before the packing was commenced, 385,001) 

 - sold by contract. Packers consequently in- 

 creased their preparations, and with the expected large run 

 of fish were prepared 10 woik day and night, hoping 

 thus to furnish 500,000 cases. However, on accouul of Ihe 

 cold water aud swollen condition of the river, the fish ran 

 low as a general thing, below the depth of the nets, and the 

 result was a catch sufficient for but 410,000 cases. Of these, 

 Shipments have been made to England, direct from Oregon, 

 of about 150,000 cases. Iu 1S76 the consumption in that 



