FOREST AND STREAM. 



597 



Quintals per man, an aggregate of 144,000 quintals for 

 twenty-four fishing days, the fishery being prosecuted 

 without the aid of bait. One vessel of thirty tons, carry- 

 ing six men and two boats, and which had been fishing 

 about the islands near the missionary station, got three 

 hundred quintals in three weeks of six days each, and had 

 she come a fortnight earlier could have easily secured a 

 catch of eighty quintals per man. Another vessel, a sixty 

 tonner, had in six weeks got sixty quintals per man, and 

 took her cargo to Notre Dame Bay to "make" there. For 

 the proper prosecution of the fishery on these new banks, 

 howeve'r, large boats will be required." 



.+«^. 



MURDOCK LAKE. 



St. Louis, Mo., January 13th, 1877. 

 Editor Forest akd Stream:— 



The last number of Forest and Stream has come to 

 hand, and I have spent an hour most pleasantly, reading 

 its many interesting and varied articles. Among them I 

 note the letter from St. Louis, signed Pedrix, which gives 

 a description of duck shooting on Moredock (or as we de- 

 note it, Murdock) Lake. This sheet of water is an old cut- 

 off of the Mississippi river, with both ends entirely 

 stopped up some dry seasons. It is located in Illinois, 

 about twenty-six miles south of this city, and has been for 

 many years a favorite resort of sportsmen. I am confident 

 there is not a more favorable locality in which to indulge 

 in these sports, within many hundred miles of here. The 

 Saint Louis and Murdock Lake Fishing and Shooting Club 

 has been in existence twelve years, have a large, comfort- 

 able house on the west bank of the lake, with an average 

 membership of about forty. This year our list already 

 embraces forty members, and we shall soon have a com- 

 pliment of sixty. The Club has leases of the most favored 

 shores for fishing. Our register foots up a catch of over 

 ten thousand black striped (or rock) and white (croppy) 

 bass. Officers for present year, President, D. L. Dickin- 

 son; Executive Committee, A. B. Bowman, E. M. Leeds, 

 and Judge L. S. Laoham. Dick. 



[Is our correspondent right about the striped bass being 



caught in Murdock Lake?— Ed.] 



«*-•«> i 



LAKE TROUT TAKING THE FLY. 



\i January 8th, 1877. 



Editor Forest and Stream:— 



In your paper of the 21st ult., you relate an incident 

 occurring in your individual experience, of the lake trout 

 taking the fly on the north shore of Lake Superior, Canada, 

 and for the benefit, of one of your ceriespondents who 

 made an inquiry to that effect some time ago, I would say 

 I have seen them take the fly— a large, gaudy, golden 

 pheasant one— on several occasions. 



In July and August, 1867, while up on the north coast of 

 Lake Superior, with Messrs. Beatiy, Ducharme and Ander- 

 son, of Detroit, and Lewis Mcintosh, Esq., of Pittsburgh, 

 while on our way one day from Oros Cap to Batche- 

 waughna Bay, Mr. Beatty, who was leisurely casting his 

 fly as we slowly made our way along the shore, had a rise 

 from a large lake trout, and hooking him the boat was 

 stopped to give him an opportunity to bag him. It proved 

 a long and stubborn fight though, for alter tiring out 

 Messrs. Beatty and Ducharme, one of our Chippewa half- 

 breeds, Louis Wattup, took the rod, which was a nine 

 and a half ounce trout one, and alter he had played the 

 fish for some time, Mr. Beatty, who had in the meantime 

 refreshed himself with a cigar, smiled and took his turn 

 again, and shortly afterward had the game in the boat. 

 On weighing him he was found to pull the scales down at 

 nine and three-quarter pounds. The next day I struck 

 and hooked quite a large one, but after playing him for a 

 short time my gut leader parted and I lost him. 



Georgia. 



SMALL FLIES FOR BLACK BASS. 



THE FERGUSON FLIES. 



Philadelphia, January 13th, 1877. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



Being a constaut reader of Forest and Stream, I no- 

 ticed in your issue December 28th, an interesting article 

 from your correspondent, F. W., Leesburg, Virginia, on 

 "Habits of Black Bass on the Potomac." He mentions 

 the Ferguson and Academy flies as the most killing, and 

 as I tie my own flies, should like to have you post me as 

 to where I can procure a sample of each of the two flies 

 named. I have a goodly variety of all kinds and shades, 

 but am always inclined to experiment on the fancies and 

 the experience of others. I fish for this gamy fish alto- 

 gether with fly, and in season have excellent sport on our 

 Schuylkill river. Our stream being open and very little 

 wooded along its banks, the fish are wary, but find at 

 times when well on the feed will take most any kind of 

 fly. I fully agree with your correspondent as to a small 

 fly being the most killing. If one would hope for success, 

 he should not tax his patience with the use of large flies. 

 I have taken several bass past season, weighing three and 

 four pounds, on hooks no larger than 6 Limerick. 



OCDONIA. 



[The flies can be bought of Abbey & Imbrie, 48 Maiden 

 Lane, New York, and of John Krider, corner Walnut and 

 Second streets, Philadelphia. -Ed.] 



. «**«* 



STRAIGHTENING SNELLS. 



^ Orange, N. J., January 19th, 1877. 



Editor Forest and Stream:— 



In your brief notice of Holberton & Beemer's Fly Book, 

 this sentence occurs :— 



"The advantage of the Brainerd clip is, that the flies 

 can be carried without bending the gut lengths or snells 

 on which they are tied, thereby obviating the necessity of 

 soaking them in water to straighten them for use." 



Why is it ever necessary to soak snells in water to 

 straighten them? I have always found that the most 

 curled aad refractory snell can be made as straight as the 

 lip of a fly rod, by two or three passes of ordinary India- 

 rubber. Yours, ever, J. Clement French. 



[Just so; and the India-rubber chafes and frays and 

 weakens the snells, perhaps inappreciably sometimes, but 

 fteYerttieless. it is better to dispense with its use.— Ed.] 



\xtfoml ^njitimvu. 



The Metropolitan Biding Academy.— -Mr. Fred. J. 

 Engelhardthas now got his new enterprise at the American 

 Institute Building fairly under way, and seems likely to 

 attain the success we wished him when noticing his new 

 establishment a few weeks ago. 



It was previously pointed out that Mr. Englehardt opened 

 this magnificent establishment in connection with the Cen- 

 tral Park Riding School. The advantages of a more spa- 

 cious track, and greater convenience for exercise, training, 

 and the teaching of horsmanship were the chief induce- 

 ments to acquire it. The weekly entertainment was planned 

 "to foster and stimulate a taste for health-giving exercises 

 and rational pastimes." There can be little doubt that this 

 object will be gained, and that the academy will soon be- 

 come a favorite resort both for young people desirous of 

 developing their strength and testing their athletic prowess, 

 and for all who take pleasure in witnessing the contests of 

 the arena, and graceful horsemanship. The entire estab- 

 lishment can only have one effect in a city like New York. 

 The need of such a practice ground has long been felt. It 

 has all the advantages of an out-door course, and although 

 under cover it has, by reason of its unusual size, none of 

 the disadvantages of an in-door gymnasium. The latter in 

 many cases stimulates without adequately gratifying ath- 

 letic propensities. The academy does botb. 



Apart from general athletic sports, and looking at the 

 establishment merely as a riding academy, its value is even 

 greater. We do not require to expatiate upon the benefits 

 of equestrian exercise. To be able to ride well is one of 

 the most graceful accomplishments either a lady or a gen- 

 tleman can possess. The academy offers a track of one- 

 eighth of a mile, open to gentlemen daily for the exercise 

 of their trotting horses, and of sufficient size to permit of 

 steeple-chasing. It is also one of the best resorts for ladies 

 and children. Both horses and riders are taught. The 

 teacners are believed to be the best obtainable, thoroughly 

 competent, skillful and careful. In this, however, as in 

 the case of athletic sports the resources of the place are 

 equal to both the acquisition of knowledge and putting it in 

 practice. These combined advantages it possesses in a de- 

 gree which can be claimed for no other establishment of 

 which we have any knowledge. 



— We are glad to be able to give our friends at the Fourth 

 street Russian Baths a hint. The process aud all it includes 

 — the steaming, the plunges, the shower, the douche, and 

 the shampoo — are now no doubt sufficiently pleasant and 

 very invigorating, but there may be other people than Mr. 

 Isaac Vossius of a similar way of thinking. "Many peo- 

 ple," he says, "take delight in the rubbing of their limbs, 

 and the combing of their hair; but these exercises would 

 delight much more if the servants at the bath and the bar- 

 bers were so skillful in this art that they could express any 

 measures with their fingers. I remember that more than 

 once I have fallen into the hands of men of this sort, who 

 could imitate any measure of songs in combing the hair, so 

 as sometimes to express intelligibly, iambics, trochees, dac- 

 tyls, &c, from whence there arose to me no small delight." 

 Although we have hitherto classed the Russian Bath among 

 the greatest luxuries of life, it is possible that its charms 

 might be increased if the rubbing were performed to the 

 tune of "some soothing and heaitfelt lay." 



SKATING. 



—On Thursday, January 25th, the first of the series of 

 grand fete nights is to take place at the Brooklyn Rink, 

 where a very attractive and varied entertainment is to be 

 presented, the programme including figure skating by ama- 

 teurs and experts, boys and girls races for silver medals, 

 and evolutions on roller skates by a company of the 

 Twenty-Tnird Regiment. Mayor Schroeder is to be the 

 umpire on the occasion, assisted by Col. Ward. A grand 

 concert by Conterno's band is to be one of the features. 



— A thaw set in on Friday last which put a stop to ice 

 skating at all the Park Lakes, and snow on Monday added 

 to the temporary embargo laid on the out-door form of the 

 sport. But at the Rink skating was fully enjoyed, the 

 races on Saturday causing a large attendance. 



BASE BALL. 



— The base ball world is unusualy excited at present with 

 the preparations making for the season of 1877. Over 40 

 professional clubs will enter the arena in May next. The 

 majority governed by the International Professional Asso- 

 ciation, and the minority by the Professional League. The 

 former will adopt a regular twenty-five cent tariff as ad- 

 mission to their games. The latter will charge fifty cents 

 admission, and lose money by it. 



—Devlin has been paid his advance money and will play 

 in Louisville this year. 



Battin denies the Philadelphia story of his refusal to 

 abide by the League rule making players pay for their uni- 

 forms, &c. 



— No base ball games have been played on the Prospect 

 Park skating lake this winter on account of the snow which 

 covers the lake. 



—Fisher has been expelled from the West End Club of 

 Milwaukee for selling a game. 



CRICKET. 



— The Canadian Cricketers Guide is to be published in 

 April next. 



— The Australian eleven has defeated the English profes- 

 sional eleven, which went out there last year, and the re- 

 sult has set up credit there to quite a considerable extent. 



— A professional team is coming out here next August 

 and they propose playing twenty-two base ball players at 

 Boston and Chicago and Philadelphia. 



Obituary. — William Devoy, one of the best racket 

 players of his day and for a long time connected with the 

 Gotham R. C. Club, and the Thirteenth street Gymnasium 

 Club, died in this city on the 3d inst., age, 45 years. 



Raquette.— Sorry to see that Forest and Stream fol- 

 lows Rev. Mr. Murray's spelling of Raquette: E. G. p 

 376, "The French word Racquette." 



There is no such French word as. Racquette. 



See Littre's French Dictionary for the word, and its 

 various significations. w, W. Ely, Rochester. 



[We Stand corrected,— Ed.] 



THE INTERNATIONAL CURLING 

 MATCH AT CHICAGO. 



The annual International Curling Match began at Lin- 

 coln Park, January 17th. The following Clubs were en- 

 tered : 



The Milwaukee Curling Club, of Milwaukee.— Samuel Brown, S. E. 

 West, John Johnston, Jas. A. Bryden, skip. 



The Detroit Curling Club, of Detroit. -J. N. Dean, Thos. McGregor, 

 James McGregor, Peter Young, skip. 



The Four Brothers Club, of Toronto. —Duncan Malcolm, Hugh 

 Rxtchie, Andrew Fleming, Robert Malcolm, skip. 



The Portage Club, of Portage City, Wis.— C. R. Gillett, B. L. Gaeger, 

 R. B. Wentworth, J. Ckabam, skip. 



The Thistle Olub, of Chicago.— John Burns, David Hamil, Robert 

 Duncan, L. T. Martin, skip. 



The Chicago Club, of Chicago.— Geo. Wilson, James Halton, Wm. 

 B'ores, Geo. Keyes, skip. 



Several other Clubs had signified their intention of being 

 present, but the severe snow storms no doubt prevented 

 their coming. The contest on Wednesday was for the 

 Gordon medal. Three matches were played simulta- 

 neously, three rinks being set close by each other. The 

 playing commenced at 1 :20 o'clock, and continued until 

 five. 



The following is the result of the day's playing: — 



BINK NO. 1. 



Detroit 22 | Milwaukee 13 



BINK NO. 2. 



Thistles of Chicago 21 1 Chicagoes of Chicago 19 



BINK no. 3. 

 Four Brothers of Toronto 22 i Potage City of Portage City 17 



The last match was the most exciting, the Portage 

 City and Toronto men showing some very fine playing. 

 The Milwaukee and Detroit match was also a very inter- 

 esting one. 



The first game on Thursday was between the winners of 

 the matches of the day before for the Gordon medal. 

 There were the Four Brothers, of Toronto; the Thistle, of 

 Chicago, and the Detroit. The Pour Brothers and the 

 Thistles played the first game. It was won by the Toronto 

 Club by a score of 21 to 17. The Detroit Club then ob- 

 jected to play the winner. It was played in the contests 

 between the "North" and "South," and resulted in a vic- 

 tory for the Toronto Club by a score of 16 to 15, after a 

 close and exciting game. 



The game between the Thistles and the Detroit Club for 

 the district silver medal, was won by the Detroit Club, 20 

 to 18. 



The following is the score:— 



BINK NO. I. 



South 19|North. 



KINK no. 2. j 



South 21[ North . 



KINK NO. 3. I 



South 22|North.. 



KINK NO. 4. I 



Soutb 2l|North.. 



BINK NO. 5. I 



South 16[ North . . 



KINK NO. 1. 



KINK NO. 2. 

 KINK NO. 3. 

 RINH NC. 4. 

 RINK NO. 5. 



.19 

 .20 



.ia 



.15 



In the evening a banquet was given at the Sherman 

 House, where mirth and jollity prevailed. Hover. 



Household Receipts. — Economical Soup. — Take what re- 

 mains of a cold goose or turkey, and put to boil in sufficient 

 cold water to cover all the bouts, and boil steadily four 

 hours; season with salt and pepper, and add a few vegeta- 

 bles, as for other soups; thicken with a little rice and it 

 makes a relishable dish. 



To Cook Shad. — This delicious fish is best broiled, with 

 SLmaitre d 1 hotel sauce; it is also good cut in slices and 

 sauted. 



For Frying Scallops.— Roll soda crackers fine, dip the 

 scallops in well-beaten egg, then in the cracker crumbs; fry 

 with lard aud butter; requires considerable cooking. 



—The curious public, when they read of B. T. Babbitt's Toilet Soap, 

 may rest assured that no toilet soap in the world can compare with this 

 for all the advantages of purity and pleasantness in use. It only needs 

 to be tried.— Adv. 



Tiffany & Co,, Silversmiths, Jewelers, and 

 Importers, have always a large stock ol sil- 

 ver articles for prizes for shooting, yachting, 

 racing and other sports, and on request they 

 prepare special designs for similar purposes, 

 Thei/> timing watches are guaranteed for ac~ 

 curacy, and are now very generally used for 

 sporting and scientific requirements. Tiffany 

 & Co., are also the agents in America for 

 Messrs. Patek, Philippe & Co., of Geneva, of 

 whose celebrated watches they have a full 

 line. Their stock of Diamonds and other Pre- 

 cious Stones, General Jewelry, Bronzes and 

 Artistic Pottery is the largest in the world* 

 and the public are invited to visit their estab- 

 lishment without feeling the slightest obliga- 

 tion to purchase, Unioaa S%ua£e,"^w Yo^fe, 



