February 20, 1880.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



67 



American Fisiuno Tackle Abroad.— Messrs. Conroy, 

 Kissel & Malieson, of this city have had the honor of bo- 

 ;ing selected by Pioi. Baird, U.S. Commissioner Fjsh and 

 gfjmeries, to furnish a oomjjlefre eamibrl of Ami 

 mg tackle and angler^' equipments, to represent Ameri- 

 can progress in the manufacture of rods, reels, lines, etc., 

 Bjitbe International Exhibition at Berlin next April. Al- 

 reinly nvuiv of the English anglers are recognizing tho 

 fine qualities of the Bplit bamboo fly-rods made in this 

 country, and in the coming Exhibition the Euro- 

 Bean anglers will have the opportunity of seeing the 

 results of American skilled labor in the manufacture of 

 milling tackle. This linn will not only supply all the 

 Efferent styles of rods, including salmon, grilse, trout, 

 black .-inii striped bass, split bamboo and wooden rods. 

 »eels,line3, flies and lly roils, and line ninny odds and ends 

 comprised in an angler's outfit, but also the different 

 Styles of wading boots, stockings, panto, Bfltc., portable 

 r fatB, stoves, boats, fishing cars and fishing suits of every 

 "[material, making a most interesting and complete ex- 

 hibit. 



♦ 



^ Salmon as ■• M auks or Mot th."— The following novel 

 -method of determining the age of certain Indians is given 

 by a writer in the English magazine Good Words, and 

 .the locality referred to the Skecua, on the Canadian 

 'Pacific Coast. Tliis does not exactly make one's mouth 

 -water, but its grating is as effectively chilling as the 

 paling of a saw : — 



Near almost -every vdlage wo found men engaged in 

 fishing, for, as we passed here about the middle of June, 

 Dtsalmo ' 

 ta.ple.al 



the firsl r 



IllOil is 1 1 



anion" these Indians. VVI 



Sometimes done, the dist.r 



great. Cor the natives seldoi 

 Hi- character Di thecounti 

 in- adverse to agriculture. 

 ean be taken in thru- ordin 



less than a month lay ill hi 



The Balmon are cured, affce 

 Eg dried in the sun ; and,; 

 near the beach, quantitiesi 

 One result of this is that 

 gradually ground down by 

 Ibrporated with their food, 

 .tell the age of an Indiar 

 teeth ot t la- voiing being hi 

 of the aged have, in mosl 

 gum-.. Tin' ih-i. d salmon i 



need, and sal- 



the exclusive, article of food 

 -n the salmon fails, at 



.1 radseanj kind oi regetablegj 



When, however, the salmon 

 try abundance, a man may in 

 s supply of food for the year. 

 ■ being cleaned, simply by be- 

 ts the curing-ground is usually 

 I sand are blown over the fish. 

 the teeth of the Indians are 

 the sand which has been in- 

 50 that you can approximately 



by "mark of mouth," the 

 ; slightly affected, while those 

 saaes, been worn down to the 

 stored in a cache, a large 



jh-hewn cedar boards, and 

 a tree at some distance from the 

 . will interfere with another man's 

 as safe as if it were guarded by a 



usually buiii around 

 [•ground. No Indiar 



salmon-cache ; it is 

 regiment. 



" Fly" Fishing.— Once Sir Humphrey Davy was dis- 

 covored by some friends, sitting on a stile, rod in hand, 

 and lashing the air with his fishing hue. »At the ap- 

 proach of his friends he entreated them to stay back 

 while he continued his aerial sport. Their patience ex- 

 hausted, they r went up to him and were saluted with the 

 exclamation": " Was there ever anything more provok- 

 ing? if you had only remained quiet another minute I 

 should have caught him ; it is most vexatious.'' On be- 

 ing asked to explain, he added: "I have been amusing 

 myself watching the feeding habits of the dragon-fly ; 

 lie snaps up the midget voraciously ; so I baited my r hook 

 with one, and had good sport trying to hook him, "and if 

 you had kept back a little longer I am sure I would have 

 got him. ,! — Ttinple, Bar. 



m ■ « i ^ 



THE FLY AND TROTJT. 



Eaole's Nest, Stamford, N. Y. 



Editor Forest and Strea m : — A u ex perience of over forty 

 years in all the trout waters of the United States, Terri- 

 tories, and .much of British America, using the fly 

 wherever it was practicable, has taught me that to strike 

 with the flash of the trout from the Water is the surest 

 way t,o hook trim. 1 am confident my old friend George 

 Dawson — better fisherman does not exist — will say the 

 same thing. Ntcd Buntline, 



LiiUr. — "One word," or a dozen or two, more about 

 fly-fishing. I should, in my previous note on the subject, 

 have said — that "hardly ever" did 1 miss a trout if I 

 struck on its Hash from the water. One cannot be too 

 quick — except in a rain shower. Last summer I had 

 whipped a. magnificent pool in the i'eaverkill with almost 

 every change of fly I had, tit for the season, but every 

 cast was in vain — the pool was full of lazy trout, from a. 

 pound weight down, that wouldn't even look at tempta- 

 •tion, A boom.— not a political one; or I should not have 

 meii Share — a boom of thunder announcing one of the 

 sudden showers peculiar to that wilderness section, 

 caused me to look for shelter, I found it under a big 



| cock which overhung the side of the pool, and 



just thenj along c a me Egbert Tripp, a native on the 

 stream. " Colonel," said he, " put a couple of black ants 

 on your leader and you'll see l'un as soon as the rain be- 

 LL" I saw that he was fixed for the " fun," and 

 ide my r old leader, I put on one of the Orvis 

 mist-colored , and put on two of my smallest black flies. 

 In a few seconds a heavy shower fairly made the water 

 In I dropped my black ants." They had hardly 

 touched the water when they were seized by two as large 

 trout as there were in the pool, and for the next fifteen or 

 twentv minutes 1 did nothing but drop in and pull out. 

 ':■; ■ ■■■. < . no tail play in the work there. I filled my fif- 

 teen-pound basket without leaving the spot, and Egbert- 

 was as busy as i. Now how do you suppose th 

 born and brought up on those waters, accounted for 

 this? He said that in a shower thousands of black ants 

 are swept from overhanging trees, dead limbs, etc., into 

 the stream, and that in a shower trout are therefore on 

 the lookout for a feast. _ Ned Buntline, 



— The theory is advanced that trout which have been 

 caught with rod and line and then used as breeders mani- 

 fest a knowledge and tear of the rod, while their progeny 

 in the same ponds are undisturbed by the same rod. 

 :n indigenous American idea; but to English 

 genius belongs the honor of having introduced the tele- 

 phone into deep water and actually listening to the con- 

 versation of the monsters of tho deep. 



NEW DISCOVERIES IN NATURAL HISTORY. 



Editor Forest and Stream ;— 



Great competition was entered into by your corre- 

 spondents some time ago to secure the big fish-hook. 

 I don't want to lie under the imputation of wishing to get 

 your hook, nor re-lie, as I fear too many Competitors 

 frequently do, upon mythical subjects in order to obtain 

 a big vulgar "fish-hook." " Cod-hook "nodouht it would 

 be, particularly after your labor of cod-i lying the heaps 

 of communications sent in. My ideas are more of the 

 upward migratory tendency, soaring above those lower 

 orders of fishes which appear to be the principal standard 

 for the genius of your " fish swallowing lish " fraternity, 

 Mine will be the' nobler fish, the lordly salmon, as the 

 ivs! fi .rt he tale to be told. Nor would I bo satisfied with 

 the vulgar cod or catfish hook so eagerly sought for, but 

 should demand for a prize the more genteel and aristo- 

 cratic " LadyMurton," •'■ Jock Scott,"'or "Silver Doctor." 

 But to the point. In seeking know ledge the perfect ordi- 

 nations of nature are apparent in everything, and diffi- 

 culties which appear quite insurmountable are frequently 

 overcome by the simples! agencies. 



No doubt many of your readers will have either visited 

 or read of the famous Canadian salmon rivers of the 

 Gaspe Basin in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Dart- 

 mouth lias, or had some few years ago, about twelve 

 miles up from its estuary, an impassable harrier to the 

 accent of salmon, caused by the passage of the river 

 through a narrow gorge or fissure of the mountain, and 

 then fell almost perpendicularly over a ledge of rocks 

 about eighteen feet in height. Below this fall is a very 

 deep hole, in anglers' phrase, a salmon pool. Here t hese 

 fish congregate after ascending from the sea, waiting if 

 perchance an opportunity would he afforded them for a 

 further migration upwards in search of spawning 

 grounds ; and it bits been or great interest lor the writer 

 to watch the numberless vet incited ua.l efforts made by 

 the salmon to surmount the fall. Yet strange to say, sal- 

 mon were frequently found above tins perfect barrier, 

 which sorely puzzled the minds of fishermen and others 

 how this Could be; and stranger still, the salmon found 

 above the falls were always large male fish. Now for the 

 sequel. One pleasant afternoon (somewhat late in the 

 season), after casting the fly in vain in this pool, a ledge 

 of projecting rock over the fall was reached, where, look- 

 ing down into the foaming water below, the salmon 

 could be seen making their leaps to surmount the fall. 

 Not wilfully desiring to violate the Canadian fishery 

 regulations, the single gut was taken off and a well worn 

 " Jock Scott" fly was baited with a small sized trout and 

 fastened to the double casting line and dropped into the 

 pool amongst the salmon ; every now and then a great 

 commotion" was apparent amongst the fish, as if all were 

 running at the bail at once, but "nary a bite was got." 

 Getting tired of this, the line was partially reeled up, 

 leaving the trout, bait dangling just above the water, and 

 to view the beauties of nature. 1 laid myself down, when 

 to ! a beaver rose out of the water just on the opposite 

 side of the fall and passed along up on the side ledges, 

 where a few inches of water trickled over, till he as- 

 cended the falls on the level with myself, and 'then passed 

 up the river. Several salmon were leaping and appar- 

 ently following this beaver to the point w r here he first 

 commenced his ascent. Shortly afterwards another 

 beaver began a similar journey, followed by two 

 or three salmon leaping after "him upon the first 

 ledges, where after struggling to get further on, 

 they soon slid back again into the pool, Just at this mo- 

 ment away went tho musical click of the reel, and seiz- 

 ing the rod it was soon found that something unusual was 

 at the end of the line. The continued '■ reeling up " and 

 " clicking" at last became tiresome and monotonous, es- 

 pecially as nothing could yet bo seen which.caused the 

 tabor ; when all at once the broad tail and part of the 

 body of a large salmon, quite dead, was seen bobbing up 

 and down on the surface, whilst an incessant pulling and 

 tugging was kept up by something else below the sur- 

 face. Patience and perserverance will overcome almost 

 everything ;, as it did in this case, so it will with you, 

 good reader, when you will have read this great discov- 

 ery of the astonishing means pursued by salmon to sur- 

 mount the most ililticult obstacles in their way, in order 

 to reproduce their species. Evidently something foreign 

 to fish was on the hook, as a hairy head and pair of 

 twinkling eyes presented themselves above the water — 

 fish and flesh appearing at the same time inclined the 

 thoughts towards a mermaid. It, however, turned out 

 to lie a comely little beaver rafter some further strug- 

 gling both objects were landed and found to be half 

 beaver, half salmon, not united side by side, Siamese 

 Twins-like, but hooked together head and tad. Whilst 

 rapid passages are often made through the ' ; Gut of 

 Bahar, and as your correspondents vouch for the almost 

 miraculous digestive process of "fish swallowing fish " 

 and fish-hooks ad infinitum, the trout bait swallowed 

 by this beaver did not pass through his stomach and be- 

 come transformed into the fftytf-aperoha fish-hook, found 

 on the lower jaw of the malo salmon, but the latter had 

 nevertheless actually hooked himself on to the tail of the 

 former, from which he could not extricate himself, and 

 consequently died. This peculiar capture immediately set 

 one's wits to work foe theorizing and for obtaining know- 

 ledge. 



Our ideas ran thus : — Two beavers going over tht 

 falls ; salmon leaping after them ; a big cock-salmci 

 hooked on to a beaver's tail ; none but male salmoi 

 found above the falls. Putting all these circumstance;, 

 together, the exclamation arose — ''By hookey, I've got the 

 solution," and here it is : It is well known how intensely 

 strong the migratory instinct of salmon is to overcome 

 rapids and falls, inducing them to try every possible 

 means to accomplish it, generally following some promi- 

 nent leader who, if ho proves successful, is immediate] v 

 followed by the others. This old dead pioneer salmon 

 no doubt had made many trials to get over the falls, and 

 noticing the beaver leading the way, thought best to 

 play the "old soldier" by catching him by the caudal 

 organ, when the salmon's hook-bill perforated the beav- 

 er's tough leathery tail, in which it became clinched as it 

 were, and could not -be extricated. A tussle then com- 

 menced, no doubt, for the mastery, and in the struggle 

 both rolled into the pool below, where the salmon came 

 to his untimely end ; the beaver becoming exhausted and 

 hungry sought the dangling bait on the "Jook Scott," 

 and he, too, came to grief. Hence this wonderful discov- 



ery in natural history, which may yet be utilized to 

 supersede the construction of artificial salmon ladders, 

 cur-tailing their expense by using well trained dogs to 

 help migratory fishes over otherwise impassible barriers 

 on rivers. 



Tie- shades of night s-:iingin, the- ramp, n short dis- 

 tance below, was sought. Collin, the guide, was a dis- 

 believer at first of the whole proceeding when related to 

 him, hut being of an inquiring mind and not being will- 

 ing to be outdone in fishing lore on his native river, dis- 

 appeared next morning before daylight ; returning late 

 for breakfast lie was questioned about his absence. He 

 replied; - Sir. I couldn't sleep all night with that 'bearer 

 salmon' before my eyes, and I felt like taking a hand in 



myself, and I liave succeeded. Now. Mr. W , I'll 



give in that you are a more scientific man than I be in a 

 thinkin' and in a-cogitatin' out how (hem big he-salmon 

 gets over the falls, but I'm a more practical man than 

 you he, for I see',1 a big chain of beavers and salmon thia 

 morning fifty feet long, all taggle-hooked together, heads 

 and tails, sloping right over the top of the falls full lick." 



This full corroboration of the circumstance by the more 

 "practical 5 ' man will no doubt satisfy you, Mr. Editor, 

 and your many readers that two very important discov- 

 eries in natural history have been brought to light in this 

 narrative, both of which have puzzled the brains of the 

 most astute ichthyologists and fishermen to explain, 

 namely :— I low the Stdmo solar and their descendants 

 are sometimes found in waters which it was held to be 

 impossible for them to reach by their own agency ; and 

 the stdl more knotty question of " tha use for the cartil- 

 aginous excrescence," or " bony hook," found on the 

 lower jaw of the male salmon during the spawning sea- 

 son. Pisti and Funs. 



P. S.— As no scaly "hybrids" (a la Seth Green) were 

 ever found in the river from the co-habitation of the 

 beavers and the male salmon, the Canadian Govern- 

 ment, in its wisdom, caused several charges of dynamite 

 to be applied to tho ledges forming t his cataract, which 

 tore away large masses of the rock, so that male and fe- 

 male salmon and their legitimate progeny are now found 

 in large numbers scores of miles above the Dartmouth 

 Falls. ' K. F. 



\h% £emwL 



TO MAX. 



■piIE following lines were composed by a young lady who, after 

 ■*- returning from the city, where she had been visiting' some 

 friends, had received a photograph of a gentleman's dog. She 

 had become very much attached to The dog, and before taking 

 leave of him must needs take with bor a " lock of his hair," refer- 

 ence to which is made in her letter addressed to doggy, whose 

 name is Max. Tho esteemed epistle is worthy of a wider appre- 

 ciation than that of Max's circle of acquaintances, and wo have 

 been permitted to publish it here : — 



T». ,„ M . ™ MARSHLANDS, Feb. 6th, 1880. 



Deah Maxie :— 

 I trust vou'll not think it a orime 

 It in sending- my thanks I inclose them in rhyme ; 

 Between reason and rhyme I scarcely could choose, 

 So greatly your picture awakened the muse. 

 I cannot express my delight and surprise 

 On seeing once more your darling Drown eyes ; 

 It is you to the life, from your neat spotted hose 

 To the shining coid tip of your innocent nose— 

 A nd the eloquent words of a Burke would fail 

 In describing the dignified cud of your tail. 

 But Maxie, old boy, where's the genial smile 

 With which so often your friends you'd beguile 

 Into giving you many a bone or bit, 

 Or on the sofa, unchidden, letting you sit ? 

 Were you thinking so gravely. Max, of the past? 

 Or, " banish the thought," was it but the repast? 

 I'm sure you'll not make so ignoble confession, 

 'Tis only, you'd say, my " Sirius expression," 

 I ever shall cherish, with the fondest of care, 

 Tour iuilige and the lock of your bonnle brown hair 

 Though another the wit of the house may brag, 

 Long, long dear Max, may you bo the wag. 



Sincerely y. iur friend, j|_ 



THE NEW YORK DOG SHOW. 



THE Fourth Annual Bench Show of Dogs, to be held 

 under the auspices of the Westminster Kennel 

 Club, at Madison Square Garden, this city, Tuesday 

 Wednesday and Thursday. April 87th, 28th and 29th, will 

 provide for seventy-four classes, with the following list 

 Of premiums, in addition to which a silver medal will be 

 awarded to the third best in all classes where two money 

 prizes are given :— 



Class 1.— Mastiffs— dogs, first. $20 : second, $10 Class 

 2. _ Mastiffs - bitches, the same. i 'lass 3. -Punnies^ 

 dogs and bitches, $10 ; silver medal fro second <>«b 

 ^-Koagb-coated St, Bernards — dogs, $30 and $10. 

 Class o.— Bitches, the same. Class 6.— Smooth-coated 

 St. Bernards— dogs* $20 and $10. Glass ?.— Bitches 

 the same. Class S. St. Bernards-puppies, .$10; ailver 

 medal to second. Class 9. — Newfoundlands — dog or 

 btuh |20; stiver medal. Class 10. - Puppies, Jiver 

 meM. Class U.-Sibei'ian or Dim-dog or bitch, $15; 

 Silver medal Class 12.— Greyhounds-dog or bitch, Sis • 

 silver medal. Class 13.— Deerhounds— dog or bitch Sis '■ 

 silver medal. ' p ' 



Class 14.— Champion Pointers, over 55 lbs.— dogs ,135 ■ 

 Class 15.— Over 50 lbs.— bitches, $35. Class 16— Point' 

 ers, over 55 lbs.— dogs. $80 and $30. Class 17.— Over 50 

 lbs.— bitches, $30 and $20. Class 18.— Champion Pointers 

 —dogs. $35 Class 1!).— Under 50 lbs.— 

 Class 2tJ.— Pointers, under 55 ibs.-dogs, 

 $30 and $20. Class 21.— Under 50 lbs.— bitches, $30 and 

 $20. Class 23. — Pointer puppies— do^s. $10 ; sdver medal. 

 Class 23.— Bitches, $10: silver medal, ' 



Class 24.— Champion English Setters— dogs, $35. Class 

 25,-Bitehes, $35. Class 20. -Imported English Setters- 

 dogs, $30 and $20. Glass 3T„— Bitches, $30 and $20. Class 

 28.— Native English Setters— dogs, $80 and $20. Class 21) 

 — Hitches, $30 and $20. Class 30.— English Setter pup- 

 pies—dogs, $10 ; silver medal. Class 81,— Bitches $10 • 

 gilver medal. ' ' ' 



under 

 bitehei 



