FOREST AND STREAM 
^islf ffnlturi’. 
Fish Hatching Operations in California.— U. S. 
Fishery, Baird, Shasto , Co., Cal., Sept. 12th .—The busy 
part of the season at the United States Salmon Fishery, 
on the McCloud River, California, has arrived. We have 
had our annual scare arising from the fear of a 
scarcity of spawning fish, but are gradually gaining con¬ 
fidence, as the number of spawners in the river increases. 
Our alarm this year was occasioned by the very diligent 
fishing of the cannery men, on the main Sacramento, be 
low U 3 , who fished so assiduously with their impassible 
column of drift nets, that only an extremely small num¬ 
ber of large salmon found their way to the McCloud 
River. The large salmon were so effectually stopped by 
the nets two hundred miles below us, that strange as it 
seems, we would frequently make a haul of 500 or 1,000 
salmon and find only four or five largo female fish in the 
lot, all the rest being small grilse, weighing from two to 
six pounds. 
On the first of August, however, the law protecting 
salmon came into force, and ten days after, largo salmon, 
including many spawners, began to be caught in our net, 
showing, by the way, how long the spawning salmon are 
in the Sacramento at this season ; travelling a distance of 
200 miles, their rate of speed being here seen to be twenty 
miles a day. 
The spawning salmon have since increased in the river 
to such a degree that we cherish hopes of another pros¬ 
perous season in taking salmon eggs, We have now in 
the hatching house four million eggs. 
The most prominent feature of the work of the U. S, 
Fish Commission on the McCloud River this year, is the 
establishment of a station for taking and distributing 
eggs of the California trout (Salmo iridea). Prof. Baird 
gave me instructions last year to take the matter into 
consideration: and this year, on the 25th of July, I located 
the first U, S. Trout Ponds at the mouth of a creek empty¬ 
ing into the McCloud River, four miles above the salmon 
fishery, and called Geo, Crooks' Creek, after the name of a 
white'settler who was murdered there by the Indians the 
second year that we came to the McCloud to take saunon 
eggs. The place settled is a peculiarly favorable one. A 
large stream of clear, cold water furnishes an unfading 
water supply all the year round, and trout from two to 
six pounds weight are found in great abundance in the 
river. With these two essentials secured, there seems to 
be no reason why the new trout breeding station will not 
be able to give a good account of itself at no very distant 
day. We have had soldiers at the fishery this season, but 
not to protect us from the Indians, who are well disposed 
this year, so much as to maintain the authority and dig¬ 
nity of the United States at the reservation generally. 
Livingston Stone, 
Fish Culture in Missouri.— Col. John Reid, one of 
the State Fish Commissioners, left this morning for Kan¬ 
sas City. Fx-Governor Woodson, of St. Joe, and Dr. 
Steadman, of St. Louis, the other members of the Com- 
missson will join him at that place. The Commission 
meets for the purpose of selecting a site for the fish hatch¬ 
ery as contemplated by the fish law of the State. We are 
glad to learn that several very desirable locations have 
been offered as a gift to the State. On Friday the Com¬ 
mission, will visit Saline Comity, on the Chicago & Alton 
Railway, and examine a very largo spring, which is of¬ 
fered by u gentleman, together with five acres of land. 
Columbia, Boone County, will be tile next point visited ; 
then Forest Park, St. Louis, and probably the southeast 
part of tiie State, if the proper effort had boon made, 
Lafayette County could iiave secured the hatchery, but 
those most interested neglected the opportunity. — Lex¬ 
ington Begister. * 
Transporting Eels. — Detroit, Sept. 20 Ih . — In reading 
the account of the transportation of fish across the conti¬ 
nent, H. A. L. lays claim to having made a discovery in 
the way to transport eels, The Commisson of this State 
for the pnst three years have transported eels in mud and 
grass, with a handful of ice in each can, and have been 
very successful. We planted in the waters of this State, 
this spring, over 400,000 eels, that were from one inch up 
to six inches in length. The night of the 14th of June, 
the night H. A. L. speaks of as the night they met with 
then - first trouble, we met with trouble on the same ac¬ 
count, and lost a great many. But if the temperature is 
kept right there eaunot be any trouble in transporting 
vonng eels to any distance, if packed in mud and grass. 
J A. J. Kellogg, 
Fish Commissioner, Mich. 
—The Myriophyllum is recommended as a plant for 
aquaria and trout'ponds. It is one of the most beautiful 
of aquatic plants, having a leaf something like a fern, 
A Card.— U. S. Fishery, Bdinl, Shasta Co., Cal—Editor Forest 
and Stream i— Sometime last spring, you were kind enough to 
publish a request from me that some one. Interested would inform 
me when and where I had made the statement attributed to me, 
that" all the California salmon died after spawning." 
As no one has given the desired information, I take it for granted 
thatno one can; and that it is now admitted that i never made 
t he statement. Under these circumstances, I must acknowledge 
my surpiso, that the writer of the Massachusetts Fish Commission 
Reports for 1877 and 1878, has not retracted the assertion contained 
in those reports, that this statement was made by me; and I must 
request him, as an act of simple justice, to rescue me from the 
imputation of giving utterance to such an utterly stupid and 
senseless speech. _ Livingston Stone. 
^ Why Salmo Quinn at Does not Take the Fly. —SabnO 
qvtinnat is the representative salmon of the Pacific coast. 
Tfiis is the species or variety so extensively canned for 
export, and whose ova are distributed throughout the 
States by fish propagators. Those of our readers who 
have been told that these fish never take the fly of the 
angler will he able to discover why by reading the very 
intelligent article of C. R. in our “Sea and River” de¬ 
partment. The very sufficient reason he gives is that at 
the tima when the Balmon ascend the rivers the water is 
discolored by the annual rise, which is caused in great- 
part by the melting snow on the mountains. There are 
fifteen other less known species of salmon on the Pacific, 
many of which do take the fly and afford abundant sport 
to the angler. 
G85 
IP? Mamtl. 
INSTINCT AS ALLIED TO REASON IN 
DOGS. 
I PROMISED you an article upon this subject, predicated 
for the most part upon my own experience and ob¬ 
servation, and said that it would be chiefly anecdotal. I 
did not and do not contemplate, however, confining my¬ 
self solely to-the illustration of the theory held by myself 
and many other lovers and observers of man's most faith¬ 
ful friend. Far less do I propose to inflict upon the read¬ 
ers of Forest and Stream any attempt at a philosophi¬ 
cal disquisition, even were- I fitted for it. What I will 
have to say will bear, it is true, more or less directly upon 
my subject: hut some of it will go further, and relate to 
well authenticated facts of canine doings, which must be 
explained, if at all, by reason more profound than min e. 
Many, if not most of the distinctions attempted between 
instinct and reason, strike me as fanciful; nay, absolutely 
arbitrary. Nor have I in my reading seen anything which 
more clearly and satisfactorily sets forth this truth than 
the following: 
“ It has been usual to describe the actions of the lower 
animals as guided by principles different from what ob¬ 
tain in t he human constitution. The power of self preser¬ 
vation is considered as reason in man, and as instinct in 
brutes, but this contrast does not contain a real opposi¬ 
tion. The most important meaning connected with the 
term instinct, is what .contrasts with experience, educa¬ 
tion, and acquired knowledge. In point of fact both 
men and animals alike possess both instincts and acqui- 
sit ions ; for although in man the preponderance is greatly 
in favor of the acquired ; he, too, must start from some¬ 
thing primordial, the basis of the other,” 
At ten years of a.ge I had a long legged, rather oversized 
solid liver colored pointer, given me by a kind country 
neighbor, who, it is true, had almost forsaken the brush 
and stubble for the hunting field, hut said he made over 
Don to me because he could not be kept away from our 
house. No doubt Don preferred my society to his 
master’s, because I showed more appreciation of his en¬ 
thusiastic eagerness for sport. Looking back at his per¬ 
formances through the light of subsequent experience, 
I cannot say the old fellow was well trained; but he 
always found many more birds in one day than I could 
shoot at, not to say kill. And couldn’t he trot! .Always 
galloped when hunting, hut when night fall was ap¬ 
proaching and Bertrand, Don and I found ourselves 
belated, perhaps ten miles from home, the old horse 
would gallantly respond to the demand upon him and lay 
himself out in "a long swinging gallop ; Don the while 
trotting right along side, and never breaking his gait 
unless in a spirit of boyish mischief I would press the 
horse to an unusual speed. This, Mr. Editor, was before 
I knew of stop watches and quarter seconds, but my 
belief, nevertheless, is, that Don could and did trot his 
mile in few if any seconds over four minutes. The in¬ 
telligence and loving faithfulness of this dog impressed 
me. I learned by his methods to respect the pointer. 
Years and extended experience have all confirmed the 
impression that noble fellow made, and upon his death I 
determined whether I owned deer or fox hounds, terriers 
or beagles, that the pointer was my first love, and him I 
should breed carefully and test thoroughly bis intelligence 
and capacity of culture, Iris docility', faithfulness, and 
courage, with those of any other dog you should start; he 
he spaniel, setter, or augliit else you pleasei 
So much for the direction of my tastes. Old Don, 
given me in his old age, died, so far as I know, without 
blue blood issue. Certainly I never owned one of bis 
progeny thorough-bred. The next pointer was also given 
me—a short legged, close coupled white and liver bitch, 
I was quite a httle shaver still, and knew nothing of 
breaking save a little smattering picked up from such 
books and papers as occasionally tell in my way. She 
was over cautious and consequently slow, hut had a nose, 
of the keenest: was staunch and untiring. Though, as 
is implied above, I hunted much on horseback. I never 
saw her flag at the end of a long day’s shoot, far less 
break down, and have seen many more showy and stylish 
dogs accompanying companions, setters for the most 
part, utterly played out when she was comparatively 
fresh as a daisy. Well do I remember the chagrin of a 
cousin, somewhat older than myself, who came up to 
spend a week of Iris vacation at my father's plantation. 
He was gorgeously arrayed in sportsman's apparel, and 
brought with him a big red setter, who, he said, was to 
show me what a good dog was. “Why for heaven's 
sake. Will.,” said cousin Ed-, “ do you Like the trouble 
to feed or cave for such an undersized, bandy-legged 
brute as that?” I replied, “ Ed., I Bhall never forget one 
day boasting in father’s presence of my thorough mastery 
of a certain school subject, and the ‘impossibility (arro¬ 
gant little ass that I was) of stumping mq on it. Pater 
familias quietly drew me out, probed me, and only said 
this: ‘ My son', my son, let not him that girdeth on his 
harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.’ When 
we come home this evening abuse my dog if you will, but 
better postpone your strictures till then. Handsome is, 
you know, as handsome does.” Well, we went. Birds 
were not scarce, but somehow the bandy-legged hitch 
made three points to his handsome gentleman’s one, and 
at 3 o'clock was all alive and on her legs, while he, for¬ 
sooth, walked slowly and sadly behind us, and would 
not, poor fellow—I believe could not—have scented a 
covey under his nose. 
Have you ever, Mr. Editor, studied the disposition of 
dogs ? Or have any of|your worthy colleaguesjpsychologi- 
caliy inclined and done so V Yes? Then you or they, or 
both can underwrite what I now say. They differ 
amongst themselves pretty much as men do. Are affec¬ 
tionate or crusty, forgiving or implacable, generous or 
selfish as we bipeds are, and all I show to be true in this 
regard bears upon my subject. Sappho, sr., was never 
bright, but ever tender, true and faithful, naturally 
cautious, and somewhat timid. She would have laid 
down her life for me, I verily believe. One day, I well 
remember. In hunting the home fields in winter, my 
custom was to rest on the banks of a creek making up 
into the place, if the tide admitted. I hared my feet, 
gathered the single oyters from the bed of the stream and 
roasting them on the adjacent bank, shared with old 
Sappho my primitive lunch. That over, I would recline 
upon the fragrant pine straw, listen to the musical sigh¬ 
ing of the breeze through the tree tops, and drink in 
copious draughts of health inspiring oxygen. The balmy 
southwest, the kindliest wind that blows in our latitude, 
came free from the ocean, scarcely three miles away, 
undiluted by the smoke of factories or the suspicion 
even of intervening towns or villages. Every fibre re¬ 
sponded to tire gratification of simple, if sensuous enjoy¬ 
ment. I never slept, but rested merely ere I went 
upon the beat homeward. Sappho would always doze 
beside me. One day I suppose my thoughts had wandered 
far away, when my attention was aroused by the dog 
getting up, moving restlessly about, and whining. I 
guessed what was the matter, closed my eyes, and re¬ 
mained motionless, feigning helplessness. Her concern 
increased, till finally she came close alongside, whined 
more loudly, and gently pulled my coat to rouse me. I 
kept still and showed no consciousness till her distress 
became so great I could not tease her longer, and got up. 
Was her action predicated upon something primordial, or 
was it dictated by “ experience, education, and acquired 
knowledge. ? ” I think she remembered : compared one 
day’s experience with another, and reasoned out her con¬ 
clusion, which, though erroneous, nevertheless seemed 
warranted by her premises Per contra : 
Iu my early youth I recall a dog owned by my grand¬ 
father who afforded an instance of a temper as resentful and 
implacable as that of the bitch just described, was gentle 
and forgiving. Marquis was half hound, half mastiff,as we 
believed, but we only knew his mother, and she was a 
fail' type of the well-bred Southern hound. He grew 
larger, heavier and handsomer than the average hound 
is with us, and was so fierce that he had to be chained 
during the day. Once a cousin and I were amusing our¬ 
selves with our bows and arrowsabout the yard, both of 
us about six or seven years old. In fun I proposed to 
have a shot at Marquis, who was chained about twenty 
yards off, Cousin John was wiser than I, and would not 
shoot: but I let fly an arrow, which only grazed* and 
surely did not hurt him. He flew at me, and breaking 
loose, would doubtless have handled me roughly had I 
not darted up the piazza steps, and thus escaped his rage. 
Months elapsed ere I saw tiffs dog again, and then it was 
at our summer house, a seaside village twenty miles away 
from where l had shot at him. I tried in vain to over¬ 
come Ills animosity to me by feeding him twice a day. It 
was agreed, in fact, that no one else should feed him 
while 1 remained. He would not attempt to molest me 
till he had done his breakfast or dinner, and then only 
the length of his chain limited his angry spring at me. 
He seemed to love and respect my grandfather, father, 
sister and cousin, and the butler and coachman ; the 
other members of the household, white and black, he 
tolerated ; but me he hated to the bitter end. Six years 
after my childish insult to him he would gladly have 
torn me to pieces, if opportunity had offered. When the 
tidings of Marquis’ death were brought, believe me, I re¬ 
joiced that he had been gathered to his fathers. 
Sappho, sr., lived to a good old age, faithful and inde¬ 
fatigable to the end, but never showy. The poor old 
lady's latter days were made heavier by deafness. Why 
is this malady so common amongst pointers and setters? 
I never maltreat my dogs, not - suffer children or anyone 
to do so, and yet have had. several devoid of hearing iu 
the decline of life. 
Near me while I write lies a Ectternot over eight years 
old. If any dog’s lines ever fell in pleasant places, his 
surely have. He is the pet of the household. I do not 
recollect ever having struck him, and the ladies ami 
children are too fond of Rep to do so. Yet he is as deaf 
as a post, and would be of as much use iu the field as— 
well, a very deaf dog. Dame Eleanor •*Spearing’s” 
trumpet, the virtues of which Hood so eloquently de¬ 
scribed, would be useless to him. Here appropriately may 
be told a true story of dog in telligence. 
When I left home for college, Sappho, sr., was left to 
my mother's care, with the charge that she was to look 
after the comfort of my old companion and friend. This 
charge was never forgotten, though ere vacation time 
came the latter was gathered to her fathers. Upon my 
return home mother told me this, and her testimony was 
corroborated by that of other members of the family. 
After each ineal (my practice was and is to feed niy 
dogs always iu part from the table), when their food was 
ready Sappho was served first. Tray, Blanche and 
Sweetheart looked on meanwhile. Sometimes the old 
dog was lying in her kennel, and'could not hear the sum¬ 
mons. Tray, Blanche and Sweetheart, knowing they 
would get naught till their superior dined, would run to¬ 
gether to her house, and by some language, unrecogniz¬ 
able by human ears, call Iter out and announce, “ Dinner 
is served, may it please your ladyship.” 
Now, this liappened not once, or twice, or thrice only, 
but became almost- a daily occurrence. Wifi Forest 
and Stream kindly tell me whether the action of Tray, 
Blanche and Sweetheart was primordial, and, therefore, 
instinctive only, or the result of reason, based upon ex¬ 
perience ? 
The next pointer I hunted, hut did not own, was lent 
me on along loan by a friend. He—not.the friend, but the 
dog—was solid liver in color, of stalwart build, and 
weighed when in condition, seventy-five pounds. AR of 
his accomplishments were natural, for “Brash's" early 
education had been much neglected. He was two years 
old, perhaps two-and-a-half, when I got him ; had been 
taught notlung, and learned nothing afterward but from 
experience. 
The first day I took him out he made me almost 
frantic: perhaps he had never been out with a mounted 
sportsman, but whether or no, the way he ran into, 
through and over coveys was calculated to make one tear 
one’s hair. I was about to ship Iff m back to town to his 
owner the night of the first day's trial, but forebore. 
The next day he improved somewhat, and at the end of a 
week was one of the most reliable dogs I ever saw. I do 
not remember his ever breaking down, though grossly 
fat when I commenced to hunt him, and notwithstand¬ 
ing the fact, too, that in four weeks he. had little, rest, ex¬ 
cept on Sundays. He would retrieve out of the water, 
but never on land, hunted with a high head, and was, in 
short, a good, but not first class dog, 
