46 



FOEEST AND STREAM. 



[August 18, 1881 



trout streams. One instance I will quote to illustrate my 

 theory : When fishing in ihe Black Forest some few years 

 ago I always found that at the end of the day, although a 

 perfect stranger to the river, with my small flies I could 

 double the take of the professional fisherman who used large 

 hooks and had fished the same stream for a living for several 

 years. One objection T have heard raised to small hooks is 

 that one loses so many fish after they are seemingly well 

 hooked. All 1 have to say is to use a pliant rod and plenty 

 of patience. Landing a large fish on fine tncklo requires 

 some amouut of skill and gentle haudling, which considera- 

 bly increases the pleasure and excitement. But I must 

 apologize for this digression and return to the subject in 

 hand.' 



„" Flow far is it to the Pecos ?" was the question we asked 

 of every person likely I o know, and numerous and various 

 Were the auswers obtained ; but it all ended in our being led 

 lo Buppose it was twenty-eight miles by the road and eighteen 

 by the trail. We determined therefore to take the latter 

 road. Up betimes in the morning with tie indispensable 

 "burro" or donkey, to carry our blankets and camp outfit, 

 ready saddled, we hurried over a light breakfast and started 

 on our journey, after taking the precaution, Bob Sawyer 

 like, to leave word that we had important and pressing busi- 

 ness out of town, aud would not return for some days, leav- 

 ing the business to take care of itself. Ten miles up the 

 Santa Fe canon to start with, then cross the mountains to 

 the southeast were all the directions we had, but luckily fall- 

 ing in with two Mexicans who were going the sime way, we 

 joiued ourselves to them, aired our meagre stock of Spanish, 

 supplied ibein with tobacco and kept on the right trail. 

 Three hours' walking brought us to the spot where the trail 

 leads over the mountains. A steep, very steep road, and 

 equally rough, lay before us, but after three-quarters of an 

 hour's hard work we arrived at the top and rested for a few 

 minutes to smoke a pipe and enjoy the view. Down another 

 hill, where we found some water in a hole dug by some one, 

 we concluded to have lunch, after which our road lay up and 

 down steep, rough hills for three hours, and then three more 

 miles took us to a small settlement on the Pecos. During 

 tbe last, two hours of the road the rain came down hard, so 

 that by the time we reached a Mexican house, where they 

 offered to take us in, we were pretty wet and tired. After a 

 bit of supper and the inevitable pipe we were glad to lay our 

 weary bones on a woo] inatt.resB spread for us in the covered 

 shed in front of the house. 



Six a. m. saw us busy at breakfast, after which I ran down 

 to the river to ascertain its condition after the heavy rain of 

 the preceding night. "Water thick, but just flshable," 

 was my report, so I at once proceeded to clear for action. 

 Rods, flies, lines, landing net all in readiness, then after 

 donning a pair of Knickerbockers and old shoes in lieu of 

 pants and good boots, I went straight to the river and com- 

 menced operations. Sour after hour I fished all I knew, 

 changing flies, but it would not do; the water was too much 

 colored, although lining- rapidly. By noon I had but half-a- 

 dozen small fish. 1 was fishing in part of the river below the 

 house so densely overgrown w-ith bushes that it was uuflsha- 

 ble from the bank, but I knew that by wading I could man- 

 age it. So there I was, up to my knees in water, walking 

 down the centre of the river with nothing but sis small fish 

 in my creel. " This won't do," thought I, looking round for 

 natural flies. " That's the oriel" I exclaimed to myself, see 

 ing a small yellow willow-fly glide by me, only to be snapped 

 up by a lusty trout some fifteen yards below. So wading 

 out on to the bank I changed a " March brown " far a yellow 

 willow, a black gnat for a yellow cowdung, leaving the leader 

 a red hackle, with woodcock wings where it was Throwing 

 lightly over the fish I had seen rise, the first cast rewarded 

 me with success, for up came the old fellow and sucked in 

 the willow without hesitation. A strong stream helped him 

 to fight well, but at length I succeeded in netting him— a 

 good half-pound trout, as broad as he was long. Now the 

 fun began to grow apace, so that by 3 o'clock I had three 

 dozen nice fish, besides about 100 small ones which I had re- 

 turned. 



By 5 o'clock my basket was full, and thinking it time to 

 go home I walked leisurely along the side of the stream 

 Where the water was not, deep. A thick dead log against the 

 bank, right in the full force of the stream, looked a likely 

 place for a big one, and after three or four throws close to 

 the tree 1 saw a flash in the wafer. "Missed him, s'elp me, 

 and a big one, too," thought I, preparing for another try. 

 " There he is again I" 1 mentally ejaculated, striking the in- 

 Btant he rose. "Got him this lime, though." Then I 

 learned what a New Mexican trout can do if put to it. First 

 of all he made straight for the tree, but I induced him to 

 come out of that, when off he rushed down stream, making 

 the reel buzz round at a rare pace, then back again ; and, in 

 short, kept me nearly ten minutes trying to got the net under 

 him, which at last 1 succeeded in doing, lie only weighed 

 three-quarters of a pound, hut was a regular picture, aB 

 broad as he could be without bursting and as bright as a new 

 coin. The prime condition ho was in aud tbe rushing stream 

 explains the reason of such a fish making so prolonged a 

 fight. Well satisfied to have a goodly sized one on the lop 

 I now determined to make for home in earnest, so forced my 

 way through the thick bushes on the bank, and was rejoiced 

 to find I had not a mile to walk. So good was the water 

 that it took me all day lo fish scarcely a mile of river. If 

 any of your readers have ever experienced the doubtful 

 pleasure of carrying a full basket, of fish weighing some 18 or 

 20 pounds, for four or five hours, they are not likely to for- 

 get it. This time on relieving myself of the burden I dis- 

 covered 1 could but with difficulty raise my arms above my 

 head, and that a lump the size of my fist was raised where 

 the broad web strap pressed on my collar bone. 



After gelling rid of my wet things and watting for an hour 

 or so the Mexican fishermen returned together with my com- 

 panion The Mexicans had all suddenly taken the idea into 

 their heads that they would also wet a line that day, pre- 

 sumably after seeing our flies, thinking that they could show 

 us how to catch fish in the Pecos. The best individual take, 

 however, was but a dozen. My friend bad hut very poor 

 sport, owing in a great measure, 1 suppose, to having so many 

 satellites round him, as he kept to the open waier frequented 

 by the natives. iVly take amounted to over sixty trout, 

 ranging from one-qi outer to three-quarters of a pound, be- 

 sides the countless number of small ones I returned. Ihe 

 fish, as will be seen, do not run large, but they are "game as 

 pheasants" and as sweet as a nut. A good honest pounder 

 is a rara avu in this part of the river (about twenty-five 

 miles from its source), but lower down they are heavier. 



A few fresh caughl trout were soon hissing aud spluttering 

 in the pan, you may easily conceive, and were devoured 

 with much relish by the two hungry fishermen. This is the 

 true way to enjoy trout, " first catch him (yourself) and 

 then eat him" (yourself also). 



The second day's sport was but a repetition of the first, 

 so a few words will suffice to relate the adventures. Unfor- 

 tunately 1 was induced to try the upper or open water, but 

 after fishing until about 3 p. m. with but sorry sport, having 

 taken but a few small ones, I was disgusted with that part, 

 as I bad not seen a decent fish move at all, except once 

 when from my want of success I was fishing carelessly, a 

 big swirl, a few determined struggles, followed by a sudden 

 slackening of the line, told me I had missed a. good troul. 

 After this I decided upon again visiting the scene of the last 

 day's work, and reeled up and went for it. My good name 

 was at s'ake, for if I failed in making a basket this time the 

 reputation I had with the Mexicans would be gone. Two 

 hours and a half to fill a big creel is not much, but it must be 

 done. Half an hour brought me to the place, and in ten 

 minutes more half a dozen decent trout were kicking in the 

 basket. Throw how and where 1 would I was nearly sure of 

 a rise at one of my flies— viz., coachman for leader, claret and 

 cowduiig for droppers. At one pool I took six fish in three 

 consecutive casts, ooly two of them, however, 1 retained, 

 showing how they were on. In short, by six o'clock my 

 basket was full, and home I went with untarnished reputa- 

 tion, another sore shoulder and a good appetite. This time 

 my take amounted to upward of fifty trout I retained, my 

 friend having but few. The following morning we returned 

 over the same trail to Santa Fe, having enjoyed two of the 

 pleasantest days imaginable, amid delightful scenery and 

 hospitable people, and after many vows relative to repeating 

 the dose on the first opportunity, we tendeil> r and regretfully 

 laid away our rods and tackle with poor old Wamba's pass- 

 word, Pox 1'obiscum. Wkstwaud Ho ! 



^nittrnl i§¥ or U- 



THE OLD-WORLD SPAKROW— 1853. 



t O. BItXANT. 



WE hear the note of a stranger bird, 

 That no' or till now in our land was heard : 

 A winged settler has taken his place 

 Willi Teutons and men of the Celtic race. 

 He has followed their path to our hemisphere— 

 The Old-World sparrow at last is here. 

 He meets not here, as beyond the main, 

 The fowler's snare and the poisoned grain | 

 But, snug-built homes on the friendly tree, 

 And grubs for his chirping family 

 Are strewn when the winter fields are drear ; 

 For the Old-World sparrow is welcome here. 



The insect legions that sting our fruit, 



And strip the loaves from the growing shoot,— 



A stvavmmg, skulking, ravenous tribe. 



Which Harris and Fitch so well describe, 



But cannot destroy, — n 

 For the Old-World spar 



V quail with fear ; 

 iw, their foe, is here. 



WE'VE listened long to tills stranger's 

 And watched ti srjreaxHng to place 



The apricot, in the summer ray, 



May npen now on the loaded spray ; 



And the nectarine on the gardeu-walk, 



Keep firm its hold on the parent stalk ; 



And the plum its fragrant fruitage rear ; 



For the Old-World spai-row, their friend, iB here. 



The pest of gardens— the httle Turk 



Who sigus with the crescent his wicked work, 



Aud causes the half-grown fruit to f all— 



Shall be Beized aud swallowed, in spile of all 



His slv devices of cuuning aud fear ; 



For the Old-World sparrow, his foe, ib here. 



And the armv-worm and the Hessian fly 



And the dreaded canker-worm shall die ; 



And the thnp and slug aud fruit-moth seek 



In vain to escape that busy beak ; 



And fairer harvests shall crown tho year \ 



For the Old-World sparrow at last is here. 



T1IE OLD WORLD KUI8ANCE.— JS81. 



After Bryant— Twentt Years After. 

 's note 

 o places remote, 

 Till tbe tnrhulent vagabond has taken the place 

 Of our valuable song-blnls, and driven the race 

 From our elites and towns by eating the food 

 provided by Mature for nobler brood. 

 He lias come to our shores with Hie miu'derous gang 

 ot Nihilists, who endgrated sooner than hang ; 

 Paupers and regicides, red lu tbe hand, 

 Which Europe continually sends to our land. 

 Vagabonds feathered, clothed, white and black, 

 Good Dame tfuropa piefrse beekon them back. 

 The insect army keeps stinging our fruit, 

 We have still to fight them aud the sparrows to boot ; 

 The quarrelsome, noisy, too sociable thugs, 

 They eat up our (nil! and never touch bugs. 

 A glance at their bill shows ever so plain 

 That their food Is not Insects but milts and good grain. 

 The Poet may slug In the sparrow's praise, 

 But our giuat ornithologist, Dr. Cones, says, 

 In language ot truth and In very plain prose, 

 That, the sparrow's a nuisance, and the sooner he goes 

 The better we're off, so to me It's quite clear 

 TtK.t tue Old World sparrow Is not needed here. 

 He denies our porches, there's no denying that ; 

 He has ruined my wile's dress and spoiled my best hat. 

 He, bangs round tbe bird cage to pilfer ihe seed, 

 And gives tbe canary a loul Insect breed. 

 He never eats worms, lot us tell b. abroad, 

 This Old World sparrow Is a terrible fraud. 

 American freedom has been much abused ; 

 a borne foT cue homeless we've never refused, 

 And the poor honest man can here east hLs lot, 

 Bring his wife and his babes, and build him a cot ; 

 But our long suffering people some morning will see, 

 Communists and sparrows throw a hito the sea. 



Fred Mather. 



Bryant's poem on tbe English sparrow was written at the 

 time of the introduction of that bird into this city by the 

 Reiche Bros., a firm of bird dealers. A number of tbe spar- 

 rows were purchased by Mr. W. H. Schieffelin and liberated 

 in the garden of bis Madison avenue residence. It was after 

 spending an evening with Mr. Schieffelin that the poet wrote 

 the verses printed above. Of this importation a Cambridge, 

 Mass., correspondent says: "I feel that I know as much 

 about the English sparrow as the majority of folks, and I 



have no hesitation in saying that they will not eat insects if 

 they can get grain, much less a hairy caterpillar. They are 

 essentially a seed-eating bird, although thty prefer the macer- 

 ated oats in fresh horse manure to any thing else. They will 

 give the choicest bird seed the go-by and go for the manure. 



"The introduction of the sparrow wan a money making 

 speculation, because ihose who introduced them were in a 

 position to understand all about them, and could not be ex- 

 cused on grounds of ignorance. 



"If any one had asked the person that brought them lo 

 your city if a mocking bird or a robin or thrush could live on 

 canary seed he would very likely have considered tho inquirer 

 a fool or grossly ignorant as regards the food of birds. To 

 me it seems equally absurd to import a seed-eating, ha -d- 

 billed bird and expect that when it came to a new country it 

 would change its habits and turn insectivorous. 



" In conclusion I venture the opinion that the little Turk, 

 Hessian fly, slug, grub and canker-worm mentioned in the 

 poem has nothing to fear from the English sparrow." 



The bird is rapidly making his way over the continent. In 

 some parts of Virginia, as we have already noted, tbe cam- 

 paign against him is assuming a serious character. A writer 

 in the Charlottesville, Va., Qhrontile frees his mind after this 

 manner : "If there is one single redeeming quality possessed 

 by these unmitigated nuisances, the English sparrows, we do 

 not know what it is. No one ever saw one of them destroy an 

 insect. They are neither insectivorous nor carnivorous — strict 

 vegetarians — and about as disagreeable every way as some of 

 the human species that we have known who affect vegeta- 

 bles. They increase very rapidly. One pair of birds may be 

 counted on as certain, if undisturbed, to produce three 

 broods, or twelve birds, each. And their reproduction is as 

 sure as fate. Break them up today and to-morrow they will 

 have built in the identical spot. The writer of this broke up 

 a nest at 8 o'clock in the morning, destroying nest and eggs ; 

 at 2 o'clock of the same day the pair bad rebuilt the nest aud 

 one egg occupied it. It was again broken up, and the place 

 visited early next morning, and the result was precisely as 

 before. A determination to get rid of them, which was 

 quite as strong as their deterniiuation to stay, finally dis- 

 gusted them and they went elsewhere. But they were not, 

 conquered— only repulsed. And although every effort short 

 of shooting and poisoning has been adopted to drive them 

 away they yet remain with their incessant, insufferable, ar- 

 rogant chatter— a perfect curse. It is said you cannot trap 

 them. One gentleman tried repeatedly aud in many ways 

 and failed." 



DO GARTER SNAKES EAT FISH ? 



WELL, if you will allow me a point and consider cray- 

 fish in the category, I can answer yes. Wlii'e on the 

 Upper Allegheny, not long since, I stepped out upon a log 

 w T hich projected iuto the river and began washing my hands 

 in the water. Suddenly I perceived a quick movement in 

 the river just beneath my hands, which was followed by the 

 appearance of a large, healthy crayfish, which seemed to rise 

 out of the water in a strange sort of way, which I could not 

 understand, but in a moment more the mystery was solved 

 by the head of a snake popping up and showing that it had 

 just caught the crayfish by the tail. 



I kept perfectly quiet, while the snake watched me for a 

 minute or two and then, concluding that I looked too good 

 natured to hurt it, it commenced on its m ;al» It was a g tr- 

 ier snake about sixteen inches long and slender for its length. 

 I could not see what it could possibly want, with a crayfish, 

 for I did not suppose it was insane enough to imagine that it 

 could swallow such a hunch of shell and claws. But it went 

 right at it as though it understood its business. Swaying its 

 head (which remained on a level with the surface of the 

 water) from side to side, it worked it. jaws as though with a 

 sucking motion, rubbed its throat occasionally upon a little 

 stone in the water and the tail and part of the body of the 

 crayfish was soon comfortably past the Rubicon. 



But now came the tug of war, for here was the head and 

 shoulders and huge large claws which were now to be dis- 

 posed off. The snake seemed to realize that it had need of 

 all its powers in order to complete his enterprise. It paused 

 for a rest and a breathing spell, and I could readily imagine 

 that it was spitting on its hands for the finish. Then it com- 

 menced again, and such a swelling and swaying and contort- 

 ing would have made a circus clown sick with envy. And 

 all this time the poor cray-fish didn't offer a single objection. 

 It simp'y looked out into space with a vacant stare and didn't 

 seem to have the least interest in the preceding. It had 

 doubtless been crossed in love at some no distant period and 

 considered the world a hollow mockery, from which it was a 

 blessing to be freed. 



Gradually its shoulders were drawn into the cavity, then 

 its head sunk slowly out of sight and the lost tiling we saw 

 of that luckless cray-fish was one of its huge sharp claws il- 

 lustrating a dissolving view as it was drawn into its living 

 grave. Then that snake's jaws closed like a, rat trap ; it 

 worked its body, pushing its victim down further— ju3t as 

 you have seen a boy work his throat, when choking on an 

 overdose of dry sponge cake— licked its lips with its tongue a 

 few times, winked its eye at me as though to say, " There, 

 you can't do that, old man," and then wriggled away under 

 the log to digest its well-earned meal. Obangk Fhazkr. 



Columbus, O. 



"THE WAY OF A SERPENT ON A ROCK." 



THE movement of a snake in climbing a perpendicular 

 surface, as I have observed it, is a vermicular, undulat- 

 ing motion, not spiral, but straight up the face of the surface. 

 I have seen a black snake thus glide up a beech tree with 

 that easy, careless grace of movement which is characteristic 

 of that snake when moving over horizontal surfaces. The 

 bark of the beech affords few inequalities into which the 

 edges of the gastroelegal bands could bo thrust claw-fashion, 

 aud I have no doubt that atmospheric pressure is the force 

 that holds the snake against such surfaces in climbiug. sucker 

 fashion, as the boy lifts the brick with the piece of wet leather 

 1 once knew a black snake to ascend a stucco wall to the 

 second story window, and another I saw go up to the eaves 

 of a earring" house to the swallows' nest ; straight up the up 

 and down boards. I have seen them glide from tree to tree 

 and leap down from near the top of large trees, but never 

 t aw one descend by climbing down a smooth, perpendicular 

 surface I have no doubt of their ability to do so, however. . 

 I do not believe that this power is enjoyed by tbe copper- 

 bead or rattlesnake, or any venomous sort with which 1 am 

 familiar, they being heavy and sluggish in their movements. 



