De«embbe SO, 1881.]' 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



433 



point of beauty, there was noted; One string of white 

 Panama pearls, worth $25 r "D0D ; one yellowish or straw- 

 colored string of oriental pearls, worth $20,000, and one 

 black string, worth $80,000. Single pearls of rare Bizes, 

 .,.■.■ ad colOrswere aeon, and their value Was great. 



In Japan pearls arc found in several species of mo'lusks 

 which do not yield them in otberwaters. They occur in a 

 species of scallop, PecUn yessoensin, in Area mbcrcnaUt, 

 (J'HhtrfJ! petecldalis, Tapei semidecUisata, Haliolis gigantea 

 and a snail. There are statistics and chemical analyses of 

 waters where pearls are found, and much valuable and in- 

 teresting information in the appendix. 



MAINE WH1TEF1SH TAKE TIIE HOOK FREELY. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



I note from time to time, in letters from your correspond- 

 ents, the taking of white fish with baited hook mentioned as 

 a rare incident. A specks of the whiteflsh is fouud in many 

 of the lakes of Maine, in the St. John, New Brunswick, and 

 far up to the Arctic regions. Your Western whiteflsh i3 

 much larger than with us, weighing from two and one-ha'f 

 to an occasional six pounds ; with us it seldom exceeds one 

 and one-half pounds, the average being one pound. In 

 Mooseuead Lake it is taken with a baited hook alone, in fact 

 no other mode of taking it is permitted. A summer seldom 

 passes without some of these beautiful fish being taken ou 

 the fly by anglers who are fishing for trout. It spawns in 

 the autumn, about the same time as the trout. It is in good 

 eating condition for the table in March, having had time to 

 recuperate from casting its ova, and is then taken in consid- 

 erable numbers through the ice, with hook and line. 



My colleague and myself have taken as many as seventy- 

 five in five hours' fishing. They are a very delicious fish, 

 preferable, I think, even to trout. The same foregone con- 

 clusion exists in regard to this fish not taking bait as with 

 the famous blucback trout, Salmo oquatsa, of the Rangeley 

 lakes, when the real fact is that they may both be readily ta- 

 ken by this mode of angling, in their proper seasons, if fished 

 for. In Grand or Sohoodiu Lake they are only netted, iu- 

 deed, no other way of taking them is known or believed in ; 

 the result is that they are only brought to market when full 

 of spawn and least fit for the table. In Maine it is a rarely 

 beautiful fish, more delicate in its outline and coloring than 

 the fish of the Western lakes, a very dainty biter, and to be 

 fiBhed for with a small book and minute bait, owing to the 

 size of its mouth. Thebaitis kept in constant motion by 

 slowly lifting and falling the band about, a foot, and when a 

 slight obstruction is felt, as if hooked into a small limb of a 

 bush, or grass, strike quickly and you have your fish. As 

 we have said, it has a very small mouth, and hence its pe- 

 culiar mode of biting. 



It is the custom with our Moosohtad Like fishermen to 

 roast a cusk in the ashes, the flesh of which is very white 

 when cooked, and then rub it between the hands into the 

 hole in the ice, to attract: the fish. Others anchor a bullock's 

 lights or liver on the body of a large cask, well slashed with 

 the knife, a3 an attractive ground bait. That coarse, vile 

 fish, the toque, or "laker," feeds largely on the whiteflsh, 

 and is apt to "visit our favorite fishing grounds in pursuit. 

 We then assume a heavier line and coarser hook with a 

 larger bait, alive chub it possible, and soon capture and send 

 him where we hope the assassin Guiteau will soon be con- 

 signed on a hempen line. We think the Western whiteflsh 

 may be taken if fished for, as easily as our own. We pro- 

 pose to introduce ourEistern whiteflsh into all our lakes so 

 Boon as we can afford the proper apparatus for hatching the 

 ova. Unlike our trout; the young fry are too delicate, as is 

 rIbo the parent fish, to be transported. They must be 

 hatched where they cau be allowed to swim directly out into 

 the waters they are intended to stock as soon as hatched. 



E. M. StLLWEM,. 



A FISH IN AN OYSTER SHELL. 



Zanesvii.le, Ohio, December, 1881. 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



For the edification of your readers and to satisfy my 

 curiosity, I send you herewith a cut or drawing of a small 

 fish, species unknown to the writer. From this and the 

 meagre description I am able to give I hope you will explain 

 to your readers to what species it belongs, and how you 

 account for the peculiar and extraordinary position in which 

 it was found. 



The drawing was made by laying the fish on the snclosed 

 slip of paper, and with a pe"ncil I proceeded to take the out- 

 Hues, so as to make it life-size. The dorsal fin, you will 

 notice, is continuous to the caudal fin, and the anal fin the 

 same. The pectoral fin appears to be larger and longer than 

 in fish of its size. There is a full row of fine teeth on the 

 upper jaw, and on the lower jaw about one half the number 

 of teeth less, The head is of a dark preen color, with black 

 spots or dots, as you will notice in the cut. The pectoral 

 fin is also covered with black dots nearest the head. The 

 body is of a darker hue, nearly black on the back, and gradu- 

 ally running into a darkish yellow toward the belly. .Seven 

 or eight lines or streaks of white run on each side of the 

 body, parallel with the spinal column, from head to tail. 



It carae into my possession in a very extraordinary man- 

 ner. During the first week in November last I called at one 

 of our oyster dealers for shell oysters, aud noticed it lying 

 in a half shell on the counter. Expressing my surprise at it 

 as a curiosity ruy friend C, the dealer, presented me with 

 the same, and had his son, a fine lad of about seventeen 

 summers, relate to me how it was found. The boy was en- 

 gaged that morning in unpacking a barrel of fresh shell 

 oysters, which had arrived from Baltimore, and in handling 

 attention by a hollow sound. His 

 used he and a colored help proceeded to 

 way with a shucking kuife. Failing in 

 succeeded by the use of a hammer and 

 vigorous pounding, aud in the shell found enclosed this fish. 

 but in an excellent suite of preservation, 

 and doming in dii ly-iookiug fluid like water. No Oyster or 

 anything t Is; ~. I the shell: 



The shell is nothing different from that of a common 

 oyster bUbIj ei is taken out. It has the dark 



inside to which the oyster is usually attached. 

 j d both. 



I lu've been a reader. Of Rod and Gun, and then of 

 Forest and BtSRaM for many years, and do not remember 

 of having read of anything similar. No doubt many of 

 your reaofcrSj like myself, are anxious to know several things 

 connected with this matter. First, to what species does the 

 fish belong? Second, how came it in the shell? Third, 



why was the shell wa3 so hard to open after the oyster had 

 been devoured, if it all? Aixiphbon. 



[Your figure is imperfect, having no ventral fins, and your 

 description docs not fay whether trie li h has sciles or not. 

 We think we recognize the "toad fish '' or "oyster fish," 

 Batraehmtau, a K sateless fish common to the muddy bot- 

 toms of the .-. ! Ian - c « st. The following is a partial des- 

 cription from hes of New York," by DeKay : 

 " Boil}' thick and rounded before, attenuated and compressed 

 behind. Head broad, depressed: its width equalling its 

 Ifipgln, Skin without scale?, • * * lateral line obsolete. 

 Facial outline sloping. The eyes large, lateral, but with an 

 almost vertical aspect, and nearly covered with a fleshy 

 membrane. Operele with three concealed spines. Numer- 

 ous cirri about the head and mouth, and a scries of from five 

 to seven cirri on each side of the lower jaw." * * * 



DeL ay described what he supposed to be another and 

 smaller species, but which is now known to be identical with 

 the former, and inhis description("Two-spined Toad Fish," 

 B cdatus, p. 17,0) he say b: "This little fish, which I have 

 never known to exceed the above dimensions (1 in.), is 

 usually found on muddy bottoms. It has frequently been 

 brought to me between the two valves of an oyster." The 

 fish must have entered when small and found it a good hid- 

 ing place. When an oyster dies its shells often remain fixed 

 in position ] 



_ .«.- — 



EFFECT OF MOONLIGHT ON FISH. 



Key West, Fla., Dec. U. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



Some time since I mentioned the belief prevalent here that 

 moonlight spoiled fish, and you suggested that experiments 

 be made to determine the question." I have acted upon the 

 idea, and can positively say, from the result of experiments 

 that moonlight does not aMem spoil fish. That, it never 

 does, I can not say. I purchased five small fish, called here 

 "grunts," freshly caught, and, preparing them all in the 

 same manner as is always done to keep them over night, I 

 kept some of them in the house, hung some out of doors 

 where there was no shade or protection, and the moon could 

 shine on them all night long, and hung the rest up out of 

 doors where they would bo subject to the influence of the 

 night air, but out of the influence of the moon. 



The next mormng all were equally good, and could not 

 be told apart, either before or after cooking. This was 

 about two nights after full moon. Some say that it should 

 have been tried while the moon was on the increase j but, as 

 I have already said, I am satisfied that moonlight does not 

 spoil fish always. 



Still, from the testimony of many old fishermen with 

 whom I have conversed, I am fully convinced that fish do 

 many times spoil when left on deck or hung up in the moon- 

 light, while those below, out of the moonshine, keep well. 

 What the cause of this is remains i,o be found out. Whether 

 it is the night air, the heavy dew, or some other atmospheric 

 influence can not be positively said. The fishermen naturally 

 say it is the moon, that being the most prominent pheno- 

 menon. Whether it is a factor or not, and what the other 

 factors are, 1 intend to find out if it can be done by any ex- 

 perimenting witbin my power. L. 



It is certain that a fish which immediately on leaving the egg 

 answers its purpose as an ornamental fish • anpa prefer- 



able to the gold fish, which does not ao soon ft'g'sume a brilliant 

 color. 



In the year 1553 Geflsuer wrote, in his "Natural History," that 

 ti.e "orfe" enjoyed a high reputation as '..u > 1 1 h ,,, ,, ,,,:. e.-'pecially 

 when fried, particularly in the months of April and May. I 

 tion to Bell the "orfe" was onlv given when it hud reach 

 size, as they were considered "an excelle-.f : .-kand, 



oonseouenily, it was desirable not to let the specie* die out. 'Ibis 

 fish was also considered a wholesome and etrengthening food for 

 women in confinement. 



The "gold-orfe" is a native of Germany, and sought after by 

 keepers of aquaria on account of their beauty. We have imported 

 a few specimens of this new fish to America, from which we intend 

 to propagate. Hugh JIolghtt. 



Cincinnati, O. 



EGGS FOK GERMANY.— The North German Llovd steamer 

 Oder, which sailed on Saturday, the 21th. inst.. took out" the follow- 

 ing lots of eggs: 



300.000 whiteflsh eggs for von Eehr, Berlin. 



12,000 whiteflsh eggs for F. Busse Go-steffiunde. 



20,000 brook trout eggs for E. Busse, O.-esOjiimnua. 



12,000 brook trout eggs for G. Ebrocht, Geestemunae. 



The whiteflsh eggs were sent hv Prof. B&ird from the ponds of 

 Frank N. Clark, Northville, Mich". The brook trout eggs were sent 

 by Mr. Livingston Stone from the ponds of Mr. W. L. Gilbert. 

 Plymouth, Mass. 



CARP FOB PENNSYLVANIA— Pkilai ','<„',, ■■■. Deo.2i - fuashow 

 window on Arch street; near Sixth, Philadelphia, au.u-i-.t-ut u. the 

 Fish Commission has in an aquarium a number of carp on ex- 

 hibition. They are attracting great att n . ■ many more are 



demanded than can be supplied. The great trouble in the neighbor- 

 hood of Philadelphia will be to prevent gentlemen from introduc- 

 ing this fish into ponds where there are gold fish ; the two varieties 

 will cross aud the result of the cross will be an inferior food fish to 

 the oarp. Ponds should be laid out for breeding of the carp alone 

 — C. 8. Westcott. 



NIGHT FISHING. 



Washington, Dec. 20, 1881, 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



Touching the above subject I beg to add that 1 have had, 

 and seen others have, very good success in night fishing for 

 trout in California streams — notably in the Merced River — by 

 candle or lantern light, better, perhaps, than in the same places 

 in day time. The process there was to set a good lamp at 

 the edge of the water and use worms for bait. The Califor- 

 nia trout, as a rule, are not educated up to the point Cf rising 

 to the fly; at least, so far as my experience and observation 



I have also tried night fishing for trout with ihe fly — never 

 with worms or other live bait — in the Maine Lakes, but 

 always without success in those waters. K. 



Food of the Anglbk Fish— New York, Dec. 19, 1881.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: Last we«-k a strange fish was 

 seen struggling on the water off New Rochelle, and was shot. 

 It was a large Single fi*h, and on being opened a coot and a 

 gull were iouud in it, in their natural condition. — F. O. be 

 Lpzs. 



[We assisted on one occasion at New Haven, Conn., at the 

 autopsy of a large specimen of the angler fish (Lophiui), 

 Which contained no less thsn seven large coots. He was, as 

 they say out West, " plumb full."] 



Caxifobnia Mountain Trout Logs -Rochester, N. Y., 

 Dec. 19, 1881— Editor Forest and Stream : The New York 

 State Fish Commission will -■ i. -i : es wishing to ex- 



periment in fishculture from 300 to 000 eggs of the California 

 mountain trout on receipt its to pay for the 



package. This species is very hardy and a valuable game and 

 food fish. Applications must be made before March 1, 1882. 

 — Address, Seth Grubs, Rochester 8 V. 



inn. 



THE "GOLD-OKPE." 



(Hiw) melauoius utiralns.) 



-■'-a 



t its boan- 

 ioh glittor 

 i shape, it 



,'s.v . 



ts all the demands made of it a* the Ithts roetanorua 



-, inem .... i u i 

 surface of the water. II doea ■ I leap in winter like the carp aud 

 tench, and never makes the ivatarmndrly. Error restless; the '"orfe" 

 constantly swims near the swfac - to food, and even when 

 ice tbiekly covers the poud red spots indicate that this at . I . . i ■. 

 is alive. 



Gold lish, gold tench aud carp only occasionally use to the sur- 

 face of the water, while thev seek their food at the bottem and thus 

 make the. water muddy. 



The raising of the orl'e as an ornamental fish has a peculiar ad- 

 vantage over thai, of the gold fish, their young Seating about in 

 large schools, even when leaving the egg's present a remarkably 

 beautiful appearance. Having a thickness of about two linos 

 and a length of one-half to one centimeter, thou- color being a 

 bright red with a black head, the easily (frightened school swim 

 with lightning-uko rapidity from one place to the o 



J|7/g ^mnel 



TRAINING VS. BREAKING. 



IN TEN CHAPTEES— OHUM'. VI. 



EETRIBVING is an accomplishment that nearly all sports- 

 men place ahigh value upoD, and even its opponents gen- 

 erally become quick converts to the practice as s ion as they are 

 fortunate enough to own a dog that is well-trained in this 

 almost indispensable branch of canine eduction. We have 

 often been amused at the sudden change the mi-ad of 

 some of these out-spoken adversaries of the practice upon 

 their acquisition of a really good retriever." Bow qUicfcly I heir 

 fears that it will make him unsteady vn-l.-v.i : 1 ow 5. on I heir 

 belief that it will ruin his nose takes flight, and henceforth 

 the system has no stronger ad vecnte until they gi 

 worthless animal. We do not propose to argu _ ! 

 here as to whether retrieving is detrimental to ihe dog Qt 

 not, but will, instead, state that it is our firm belief that 

 our dog is properly trained ic the first place, and kept up to 

 his work as he should be, no possible Inirm cau accrue either 

 to his nose or steadiness; and that in no sinirle ir. 

 where evil results have ensued wa:. it the fault stlce 



or the dog, but entirely the fault of the man; the ,1: 

 certainly not to blame for breaking shot and chasing the 

 tIt g broken bird when his master sets the example. Neither 

 should he be blamed for repeating the indiscretion. Here we 

 can see that the check cord and spiked collar could be used 

 to very great advantage, but we should by no means test its 

 efficacy upon the neck of the dumb animal. 



We will now resume our lessons, reserving further remarks 

 upon this very important subject until we come to actual 

 work in the field. We do not think it advisable to commence 

 teaching our pup to retrieve until he has shed bis puppy 

 teeth, and his permanent set are pretty weil grown ; for until 

 this lime his mouth is generally more or less inflamed, and 

 his first teeth are sharp as needles ; and we may not hope to 

 succeed in achieving that dainty, delicate month— that is so 

 indispensable to the good retriever— as certainly as we shall 

 if we wait until his gums are hardened and he bus become 

 somewhat accust omed to his new teeth. He will also have 

 acquired all the more experience with the added days, and 

 will all the more readily understand what, you require. We 

 shall now derive no little benefit from our so-called " fancy 

 training." In fact, Bhould our pupil possess no natural taste 

 for retrieving, we shall find it almost indispensable ; and 

 should he prove never so hard-headed and never so hard- 

 mouthed, we may rest assured that witn the help of this 

 same fancy training we shall be able to bring him safely 

 through, and that no doubting fears will disturb our mind 

 when we send him for his first bird. 



Our pupil should be well up in all his lessons by this time, 

 and 30 perfect at To ho that he willjnot only " draw " on a 

 piece of meat one step at a time, but he must be also so well 

 trained that when you cluck to him as a signal that he may 

 eat it, he will, after taking it in his mouth instantly, .-, 

 command of To ho, hold it perfectly still and deliver it into 

 your hand without any hesitant- ■-. f l" - 1 _ i ■=: I --• uuuzhly 



taught him. one-half your task in teaching hit bo 



is accomplished, and you will find it an oa-7\- ; 



plele his education : for you will have ,, rouble ir Inducing 



him to take, a single step toward you when 'he: has the piece 



of meat in his mouth ; and by using : 



not tax his patience too much by an n 1 1 i.ari'ect 



him too soon, he will, in a short; time, readily take 



three steps, and with proper care and good judgment ou your 



part he will soon learn to readily bring tllestbit 



of meat from across the yard, and to deliver it into your hand 



intact. 



We must again caution you to go very slow, and to be 

 satisfied with a very little progress. In this lesson est 

 care must be had that eoch succu'slvc step IB well and 

 thoroughly learned bef< re proceeding any further. Thus, when 

 you have succeeded in getting birn to take a step or two 

 toward you, do not try him at a longer distance until be has 

 harj considerable practice at this, aud will readily come ihe 

 step or two at the word "bring;" or yours. 

 " fvUh " if you prefer, but Ao pot use mo ai 1 1 ■ i them, 

 at least until your pupil is further advanced. Of a 

 you will have taught him to t! ime to pou ■ b p called, long 

 before this, and by prefacing your call with the Word tiring, 

 or fitch, it will not be long before he v.bl i'" 

 meaning; but until be doea in, 

 at the word you should not increase the distance. 



There is a great difference in dogs in 

 of them will give you scarcely any trout.; 

 appear to know just what you want , Ijgbl in 



