

372 
Whether these names all refer to one spe- 
cies cannot be stated. It is not unlikely 
that more than one species of Salmo oc- 
curs in Lake Chelan, but the matter can 
not be settled until series of specimens 
are critically studied. 
That the rainbow trout occurs there is 
quite improbable. It is not certainly 
known from any point North of South- 
ern Oregon. 
9. Lota maculosa (Le Sueur). ‘“Cusk”; 
ling; lake lawyer. Occasionally taken. 
B. W. Evermann. 

HE CLAIMS EXEMPTION. 
Hon. W. B. Mershon, 
East Saginaw, Mich. 
Dear Sir: I am informed that you and 
W. S. Humphrey, James T. Keena and 
Waldo Avery caught 1,272 trout in 3 days. 
Is this report correct? Yours truly, 
G. O. Shields, Edr. and Mgr. 
ANSWER. 
It is true, and I am anxious to know 
now whether knowing nothing more 
than that statement you would go 
ahead and put down these 4 names on 
your list of fish hogs. 
Briefly stated, the facts are these: The 
fish were taken from a salmon stream 
away down on the Gaspé peninsula, some 
1,300 miles from here; a stream along 
which I own 2 farms with salmon pools 
opposite, beside leasing other waters for 
which I have paid for a good many years 
an annual rental of $300 to $550 —the lat- 
ter figure for this last year. This rental 
is paid because there is good salmon 
fishing on the stream. Unfortunately, this 
year, the same as a good many other 
years, I have been prevented from going 
there during the salmon fishing season. 
Consequently I have paid the rental for 
nothing. By reason of its being a pro- 
tected stream the natives are not allowed 
to fish it. Hence the trout or salmon that 
the anglers give them are greatly appre- 
ciated. Our trip was 12 days from Sagi- 
naw. We left the stream the evening of 
the eighth day after our arrival, one 
day being Sunday, when we did not 
fish. Our party consisted of the 4 men 
whose names you mentioned, and 8 
guides. We did not have a trout to send 
to our friends, nor one to bring home 
with us. Neither did a single one spoil. 
We did save enough for the table use 
of our large party, but the balance of 
them were eagerly sought by the people 
of that region. 
come in, half a dozen men would be at 
the ice house with their baskets, asking 
At night, when we would. 
RECREATION. 
for a mess of trout. Twice, the little 
children of a widow’s numerous family 
were there, with their basket, for what 
to them was a welcome treat. Many times 
we would have to divide conscientiously, 
so as not to give one too many at the ex- 
pense of another, for we had not enough 
to go around. The largest number of 
trout I took in one day was, I think, 309, 
though some of the other members of our 
party were more fortunate and got more. 
In the aggregate, the quantity is large, 
but this stream is 60 miles long and there 
was not another living soul beside our 
party fishing on it; and there probably 
will not be a dozen men there this year 
fishing for trout. It is literally alive with 
them. Now, are we fish hogs or not? 
Yours truly, 
W. B. Mershon. 
To which I replied: 
I am glad to have your explanation. 
That was exactly what I asked for and in 
fact I rarely criticise a man on the strength 
of a fishing or hunting record given in 
a local newspaper. Am well aware that 
these are frequently exaggerated. It seems 
that in your case the report was correct 
as to numbers and if you had left the fish 
on the bank to rot, as many men do, I 
should have considered it my duty to de- 
nounce you, even though you are a good 
friend of RECREATION, and a good friend 
of my friend, Mr. Cristadoro. However, 
you seem to have made a charitable use 
of the fish and are therefore entitled to 
the respect of all good people. 
Then Mr. Mershon adds: 
There are sometimes extenuating cir- 
cumstances concerning big bags. Some of 
our friends here at home criticised us 
roundly for not having sent them some 
trout. We thought the people living on 
the stream were originally and by na- 
ture entitled to the fish, and instead of 
sending them away to friends of ours who 
certainly would appreciate them, we gave 
them away there. Had it not been for 
leasing to sportsmen that grand stream, 
the Cascapedia, I believe that by this 
time the salmon would have been prac- 
tically exterminated there; and with those 
gone, next would have come the exter- 
mination of the trout. Those waters are 
now a vast breeding reservoir which I 
hope may last for all time. I know the 
portion rented by me, through a series of 
years, has not been fished, on an aver- 
age, 2 years out of 3. Yours truly, 
W. B. Mershon, 

