FOREST AND STREAM. 



831 



jfua and fitter fishing. 



FISH IN SEASOnTn NOVEMBER. 

 Slack Bubs, agoMipttwis salmoidt; Weakflsh, Cynoscion regali*. 



filuefish, Fomatnmu* naltatr&t. 

 Spanish Mackerel, Ct/bium macula- 

 tum. 



Hern, Cubium regale, 

 llouito, Sanla -pdamyn. 

 KingflBh, Mcnticirru* nebulosua. 



M, nigrmtns, 



Mascalonge. Esox noMlior. 

 Pike or Pickerel, Emxhirius. 

 Yellow Perch, I'e.r.-a Have#cen8, 

 Sea Bass, .Sni,r>wp,-' iwllalu*. 

 Striped Bass, Roccut UnneatM. 

 White Percll, J/orone ume-ricana. 



Fish in Market.— Fish is scarce, hut the prices aer not 

 high. Poultry and game are cheap, and the demand for fish 

 therefore is slight. Our quotations for the week are :— Bass, 

 20 to 25 cents ; smelts, 25 cents; bluefish, 15 cents ; salmon 

 frozen, 35 cents; mackerel, 15 to 25 cents; white perch, 15 

 cents: Spanish mackerel, 35 cents; green turtle, 18 cents; 

 terrapin, $10 to $3@ per dozen ; frost fish, 8 cents ; halibut, 

 18 cents ; haddock, 8 cents ; kingftsh, 25 cents ; codfish, 10 

 cents; pollock, 8 cents; blackflsh, 15 cents; flounders, 12 

 eents; eels, 18 cents; sea bass, 20 cents; lobsters, 10 to 12 

 cents ; sheepshead, 25 cents ; English turbot, 40 cents ; scol- 

 lops, $1 per gallon ; soft clams, 30 to 60 cents per hundred ; 

 whiteflsh, 12J cents; salmon trout, 18 cents; pickerel, 15 

 cents ; sunfish, 10 cents, yellow perch, 10 cents ; plain bass, 

 15 cents ; hard crabs, $2 per hundred. 



.More 8had.— On last Thursday, November 22, three shad 

 males) were caught off West Hampton, L. I. We recorded 

 he week before last the catching of a fine female shad. 



Abundance of Cod. — The last week has been a remarka- 

 ble one for the quantity of cod causdifc off the Jersey coast 

 and Long Island. The presence of the cod is due to the 

 abundance of squid. Usually squid in our vicinity are rare, 

 but this fall they have been found in great numbers. 



How the Fish are Caught.— We have been asked to tell 

 the methods used in capturing fish exposed in our markets, of 

 which we give the weekly prices. We may state that, with 

 but few exceptions, all the fish brought for market are 

 netted. Of course some few are caught by lines, as the cod 

 and halibut, but even the former are now being netted. 

 Catching fish with a hook for market is too slow a process. 

 In looking over back files of the paper, the methods of catch- 

 ing all known fish have been detailed. Bass are mostly 

 caught in nets, few by lines ; so are smelts, blue fish, salmon, 

 "mackerel, shad, perch, and turtle. Halibut are caught with 

 lines. Codfish are mostly caught by linos, but lately with 

 nets, some of those which were last week in market having 

 been caught in nets off New Jersey. In Norway cod are 

 netted sometimes, and even in the waters which border on 

 the Canadian provinces. Pollock are caught with a line, as 

 are haddock. Herring are netted ; lobsters are caught in a 

 pot; sheepshead are almost always caught with a line, 

 though some are netted ; soft clams are dug for ; terrapins 

 are netted, and so are crabs; whitefish are netted. We use 

 sometimes the expression of "Count "to terrapins. A. count 

 is only the title of nobility to a terrapin that will measure six 

 inches. 



Movements of the Fishing Fleet.— The number of fish- 

 ing arrivals reported at this port the past week has been 34, 

 viz., 8 from the Banks, 16 from Georges, 2 from the Bay of 

 St. Lawrence, and 8 rrom Shore mackereling fleet. The 

 receipts have been 60,000 lbs. bank codfish, 320,000 lbs. 

 Georges codfish, 60,000 lbs. halibut, 370 bbls. Bay mackerel, 

 and ISO bbls, Shore mackerel. The mackerel season is sub- 

 stantially closed, with a small stock in the market and firm 

 prices. Georges and Bank Codfish are in small stock, and 

 prices are well maintained. 



Long Island Terrapins. — It is only of late that the ex- 

 cellence of the Long Island terrapins has been determined. 

 Those familiar with the many varieties of terrapins to-day 

 give a decided preference to the terrapin coming from our 

 immediate vicinity, to those found on the Chesapeake. Pos- 

 sibly the reason why the Long Island tempin was not appre- 

 ciated was that they came to market in small quantities. 

 Lately, however, their excellencs having been determined, 

 greater efforts have been made to find them, and they are iu 

 constant demand. This terrapin is found in Large Harbor 

 from about the 1st of Mai' to the close of August. They 

 are mostly caught, in fykes, with hedging of thirty feet wing. 

 Smithtown, Stratford River, are also good places for terrapin. 

 Some few are caught, at Rosliu and Glen Cove, About twenty 

 terrapin at a catch is thought a very fine take. Such terrapin 

 as are caught in the summer are placed in a staked crawl, to 

 be sold in the winter. While preparing for the market the 

 terrapins are fed on fiddlers, sometimes with Indian meal. 

 Mostly these terrapins are of good size, and would class with 

 what are called " counts," a count being a terrapin six inches 

 or over. This season some 800 have been caught, which is a 

 larger quantity than in any former years. In price they com- 

 mand even a higher price than the Maryland terrapins. We 

 only give these facts, because in an article in a late number 

 of Boribmr's Magazine on terrapins, the existence of the 

 Long Island terrapin was ignored. 



Bass Flies foe Use is Florida Watees. — We are in- 

 debted to Wakeman Holberton, of the Sportsmen's Emporium, 

 102 Nassau street, for some fine patterns of bass flies intended 

 for use in Florida waters and those of other S outhern States. 

 The specimens before us have been proved killing flies. The 

 fly fishing there last season was very fine, as there are a num- 

 ber of fish besides the bass that take the fly and give great 

 gport. Gentlemen intending to visit Florida will do well to 

 inspect Mr. Holberton's stock. 



TIMES AND SEASONS FOR FISHING. 



>\, Putnam, Conn., Nov. 19, 1877. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



I have entertained the idea of your correspondent "Splasher "for 

 some time, and have talked it over with my brethren of the rod for a 

 good while. I would suggest that there be added to the conditions he 

 mentions as requisite to success in catching black bass, the locality, as 

 this has probably as much to do with regard to kinds of bait as nearly^all 

 else. Take for instanc e the mode of Ashing for them as practiced on the 



land-locked lakes and ponds of Florida. The angler sits in the bow of 

 the boat furnished with Satifl pole, '.u which is attached a spoon gear 



With about two feet lie "swish-swashes" the spoon back and 



forth six or eight feet on the surface of the water, and instead of scaring 

 every ilsh in the pond actually ealehes imioy black bass. 



No one in this loea/Ilfy (fiastem fjnhaecttcMti), lias to v$ knowledge 

 taken a basa with a spooa, but the following kinds of bait have been 

 used, viz., grasshoppers, crickets, small frogs, hellgramites, shiners, 

 angle worms mid shrimps. The best success, so far as I can learn by my 

 own and others experience, have been with crickets, although more 

 or less have been caught wilh each of the above mentioned baits. 



I have noticed that at times when the best sucoesB is had with bast' 

 the stomachs of the Ash are almost invariably well filled, which leads 

 me to advance the theory that fishes of prey are not uniike beasts and 

 birds of prey, inasmuch as when they do feed they gorge themselvi r, 

 and then "lay off " to digest their food, during which time they are not 

 so liable to bite. 



I have noticed the same with regard to trout and pickerel. 



O'Vbricus, 

 \ .—♦.-. 



Fisn of Vatstoodveb's Island. — The natives have a pecu- 

 liar mode of catching a small fish which resembles a herring, 

 but is inferior to it in size. Taking a lath-like stick of tough 

 wood, the edge of the end not handled being armed for seve- 

 ral feet with thin iron spikes, ihey proceed silowly in search 

 of their prey, using their implement like a paddle, and dart- 

 ing it rapidly through the fiuny droves. By this maneuver 

 a dozen* or two are frequently impaled at a stroke, and adroit- 

 ly transferred to the canoe to be used as bait. Herring and 

 herring-spawn are largely eaten, both fresh and dried, the 

 spawn being obtained by placing fir branches in the quiet 

 bays which the herrings frequent. As soon as the branches 

 are covered, the spawn is collected and dried in the sun. 

 Halibut and rock cod are also caught in these waters. Among 

 shellfish may be mentioned a poor apology for the oyster, 

 which seldom attains a diameter exceeding an inch. Its near 

 neighbor, the clam, atones for this deficiency, and is frequent- 

 ly got upward of a pound in weight. Very dear to the heart 

 of Siwash is this mud-loving crustacean, which plays an ac- 

 tive part in rustic repasts. The bivalve is often smoked, 

 dried and put on long skewers; aud together wilh dried 

 salmon, forms an unfailing adjunct to the Indian cuisine. 

 Besides the oyster and clam, the mussel, razorfish, cockle, 

 and a few others are found on these coasts.— J. Mortimer 

 Murphy in Chambers Journal. 



^nswep to ^oqrespottdettfs. 



No Notice Taken of Anonymous Communications. 



l&r A number of anonymous correspondents will understand why 

 their queries are not answered, when they read the lines at the head o. 

 this column. 



J. H. W., Rosedale, Kansas.— Probably yon feed too much meat for 

 so young a dog. 



A. B. V., Vinal Haven.— Do you know of a gnnmaker in London 

 named M ? Ans. We do not. 



C. W., New York.— Did Gildersleeve and 'Bodlue shoot in the Inter- 

 national match of 1876? Ans. They did. 



J. M. D., Irwin Station, Pa.— You should not hunt your dog when he 

 is lame. Give him rest and a warm, dry bed. 



F. O. B., Honston.— Where can I get Col. Hutchinson's work on 

 breaking dogs, and price 1 Ans. We can supply it. Price $3. 



H. J. J., New York.— Have a B gun T pounds 12 gauge. Please 



give me proper load. Ans. Z% drs. powder and 1 to 1}£ oz she t. 



Sam.— We have never heard of so large a catfish being caught with a 

 line as that recently mentioned by the Paducali (K.y.) Sews, which 

 weighed 111 pounds. 



J. A. D., Boston.— Jn your last issue you advised me to keep my dog 

 chained at night and loose by day, will this affect him in regard to 

 watching 7 Ans. It will make him a better and more Intelligeu t watch- 

 dog. 



Anon, Phila.— In your paper of Nov. Sth yon say Bogardus will shoot 

 5,000 balls in 5,000 minutes, or in 8 hours and 20 minutes. You should 

 say 500 minutes. 5,000 minutes would be S3 hours, would it not T Ans. 

 you are right. 



J. E. P., Buffalo, N. Y.— What will remove warts from my red Irish's 

 fore legs? He has one on ea,ch leg. Ans. Caustic potash is the best 

 application. Moisten the wart and then apply a little of the potash, 

 or use chromic acid, 10 grains, and distilled water, 10 to 20 grains. 



Tantramar, St. John, N. B.— Who publishes lithographs of snipe 

 and woodcock in New York? They are companion pictsres, and what 

 is the price? Ans. Robt. S. Newell, Buffalo, N. Y.; price, $5. Very 

 excellent pictures for studio, library and dining-room. 



F. W. K.— The Fish Commissioners of your State are J. R. Shotwell, 

 of Rah way, and G. A. Anderson, of Trenton. Better address the latter 

 in regard to stocking your ponds. Trout might thrive In the large clear 

 pond, and bass certainly would. The small muddy ones are fit only for 

 gold fish, which you can buy from the dealers. 



Choke Bore, New York.— 1. Can buckshot be fired from a moderately 

 choke-bored gun without injuring the barrels ? 2. Is Ihere any Ameri- 

 can powder made that is as clean as Curtis & Harvey'fi 7 3. What do 

 you know of the Dittmar powder ? Ans. 1. Yes. 2. Yes, Hazzard, 

 Electric and Laflin & Raud No. 7. 3. It is favorably regarded. 



W. K., Cambridge, Mass.— Can you tell me.anything of the compara- 

 tive merits of the " Grave's Adirodack Boat " and the " Hushton Por- 

 table?" I think the chief difference, after the model, is that Graves 

 uses baas wood and Rushton cedar. Ans. Both boats are in our opinion 

 equally meritorious. Rushton builds of cedar. He makes a specialty 



of light boats. 



* 

 F. A. S., Macon, Mo.— I hare bought a W. and O. Scott* Sons breech- 

 loading shot-gun, 10 bore, o pound?, 30in barrel. The bore is the same 

 size all the way except just at muzzle which is contracted a little. Is 

 that considered as good a way to choke bore as to enlarge the bore just 

 inside of the muzzle 7 and will it shoot as hard ? Ans. Yes, the hardest 

 shooting guns are choked in that way. 



Wooden Nutmeo, Iowa,— ("an the Editor or some reader of Forest 

 and Stream, who has had experience in this matter, give us 

 Bome information in regard to their success in wintering quail shut up 

 in some building to save them from being tilled off by snow and cold. 

 I would like to try to preserve some if I knew how it wouldresult, Ans 

 For lull particulars see illustrated article in Yol. 3 No. 22. 



C. S.S,, Fairport — Piease state In your next issue how I can rid my 

 setter pup of iice 1 His neck is fairly covered. Ans. Anoint with mer- 

 curial ointment, muzzling the dog so that he cannot lick the parts an- 

 ointed. Wash off with warm water afterward. Or apply the pyreth- 

 rum roseum, or Persian insect powder, to be bought of druggists; or 

 use soft soap with the addition of a few drops ol liquefied thymol. 



J. C. H,, Address Thompson & Tagg, New Bope, Bucks Co., P. A. 

 You do not comply With our rule by giving your address, else wg could 

 have mailed you rci di y your inquiry was received. 



Brook Trout, New York.— Do yon think it would bo ppaatlcableto 

 raise brook trout from the egg, somen- tut after the principle thatMr, 

 Blackford, of Fulton Market, Is raising young California salmon, In an 



aqnarium? and could yon it'll me the price I wouid have to pay for 

 e gss .mih. 1; i; Mint- practicable. You will see the inching in suc- 

 cessful optrui \»i at the New York Aquarium as well as at Blackford's. 

 nice pry 1,000 about $S. 



X. Y., Arlington, N. J.— We are much troubled by r 2S iiai sportsm*a 

 who are often evidently gentlemen, killing our tatne squirrels wh'ch 

 are very pretty to see running about the lawns. What r. medybava 

 we ? Do Bqjjii reis do uny harm ? Ans. Post your gJ ound and aires* 

 for trespass, or keep a man to watch. Squirrels devour the yon us and 

 eggs of birds, pat young fruit tines and do other damage. <s. coUJnJ • 

 squirrels will thin out your birds, if you have any, id a ttioi t Cam. 



B. E. F., Harrisburg.— Tho tips aud edges of my little GypN ears have 

 become ir flamed and broken cut In sores full of matter. She shake* 

 her head some. Is fed from offal of table (mostly raftat), has exira 

 appetite, her eyes are clear, but her coat la dead. Will you pJeais give 

 me remedy for her? Ans. Your dog ptobttulj dab "banter of the ear.' 

 Stop feeding meat. Keep the ears el»an and give plenty of exercise. 

 If this does not cure consult Hallock's "Qixatietr" fur further treat- 

 ment. 



L. R., Troy, N, Y.— I have a setter pup six weeks old. Setit, tho old 

 dog away two wetks ago. I am feeding him on milk and a few mashed 

 potatoes. occasionally. Eats we'l, but has Bin .il surf s ; one on his aids 

 and oDe on the tip of the ear. Many advise me to cut off a piece of th« 

 tail. What kind of soap to use in washing him ? .Ans. Leave the tail 

 alone. Should be careful about wash.ng so young a pup. Give him 

 a comfortable dry bed and he will keep himself clean. Juniper tar 

 soap is about the best. 



H. V. W.M., Newark, N. J.— Will you p^ase give the readers of your 

 valuable paper yeur opinion on the catamaran or flying proa? Is it a 

 success as a small sail-boat, &<>y about 55 feet in length ? Is it safe ana 

 handy in rough water, and how ringed? Ans. For full description se« 

 our yachting columns. From our limited experience we were not prs- 

 pared for the assertion of Mr Herreshoff that ihe catamaran is as gooa 

 on the wind as many other craft. With the wind free they are very 

 fast. It is safer than ordinary boata. 



J.H.C, Boston.- 1 want to find out what sixes, from largest, bn ok t« 

 No, 1 shot, will make best targets iu my gun ? 1. Will loading with one 

 drachm powder and ene layer shot give as good proportionate target as 

 regular charge? 2. What would be best distance to shoot at? 3. Com- 

 mencing with largest buck to what size shot would you chamber in 

 muzzle of gnu? Ans. These are difficult questims to answer. Send 

 us the gauge of your gun and wo will answer intelligently. Forty yard* 

 is the regulation distance for patterns. 



O. H. J., Washington, D. C— Please inform me where I coHld pur- 

 chase a will turkey call? Ans. Make one yourself. Make a little box 

 of Spanish cedar 1% inches long, % to % deep and 1 Inch wide. Cut a 

 piece of smooth slate that will He nicely in tne bottom of the box ; have 

 the top smooth and even. Make the box without pin?, put it together 

 with brass pins. To operate this hold the sltte between the thumb and 

 middle finger of the right hand while the call Is held by the thumb and 

 middle finger of the left. See Hallock's "Gazetteer." 



S. G. R , Rochester.— 1. Do you prefer an English to an American 

 gun? 2. Is Caribrough's, an English gnu, considered reliable? 3. 

 About how many shells should I take to the North Woods, staying a 

 month. 4. Is it cheaper to use bras or ptpar shells. 5. What kind of 

 g'.oveB are best to hunt with ? An j .*l. We p efer some Eng'ish guns 

 to some American guna. 2. As reliable as auy gnu made. 3. It would 

 be difficult to teil ; say 200. 4. Brass, s. Regular sportsman'.-* mitten 

 w.th one finger and thumb clear. Theyare new in the market, and tho 

 best of anything we have seen. You can buy them of Schuyler, Hartley 

 Jfc Graham, 13 JJ alden Lane. 



M. H C , Morris, Bis.— Please answer where 3. D. Caton's book on 

 Antelope and Deer of America can b2 got und price? also, in scoiing 

 Hue shas at Creedmoor is tho centre or cirou fere oeof the ball 

 scored to the highest number? also, how many "rains is caliedan 

 ounce of shot T Ans. 1. Can be bought of Wil- y A Sou-, V, Astor Place, 

 New Yore. 2. The circumference of the ball cour.ts. 3. You will find 

 the men scarce who know 



Docket, Cleveland, O.— Where can we piircnas- or obtain roots or 

 seeds of wild celery, and mode of olauting or propagation? Ans. Wild 

 Celery, Eel Grass and Tape Grass ars differentia; mes f.r the Yallisne- 

 ria spiralis, a rather common water plant wh ch is most easily propa- 

 gated by divisions of the root-stock. If plunted in ihe mud in (-hallow 

 water, it would soon be at home and spead amazingly. It is a stemless 

 plant with bright green, ribbon-like linear leav s, and grows entirely un- 

 der water. It is one of the most sir.gniar f.nd intertMmg < f plant*, the 

 fertile flowers rising to the surface of the water ou thn ad form scape* 

 two to four feet long according to the der th of wat»r ; while the Stftmi- 

 nate clusters being confined to the bofom i.y the shortness of their 

 scapes, the flower buds themselves break away and floating on thestuv 

 face of the water fertilize the flowers, which then coil np spimiry, 

 drawing the fruit under water to ripen. It is an excellent plant to u«« 

 underthe microscope to show too circtililisn of tho sap, and is much 

 used as an aquarium plant, and s dd at from five to ten cents each ; but 

 doubtless many of our Mary ii'.nd subscribers would gladly send yoa 

 enough to make a small plantation for a start. 



J. 0. H., New York.— 1. My gun, TK pounds, scatters shot very mucli 

 Have b8en using Ely 's best green shells, S dras. powder, 2 pink edgo 

 wads on powder, 1 oz. shot and thin wad on top of shot. Can you sug- 

 gest a better way of loading ? 2. How does Joseph Doxter rank among 

 London gun makers ? Ans. We do not advise the re-boring of breech, 

 loading guns, owing to the better class of English makers targeting 

 their gun3 before leaving the factory. If such a gun should fail to shoot 

 it may be attributed to the fault of the man behind the gun. From 

 your inquiry it is very evident that yon are not using the proper 

 charge. To insure good shooting you should experiment with the gun 

 until you find the charge of powder and shot required to do the execu- 

 tion you wish to do— either for birds, ducks or geese. The first object 

 in view should be penetration, which is ascertained by increasing tho 

 powder : second, the quantity and size of shot. Because your friend 

 uses 8 dras. of powder, and 1 oz. No. 8 shot, proves no reason why your 

 gun should target well with same charge. Your gun m .y do better ex- 

 ecution with less powder and No. 9 shot, which would b^ an advantage, 

 owing to the greater number of pellets. The scattering ol the shot de 

 pends upon the distance the gun has been fired. The best gu s tl at are 

 made are only warranted at U) yards— that is at 40 yards tho shot . houid 

 be bo evehy distributed from the centre of a 30 inch tar? ..t, that I 

 would be almost Impossible for a bird to pase through without being 

 hit. Guns are known to kill at a much greater distance if held unou 

 the object. The sportsman should bear in mind that it is the powder 

 that does the killing and not the shot. We hope that our correspond- 

 ent may succeed in finding the proper charge— for his Joseph Dexter 1 



well made gun, 



