Feb. 9, 1883-! 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



31 



say emphati 



cally, prohibit 



eondi 



•nt. entirely, 



-uiO let all the 



disfcri 



setf last win 



e,r prohibiting 



struci 



His Tricoin, 



) and spekled 



Pro 



SIX inches 



n lengthi and 



Franl 



r, is still dfife 



•five. Here at 



ditioll 



i the stream 



ill April, 18*0, 



in the 



and ten inch 



a, ami vet ha-1 



Tiu- 



ist be appa 



■ent from this 



value 



hes in length 



are voiing fish 



prese 



egg. To spear, net, seine or book them at. that, age, is to 

 i be entire work and cost of their planting. 

 The same, iu a measure, is true with the Angerilla. So Ear 

 as can be learned, they do not reproduce until the third year 

 JrOWth, and yet they attain a size which invites their 

 destruction lis- the spearman. I 

 ;.!-i. iv Of the barbarous instrmn 

 y ml The law pa 

 u i i ; i; if grayling {Thym 

 trout (Sabna FontainaMs) undei 



Which eornes in force next spriu 



the hatchery the trout planted i 

 had attained a growth of eight 

 not produced a single egg. It m 



that nearly all the trout 'of six incl 



of one year's growth, and have never spawned. To take them 



from the public waters at that ago and sine is a waste and 



destruction. 



But with the best laws no protection can tie secured from a 

 lawless class, who will kill and destroy game and fish without 

 any motive save that of gratifying a morbid pleasure. 



Now. are not these interests of sufficient magnitude to 

 justify the appointment of proper officers to look to the 

 enforcement of all protective measures? And il such officers 

 cannot be scoured by legislation cannot some method of a.sso- I 

 ciaied action be taken through which the different game and 

 fish associations of the State may jointly sustain a system 

 reaching the same result i 



Upon the question of game protection, let those speak who 

 have time and opportunitv beyond my own to give it. 



Respectfully submitted, ' J as. G. Portman. 



S. E. Rogers submitted a recommendation for the division 

 of the president's address as follows: 



1. That such portion of the address relating to the desired 

 amendments to our game and fish laws be referred to the 

 standing committee on laws for the protection of game ani- 

 mals of fur, fin and feather. 



3. That such portions as refer to the desired uniformity of 

 game laws iu contiguous States and the organization of a 

 national sportsmen's association be rcf erred to a special com- 

 mittee of three. 



S. That the portion relating to the problem ''How may we 

 best secure respect for and obedience to the laws'"' be referred 

 to the standing committee on the enforcement of game, fish 



tailed for the carp, 1,800 were secured, and the greater part 



planted in 



diff 



nail lakes, which were free fror 

 its of the State. Airangemeni 

 L;ton for a further shipr 

 dye*! at Kalamazoo Decern 

 id were placed in the vaen nt poi 

 in the spring, where suitable p. 



ids fr 



y fish, in 



made by 



to/perfect 



kagon for 

 ! from de- 



l charge of 



association for direction or advice, and to make a full report 



of his doings at the next annual meeting. 



We also recommend that a fund be raised to be called the 

 protective, fund, to pay the salary and defray the traveling 



ipenses of the agent and such necessary prosecutions as may 



offender! 



and trespass laws. 



4. That the porta 

 ary to serv< 

 the State for six m 

 secure the appoint] 

 ferredto a jpeaiaJ 

 report a plan fo 

 purpose. 



Adopted, and th< 

 the special committ 



cf erring to the employment of a State 

 e interests of the association throughout 

 le ' a year, until such time as we can 

 r of a game' warden by the State, be re- 

 umittee of three, with instructions to 

 rising the necessary funds for such 



■eral sections referred as rccorani ended, 

 .ppointed on subject No. 3 being Messrs. 

 Richmond, Gould and (fillman, and that on subject No. 4, 

 Messrs. Rogers, Gate and Birney. 



The committee on the enforcement of game laws presented 

 their report, which after being read and discussed, was re- 

 ferred back for further amendment and to be again read at 

 the afternoon session. 



Several standing committees appointed a year ago having 

 no reports to make, the. president at this point, administered a 

 good-natured lecture to the committees for their delinquencies, 

 holding that it -was then - duty to come to the annual meetings 

 fully prepared with a report to make, even if brief, so that 

 business might be. expedited and made still more interesting. 

 The deserved reproof was taken in good part and a vote of 

 thanks returned. 



Mr, Clark thought that everyone should read an article or 

 essay of some kind, as he considered the discussions which fol- 

 lowed them the most profitable feature of the convention. 



The secretary read the following paper by Fish Commis- 

 sioner Miller, of Richland, Mich., on the introduction of 

 European carp into American waters, and especially those of 

 Michigan by the TJ. S. Pish Commission. 



THE CULTIVATION OF CARP. 



In the United States report on fish and fishing for the year 

 1 S3 2-3, Prof. Baird first called the attention of the public to- 

 ward the introduction of the European carp. "In the fact of 

 the great advantage this fish possessed over most of our Ame- 

 rican species, of it-, being a. vegetable feeder, and adapted to 

 shallow waters, where other fish cannot live." 



He also says in regard to the edible qualities of this fish, "It 

 is a great mistake to compare the flesh with our ordinary fish 

 — such as suckers, chub and the like — their flesh being firm, 

 flaky, and in some varieties almost equal to the European 

 trout." His report for 187+-.'. briefly states, "Another fish to 

 which it is proposed to deviate the efforts of the commission is 

 the European carp, a species eminently calculated for the 

 warmer wa1 ers of the country, especially the mill dams and 

 sluggish rivers and ditches of the South. This fish has been 

 domesticated for thousands of years, and it is one of the species 

 which furnishes the principal food of the Chinese, living on 

 vegetable matter, instead of animal, it can be multiplied at 

 very little expense in very limited waters/' 



The professor in his report for 1ST6-T, after speaking of the 

 introduction of this fish as having been a favorite object for 

 years with the commission, announces the gratifying fact of 

 the arrival at New York, May gfith, 1817, of 345 carp of three 

 varieties in charge of JJr. Rudolf Hassel, who was sent by 

 Prof. Baird expressly for them, he having had great experi- 

 ence in carp raising in (Germany, and who reports these to be 

 of the choicest vai icfies known in Europe. As the national 

 carp ponds at Washington are not yet constructed, these fish 

 were temporarily accommodated with a home at Braid Hill, 

 Baltimore, by the fish commissioners of Maryland. In the 

 meantime, upon application of Prof ._ Baird, Congress gave au- 

 thority for the use of the ponds at Washington monument lot, 

 in Washington City, and made an appropriation of 85,000 for 

 the construction of ponds adapted to the purpose of carp cul- 

 ture, by Col Casey, superintendent of the, public grounds, 

 under the direction of Dr. Hassel, whom large experience in 

 the. old country admirably qualified for the work. 



These ponds were completed in the. spring of 1876, and a 

 large portion of the fish were brought on to Washington and 

 placed in their new homes — the several varieties placed in 

 separate ponds — that each might remain true to name. From 



i pi 



the 



ISTlOlicL 

 vember, IS 1 . 

 spring, from 

 in a pond of 

 gon Hatcher 

 Stg8 of thirty 

 length, 13 in 

 im when t 

 months of a rj 

 were anxibui 



WarfSnjjton 

 upon the rec 

 that in 



L'nese were frc 



one to two inehe 

 ess than a quarte 

 \ had no extraor 

 :-n months some 



Wc 



fish a small distribution was made, in 



ig twenty pairs on the 5th day of No- 



the hatch of the preceding 



a length. They were placed 



rary care or feed, feu at the 



■'1 &% pounds, and in the fall of 



1 from Po kagon at less than 30 



mds. Of course our commission 



al supply of a species which 



made early application at 



mi 



sipt of iutclligene 

 rmenee of n, gorg 

 Washington, the entire ponds, 

 were six feet under water. 

 habit of the species cam- to tl 

 ered together in their kittles a 

 ponds, and so were preserved 



;;lyclisr. r romtr:c 

 orn Prof. Baird early in 1881. 

 f ice in the Potomac below 

 bh the surrounding grounds 

 was here that, the peculiar 

 escue. The carp were gatb- 

 :atled) at the bottom of the 

 The hatch of the sprins 



1 Washington was very large, and when the ponds 

 were drawn in the fall we were notified that we could have 

 1,000 if we would come for them. At this time Mr. Portman. 

 our superintendent, and in. fact all of OUT working force, were 

 exceedingly busy in Securing the spawn of the brook trout 

 and whitefish. Accordingly a member of the board was de- 



, Baird has also sent this fall to Michigan 

 N". Clark, Esq., of Korthville, Wayne County, an ad- 



il ;,ouotm distribution, turning 1 total of d.iJO reeriveu 



fall of 1881 for the plant of the State, 



paper elicited an interesting discussion as to the relative 



of fish as food. President Holmes inquired if anyone 



it knew anything about the carp*. 

 Mr. Clark said he did not breed carp but had some in his 

 ponds. He had seen some in Washington weighing as high as 

 sixteen pounds, and Prof. Baird pronounces them a very fine 

 Savored fish. Th'eflBh grew in a sluggish pond formed of 

 water from the Potomac, which was sometimes as warm as 

 00 degress, and they were finer eating than any fish in the 

 Potomac. The carp at North ville weighed % pound when 

 16 months old, which he considered a slow growth, and at- 

 tributed it to the cool water, which was seldom warmer than 

 51 1 degrees, and believed that iu water at SO and 85 degrees 

 tbev would grow rapidly. Mr. Clark's remarks also elicited 

 the facts that there are. now at the United States Fish Hatch- 

 ery at Northville., Mich., fish and eggs as follows: 



Brook trout from one to four vears old i(5.(HW 



California trout two years old'. 3,000 



Brook trout eggs.. ..' 300,000 



WMtefisneggs 22. 500. a* 



California trout eggs, there are expected by May 1 to he .iajivi 



President Holmes said he made the inquiry because consid- 

 erable was being said in favor of the European carp, and we 

 do not want our waters occupied with anything that is not an 

 improvement over what we have that will live in the same 

 waters. 3Ir. Miller's testimony was general. Inasmuch as 

 the. Potomac contained the black bass, he considered Prof. 

 BaircVs praise of the carp very high commendation. 



In answer to a question the treasurer reported eighty-nine 

 individual members and sixteen clubs belonging to the State. 

 Association. 



The formation of a national sportsmen's association was dis- 

 cussed and generally favored. 



Mr. Gillman thought the plan a very desirable one and sug- 

 gested that the secretary correspond with the officers of other 

 State associations with a view of bringing the matter to a 

 focus. 



Secretary Mershon then read his report as follows: 

 Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Michigan Spoi-tsmen's As- 

 sociation: 



I beg leave to make the following brief report of the work 

 of the association during the past year, and also congratulate 

 the. members on the splendid results accruing from our efforts 

 toward game protection. Regarding the publication and dis- 

 tribution of our fourth annual book I will say little, leaving it 

 to friend Roney, chairman of the publishing committee, to 

 say what it cost and where it went. I will say this, however, 

 that the press work and paper is of a poorer grade than we 

 expected to get when we contracted with the printer. Never- 

 theless it has undoubtedly fulfilled its mission of good work 

 fully as well avS though it was printed in gilt letters on the 

 finest of tinted paper. 



Your secretary has received dozens of letters asking ques- 

 tions on as many subjects, all of which have been replied to. 

 He has frequently received letters from individuals or secreta- 

 ries of so-called game protection clubs asking whether he could 

 secure them a supply of live wild pigeons for their trap shoots. 

 We have invariably replied that they were very much mis- 

 taken in the party, and that personally we considered pigeon 

 shooting from traps as unsportsmanlike. 



We have repeatedly received letters containing seemingly 

 positive information regarding illegal killing of deer and other 

 game, but were obliged to do nothing, not so much from lack 

 of ftmds as from lack of tune to attend to the prosecution. 

 You are doubtless all familiar with the fiasco we had in Clare 

 county, where everything was proven to the jury, kill ing, 

 possession and all, except that the deer was wild. " In these 

 localities, where the most flagrant violations occur, the prose- 

 cuting attorneys seem to be very indifferent and take no pains 

 to punish offenders, even after information is lodged against 

 them. So it is necessary, hi order to bring a case to trial (I don't 

 say convictionlf or some one to spend a .great deal of time where 

 the offence has taken place. Now, none of us have that time to 

 spare, and if we had it would be a few doing all the work. The 

 only w^ay out of the dilemma I see is for the appointment of 

 State Game Wardens as recommended at our last meeting. 

 Men that are not tied down to any local basis, but fearless 

 men with positive legal authority to "secure convictions when 

 violations have taken place. At the suggestion of our presi- 

 dent we sent our circulars to the clubs of the State, sohciting 

 contributions toward a prosecution fund. We met a very 

 liberal response. An account was kept of receipts and expen- 

 ditures, and we have a credit balance in the ftmd of §15. 



Early in October we notified the general freight agents of 

 the several railroads and managers of the shore, boats, as well 

 as the State manager of the Amerian Express Company, that 

 the association would take pains to see that the law relative 

 to shipment of game from the State was enforced, and re- 

 ceived replies like the following: 



"While there were no doubt instances of violation of this 

 law, still I am. confident its passage last winter did more toward 

 the protection of game than any one other measure that has 

 ever been taken in that direction." 



In issuing the circulars notifying the clubs throughout the 

 State of our annual meeting and requesting the sending of 

 delegates, we mentioned the fact that Michigan game and 

 fish protection laws -were now grand and good, but means 

 must be devised for their enforcement. We repeat it here, 

 gentlemen and brother sportsmen, it is one great question of 

 this seventh annual session of the Michigan Sportsmen's Asso- 

 ciation, "What shall we do to secure the enforcement of our 

 game laws P W, B. Mershon, Secretary. 



The bills of the president and publishing committee for 

 postage, etc, were allowed and ordered paid, aud the meeting 

 adjourned until 3 p. m. 



WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON SESSION. 



Meeting called to order by the president at 2 p. at. Minutes 

 of the morning session read and approved. 



The committee appointed at the morning session on a State 

 missionary and game warden reported through their chairman 



REPORT ON STATE MISSIONARY AND GAitE WARDEN. 



To the Officers and Members of the. State Sportsmci i's Associa- 

 tion: 

 Your committee, to whom was referred that portion of the 

 president's address relating to the employment of a missionary 

 or protective agent of the .association, and to devise a plan for 

 the remuneration of his services, would respectfully report 



appoi 



actions, of 

 secretary by a mem- 

 cxecutivc coDamit- 

 direot assessments 

 idttal members, aud 

 sinking fund for the 

 protection of game 



lend that standing committee No. 1, on laws 

 iCt'ion of game animals of fur, fin and feather, be 

 1 prepare a memorial and petition to the State 

 ~tate game 

 lenses and 



by : 



tied to the 

 fed by tin 

 ide up b] 



JS and indi\ 

 i laws aud 



the 





be instituted 1 

 voluntary eonl 

 ber from'eaeh club to 

 tee: any deficiencies 

 levied upon the auxilli 

 any surplus 1v: 1 email: 

 expense of enforccmei 

 and fish. 

 [Ye il,i 

 for the |ii 

 instructed to . 

 Legislature of is 

 warden, and an appi 

 asking that power 0e Confer 

 member of the constabulary ii 

 constable, who shall attend 

 violations of the game laws, 1 

 the statute for suchsei 



By kindly and judicious, but vigorous 

 these, your committee firmly believe can only 

 effective by the good work which this association has labored 

 seven long years to perfect. 

 All of which is respectfully submitted, S. E. Rogers, 



C. W. Cate. 

 R. J. Birney. 

 Rogers, in presenting the report, said the committee 

 ered that the measure recommended one of the most 

 lered bv the association, and asked for a 

 The committee con- 

 ud regarded this the 



especially 



and 1 



i the 



meastu 



ate some 

 ial game 

 tions for 



vided by 



such as 

 made 



Mr, 



subject. 



the 



repo 



rtarv Mershon called attention !o the fact that by the 

 only a member of the State association could fill the 

 f State game warden, and they might not be fortunate 

 enough to find a man in the association who could devote his 

 time to that object. 



Prof. Rouey remarked that when the proper person for that 

 office was found, it wotdd cost him only $100 to join the asso- 

 ciation. 



The president suggested that the length of time for whieh a 

 State warden should be employed should be left discretionery 

 with the committe, to be governed by the amount of funds 

 raised. 



Mr. Rogers thought a game warden was needed every 

 month in the year; that violations were doubtless now taking 

 place daily, and he believed the fraternity throughout the 

 State would raise the necessery funds, and if that was not suf- 

 ficeDt, the auxiliary clubs aud" individual members should be 

 assessed What was open season for fish was close season for 

 game, viae versa, and the game and fish interests would 

 demand the entire time of the game warden. He thought the 

 amount of compensation should be left with the executive 

 committee, but believed a competent man could not be 

 obtained for a year for less than 81,000. 



Mr. Greenwood suggested that this would be less than $100 

 for each club, and thought it would be better to hire a man 

 for six months, or even three months, than not at all. 



Mr. Gilhuan thought that if such an agent was employed, 

 he should be a thoroughly efficient man. one with the inter- 

 ests of the association and its proteges, the game birds, 

 animals and fish, foremost in his mind, and one capable of 

 working upon interest in the association's work, of organizing 

 clubs, etc. He thought a man with all the necessary qualifi- 

 cations could not be secured for less than 81,800 or 82,000 a 

 year, including traveling expenses 



A NATIONAL SPORTSMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



The committee on the project of forming a national associ- 

 ation of sportsmen, reported as follows: 



Your committee appointed to consider the project of form- 

 ing a national association agreed to secure uniformity in the 

 same laws of adjacent States, would respectfully report as 

 follows: 



We would recommend that a committee of one (the secre- 

 tary of this association) be appointed to confer with the 

 secretary of the State associations of our sister States in 

 regard to holding a national convention to form a national 

 association to secure such uniformity in game laws and report 

 to the president of this association ; and in case such national 

 convention shall be held before another annual meeting of 

 this association, that the president be authorized and em- 

 powered to appoint three delegates to such convention. 



All of which is respectfully submitted. 



E. D. Richmond, 

 Geo. A. Gould, 



E. H. GlLLMAN. 



The report was received and adopted. 



Moved by Mr. Cate that W. B. Mershon, Secretary, and 

 H. B. Roney, Chairman, of the publishing committee, be 

 tendered 8-5 each, in slight recognition of services rendered 

 the association during the past "year. Carried, and orders 

 directed to be drawn as stated. 



Prof. Roney read the following paper on miscellaneous 

 topics: 



THE WORKINGS OF THE NEW GAME LAW, AND OTHER TOPICS. 



Gentlemen of the Michigan Sportsmen's Association,: 



It was my intention to again present for your consideration 

 my annual installment of statistics concerning the destruction 

 of" deer in this State the past season, but my absence in foreign 

 lands riming the entire summer, and an extraorclinaiw pres- 

 sure Of business since my return, has made the. compilation of a 

 statistical report an impossibility. I desired to do this to show 

 the workings of the new game and non-export law, which I 

 believe, in the main has been satisfactory, and has proved of 

 practical value beyond the expectations of the most sanguine 

 Originators. Prom my own observations, combined with 

 the opinions I have obtained of many gentlemen well qualified 

 slieve that the shortening of the season, the 



X the killing in water, and "ha 



'"de 



: [cm 



tributed 



1 due toil 



1 law that wotdd perr 

 ■ been at last crowned 



g in posses- 

 -export law, 

 0,000 in ISM), 

 t to exceed 

 all purposes 

 the warm 

 i certain 

 :■ changes 

 tnal con- 

 and dis- 

 uate our 

 ith such 



that thev ha 

 cide in the s 

 the 1 



ciati 



1 bl 



B fnUy c 



limnend 

 utho 



iside 



the subject and heartily coiu- 

 ide by the. president. They'would 

 the executive committee of this 

 employ as may be, immediately, 

 1, who shall be a member of this 

 ociation protective agent, whose 

 ■ . in the State, organize 

 1 and objects of the asaociai ion, as 

 3, ''Give tight to the Gentftes," and 

 rs are enforced, by moral suasion 



if possible, a suitable p j -■ 



association, as a State as 



duty it shall be to visit ' 



clubs, set forth the true am 



the president very aptly s:c 



especially to see that tlie la 



when possible, by vigorous prosecution when necessary. This 



missionary or agent to be engaged for one year, to be required 



to communicate from time to time with the officers of the 



during the year— a grand showing 

 weather and open, rainy season may b( 

 portion of the reduction, but it is in the 1 

 in the law above mentioned. This give 

 gratulation that QUI years of effort aga 

 cotiragements to provide 

 game and fish supply hav 



One object of this meeting should be to take measures look- 

 ing to the better enforcement of the present law, particularly 

 the clause prohibiting the shipment of game from the State. 

 Many reports have reached me complaining of the violation of 

 the non-export law at Ludiugton, Port Duron and Detroit, 

 and, as a rule, they appear to be. well grounded. The ship- 

 ment of boxed venion hilled as "'merchandise," ''pork," etc., 

 to towns in other States from inland railroad stations, are also 

 authoritively reported. 



I would also call the attention of the association to the 

 necessity of immediate action to rid our cit ics and villa »es hi 

 that imported pest, the English sparrow. Once believed to be 

 a valuable insectiverotis bird, it has been prov -' .... 

 tion by the published reports of park keepers and public 

 gardeners of Boston, New York, Baltimore, Louisville and 

 Other cities, and Well-known scientists, that they are utterly 

 valueless as insectiverous birds, and antagonistic to our recog- 

 nized song buds, My own observations for the past ten years 



