JtJKB 1, 188*.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



351 



pition of oyBtera, let me observe here that those who hold to 

 that opinion appear to forget to bear in mind that brackish 

 -water beds a'e often in the case just described; that being in 

 Bhallow, relatively quiet water, an abundanco of food is gen- 

 erated which is 'rapidly consumer! by the animals, which 

 quickly brin"-« the latter into condition, the brackish state of 

 the water getting the credit of the result. 



In rov report to Major Ferguson, I stated rav belief in the 

 practicabihtv of establishing permanent oyster banks or 

 ridges. Burin/: the last summer in the Cherrystone River, 

 Virginia, I saw mv idea practically realized*. A heap Of 

 shells had been scattered so as to form a low solid elevation, 

 which was submerged twice a day by the tide ; upon this 

 spat had caught and crown until the whole in two years was 

 as completely and solidly covered by living natural-growth 

 ovsters as any good natural bank. The. desirability of using 

 the poorly grown stock from natural and artificial banks as 

 "seed" for planting appears reasonable, and could no doubt, 

 be made pro "table where banks of a sufficient extent could 

 be established, from which a supply of seed could be 

 obtained. 



REPORT OF THE MAINE COMMISSION. 



THE report of the Commission of Fisheries and Game of the 

 State of Maine, for the year 1881 , is at hand. The strin- 

 gent fishery and game laws enacted in the Dominion of Can- 

 ada, rermirins: permits for angling in most sections, while li- 

 censes for hunting trapping and shooting in several ef the 

 provinces arc required to bo purchased at prices varyinpr from 

 thirty to twentv-five dollars, has precipitated upon the forests 

 and streams of Maine an ai-mv of visitors. The protection of 

 game has been added to the duties of the commission without 

 adequate means to accomplish much in this direction, and new 

 legislation is needed to enable, them to properly f ulfill the re- 

 quirements of their onerous duties. 



The run of salmon began unusually early the past year, and 

 was remarkable for the size of the fish, although it was the 

 smallest in numbers for the past three years, at the same time 

 exceeding the catch for the previous ten or twelve years. Their 

 spawning having been undisturbed a large run of "smeltsis ex- 

 pected this year. The State's share of salmon ova, added 

 to contributions from Prof. Baird, enabled the commission to 

 distribute over half a million of fry within the State in the 

 waters of Penobscot, Kennebec, Androscoggin, Presumpscot, 

 Saco and the Machias rivers. In the fall of 18S1 their divi- 

 dend of salmon eggs from the joint establishment was 1,080,- 

 000, and these were to be hatched and distributed to the rivers 

 named". These salmon works are owned by the United States 

 ani such individual States as contributed to their construc- 

 tion and arrangement, The whole is under the control of Mr. 

 Charles G-. Atkins, assistant to the TJ. S. Fish Commission. 



Each subscriber receives a dividend of eggs according to 

 the amount of his subscription. The fish are purchased alive 

 of the river fishermen at the market rate per pound, at the 

 time when it is lawful to take salmon, and all that Mr. At- 

 kins pu' chases are just so many fish saved to the State, less 

 the number which may die. from bruises received in handling. 

 A description of the works has already appeared in our col- 

 umns. The number of salmon bought this year was 513, of 

 which 146 died from injuries caused by the rude dip net used 

 by the fishennen in transferring thorn. In the fall 131 males 

 and 232 females were captured and placed in the tanks. For 

 the year ISSt the following is the list of contributions and 

 shares of the. different parties interested in the Penobscot 

 salmon breeding establishment at Bucksport and Orland: 

 Maine, . C: .2,0(J0, l.O.s.0,000 ergs; Massachusetts, $,.j00, 270 000 eegs; 

 Connecticut, $300, 162,000 eggs; United States, $1,75?, 950,000 



lrom the works on Grand Lake Stream 158,000 eggs of land- 

 locked salmon were received. These were hatched and dis- 

 tributed in Cold Stream pond at Enfield, Maranocook at Read- 

 field, Wilson's pond in Auburn, and Rangeloy lakes. The 

 plantings of former years have been a success. Prof. Baird 

 sent from Havre de Grace 2,000,000 shad fry, which were de- 

 posited in the tributaries of the Penobscot and Kennebec rivers. 

 He also presented the State with 1,000.0000 whiteflsh eggs 

 from the establishment of F. N. Clark, Northville, Mich., of 

 which 15,000 were put in Rangeley and the remainder in 

 Mooselucmeg-untie Lake. 



FISHCULTURE IN OHIO. 



I HEREWITH send you a brief summary of the work of 

 the Ohio Fish Commission for the year just ended. We have 

 two hatcheries, one located at Toledo and the other at San- 

 dusky. They are both supplied with all the latest improve- 

 ments and devices for the successful working of spawn and 

 the hatching and handling of the young fry. We have in use 

 over four hundred of the Chase automatic jars, which are cer- 

 tainly a great success, being very economical, simple, and con- 

 venient, and are doing away entirely with the old process of 

 trays. 



Although last fall was the most unfavorable season since 

 the organization of the commission for seeming eggs, we suc- 

 ceeded in taking about sixty millions or over of the whiteflsh 

 spawn, and at least fifty millions were hatched and success- 

 fully planted in the head waters of Lake Erie, beginning at 

 Stony Point, near the mouth of the Detroit River, and follow- 

 ing the north shore around to the south shore as far as Niagara 

 Reef, below West Sister Island. There was also planted 

 around the islands and island fisheries and at Huron about 

 thirty million young whiteflsh. They were deposited very 

 carefully, from'three to six miles frorn the shore, in front of 

 the fisheries from which the spawn was taken. We have 

 also deposited through the interior of the State, in various 

 public streams and private ponds and lakes, several hundred 

 German carp, about 7,000 young black bass, and 20000, brook 

 trout. 



It was the desire of the Board of Commissioners that I 

 should do all that was possible for the interior of the State, so 

 I conceived the idea of hatching our Lake Erie salmon, or, as 

 some call them, pickerel, or wall-eyed-pike, although it was 

 considered by some nsheultu'ists as an impossibility. I am 

 happy to state, however, that I have successfully hatched this 

 spring, at our Toledo hatchery, several millions of this species 

 which we are now planting through the interior waters of our 

 State, and have also ^veral millions more of eggs nowin process 

 of hatching at our Sandusky hatchery. The fry are very 

 small when first hatched, and carry a large food sac, but are 

 quite strong and healthy, losing the sac in about ten days. 

 They then commence taking on the. color of a fish up to that 

 time they are colorless and as transparent as water itself. We 

 find them a hardy fish to transport. They will live five days 

 without change of water, we cannot at this date say how 

 much longer, as that is the longest time we have tried the ex- 

 periment/ We will have them on hand for at least two or 

 three weeks yet, as our eggs are not all hatched. Should they 

 thrive, the time is not far distant when all the streams of 

 Ohio will teem with the most delicious of food fish. While 

 rate hard to take, and difficult to fertilize and separate, 

 still it can be successfully manipulated and hatched. 



One thing more I would like to call the attention of yourself 

 and readers to, if it will not occupy too much of your space. 

 It is with regard to the passage of a law to increase the size of 

 meshes in fishing nets for the protection of young fish. Is 

 there not a better way to accomplish the same end? It is a 

 fact well understood by all fishermen, that there are no small 

 or young fish caught except in mid-su m mer, or what we might 

 call the heated term, At that time the adult fish retire from 

 the margins of our lakes to the deeper and cooler waters for 

 rest. The young and old fish are seldom found together, as 

 the large fish feed upon the small ones, consequently, when 

 the large fish are in mid-lake, the young are ashore and vice 



versa. Now a law that would prevent all fishing from the 

 first of June to the first of October, with all devices except 

 the hook and fine, would accomplish the desired end without 

 working an injury to the present owners of small meshed 

 twine. 



Then again, it is not claimed that there will be any less of 

 the parent fish causht, but only the voung will be saved. 

 Now twine that will let young whiteflsh escape will also let 

 herring, perch, saugors, or sand pike, sunfish, etc., escape, thus 

 takingtrom the market an immense amount of cheap food, 

 which is chiefly used by the laboring classes. This would 

 render the article of fish a luxury upon the market, and, to a 

 great extent, would place it beyond the reach of the poorer 

 class; and again, by allowing the perch, sunfish, saugers, etc., 

 and in fact all the above-named fish to escape, we are turning 

 loose millions upon millions of "pirates" to prey upon the 

 young whiteflsh that we are hatching and planting yearly in 

 the Great Lakes. Now, what I would recommend would be 

 a convention called by the commissioners of the various 

 States, and together recommend the passage of a law 

 applicable to each State. A law that would work well on out- 

 most northern lakes would not apply to lakes Erie and 

 Ontario. Now, if a convention could be called and the com- 

 missioners of the Province of Ontario invited to unite with us 

 and agree upon a uniform law. that would be a benefit to all 

 and an injury to none, it would be a grand good thing and 

 put to rest forever this vexed question. 



In conclusion permit me to say that, after a careful study 

 of ten years and an experience of twenty in catching, buying 

 and selling fish, and that too in no small quantities, I have 

 eome to the conclusion that there should be some guard 

 thrown around the enterprise or in time the lakes will be 

 stripped of whiteflsh and trout, and, after giving the subject 

 my best thoughts, do say that a joint law prohibiting the 

 catching of whitefish and trout three or four months each 

 summer, for a term of from five to ten years, would have the 

 desired effect; it would at least make these two species of 

 fish as plentiful as herring now are. We are all doing our 

 utmost in the direction of artificial propagation, and if 

 throush the means of a joint convention a protective law 

 could be recommended and passed that would be applicable 

 to each State, and one that would do justice to all and at the 

 same tune be protection, there is not the least doubt but that 

 in a very few years our lakes would be again thoroughly 

 populated with whitefish and trout as in years gone by. If 

 we cannot have a convention let us have an interchange of 

 thought upon this subject through the columns of Forest and 

 Stream. D. Y. Howell. 



Supt. Ohio State Fish Hatcheries. 



Toledo, May 15, 1882. 



FISHCULTURE IN MICHIGAN. 



Detroit, May 23. 



I HEREWITH send you a list of the plants of whitefish and 

 land-locked salmon made by our State Fish Commissioners 

 for the year 1S82. Please notice the date of the first plant of 

 whitefish. You will see the great advantage we have over 

 most of the other States by using the waters of the great 

 lakes, which are of course the natural water to hatch them 

 in. 1 defy any one to show as large and strong fish as we. 

 have planted this spring. We made the. plants as follows: 



WHITEFISH. 



March 16. .Detroit River 600,000 



" 20.. " " 500,000 



" 20.. Grand Haven 1,500,000 



" 22.. Detroit River 500,000 



" 23.. St. Joseph 750,000 



" 23.. South Haven 750,000 



" 25.. Detroit River 600,000 



" 28. .Lake St. Clair 2,800,000 



" 29. . Huxley's dock, Detroit River 800,000 



" 30.. Bell Isle 600,000 



" 31 . . Grasse Isle ., 600,000 



April 1.. Detroit 500,000 



" 1.. Alpena, per Tug Gray ling 400^000 



" 1.. Bell Isle 500,000 



" 3.. Bell Isle 500,000 



" 4. .Cheboygan.......... 1,600,000 



5.. Detroit River 400,000 



" 7. .Petoskey 1,500,000 



" 11. .Alpena 1,600,000 



" 18.. Grasse Isle.. 870^000 



" 18.. Whitefish Lake. 300,060 



LAND-LOCKED SALMON. 



Torch Lake 10,000 



Pentwater 3,000 



Bear Lake 5,000 



In stream above, our hatchery 500 



Retained at the hatchery 2,000 



Kee-Tash. 



A BOOK ON THE CARP. 



MR. FINLEY has given the public a little book* to assist 

 it in successfully breeding the carp. In the preface the 

 author claims long experience in pond-making for other than 

 fisheultural purposes, and that his only object is to instruct, 

 without pretence of literary excellence] and that he has had 

 twenty-eight years' experience in goldfish culture, a fish whose 

 habits are similar to those &f the carp, and three years with 

 the carp itself. 



In the chapter on varieties of carp, we do not agree with 

 the author in thinking that the scale, carp is best, either in 

 appearance or anything else, and that the mirror and leather 

 carps "appear to he a kind of admixtures of some other fish, 

 and are not the true carp." The fact is that the scale, variety 

 ore the original, and the others the improved, the scales hav- 

 ing having been bred off them by careful selection and culti- 

 vation. The book contains some information to the beginner, 

 but he will look in vain for instructions as to size and shape of 

 ponds, depth, slope of bottom, preparation of spawning beds, 

 etc., although a chapter on ponds is given. Nor will he find any 

 mention of the proper water plants to be grown as food for 

 the fish, the author merely contenting himself ■with a state- 

 ment that carp should be fed, and that he has used "stale 

 bread, broken crackers and kitchen offal of all kinds." 



*Tbe | German or European | carp, I Its wonderful growth and 

 fecundity, with instructions for its propagation and culture as an | 

 article of food, for profit ami as a | farm product. | Also | twenty- 

 eight years' experience as a maker | and mamteiner of artificial lakes 

 I and ponds, with full insiruo- | iions in all that pertains | thereto. | — 

 | The Gold Fish, and its care in the aquarium. I — | Extent of carp 

 culture in Europe, etc. | — | By George Finley, Pittsburgh, (East End), 

 Pa. | — | Printed hy Stevenson & Foster, No. 151 Wood street. | 1882. 

 [8vo. pp. 140, price not given]. 



THE HUDSON SHAD.— In commenting upon the recent 

 deposit of shad fry in the Hudson River, noticed by us else- 

 where, the New York Times of May 26 says: "As no ar- 

 rangements had been made so far by the New York Fish Com- 

 missioners to stock the Hudson with shad. the. California trout 

 having apparently occupied their attention, this shipment of 

 young shad may be considered as most opportune. In fact, 

 save for special purposes, it seems as if a portion, at least, of 

 the labors of the New York Fish Commission could be dis- 

 pensed with in the future, since the United States Fish Com- 

 mission can, with its extensive organization, do the work 

 cheaper, and has all necessary experience in the transporta- 

 tion of the young fish. This method is something like the 

 repetition of the plan devised by Mr. Blackford for the hatch- 

 ing out of sea fish, which depends on procuring the eggs 

 wherever the fish are the most plentiful. It becomes, then, 

 practically easier to obtain the eggs of the cod in New York 



than elsewhere. Once that the eggs are' taken from' the fish 

 and fertilized, they can be hatched either at the po'nt where 

 they are derived or elsewhere, and can then be shipped to 

 almost any place for distribution. The shad in the Potomac 

 are very abundant, and, having been made so by the labors 

 of the United States Commission, the advantages derived 

 from fishculture are made quite manifest in the present case. 

 One million of young shad are perhaps barely sufficient for 

 stocking the Hudson; therefore it is to be hoped that more 

 may be sent. The work of the New York Fish Commission- 

 ers need not, however, cease. If they wish to keep abreast of 

 the wants of the day, they must endeavor to carry out the 

 newer plans of stocking the seas and sounds in the neighbor- 

 hood of the city with salt-water fisn. The brook trout or the 

 California trout may serve the. purposes of the sportsman, but 

 they never will furnish food for the. million, and it is to feed 

 the people generally that the money appropriated by the State 

 for fishculture should be used. What is wanted is shad, striped 

 bass., cod, even Spanish mackerel, not the luxuries of the rich, 

 but the food of the p eople." 



FISHCULTURE IN CANADA.— Magog, Quebec— The fish 

 hatchery here at Magog is working successfully. They have 

 already this season put out 50,000 -whitefish and 50,000 lake 

 trout into Lake Metrantic, and the same number in Black 

 Lake. Also 100,000 whitefish and 150,000 lake trout in Lake 

 Massiwippe, 100.000 whitefish and 75,000 lake trout in the lake 

 here at the hatchery, and 30,000 whitefish and 25,000 lake 

 trout in Brompton Lake, and 25,000 whitefish and 15,000 lake 

 trout in Kev Pond. There are in the troughs now at least 

 125,000 whitefish and 850,000 lake, trout to distribute.— Stax- 

 stead. ' 



FISHCULTURE IN OHIO.— Batavia, 0.— A week or two ago 

 I helped Mr. Douglass, of the Ohio State. Fish Commission, to 

 plant 000,00(1 pike-perch or "Ohio River salmon," Stizostclhiv.m 

 sahnoneitm, in our little stream here, the east fork of the 

 Miami, and am expecting every day 800,000 black bass, M. 

 dolomiev, to add to them.— H. P. U. 



Ihe Mmnch 



FIXTURES. 



BENCH SHOWS. 

 June 6, 7, 8 and 9.— Cleveland, O., First Annual Bench Show of the 

 and Bench Show Association. Charles Liucoln, Superintendent; 

 0. M. Munhall, Secretary. 



FIELD TRIALS. 

 September 4.— National American Kennel Club Field Trials on Prairie 

 Chickens, Fairmont, Minn. Entries for the Derby close July 1, for the 

 AIUl2<" ( [, Sept. 4. Jos. H. Dew, Columbia, Tenii., Secretary. 



November 17--Eastern Fieid Trials Club Field Trials on Quail, near 

 High Point, N. C. Entries for the Derby close July 1. For the All- 

 Aged and Members' Stake, November 1. F. N. Hall, P. O. Box 884, 

 New York, Secretary. 



December 4— National American Kennel Club Field Trials on Quail, 

 Grand Junction, Tenn. D. Bryson, Memphis, Tenn., Secretary. 



THE DOG. 

 His History and Qualities.-II. 



BY SENEX. 



IT is said of a dog belonging to Petrarch that he snatched a. 

 naked sword from the hand of a villain who attacked him, 

 and thus saved the life of his master. Plutarch relates an in- 

 teresting incident, attesting the remarkable memory of the 

 dog wherein King Pyrrhus commanded his whole army to 

 march in single file before a dog, who for three days guarded 

 a mm dered corpse without eating or drinking, and who 

 sprang upon the culprit and seized him by the throat as he 

 filed by him. It is related that a dog of Henry III. of France 

 became perfectly furious toward the regicide monk Clement 

 as he. advanced to theaudience in which he slew his sovereign, 

 and could with difficulty be retained in an adjoining room. 

 The sagacity and intelligence displayed by the dogs of the 

 monks who inhabit the passes of the Alps in rescuing travel- 

 ers from almost certain death is known and appreciated by 

 all who visit these snow-clad mountains. In our large cities 

 it is a frequent circumstance to see the terrier standing guard 

 over his master's wagon with all the faithfulness of a human 

 employe. In la belle France the chimney-sweep bids his dog 

 to "down" on his soot bag, and he will " rather suffer death 

 than leave his post for an instant; and the merry wagoner 

 trusts the reins to his faithful dog, while he loiters behind in 

 the cabaret, while horses and goods are never more secure 

 than under his sagacious superintendence. 



There is no telling to what a degree of perfection the attri- 

 butes of the dog may be brought by careful education and 

 attentive training; and when we consider how remarkable 

 his exploits become, even Under mediocre instruction, we are 

 forced to the conclusion that if he was educated with all the 

 assiduity and care that is bestowed upon the sons and daugh- 

 ters of our own race, he might prove an apter scholar in cer- 

 tain qualities than some who scarcely rise higher in the plane 

 of intelligence than his canine companion. 



The various feats performed and the wonderful sagacity 

 displayed by the "learned" dogs that are exhibited through- 

 out the country by show men and women, show to what a 

 state of perfection they may be raised by a little thoughtful 

 attention and culture: and it is only the teacher who pos- 

 sesses patience, perseverance and an intimate knowledge of 

 canine education, who can elevate them to the higher plane 

 of intelligence to which nearly all can be brought. This is 

 the reason why dogs under certain masters are more obedient, 

 more affectionate and more leai ned than those who have not 

 the good fortune to be placed under the same intelh'gent in- 

 struction of friend and teacher. You cannot expect that the 

 human being, suddenly freed from the galling chains of 

 slavery and ignorance, will show the same advancement in 

 learning that attaches to his more favored bi other who has 

 lived in the atmosphei e of refinement and culture. Can the 

 dog be expected to bo more teachable than he who is born in 

 the likeness of God ? Instruct men as some do their dogs, 

 and will the f ormei' advance higher in the plane of knowledce, 

 comparatively, than do the canines? I trow not. In almost 

 every case, dogs contract the strongest attachment for their 

 masters when he is the most kind and companionable, and 

 whenever his pupil understands an order, acquires a new duty 

 or performs an additional service, you can see the proud satis- 

 faction he feels by the satisfied wag of his tail, the look of 

 pleased content and his fawning behavior. 



The affection displayed by the female towards the young is 

 one of the strongest tests of canine love, and stands out in 

 sharp contrast with some of the human family, who display a 

 keener desire to get rid of their offspring than to preserve it. 

 A woman will resort to all kinds of devilish intrigue and in- 

 humanity, not only to destroy the tender representative of 

 her own creation, but will forever cast off the guileless found- 

 ling to the charity of an offended world, whose humanity 

 transcends by a thousand degrees the natural love of the hu- 

 man mother. Who that has read the touching and affecting 

 instance of canine affection so beautifully portrayed by Addi- 

 son that will not more and more appreciate and admire the 

 noble attributes of his dog. Ho thus writes: "A person who 

 was skilled in dissections opened a b.tch. and as she lay in the 

 most exquisite tortures offered her one of her young puppies, 

 wliich she immediately fell a-licking, and for "a time seemed 

 insensible of her own pain; on the removal of the puppy she 

 kept her eye fixed on it, and began a wailing sort of cry, 

 which seemed rather to proceed from the loss of her young 

 one than the sense of her own torment.'' The hellish cruelty 



