170 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Makch 27, 1884. 



THE BISBY CLUB. 



AVEEY interesting report of the Bisby Cluli for the 

 years 1888-84, gives an idea of the work and pleasures 

 of this association, -which has its grounds on the Adirondack 

 lake which gives the club its name. In speaking of the 

 accommodations of the club being taxed to their utmost dur- 

 ing certain months, and the lack of visitors at other times, 

 the report says: "There is every year a period when our 

 accommodations go, as it were, 'a begging.' This is in the 

 delightful month of July when the sun shines brightest, and 

 the cooling shades of the woods would seem most welcome, 

 and when the fish in the lakes are active in search of food in 

 the deep water, and are consequently readily taken at the 

 buoys. But this is the time our guests are fewest in num- 

 bers". Probably the bugbear of flies is what keeps people 

 away. The flies in July are but little more than a bugbear. 

 The winged fiend of the woods is the black fly, but his season 

 rarely lasts through the month of June. When he leaves, 

 the mosquitoes have the field to themselves, but the mosquito 

 of our northern wilderness is not. the venomous monster that 

 haunts the seaside watering places, and the lagoons of the 

 open country. His song is more nervously exciting than 

 his bite, though the latter is to be avoided rather than per- 

 mitted; but after all, the pleasures of life in the woods in the 

 dog days far outweigh the discomforts of the insects. We 

 recommend the month of July to all who would see the 

 woods at their best, and receive the benefit of the purest and 

 most exhilarating air." 



The fishing last year was the best within the experience 

 of the club. In Woodbull Lake many fine land-locked 

 salmon were taken, and the run continued till late in June. 

 The stock of fish in the Bisbys was replenished from the 

 State hatchery at Caledonia by 18,000 brook trout, 6,000 

 lake trout, while in Woodhull 5,000 rainbow trout were 

 planted, and 15,000 more were placed in Moose River. A 

 hatchery has since been built, and there are now in the 

 troughs 50,000 lake trout eggs, 40,000 hybrids, and 10,000 

 brook trout. 



The better observance of the game laws for the last four 

 yeafs has resulted in the increase of deer, and the shooting 

 "was better last year than ever before in the history of the 

 club. A larger per centage of the deer were young than 

 formerly, of the deer killed, there being more bucks than of 

 any other kind. During the visit of the Governor of the 

 State, Hon. Grover Cleveland, the report says: "A fine buck 

 passed within a few feet of the Governor's stand, but a ledge 

 of rocks intervened, which prevented a shot. The same deer 

 passed within club shot of the guide, Frank Hall, but as he 

 had neither gun nor club, the deer escaped." This, we take 

 it,, is not seriously meant, yet it is so written that persons not 

 familiar with the"personnel of the party might construe it into 

 a regret that the deer was not killed, even with a club. The 

 Bisby Club is doing good work in enforcing the laws in its 

 own grounds and contiguous territory and in stocking the 

 waters, as well as in preserving the timber. It has twenty- 

 five members. Gen. R, TJ. Sherman is the President, and 

 Mr. Henry H. Thompson the Secretary. If all the clubs in 

 the Adirondacks were as vigorous as the Bisby, there, would 

 be a better enforcement of the laws and consequently more 

 fish and game in that region, which is only fitted to produce 

 these forms of life together with a limited amount of timber 

 and a great deal of water. The greed of the lumberman and 

 the bark stripper, however, are to be combatted, or the whole 

 region will soon be a barren waste, from which the rapidly 

 melting snows will produce such freshets as the cities of 

 Pittsburgh and Cincinnati have lately seen, while in mid- 

 summer our canals and rivers will be dry. 



IT IS PROBABLY TRUE. 



A CORRESPONDENT clips from the Boston Transcript, 

 of March 18, the item telling that the Hon. Hannibal 

 Hamlin has just returned from Moosehead Lake, Maine, with 

 a fine catch of trout. Then the correspondent heaves a groan 

 and utters that, if a poor devil were camping out in Maine 

 and tried to vary his bill of fare, by shooting a deer or cari- 

 bou before Oct. 1, the game warden is pretty sure to find it 

 out and ' 'sock it to him" accordingly. But the honorable 

 gentleman makes his annual trip and comes home "with a 

 fine catch of trout," caught through the ice, against the law 

 of the State. 



Now, Mr. "C. G. G.'s" mind will be entirely set at rest by 

 reading carefully a proviso to Section 48 of the fish laws of 

 that State: "Provided, however, that during February, 

 March and April citizens of the State may fish for and take 

 land-locked salmon, trout and togue, and convey the same to 

 their own homes, and not otherwise." But "C. G. Gr."must 

 read this proviso and then turn to Section 1 of Special 

 Laws of 1881: "No person shall take, catch, fish for or de- 

 stroy any trout or land-locked salmon in the Kennebago, 

 Rangeley, Cupsuptic, Mooselucmaguntic, Mollychunkamunk 

 and Welokennebacook lakes, or in the streams flowing into 

 or connecting said lakes, during the months of February, 

 March and April of each year." 



Now, the Hon. Hannibal Hamlin did not fish in either of 

 the above lakes, but in Moosehead, where he had a legal 

 right to, in February, March or April, being a citizen of the 

 State, and doubtless taking the fish to his own home. It is 

 weil known of the Maine Fish and Game Commissioners in 

 their work that they have been unrelenting to honorable as 

 well as dishonorable — breakers of the game law are gener- 

 ally dishonorable. Even ex-Governor Connor could not 

 transport a deer, killed honorably in open season, from 

 Bangor to Augusta last fall. Commissioner Stillwell, when 

 applied to, said: "Governor, I can do nothing for you under 

 the law." Governor Connor yielded willingly, like the true 

 gentleman he is, and took his deer to Augusta by private 

 conveyance. This was under the first enforcement of the 

 Dew transportation law in that State, which few at that time 

 understood. Even Senator George F. Hoar came near hav- 

 ing to pay the fine for killing a moose in that State a year or 

 more ago. since he happened to be in the party which did 

 kill one, but he was able to show that he was not present at 

 the time. One of the Maine Commissioners remarked last 

 summer that even President Arthur would be punished 

 were such a thing possible that he be caught poaching in 

 Maine. It is a mistake. Favor has not been shown to 

 either honorable or dishonorable in the enforcement of the 

 game laws in Maine. Special. 



Boston, Mass., Marc h 24, . 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The complaint of "C. G. G.," in your last issue, deserves a 

 word. " We like our laws, and the respect being shown for 

 them by our own citizens is evidenced every day during 'close 

 time, and our game— ruffed grouse in particular— have not 

 been so plenty for years. Not only this, but if "C. G. G." 



comes into Maine for recreation, he must respect and obey 

 them just the same. 



There is one point, however, in which our own citizens 

 have precedence, and if your correspondent had taken pains 

 to inform himself he would not accuse Hon. H. Hamlin with 

 breaking our laws. As he says, "It speaks for itself." I 

 have such confidence in the gentleman he contemptuously 

 names the "Great American Game Warden," that if "C. G. 

 G." will apply for a copy of our game laws, I am sure that it 

 will be forwarded to him. At the end of Section 48, it reads : 

 "Provided, however, that during February, March and 

 April, citizens of the State may fish for and take land-locked 

 salmon, trout and togue, and convey the same to their own 

 homes, but not otherwise." 



Once in a while we meet just such croakers as "C. G. G." 

 One in particular I have now in mind. He lives in one of 

 the best localities for small game, and he and his boys have 

 until within a few years had free scope to kill water fowl 

 at any and all seasons. Finding game was diminishing in 

 the beautiful bay in front of the homestead, he began to be 

 very ardent in advocating law. Well, the laws have been 

 made, and still he croaks. The Protective Association in 

 his vicinity wished to make him warden. .True, he would 

 do great things if he was warden ; but he could not be pre- 

 vailed upon to accept the position. The truth to-day is just 

 this: Make a law that shall forbid everybody else but him- 

 self and bis boys firing a gun within a dozen miles of his 

 favorite bay, and he'll go for it every time. 



Give these gentlemen the unlimited run of our State, let 

 them murder our moose, deer and caribou, trout and salmon, 

 in season and out of season; send cheap guns into the State 

 to give to the boys who will shoot ruffed grouse for Boston 

 market, while budding In winter, and while the game lasts 

 they will be suited, and not till then. N. 



Bath, Me., March 24. 



A PECULIAR FISH. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I see in your issue of March 13 a piece headed "A Peculiar 

 Fish," and, as there has been much discussion as regards it, 

 I want to add my mite. I have for years lived near and 

 fished these waters, and think the description of the fish far 

 from right. Last fall I obtained permission from the State 

 Commissioners to take fifty of these fish for the purpose of 

 stocking Stone Pond. I caught two distinct varieties of 

 trout; one very light-colored, slim and silvery, the other, to 

 all appearances, was a common brook trout, being dark, with 

 very bright spots, and much the heavier in propertion to 

 length, the same length of the latter weighing one-third more 

 than the former. There is no stream, however small, flowing 

 into this lake, as it is entirely fed by springs. Only the com- 

 mon brook trout are found in the outlet of this lake. The 

 right to fish this lake is claimed on the ground that it is a 

 lake, and the "strange fish" is a lake trout for this reason. 

 It is called in the Dublin history Monadnock Lake, and also 

 Monadnock Lake on the county maps. It is called by many 

 here Dublin Pond. The question is, is it a lake or a pond, 

 and what is the difference between a lake and a pond? Last 

 fall both kinds of trout spawned on the same bed, but what 

 I term brook trout were about fourteen days later than the 

 others, and did not come until the others had left. 



Fish "Warden, 



Marlboro, N. H„ March 17. 



[The differences mentioned are not of themselves sufficient 

 to establish two species. Shape and color amount to little or 

 nothing in the salmon family. The fact of a trout inhabit 

 ing a lake does not make it a "lake trout." By lake trout is 

 understood the fish called in different places togue, lunge, 

 salmon trout, Mackinaw trout, etc. We cannot say that the 

 fish in question is not a distinct species, but evidence from an 

 ichthyologist is first needed to prove it. The ordinary angler 

 is seldom competent to decide, on species. Send specimen to 

 the Smithsonian Institution and let us know their decision. 

 A lake is a large pond and a pond is a small lake,] 



Riparian Rights in Canada.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 Mr. S G. W. Benjamin, in "The Cruise of the Alice May," 

 in the March Century, states that the Canadian government 

 controls and leases our trout streams, even to the exclusion 

 of the owners of the adjoining banks. Holders under leases 

 of the streams from the government did try to establish that 

 view of the law, but it has since been decided by our high- 

 est courts that the government have no such power over the 

 rights of riparian owners, and consequently those rights are 

 now universally respected. Many sportsmen find it cheaper 

 to buy a lot of land on the shore and fish as a riparian owner, 

 than to lease from the government. — B. (New Brunswick' 

 March 20, 1884); 



^isjfmltur^ 



NON-HIBERNATING CARP. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I notice in your issue of yesterday the communication of a 

 gentleman whose initials and location indicate that he is a 

 prominent member of the American Carp Cultural Associa- 

 tion, who is engaging in carp culture systematically, and who 

 closely watches for new developments. Several other mem- 

 bers have written or informed me orally of similar develop- 

 ments in their ponds. The first carp which I obtained from 

 the Government (scale-covered) were placed in a small pond of 

 clear water where I could observe their habits. As soon as 

 the water approached the freezing point, early in December, 

 they collected in the deepest point and commenced burrowing, 

 head downward. As there was a heavy admixture of sand 

 in the mud, it was three days before they entirely disap- 

 peared. The third day nothing but their tails were in sight. 

 These were in constant and active motion as long as visible. 

 They made their appearance again early in May. In the 

 winter of 1S82-3 they did not hibernate at all, for I* could see 

 them swimming near the bottom, even under four inches of 

 ice. 



The fact is, that the American carp is becoming a materially 

 different fish from the European fish. It is not only losing its 

 hibernating instincts, but it attains double the growth here in 

 a given time, and is in other ways improving when intelligently 

 bred. It appears to be quite certain that we have but one 

 variety of pure food carp in this country, the progeny of which 

 retains the true characteristics noted by reliable ichthyolo- 

 gists. I refer to the parti-scale type, termed by the Germans 

 "leather," "mirror," "bluebacks," and probably other fancy 

 and whimsical names yet to be heard from. Our scale carp 

 are notoriously improved, their progeny developing well-known 

 types of hybridity.' The earp culturists of this region are 

 killing off their scale stock. Most of my own stock is of this 

 type, and knowing of its impurity, I refuse to sell any of it 

 alive. I am making all practical efforts to breed an entirely 

 scaleless type. Milton P. Peirce, 



Secretary American C. C. Association. 



Philadelphia, Pa„ March 21, 1884. 



New Jersey Notes. — A bill has passed the Assembly 

 appropriating $500 for fishways over the Dundee dam on the 

 Passaic. Shad and striped bass formerly ascended the river 

 above the site of the present dam, and a fishway there would 

 give the anglers of Paterson a chance to fish near home. The 

 Paterson Press says : "Just at present fish are being mur- 

 dered by wholesale, and it is a disgrace to the county that 

 the present laws are not enforced. Nets are being drawn 

 regularly above the falls and also between Paterson and 

 Dundee dam in direct violation of the law. The offenders 

 could be brought to justice without the slightest trouble if 

 somebody would only take hold of the matter. Another 

 illegal method of capturing fish is extensively resorted to at 

 present. H a person will take a walk along the banks of the 

 river during any night he will see hundreds of lanterns burn- 

 ing along the shores and men in boats moving about from 

 place to place. All these men are violating the law and r un- 

 ning the risk of being sent to prison. Pickerel and bass are 

 spawning at present. They seek the shallow places along 

 the shores, where they lie frequently in a semi-dormant con 

 dition. Men with spears take hundreds of these fish every 

 night in the most unsportsmanlike manner, and in direct 

 violation of the law, and that under the very eyes of the 

 authorities. A sportsman's club is badly needed in this 

 county. There is an organization calling itself the Paterson 

 Rod and Gun Club, but it has been little heard from in the 

 way of protecting of fish and game. If the illegal catching 

 of fish at this time of the year could be stopped, and there is 

 no reason why it should not, there is no reason why there 

 should not be good fishing in the Passaic near Paterson 

 throughout the open season." 



Trout in New Jersey.— During the past week three of 

 our Philadelphia anglers, having the fever upon them, went 

 to New Jersey, within fourteen miles of Philadelphia, and 

 caught sixty trout. They were mostly fingerlings, four 

 inches long; the largest certainly did not exceed six inches. 

 Worm was the bait. New Jersey allows trout fishing in 

 March. At the corner of Seventh and Sansom streets, Phila- 

 delphia, black bass, fresh caught, are displayed on a stand 

 fronting a restaurant. This is a violation of the law surely. 

 —Homo. __ 



The Strange Fish en Cayuga Lake. — In answer to "what 

 fish is this?" from Cayuga Lake, I believe they are what is 

 called "dog fish ;" when grown they do not look like bull- 

 heads exactly, but when small look like trout. I could not 

 tell the difference. In talking with different ones while 

 fishing in that lake last summer they all expressed a belief 

 that the fish had been put in the lake for trout.— K F. K. 

 (Auburn, N. Y., March 16). 



FISHCTJLTTJRE AND FISHWAYS IN NOVA SCOTIA.— 

 In the Canadian Parliament the Hon. L. G. Power, Senator 

 from Nova Scotia, made a speech on the fisheries, etc., on 

 Feb. 22. In general terms, he indorsed the letter of Hon. W. 

 F. Whitcher to Forest and Stream, which made so much 

 stir when that gentleman, during his official term as Commis- 

 sioner of Fisheries, claimed that the results of fi.shculture in 

 the Dominion had been very small. He referred to the de- 

 scriptions of the McDonald fishway in Forest and Stream of 

 Jan. 3 and 10, and suggested that an inquiry be made regard- 

 ing it, and, if the results arc satisfactory, "recommends that 

 some of them be constructed. He thinks if this is done the 

 fecundity of fish is so great that they would probably replenish 

 its rivers in a very short time. The Hon. Mr. Kaulbach 

 agreed with Mr. Power, and thought the hatcheries were not 

 placed far enough above tidal water. H this is the case it 

 seems to us that it would pay to transport the fry to the upper 

 streams. It must be that there is something in the methods 

 which are faulty, as fishculture is successful in most places 

 outside of Canada, 



THE PROPOSED FISHWAY AT DUNDEE DAM.— The 



New Jersey Legislature has appropriated S500 for a fish ladder 

 at Dundee Dam. The one sunfish left in the Passaic River by 

 the polluters and the fishers out of season, who are not in the 

 State prison, is expected to climb the ladder early in the sea- 

 son.— F. Satterthwaite. 



?ft* Mtnmh 



FIXTURES. 



BENCH SHOWS. 



eh 26, 27 and 28.— THe Dominion Kennel Club's Second Annua I 

 Show, Horticultural Gardens. Charles Lincoln, Superiutt-n 



March 2 . 

 Bench Show, _. 

 dent. W. S. Jackson, Hon. Secretary, Toronto. Canada. 



April 3, 4 and 5.— THe Cleveland Bench Show Association's Second 

 Bench Show. Charles Lincoln, Superintendent. C. M. Munhall, Sec- 

 retary, Cleveland, Ohio. Entries close March 24. 



April 22.— The St. Louis Gun Club's Bench Show, St. Louis, Mo. 

 Entries close April 14. J. M. Jlunson, Secretary. 



May 6, 7, 8 and 9.— The Westminster Kennel Club's Eighth Annual 

 Bench Show, Madison Square Garden. Entries close April SI. Chas. 

 Lincoln, Superintendent. R. C. Cornell, Secretary, 51 William .street. 

 New York:. __ 



A. K. R. 



THE AMERICAN KENNEL REGISTER, for the registration of 

 pedigrees, etc. (with prize lists of all shows and trials), is pub 

 bshed every month. Entries close on the 1st. Should be in early. 

 Entry blanks sent on receipt of stomped and addressed envelope. 

 Registration fee (25 cents) must accompany each entry. No entries 

 inserted unless paid in advance. Yearly subscription $1. Address 

 "American Kennel Register," P. O. Box 2832, New York. Number 

 of entries already printed 1010. Volume I., bound in cloth 

 postpaid, $1.50. 



DISQUALIFICATION OF JILL AT CINCINNATI. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your issue of to-day you give, under the head of awards 

 at Cincinnati, the following: "Fox-terrier bitches, open class. 

 Tip. Puppy class. Giover Belle." Now, if this is not an error, 

 will you kindly inform me by what bench show rules, either 

 in this country or in England, vou reach such a conclusion? 

 The facts in the case are simply these: We entered our. 8>§' 

 months' bitch puppy Jill in both puppy and open classes. 

 ■When the classes were judged she was awarded first in both. 

 After the awards were made a protest was lodged against her 

 as being infected with mange, and the protest was sustained 

 by the Arbitration Committee. Rule 7 in the premium list of 

 the show says that "a dog disqualified for mange, etc., shall 

 forfeit any prize which may have been awarded to it." This 

 clearly debars us from claiming the money premium.. But 

 Rule 9 says. "The decisioniJf the judges shall be final, except 

 for fraud)" etc., and Rule 10 says, "No question involving the 

 merits of a dog to receive a prize can comebefore the referees. " 

 Now, it is absurd to suppose a judge like Mr. Mortimer would 



