230 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Afrit, 17, 1884. 



jffislfmltme. 



NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



AT the recent meeting q£ the Fisli and Gauie League Mr, E, 

 B. Hodge, Fish Commissioner of New Hampshire, was 

 called upon and spoke as follows: 



' 'Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Fish and Game League : 

 I will endeavor, in as brief a manner as possible, to give you 

 a short review of our work during the past year. Since our 

 last meeting the Commissioners of Massachusetts and Now 

 Hampshire have planted 400,000 salmon fry in the Peroige- 

 wasset River. We have now in the hatchery at Plymouth 

 600,000 eggs of Penobscot salmon, which will constitute the 

 plant for this year. There were not as many salmon taken 

 at Plymouth last season as in 1882, as the water wa»s so low in 

 September that the usual fall run did not reach there. I think 

 that the usual number came over the flshway at Lawrence, 

 but it was impossible for them to pass the falls here and at 

 Bristol. The salmon taken at Plymouth, with two exceptions, 

 were unusually large, the two exceptions "were very small fishj 

 seven to eight pounds, and most likely of the plant of 1880. 



"From my observation of the young salmon in the Pemige- 

 wasset, I find that a part of them go down to the sea when 

 one year old, the main body at two years of age and the 

 small remainder at three years. 



"The habits of the salmon after they reach the sea are en- 

 veloped in mystery. Two years ago the run of salmon in the 

 rivers at the head of the bay Chaleur was very light, and the 

 fishermen said that it was owing to the government hatching 

 on the Restigouche. But the last season they came back m 

 largo numbers, and the catch on the Restigouche, Matipedia 

 and Cosopsicul was much larger than for many years. From 

 the large number of parr and smolt in the river the past three 

 years. 1 feel confident that the only difficulty in restoring the 

 salmon to the Merrimack is the want of water in the river. 

 The volume of water in the Pemigewasset dining the summer 

 months of the past three years has not been over one-half as 

 large as it was six and seven years ago. The falling off can- 

 not be attributed to the cutting away of the forests, for in 

 that valley there is a larger area of woodland than there was 

 twenty-five years ago, and the main part of the river comes 

 from an unbroken forest not yet disturbed by the ax of the 

 hunberman, but is due to causes over which man has no con- 

 trol, and as one extreme always follows another the series of 

 dry years through which we are passing will undoubtedly be 

 followed by a series of wet ones, when success is certain to re- 

 ward our labors in this matter. 



"Last year at this time we had in the hatchery 125,000 eggs 

 of the lahd-locked salmon. The young fry were distributed as 

 follows: Roxbury, 5,000; Hancock, 5.000; Andover, 5,000; 

 Squam Lake, 10,000; Haverhill, 5,000; near Manchester, 15,000; 

 Newfound Lake, 15,000; near Laconia, 5,000; Hillsborough, 

 5,000; Francestown, 5,000; Sunapee, 15,000; Pittsfield, 5/M)0; 

 in the eastern part of the State, 25,000. We have now in the 

 hatchery 120,000; they will be ready for distribution in June. 

 We are getting good reports from the various parts of the 

 State where they have been j>lanted, and in some places the 

 growth has been extraordinary, reaching fifteen pounds in 

 six years. We received from the TJ. S. Fish Commissioner, 

 through the courtesy of Prof. Baird, 200,000 whitefish eggs. 

 The young fry were planted in Newfound Lake. We have 

 the same number this year from the same source. It is only 

 an experiment, but as it costs only the express charges on the 

 eggs it is well worth tiying. 



"Fifty thousand brook trout were distributed last year, and 

 we shall have 125,000 ready in May and June for this year's 

 plant. During the past year over 2,000 trout have been added 

 to the stock in the ponds at the hatchery, and 5,000 more will 

 be added this season. It is the intention of the Commissioners 

 to extend the cultivation of the trout as rapidly as possible, 

 so that in a short time we can have a millioii of young fry 

 instead of 100,000 or so as at present, but of course it will take 

 time to collect and raise a stock of breeders in this work as in 

 everything else of the land. 



"We have also 100,000 eggs of the Lake Superior trout. 

 These fish are of the red flesh variety, and are beyond a doubt 

 the finest of all the lake trout species. I have made some ex- 

 periments that have never been attemped before in fisheul- 

 ture. Impregnating the eggs of the brook trout with the milt 

 of the Saibling or German trout, Penobscot salmon eggs with 

 the brook trout, Penobscot salmon eggs with the California 

 salmon. 1 am in hopes that the cross between the brook 

 trout and Saibling will produce a fish that will breed and net a 

 hybrid. 



"The senseless cry against the black bass has died out, and 

 people are beginning to find that they are a great addition to 

 our game fishes. 



"And now while we are doing all we can to increase the 

 supply of food fishes by introducing new varieties and propa- 

 gating our native fish, there is a large class of men that are 

 doing all they can to destroy and exterminate not only the 

 fish, but what little is left of 6m - game. Our laws are ample 

 as far as laws go, to protect our game and fish, but the diffi- 

 culty lies in enforcing them. One reason is that it takes more 

 direct evidence to convict a poacher than it does to convict a 

 man of murder. In Lake Winnipesaukee . hundreds of trout 

 are destroyed on their spawning beds every year with spears 

 and nets; yet it is almost impossible to obtain evidence against 

 the guilty parties. There are some that think that it is a dis- 

 grace to furnish information of the violation of the game laws, 

 and in many cases they are afraid to do so. For my own part 

 I believe it to be as much the duty of every person to give in- 

 formation to the proper parties of the violation of any of the 

 game laws that may come to his knowledge, as it would be to 

 furnish information of the violation of any of the laws upon 

 our statute books. The Commissioners are willing to enforce 

 the laws against any one, no matter who, provided they can 

 get evidence that will convict; and we ask and urge all to take 

 hold and help us in the matter, 



"In this State during the months of December, January, 

 February and March over 200 deer, 1 moose and 1 caribou 

 have been killed illegally, and some of them by parties who 

 think that their social position will prevent proceedings being 

 instituted against them. 



"And now, gentlemen of this League, allow me to urge the 

 necessity of having help from. you. In this State we have no 

 State police that the Governor can place at our service to aid 

 us m enforcing the law. We are compelled to rely upon our- 

 selves, and it is impossible for us unaided to prevent violations 

 of the law in our 240 towns. 



"In many parts of the State a sentiment is fast growing that 

 we must enforce our laws if we wish to have either fish or 

 game left, or remove the game laws from our statute book 

 and give a man who is willing to observe, or who is afraid to 

 violate them, an equal chance with those who snare our part- 

 ridges, spear our fish on their spawning beds, and cut the 

 throats of the doer on our mountains when deep snow renders 

 escape impossible from the ruthless hand of the cruel hunter. 

 "I do not believe that the people of this State are willing to 

 do the latter, and as long as our laws remain as they are, the 

 Commissioners will use every means in their power to enforce 

 them. And we ask not only the co-operation of the members 

 of this League, which indirectly as well as directly in the 

 years past, has done a good work in this matter, but of. every 

 sportsman and law-abiding citizen to take hold and help lis. 



Mr. E. A. Brackett, one of the Fish Commissioners of Massa- 

 chusetts, gave a brief history of the movement which sprang 

 up f avoring the construction of fishways along the hue of the 

 Merrimack Paver, and of the early Efforts of the Commissioners 

 to secure salmon for the resto«king of the river. The cost of 

 securing salmon, wmich was $40 in gold, we have reduced to 



$2.50. In 1885, you may expect a large run of salmon up the 

 Merrimack River, and an increasing run yearly afterward. 

 Massachusetts, besides sustaining one-half of the expense of 

 supporting the hatching-house at Plymouth, has paid ontffiSOO 

 yearly for salmon spawn. Last year, at the annual meeting 

 of the League, I suggested that a" committee be appointed to 

 visit and examine the fishways along the line of the Merrimack 

 River. We have a population on the lower part of the river 

 who are determined to break down our laws for the protec- 

 tion of fish in this stream. I have no question that when peo- 

 ple begin to understand the cultivation of carp that they will 

 enter upon their encouragement. The speaker closed by mak- 

 ing an appeal that the men residing on the lower Merrimack 

 be given no encouragement in their efforts to do away with 

 the laws regulating the catching of fish, 



eial propagation of shad in the Haokensack River, are worthy 

 of the highest praise. There is but little doubt that these 

 efforts _ will result in a largely increased annual run of smelt in 

 that river. 



DEATH OF EDWARD M. SMITH.-A telegram to the 

 Rochester papers, dated London, April 12, savs: "Mr. Edward 

 M. Smith, American Consul at Mannheim, died of apoplexy 

 last evening." Mr. Smith was one of the Board of Fi=h Com- 

 missioners of New York for a number of years. At the time 

 of his death he was on his way from Mannheim to Liverpool, 

 from which place he was to sail for home on the 15th of this 

 month. He was fifty-three years of age, and had held many 

 positions of trust in Rochester, and for the past four years 

 had resided abroad in connection with his duties as consul. 



REPORT OF THE NEW JERSEY COMMISSION, 



\j\7" e have the report of the Fish Commission of New Jersey 

 VV covering the operations of 1879 and 1 883. For some 

 time preceding the death of Commissioner Howell, he had in 

 preparation an elaborate report upon the shad fisheries in the 

 Delaware River, which branch of the State fishing interests 

 was especially committed to his care, and to which he had 

 consequently given more attention than any other member of 

 the Commission. By reason of his death that report was 

 never completed, and the presentation of a full report of the 

 operations of the Commission was necessarily postponed to 

 permit of the collection of the data requisite for the prepar- 

 ation of the report herewith presented, which, while it will 

 aim to give a comprehensive view of the work of the Com- 

 mission, will of necessity lack the completeness of detail and 

 the f nil statistical information which would have character- 

 ized Dr. Howell's account of that branch of the work which 

 was under his particular care. 



The ordinary work of the Commission consists of a super- 

 vision of the wardens of the several counties, in the perform- 

 ance of their duties in enforcing the laws regulating and 

 governing the times, seasons, and modes of taking fish; and 

 through the judicious legislation of the past few years, sup- 

 plemented by a vigorous enforcement of the laws, "they have 

 had the gratification of seeing immense benefit to our coast 

 and river fisheries, in an annual increase in the catch of food 

 fishes. 



Much attention has been given to the enforcement of the 

 law relative to close time, affecting the shad fisheries on the 

 Delaware River below Trenton. These fisheries employ more 

 capital, provide employment for more men, and furnish a 

 greater amount of food fish, than the fisheries of any other 

 section of the State, and although they are not usually in active 

 operation for more than three months in the year, constitute 

 an industry which is of immense importance to the citizens of 

 the counties bordering upon the Delaware River. It has not 

 been possible to procure perfectly accurate returns of the 

 number of shad taken from the Delaware River each year, 

 although the wardens of the several counties have made every 

 effort to procure reliable information. Many of the fishermen 

 being residents of the States of Pennsylvania and Delaware, 

 but little can be learned of the catch made by them. In the 

 report of the Commission for 1878, it is stated that, from the 

 data available, it appeared that the whole number of market- 

 able fish taken during the three months of the fishing season 

 was about 7,000, and that the value of this product, at the 

 prices realized, was §175,000. In each of the two succeeding 

 years there was an increase of about 200,000 fish over the 

 year before, and in 1881 the increase was so great that it is 

 estimated that at least 1,400,000 fish were taken. In the 

 opinion of the Commissioners, this great increase in the value 

 of the important industry is due to the vigilant enforcement of 

 the laws respecting close time, and to the effects of artificial 

 propagation. 



The operations of the present and former Commissioners, in 

 connection with the attempts to stock the Delaware with sal- 

 mon, were set forth with considerable detail in the last report. 

 Efforts had been made by the United States Fish Commission, 

 for some years previous to the appointment of the present 

 New Jersey Commission, to stock the Delaware with this most 

 valuable fish, and Prof. Spencer F. Baird, United States Fish 

 Commissioner, was deeply impressed with the possibility of 

 accomplishing this desirable result. During the four years 

 included between 1879 and 1882, there were 1,121,200 salmon 

 fry planted in the Delaware and its tributaries, part of which 

 were California salmon and part were the Penobscot species. 

 No attempt has been made to capture any adult salmon which 

 may have returned to the river, and it was not expected that 

 they would make their re-appearance until four or five years 

 after they were placed in the stream. In the spring and" sum- 

 mer of 1877, however, six or seven fish were taken in shad 

 nets at different pomts on the river. They were medium- 

 sized fish, averaging about ten pounds, but had evidently been 

 to the sea and returned to the river to deposit their eggs. This 

 was deemed highly encouraging, and the next season was 

 looked forward to with much anxiety, by those who were 

 interested in fishculture, and who appreciated the immense 

 importance of the success of the efforts to establish this 

 valuable tish in the rivers of the State. In 1882, the plantings 

 were discontinued, notwithstanding the offers of the United 

 States Commissioner to continue the annual shipments of im- 

 pregnated ova. Prof. Baird, in correspondence with the 

 State Commission, expressed himself in favor of a continuation 

 of the work, and as strongly of the opinion that it would yet 

 pi'ove successful. It is now boing carried on, the Commission- 

 era believe, under his auspices, by the Fish Commissioners of 

 Pennsylvania, but in view of the meagre results which had 

 been attained, and the uncertainty as to the future, the Com- 

 missioners of New Jersey did not feel justified in continuing 

 the annual expenditure involved in hatching and distributing 

 the fish. The Commissioners say that it would be idle, or at 

 least profitless, to speculate upon the causes which operate to 

 render these efforts unsuccessful. The well known instinct 

 which impels anadromous fishes to seek, at the spawning sea- 

 son, the head-waters of the streams in which they originated, 

 was relied upon to bring an annual run of salmon into the 

 rivers of the State, and many theories have been advanced in 

 explanation of the failure of the habit in this case, but these 

 theories are necessarily not capable of being reduced to a cer- 

 taiutv. In the opinion of the Commissioners, the most pro- 

 bable explanation is, that in the late summer and early 

 autumn, the waters of the Delaware are usually very low, and 

 of a higher temperature than that of rivers to which the sal- 

 mon is indigenous, and for this reason the fish have been de- 

 terred from ascending the stream, and have sought more con- 

 genial spawning grounds. 



The efforts of the Commission to restore the partially de- 

 pleted trout streams of the State have been continued, and 

 have met with a cheering measure of success. There was 

 planted in 1879, 169,800 brook trout; in 1880, 153,000; and in 

 1881,93,500. 



Since the date of the last report, they have distributed 22,- 

 420 black bass and 98,192 land-locked salmon- 



Of smelt the report says: "Many attempts have been made 

 to increase the production of the smelt fisheries by artificial 

 propagation, and it has been found to be entirely practicable 

 to procure impregnated ova and hatch the fish, but, on 

 account of their infinitesimal size, it has proved difficult to 

 confine and care for the fry until they are of a suitable age to 

 be liberated in the stream. Mr. George Ricardo, fish warden 

 of Bergen county, has probably more nearly succeeded in 

 overcoming the difficulties in the way of smelt propagation 

 than any other experimenter, and, by a device of his own, he 

 has been able to add many millions of young fish to the supply 

 in the Hackensack River. Mr. Ricardo is an enthusiastic nsll- 

 culturist, and his ingenious efforts to restore the productive- 



hmtel 



. FIXTURES, 

 BF.NCH SHOWS. 



April t>2.— The St. Louis Gun Club's Bench Show, St, Louis, Mo 

 Entries close April 14. J. BL Munson, Secretary. 



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

 Bench Show Madison Square C4arden. Entries close April 21. Chm, 

 Lincoln, Superintendent. R. C, Cornell, Secretory, 54 William street, 

 New York. 



A. K. R. 



rpHE AMERICAN KENNEL REGISTER, for the registration of 

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

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

 Entry blanks sent on receipt of stamped and addressed envelope. 

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

 inserted unless paid in advance. Yearly subscription SI. Address 

 "American Kennel Register," V. O. Box 28;12, New York. Number 

 of entries already printed 1115. Yolume I., bound in cloth, sent 

 postpaid, $1.50. 



EASTERN FIELD TRIALS CLUB. 



AT a meeting of the Board of Governors of the Eastern 

 Field Trials Club, held at Delmonico\«,on Tuesday evening; 

 April 8. it was voted that the Members' Stake and the All-Aged 

 Stakes close Oct. 1. The prizes and conditions for the Mem- 

 bers' Stake are the same as last year, the judges will be 

 selected from members of the club, if available, by the nomin- 

 ators the evening previous to the running. There will he two 

 All- Aged Stakes this year, one for pointers and one for setters. 

 The purse in each event will be $400, with §250 to first and 

 $160 to second. Forfeit SI with $15 additional to fill. Open 

 to all pointers and setters which have not won first prize in any 

 All- Aged Stake or any special pointer cup. There will also be 

 a special champion sweepstake, to close after the finish of the 

 All-Aged Stake, with §50 entrance and §200 added by the club, 

 all to go to the winner. Open to all first prize winners in any 

 All-Aged Stake, and to winders of any special pointer cup. 

 Three dogs, the property of different owners, must enter to 

 fill. The order of running will be as follows: The Members' 

 Stake, the All-Aged pointer stakes, the All- Aged setter stakes, 

 the champion sweepstake, closmg with the Derby In re- 

 sponse to a request for instructions as to the distribution of the 

 donation of the club to the schools at High Point, to which a 

 member generously added $50, it was voted that Mayor 

 Snow and Prof . W. A. Blair be requested to distribute the 

 same as they may think best among the schools that are situ- 

 ated within 500 yards of the grounds used by the club at the 

 trials, The revised running rules, as soon as printed, will be 

 sent to applicants. 



NEW YORK DOG SHOW. 



Editor Forest and Stream; 



Arrangements have been completed with all the express 

 companies to return dogs freo of charge, providing they have 

 prepaid the usual rates to the show. Nearly all the railroad 

 companies will carry dogs free when accompanied by their 

 owners or care-takers. For dogs coming over the Erie Rail- 

 road their owners must apply for a pass for the same to Mr. 

 Jno. Abbott, general passenger agent, Cortlandt street, N. Y. 



It has been decided to leave the entries open for the sweep- 

 stakes prizes until 12 o'clock at noon on the first day of the 

 show, but all entries for the regular classes close on the 21st 

 hist. Following are additional special prizes: Silver cup, 

 value $100, for best fox-terrier, dog or bitch, in the show. 

 Silver cup, value $100, for best pah- of bulldogs. $10 cash or 

 silver medal for best collie dog, sired by champion Robin 

 Adair or Tweed II. $10 cash or silver medal for best collie 

 bitch, sired by champion Robin Adair or Tweed II. $25 cash 

 for best-looking setter dog or bitch, placed in field trial in 

 England or America, the Westminster Kennel Club to be 

 allowed to compete. §25 ea sh for best-looking pointer dog or 

 bitch, placed in field trial in America or England, the West- 

 minster Kennel Club to be allowed to compete. Large framed 

 photograph from Mr. J. M. Tracy's picture, "The Eastern 

 Field Trials," for best pair of pointers. Large framed photo- 

 graph from Mr. J. M. Tracy's picture of '\Dog Talk," for best 

 brace of English setters. Silver medal for best brace of Dish 

 setter puppies of same litter. For best English setter dog or 

 bitch, over twelve and under eighteen months old, a valuable 

 solid silver flask, suitably engraved. §20 cash for the best 

 trained setter or pointer, which has been trained by the 

 methods laid down m "Training vs. Breaking." 



Messrs. Sterling and Higgins, assisted by some one selected 

 by them, will judge the pointer and English setter sweep- 

 stakes. ' Chas. Lincoln, Sup't. 



ENGLISH KENNEL NOTES. 



namesake 



T'O begin where I left off. I have not seen my namesaki 

 quoted in the betting since I posted my last notes, but I 

 don't despair of hearing, on Derby Day. Lillibulero in every- 

 body's mouth, as it was in the year loss, when all the King S 

 army were singing "Lillibulero and Bullen-a-lah.'' 



So the truth is out. We now know why the Rev. A. Carter 

 gave £300 for the smooth St. Bernard bitch Leila. She has 

 been transferred to the American purchaser of Rector, for 

 whom the same figure was paid. 



I could not understand an Englishman paying such a price 

 for a bitch, as he stood no chance of ever seeing Ids money 

 back. After all this very tall dog dealing, and chiefly on the 

 part of Kennel Club men, I hope, we shall hear no more silly 

 sneers at a man for turning to a profitable account his judg- 

 ment and experience, both of which he may have acquired 

 dearly in cash and time. 



The same thing is daily done by gentlemen with horses and 

 cattle, then why should it he infra dig, to do a "deal" in dogs 

 or birds when the opportunity occurs.' Smooth-coated St. Ber- 

 nards are not so valuable as rough, but Leila is by far the 

 handsomest specimen of the type, She has, I think, won the 

 Challenge Cup twice. 



Alongside the prices that have been given tor Rector and 

 Leila £S50 was cheap for Leonard, and Mr. J. F. Smith has a 

 bargain, 1 have heard that the great Thor ouce chaugedhands 

 at, £300. 1 should like to buy his equal at stud for the same 



Rrire From a show point of view, he was not a wonder, but 

 is stock, Hector, Oscar, Avalanche, Abbess, and many other 

 giants, proved where his value lay. 

 He was himself a mangy old brute and of very uncertain 



ness of the smelt fisheries, as well as his services in the artifi- I temper, His stud fees were a considerable source of infiOme 



