290 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Mat 8, 1884. 



"Only one more deserted farm to pass and we will be in 

 the woods," said Uncle George. 



' ' What farm, and why did the owners leave it?" Frank asks. 

 "It was a rented farm, and after the farmer had spent 

 twenty years of hard work, clearing, chopping and grub- 

 bing upon it he grew tired and left it," Uncle George ex- 

 plains. "There is a good place for deer in the fall. Eight 

 up there behind those fields among the laurel they can 

 always be started." 



"Where do they g6 when started?" Pete inquired. 

 "They run across the Galehouse farm, cross Indian Camp 

 Run, over the Miller farm, cross Middle Branch, over Sugar 

 Ricloe and Burnt Ridge, and on eastward through the wil- 

 derness into Forest county," replies Uncle George, who has 

 hunted for deer in these woods more than once and knows 

 most of the "crossings." 



At the old bridge where the clear sparkling Indian Camp 

 Run joins Middle Branch they arrange their fishing tackle. 

 There are plenty of big chubs under the. bridge and iust 

 above it. George stands on the bridge and pulls out a half 

 dozen, vainly hoping to hook a trout. The big dam just 

 below the bridge a few hundred yards is a good place for 

 these big and exceedingly wary old trout. Occasionally a 

 lucky angler lands a two or three pounder, and is the hero 

 for a season or so until some one else captures one a little 

 longer or heavier. George hopes that some of the big 

 trout from the old dam may be about this quiet nook, the 

 bridge, but he is disappointed. They soon pack up their 

 lusgage, equally divided among the four according to size 

 and- strength, and plunge through the underbrush up the 

 creek. Indian Camp Run does not look favorable for trout, 

 although well supplied with chubs, so they don't lose much 

 time on it, but strike up Big Sandy, as the stream is called 

 here; further up it is called Middle Branch, although how 

 the extreme right hand stream of the three could be called 

 the central one George could not understand. Three years 

 before when George and Uncle George wwe fishing, the 

 former caught the first trout, and while the other members 

 of the party were eagerly striving for a bite, he coolly hauls 

 out a six inch trout. But soon all have caught one or more 

 fish, and they are full of the excitement of this rare sport. 



The Branch is a rapid, brawling stream, with numerous 

 eddies and riffles. Hundreds of immense hemlocks in dif- 

 ferent stages of decomposition are lying across the stream, 

 forming bridges f»r the .wildcat and raccoon, and such fish- 

 ermen who prefer scrambling over than to wading the 

 riffles. Here is a miniature dam formed by the breaking of 

 just such a log in its center and lodging or driftwood and 

 leaves against it. There are sure to be a couple of fine trout 

 in this hole, and there are hundreds and thousands of such 

 dams on this stream. A line dropped in too close to this 

 barrier may become fastened among the- twigs of some limb 

 or the roots of the old beech upon the bank, as no one can 

 tell where or how the water whirls and twists before it 

 escapes in a foaming fall on the other side. But who 

 would not risk a hook and line too that he may hook one of 

 these hright-colored beauties hiding somewhere among the 

 branches or roots in the gurgling water. 



At 10 o'clock they lunch, resting on a fallen beach and 

 then move on up the creek. The clouds have been threaten 

 ing all morning and soon the rain is falling in a steady 

 melancholy way that gives token of long continuance. The 

 fishers are soon damp and then wet, but they care little for 

 this and press eagerly on along the creek. Each little eddy 

 and dam holds two or three good trout for them if they are 

 but skillful enough to capture them. 



By a roaring fire, on which is cooking a pan of fish, the 

 little party are seated. A wide spreading hemlock, centuries 

 old, keeps the steadily falling rain off," and they vote it a 

 splendid place for camping. The chubs nicely browned, a 

 pan of trout are cooked in plenty of lard and butter, a table 

 is nude of a bed of moss, and Frank announces dinner. 

 Uncle George comes up from the creek, where he has been 

 cleaning fish, and his oldest nephew comes through the 

 woods with an armful of dry beech limbs for the fire. He 

 piles up the fire and seats himself before the table, declaring 

 that he is as hungry as a bear. They attack their dinner in 

 a manner that makes the outlook for the next day look 

 gloomy enough unless they can live en a diet composed 

 solely of fish and frog legs. What a keen relish for food 

 the stimulating air of the pine woods give. What a wonder- 

 ful appetite does tramping through the creek and the excit- 

 ing sport give. They praise the doughnuts and dispatch the 

 well-buttered light cakes with hearty zeal. The chubs are 

 eaten first and then the trout, when one and all declare that 

 much as they have been praised no words yet penned have 

 ever fully described their many excellencies. Ned is fed 

 and Uncle George enjoys a smoke while the boys fix up their 

 provisions so that they may not be damaged by the rain. 



Frank and Peter are loath to leave the cheerful fire and go 

 out again in the rain, which feels strangely cold and uncom- 

 fortable now. But George and his uncle are already trying 

 to make a raise in the good pools ahead, and, covering up the 

 fire so that it will keep until night, they, too, start out again. 

 The afternoon is as disagreeable as it well can be, and long 

 before evening all the boys are heartily sick of the fishing, 

 and wish themselves in their uncle's house snug and dry. 

 Ned, tor, is thoroughly disgusted with the whole business 

 and w r alks along with a sullen ah, with his tail turned down- 

 ward instead of upward as is his wont. At length the party 

 get together and hold a consultation as to what they had 

 be ter do. 



"It's too wet and disagreeable to camp out now, sure," 

 George says, "and it looks like rain now. I believe we had 

 better pull for home." 



"Yes. I guess we had. I would like to stay, but the 

 weather is too bad," his uncle replies. "Wrap up the lines, 

 I want to try this good place here a minute, and I'll catch 

 up with you." 



Then down the creek Frank and Peter run, splashing 

 through the creek in wild delight, glad that they are started 

 homeward. George and his uncle come on behind, trying 

 to raise a few trout, as the down-stream fishing is always the 

 best for brook trout. They wonder why they cannot hook 

 any until they see the boys plunging through the creek. 

 They have them go down the bank, and Uncle George is 

 soon dropping out the speckled beauties. George says he 

 had seen some rapid fishing, but had never seen a man gal- 

 loping and catching a dozen trout, as his uncle did, in a ten- 

 minutes' run down the creek. The low, blowing clouds that 

 all afternoon had been threatening more than a common 

 shower, now broke over the forest in torrents of rain. The 

 fishers sought shelter beneath a wide-spreading hemlock. 

 They were soon thorough^ staked with the deluging water, 

 and,' leaving the tree, they walk rapidly down the creek. 

 There is a sudden cessation of rain, ana in its place they 

 hear a low sighing in the treetops. Soon the dim crowns 



of the mighty hemlocks begin swishing softly like a troubled 

 river. The low sighing grows to an audible murmur, and 

 the clouds, dark and circling, blow swiftly over the tree- 

 tops. From a low hum the storm soon springs into a roar, 

 terrible in its fierceness. 



"Run for the creek!" cries George, as the appalling snap 

 of an immense hemlock just before them warns them, " 'tis 

 madness to push on while the trees are swaying on every 

 side, threatening every moment to fall." 



Into the creek they plunge like mad, and down its shallow 

 bed they struggle and under a strong log lying across the 

 high banks. "We're safe here," they cry, as they shrink 

 under the log close to the bank. Across the creek Ned 

 stands, yelping so shrilly that George thinks it is his uncle 

 or one of the boys whistling for him to come under the log^ 



Ah ! it is something to awe the stoutest heart when the 

 storm-king reigns with a furious hand amid the tottering 

 giants of the forest! When no sound can be heard save the 

 deafening and unceasing thunder of the rushing winds in 

 the slashing treetops! When the unnatural darkening of the 

 sky is only lightened by the vivid and constant flashes of 

 lightening! And seated under their protecting log, the fish- 

 ers look out on this scene of awe with feelings indescribable. 



Half w T ay home another storm comes on, and the fishers 

 are compelled to seek refuge in Bobbie Neal's barn. Here 

 Ned again causes trouble by not being able to get into the 

 barnyard. He yelps as shrilly as at the Branch. Uncle 

 George runs out into the storm to get his dog, fearing lest 

 Mr. Neal's big dog will be roused up, which would necessitate 

 their staying in the barn all night, which wouldu't be the 

 pleasantest thing in the world. But the eventful day is at 

 length ended. The sixty -one trout are salted and placed in 

 a cool place. The boys will take fifty of them home for 

 their friends and a sick grandmother. They all eat a 

 hearty supper in spite of their having eaten about all of their 

 two days' rations since starting away in the morning, to 

 Aunt Ellen's great consternation. She tells them that they 

 have thrown it away, as Uncle George did the rifle when the 

 last thunderstorm overtook them. But this buxom aunt's 

 good humor soon returns, and she shakes with mirth as she 

 scans the half-drowned and much-fatigued fishing party. 

 Peter, with his uncle's long throwa-away pigeon-tailed coat, 

 which floated back like streamers when coming down the 

 creek, is an object of much merriment. They have all 

 worn some clothes which fit in a ludicrous manner. They 

 are, indeed, a laughable looking set, but full of good humor 

 now that they have reached home again. A half hour later 

 all is quiet in slumber. 



After resting and drying up a day the boys leave for home, 

 highly pleased with their trip, and promising to try it again 

 in the coming spring if all goes well. On the return "trip 

 they reach home at noon, and think, as we (one ef them) do, 

 that fishing is fun if but afoot. Geo. Enty. 



Templeton, Pa. 



NEW ENGLAND SALMON AND TROUT. 



[A paper read before the New Hampshire Fish and Game League 

 by S. Gannan.] 



THE New England salmon and trout in the Agassiz Mu- 

 seum were obtained in all parts of the section, and 

 among them are probably representatives of all the species 

 and varieties belonging to it. A study of the collection, 

 made in accordance with the wishes of the Fish Commis- 

 sioners, has resulted in conclusions partially indicated below. 

 Of New England salmon there are but two, the common 

 salmon of our coasts (Salmo salar) and the land-locked 

 (Salmo sebago). The latter is hardly to be distinguished from 

 the former in its small stages, but being confined to the 

 fresh water it does not go through the same changes in color- 

 ation. The shape of fins and number of rays and scales are 

 about the same in each. In a line from head to tail, a little 

 above the middle of the side, there are from 120 to 135, and 

 in a row across the side from the dorsal to the fins just in 

 front of the vent there are from 38 to 48 scales. 



Of the trout there are five forms which can be distin- 

 guished with more or less readiness. Two of them are 

 commonly called lake trout ; the togue (Salmo namaycush) 

 and the blueback (Salmo oquassa). 



The togue is found in most of the lakes; it has from 195 

 to 215 scales in the row from head to tail, and across the 

 flank there are from 56 to 62. In this species the tail is 

 most deeply notched and the ends have the deepest points. 

 The upper jaw or maxillary extends back much further than 

 the eye. 



The little blueback seems to belong only to the Rangeley 

 Lakes and their tributaries. It has from 210 to 235 scales in 

 a row along the flank, and from 64 to 76 across it between 

 dorsal and ventral. The upper jaw does not extend as far 

 back as the hinder edge of the eye, and the hinder margin 

 of the tail is more waved, while the notch is not so deep as 

 in the togue. The short upper jaw (maxillary) and the notch 

 in the tail serve to distinguish the blueback from small togue. 



The brook trout is represented by several closely allied 

 forms. The rows of scales are greater in number than in 

 any of the preceding. Between dorsal and ventral and the 

 side there are from 78 to 86 rows. The more southern form 

 has a less number of rows from head to tail than either of 

 its allies. Its number varies from 195 to 210. This is the 

 Salmo fontinalis of Mitchell. A form occurring in Lake 

 Monadnock, for specimens of which I am indebted to Col. 

 E. B. Hodge and others, differs from Mitchell's form in 

 having a greater number of scales from head to tail — 215 to 

 240 — and in this respect it agrees better with the brook trout 

 of the tributaries of the great lakes and also with the spotted 

 variety from Northern New England. The brook trout as 

 commonly known has a great mauy bars, blotches and ver- 

 miculations of brown and light on the back and retains these 

 markings in large specimens. The brook trout of the great 

 lake region resembles the togue more in the markings, but 

 has a shallower notch in the tail than the latter, though 

 slightly deeper than the fontinalw. The trout of Lake 

 Monadnock is closely allied to the brook trout of the lake 

 region further west, but differs considerably in coloration. 

 Small specimens of seven to eight inches are clouded and 

 have indistinct bands o» the upper part of the flank, with 

 spots along the side. Later in life they assume the shape of 

 the ciscowet (Salmo mcowel), but become whitish or bleached 

 and silvery. This trout contrasts greatly with the spotted 

 variety of brook trout of Hastern New England ; it has about 

 the same specific character and the difference is mainly in 

 coloration. By means of this it is readily separated from 

 the Hucowtt of the great lakes. The notch in the tail is 

 deeper and the number of scales greater in each of the more 

 northern varieties of the brook trout. 



New England thus possesses two salmon, two lake trout 

 and three brook trout. 



Sturgeon Fishing.— Petalutna, Cal.— Here in California 

 the Chinamen and some white fishermen have a rather odd 

 way of taking these fish. They have a long stout line, 

 ranging from a few hundred yards up to several miles in 

 length. At short distances apart are placed other smaller 

 and shorter lines and at the end of each is suspended astrong 

 barbless hook without bait. The main line is stretched 

 across streams, or along their beds, close to the bottom, and 

 the fisherman usually visits his line a couple of times a day. 

 The fish in swimming over the fine hooks himself and in 

 threshing around becomes entangled with other hooks, and 

 it is a wonder if he escapes. It is not unusual to find a heavy 

 fish with eight or a dozen hooks fast in him. A line of this 

 description was recently stretched along the channel of Peta- 

 luma Creek, for a distance of over six miles, and with its 

 thousands of barbless, unbaited hooks the catch was enorm- 

 ous. The sturgeon caught ranged from two feet to nearly 

 ten feet.— W. F. S. 



Large Pomp ano.— For the past four years there have been 

 occasional large specimens of pompano caught on our coast, 

 and as the ordinary fish is considered large at two pounds, 

 these monsters of fifteen or more pounds attracted much at- 



however, our fish has been suspected to be only the young of 

 the former. On Monday last, Mr. Blackford had ten speci- 

 mens which weighed 170 pounds, the largest one weighing 

 twenty-one pounds. This is the first time that the large fish 

 have appeared here in more than single specimens. They 

 came from North Carolina. 



Meacham Lake, April 29.— Our long winter is ended, 

 and the lake once more clear of ice. The trout fishing began 

 the 28th, with a catch of fifty, by F. P. Dennison, of Syra- 

 cuse, but Frank says they have been frozen so long they 

 come out of the water like a stick. As soon as we get a 

 little warm weather, we expect a lively time "among the 

 fishes." My eggs of the land-locked salmon are all hatched 

 and doing nicely. I will turn them into the lake about June 

 1. Everything indicates a good fishing season. — A. R. Ful- 

 ler, 



"For New York Anglers."— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 In the item "For New York Anglers," I said, in speaking of 

 the sixty fish caught with bait, that twenty-five were over 

 ten inches long, and three of them over fifteen inches long, 

 not "twenty -five over fifteen inches long" as you have it, 

 and which wonld make the catch very much more than 

 sixteen and a half pounds. — Amateuk. 



The National Rod and Reel Association, at a meet- 

 ing last Tuesday, decided to hold the next annual tourna- 

 ment Oct. 7 and 8. 



tffislicnltnre. 



FISHWAYS IN SCOTLAND. 



THE Secretary of the Board of Salmon Fisheries for the 

 Tay District, Scotland, writes that the McDonald fishway 

 has been chosen as the form which will be erected on the Falls 

 of the Tummel. Col. McDonald will go to Scotland in June 

 to superintend the erection of the structure. 



The Edinburgh Scotsman, of March 6, has an article on 

 fish ways from which we extract the following: 



"There are at present in Scotland more than 500 miles of 

 rivers and locks barred against the ascent of salmon by im- 

 passable waterfalls. The Falls of Tummel shut out between 

 100 and 200 miles of water; the Falls of Monnessie, on the 

 Spean, 40 miles; the Falls of the Conon, 22 miles; the Falls of 

 Rogie, 15 miles; the Falls of the Kirkaig, 20; and the Falls on 

 the Folly, in Ross-shire, several miles of river and eleven lochs. 

 Besides these, there are a number of other falls which prevent 

 the access of salmon to a great extent of good spawning ground. 

 Hitherto, the difficulty and expense of overcoming tiiese nat- 

 ural obstructions by means of salmon-ladders or passes has 

 prevented much being done to open them up ; it having been 

 found by experience that no salmon-ladder with a steeper 

 gradient than 1 in 8 or 1 in 9 will enable fish to ascend. That 

 is to say, if a water-fall be 20 feet high, the length of the lad- 

 der must be from 160 to 180 feet; and in the most efficient 

 salmoa-ladder in Scotland— that at Deanston, on the Teith— 

 the gradient is much flatter— namely, 1 in 27. It is obvious 

 that the steeper the gradient by which the fish can be enabled 

 to surmount an obstruction, the shoiter and cheaper will be 

 the salmon-ladder, and that in proportion as the gradient gets 

 flatter, the longer and more expensive will it be. The 

 McDonald fishway, therefore, which was exhibited in the 

 United States department of the International Fisheries 

 Exhibition in London, and for which it is claimed that it en- 

 ables fish to ascend easily and certainly a gradient as steep as 

 1 in 3 or 1 in 4, is a great improvement on anything of the kind 

 that has been constructed in this country. A company has 

 been formed to work it, and it has been patented in the 

 United States, in Canada, and in Great Britian and Ireland. 

 The cost of fishways constructed on this principle is stated to 

 have varied from £2 to £5 per running foot, and Col. McDonald 

 writes that the price of constructing a fishway, with a gradient 

 of 1 in 4, on the Falls of Tummel, which are 16 feet high, 

 would vary from £100 to £250, depending upon the difficulties 

 of the site, the strength of construction required, and the cost 

 of the substructure or foundations. Reasoning from the data 

 thus furnished, it would seem that a fishway on the Falls of 

 Monnessie, on the Spean, which are 22 feet high, would cost 

 about a third more ; and that one on the Falls of the Conon, a 

 little below the outlet of Loch Luichart, which are 28 feet in 

 height, and where the site presents peculiar difficulties, would 

 probably cost nearly double the estimate for the fishway on 

 the Falls of Tummel. Yet these sums, considerable though 

 they are, are very much less than what would be the cost of 

 an efficient salmon-ladder on any system known or practiced 

 in this country. For example, almost the only attempt as yet 

 made in Scotland to enable salmon to surmount an impassable 

 waterfall has been made, within the last few years, at the 

 Falls of the river Moriston, which rises in Loch Clunie, and, 

 after a course of twenty -five miles, falls into Loch Ness. The 

 falls are situated a short distance above the junction of the 

 river and the loch, and being upward of 20 feet in height, 

 they entirely prevented the ascent of salmon into the river 

 until the. construction of the present ladder, which was com- 



Eleted in 1880. It is 240 feet long, and has cost £ 1, 800 ; whereas 

 ad it been constructed on the McDonald principle, it would 

 have been only 80 feet long, aud would have cost only from 

 £160 to £400. " 



THE NEW YORK FISH COMMISSION. -The Governor 

 has appointed Mr. William H. Bowman, of Rochester, to be a 

 Commissioner of Fisheries to fill the vacancy caused by the 

 death of Edward M. Smith. 



Over Ten Million Dollahs has been paid to its policy holders by 

 the Travelers, of Hartford, Conn., since its organization. Present 

 payments are over a million a year.— Adv. 



