' 
8 FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Juny 31, 1884. 
' SALT-WATER FISHING. 
Editar Forest and Stream: 
The comments of ‘“Fontinalis” on the article signed 
“‘Knebel,” published in your last issue, seem to have been 
written by some one who has never had “‘salt on his fist.” 
He says, ‘‘Knebel’s” report contains ‘‘nothing instructive, 
no observations on the surroundings, except a reference to 
the bird called ‘quack,’ and is wholly destitute of the inspir- T An! ‘ 
ation of the angler,” A careful perusal of the article leads | 1 8™ not writing in the interest of any one but my brother 
me to believe that the writer “Knebel,” whoever he may be, | 28's, who will find North Bay the most pleasant, as I 
has given us more insight into salt-water fishing than your Ge seen three places during my three days’ stay. 
interesting publications have given us for a long time. Many i a ting is fair for bass and pickerel, and Lhaye no doubt 
menin New York and Brooklyn, like myself, have been | VOU sre very good if the murderous work of spearing was 
brought up outside of the limits of the cities named, and | *tPPed, but it was carried on vigorously every night duung 
have drifted to these cities to ‘earn the loaf,” but we can | @Y Stay, and I would respectfully call the attention of 
still bear in mind the remembrances of our experience in our eG tsmen and fishing clubs in that portion of the State to 
boyhood days in fresh-water fishing, and in comparing the practice in hopes some action may be taken to stop it. 
“skittering,” or trolling for pickerel ar bass, or casting for ___ Dorsau Finn. 
There are three points on the eastern ar upper end of 
Oneida Lake—Fish Creek, North Bay and South Bay. The 
two former are reached by rail from Fish Oreek station, 
whence a liftle steam launch runs to the mouth of the creek 
and thence over to South Bay, also across the lake about 
four miles to North Bay. The latter is also reached by rail, 
pels ate next station north from Fish Creek on the N. Y- 
CoLor or Leaprrs.—Paterson, N. J.—Huditor Forest. and 
Stream. J have read with great interest the various articles 
on the *“Best Color for Leaders.” I first made experiments 
In staining gut according to the recipes in a book on angling, 
but the recipes were so difficult to produce that I gave it up. 
This book stated that the gut should be soakediin a boiling: 
mixture of three ingredients for several hours. What effect 
does boiling: produce on gut? Simply this: Tt reduces its 
strength, and it frays and wears out almost directly when 
exposed to friction and moisture. After Many experiments 
I came to the conclusion that ink answers best for staining 
gut, I hereby give two recipes, hoping that they may be of 
use to some of your readers, Slate (or neutral) color,—The 
ink sold by the American News Oo. answers best. To one 
bottle of ink edd a tablespoonful of vinegar. Soak the gut 
in the above mixture until the desired stain is produced. 
Blue color.—Arnold’s ink used accordin to the above direc- 
tion produces this stain.—F'rep, 
trout, we do not find such sport or romantic surroundings as 
in salt-water fishing, whether trolling or still-tishing. If 
*Fontinalis” wishes to know about tackle, any reputable 
-dealer will post him as to the proper outfit, He has not to 
go through college to learn what particular “fly” or ‘‘moth” 
to use, And as to surroundings, no mountain trout stream 
can show in its surroundings more soul-inspiring scenery 
than our bays and inlets, and grand old ocean itself. 
To one who has ever trolled for bluefish and has had the 
luck to strike a school of that fish, bonita or Spanish mack- 
erel, all tulk of inland fishing seems insipid. C. G. B 
Fiditor Forest and Stream: 
A friend and myself started from the float at Broad Chan- 
nel this morning at 5:40, anchored at the old spot above the 
club house, commenced to fish at 5 A. M., and by 8 o’clock 
we had thirty-four fine weakfish, which 1 consider good 
sport for a few hours. The early morning beats all the rest 
of the day, for weakfishing has been poor lately. A great 
many £0 out with the first morning train and come home in 
the evening disappointed. Some lay their poor luck and 
sport to the slormy and changeable weather, others to too 
much *‘seine” drawing. I have been told by some old bay- 
men that large schools of porpoise have frequented the bay 
of Jate, and surrounding the fish, feed on them and keep 
them at bay for hours, which of ccurse scares and scatters 
them, or may drive them out of the bay; but my idea is that 
fishing will be good again as soon as the weather settles. 
lsaw in your iast issue an article signed ‘‘Fontinalis,” who 
tries to criticise my account of sport and luck combined. 
He says I mention nothing about tackle, ete. Now all I say 
is if Mr, ‘‘Fontinalis’” wants to go weaktishing, it would be 
advisable for him to leave his trout tackle at home, other- 
wise he might fare the same as did John Smith, of Poca- 
hontas fame, KWEBEL, 
Broogk.yn, July 22. 
There is now good fishing in all the waters about New 
York, Bluefish are plenty and of good size. They are quite 
plenty at the eastern end of Long Island, and small. Fish 
from one to two pounds are now coming into the Sound and 
haye been caught as far west as Smithtown, Long Island. 
Weakfish are not so plenty, but some are taken about Staten 
Island, Striped bass are very scarce all over; there are but 
few in the market, and the fishing clubs in Vineyard Sound 
are not taking anything like their usual catch. Coney 
Island Creel does not afford the sport it did a few years ago, 
perhaps on account of the number of people to be found 
there now, or the drainage from the island, Drunifish have 
been ioo plentiful in Prince’s Bay to please the oystermen, 
but their coming is as sudden as their disappearance; they 
are not usually angled for about New York. On the Great 
South Bay both bluefish and weakfish are quite plentiful. 
but are small. Some kingfish are taken, and bottom fishing 
is good. At Fort Hamilton some weaktfish and kingfish are 
taken daily. 
ONEIDA LAKE, 
WO or three weeks ago, while near Syracuse, N. Y., the 
weather was very warm and I went up to Oneida Lake 
to enjoy a quiet Sunday, and get some fresh air, as well as 
indulge an idle curiosity [ have to inspect all fishing waters 
I may be near. 
On arrival at Fish Oreek station, the first stopping place 
on the lake, I made a start for the door to get off the train, 
but was met on the platform by a gang of young men reek- 
ing with perspiration, beer and poor whisky, who were 
evidently bent on having a big time, and making as much 
racket as a band of Comanche Indians. Isaw that was not 
the place I was looking for and got on again, and when the 
cars reached North Bay I stepped off in a little station house 
with not a single drunken man anywhere about. That was 
_fayorable, anyway, so picking up my gripsack and rod I 
started off and pitched camp at Brayton’s, a large new hotel 
right on the shore, only a stone’s throw from the station, 
and was soon enjoying a good cigar and the cool breeze on 
the piazza, 
Oneida Lake is a beautiful sheet of water. Twas glad I 
had come, and sat a long time watching the glimmer on the 
water and the bright stars above. During the evening and 
late into the night the torches of the pirates who spear fish, 
could be seen up and down the Jake, and about an hour 
before I turned in one boat came up to the pier in front of 
the hotel and I walked down to see what they had. They 
had come ashore to see if they could not get more coal oil, 
as their torch was growing dim. Mentally wishing they 
would not find a drop, which would put astop to the murder 
for one night, I stooped down and examined the cargo. 
“Poor luck to-night,” one of the men said as I looked them 
over, Fifteen or eighteen fine large bass, some of them 
three and four pounds, a good many bullheads, and one 
catfish of probably ten pounds, lay about the boat’s bottom 
with gaping wounds of the spear in their backs. I said to 
them, “I thought spearing was illegal in this State.” ‘‘Wali, 
we don’t know nuthin about it, nor don’t care, we spear all 
we want just the same. You can’t catch nuthin here ona 
pole and line,” ; 
On the piazza I met the hotel proprietor and one of the 
“pirates,” whom he had just supplied with more oil for his 
torch, I lighted a fresh cigar, sat down with him, preached 
a sermon upon the evils of such murderous practices, and 
tried to show him how he was helping to kill the very game 
fish that he ought to protect to his utmost, if for no other 
reason than the prosperity of his business. He was a good- 
natured fellow and I thiak had not realized before that he 
-was really injuring his own interests by encouraging spear- 
ing, and [ think when I got through I had made one convert 
to the cause of fish protection, 
ONE SvatH GAME Protecror’s Work,—Reading, Schuy- 
ler County, N, Y., July 24.—Kdttor Forest and Stredm: Since 
Oct. 18 Lhave made two arrests on Cross Lake, three on 
Canandaigua Lake, four on Owasco Lake, five on Keuka 
Lake, eight on Cayuga Lake, eight on Seneca Lake, two on 
Little Cayuta Lake; and haye reported the District Attorney 
of Schuyler county to the Governor for refusal to bring six 
more suits for violations on the same lake, after I had fur- 
nished him affidavits of several good witnesses to prove the 
same. Ithink the violationsin my district have fallen off 
at least one-half, and if justices of the peace and district 
attorneys would give me their full support I would have but 
little trouble to enforce the Jaw; bul 1 can see a change for 
the better even with them, I have two men under indict- 
ment and suits in Supreme Court for the recovery of $1,500; 
; have collected $750 in fines and penalties; and pot-fishermen 
and pot-hunters begin to make up their minds that the game 
and fish laws are to be enforced. It is a great mistake that 
protectors are not allowed more for travel. Everybody 
knows that a protector cannot travel over six or eight coun- 
ties on $20.80 per month, It often costs that to attend one 
term of court at a distant county seat; and then the protector 
is left to stay at home the rest of the month, no matter what 
violations may be going on, or else pay his own expenses, 
which he can ill afford to do ona salary of $500, 1 think 
every true sportsman, regardless of party, should use his in- 
fluence to have this thing righted at the next session of the 
Legislature.—A. N, Parisu, 
Giant PowprEr Frenps.—Crested Butte, Colo., July 19, 
1884.—Hiditor Forest and Stream: J inclose article from the 
Democrat of Gunnison, showing how we treat “trout hogs” 
in this country: ‘‘For several days past reports have been 
in circulation that the fish in the streams about Gunnison 
were being slaughtered by the use of giant powder. This 
was said to be particularly the case in the Black Canon, but 
instances were also reported from other parts of the county. 
The first actual case of the kind, however, was not brought 
to light until the day before yesterday, when James Maguire, 
of Mount Carbon, came to town and swore out warrants 
against Peter Cooper, John Bulger and Barney Carns, charg- 
ing them with using explosives to kill fish in Carbon Creek. 
The fwo latter were arrested and Jocked up in jail that even- 
ing, and yesterday Sheriff Shores went to Mount Carbon and 
brought Cooper to the city, The three mén were tried 
before Judge Wadsworth at the Court House last night and 
were found guilty and sent back to jail, The judge deferred 
sentence until nine o’clock this morning. The penalty for 
killing fish in this way is a fine of from one hundred to three 
hundred dollars, or confinement in the county jail for a 
period not exceeding sixty days, or both. District Attorney 
Rood and Mr. D. T. Sapp conducted the case for the people.” 
Thousands of fish are slaughtered yearly by the use of giant 
powder and seines, However, this year we have taken the 
matter in hand, and the miserable curs who have to cet their 
fish in this manner will find that they will be indeed ‘costly 
fish." —Srort, 
PENNSYLVANIA TRoutine.—Reading, N. Y,, July 24,— 
Last week I took a few days for pleasure and went fishing 
for brook trout with friends in Pennsylvania. I went to 
Lock Haven, and accompanied Messrs. Chas. Wait, the depot 
master of the P. & E. road, and James Dunn, one of Lock 
Haven’s merchants. Our fishing ground was Hddy Lick 
Run, reached via Beech Creek, Clearfield, on the South- 
western Railroad. In one day we took 245 of the speckled 
beanties. We had intended to stay two or three days, but 
Messrs. Wait and Dunn, being expert anglers, filled our 
basket in one day, and we returned fully satisfied. Deer and 
bear are reported plenty in that locality, also on Pine Creek, 
Iam sorry to say deer are being hunted daily with and with- 
out hounds, entirely regardless of the closed season. One 
fellow was watching a lick on the run that we were fishing, 
I saw several cubs both on Pine and Beech creeks, chained 
up at lumbermen’s camps, Lovers of beautiful wild scenery 
could find no better place to enjoy it than a trip over both 
the Pine Creek and the Beech Creek, Clearfield, and South- 
western Railroad.—A. N. P. 
PHIUADELPHIA Fisnine Nores.—July 27,—During the 
week there has been a run of bluefish at Barnegat inlet, the 
fish, however, were not large, but many were caught. Weak- 
fish and sea bass are biting well atthe same grounds. At 
Cape May this weck the Porpoise Fishing Company captured 
twenty-three large porpoises and two immense sharks at one 
haul. They were drawn up on the beach and their throats 
cut to prevent them from struggling, A fine black bass was 
taken in the Schuylkill River, under Girard Avenue Bridge, 
on Wednesday last, by a fisherman who was after ‘“‘catties;” 
the fish was a two-pounder. Ii is of very rare occurrence 
that a bass is caught so low down in the Schuylkill. From 
Betterton no news comes that the large perch have begun 
to bite, Later on they will appear.—Homo. 
PENNSYLYANIA.—An angler residing at Frankford informs 
us that numbers of white catfish have lately been captured 
in the Delaware at Bridesburg wharf and at the mouth of 
Frankford Oreek, The Jatter place a quarter of a century 
ago was.a favorite resort to fish for perch, and at times some 
fair catches are still made there. Dr. Burgiv, of German~ 
town, tells us that he lately had some very fair black bass 
fishing in the Perkiomen Creek, a half mile or more above 
its mouth, He fished there with artificial flies on several 
days and took a number of good-sized specimens, the largest 
weighing one pound and three-quarters. He found a fy 
with a yellow body to be the most killing,—Germantown 
| Telegraph, 
you 
lowing; “8, D. 
New Jersey; 
in I will send them to you to print.—Mmat-Hawx, [That 
was not the bargain. We will perhaps print a few. ] 
“Muat-Hawn’s” Ruymus,—Hditor Forestund Stream: Will 
permit me to acknowledge through the Formst AND 
STRHAM the receipt of responses to my rhymes, from the fol- 
K.,” Florida; “J. A.- H.,” Kentucky; 
‘Tommy Hawk,” Ontario; “Sangwillah,” Maryland; “C. J. 
T.,” Michigan; “E. R, W.” New York; “Mephistopheles,” 
Pennsylvania; ‘Mud,’ New York; ‘Youngster, Massachu- 
setts; ‘Ishnep Results,” Virginia; ‘A. 1. J.,” Vermont perma. 
C. M.,” New York; “J. D. V.,” Pennsylvania; “Reebuck,” 
‘Fish-Hawk,” Pennsylvania. So soon as all are 
CoLorapo.—Hot Sulphur Springs, July 20,— Editon. Har- 
est wnd Stream: Legally, the trout fishing seison opened here 
July 1, practically, it began about the 10th, when the streams 
had for the first time fallen enough for the fish to take fly or 
"hopper. Since that date it has improved rapidly, and sports: 
Inen now come in daily with good strings of large, fine fish, 
in perfect condition. The largest catch I have heard of was 
one man forty pounds of dressed fish on Wednesday evening 
and all day Thursday last. The best sport is now in smaller 
Streams, but many fish are taken from Grand River. The 
latter is yet rather full for first-class sport.—W. N, B. 
“Oty Hickory” Bewarn.—llion, N, Y,, July 25,—The 
kingfisher business drags slowly; the sky is pretty well 
cleared of them. 102 killed in five years, and millions of 
fish saved for the fish hogs.—J. D. H, 
Sisheulture. 
THE WHITEFISHES OF NORTH AMERICA. 
[A paper read before the Amevican Fisheultural Association.) 
BY TARLETON H, BEAN, M,D,, M5. 
Curator of the Department of Fishes of the U. 8. National Museum. 
feos whitefishes, properly so called, all belong to the genys 
Coregonus, which, however, admits of division into sev- 
eral minor groups, based chiefly upon the character of the 
mouth and the form of the body. We have, in North Amer- 
ica, twelve recognizable species, one of which is now appar- 
ently for the first time distinguished by name. These species 
are usually of wide distribution, and subject to sreat varia- 
tion with age and surroundings, making it difficult for the 
student to sharply define them by the use of characters which 
are generally believed to have specific value. An attempt is 
made to set, forth the relations of these twelve species by call- 
ing attention to the peculiarities which seem to be most im- 
portant and least subject to variation. The form of the 
mouth, the structure of the gill rakers, the size of the species, 
and, in some cases, the length of the fin-bases, appear to serve 
the purposes of classification best; but itis difficult to apply 
any fixed formule of definition and little to be wondered at 
that most of our common forms have been described over and 
over again since they were originally introduced into tlie lit- 
erature. 
Thave placed along with the whitefishes that magnificent, 
species, the finest of all fishes closely related to Coregonus, 
the Inconnu of the McKenzie and Yukon regions. This well- 
flavored species grows to four feet in length and is known to 
have reached fifty pounds in weight. From an examination 
of the Russian Stenodus leucichthys, 1 am inclined to think: 
that the American IJnconnu is identical with the species of 
Giildenstadt, and, if so, the range of the speciesis much more 
extensive than we have supposed, It may be, also, that sey- 
eral of the Alaskan species of Coregonus will prove to be iden- 
tical with Siberian forms; but we are unable tostate anything 
definite about this ab present. 
The whitetishes are among the most important, eeqnomic- 
ally, of all fishes. I need refer only to the fisheries of our great 
lakes to verify this statement. Im the northeim regions of 
America, also, they constitute one of the chief sources of food. 
supply. These fishes possess many natural advantages over 
otnes inhabitants of the waters—they do not prey upon one 
another and theirmoyements are not checked by dams and 
similar obstructions. They yield vast numbers of eggs, which 
are readily developed artificially, and it has recently been de- 
monstrated that the young fry can be reared in confinement, 
All of the species but two have excellent food qualities and 
they exist in great abundance. We may well protect and cul- 
tivate these fishes whose importance and possibilities can 
scarcely be overestimated. . 
NORTH AMBRICAN SPECIES OF COREGONUS, 
A. Lower jaw included; gill-rakers about 50 or fewer, moder- 
* ately long, or short and thick. 
a. Gill-takers moderately long; maxilla 1 head, or 
more. 
b. Tongue with teeth; gill-rakers 23... .labradorieus. — 
bb. Tongue toothless, or nearly so. 
ce. Nape arched and thick; gill-rakers 26-29,...cluwpe7- 
formas. s 
cc, Nape arched and much compressed; gill-rakers 24 
.. + nelsoni. —. 
aa. Gill-rakers short; maxilla 1-5 head.... (44 in willieni- 
soni). 
d. Wiouth inferior. 
e, Body elongate; maxilla ahoub 1-5 head; gill-rakers 
17....quadrilateralis. 
ee, Body oblong; maxilla about y head; gill-rakers 25 
... -williamsont. 
dd. Mouth not inferior, jaws nearly equal; maxilla 
about 1-5 head; gill-rakers 22... .kennteottti. 
AA. Lower jaw projecting, or jaws subequal; gill-rakers 
more than 30, long and slender. ; y 
f. Body cee i scales little convex behind; gill-rakers 45 
....tullibee. 
if. Body oblong or elongate; scales strongly convex be- 
a : 
ind. ; 
gl Eye moderate (¥ to 1-5 length of head). 
h. 
Dorsal base longer than post-orbital of head; sill- 
takers 36....laurette. = ’ ‘ Me 
hh, Dorsal base shorter than post-orbital part of head, 
