[Feb. 13, 1885. 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



49 



How Water Snakes Catch Fish.— Oswego, K Y.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: The following leaves no doubt as 

 to whether the common water snake is destructive to fish : 

 While angling tor trout in a pond I saw a water snake chas' 

 ing a fish about five indies in length. The fish, which was 

 on its spawning ground, kept swimming around in a circle, 

 but a, little in advance of be. pursuer. Finally the snake, 

 with its mouth, caught the fish by the tail. The fish kept 

 its body well ahead of the snake, for it bad the use of its fins. 

 After swimming about in this way for some time the snake 

 made its way to the shore aud drew ihe fish out of the water. 

 I killed the snake and liberated the fish. — Dootok, 



Bt.ack Bass Caught in Winter.— Swedesboro. N. J., 

 Feb. 4.— Three years ago, in November, we put 250 black 

 bass (4 to 6 inches long) in Washington Lake. Several bass 

 have been caught: there since. One taken on the 4th of July 

 last weighed, on (he scale, 21 pounds. Last Saturday, Jan. 

 38, the iniller was fishing for pike through 6-ineh ice, aud 

 ought a black bass weighing 8 pounds. Dr. Henshall claims 

 that bass are not caught in mid-winter, aud as we have all 

 along considered him the authority on the subject, would 

 like to inquire of your readers if if is a common thiugto 

 catcli them through the ice, aud whether Dr. Henshall is 

 wrong.— 0. D. L. 



Tarpon SruiNos, Fla., Jan. 39. — Fishiug is very good 

 here, both salt and fresh water, sheepsbead, channel bass, 

 sea trout, ravallic, skipjack or Lady fish, etc. Dr. Ferber 

 and a number of your old subscribers arc domiciled here 

 with Mr. and Mrs. Jones, who have uot lost their llomosassa 

 reputation in the least in their mauner of keeping a first- 

 class sportsmen's resort. Skipjack and sea trout are taken 

 in endless quantities with the fly, in fact, it is impossible to 

 cast with more than one fly at a time, owing to the way the 

 fish use up the Hies. This is no Florida story but a fact. — 

 C. B. T 



Substitute for Varntsk. — New Haven, Conn,— If hard 

 oil, such as painters use for natural wood finish, was tried 

 in place of varnish, shellac, wax, etc., anglers would find it 

 to their advantage. Also in finishing rods, it is far superior, 

 as it does not crack or chip off, and it does most effectually 

 shed water. It is very elastic, and gives as handsome a 

 finish as could be desired. Any first-class wood filler will 

 accomplish the same result. — Wi0 Wag. 



^m]\mltnvt. 



TROUT VERSUS CARP. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I see by the number of Fobest and Stream just received 

 that my article on "Trout Brooks" in Forest and Stream for 

 the J 5th ult. was alluded to in a lecture on ' 'Fishculture as a 

 Pennsylvania Industry," delivered in Harrisburgh before 

 the Pennsylvania Board of Agriculture and the Legislature. 

 Thy lecturer, as reported in Forest and Stream, "remarked 

 that 'Penn' had presented the only practical solution, 

 which, when duly analyzed and condensed, was simply to 

 leave, the streams in a state of nature," He claimed that a 

 strip ot brush fifteen feet wide would be necessary for shade 

 ancf shelter, and that on the stream which I described, this 

 would, with the stream itself, occupy three and seven-elevenths 

 acres. By actual trial this has been found to produce only 

 ten pounds of trout. But if devoted to properly constructed 

 carp ponds it would 3ueld three and a naif tons annually of 

 fish second in quality only to trout. 



Now as a matter of fact the stream which I alluded to is far 

 from being in its natural condition, and through the greater 

 part of its course has no shade whatever, except from its own 

 banks and the water grass. Originally the stream wandered 

 from side to side of a meadow. Now for the most part, it 

 runs in a straight line in an artificial channel. Three-fourths 

 of all the fish have been taken out of this open part, where 

 there is neither tree nor bush. Several of the springs are 

 located in the woods, but the trout have never been found so 

 far up. The stream does flow through a piece of wood just 

 above its mouth, but the fish are all above this part long 

 before the water is too warm for them. There is absolutely 

 no ground occupied, except by the stream itself, which is 

 reduced to the straightest and narrowest limits. The trout 

 brook of the future for our region is far removed from a 

 natural condition. It is almost wholly artificial. Yet the 

 work to be put upon it is just what our farmers are putting 

 upon their streams, with a view on their jiart solely to economy 

 of laud. They are already collecting the spring water in the 

 swamps into underdraius, and leading these into deep ditches 

 which run straight to the larger streams. If beyond this, they 

 will allow the sti'eams to shade themselves by their native 

 grasses, and will keep them free from open ponds, and 

 obstructing dams, the trout, if started, will live, and thrive, 

 and multiply, and cost little, and occupy absolutely no 

 ground. 



I do not place much value upon hyhothetical cyphering. 

 If, however, I were to try my hand at it, the result wordd be 

 as follows: If there were but one such stream to the square 

 mile over a part of our State 100 miles square, here would be 

 produced, at ten pounds to the stream, the large aggregate of 

 50 tons of brook trout annually. I doubt if an equal amount 

 of carp could be raised more easily or cheaply. Still the 

 possible limit of trout would be soon reached, while the 

 possible production of carp is really unlimited. I have 

 nothing but encouragement to offer to the promoters of carp 

 culture. Where it is undertaken thoroughly and carefully, 

 the results may be all that is claimed for it. But the 

 experience of our neighborhood has indicated that the carp 

 have very little ability to take charge of themselves. They 

 are eaten by other fish, and are easily washed out by freshets. 

 They are also very liable to be stolen bv poachers. In con- 

 sequence of thess results 1 believe that in my neighborhood 

 up to the present time, the closing remarks of my former 

 article are true. 



I will add one paragraph upon restocking our depleted 

 waters. Within the last few years, trout have been placed in 

 many of our larger streams. These fish, when the spring 

 came, ran up the smaller brooks, but in the early season there 

 was nothing to tell the trout which stream would shelter him 

 in midsummer and whicfi would compel him to live, or 

 rather die, in water at the temperature of 80 or 90 deg. In 

 this way the greater part of the stocking trout must have 

 perished, it would be much better in such cases to select 

 only those brooks in which the fish have a fair chance of 

 living, and place them in there in the spring, late enough for 

 them to find the water of the larger streams so wami that 

 they will keep to their cooler brook. They will then live and 

 spawn there, and the young fry will surety return to their 

 place of nativity. In this way all of the introduced fish will 

 be effective in producing the new stock. From the original 

 brooks they will slowly spread to other suitable streams. 



. . Penn. 



Men Have no Eight to expose their families to the risk of being 

 thrown helpless on the world, when they can prevent it at small cost 

 by taking a policy in the Travelers, of Hartford, Conn.— Adv. 



%t Mmwh 



FIXTURES. 



BF.NOH SHOWS. 



March 5, 1885.— World's Exposition Dog .Show, New Orleans, La. 

 Entries close Feb. 88. L. P Whitman, Superintendent. 



March 18, 19 aud 80, 1885.— Second Annual Show of tho New Haven 

 Kennel Club. E. S. Porter, Secretary, New Haven, Conn. 



April 7 to 10. 1885.— First Annual Dog Show n. E. Kennel Club, 

 Music Hall, Boston. J. A. Niekerson, Secretary, 15!) A Tremoiit street. 



April 21, 2-1 and 513. — Annual Dog Show of the St. Louis Gun Club. 

 W. A. Albright. Secretary; St. Louis, Mo. 



April 38. 3!), 30 and May 1.— Ninth Annual Dog Blrcrw Of the West- 

 minster Kennel Club at Madison Square i J.i rden. Entries close April 

 14. James Mortimer, Superintendent, 48 Bro;ul street, Now York. 



May 5, 8. 7 and 8, 1885.— Second Annual Dog Show of the Cincin- 

 nati Sportsman's Ohio, Cincinnati, O. \V. A. Coster, Superintendent. 



May 13. 14 and 15,— Third Annual Dog (Show of the Eorohtd Dog 

 Show Association. W. S. JacksoD, Secretary, Toronto, Out. 



A. K. R. -SPECIAL NOTICE. 



rpHE AMERICAN KENNEL REGISTER, for the registration of 

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

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

 Entry blanks sent on receipt of stamped and addressed envelope. 

 Registration fee (50 cents) must accompany each entry. No entries 

 inserted unless paid in advance. Yearly subscription SI .50. Address 

 "American Kennel Register," P. O. Box 8832, New York. Number 

 of entries already printed 3113. 



THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB. 



(1 ENERAL W. B, SHATTUC, acting as secretary of the ex- 

 X ecutive committee of the American Kennel Club at its 

 meeting of January 24, has prepared for publication a, report 

 of the proceedings," which appears in this department. Pre- 

 suming that the committee met at New York it was somewhat 

 startling to notice the absence of the Westminster Kennel Club, 

 one of the two prime movers in the establishment of the new 

 association. This, coupled with the absence of delegates from 

 the New Haven, New England and Philadelphia clubs led to 

 inquiry being made when the surprising fact of the meeting 

 being held at Cincinnati was elicited. Why Cincinnati was 

 selected is not very apparent and still less can it be understood 

 why the whereabouts of the meeting is kept so peculiarly 

 hidden. 



It is further stated that certain clubs were represented in 

 person or by proxy, and it is left to the speculation of the 

 reader as to which were the personal representations and 

 which the proxy. Our speculation is as follows: Montreal 

 by proxy, Baltimore by proxy, Cleveland by proxy, Illinois 

 by proxy, Kentucky by Major Taylor, St. Louis by proxy, 

 Cincinnati by General Shattuc. On this point we are open to 

 correction, but pending the receipt of this information we 

 exercise the common right of dealing with probabilities and 

 assume that Major Taylor and General Shattuc met and with 

 proxies formed a quorum. 



Before looking at the business, it would be as well to cast a 

 passing glance at the clubs represented and see what they 

 nave done, in tho way of promoting dog shows. The Montreal 

 Club has held three shows, of which the last one, held in 1SS4, 

 was the only one entitled to any consideration and may be 

 rated as a second-class exhibition : Baltimore Club has neither 

 held nor announced a show; Cleveland Club has held two 

 shows, equal in caliber to Montreal; Illinois Club has never 

 held a show, but announces one for next June; Kentucky Club 

 has neither held nor announced a show; St. Louis Kennel Club 

 is probably a mistake and the St. Louis Gun Club is meant. 

 Then united effort of last year was a most indifferent one, 

 still they have men of experience in the club. The last is the 

 Cincinnati Club, which has yet to hold its first show in May. 

 It is claimed that it is the second show, but it is well known 

 that the show of 1884 was Mr. Lincoln's private venture, and 

 he so stated to us. To summarize, the meeting was made up 

 of three clubs which have held shows and four which have 

 not, and the clubs not represented are the leading clubs in im- 

 portance, either in point of number of members or as promot- 

 ers of dog shows. Of the seven clubs represented, we have 

 presumed, in view of the suppression of information on that 

 point, that five were represented by proxies held by the rep- 

 resentatives of the other two clubs, Messrs. Shattuc and 

 Taylor. 



There were no reports from committees, which is equivalent 

 to saying that since the association was established in October 

 last it has done nothing. No members were elected, that very 

 necessary piece of business being postponed until a full 

 representation could be had. This is a strange reason to give, 

 in view of seven clubs being represented and the importance 

 the election of clubs bears upon qualification for the 

 champion classes. Notwithstanding the lack of representa- 

 tion, however, Major Taylor and General Shattuc proceeded 

 to discuss, and "after a full discussion" decided that Major 

 Taylor's interpretation of Rule 8 should j stand. This inter- 

 pretation is as unwarranted as it is surprising, for neither 

 does the wording of the rule bear ib out nor was it intended 

 to read in any such way. 



When Rule 8 was adopted last October, the gentlemen pres- 

 ent knew well enough what the object and intent of the ride 

 was, viz. : That after that date no dog should be permitted it 

 the champion class unless he had won three first prizes at show- 

 held by members of the association. The ride says so, and in 

 was meant by those who framed and passed it to say that and 

 nothing else. For some reason not perfectly clear to us, Major 

 Taylor announced, some time ago, that the rule was not meant 

 to apply that way, but that any dog that had hitherto won 

 one first prize should compete in the champion class. In 

 future, we are told, "dogs will be advanced strictly in accord- 

 ance with Rules Sand 9;" but why the rules are not to be 

 strictly interpreted and enforced "right now is something 

 Major Taylor has never explained. There can be but one rea- 

 son for this breaking clown of the rule, and that is, to admit 

 into the champion class some dog or dogs which would be rele- 

 gated once more to the open class and possibly remain there. 

 If there is no specific object in view, why change the rule? is 

 the question which naturaUy arises. It is either to benefit 

 some dog, and is therefore special legislation for which there 

 is no license, or else it is for no one's particular benefit, and 

 therefore totally unnecessary, so it is wrong whichever way 

 one looks at it. 



That Forest and Stream is not alone in looking at the case 

 in this light is evidenced by the complete repudiation of Major 

 Taylor's rendering of the rule by the New Haven Kennel 

 Club. Mr. E. S. Porter, who acts as secretary of that live 

 organization, is also secretary of the American Kennel Club, 

 and he knows as we do that the rule was meant to apply just 

 as it reads, and further, that it will so apply at the Ne w Haven 

 show next month, which is the first to be held under the new 

 rules. The New England Club has said nothing either way, 

 but if they agree with Mr. Porter and Fobest and Stream 

 that the rule was passed, with the object of carrying out what 

 the words say shall be done, there is but one thing for them to 

 do, and that is for them to support New Haven. 



The American Kennel Club started out under bright auspices, 

 with a mission of much good and benefit to fulfill, but so far 

 the residts have beeu eminently Unsatisfactory. It is sincerely 

 hoped that some of the clear' heads of the Eastern clubs will 

 come to the rescue and save the association from possible dis- 

 comfiture. 



THE A. K. R. PEDIGREE FEE is 50 cents. The fee must 

 in every instance accompany the entry. 



MEETING OF THE A. K. C. 



THE Executive Committee of the American Kennel Club 

 met Jan. 24. The meeting was called to order by J M. 

 Taylor, President, and General W. B. Shattuc appointed Sec- 

 retary. 



The following clubs were represented in person or by proxy. 

 viz. : Montreal Kennel Club, Baltimore Kennel Club, Cleveland 

 Bench Show Association, Illinois Kennel Club, Kentucky Kmi- 

 nel Club, St. Louis Kennel Club, Cincinnati Sportsmen's Club 

 and Bench Show Association. The New Haven Kennel Club 

 having authorized the representative of the Westminster Club 

 or in his absence the representative of the New England Ken- 

 nel Club to cast its rote, neither being present, it was left 

 without representation. 



The minutes of the meeting of Oct. 2& 1884, at New York 

 city, were read and approved. The regular order of business 

 according to the by-laws was then taken up. There being no 

 election of officers, the secretary's report and the treasurer's 

 report were read and approved. No reports from committees. 

 It was decided not to take up the election of members until the 

 noxt meeting, when a full representation could be had. Under 

 bead of miscellaneous business, the proper construction of 

 Rules 8 and 9 were then taken up for discussion. After a full 

 consideration, the rules as interpreted by the president and 

 published in the principal sportsmen's papers over his signa- 

 ture, viz. : "All dogs of whatsoever breed that have won a first 

 prize in the open classes at the bench shows of any organiza- 

 tion now recognized as a mom her of the American Kennel 

 Club, should be. entered in the Champion class, and all dogs 

 that have won two first prizes in the champion class, regard- 

 less of former competition, should be entered in the Extra 

 Champion class. In future winnings dogs will be advanced 

 strictly in accordance with Rules 8 and 9, and no awards will 

 be recognized except those made by members of the A. K. C," 

 were approved, with the following addition, viz.: that "previ- 

 ous winners of first prizes in the open clans shall take advan- 

 tage of their winning during the year 1 88S by entering in the 

 Champion class ; if they do not before Jan. 1, 1886, they shall 

 be continued in the open class until them winnings amount to 

 three first prizes." 



It was also the unanimous opinion of the meeting, that Rules 

 8 and y of the A. K. C. should only apply to coming shows 

 given under the auspices of members of the association, with 

 the understanding that clubs may avail themselves of the right 

 of Section 33 of Rules and Regulations, in advertising extra 

 champion class or not, as they think proper. 



W. B. SnATTUC, Acting Sec'y. 



CRYSTAL PALACE DOG SHOW. 



[From our Regular Correspondent.] 



THE Kennel Club's twenty-fourth exhibition of sporting 

 and non-sporting dogs was held in the galleries of the 

 Crystal Palace, Sydenham, on Jan. 13. 14, 15 and 16. The 

 total number of entries amounted to 1,624, which is the largest 

 we have attended, although we believe at the Agricultural 

 Hall, Islington, in May, 1808, the entries exceeded this consid- 

 erably. However, taking the number and quality of the ex- 

 hibits, we consider this one of the best exhibitions of the 

 kind ever held, if not the best. As we have already said, the 

 show was held in the galleries of the Crystal Palace, and for 

 an exhibition of the sort we consider a more undesirable place 

 could not be selected. The judging was not finished mi til 

 midday on Wednesday, the 14th. On the first day there were. 

 five judging rings. These rings were "here and there" all 

 over the place, and as there was little available space left for 

 the public to see what was going on, and yet so much was 

 going on at the one time, that we, along with the public, had 

 to put up with a private view on the bench in a great many 

 instances. "We also noticed a good deal of time lost by an 

 insufficient supply of keepers, as in many cases when' one 

 class was judged there was considerable delay before all the 

 dogs competing in the following class were brought into tho 

 ring. This was often caused by one dog being benched in one 

 class and competing in another, which really cannot be. well 

 avoided so long as dogs are allowed to compete in two classes. 

 The benching, as usual, was in the hands of Messrs. Spratts, 

 whose manager, Mr. Crofts, could be no more attentive or 

 obligmg. The disinfectant of Messrs. Jeys was everything 

 that could be desired. So, after taking everything into con- 

 sideration, the management was a success, the only objec- 

 tionable thing being the galleries as a place for holding a dog 

 show. 



BLOODHOUNDS. 



In champion bloodhounds, Nestor, looking remarkably well, 

 won easy. The corresponding bitch class was composed of 

 four good ones, and almost either of them might have won 

 without leaving much room for dissatisfaction. In open dogs, 

 Mr. Nichols was once more in front with another good young 

 hound, with good expression and possessing a good bedy, leg's 

 and feet. Maltravers, second, another good one not so well 

 on his feet and legs as the winner. Duncan, third, had a good 

 many admirers who thought he might have won. There were 

 a pair of very promising puppies shown in this class by Mr. 

 Foster, which no doubt will be heard of again, and we hope 

 they will not suffer from their visit to the Crystal Palace. 

 The winner in the bitch class we consider one of the best out. 

 We did not admire the second prize on account of her white 

 feet. Third prize went to Morgiana; her skull is not equal to 

 the others placed oyer her. 



MASTIFFS. 



The class for champion mastiffs, dogs, was well supported, no 

 less than seven entered and all turned up before the judge, 

 whose decision we could not quite follow. Maximilian, the 

 winner, is a good-bodied clog, but not quite large enough in 

 skull for a dog of his size, when compared to others in the 

 class. Orlando looked well; what a pity this dog did not 

 stand up better on his legs; his body and head properties are 

 really something extraordinary. We fancied Crown Prince 

 or Cardinal for the pick, and the latter for choice. There 

 were only two entries in the bitch class, and we quite indorse 

 the decision and think the brindle Lilly II. won well. The 

 open dogs were, as a collection, the worst lot we have seen at 

 the Palace. Goth, the winner, is long in face and seems fiat 

 in rib. In fact we considered Prussian Prince as good as any 

 in the class, and he is not of the first rank; nevertheless, he is 

 really good in body and of good type. Ilford Caution is a 

 good fronted. dog, but falls off behind. The open bitch class 

 was about the best we have seen, the winner, Cambrian 

 Princess, is a good bitch, possessing both size and quality, yet 

 we did not like the way she moved. Second prize, Queen 

 Ann, is a good stamp but got more than she was entitled to 

 here in our opinion. We fancied her kennel companion as 

 much as her. Dr. Turner's pair, Lady Clare and Lady Isabel, 

 we fancied very much; the former has her ears set on rather 

 high, while the latter we think should either have been first 

 or second. Vivien, he, was looking well; she has often been 

 reported upon. We could not follow the judge in the bitch 

 puppy class, the second prize being a long way ahead of the 

 first, whose ears were wrong and in face she was also inferior 

 to her sister. Mr. Wade, all the way from Pittsburgh, Pa., we 

 find represented by a daughter of his imported Dina, which 

 in many respects resembles her dam, but possesses, if we 

 recollect right, more bone and substance. 



ST. BERNARDS. 



In St. Bernard champion dogs, Valentine, still improving, 

 was successful hi defeating the Well-known Bayard. Closter 

 did not turn up in bitches and Elfrida won, we think looking 

 better than we ever saw her. She was certainly greatly im- 

 proved on her Edinburgh form. We find Mr. Smith again 

 first in the open dog class with Merchant Prince, second to 

 Valentine at Birmingham. He is a remarkable large young 

 dog, possessing good coat and carries himself well; had he a 



