Feb. 5, 1885.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



33 



sequence adopt those which seem to me most practical and 

 enduring. 



In confirmation of the trials experienced in procuring flies, 

 spoken of by your correspondents, I will speak of my own, 

 and how in consequence of them I came to make flies. I had 

 for many years made fishing rods and reels, and in filling 

 orders for the same had frequent requests for other tackle to 

 he sent in the same package. I then ordered, to supply these, 

 demands, small quantities of flics from the dealers— first 

 orderiuga complete line of samples with names attached. 

 These I received, but found it utterly impossible to duplicate 

 my ^orders. I was continually disappointed by the substi- 

 tuting of other flies or sizes than the ones I had ordered, and 

 1. in turn, was forced to disappoint and apologize to my 

 customer. I then thought that if there was any way out of 

 this dilemma, caused by a confusion in names and a care- 

 lessness in copying exactly the pattern fly, I should seek it. 



In time one of my family viewed with favor the idea of 

 learning to tie flies." To this end 1 employed one of the best 

 fly-tyers in the city to come to my house and stay until he 

 had 'imparted his knowledge and skill, and when I felt that 

 we were competent I advertised to fill orders exactly in ac- 

 cordance with directions. To this I have endeavored to ad- 

 here. I aimed only to copy accepted patterns, but no oue 

 who has not made a study of it can realize the difficulty 

 it is lo decide which is the ''true and only Fiery Brown" or 

 any other named fly. The Abbey had for many years been 

 a favorite fly in my own use. 1 have in possession four vari- 

 ties of the fly so called, all tied by New York dealers, but I 

 felt that the fly which came from the. firm of Abbey & Imbrie 

 ought to be adopted as the correct standard, and therefore 

 have aways tied an Abbey or an Imbiie fly precisely like the 

 flies sold by that firm, feeling that they were the ones to 

 establish a standard for the flies to which they had given 

 their names. 



In looking through my fly-case I often call to mind the 

 history of each variety, and 1 sometimes wonder if a little 

 memorandum of the s-ime would in time become of interest. 



The royal coachman mentioned by "White Hackle" was 

 first offered to purchasers by me. It did not, however, orig- 

 inate with me. The fly-tyer I mentioned long ago sent to 

 me a sample of the same, saying, "1 have just been tieing 

 some flies to order for a gentleman. He says he likes the 

 coachmau better than any other fly, but he finds it very 

 frail, and he wants me to tie some with red silk in the mid- 

 dle, to make them stronger, and he also wants a little sprig 

 of wood duck for a jib (tail). I send you a fly to see. I 

 think it quite handsome." 



This inclosed fly had a white wing, brown hackle, pea- 

 cock body, hound in the center with red silk, and tail of 

 wood duck feather with the black and white bars. 1 kept 

 this Hy for some time, showing it to several people. One 

 evening a number were gathered around a table looking at 

 the flies. My family, Mr. Horace T. Dunn, of California, 

 and Mr. L. 0. Orvis, of Hartford, Conn., were present dis- 

 cussing the propriety of every rly having a name, numbers 

 giving them little or no individuality. I said, "But what is 

 one to do? I do not propose to name flies. We have too 

 many names already." "Why not?" say they. "If you 

 make a new combination name it. Else it will never be 

 popular. No one can remember to distinguish flies by num- 

 bers; they get coniHised. A name, fixes a fly in your mind." 

 "Well," I answer, "that may be; but look, here is this fly, 

 a handsome fly; it is similar to a coachman, but it is not a 

 coachman. There is but one coachman ; that is the fly wc 

 all know, with a white wing, peacock body and brown 

 hackle." 



'Twill tell you," exclaimed Mr. L. C. Orvis, "that is an 

 extra fine coachman; all that scarlet makes it quite magnifi- 

 cent—call it— call it — the royal coachman!" 'This seemed 

 suitable, so the fly was christened. Not long after I pub- 

 lished a list of flie's, and included the "royal" coachman in 

 the number. 



Later I received a letter from an angler in Wagon Wheel 

 Gap, Colorado, saying: "I wish you would make a coach- 

 man for me with all the gilt on it possible. I believe such a 

 fly would be stronger and more taking." 



We tied the flies, making the body of gilt, with only a 

 neck or ruff of peacock hurl, and it proved most acceptable 

 both to the man for whom it was designed and to the fish of 

 Colorado. We have made man}' dozens for that country, 

 and it seemed too good a fly not to be added to the list, so 

 the ' 'gilt'' coachman received a place. 



The red-tip coachman and lead-wing coachman had been 

 known in the trade long before 1 entered it, but I feel re- 

 sponsible for the innovation of the royal and gilt coachman, 

 and here confess and account for the same. 



I make a fly called the "Holberton," which was obtained 

 of him (Mr. Holberton) by a gentleman in New York as the 

 genuine. This I call the Holberton, and endeavor to adhere 

 to the pattern in every shade and droop of feather, and twist 

 of silk and tinsel. 



"Poke-o'-Moonshine" refers to a fly called "B. A. (]}." as 

 follows: "From his description which says/It has white 

 wings, dark red hackle legs, and red body, in fact a coachman 

 with a red body, if such a thing is possible.' We would here 

 like to interrupt "Pokc-o'-Moonshine"with "No, such a thing 

 is not possible; with the absence of peacock hurl it is no 

 longer a coachman; the royal coachman is not really a coach- 

 man; neither is the so-called gilt coachman, but they still 

 retain more of the elements." 



I will tell you of a case I once knew. A worthy and in- 

 ventive man confided to me the plan of a new rotary steam 

 valve, and wanted me to help him about his models. I ad- 

 mired his invention and the patient study which had origin- 

 ated and perfected the idea, and believed the mau had a 

 fortune within his grasp. I did not see him again for some 

 time, but when I did, inquired after the rotary steam valve. 

 The man leaned toward me and said, "Do you know, a 

 deluded K— ss down in New Jersey has invented one ex- 

 actly like it. When I began to investigate I found he was in 

 ahead of me." "But did you know him; did he know any- 

 thing about your idea?" 1 asked rapidly. "No, no.it was 

 all right, only he was ahead of me a little; he had never 

 heard of me or I of him. " 



I am reminded of this case when I read of the fly with a 

 white wing and red body, and red hackle, which " B. A. G." 

 says originated in Utica, N. Y. 



One delightful spring day, a few years ago, a worthy and 

 rather elderly brother-in-law of mine came to the house, and 

 with a most satisfied smile on his jovial face, said: 



"I am going to drive to Bennington, and 1 know a stream 

 where there are some fish and I'll show you people a string 

 of trout that will make your eyes shine; but I want you first 

 to make a fly for me. You know I always use a coachman ; 

 it is the only fly of any account anyway. I don't want any 

 of you* new, fancy flie's; give me a coachman every tim'e. 



But I always put on the hook a fin of a fish. You arc not 

 apt to catch fish unless yon do. Now, I want you to make 

 a fly just like the coachman, only don't put that peacock 

 body on, that always wears off; but make the body of silk, 

 the same color as a fish's tin." 



This we did, and he started off jubilant, believing this 

 "the- Ay."' He reported great success with it, and it was 

 afterward tried by others to whom we suggested it, and so 

 sprang into existence the fin-fly. 1 do not know the history 

 of the origin of the B. A. Q, in Utica, but it may, too, have 

 been from the old, familiar idea of the efficacy of the fin of 

 a fish as an allurement. 



1 have only cited these examples to show you that new 

 combinations may be made and there be no desire to conflict 

 with the old. I am most desirous of conforming with some 

 established standard, and in the fly-plates of the hook called 

 " Fishing with the Fly," great care was taken to trace flies, 

 as far as possible, to their origin and then to give the original 

 type as introduced by its inventor. 



' Dr. Henshall gave me formula for the Polka, Oriole, 

 Henshall and "Oconomowoc." They were tied according to 

 descriptions and he pronounced them correct. As he was (lie 

 originator of these flies, what better cau we do than follow 

 his prescription ? 



IthiukMr. Wells will vouch for his own " Parmachecne 

 Belle." A fly in the plates which he says is similar, was one 

 made to order, and the one for whom it was made called it 

 " a Professor ! ! with a white wing." This we could not 

 bring ourselves to do, so we simply said it had no name, 

 until in time it came to be the "no name,'' 



Mr. Cheney will undoubtedly defend the Cheney bass and 

 trout fly. Major Ferguson, of Maryland, gave us a correct 

 pattern of the fly to which he lends bis name. (This pat- 

 tern did not reach us in time, to be represented in fly-plates 

 in "Fishing with the Fly." The Ferguson there illustrated is 

 slightly different from the fly given us by Major Ferguson, 

 but it is like the generally accepted design used and sold. The 

 difference would not be uoticed by many.) 



Mr. Thomas Williamson, of Leesburg Academy, Virginia, 

 sent us a fly of his own tieiug, with feathers, that we might 

 copy it; and said he found the fly a most taking fly for black 

 bass in those waters, and should call it "the academy," and 

 so on. 



We had more difficulty in determining upon the true Mon- 

 treal than upon any other fly. We obtaiued flies of this 

 name from many dealers and many fishermen ; there were 

 numerous varieties, but the majority seemed to unite upon a 

 brown turkey wing, claret body and hackle. We then 

 wrote to Forest & Sons, Kelso, Scotland, feeling that they 

 might well be referred to as of highest authority, for who 

 ties a more beautiful fly or duplicates more exactly than 

 these artists? They replied, indorsing the brown turkey 

 wing, claret body and hackle, and scarlet ibis tail (body 

 wound with gilt;. We then made tbe fly after the sampie 

 furnished by them, and in accordance with the generally ac- 

 cepted method in this country and Canada. 



For a white miller, where can we better go for a type than 

 to the fat body, tipped with orange, and the fluttering white 

 wings of the familiar insect? This can be well represented 

 by white silk chenille for the body and orange silk for the 

 tip of boay, and who ever saw a white miller with other than 

 white wings? 



I am tempted to write on indefinitely, hut fear I have 

 already transgressed beyond my proper space. I will there- 

 fore add, that the only way I can see out of the dilemma of 

 confusion is for all to enter our flies, and have their name, 

 pedigree and points properly registered. I, for one, will 

 conform strictly to rules. But seriously, why not announce 

 the new flies. If they prove good and we find them worthy 

 a name, they are worthy the notice and interest of all fly- 

 fishermen, and we w T ill then know who is responsible and to 

 whom to refer for the proper type. Charles F. Orvis. 



Manchester, Yt. 



fffislfcttUure, 



F1SHCULTURE AS AN INDUSTRY. 



ME,. MILTON P. PEIRCE, of Philadelphia, Pa., the official 

 flshculturalist of the Pennsylvania Board of Agriculture, 

 delivered before that body and the Legislature last week an 

 address on "Fisheulture as a Peimsylvenia Industry." During 

 his address he quoted two or three times from the Forest 

 and Stream, communications from Peimsylvanians, parti- 

 cularly that signed "Penn" in our issue of January 15, 

 headed "Trout Brooks." Referring to the costly attempts, 

 diuing the past quarter of a century, to solve the problem of 

 keeping original trout streams supplied with this peerless fish, 

 he remarked that "Perm" had presented the only practical 

 solution, which, when duly analyzed and condensed, was 

 simply to leave the streams in a state of nature, and, he added, 

 not only the streams but their immediate surroundings must 

 be so continued. He claimed, that for even so small a stream 

 as that described by "Penn," a strip of at least fifteen feet 

 in width of brush along its banks would be required to furnish 

 adequate shade and resorts for insects upon which the trout 

 feed. Takmg this area including the stream with other dates 

 furnished by "Penn," he found that the sum of areas 

 amounted to three and seven-elevenths acres devoted to this 

 only practicable method of trout culture. From tffis area, 

 according to "Penn's" data, not much if anymore than ten 

 pounds of trout could be taken annually. Then, quoting 

 "Penn's" final paragraph as follows: "If as much effort 

 were put in this direction as is being made in the raising 

 of German (?) carp, the result would be better both for 

 the angler and the epicure" he said, the same area of 

 properly constructed carp ponds devoted to the culture of 

 our improved types of American food carp, would produce a 

 yield of fully Ijliree and a half tons annually of fish second in 

 quality only to trout. 



CARP IN VIRGINIA.— Louisa County, Va.— My experi- 

 ence with German carp has been somewhat at variance with 

 the published statements I have seen on the subject. First— 

 They do not hibernate in this climate, but are freely in motion 

 whenever the ponds are not covered with ice. I have fed 

 mine on the surface of the water repeatedly this winter (with 

 crackers) when a part of the pond was covered with ice. Sec- 

 ond—If properly attended to and pushed in their growth by 

 feeding, as soon as they are large enough to cat "powdered 

 cracker, I believe they will spawn at one year old. I am sat- 

 isfied of this from the'f act that I dissected, last month, a young 

 carp six inches long (spawned May, 1884), and found an abund- 

 ance of eggs in it, not quite as large in size as clover seed; it 

 no doubt would have spawned in the spring of 1885. Third— 

 As to their readiness to take the hook, they are as vigorous 

 biters as any angler could desire, and for a short time are very 

 strong and active, but soon give up the struggle. I have 

 hooked them with a bait of corn bread and with wheat bread, 

 with worms, boiled Irish potato, and once, when fishing for a 

 turtle with a piece of minnow for bait, I unexpectedly and un- 

 designedly caught a chrete-po'und ca.rp. Their table qualities 



are excellent if they are skinned before being cooked. Their 

 worst enemies are the minks, otters, muskrats and snapping 

 turtles. It is easy, with a shotgun, to kill the snakes, cranes, 

 Indian hens, kingfishers, etc. I shot an Otter in one of my 

 carp ponds a few weeks since, that measured 4 feet T.% inches 

 from tip to tip, and on cutting him opan to see how many 

 carp he had caught, to my astonishment found him full of 

 crawfish, and nothing else. — P. 



SHAD LEGISLATION WANTED.— The State Fishery Com- 

 missions of Pennsylvania and New Jersey held a conference 

 at Trenton, on Tuesday last, for the purpose of arranging 

 for an apphcation to ' the Legislatures of the two States for 

 concurrent legislation in regard to the shad fisheries of the 

 Delaware Paver. The fisheries are declining yearly in yield, 

 and unless something is done to secure greater immunity to 

 the fish from almost constant pursuit, the catches of the future 

 will be still smaller. It is proposed to have an intermission of 

 the fishing from Saturday morning at sunrise until the corre- 

 sponding time on Monday morning of each week, instead of 

 frorii sunset of Saturday evening until sunrise Monday morn- 

 ing. Legislation of the same kind will be asked for the Sus- 

 quehanna River, the Maryland having agreed to act with the 

 Commissioners of this State, — Homo. 



T jht MmneL 



FIXTURES, 



BENCH SHOWS. 



Feb. 4 to 11, 18&5.— New York Fanciers' Club, Third Annual Exhibi- 

 tion of non-sporting dogs, poultry and pig-eons at Madison Square 

 Garden, (jhos. Hacker, Secretary. 02 Cortlandt street. 



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

 Entries cioso Feb. 88. L. F. Whitman, Superintendent. 



March 18, 19 and 2D. 1885— Second Annual Sbow of the New Haven 

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



April 7 to 10. 1886.— First Annual 'Dog Show N. E. Kennel Club, 

 Music Hall. Boston. J. A. Nickerson, Secretary. 169A Tremont street. 



April 21. 28 and 23.— Annual Dog Show of the St. Louis Hun Club. 

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



April 28, 20, 30 and May 1.— Ninth Annual Dog Show of the West- 

 mins f er Kennel Club at Madison Squara Gurdeu. Entries close April 

 14. R. C. Cornell, Secretary, 54 William street, New York. 



May 5, 6. 7 and 8, 1S85.— Second Annual Dog Show of the Cincin- 

 nati Sportsman's Club. Cincinnati, 0. W. A. Coster, Superintendent. 



May 13, 14 and 15.— Tinrd Annual Dog Show of the Toronto Dog 

 Show Association, W. S. Jackson, Secretary, Toronto, Ont. 



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 he 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 81.50. Address 

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

 of entries already printed 1987. 



NEW ORLEANS DOG SHOW. 



NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 31.— The entries are coming in at a 

 good rate. The show will be held in the Exposition 

 grounds, in a building set aside especially for that purpose, 

 and will open March 5 and close on the 'night of the 11th, 

 quite a long time to keep the dogs confined, but to counteract 

 the bad effects thereof, I shall have two yards of nearly an 

 acre each to exercise them in. The building is large and will 

 admit of benching a large number of dogs. The managers of 

 the Exposition are now considering my proposition to offer 

 a supplementary prize list that will, with the regular premium 

 Lst, aggregate double the amount ever offered at any show 

 before. I am receiving letters from all parts of the United 

 States and Canada requesting entiy blanks. I am expecting 

 a large entry of foxhounds, as there will be given a miniature 

 fox hunt on the grounds, which are very commodious; also a 

 coursing match for greyhounds. I can from the present out- 

 look safely say that the show will be first-class in every 

 respect. L. F. Whitman, Superintendent. 







THE CRYSTAL PALACE DOG SHOW. 



WING to late arrival of the European mails we are com- 

 pelled to defer until next week the report of this show 

 from our special correspondent. The following is taken from 

 the London Field; 



In May, 1863, the first international dog show was held in 

 Islington Agricultural Hall, and its novelty was such that no 

 fewer than 1 67S entries were made. We are not aware that 

 any of these were duplicate entries, and as the hounds, with 

 few exceptions, competed in three couples, and pointer and 

 setter puppies in braces, the actual number of dogs shown was 

 even greater than the figures given above. Thus the twenty- 

 fourth exhibition, under the management of the Kennel Club, 

 which opened at the Crystal Palace on Tuesday, and closed 

 yesterday, wfith its 1,623 entries, is not a "best on record," as 

 many imagined, though the largest ever held hy this body. 

 The previous winter snow had 1,507 entries. Still, there are 

 many animals competing in more than one class, about 1-tO, 

 and the actual number of specimens on the benches must be 

 taken as minus the latter figures. Column after column has 

 been written condemnatory of the arrangement of these Crys- 

 tal Palace shows; they bring considerable '"grist" to the cof- 

 fers of the company, and the pity is great that the Kennel 

 Club is not better served in the matter. We shall not be sur- 

 prised to find a change in the location, shortly, for a building 

 admirable in every way for the purposes of a dog show, and 

 quite as easy of access, even more so than Sydenham, is not 

 far from completion. 



As is usual at this season of the year, the dogs were benched 

 in the galleries, and, as is likewise usual, were judged in five 

 different rings, here, there, and everywhere almost, yet still 

 in corners difficult to find, and generally too much cramped 

 and incommodious when they were reached. This was 

 especially the case with the larger dogs, the St. Bernards and 

 mastiffs for instance, and the collies and fox-terriers, too, had 

 none too much space in which to show their action and agility. 

 Opportunities for displaying their worst features and temper 

 were far greater. On the benches, too, one would like to see 

 more space allowed, but here there was little else fault to be 

 found with the arrangements, for the fittings, by Messrs. 

 Spratt, were of the best, and straw and water were provided 

 in abundance. Still, the numbers did not run on consecutively. 

 The disinfecting, too, by Messrs. Jeye's purifier, appeared to 

 be quite successful, and all went smoothly and satisfactorily, 

 for both Mr. Stephens, the secretary, and his right-hand man 

 Edwards, appeared to be more than usually energetic. The 

 committee were sadly neglectful at the rings, and the tele- 

 graphic boards were either absent or not utilized with that 

 regularity which is due to the public. Again, there was 

 great delay in putting the prizes over the successful dogs, and 

 in some cases where the latter were judged on the Tuesday, 

 the labels were not placed w r hen we left on Wednesday at 

 dusk. 



With delay as usual in the judging, this did not get properly 

 under way much before 10 A. M. on Tuesday, was continued 

 until well into the evening in a wretched fight, and not con- 

 cluded until Wednesday. The Dandies and Irish terriers were 

 attended to on the latter day, when there was not a commit- 

 teeman or official to see the animals taken into the rings, and 

 S^the last prize Was not given until 3:30 P.M. The gentlemen 



