[March 19, 1885. 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



149 



Market-Shooting. — Creston, Iowa. — Editor Forest and 

 Stream: There is a, good sight written up about game pro- 

 tection. Now do you know, that if 1 had the making of 

 game laws, I wouldn't allow an ounce of game to be sold in 

 nor exported from the United States or territories? And I 

 would not allow a paid hunter in the woods. If any man 

 could not put up with farm products to fill his maw, I would 

 oblige him to bunt and fish .for his rarefies or go without. It 

 would be healthier for him and much manlier. Let every 

 body hunt, and fish as much as they please, but forbid all 

 selling. The infernal dollar is at the bottom of the whole 

 trouble. Moreover, if British or any other "good livers" 

 wish to cram themselves with our dainties, let them come 

 over here after them personally, and eat with us.— Common 

 Sense. 



Companion Wanted.— Each fall for the past seven years 

 I have visited Southern Minnesota or Dakota for duck and 

 goose hunting, Most of the time have enjoyed good com- 

 pany, good shooting aud a good time. My sporting friends 

 have, however, for various reasons dropped off one by one, 

 leaving me at present sticking out lonely and conspicious, 

 like the kingfisher's hole after the bank had caved off. 1 

 wish three or four companions to visit Minnesota or Dakota, 

 as we shall decide on or about Oct, 1 , to remain about four 

 weeks. If this should meet the eye of any sportsman who 

 would prefer a month's outing to being president, and whose 

 purse is not so long as to interfere with his enjoying capital 

 sport at. a moderate cost, let him drop me a line. — E. W. B. 

 (Blackinton, Mass,). 



MASSACHUSETTS Fish and Game Protective Associa- 

 tion.— Between forty and fifty members of the Massaehu 

 setts Fish and Game Protective' Association met last Thurs- 

 day night (March 12) at the Parker House and passed a very 

 pleasant evening. After supper a general discussion was 

 held in regard to the game interests, "referring especially to 

 the deer on Cape Cod, and to the bill in the Legislature to 

 abolish the leasiug of ponds in the State, it being the general 

 opinion in each case that the present law ought to be main- 

 tained. The discussion took quite a wide range aud several 

 members gave their personal experiences in a manner which 

 contributed greatly to the entertainment of those present.— 

 Boston. 



Deeh in Ulster Cockty, N. Y.— Seeing an article in 

 your last issue on "Deer in Connecticut" reminds me that 

 last November a fine three-pronged buck was shot near this 

 place by Mr. J. 0. Beers, and a year ago a deer was shot 

 near the city of Kingston. Before that date no deer had been 

 seen here within forty or fifty years. Where could these 

 deer have come from?— H. B. 



Mississippi.— Corinth, March 14, 1885.— Birds have been 

 scarce, the weather unfavorable, and in consequence bags 

 have been light. A few snipe have put in an appearance 

 this month. I was out on Monday last and bagged nine. 

 The birds were very wild and afforded few shots. Those 

 that I bagged were unusually large and fat.— Wii>n. 



Large Pelican.— A Tamora, Neb., correspondent reports 

 having killed near that town a white pelican, measuring 

 from tip to tip of wings 8 feet 8 inches, aud from tip of bill 

 to back of head ISA inches. 



fo& mti MivM 



ON THE TRACK OF "WAWAYANDA." 



THE history of "Camp Flotsam" has been eagerly read 

 by three or four of us here, and we have followed 

 closely the delightful description given by "Wawayanda" of 

 their searches after the best place for bass. We, too, have 

 thrown the fly on Lough boro' Lake, and rec ognize many of 

 the places he mentions. But our appliances are more primi- 

 tive than those used by the historian of "Camp Flotsam;" 

 our flies are all made by ourselves while fishing around the 

 box stove during the long winter evenings, and I must con- 

 fess no two are alike and all of them without a name; yet 

 the bass seemingly relish and cling to them with as much 

 avidity as to those that are dubbed before being cast on the 

 water. This, no doubt, is because the bass of this far-off 

 region have not been traiued up to appreciate the relative 

 merits of civilized and uncivilized flies. We hope that the 

 small-mouth of Loughboro' Lake will not be led away by the 

 charms of the scarlet ibis, Montreal, Lord Baltimore and 

 others, to such an extent that they will not look on our more 

 humble lures, with at least equal favor, else we will hold 

 "Wawayanda" personally responsible. 



Our party consists of four, Jack, Amy, Dug and the 

 writer, living in a small country village about twenty-five 

 miles from "Camp Flotsam." 'Driving from here to the 

 bridge spoken of by "Wawayanda," we leave our horses 

 and row toward the rising sun.' 



On one occasion we had spent the first day very pleasantly 

 in fishing and prospecting for a favorable camping ground, 

 and toward evening, finding a suitable place, pitched our 

 tent and began to prepare supper for four hungry fishermen. 

 Jack took all the fish we did not want and started for the 

 nearest farmhouse to try and exchange them for milk or 

 anything suitable for camp. The rest of us soon had some 

 fine ones dressed and ready to cook. We extemporized a 

 stove a few feet from shore "by placing a large, flat stonehori- 

 zontally on others placed upright, and soon had a fire of 

 driftwood burning brightly. Dug was sitting between the 

 stove and the lake holding a fish on a spit; Amy was frying 

 some in a pan, and the writer was making tea and laying 

 the table. Our appetite rose at the sight of the fish turning 

 brown and giving out a fragrance that increased our already 

 sharpened appetites, when in an instant the lop of the stove 

 exploded and flew in pieces, scattering the supper iu every 

 direction. Dug was not prepared to receive fire, but started 

 after water immediately, by falling backward in the lake 

 and wetting his feet up to his ears. Amy's pan of fish per- 

 formed the double-contortion act, and as soon as he realized 

 the true state of affairs, a very decided leak of plain old 

 English adjectives came from him. while the writer tried 

 hard to console himself that it was his rod hand that was 

 scalded by the tea instead of his reel hand. ' 



When Jack came back we were sitting around the rains, 

 like Rachael, refusing to be comforted. He tried to console 

 us by saying that he had exchanged all the fish for a pail of 

 milk, but it was of no use, we wanted fish for supper, not 

 milk. That night we went back to the diet of our infant 

 days, and made up in quantity what, we lacked in quality, 

 and after burning some tobacco, went to bed. The loon's 

 cry seemed more doleful than ever, and it was a lone time 

 before we were lulled to sleep by the murmuring voices of 



the waves on the shores. We were awakened early in the 

 morning by our attenuated stomachs, and after once more 

 poking around the scene of the late disaster, we tried hard to 

 allay our craving with bread and milk, and then started out 

 to get enough fish for a very early dinner. But who that 

 camps out during the summer has not met with some such 

 experience to teach him lessons for the future? 



Loughboro' Lake is a splendid fishing ground, and adds to 

 this attraction scenery similar to the Thousand Islands of the 

 Bt, Lawrence River. Indeed it is the same range of moun- 

 tains (Laurentian) that the lake lies in. We hope that 

 "Wawayanda" may have the pleasure of many visits to his 

 old camping ground, and it would give our party great 

 pleasure to meet him some day on Loughboro' Lake and ex- 

 change notes about favorite places. Saw Bill. 

 Lennox County, Ontario. 



THE HOLMES DINNER. 



ON the evening of Feb. 24 a party of genial anglers 

 gathered at the Peninsular Club House, at Grand 

 Rapids, Mich., to do homage to the Nestor of Michigan 

 sportsmen, Dr. E. S. Holmes. The anglers were members of 

 the Pokotink Club, and the occasion a complimentary ban- 

 quet to Dr. Holmes, the president of the Michigan Sports 

 men's Association. The following Pokotiuks were present: 

 Dr. E. S. Holmes. Henry M. Hinsdill, John Perry, Norman 

 T). Carpeuter, Elliott Judd, Henry (J. Post and Hoyt G. Post. 

 Letters were read from L. II. Withey, D. D. Cody, Col, R 

 C. Ward, and C. W. Eaton, who were unable to be present. 



The room and tables had been tastefully decorated, the 

 crowning triumph was the centerpiece on the table, com- 

 posed of the. Doctor's fish basket and bait box, so artistically 

 trimmed with flowers that the Doctor did not discover his 

 "weapons" until the banquet had been some time in progress, 

 when he suddenly exclaimed, "Well, by the great king of 

 catfish, there's my old bait box.'' 



A feature of the evening consisted of a card for each guest, 

 with a sketch depicting the person in some fishing adveii lure, 

 and based on actual experience, and so well had the artist's 

 work been done, that each was easily recognized. These 

 were made the subject of remarks by the various members. 

 The story of Post's big grayling, tribulations of the rainy 

 night on the Jordan, Perry's "sbeephead, " Carp's method of 

 breaking camp, Hinsdill's capsize, and other memories of 

 the pleasant days spent by the club in Northern Michigan 

 were called up and lived over again. 



The menu was such as ouly anglers and other extra good 

 fellows deserve, and was as follows: 



"This dish is too good for any but Anglers or very honest men." 

 «,„„„ Izaak Walon. 



MENU. 



Raw Oysters. 



Bisque of Claras. 



Fried Smelts, Tartar Sauce. Saratoga Chips. 



Boiled California Salmon, Anchovy Sauce. Nouille Cakes. 



Croquettes of Whitetish, it la Marinere. French Peas. 



Black Bass, h l'Etuvee. 



Regents' Punch. 



Rocky Mountain Brook Trout. Cepes & la Bordelaise. 



Mayonnaise of Shrimp. 



Fromage de Brie, Roquefort. 



Gelee Aux Mirabelles. 



Biscuits GUaces, si la Vanille, Cake. 



Fruit. 



Coffee. Cigars. 



The "wee sma' hours" were reached and passed ere the 



last fish and story was digested, Carpenter sung "The Sword 



of Bunker Hill," as he used to in camp and as no other man 



can sing it. 



The venerable doctor fully appreciated the compliment 

 and closed the entertainment by remarks most fitting and ap- 

 propiate. 



The occasion was one to which all who participated will 

 look back upon as a most delightful one. The dishes were 

 all prepared and served in the best manner, and the Holmes 

 banquet was a complete success. 

 Grand Rapids, Michigan. 



HOW WE CAUGHT HIM. 



^HAT was a cunning trout— an educated one 1 used to 

 X think. How he could seize the fly or the bait and not 

 get caught, I could never understand, or whether in fact he 

 seized them at all; no one could tell. The most that I knew 

 of him (until he was caught) was that come along almost 

 any time of day and throw your fly or your bait under that 

 bank opposite, with the alder bush growing out over the 

 water, and you would be almost sure to have a rise, or feel 

 your line pulled suddenly away; but this would only'happen 

 once at a time. You might remain there if you chose and 

 spend the rest of the day whipping that place, and no more 

 rises would you have, whereas if you went away for an hour 

 or so and then came back, the same tiling w r ould happen 

 again. 



It was a thing that puzzled me. The first time it hap- 

 pened I said to myself, "It is a small fish, too small to 

 catch :" for it was always a rule with myself and the boys 

 (whatever the "creek skinners" might do) that no trout under 

 six inches in length should be brought into the house. But 

 as I say, this strike by the alder bush puzzled me, until one 

 day as I was using my utmost skill, and standing as far back 

 as I possibly could and cast my fly in the place, I saw a 

 swirl in the water that looked too large for a little fish, and 

 felt an unusual tug. This set me tolhinking, aud also led 

 me to iuquire of the boys that fished along the stream if they 

 had ever observed auythiug peculiar as they tried by the 

 alder bush. 



"Yes 1 " said the best fisherman among them, "Ihave. 1 

 always got a bite there. It is a big fish, too; he would 

 weigh a pound. I had him half out of the water one day, 

 but I never could catch him, and now he only smells of the 

 bait." 



All that we have narrated happened in May, and now it 

 was toward the last of June, when one morning my little 

 nephew, who was tired of doing nothing, asked me if I 

 would not go to the brook with him aud let him catch a 

 trout. I had promised him so often that I would take him 

 there that I now determined to do so. 



It was the very morning for trout. There had been a 

 thunder storm during the night that had raised the stream, 

 and now the day was lovely'. So off we started, the little 

 fellow carrying his stiff rod and bait box, while I walked 

 with my cane. We soon reached the brook, and it was not 

 leng before several trout were taken. I hooked them aud 

 AI pulled them out (though only two or three of them were 



large enough to save), when all at once it occurred to me to 

 go up the stream and see what could be done at the alder 

 bush, My thought was to try a new plan— I would go on 

 the west side and put a grasshopper on the hook and drop it 

 gently into the water above the bush. 



After some searching we found a grasshopper, a nice yel- 

 low fellow, and not too large. This was put on for bait. 

 Then 1 reeled in some line, aud the little fellow, grasping the 

 butt of the rod in his hands and I holding it nearly half way 

 up, we approached the stream very cautiously. I could 

 hardly see over the bank on account of the blackberry bushes, 

 bat managed after a few efforts to drop the end of the rod 

 just above where I judged tire bush stuck out. The moment 

 I did so I told Al. to hold on to the butt and took my hands 

 away. But now what is the trouble? I have not heard the 

 slightest sound, but those litle hands do not seem able to hold 

 the rod up. Ah; I see, just as I feared, I did not throw the 

 bail in the right place and the current has carried it down 

 under the bank, and now the hook is caught among the roots. 

 "Give me the rod, Al., I will unfasten it f you will break the 

 line." I have the rod. Ah, what a peculiar feeling! It is 

 among the roots, to be sure, but there is a fish on that hook. 

 I feel him. and the rubbings against the line, too. A slow 

 and steady pull. Come out here, whatever you are. Ah! I 

 have you. And the line breaks just as you are a few feet 

 over the laud. You are a fine fish; not so very large, but 

 huge for this stream. The trout measured eleven and a half 

 inches, and my old friends told me that they had never tasted 

 of a finer one. Stillaboy. 



CROPPIE OR CRAPPIE? 



Editor Form 'and Stream: 



This paper may be considered as an addendum to that in 

 Forest and Stream of Feb. 26, entitled "Newlight. or 

 Southern Croppie." It is furnished in response to a request 

 from your fishing editor, who writes me as follows: "In last 

 Porbst and Stream, under the head of 'Remarkable 

 Catches,' I speak of the 'crappie, or as it is now spelled, 

 croppie.' I see that you use the latter spelling, can you 

 give the Forest and Stream the derivation of thew r ord? 

 I learned to call it crappie while fishing near Potosi, Grant 

 county, Wis., in 1856, and see that Norris spells it so. I 

 thought it some French name, as many Frenchmen -lived 

 along there. Croppie is a name that 1 have heard only in 

 connection with an Irish song: 'Croppies Lie Down.' 

 If you can dig out the meaning of these words I wish yon 

 would." 



I will say in the first place that I have used both of the 

 names, croppie and crappie, in writing of the Pomoxys 

 species. Iu addition to other local names, I first heard the 

 name "croppie" in Ohio, Indiana and Blinois. Afterward 

 in Wisconsin, in 1866, 1 heard for the first lime the name 

 "crappie," which was used by St. Louis anglers, and I was 

 then under the same impression as Thad. Nereis and Mr. 

 Mather, that it was of French derivation, associating it in 

 my own mind with Johnny Crapaud, and this impression 

 was strengthened afterward by hearing a fisherman at 

 Quincy, 111., call these fish "johnnies." I can give no 

 plausible derivation of the words croppie or crappie. There 

 are no common words of similar sound or spelling except 

 crop, and the Latin word c-rapula. Certainly there is no 

 connection between these fishes and the Puritan roundheads 

 or "croppies." I use the name croppie now, because it 

 seems to be more widely known than crappie, which latter 

 name seems to be used mostly along the Mississippi River 

 above Cairo. 



In all of Prof.' Jordan's writings he spells the name crap- 

 pie, except in his "Catalogue of the Fishes of Blinois," 

 where he uses the name croppie. Nelson, in his "Partial 

 Catalogue of the Fishes of Illinois," uses croppie. Prof. S. A. 

 Forbes (Illinois), in his ' 'Food of Fishes, " also uses croppie. In 

 First Annual Report Fish Commission, Minnesota, croppie is 

 also used. In third Report Fish Commission, Iowa, I find both 

 croppies and crappies. I have heard crappie used occasion- 

 ally in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, but generally croppie is 

 the term employed, if either, in those States. 



Most percoid fishes are called "bass" in the North, and 

 "perch" in the South, hence the Northern croppie is usually a 

 bass with some descriptive adjective, as "strawberry bass." 

 and the Southern croppie a perch, as "silver perch*. Most 

 of the adjectives applied to the croppies are descriptive of its 

 spots or markings, as strawberry, calico, spotted', speckled, 

 chincapin (this name is derived from the nuts of the dwarf 

 chestnut and the chincapin-oak, which the spots of the 

 Northern croppie are supposed to resemble), etc. Some of 

 the adjectives applied are suggested by the color, as white, 

 black, silver, sack-a-lai (lair?), etc. Others are suggestive of 

 habitat, as grass, sand, lake, timber (brush), barfish, bridge- 

 perch, etc. Others of peculiarity of form, as razor-back, 

 tin mouth, bigfin, goggle-eye, etc. In fact all of the numer- 

 ous names of the Pomoxys species are more suggestive than 

 croppie or crappie; notwithstanding, I like either of the 

 latter best, for they have never been applied to any other 

 fishes aud are distinctive, even if meaningless. Perhaps some 

 brother angler of St. Louis can give the derivation of crap- 

 pie or croppie, and account for its application to ' 'the best 

 panfisb of the West." 



Referring to the angling books, we find very little con- 

 cerning these fishes. Brown's ' 'American Angler's Guide" 

 does not mention them. Scott, in "Fishing in American 

 Waters," probably alludes to them under the head of "The 

 Spotted Bass or SpeckledHen," which he states is "common" 

 in Western waters. His description is unrecognizable, being 

 merely that: "It ranges in weight from a quarter to two 

 pounds, is blackish-green on the back, greenish-yellow on 

 the sides, with a white belly, and dotted in black similar to 

 some of the dace genus [sic] of Western streams." He gives 

 an illustration of his fish, but like all of Scott's illustrations, 

 it is a nondescript. Its head has a regular curved outline ; 

 the dorsal fin reaches from the head to the tail like a dolphin's, 

 and the anal fin is represented as very small. In the second 

 edition (fide Gill), he mentions the Southern croppie as the 

 "white perch of Mississippi." As I have not seen this edi- 

 tion 1 cannot say more. Herbert, in "Fish and Fishing," 

 does not mention either of the croppies, though he uses a 

 miserable cut of the Southern croppie to illustrate the "Rock 

 Bass (Oentrarehiis ameus)." His description of the rock bass 

 is compiled from DeKay, so it is to be inferred that he knew 

 nothing of either fish. 



In Norris's "American Angler's Book," Uncle Thad, as 

 usual, is more reliable than any of the books on general ang* 

 ling; and though he confounds the Northern and Southern 

 croppies as one and the same fish (it must be said in extenua- 

 tion, however, that there existed the same confusion among 

 ichthyologists when his book appeared — 1864), he gives a 

 good description of the "crappie" and its habits and habitat. 

 He says; "This graceful fish is known by the Creoles of 



