248 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Oct. 23, 1885. 



Debk Slattghteb in Ontabio.— Ottawa, Oct. 15.— Ed- 

 itor Forest and Stream: I have read with much interest the 

 articles in Forest and Stream on hounding in the Adiron- 

 dacks, and feel sure that all sportsmen must feel grateful to 

 you for your successful efforts in putting it down. Day 

 before yesterday I was more than ever impressed with the 

 harm done by hounding. A friend and myself went for a 

 day's shooting to a village about thirty miles from here. It 

 is situated on a broad ridge of land that runs from the St. 

 Lawrence to the Ottawa, and has always been a favorite 

 resort for deer hunters. On our arrival we heard that the 

 neighborhood contained several camps, and each party had 

 their dogs, "mongrel, puppy, whelp and hound, and curs of 

 low degree," with them. One man who lives in the village 

 told me that the "woods were alive with dogs." The conse- 

 quence is the deer are getting scarce, and probably— thanks 

 to hounding— in another two years they will be gone alto- 

 gether. There are game laws in Ontario, we are aware, but 

 how are they enforced? The other day I was reading in one 

 of our local papers— the Free Press— the following: "It is 

 reported that 175 carcasses of deer are lying in the woods 

 about the basin near Egansville, which have been killed by 

 the Indians for their skins." Egansville is in Renfrew 

 county, up the Ottawa River. Deer have quite disappeared 

 from parts of this province where a few years ago they were 

 plentiful; and now, too late, sportsmen grumble that the 

 laws were not more strictly enforced — laws they themselves 

 helped to break. Would that Forest and Stream could 

 do for us what it has done for the Adirondacks. —A. K, T. 



In Cahoots. — Editor Forest and Stream: The phrase "in 

 cahoots," has been for years a familiar one to me, although 

 I do not remember having seen or heard it used in the 

 Northern States. As has been remarked by one of your cor- 

 respondents, its use has in my experience been coupled with 

 some suspicion of rascality on the part of those to whom the 

 expression was applied. Believing that both "Nessmuk" 

 and his friend George Gausc are creditable members of 

 society, I should not have ventured to say they were "in 

 cahoots," and when the first -named gentleman informed 

 your readers that Mr, Gause and himself were "going to 

 hunt cahoots," I took the word to be the local name of some 

 sort of animals, not understanding its meaning when used 

 in this form. I was not alone in my ignorance, and since 

 "Nessmuk's" note of explanation in your last issue, I feel 

 easier, from the fact that as I had never, when in Florida, 

 encountered any creature commonly known as a "caboot," I 

 felt that I had missed my chance of hunting a new and pre- 

 sumably interesting species of game, and naturally thought 

 that had I succeeded in killing a "cahoot," I might have ex- 

 perienced the same feelings of elation which were the lot of 

 Gordon Gumming, when he had slain what he saw fit to call 

 the "Antilojms roualeyni." Poor antelope! — Kelpie (Central 

 Lake, Mich., Oct. 6)^ 



A Double on Coons. — A few days ago while walking 

 along the bed of a dry bayou in a cane brake, with a No. 12 

 Greener on my shoulder, at a sudden turn I came face to 

 face with two majestic gentlemen, or perhaps gentleman and 

 lady, of the raccoon family. They were ambling along 

 gracefully side by side. When we came into view of each 

 other the distance between us was about a dozen yards. 

 Both parties came to a simultaneous halt. In a moment the 

 gun was leveled with the mental exclamation (on my part), 

 "Good for one with each barrel." I fired a load of No. 6 

 from the right barrel directly in the face of the right coon 

 and a similar load from the left into the face of the left coon. 

 But there was neither right nor left coon left. If anybody 

 was left it was the shooter, for those two coons ambled off 

 into the cane looking very much disgusted. I think they 

 both had headache. My visions of a pair of broiled coons 

 on toast quickly vanished into smoke. On Oct. 6 I heard 

 a robin in the swamp in Tunica county, Miss., and on the 

 8th I saw a large number of them feeding on berries. This 

 is about a month earlier than they usually arrive in this 

 latitude, "Wells" has nobly come to my rescue in the par- 

 tridge controversj^ for which I desire to tender my thanks, 

 and would like to inquire of "8." how he feels.— Coahoma. 



Massachusetts. — South Duxbury, Oct. 13.— Game along 

 the south shore promises to be quite plenty. Quail have 

 done well, and quite a lot of bevies have been seen. They 

 are just beginning to get out of the brush and sun them- 

 selves. We have a good sprinkhng of partridges this year, 

 but the leaves have hung on late, and this makes it bad for 

 the sportsman and good for the birds. Shore birds are not 

 very plenty ; saw a few flocks last week by the Sound every 

 morning. Coot are flying, and "lots of "'em too."— South 

 Shore. 



Boston, Oct. 15.— I have been after the ruffed grouse a 

 few days, and found plenty of them. Am all loaded and 

 packed for a three weeks' trip to Iowa. Start Saturdaj'-, 

 17th. Hope to strike chicken, duck, snipe and plover.— M. 



Alas, Poor Yorick! — Alas, poor Bill, I knew him well, 

 and with all who knew him regret that he died thus inglori- 

 ously, and in his prime. A man of few words, and low, yet 

 every word was truth. Whoever met him in the woods 

 recognized in him one of nature's noblemen. "Whoever 

 struck his shanty always received a hearty welcome. But 

 his place in the wild woods is vacant; his boats will rot 

 where he has hidden them ; his unerring rifle will be heard 

 no more, and we shall visit the old places with regret that 

 we see Mm not.— R. M. Shutts (Chateauguay Lake, N.Y.). 



Squirrel Migration.— Memphis, Tenn., Oct, 19.— Mil- 

 lions of squirrels are emigrating from the Mississippi side 

 over to the Arkansas shore at a point commencing about five 

 miles below Memphis and extending down for twenty miles. 

 They are swimming the Mississippi River and evidently 

 making for more elevated ground in Arkansas. Thousands 

 are being killed by farmers, who use sticks instead of guns, 

 A. similar emigration of squirrels occurred in 1873. 



New Hampshire.— I have just returned from a trip to 

 New Hampshire, where I found game scarce. Partridges 

 are not so plenty as last year, but the gunners are about 

 twice as thick. Flocks of birds are all broken up, and leaves 

 hanging on late made it bad shooting. Foxes are plenty. 

 Coons scarce. It will not pay the coon regiment of Man- 

 chester to visit Southern New Hampshire this year. — South 

 Shore, 



Enough to Bre.^k. Up any Party,- The Ottawa Valley 

 trip is off. One of our party was accidentally shot in the 

 head (not seriously), and that broke the trip up when we 

 were about tWrty miles frotjx our destination.— X. 



Illinois River Ducktng Grounds. — In your issue of 

 Oct. 1 "C. S. C." wants to know the best place on the Illinois 

 River for duck shooting. Go to Peoria, then down the river 

 to Spring Lake and you will find blue-winged teal and 

 wooddueks till you .can't rest, besides a lot of as whole- 

 souled sportsmen as you ever met.— Common Sense. 



QuoGUE Shooting.— New York, Oct. 18.— I have just 

 returned from a day's shooting at Quogue, L. I. On Oct 

 17Ibagged 7readhead, 9 broadbill, 11 coot, .3 devil divers 

 and 31 boobies. Birds are becoming thicker and thicker 

 now. They stool well and are very lame. There will be 

 better shooting next week. I think.— J. W. 



Illinois.— Ellsworth, 111., Oct. 10.— Saw a large flock of 

 wild geese going .south on the 6th inst. Many mallard ducks 

 here just from the north. Thousands of prairie chickens 

 have bunched in large coveys. Scarcely any Bob White; 

 they perished last winter. Weather mild, clear and warm. 

 -Daniel Arrow smith. 



Flight OP Wild Geese.— Springfield, Mass., Oct. 14.— 

 Two flocks of wild geese of about twenty each passed down 

 the river this morning, and although fired at several times 

 from the Agawam side, flew away uninjured as far as known 

 of.— W. A, N, 



Florida.— Kiasimee City. Oct. 12.— Quail are plentiful 

 here this fall, and geod deer and turkey hunting to be had 

 within ten miles. Ducks and snipe have been coming in for 

 about two weeks, and the season is fairly started,— E, D. B. 



Worcester, Mass., Oct. 17.— There is a fairly good sup- 

 ply of birds, rather more than the average of grouse, and the 

 boys are improving the delightful October weather and mak- 

 ing some excellent bags. — E. S. K. 



m mi §^iP0r fishing. 



Address all commmications to the Forest and Stream Puhlish' 

 mg Co. 



AN ANGLER TO HIS ROD. 



'T^HOTJ art a thing of beauty; 



Thou wilt ever be a joy. 

 And to love thee 's not a duty. 

 For thy sight can never cloy. 



Talk of forms of sylph-likeraaidens, 



Full of grace in every limb ; 

 Not a shape in perfumed Aidenns 



Is so willowy, lithe and slim. 



And in every shining ti'imming. 



In thy silk and silver rings. 

 Thou art full of beauty brimming: 



All too fair for common things. 



Then away with every scoffer, 



Who in thee can And no pleasm-e. 

 Let him con his money coffer ; 



Never take a moment's leisure. 



As for me, I can most duly 



Worship at thy liquid shrine, 

 And to thee 1 can most truly 



Drop a very taking line. Percta'al, 



THE ANGLING TOURNAMENT. 



THF fourth annual fly-casting tournament was held at the 

 Harlem Mere, Central Park, yesterday. From the 

 tournament the ichthyophagous contingent repaired to the 

 Buckingham Hotel for the annual dinner of the Fish Eating 

 Club. 



The day was extremely disagreeable, with a gusty east 

 wind and a drizzling rain. 



The Forest and Stream went to press before the conclu- 

 sion of the casting, and the record is therefore postponed 

 until next week. The score up to 1 o'clock was as follows: 



Single-handed Fly Ca-stiiig: 1st, S. Polhamus, 74ft. 6in. ; 

 2d, W. H. Goodwin, 76ft, ; 3d, W. Blackford, 68ft. ; 4th, 

 Ira Wood, 71ft. 



MAY FLIES. 



DURING the summer months we often receive specimens 

 of flies for identification, which are usually accom- 

 panied by the statement that the water "is covered with 

 them." In most cases these are one or more of the many 

 species popularly called "May flies," "shad flies," "eel flies," 

 etc. , and belong to the class Neuroptera or nerve-winged 

 insects, and to the family Ephemeridm, so called because of 

 their short lives, often a few hours only. They may easily 

 be recognized by their four lace-like wings which are always 

 extended, their long, soft, slender bodies, and three hair-like 

 appendages at the end of the abdomen, These insects often 

 appBar~atniight in such numbers as to obstruct the lamps of 

 vessels, and to render the decks slippery when trodden on. 

 Their brief mission in the air is to lay their eggs in the water 

 and die. They are harmless and take no food. 



The larva live for a year, or more, in the water, and 

 furnish food for trout and other fishes. They are then long, 

 flat objects with hair-like attenna? and with bushy gills along 

 the abdomen which ends with the long anal hairs seen on 

 the insect. The pupa have the rudiments of wings and rise to 

 the surface when about to transform. At this time the trout 

 devour them in great numbers and fly-fishing it usually poor 

 for a few days. After taking a flight the insect casts another 

 skin before it is perfect, and these cast skins often form 

 winrows along the shores of lakes and rivers. Different 

 species varjr in size and color and are locally known by the 

 several names mentioned. The usual one is May Q.y, but on 

 the Hudson River the fishermen term them shad flies because 

 it is during the season of that fish that they appear. On the 

 Connecticut they are called eel flies. 



It is this family which the makers of artificial flies try to 

 imitate in the * 'green drake, gray drake," etc., and rnany of 

 the nondescript flies made have "tails" similar to the May 

 fly. The term "drake" seems to be a name used for the fly 

 in England. The family does not seem to be confined to any- 

 particular class of fresh waters, as members are found in the 

 rivers and bays along the coast where the water is not too 

 salt, the Great Lakes, and fi-om the cool mountain streams of 

 the Adirondacks to the turbid flood of the St. Johns of 

 Florida. 



Syracuse, N- Y., Oct. X— Editor Forest afifl Stream 



Last July, while fishing on Oneida Lake, my attention was 

 called to the countless numbers, apparently dead, floating 

 on _ the water. On inquiry I learned that they are annual 

 visitors to these parts, their stay covering a period of about 

 two weeks, when tliey disappear. Fromlhe residents in the 

 vicinity all 1 can learn is that "they come and go," which is 

 not at all satisfactory. I would like to learn whence they 

 come and whither they go, and if their presence was not in 

 some degree responsible for the poor success in flsliine, as 

 all other conditions were favorable. I inclose specimens 

 and would like to know what they are. Another thing is 

 curious. At certain seasons of the year the water of the 

 lake appears to be thick with small "seeds and has a dirty 

 appearance. The fishermen call this "the cleaning process." 

 What is it?— L. S. 



[The flies were May flies, see article above. Our columns 

 are open to a discussion of the "cleansing process" or 

 "blooming," as it is termed in parts.] 



BLACK BASS FLY-FISHING. 



a INCE fly-fishing first became an art, the trout has been 

 KJ the angler s chief game. No amount of trouble has 

 been spared in perfecting this art. Every conceivable ex- 

 periment in the way of tackle and flies has been tried, col- 

 umns innumerable have been written on the subject, and 

 reams of correspondence published through the medium of 

 the sporting papers ever since such an institution saw the 

 light. Consequently it would seem as if little more remained 

 to be discovered in this line, save what is entirely local in its 

 character. 



But the trout is doomed. How often has this been re- 

 peated and proved, and alas! how conscious we all are (5f tlie 

 fact! Oiu- only hope remains in fish culture, and this as yet 

 IS problematical. As it now is the angler has to go far and 

 seek hard to find his prey, and each year the journey is longer 

 and the seeking harder. 



_ Anglers then, recognizing this fact, arc turning their atten- 

 tions to other quarters. As many of our expei1;s say, "the 

 black bass is the coming game iish." Nay! he is already 

 come. The past thirty years has seen a wonderful extension 

 of this species in the lakes and rivers of our Eastern Slates. 

 Easily introduced, hardy, vigorous, game to the death, he is 

 now everywhere to be found and furnishes excellent sport 

 in many quarters, where before his advent little or none was 

 known. 



Now he stands on even terms with the trout, though scarce 

 ten years ago he was looked on with contempt in comparison, 

 Truly a complete revolution has worked in his case and much 

 of it is due to the able and vigorous pen and inventive 

 ingenuity of Dr. Henshall. His fame will be as much, if 

 not more, of the future than the present. And this revolu- 

 tion has worked a wonderful development of tackle and ex- 

 perience in bass fishing. Now an angler can learn second 

 hand in a few days, all that scarce a score of years ago it 

 would have taken him as many years. 



But— and I want this but put in capitals— has not this 

 development taken place almost wholly in one line? Is it 

 not almost w'hoUy in the line of bait-fishing? Where is all 

 our poesy of the gentle art going to? If we are going to 

 get the cream of bass fishing (the coming fishing, mind you) 

 and the true poetry of the art, have we got to sling minnows 

 and chase frogs over the mud flats and hunt crickets throuah 

 the grass? In other words, when our trout are gone, save in 

 preserves, are we going to become bait-fishers and let fly-fish- 

 ing, the highest and most charming branch of our art, sink 

 into practical disuse? The facts would seem to indicate it. 

 I will venture to state that of every thirty articles, published 

 by anglers in this paper on bass fifshing, twenty-nine of them 

 are entirely on bait-lishing and contain no mention of taking 

 bass with the fly, or of bass flies. Are we then going to give 

 up fly fishing? Most sincerely I hope not, and so will every 

 fly-fisher, if he thinks of it. And I do not believe we will, 

 for I think that it is merely because bass are so easily taken 

 with bait that we have grown lazy and neglected to bring 

 forwai-d this branch of our art. 



Is the bass in fact a "fly-fish," to coin a term, or is he not? 

 Does he take the fly because he thinks it is an insect and is 

 in the habit of feeding on such, or does he "go for it" as a 

 bull rushes at a red rag, merely out of curiosity or caprice? 

 And if the former, what flies is he in the habit of feeding on ? 

 Or if the latter, what outrageous combinations are best 

 suited to stir his bile? If we are going to get high sport 

 out of bass fly-fishing, brother anglers, these are questions we 

 must experiment on and discuss. 



From the partiahty that bass have (especiaUv the smaller 

 size) for the red ibis and high colors in general, I am some- 

 what inclined to the latter opinion. 



It has been quite often said that bass incline to green and 

 j^ellow, because these are the colors of the grasshopper. This 

 seems absurd. Are the bass in our lakes so much iathe habit 

 of feeding on grasshoppers that they carry a clearly defined 

 image of them and their hues in their mind's eye? Is the 

 hopper in the habit of seeking water? Quite the reverse, in 

 fact. He is generally found taking care of his akin in a dry 

 spot. The fish that gets intimately acquainted with the 

 grasshopper is the trout, in some little meadow brook, where 

 they are continually tumbling in, attempting to "jump the 

 ditch." Yet every trout fisherman knows that flies tied 

 with the colors of the grasshopper are not the most success- 

 ful in such a locality. The reverse, in fact— small, daric 

 flies. We shall have to study our bass patterns on some 

 other theory than the "hopper" then. 



Another thing seems absurd to me. When an angler casts 

 for trout up to three pounds in weight he does not generally 

 use a fLj tied on a larger hook than a No. 6 Sproat. Now 

 in our Eastern lakes we do not generally take larger bass 

 than this on a fly. Is it not somewhat disproportionate and 

 ridiculous then for the makers to tie, and anglers to use, 

 huge bunches of gaudy feathers tied on Nos. 2 and 4 Sproat, 

 the whole performance quite parallel to what is used to catch 

 a 20-pound salmon ? 



I confess I have used these myself and had very little luck 

 with them, while lately I have been using trout flies on hooks 

 not larger than No. 5, catching and landing some large bass 

 with quite as much and more certainty than with the others; 

 and I have had much better luck w'ith them too. And then 

 the ease of casting a decent sized fly with a bght rod and 

 line! Nothing but a salmon tackle could get out these big 

 afl:airs with any comfort. In my experience flies on No. 5 

 hook for stretcher and No. 7 for di'opper are, under ordi- 

 nary conditions, large enough, and yellow, green and red are 

 the colors. 



I bad always thought that it would be useless to cast for 

 bass, except in shallow water, reasoning, I suppose, from 

 trout experience largely. But last spring Ira Wood had an 

 article on Ijass fly-fishing which was excellent, as far as it 



