148 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[March 18, 1886. 



Taunton Notes.— Taunton, Mass., Feb. 20.— The|game 

 about here appears to be -wintering all right. Many quail 

 and ruffed grouse were left at the close of the season, and if 

 they are not shot and snared during the close season there 

 will be plenty to breed. Game has been very plentiful this 

 fall and winter; in fact, I never have seen as many quail and 

 partridges before. Many very large bags of partridges have 

 been made. Several scores for the season are as high as 125, 

 and one fellow says he has killed 300. He is a market- 

 hunter and went nearly every day. About two-thirds of Ihe 

 game hung up in our markets show no signs of blood or shot 

 and have no doubt been snared. Many large flocks of quail 

 lived through the open season, and we" may expect pleuty of 

 quail nest season. There were no flights of woodcock this 

 fall. Several pairs bred, but were cleaned out in August; 

 only a very few taken in the fall flights. Rabbit shooting 

 has been as good as usual. Quite a number of foxes have 

 been shot. _ Our markets are filled with prairie chickens, 

 some of which have been kept several months. A partridge 

 was caught alive in a curious way a short time ago. Two 

 boys in the woods were sitting down to eat their dinner, when 

 a partridge flew by and dropped into some bushes. The 

 boys ran and threw themselves into the bushes over the par- 

 tridge and caught him alive. 1 saw the partridge in a cage 

 and should say he was a young bird.— Chesteb. 



Gardes; City, Kansas, March 1. — Game of some kinds 

 is fairlv plentiful in this part of Kansas. Antelope are found 

 in small gangs, though scores of them were "butchered" dur- 

 ing the blizzards and deep snows of January, their hunger 

 driving them into the city limits and rendering them bold. 

 I do not hear of the finding of any that were frozen to death, 

 though thousands of cattle and sheep met that fate, their 

 carcasses lining the Santa Fe Railroad in great numbers on 

 the north, where they had drifted against the fences and 

 died. A large flock of geese passed north lat-t week, and 

 fome ducks have been coming into the Arkansas river. 

 "Wildfowl are said to come in immense numbers 100 to 150 

 miles east of here, but I think they will give us the "go by" 

 until we begiu to raise crops of grain for them to feed upon. 

 This I hope will be the case this season, so we may have 

 good shooting next fall. At present very little grain has 

 been raised.— Veteran. 



New Jersey Game.— Quail have been quite plentiful 

 around Madison, but very hard to find, Thf shooters have 

 been comparatively few, I am glad to say. Partridges have 

 increased, owing to the very few who hunt expressly for 

 that game, and also to the very thick cover they have been 

 driven to occupy. In November I was told by a first-class 

 rabbit shooter that there was hardly any of that game to 

 hunt, and he owns the best dog in that section, but could 

 not make half the bag he made last year; but I know that 

 rabbits are quite plenty. The last woodcock season was a 

 very poor one, and it will be a poorer one yet next year. If 

 summer woodcock shooting is not stopped, good-bye to 

 woodcock. Wild ducks do not come to the meadows as 

 usual; for what reason I do not know, as there is plenty of 

 food for them. — 16-Bore. 



"Woodcraft" is a manual of camping out and woods life, 

 written by "Nessmuk," for the guidance and instruction of 

 young men who know little of camp life and older men who 

 do not know so much that they are unwilling to learn more. 

 The little volume is not only instructive, but is remarkably 

 entertaining as well. It will prove a companionable book, 

 whether one be going into camp next season or for home 

 reading. There "is a good deal of sound philosophy in 

 "Woodcraft" and a great deal of mother wit. Published by 

 the Forest and Stream Publishing Company. 



Virginia Birds. — Partridges {Ortyx virginianm) wintered 

 well. We had two unusually deep snows, accompanied 

 with bitter cold weather, but' fortunately they were not of 

 long duration; the first not lasting over ten days, the second 

 not over five. The wild assertions that it was the coldest 

 weather felt in Verginia for thirty years was all bosh. But 

 birds are scarce, and have been for eight or ten years, all 

 north of James River and west of Richmond. — Old Timer. 



Galveston, Texas, Feb. 27. — There has not been very 

 good duck shooting here for some time iu consequence of 

 the rainy and windy weather, but I think that after this date 

 there will be good inland shooting and good shooting over 

 decoys. Jacksnipe have been very plentiful for the last few 

 months, and any oae who is a good shot can secure a nice 

 bag in two or three hours by tramping around the edges of 

 the marshes outside of the city. — Redbreast. 



Indiana. — Packerton. — Our Bob Whites are about played 

 out. I wintered about four dozen for the last three years. 

 Shooters are making away with them. Duck and brant were 

 quite plenty on the Kankakee close by this fall. Prairie 

 chicken gone. Plenty of cottontails. Few pheasants as they 

 are called here. Expect good woodcock shooting in spring. 

 -B. H. W. 



Albany, N. Y., March 9 — In the court of special sessions 

 at Albany to-day Joseph Clark, a prominent merchant, paid 

 a fine of $20 on conviction of selling quail out of season. 

 Geoige L. Thomas, abo a leading dealer, charged with the 

 same offense, demanded a jury trial. 



Iowa. — Emmetsburg. — This town is situaied on Medium 

 Lake which is abmt eight miles long by one or two wide 

 and twenty mile- from Spirit Like. We have as fine duck, 

 geese and chicken shooting as any place in the State. — S. 



Shinnecock Bat.— Mu-ch 8.— Broadbill«, redheads and 

 whtstkrs Hie appearing in preltv respectable numbers on 

 Sliinnecjck Bay — J. Wendkll Jr. 



PUBLISHER'S DEPARTMENT. 



The Tpavelers Insurance Company issue (no r . iDtpndpd for sale or 

 geneaU di-t ioa ion by tiie compam , but d- signed solely for gifts to 

 it- belp'ul friends* a lo"K of artotvpes con aiuing: a series of pic- 

 tures nf tne principal streets, noted biiildtngrs. picture^q te private 

 residences, and a few of the literary celebri ies of Hanfurd. These 

 vi -*s *re not at all like, ordinary photographs. They are dissimilar 

 in heau'y. locau >n and nrig nality to any pictures tbat hive yet been 

 is u*id. Ea' h arcotype is a revelation of beauty. The lights, shad- 

 ows and outlines of the ouildiog^, the luxuriance and delicacy of the 

 fo'iage, the fine perspectives of thes'reets, the exquisite details of 

 the view, and above all the atmosphere in these gems of photography, 

 lif r. them into the realm of art, Tne localities of the buildings have 

 been especially studied, and the result shows Hartford under an 

 aspect different from ami more correct than anv previous publication. 

 toi the Mud In tjafi waj of phutpgropa^ 



m and §ivtr fishing. 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Publish- 

 ing Co. 



AN ICY BATH. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I said in my last letter that the Doctor insisted on taking 

 our guns and the dog. Well, after arriving at our destina- 

 tion and getting everything ready, we started up an Indian 

 trail which was parallel to our trout stream, expecting to 

 begin fishing one or two hundred yards above where we had 

 hitched our horses and work down. About one hundred 

 yards from the buggy, as we were marching alone, Indian 

 file, a flock of eight or ten mountain grouse rose up from the 

 dusty path and with spread tails, walked leisurely along in 

 front of us, not over five yards in advance. The Doctor 

 requested me to go back and bring a gun and the dog, while 

 he would watch the game. When I returned the Doctor 

 pointed to a cluster of undergrowth close by the roadside, 

 into which the birds had retreated. When I put the dog 

 in, even before he had winded the birds, away they went to 

 the steep mountain side beyond the stream without giving 

 me a chance for a shot. 



On our return home, in crossing the Bitter Root River, 

 which at this ford was about from twenty to thitty inches 

 deep and fifty yards wide and a very rapid current, 1 noticed 

 the dog being diiven rapidly down stream. I asked the 

 Doctor if he thought the dog could make it. "Oh, yes;" re- 

 plied the Doctor, "he is all right." Just then the dog struck 

 a drift caused by a pine tree projecting out from the bank, 

 and dipping down into the water and under he went. 

 "There," said I, "your dog is gone sure." This caused the 

 Doctor to rein up. remarking at the same time while his eyes 

 were fastened upon the spot where poor Sport was last seen, 

 "He '11 come out all right." After waiting some time— long 

 enough, I thought, to have completely drowned the poor 

 brute, we saw him emerge from the stream some distance 

 below the drift, give himself a few shakes and start on a run 

 to meet us. When he caught up with us he fairly lashed 

 his body with his tail and looked up with an expression as 

 much as to say, "I tell you I made a narrow escape." 



These mountain streams are all very treacherous, and one 

 unacquainted with them has no idea of their depth and 

 velocity of current simply by looking at them. In trout 

 fishing in water up to the knees you must use extreme 

 caution in order to keep your feet, I will never forget my 

 first experience. I was told that in order to successfully 

 cast for trout you must keep in the middle of the stream and 

 fish down. This I could not do without rubber boots, be- 

 cause, as I thought a wetting in the ice-cold water would 

 certainly prove serious, especially to one who had been a 

 sufferer from neuralgic rheumatism. As I had left my hip 

 boots out of the kit when packing up for this trip, I was 

 kindly tendered a pair by a friend, which, although new and 

 water tight, were about two numbers two large for me. I 

 could get along very well when exercising caution, and 

 always noticing where I placed my foot so as to avoid the 

 many boulders that literally cover the beds of these streams. 

 On this last fishing bout, however, the trout were so lively 

 and the sport so exhilarating,;that I soon forgot myself, and, 

 making a misstep, was submerged, head up stream, in this 

 ice bath. After two or three turns over I succeeded in re- 

 gaining my feet, literally wet to the skin and about a gallon 

 of water in each boot. At first the cold was intense, but 

 soon a warm glow spread all over me, and especially my 

 feet and legs. The water in the rubber boots did not only 

 get warm/but apparently scalding hot. No inconvenience 

 resulted from the ducking, in fact I became convinced that 

 no better treatment could be suggested than a regular daily 

 bath in this pure cold water, for all forms of simple 

 neuralgia. Occident. 



CANADIAN TROUT WATERS. 



THE new Lake St. John Railway, which runs north from 

 Quebec, gives easy access to a large number of most 

 excellent trout waters. A correspondent of the Quebec 

 Chronicle says: "Not only has the road been completed 

 some 80 miles beyond St. Raymond, but that it is rapidly 

 extending, and in a couple of years the whole road to Lake 

 St. John will be an accomplished fact. The line taken over 

 by the company now extends to Riviere a Pierre, 58 miles 

 from Quebec, and where a year ago nothing but a dense for- 

 est existed may be heard the busy hum of scores of mechanics 

 engaged in the workshops of the contractor, where every- 

 thing in the shape of repairs, etc., are nerformed in a work- 

 manlike manner. From this point to thi end of the road at 

 Batiscan River, a distance of thirty miles, the line is operated 

 by the contractor and is already in excellent order. A train 

 leaves Riviere a Pierre daily and reaches the present termin- 

 us about midday, where the traveler can be accommodated 

 with first-class fare at the Windsor. Just imagine, where a 

 howling wilderness existed a few months ago almost every 

 luxury can now be obtained, and every attention paid to the 

 traveler who may fortunately be induced to visit these parts 

 on business or pleasure. We talk about the land and scenery 

 on the Saguenay River, but nothing can surpass the beauties 

 all along "the route of the Lake St. John railway. Gigantic 

 mountains, nearly equaling in height capes Trinity and Eter- 

 nity, of the far-famed Saguenay, lovely valleys, meandering 

 streams and magnificent lakes are to be seen in succession as 

 as we travel through this interesting country. The railway 

 skitts the borders of the beautiful Batiscan River for some 

 forty miles, which is perfectly enchanting, beiog a succession 

 of rapids, bays, etc., and studded with islands. An iron 

 bridtre is now beirg thrown across the Batiscan River, and 

 it is expected the road will reach Lake Edward, a distance of 

 110 miles from Quebec, about the 1st of July next, if finan- 

 cial arrangements are completed. This tplendid sheet of 

 water is twenty miles long, about two miles broad, and 

 abounds with the finest trout. From the end of the line to 

 the second crossing on the Batiscan River, a perfect string 

 of magnificent lakes are to be found teeming with fish, offer- 

 ing to the spoitsman a chance scarcely known elsewhere, 

 they being within a few hours' ride from the city." 



J. U. Gregory, Esq. .writes: "The Chrouide letter will convey 

 some idea of the splendid fly-fishing for trout we can now 

 enjoy within three or four hours' ride from home. The Lake 

 St. John Railroad runs through an entirely new country, 

 offering facilities to reach magnificent lakes and rivers teem- 

 ing with beautiful trout. Leaving New York at 4:30 P. M., 

 the next day at 1 P. M. you are in Quebec, and can reach 

 the lakes or river the same day or in little over twenty-four 

 sours after leaving New York, You can be iu camp in time 



to get that evening's fishing. The scenery is simply grand, 

 the atmosphere cool and balmy, and for pleasure combined 

 with healing qualities of the air no place in America can sur- 

 pass this new region. As yet man has done nothing to inter- 

 fere with the laws of nature, and for some years to come it 

 will be a perfect paradise for the lover of the rod and gun. 

 In winter caribou are plentiful and there is also an occa- 

 sional moose. I most confidently recommend any of your 

 readers desirous of fine trout fishing to try the Laurentine 

 lakes back of Quebec, and shall be happy to assist them all 

 in my power. 



THE FISH AND FISHERIES.* 



THE work now before us is by far the most thorough and 

 important popular work on fishes ever issued iu 

 America. It has been published by the IT. S. Commission of 

 Fish and Fisheries, from material gathered under its direction, 

 in conjunction with the tenth census. It comprises two 

 large volumes; the one containing the text covers 850 quarto 

 pages, printed in large, clear type on good paper, while the 

 accompanying volume of plates give us the finest collection of 

 figures of fishes, mollusks, crustaceans and marine mammals 

 that has ever been presented to the public. While it does 

 not enter into scientific discussious of species, it gives us 

 such information as the average reader will value and best 

 understand. 



It opens with the marine mammals, etc. — the seals, sea 

 lions, walruses, the manatees — giving their life history and 

 their commercial uses. In part second, the useful aquatic 

 reptiles and the batrachians of the United States are treated ; 

 the species ranging from the great marine turtles down 

 through the small pond tortoises, to the frogs, (here being a 

 chapter on the bullfrog, its propagation, mode of capture 

 and economic uses. Part third comprises the larger portion 

 of the volume, and is devoted to the food fishes of the United 

 States. The author says in an introductory note: "In pre- 

 paring the following chapters upon the food fishes of the 

 United States, the authors have avoided all technical discus- 

 sions, all descriptions of form, all digressions of the kind in 

 which naturalists, even when writing for the geueral public, 

 are so prone to indulge. We anticipate the. ' criticism that 

 the book is of no use in identifying the different kinds of 

 fish, by the statement that we expressly desire that it should 

 not be. We have tried to present in concise form the infor- 

 mation suited to the needs of the fisherman, the fish pur- 

 chaser, statistician, and the general reader. Most of our 

 important species can be identified by reference to the plates. 

 If greater accuracy of identification be needed, the inquirer 

 is advised to consult 'Jordan's Synopsis ot the Fishes of 

 North America,' which forms the Bulletin No. 16 cf the 

 United States National Museum series." 



The fishes which are of the greatest interest to the angler 

 are very generously treated in regard to space, and much 

 interesting matter concerning their habits is given in a con- 

 densed form. Of the black bass it is very truly said : " The 

 black bass will never become the food of the millions. The 

 New York market receives probably less than ten thousand 

 pounds of them annually, and they are nowhere very numer- 

 ous. Yet hundreds of bodies of wastewater are now stocked 

 with them in sufficient numbers to afford pleasant sport and 

 excellent food." 



While much is said upon the habits of the salmon, we note 

 that the question of their biennial spawning, which has been 

 so ably discussed by Mr. Atkins, is not referred to, although 

 reference is made to his statement "that the great run of 

 grilse which is so prominent a feature in Canada and Europe 

 is almost entirely absent in the rivers of the United States, 

 the fish not returning until they have become adult." The 

 salmon was formerly plentiful in Lake Ontario, where they 

 used to ascend the Oswego River to its falls, but in the last 

 eighteen years they have gradually decreased till now only 

 an occasional straggler is found there; this decrease has beeu 

 especially noticeable since the construction of dams. 



Prof. D. S. Jordan describes the salmon of the Pacific 

 coast. Of the rainbow trout he mentions that this species is 

 generally known as brook trout, mountain trout, speckled 

 trout, golden trout and other evanescent names, and as far 

 as is known, they do not reach a weight of more than four 

 or five pounds. Its range is throughout California in all 

 mountain streams, and it is said to occur in the northern 

 part of lower California. The southernmost specimens seen 

 by him were from the San Luis Rey River. Prof. Jordan 

 remarks: "It may probably rnn into the sea from streams in 

 which the lower waters are clear. Specimens referred to 

 this species from the north of Mount Shasta are perhaps the 

 young of S. gairdneri. It feeds on worms, larvse and the 

 like. For a trout it is a fish of little gaminess or activity. It 

 is not often brought into the markets of San Francisco, and 

 at present has little economic importance, although, of 

 course, a good table fish." The so-called "red fish of Idaho," 

 whose identity was first determined by our correspondent, 

 Capt. Charles' Bendire, United States Army, whose notes 

 upon its appearance and habits have been published in For- 

 est and Stream and in the ' 'Proceedings of the National 

 Mus.um," is described. 



Mr. Livingston Stone contributes an article on the quinnat 

 salmon. He vividly describes their headlong rush up the 

 streams to the spawning beds, in which great numbers die 

 upon the way. According to Mr. Stone these salmon scoop 

 away the gravel from a selected spot with their noses and 

 sweep it off with their tails, until they have made a clear 

 spot a few feet in diameter, usually circular in shape, and 

 depressed towatd the center, not unlike a hen's nest. This 

 question of the use of the nose is one that has been much 

 discussed among fishculturists on the other side of the water. 

 Concerning the question that was agitated some years ago, 

 whether this species of salmon on the Pacific coast died after 

 spawning or whether a few returned to sea, Mr. Stone speaks 

 in the following words: 



"Some uninformed persons, who have never seen these 

 fish in their natural habits, have expressed some incredulity, 

 in regard to their all dying alter they have spawned. Under 

 this head, I will only say that it is probably true tbat those 

 that spawn near the ocean return to the ocean and recover 

 their vitality, but those that pass the United States station 

 on the McCloud River in the summer never do. In order to 

 make sure whether I was mistaken in my views about it, I 

 took the testimony, a year ago, of all the white men who 

 have lived or worked on the river, and all the Indians I 

 could reach. It was the unanimous testimony of all that the 



*The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States. Pre- 

 pared through the co-operation of the Commissioner of Fisheries 

 and the Superintendent of the tenth census, by George Brown Goode, 

 Assi-tant Director of the U. 8. National Museum, and a statt of 

 associates. Section I Natural history of useful aquatic animal?, 

 wi!ih an atlas of wo hundred and 5even.ty r seven. plate?. Washington,, 

 ^pverament Printing Office, J884, 



