Deo. so, 1888.1 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



449 



anywhere else. When our party arrived at Sanibel nest 

 morning, the Colonel could be oeen in the inlet busily 

 shooting into the water, and we found at night that he 

 had harpooned and captxired a devilfish — a little fellow — 

 15ft wide. 



When we landed at Sanibel the stairs at the wharf 

 were found to be near the shore, and so, after tating one 

 bucket of fiddlers, wo walked out to the outer end. 

 There was a sight such as I never imagined. Clustered 

 about the piling, and near the surface of the water, were 

 at least a thousand sheepshead, iu plain sight, all lying 

 motionless. I sat down on the wharf and bent on' my 

 Ime two more snoods and hooks, making fom' in all. I 

 had heard of thi'ee sheepshead beiug taken at one time in 

 these waters, and I natm-ally wanted to get four. When 

 we dropped our baits over the wharf tlie fish simidtane- 

 ously disappeared from view, but the biting was vigorous 

 and constant. I hooked my four lish several times, but 

 succeeded in getting but two at a time on the wharf. 

 Hereford, my companion, once landed thi-ee. One of the 

 ladies caught twenty-seven fish in a very short time, and 

 then the ladies went over to tine Gulf and gathered the 

 beautiful shells which line the beach. We soon tired of 

 the slaughter, and the tide nearly reaching lugh water, 

 we took our rowboat and started up the inside of the key 

 for cliannel bass. 



We arrived at the oyster reef, which was our destina- 

 tion, just at high water. We found the reef about 40yds. 

 long by 1yd. wide and surrounded by 3 or 8ft. depth of 

 water over sandy bottom for 100ft. in width. This bot- 

 tom was covered with shoals of sheepshead and spotted 

 trout and occasionally a channel bass could be seen. I 

 took several trout and Hereford caught some trout and 

 two or three bass of good size. Just outside the flat, in 

 the deep water, wc could see the whirls of a large fish and 

 after an extra effort i managed to get my bait out there 

 and awaited developments. Soon I saw my line running 

 out and wlien I struck the reel spun out 100yds. in an in- 

 stant, the friction burning my thumbs wliich were pressed 

 on the leather guard of the spool. Then from the channel 

 rose a mass of silver, the grandest of fish, and with a ter- 

 rier-like shake, my bait and sinker, intact, were thrown 

 contemptuously into the air. That was a tarpon. 



Fi'om the Gkilf I went to Indian River and spent about 

 ten days there near Indian River Inlet, going as far south 

 as Eden, Slieepshead were abundant in the Inlet, though 

 not so plentiful as on the west coast. There were no 

 tarpon nor cliannel bass. One twenty-pound sergeant 

 fish, one pompano, one grouper, and one cavalle were the 

 only fish besides sheepshead taken by me, excepting 

 sharks. I killed five big fellows in the Inlet one morning 

 while fishing for bass. I very much preferred Charlotte 

 Harbor to Indian River, not only on account of the 

 greater abimdance of fish, but because of the accessibility 

 of the fishing grounds. More than that, sand flies were 

 dreadful on Indian River, and one night the mosquitoes 

 double discounted my native Jersey, which, until then, I 

 thought had a bad preeminence as a habitat for the little 

 villains. The boarding house at Eden (Captain Richard's) 

 was better than any I saw on the west coast, and that at 

 St. Lucie qrnte equal to Shultz's^ at Punta Rassa. But 

 good living does not atone for inferior fisliing, else would 

 we leave home ? 



I had two days of black bass fishing, and had enough of 

 it. I am not an admirer of frerJi- water fish. There is 

 but one fresh- water fish of superior excellence for the 

 table — the whitefish of the lakes — and that does not take 

 fly or bait, I believe. The Florida bass are taken from 

 black, horrible looking pools, and the fish are slimy and 

 repulsive to the eye and touch. Fishing for them is like 

 angling in a stable yard or cessjDool. I took sixty i^ounds 

 of them in Lake Monroe in about two hours, and some 

 very large bass, with a few black pickerel and mud fish, 

 in the Savannah back of Eden. They make a powerful 

 but exceedingly brief fight, and come to the boat with 

 then mouths opened to a greater extent than their bodies, 

 spent and repulsive. In my judgment they are not to be 

 compared with the beautiful and Ecamy fish of the sea. 



T. S. J. C. 



Bass in Lake Chajiplain.— St. Albans Bay, Vt. Dec. 

 23. — By act of Legislature the open season for iishmg in 

 Lake Champlain in Vermont waters commences June 1 

 with hook and line instead of June 15 as heretofore. Jrme 

 is generally an excellent month for fly-fishing. — H. L. 

 Samson. 



Adid/ress all cmmiunimtionR to the For<st and Streoim Piib. Co 



CONNECTICUT SHELLFISH COMMISSION. 



WE have the sixth report of the Shellfish Commissioners 

 of Connecticut, covering a period beginning with July 

 1, 1885, and ending wltli Oct. 30, 1886. In the engineer's 

 department much work has been done in completing the 

 surveys of lots as claimed and occupied; iu buoying and map- 

 ping the occupations, as well as of new applications, and in 

 ma,king surveys necessary to the settlement of disputed 

 boundary lines, etc. It is now probable that in the course of 

 the next year the surveys and mapping will be completed, 

 and that the maps will be filed in the several towns as re- 

 quired by law. The value of these maps to the owners of 

 oyster grounds will be incalculable, as they are made under 

 the authority and super\'lsion of the State, and are in ac- 

 cordance with the record title of every town. Each map will 

 serve _ through all future time as a starting point for the 

 examination of a title to any lot, and the exact position of 

 the lot can be found by reference to the records. 



While the condition of the oysters has heen excellent the 

 past season, the spawning has'been less abundant than the 

 previous year. This statement is borne out by observations 

 of the New York Fish Commission at Cold Spring Harbor, 

 and of the United States Commission at Wood's Holl. Vaii- 

 ous reasons are assigned for this in the report, the chief one 

 being that the oysters were poor during the winter and 

 entered the spawning .season in a feeble condition. Another 

 cause assigned is the unfavorable state of the weather. A 

 cold rain fell and this was -fatal to the floating spat. The 

 rivers were low and there was not the usual supply of fresh 

 water. 



The number of acres cultivated in 1885 was 18,201, and in 

 1S86 there was an iacrease of 4,513 acres. This is indicative 

 of the continued growth of the oyster industry of the State, 

 and the increase of the steam deet engaged in oystering con- 

 firms this. In 1884 there were 40 steamers on the list, in 1885 

 there were 49; this year there are 60. 



The shipment of Connecticut oysters to foreign countr'e-, 

 k»s increased rapidly, and inter^ting statements on tlU 



subject are given by Mr. Hoyt, who spent some time in 

 Europe investig.ating the oyster industries there, and who 

 describees tlie methods in England, Ireland, France, Belgium 

 and Holland, 



The depredations of the starfish are referred to, and it is 

 considered that their great breeding ground is the natural 

 beds where they are not so much disturbed as on the private 

 beds, and that in this and other neglected places the starfish 

 breeds by millions. The Commissioners say that no means 

 have been devised for the destruction of these pests that are so 

 effectual as the improved dredges, which are so constructed 

 that they pass over the beds without disturbing the oysters. 

 At their approach the starfish rises and before it can get 

 away it is drawn into the net. Capt. Charles W. Hoyt, of 

 Hoyt Brothers Company, has recently invented and patented 

 a dredge which slides upon runners and nets the 

 starfish without disturbing an oyster. Mr. Riley T. 

 Smith, of Smith Bros., has also invented a contrivance 

 which is quite unlike Capt. Hojt's. In place of the 

 iron tooth bar that usitally moves before the net, 

 he has a shaft to which four buckets, on strips of wood, 

 are hinged. They are six inches wide and about four feet 

 long, extending from side to side i n front of the mouth of 

 theliag. When the dredge is hauled over the bed the shaft 

 tunis, and the under bucket, caught by the water, opens, 

 and as it comes up in the rear lifts and sweeps the starfish 

 into the net. Each of the four buckets in its turn acts in 

 this way at each revolution of the shaft. The oysters are 

 not disturbed, and nothing but starfish are brought up by 

 the net. Mr. Snfith says it works well— better than any 

 other dredge be has seen. Both these inventions will prove 

 of inestimable value to the careful grower. 



A financial statement and the rexjort of the engineer is 

 given as well as the laws relating to the work of the 

 rishei-ies. 



FISHCULTURB IN ENGLAND.— iVofu/'c states that 

 commencing on Jan. 1, 1887, a journal is to be pixblished by 

 the National Fishculture Association, comprising not only 

 information regarding its transactions from time to time, 

 but also articles relative to the subjects of fishculture, fish 

 and fisheries. A record will also be given of what takes 

 place in connection witli these subjects throughout the whole 

 of the United Kingdom, the colonies and abroad. 



the Mmmt 



FIXTURES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



January, 18S7.— Bench Show of Poultry and Pet Stock Associ- 

 ation, at Adams, Mass. W. F. Davis, Secretary. 



Jan. 17 to 21, 1887.— Ohio State Poultry, Pigeon and Pet Stock 

 Association Dog Show, Columbus, O. W. F. Kueli, Superintend- 

 ent, ColunabiL"?, O. 



Jan. 18 to 31.— Exliibition under auspices of the National Poultry 

 and P)enc]i Show Association, Gate City Guards Armory, Atlanta, 

 Ga. R. J. Fisher, Secretary. 



Feh. 8 to 11.— Southern Massachusetts Poultry Association Bench 

 Show, Fall River. A. R. G. Mosher, Secretary. 



March 23 to 35, 1887.— Spriiig Show of the New Jersey Kennel 

 Club, Waverly, N. J. A. C. Wllmerdlng, Secretary, Bergen Point, 

 N. J. 



March 29 to April 1, 1887.— Inaugural Bench Show of Rhode 

 Island Kennel Cluh, Providence, R. I. N. Seabury, Secretary, 

 Box 13S3, Providence. 



April o to 8, 1887.— Third Annual SJiow of New England Kennel 

 CluD, Boston. F. L. A¥eston, Secretary, Hotel Boylston, Boston, 

 Ma-SB. 



April 12 to 15, 1887.— Thirteenth Annual Dog Show of the Western 

 Pennsylvania Poultry Society, at Pittsburgh, Pa. C. B. Elben, 

 Secretary. 



May 3 to 6, 1887.— Eleventh Annual Show of the Westmhister 

 Kennel Club, Madison Scxuare Garden, New York. James Morti- 

 mer, Superintendent. 



FIELD TRIALS. 

 Feb. 15, 1887.— Inaugural Trials of Tennessee Sportsmen's Associ- 

 ation. Entries close .Tan. 10. R. M. Dudley, Secretary, No. 84 

 Broad street, Nashville, Tenn. 



A. K. R.-SPECIAL NOTICE. 



nPHE AJNIERICAN KENNEL REGISTER, for the registration 

 of pedigrees, etc. (mth prize Usts of all shows and trial.?), is 

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

 early. Entry hlanlis 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 

 .■$1.50. Address "American Kennel Register," P. O. Box 2833, New 

 York. Number of entries aheady printed 4302. 



THE NATIONAL DERBY. 



THE seventh annual Derby of the National Field Trials 

 Club began at Grand Junction, Tenn., on Saturday, Dec. 

 18, after the finish of the All-Aged Stake. There were sixty- 

 nine nominations, twenty-five of them filling. The average 

 quality of the work was superior to that done in the All- 

 Aged Stake, many of the youngsters displaying a dash and 

 brilliancy that we have rarely seen surpassed. The judges 

 selected were Dr. Eawlings Young, of Corinth, Miss., Maior 

 W. H. Key of Florence, Ala., and Mr. H. W. Fuller, of 

 Louisville, Ky. All of them served on Saturday, but on 

 Monday Major Key and Mr. Fuller were obliged to retui-n 

 home on account of important business, and the running 

 proceeded tmder two judges. Dr. Young and Col. J. H. Treze- 

 vant, of Dallas, Texas. On Tuesday Col. Trezevant was also 

 obliged to leave us, and the stake was finished under Dr. 

 Young and Mr. Paris. A number of the starters also ran at 

 High Point, and in nearly everv' case they showed up here to 

 better advantage than at the Eastern Trials. This was un- 

 doubtedly in a great measure owing to the fact that they were 

 trained on similar ground, where their range was not confined 

 to small fields as was very often the case at High Point. 

 Birds were not verj^ plentiful and some of the heats were 

 decided before the amount of work done was at all sufficient 

 to demonstrate which dog was really the better of the two. 



BEK HUR AND LITTLE KELL. 

 This was the first brace drawn to run. They were put 

 down in sedge at eleven minutes past ten after the finish of 

 the All-Aged Stake. Ben Hur, handled by Short, ran at 

 Higrh Point, showing better there than he did here. Little 

 Nell, handled by Titus, has a fair amount of speed and style, 

 but is not a wide ranger. Working through the sedge to a 



tully, we turned down through some pines where a hevj 

 ushed wild. The dogs were sent in their direction, and Ben 

 got a point to a smgle that was flushed Ijy Nell coming 

 toward him dovra wind and not seeing him. Soon after Ben 

 made another point and Nell backed him. Short went ahead 

 and flushed tlie bird from the top of a stump. We then 

 crossed the gully and tiu-ned back along the bank and Nell 

 mada a nice point to a single that flushed a few seconds later. 

 Turning up the slope and crossing another gully to some 

 sedge, Ben made a nice point that proved to be false, and 

 the heat was ended with Little Nell the winner. Down fifty 

 minutes. 



GLADSTONE'S GIRL AND CHANCE. 



This brace was, by consent, run out of the regular order to 

 accommodate Captain Hem-y, who was obliged to return 

 home, Girl was handled by her owner, Cantaih Pat Henry, 

 and Chance by Avent. Chance ran at High Point. He had 

 the best of it in style, pace and range. They were put down 



a few minutes past 11 in sedge and worked over into a likely- 

 looking field, from which we were ordered off: by the owner. 

 Turning toward some woods Girl scored a false point. Work- 

 ing through the woods Dr, Yoimg saw a lai'ge bevy running 

 on the ground, and the dogs were brought round there. 

 Chance made a nice point and Girl came round, refused to 

 back and ran in, but the birds had run away. Both then 

 ctiallenged, and soon after Chance again pointed, when Girl 

 repeated her performance of refusing to back and went 

 ahead, A little further on Girl flushed another one and 

 stopped to wing, and several more got up. Chance then 

 made a point, but nothing was found, and soon after he 

 pinned a single that Avent to order flushed, and two or three 

 more went. Chance then turned along a fence near the 

 judges and made a point to a single that flushed an instant 

 later. Taking a few stejjs. Chance again pointed and Avent 

 to order put up the bird. Both then challenged, and Girl 

 half pointed at old scent, Chance backing her nicely. We 

 then tmned up into some woods, where Girl flushed one and 

 the heat was ended, with Chance the "wiimer, Down one 

 hour and sixteen minutes. 



DANTE AND NAT GOODWIN. 



Dante, handled by W. E. Ellison, and Nat Goodwin, 

 handled by Avent, were put down in some woods at 12:33. 

 Nat ran at High Point in the first heat, doing some credit- 

 able work. He beat Dante in speed, range and style and 

 showed the best nose. They were worked toward the scat- 

 tered bevy, found by the last brace. Dante made a point, to 

 whicii nothing was found, Nat refusing to back him. Nat 

 then made a short east and stopped on a very pretty point to 

 a brace that Avent to order flushed. A short distance fttr- 

 ther on Dante struck the trail of a running bird that he 

 pointed and then drew on and roaded out his bird in good 

 style and located it nicely. Ellison to order put up the bird 

 and killed it. Major Key, forgetting that retrieving was 

 not reqtured in this stake, ordered Dante to retrieve, and he 

 did so well. Turning back through the woods both chal- 

 lenged, but could not make it out. Nat turned up a slope 

 and flushed one, and soon after Dante ran up a bunch of 

 four that he should have pointed. We then went to lunch, 

 after which John Ellison Handled Dante, but did not succeed 

 in landing him a winner, as Nat made a cast to a thicket 

 and pinned a portion of a bevy in fine .style, Dante backing 

 him nicely. Avent to order put up the birds and the heat 

 was decided in favor of Nat Goodwin. Down altogether 

 twenty-nine minutes. 



KATRINA AND JEAN VAL JEAN. 



When this brace was called for it was stated that Katrina 

 was withdrawn, as she was in season. This gave Jean the 

 heat vrithout running, and the abstu-dity was witnessed of 

 two dogs in one series l^eing av/arded heats without doing 

 any work. This decision v/as correct under the rules, but it 

 wa»s nevertheless unjust to the other dogs. 



RUBY D. AND TALLEYRAND. 

 Ruby D., handled by Rose, and Talleyrand, handled by 

 Short, 'were put down in some woods at 1:41. In pace, range 

 and style they were nearly equal. Ruby showing tlie Ijest 

 nose. Shortly after starting they backed each other very 

 prettily. A uttle further on TaDey made an indifferent 



Eoint to a single. Ruby backing nicely. Short put up the 

 ird to order, both dogs remaining steady to whig and shot. 

 Soon after Ruby flushed one across Avind, and some distance 

 further on the dogs backed each other. Working to the 

 edge of the woods Talley stopped on point to a single just as 

 it went, and soon after he flushed one that he should have 

 pointed. Turning back through the woods and across a 

 cornfield to another piece of woods, Ruby got in a good point 

 to a single that Rose flu.shed to order. Working through 

 the woods and crossing a road, Ruby challenged and roaded 

 a short distance on foot scent of a bevy that flushed wild 

 just beyond her. Following up the birds, Ruby made a false 

 poiut and Talley backed her. Crossing a ditch into a brier 

 thicket, Talley pinned one that Short, to order, flushed. 

 Turning into some woods he soon had another one fast that 

 was put up by his handler. Ruby then got in a good point 

 that Talley at once honored. Rose, to order, flushing the 

 bird. Talley then swung to one side and made a nice point 

 to a single that was put up by his handler. Working down 

 a slope Talley scored a false point. We then turned back to 

 a braceof birds that had been worked down, and Talley went 

 straigJit to them, but they were down v>'ind and he flushed 

 them. Ruby made a cast up the hill, and catching the 

 scent, located a bevy in capital style. This ended the heat, 

 with Ruby the wmuer, Down one hour and seventeen 

 minutes. 



WANDA AND HUSTLING HANNAH, 



This brace was put down in the woods a few minutes past 

 3. Wanda was handled by Bevan and Hannah by Short. 

 The latter ran at High Point. She had the best of it in 

 speed, style and nose. W^anda started oft" with two flushes on 

 smgles that she should have pointed. Turning back Hannah 

 made a point to a bird that Short to order flushed, Wanda 

 backing her. Hannah then scored two flushes in succession 

 which should have been points as the wind was in her favoi". 

 Soon after Wanda challenged and then di-ew on and deliber- 

 ately flushed her bird, and continuhig on in same trail she 

 rooted up another one. Hannah then swung down to a 

 a thicket and made a nice point that Wanda backed in good 

 style. The birds flushed wild a few seconds later. They 

 were then ordered up and the heat awarded to Hannah, Down 

 twenty-four minutes. 



CASSIO AND GOLDSTONE. 



These dogs both ran at High Point with the same handlers. 

 Both .showed good speed and range, Cassio having a trifle 

 the best of it in this respect, as well as in style and nose. 

 They were put down in some woods and considerable ground 

 was worked over blank. Finally Cassio challenged and 

 drew to point, with Goldstone backing him. Cassio drew on 

 the trail and made a cast while Goldstone was thrown ahead 

 of him, and locating the bevy he pointed them in grand 

 style. Tucker to order put up the birds, and the dogs were 

 sent into the woods in their direction. Cassio showed his 

 superiority here, outmtting his comiDetitor and getting in 

 four points in rapid succession to none for Goldstone, and 

 with the exception of being unsteady to wing on one occa- 

 sion behaving admirably. Turning out of the woods in 

 some sedge Cassio got anotho' good point to a bevy that his 

 handl* to order flushed, andThe heat was ended with Cas- 

 sio the winner. Down twenty-eight minutes. 



KEYSTONE AND ROI B. 



These dogs also both ran at High Point. They were run 

 out of the regular order, as the next brace was not on hand. 

 Working through some sedge Roi got the first point, Key- 

 stone backing him nicely. Short put up the bird and shot, 

 and both dogs were steady. Key soon alter pinned one, and 

 Roi backed him. Tucker put up the bird but did not shoot. 

 Beating through to some woods Roi made a false point and 

 Key backed him. When ordered on Key made an indiflEerent 

 point to a single that his handler pitt irp to order. The dogs 

 were then sent toward a thicket where some birds had been 

 marked down. Both pointed at very nearly the same time, 

 and birds were flushed in front of each. One of the birds 

 was marked down, and as we we went in that direction Key 

 pointed, but Tucker failed to find a bird. Roi then cast 

 ahead and nailed the bird, and Short to order flushed it. 

 Beating out a cornfield both dogs challenged, and alternately 

 pointed and backed, doing some very pretty work. A little 

 further on Roi roaded out and pointed a bevy very nicely, 

 and Short to order put them up. Following the birds Key 

 got in a good point to a single in the sedge. We then 

 turned back across a branch to a marked bird that Key 



