SS4 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Mat H, 1888. 



in it; wp, as the irresistible force, have met the immovable 

 body and have moved it. 



ivar. tJ.ssell considered that an important point in the work 

 on the Great Lakes should be the imposing of a license fee 

 on the fishermen, and the States can best do this. This fee 

 should he sufficient to pay for all expenses of hatching the 

 fish and for the enforcement of laws. The States would be 

 loath to give up this right, and if we can raise sufficient 

 money by license fees to carry on the work, it will be self- 

 supporting. 



Dr. Sweeny argued that while in theory there should be 

 a license fee, in practice it was best not to impose it. Such 

 a course would cause opposition and might antagonize the 

 fishermen. It is better to go slow and get the fishermen 

 educated in the matter of the benefits of fishculture. 



Dr. Parker opposed a license fee. The fisheries are for the 

 benefit of all, as much for the benefit of those who sell fish 

 and those who eat them, as for the men who catch them. It 

 is just as necessary to catch fish as it is to plant them, and 

 in his opinion the planting should be done by the general 

 Government. 



Mr. Mather remembered that two years ago, at the Chica- 

 go meeting, Mr. Booth, one of the largest fishermen of the 

 lakes, favored a license fee, and he merely mentioned this 

 as a matter of fact, having no opinion of his own on the sub- 

 ject. 



Col. McDonald wanted to see the States in co-operation 

 with the Government and the stations so well equipped that, 

 if at some future time the United States should, from any 

 cause, cease operations in this line the work would go on", 

 having been left in good shape, for the States to con- 

 tinue it. 



Dr. Hudson assured Commissioner McDonald that all 

 were in sympathy with his views, but it was impossible to 

 fix upon any definite policy of operations to-night. 



Col. McDonald wanted more than sympathy, he wanted 

 suggestions, but no one offered anv more and the njeetiflg 

 adjourned. * 



AFTER MIGRATORY FISHES IN THE GRAMPUS. 



A CORRESPONDENT of the Belfast, Me., ItepubUcau 

 Journal writes from Fortress Monroe, under date of 

 April 26, as follows; 



On the. morning of the 7th we left Wood's Holl for soubh- 

 ■eru waters, there to cruise on the mackerel grounds and 

 report the migratory movements of mackerel, menhaden, 

 bluettsh, etc. The weather being fine a vigilant watch was 

 kept for any "signs" of fish, such as slicks on the water, or 

 phalaropes, better known as sea geese. These are regarded 

 by fishermen as sure indications of the presence of mackerel. 

 On the afternoon of the 9th "slicks" and phalaropes were 

 reported from the masthead. Later in the evening, wheu in 

 lat. 37.27; long. 74.48, small "pods" of fish were seen under 

 the bow, and announced to be mackerel. Mackerel, unlike 

 herring or menhaden, move with a quick, siuuous motion 

 wheu frightened, and when darting troin under a vessel's 

 bow at night can be distinguished in that manner, especially 

 if there be but a few in the school; but if large schools, or 

 "rafts, 1 ' as the fishermen term them, are run into it is much 

 more difficult to distinguish the difference, they being so 

 compact, and appear as one large sheet of fire moving rap- 

 idly over the surface of the ocean. 



To watch schools of fish from the masthead of a vessel on 

 •a dark night, when the water is full of phosphorescence, is 

 an interesting and a very exciting sight, made more so when 

 the watcher is entirely dependent on the capture of a certain 

 quantity of them for his daily bread. Standing upon the 

 deck of a steamer watching the fiery wake as it disappears 

 in the gloom of night is interesting; but to see old ocean in 

 one of its grandest displays is to witness a fleet of mackerel 

 seiners engaged in night "fishing." Imagine two hundred 

 sail ol fishermen in close proximity to each other, all tacking 

 and jibing about to avoid collision, or to get the iuside track 

 of some half dozen other nocturnal rivals who are anxious 

 to get the first set at some particular school, that happen to 

 be "showing up" much better than the rest. 



It often happens that mackerel will only school at night, 

 and then can only be seen when there is no moon and the sky 

 is overcast. On such occasions a lively time is anticipated 

 by the fishermen. It is not an unusual sight to see as high 

 as 50 or oO seine boats away from their vessels, either setting 

 or about to set their seines. They make a pretty picture to 

 look upon, as they all leave a fiery path behind them. 



Fishermen as a rule are blessed with good lungs, and 

 when a. boat has succeeded in capturing the school set at, 

 the crew are not backward in informing their less fortunate 

 companions of their good luck. Occasionally a coasting 

 vessel will approach near a school that is being set at, and 

 sometimes the fish are sunk by them, at which times the oc- 

 cupants of the seine boats will give full vent to their feel- 

 ings in language which would be anything but pleasing to 

 a purist. When rowing around a school of mackerel or 

 pursing up the seine, every man is supposed to exert 

 himself to his utmost, and if one is caught shirking he 

 is soon reminded of it. But such cases are rare, as the crew 

 of mackerel seiners are on shares, and are only too glad to 

 get a chance to pull upon a purse line. After a school has 

 been surrounded by twine and the fish are playing at the 

 surface everybody is terribly excited, for within 'the circle of 

 corks and twine can be seen that which, if captured, will buy 

 home comforts and supply the family with the necessities of 

 life. After the seine is purs d the work of "drying in" is 

 begun, which is to haul all of the slack twine and corks into 

 the boat, thereby putting the fish into as small a compass as 

 possible. After this is done the vessel is skillfully brought 

 alongside and the contents of the seine bailed out and de- 

 posited on the vessel's deck. 



If a very large school has been captured it is turned into a 

 large pocket made of extra heavy twine which is fastened to 

 the mainrail on the starboard side of the vessel. This Docket 

 is capable of withstanding the rapacious attacks of the in- 

 numerable dogfish which frequent out coast in summer. 

 Every fisherman looks upon a dogfish as his nemesis, and 

 never lets one escape alive, whenever an opportunity pre- 

 sents itself to kill it. These pests of the ocean are so numer- 

 ous, that after a school has been captured they will fre- 

 quently eat the entire bottom from the seine, in trying to 

 get at the mackerel. Sometimes a whole trip is lost' in this 

 way before the vessel can he got to the boat. These wolves 

 of the ocean are far more ferocious at night than in the day- 

 time an das the god of day sinks below the horizon they seem 

 to steal forth from their deep submarine caverns for the sole 

 purpose of tantalizing fishermen. 



Occasionally a sudden display of torches will be seen, 

 which indicates that a vessel has captured a school, and that 

 the crew are engaged in dressing them. When from 100 to 

 200 sail of seiners arc huddled together, all illuminated, they 

 present a queer sight— especially if there is a rough, choppy 

 sea going— all rolling and pitching in different "directions", 

 which would cause one approaching from a distance to im- 

 agine that a marine pyrotechnic display was being held in 

 honor of Neptune. 



Steamers frequently go out of their path in order to give 

 the passengers on board an opportunity of seeing such a 

 novel sight. In rough weather "night fishing" becomes 

 extremely dangerous, as it is carried on when the crews and 

 captains of vessels ought to be on board, instead of being in 

 boats battling with the elements. Bub fishermen as a rule 

 are very intrepid, and often risk their lives when it is 

 thought that a few dollars can be realized bv so doing. 

 This.may sound strange to those who are not followers of 

 the sea; but it is nevertheless true. A few years ago 

 thirteen men were lost in one night in Massachusetts Bay, 

 all belonging to mackerel seiners. These men were so eager 



to procure a fare of fish that they forgot all about their 

 perilous position and clung to their nets'so long that before 

 their vessels could reach them the boats filled and turned, 

 bottom up. During this time Vessels were laboring under 

 double-reefed sails. 



A short time after falling in with the fish before spoked 

 of, the vessel was hoVe to and mackerel and herring nets put 

 out. On hauling them the next morning not a single speci- 

 men was obtained— not even enough to satisfy the codk, who 

 was standing ready to claim his share. As the weather 

 looked threatening we bote a way for Hampton Roads, Va., 

 where we anchored at 9 A. M., close to some American 

 men-of-war, which, judging from their models and rigs, 

 must have been derelicts in the early part of this century. 

 Oa our arrival here we received orders to immediately pro- 

 ceed to Chesapeake Bay and investigate the shad fisheries. 

 Four days were spent cruising in the Chesapeake. Fish 

 traps are numerous in all parts of the bay. Those situated 

 at the nlouths of York and Rappahannock rivers and Tan- 

 giers Sound have thus far this year taken more shad than 

 for the past eight years. Fishermen all over the bay speak 

 as though the coming season would be a fruitful One. They 

 all state that to the work of the Fish Commission is due the 

 annual increase of shad in the Chesapeake aud Delaware 

 bays. 



On the morning of the 17th we passed Cape Henry, smith- 

 ward bound. A week was spent in making trial for mack- 

 erel with toll bait and gill-nets, but without success until 

 the night of the 21st, when a tinker mackerel was caught in 

 t he nets; lat. 37.07 deg. N.; long. 74.48 deg. W. Various sizes 

 of surface, tow nets were used during the day, which gener- 

 ally collect any floating fish eggs, Crustacea and minute 

 marine life which may be floating at the surface, all of which 

 is food for mackerel. Hourly temperatures of the water 

 were taken at the surface; also bottom temperatures several 

 times each day. and the exact position noted> The temper- 

 ature of the water greatly affects the movements of mackerel 

 in their northward journey. The water this spring is found 

 to be several degrees colder than last, which no doubt ac- 

 counts for no mackerel being seen at the surface up to date. 

 The most southern position reached was in lat. 35.46 deg. N.; 

 long s 74.55 deg. W., where an abundance of whales, porpoises, 

 phalaropes and gaimets were found. Every indication went 

 to show that mackerel or other fish that school at the sur- 

 face were present, although no specimens were obtained. 



Because mackerel do not rise and take the hook when toll 

 bait is thrown is no sign that they are not near. In yeafs 

 heretofore a large fleet of seiners have foamed over the 

 southern mackerel ground, looking for fish, and in some 

 cases weeks have elapsed ere they found any. This year no 

 fishing vessels ate on the ground, so consequently one single 

 vessel is not likely to fall in with a large quantity even if 

 they should be quite plentiful along the coast. 



From the position last mentioned repeated trials were 

 made as far north as 37 deg. and 40 min. On the night of 

 the 24th, when in lat. 37 deg. 31 min. and 43 sec. north, long. 

 74 deg. and 39 min. west, one herring was taken. This com- 

 prises all the fish caught during the cruise, except dogfish, 

 which may be caught in our quarter of the globe on any 

 kind of bait, or any kind of hooks. 



As our supply of water was nearly gone, the morning of 

 the 25th we bore away for Ham nton Roads, Va.. where we 

 anchored at 6:50 P. M. In a few days we shall be ready for 

 sea again, and it is hoped that the coming cruise will prove 

 a more profitable one than the last; Alexander. 



html 



FIXTURES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



. . Seltt. ?4 to Sf. -Fifth Dbg Show at London, Ont. C. A: Stone, 

 Superintendent. 



FIELD TRIALS. 



Nov. 10.— Tenth Annual Field Trials of the Eastern Field Trials 

 Club, at High Point. N. C. (Members' Stake, Nov. 15.) W. A. 

 Coster* Secretary, Saratoga Springs, N. Y, 



Dec. 10.— Second Annual Field Trials of the American Field 

 Trials Club, at West Point, Miss. C. W. Paris, Secretary, Cincin- 

 nati, O. 



A. K. R.-SPECIAL NOTICE. 

 T^HE AMERICAN KENNEL REGISTER, for the registration 

 of pedigrees, etc. (with prize lists of all shows and trials;, is 

 published every month. Entries close on the 1st. Should life in 

 early. Entry Wanks 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 3832, New 

 fork. Number of entries already printed 6302. 



THE MENHADEN QUESTION. 



r TMVERTON, R. I., May 21.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 JL "Acoxet" thinks I have all the work cut out that I 

 w r ant to attend to, which is true, for there is not much satis- 

 faction fighting antagonists that know but little of the sub- 



J'ect tinder consideration. I presume "Acoxet" thinks men- 

 laden are scarce, because we and others think of leaving 

 the business, when as a matter of fact one of the largest 

 bodies of that fish ever known was located between Barne- 

 gat and Hatteras last October; it was not a few square miles 

 but thousands. In four years our company's menhaden 

 products alone have shrunk in market value over 1400,000, 

 resulting in a heavy loss during 1887; on that account we 

 have concluded to abandon the. business. 



The U. S. Fish Commission were a unit on our side of this 

 question in their testimony given before the Congressional 

 Committee last winter; and as they are disinterested men of 

 acknowledged ability, and have, at the Government's ex- 

 pense, thoroughly investigated the subject, it would seem 

 that their verdict should be final. Huxley, in his investiga- 

 tion of Great Britain's fisheries, learned that improved 

 methods for catching fish adopted by fishermen almost 

 al ways excit ed the bitter opposition of fishermen that did 

 not use the new methods; probably our hook and line smack- 

 men have a little weakness that way themselves. I should 

 like for "Acoxet" to find out from the smack men he quotes 

 from if they ever went after the bass they have seen keeping 

 company with menhaden from three to forty miles from 

 land. I have yet to hear of a menhaden or mackerel seiner 

 catching a school, which would be the case if they were there, 

 for they are worth from two to three hundred dollars per 

 ton. 



Tautog is another fish I would call " Acoxet's" attention to. 

 Most of them were frozen to death during the cold winter of 

 1875, since then they have been as plenty as ever before 

 known and now they are scarce again. 



It would seem with the illustrations which scup. seabass, 

 weakfish, and tautog have furnished of being plenty and 

 scarce at different times since 1870, that the opponents of 

 free fishing should be siienced forever. 



Daniel T. Church, 



Tiverton, R. I., May 21.— Thomas Clapham is on deck 

 again, This time he tells us of bad smells, big round shot 

 and what 1 know, which I beg to say is what I don't know. 

 The menhaden fishermen are one of the largest producers of 

 ammonia and fish-oil in the world, and on that account 

 are public benefactors, for the reason that their product 

 cheapens fertilizers and oil, in which all the people are inter- 

 ested. Spencer F. Baird, who I presume even friend Clap- 

 ham will admit was disinterested authority, thought enough 

 of the menhaden fishery to take models and pictures of their 

 factories, steamers and apparatus, and exhibit them in Ger- 

 many and England at the last fishery exhibitions, and then 

 bring them back and put them on public exhibition in the 

 Smithsonian Institution. Within two years we have had 

 representatives from two foreign governments visit us for 

 the purpose of examining our mode of fishing and manu- 

 facturing, and their knowledge of our fishery came through 

 the London Fishery Exhibition. I gathered from them that 

 American fishermen in their apparatus for reaping the har- 

 vests of the sea are far ahead of any other on earth. If so, 

 would it not be well for friend Clapham to attend to his own 

 business (in which I am told he excels) and let us attend to 

 ours. Daniel T. Church. 



HATCHING THE MASCALONGE. — Mr. Jonathan 

 Mason, one of the old employees of the N. Y. Fish Commis- 

 sion at the Caledonia station, has succeeded in hatching the 

 Msn% nohilior. He has hatched between 30,000 and 30,000 

 and has proved these points: The fish spawns in May, in 

 western New York, the eggs are free and not adhesive in the 

 least, and are about one-tenth of an inch in diameter. It is 

 the first time that the eggs of this fish have been taken arti- 

 ficially. The hatching was done at Chautauqua Lake, and 

 people in the vicinity are greatly pleased at the prospect of 

 a replenished supply. 



THE ENGLISH FIELD TRIALS. 



THE ENGLISH KENNEL CLUB'S field trials were run 

 on the Duke of Portland's estate commencing April 

 24, with the Derby. Of the 93 nominations there were 83 

 starters, 13 pointers and 12 setters, The winner was Mr. 

 JAmes Bishop's black, white and tan English setter bitch 

 Bonnie Daisy (Sailor — Flora). 



The All- Aged Stake for pointers and setters had 10 entries, 

 5 pointers and 5 setters. First was won by Mr. J. F. Hat- 

 field-Carter's black and white English setter hitch Blue 

 Maude of Cranfield (Ranging Aaron— Little Bess), second 

 by Mr. C. C. Ellis's red setter bitch Mac's Little Nell (Cock- 

 sure — Graunnaile), third to same owner's red dog Drogheda 

 (Frisco— Grouse II.). 



THE NATIONAL TRIALS; 

 The National Cliib's field trials commenced May i with 

 the Pointer Puppy Stakes, for which there were 21 entries. 

 First was won by Mr. G. Pilkington's liver aud white dog 

 Woolton Game) Gough— Larkspur), second by Mr. B. Field's 

 liver and white dog Melton (Lake— Magnet) third by Mr. R. 

 J. Lloyd Price's liver and white dog Ben Ultimus (Little 

 Ben— Bellona), fourth by Col. Cotes's liver and white dog 

 Don Carlos (Carlo— Dixey). The Setter Puppy Stakes had 

 17 entries. First was won by Bonnie Daisy, the winner of 

 the Kennel Club's Derby; second by Mr. W.xj. Nicholson's 

 black, white and tan dog Master Sam (Monk of Furness— 

 Bonny Belle), third by R. LI. Purcell Llewellin's black, 

 white and tan bitch Princess of Orange (Dishing Duke — 

 Duchess Placid), and fourth by James Bishop's black, white 

 and ticked bitch Bouncing Kate (Tunbridge— Beauty), 



A6T0N REYNALTJ Sf AKE.^: 

 This stake (limited to twelve) filled with seven pointers 

 and five setters, but one of each breed did not start. First 

 was won by A. P. Heywood-Lousdale's liver and white 

 English setter dog Woodhill Bruce (Baron Deveridge— 

 Norah), Best pointer, Mr. R. J. Lloyd Price's liver and 

 white dog Luck of the Goat (Luck of Edenhali — Belle of 

 Rhiwlas). Second best of either breed, Sir Richard Sutton's 

 black, white and tan English setter dog Roderick of Alten- 

 berg (Roderick of Braunfels— Flanka). 



THE CLOVERLT STAKES 



for braces had ten brace. First was won by Mr. W. 

 Mortimer's liver and white pointers Moor and Mast (Sam — 

 Blanche). Second by Mr. R. LI. Purcell Llewellin's black 

 and white English setter bitches Coquet B ( Dashing Bondhu 

 — Duchess Primrose) and Belie Bondhu (Dashing Bondhu 

 —Duchess Placid). Third by Mr. T. Lauder's black and 

 white English setters Kate (Rake— Heather Belle) and Jack 

 (Bang— Heather Belle). 



THE POINTER CLUB TRIALS. 



The inaugural trials of the Pointer Club commenced 

 March 8 witn the Puppy Stake, for which there were 28 en- 

 tries, with 8 starters. First was won by Mr. F, C. Lowe's 

 liver and white dog Rocket R. (Sussex Don II.— Milton 

 Ringlet), second by Mr. R. J, L. Price's liver and white dog 

 Ben Ultimus (Little Ben— Bellona), third by Mr. C. H, 

 Beck's liver and white bitch Madge of Upton (Naso of Upton 

 —Eros) and fourth by Mr. R. J. L. Price's liver and white 

 dog Sir Watkin (Jasper— Mink). The All-Aged Stake had 

 28 entries, with 17 starters. First was won by Mr. A. P. 

 Heywood-Lonstale's liver and white bitch Deuce, April, 1886 

 (Wynastay— Dainty); second and third was divided between 



Col. C. J. Cote'ss liver and white bitch Chloe (Carlo— Dixey). 



THE SAN FRANCISCO DOG SHOW. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your issue of April 19 appeared a very meager report Of 

 the San Francisco dog shoWj from which one would suppose 

 that the very attentive officers in charge and the huge Me= 

 chanics' PaVillion, in Which the show was held, wefe the 

 principal attraction of the exhibition. I quite agree with 

 your reporter in his praise of the officers of the club, tbo 

 much credit cannot be given them for their untiring zfeal; 

 not only during the exhibition, but for months preceding 

 that event, many of thein spending much time and money 

 to insure the success of the inaugural show of the clubi 



But what about the dogs? Did we have dogs of merit? 

 Dogs fit to compete with Eastern bench winners? One 

 would be led to believe by the general tone of your corres- 

 pondent's article that we did not. 1 believe we did : particu- 

 larly in the sporting classes. Mr. John Davidson, the gen- 

 tleman who judged these classes, and who is acknowledged 

 to be the peer of any man in America in this particular 

 branch, a man who has judged at shows since their inaugu- 

 ration m this country, a man who not only judges, but owns, 

 breeds, and hunts dogs, and who for the last thirty- five years 

 has averaged 100 days in the year behind his favorites in the 

 field, telis us we have good dogs, dogs fit to show in any 

 company. He said, not behind the door, but on the floor of 

 the hall, to a good, generous crowd, that the pointers were a 

 fine lot, and would do credit to any Eastern show; and of 

 the setters, that eight of them would compare very favor- 

 ably with any eight exhibited at the recent show of the 

 Westminster Kennel Club. 



In speaking of pointers your reporter says; "Tom Pinch 

 is not a dog that shows well." He showed well enough in 

 1880 under Mr. Davidson to win first in his class, aud two gold 

 medals tor best pointer and best dog in the show, and at our 

 recent show to win first aud six specials for the same, one 

 of which (omitted in your report) was for best pointer with 

 a field trial record. 



When such dogs as Tom Pinch, Dick H., Rush T„ Donna 

 Sensation, Climax, Patti Croxteth, Pilot, Mike T., Lady 

 Elcho and others I might mention are described in from one 

 to three lines and the whole sporting classes in a paltry 

 thirty lines, a space that Mr. C. H. Mason would occupy in 

 discussing the points of a dog that did not secure a card 

 and when we pay for what we consider first-class judges and 



