390 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Dec. 8, 1887. 



or quite six quarts, but the six quarts of floated oysters 

 would contain a trifle less of actual nutrients than the five 

 quarts not floated. 



The gain of water and loss of salts is evidently due to 

 osmose. The more concentrated solution of salts in the 

 body of the animal as taken from salt water, passes into the 

 more dilute solution (fresher water) in which it is immersed, 

 while a larger amount of the fresher water at the same time 

 enters the body. But part of the exchange and especially 

 that by which other materials, namely fat, carbohydrates, 

 protein, etc., are given off in small quantities, is more 

 probably due to a special secretory action. There is thus a 

 very interesting parallelism between these processes of 

 secretion and osmose (dialysis') in the oyster and those in the 

 bodies of higher animals, including man, by which the 

 digested food is carried through the walls of the alimentary 

 canal into the blood. 



The flavor of oysters is improved by the removal of the 

 salts in floating, and they are said to bear transporting and 

 to keep better. When therefore the oysterman takes "good 

 fat oysters." which "yield five quarts of solid meat to the 

 bushel," and floats them so that "they will yield six quarts 

 to the bushel." and thus has an extra quart of the largest 

 and highest-priced oysters to sell, he offers his customers no 

 more nutritive material— indeed, a very little less— than he 

 would have in the five quarts if he had not floated them. 

 But many people prefer the flavor of the floated oysters, and 

 since they buy them more for the flavor than for the nutri- 

 ment, doubtless very few customers would complain if they 

 understood all the facts. And considering that the practice 

 is very general and the prices are regulated by free competi- 

 tion, the watering of oysters by floating in the shell, perhaps, 

 ought not to be called fraudulent. But rather than pro- 

 nounce upon this and other questions suggested by the 

 above considerations I, however, should prefer to leave 

 them to the Association for discussion. 



Miodletown, Conn. 



SEBAGO LAKE LANDLOCKED SALMON. 



SEBAGO LAKE, Me.— For a number of years the project 

 of restocking Sebago Lake with landlocked salmon has 

 received some attention from our fish commissioners as well 

 as from many private individuals, who are firm in the faith 

 that with proper efforts this charming lake may equal 

 Moosehead or even the far-famed Rangeleys as a fishing re- 

 sort. Sebago waters are the natural habitat of the land- 

 locked salmon, and here they obtain a size unknown, so far 

 as the writer is informed, in any other lake in the country. 

 In old times this fish was veiy plentiful and ascended the 

 streams at the spawning season in great numbers. From the 

 settlement of the country it was the custom of the people in 

 this region to take advantage of the semi-torpid condition of 

 the fish at that season and spear them, or capture them as 

 best they could, and by this practice, together with the con- 

 struction of dams for milling purposes, the breeding grounds 

 have become reduced to the minimum, and the fish have be- 

 come quite scarce. 



The reduction of the stock has been so great that Mr. Stil- 

 well, in a recent interview with a representative of the Port- 

 land Press, gave it as his opinion that not over 800 or 1,000 

 adult fish now visit Crooked River to spawn. He based his 

 opinion on the fact that last season the salmon were all con- 

 fined in a river, and the run of that season did not exceed 400. 

 He thinks that, if there had been no interference this season, 

 a like number would have been taken. It is now pretty gen- 

 erally understood that the salmon do not spawn oftener than 

 once in two years, so an experiment covering that time will 

 give a fair estimate of the whole number. Crooked River is 

 the largest stream to which the salmon have access. Those 

 known to frequent other streams would not bring the whole 

 number of Sebago salmon above 1,500 or 2,000 at most. 



Thus were these noble fish being almost wiped out of 

 existence. An army of fish butchers had grown up, little or 

 nothing was thought of the effect of the indiscriminate 

 slaughter, less was thought of the game qualities of the sal- 

 mon, and nothing of the value of the fishing to this section 

 of the country. For years the salmon had been the prey of 

 a few persons who live near enough to go by night and with 

 torch and spear hunt down every fish to be found. Seeing 

 the depletion constantly going on, and beginning to appre- 

 ciate the game qualities of the fish, and to realize the benefit 

 that a good stock of salmon would be to the community, 

 some interest was awakened to correct the errors and im- 

 prove the fishing. 



At first it was thought that by observing close time and 

 abandoning all doubtful or unsportsmanlike methods of 

 destruction "the work would do itself," but after waiting 

 and watching a number of years it was found that the in- 

 crease wss less than had been expected, the spawning 

 ground left by the mill men was not sufficient for the pur- 

 pose. Such as was available was not exempt from ravenous 

 fish and vermin which preyed on the eggs and fry to such an 

 extent that little was added to the stock. Other hindrances 

 had been encountered in the form of what is best 

 described by the term "poacher;" we know that this 

 word is considered "English, you know," but recent 

 nomenclature has failed to provide a suitable one to 

 take its place. These men claimed that their rights 

 were interfered with, they had always speared salmon and 

 they always would, provided any were left to spear. They 

 paid no attention to the rights of others. They ignored the 

 fact that the salmon were the property of the State, and 

 could only be used for private purposes under such regula- 

 tions as the State grants. They care nothing for the fact 

 that every citizen has an equal right with themselves to that 

 which they propose to monopolize and use for their own 

 selfish ends. The fact that by a successful effort the whole 

 surrounding country would be benefitted and valuation in- 

 creased has no part in their logic. Their depraved appetites, 

 crying out for fish fresh from the spawning bed, when they 

 are as unfit for human food as it is possible, gets the control 

 of their reason, and in clamoring for their rights they seek 

 to trample on that of every other man in the State. The 

 mischief done by this class is beyond calculation. 



To return, when it became evident that from various 

 causes the increase was likely to be too slow, attention was 

 turned to arti licial propagation. The attention of the U. S. 

 Commissioners was called to Sebago Lake. Some men were 

 sent to take salmon eggs and a hatchery was built, and 

 everything looked favorable for a speedy remedy for what 

 ailed us. If the writer is correctly informed, the IJ. S. Com- 

 missioners were to take the eggs, and hatch and return to 

 these waters 25 per cent, of all taken, free of cost to this 

 State. Under those terms the probability is, that had there 

 been no interference, that by this time the lake would have 

 been beautifully stocked. But this was not to be. One 

 night a party of these men with inherent rights came down 

 the stream and ruined the nets which were used to secure 

 fish, damaging the Commissioners to the amount of several 

 hundred dollars, and causing an abandonment of the work. 

 For a long time little was done, except to now and then ar- 

 rest some poacher against whom sufficient evidence could be 

 secured. la this matter of evidence a showing could be 

 made which might convince even those who would have us 

 breathe it gently, when we say "poacher," that as a class 

 they are entitled to little esteem. A long struggle against 

 the Maine laws has made tbem experts in testimony. 



Within three years renewed efforts have been made toward 

 propagation. A little experiment conducted on Rogers' 

 Brook, though nearly defeated by freshets, was sufficiently 

 successful to encourage the Commissioners to try the same 

 on Crooked River. Last year a weir was constructed on 

 that stream, and about 400 salmon were captured, which 

 yielded 800,000 eggs. These were successfully hatched at 



Edes Falls, and all the fry turned into tributaries of Sebago 

 Lake. This weir was a bitter pill for theirregular fishermen 

 above mentioned. It prevented the fish from going up the 

 stream to such points as afforded the best channels for them 

 to secure their dainty messes of spawning salmon, and a 

 great cry went up. Threats of a blood-curdling nature were 

 indulged in, and all winter long the disgruntled sat in con- 

 vention telling what they would do if that weir was ever 

 used again. Stories were concocted to work upon the sym- 

 pathies of the people, to have them rise up and demand that 

 the Commissioners should be removed from office; and the 

 weir be discontinued. One of these yarns, which we believe 

 was patented, was to the effect that the fish were all blinded 

 or had their snouts torn off by their attempts to go through 

 the weir, that the fish were so unskillfully handled that 

 thousands of them died after the eggs were taken. We were 

 solemnly assured that a much larger number than has ever 

 been in the weir were found washed ashore on Raymond 

 Cape in a single day. The fact is, the work was done by 

 Mr. I. P. Harriman, of Bucksport, Me., reputed to be one of 

 the most skillful operators in the States, who has had long 

 experience with the United States Commission. Last spring 

 some desultory harangues were made on this subject at the 

 lake. It was boldly announced if the weir was used this 

 fall it would come out, let the consequences be what they 

 might. Graves, the warden killer, was extolled for his 

 miserable act, and we were assured that "there would be 

 more Graveses this year," and we have had them in embryo. 



In September last the weir was replaced in Crooked River 

 by Mr. Harriman, who, with his young son and another 

 young man were in charge. One night early in October, 

 when something like 125 salmon were in the pound and cars, 

 a gang of eighteen men, with faces blackened, armed with 

 shotguns, axes and saws, came to the weir, drove in the 

 youth on watch, extinguished the lanterns, and proceeded 

 to destroy the weir and cars, killing some of the fish and 

 liberating the rest. Mr. Harriman was aroused from his 

 slumbers by his assistant, and made an attempt to reach the 

 weir, but was met at the door of the camp by two blackened 

 men with shotguns, who advised him to stay in the camp. 

 This order was disregarded, but he was kept under the sur- 

 veillance of the two men with guns, while four men with 

 axes and saws cut away the weir, twelve other "moon- 

 shiners" stood on the opposite bank to give such aid and 

 comfort as they thought was necessary. 



The work of destruction completed, the raiders departed 

 across the fields, taking with them such fish as they had 

 killed. Resistance was out of the question; the gang was 

 too numerous for the small force in charge. Mr. Harriman 

 at once repaired the weir and gathered in twenty-five 

 salmon. He had previously taken 100.000 eggs, and thought 

 he should secure 40,000 or 50,000 from those he had left. The 

 effect of the raid is very damaging to this year's operations. 

 About §1,400 was expended last year to get the works estab- 

 lished. The final effects are not yet clear. It is evident 

 that there is an intention to drive the Commissioners from 

 that stream. If "they must go," Sebago Lake may be 

 counted as abandoned to the poacher element for all time, 

 and the cottages and camps we had anticipated seeing dotting 

 the shores at no distant day will prove but myths. Reed's 

 Pond, in the eastern part of the State, we are told, offers 

 great inducements to the Commissioners to go there and 

 establish works. The salmon there are second only to Se- 

 bago in size, and the residents would gladly welcome them. 

 Once abandoned, and it is a matter of only a few years when 

 a salmon will not be found in Sebago waters. 



The Commissioners appear much disheartened by the 

 opposition they have met, and the unreasonableness of the 

 opposition makes it more provoking. They have ever stood 

 ready to do anything in their power to improve this, the 

 largest and most beautiful lake in western Maine. Sur- 

 rounded as it is by picturesque scenery, and immortalized by 

 poets, and the scene of historic events, it has every attrac- 

 tion to make it the resort of tourists and anglers. That a 

 few masked men with hearts as black as their faces should 

 stand in the way is a grievous thing to contemplate. Our 

 Commissioners are reticent about "what they are going to 

 do about it." Mr. Stilwellj in the interview mentioned, de- 

 clared they are not to be driven away. 



One amusing fact comes out of this tragic affair. In a 

 neighboring town, remote from the scene of the raid, we 

 are told every stranger is looked upon as a detective, whether 

 the. honest appletree man or the book agent, he is a suspected 

 being. A woman agent for [some new-fangled corset tight- 

 ener has fallen under suspicion and may be waited upon by 

 some of the "Klu-Klux" and advised to seek some other 

 place to dispose of her merchandise. Why such suspicions 

 are aroused in the rustic minds of orderly people does "not 

 appear. Alas! for the poor salmon. The Commissioners 

 are almost empty-handed, the small sum doled out by the 

 gentleman who held the seats down at our State capital 

 last year is nearly expended, and detectives are an expen- 

 sive luxury when indulged in to any extent, yet our neigh- 

 bors have a "right" to regard everynew comer in that light. 

 It is an expensive luxury which is not likely to be denied 

 them, so long as no overt act is committed. The outlook 

 for Sebago Lake is not so encouraging as one could wish. 



M. 



NEW YORK STATE FISHERY COMMISSION^Roch- 

 ester, N. Y., Dec. 5, 1887.— Editor Forest and Stream: On 

 behalf of the New York State Fish Commission, I desire to 

 announce that I shall receive applications for fish from date 

 until March 1, 1888, from parties desiring to stock public 

 waters in this State. The kinds of fish offered for distribu- 

 tion are: Salmon trout, brook trout, German trout, Cali- 

 fornia trout, black bass, rock bass, yellow perch and pike. 

 Application blanks with full directions will be furnished by 

 addressing the undersigned.— Seth Green, Supt., Rochester, 

 N. Y. 



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 be in 

 early. Entry blanks 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 2832, New 

 York. Number of entries already printed 5582. 



F I X T ORES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



Dec. 6 to 8.— Third Annual Dog Show of the Central Berkshire 

 Poultry, Pigeon and Pet Stock Association. W. T. Webster, Sec- 

 retary, Lee. Mass. 



Dec. 6 to 10.— Second Annual Dog Show of the Northern Illinois 

 Poultry and Pet Stock Association, at Rockford, 111. W. J. 

 Hamley, Superintendent. 



Dec. \i to 16.— Third Annual Dog Show of the Winsted Kennel 

 Club. Frank D. Hallctt, Superintendent, Winsted, Conn. Entries 

 close Dec. 3. 



Jan. 10, 11, 12 and 13, 1888.— Bench Show of the Ohio Poultry.Pigeon, 

 Kennel and Pet Stock Associatiop, Columbus, O. H. O. Bridge, 

 Secretary, Columbus, O. 



Jan. 23 to 27, 18S8.— First Dog Show of the Agusta Pet Stock and 

 Poultry Association, at Agusta, Ga. 



Feb. 21 to 24, 1888.— Twelfth Annual Show of the Westminster Ken- 

 nel Club, Madison Square Garden, New York. James Mortimer, 

 Superintendent. 



April 3 to 6.— Fourth Annual Dog Show of the New England 

 Kennel Club, at Boston, Mass. J. W. Newman, Secretary. 

 FH5LD TRIALS. 



Dec. 12.— First Annual Field Trials of the American Field 

 Trials Club, at Florence, Ala. C. W. Paris, Secretary, Cincinnati, 

 O. 



Jan. 10, 1888.— Second Annual Field Trials of the Texas Field 

 Trials Club, at Marshall, Tex. W. L. Thomas, Secretary, Mar- 

 shall, Tex. 



Jan. 16.— Fifth Annual Field Trials of the Pacific Coast FieM 

 Trial Club, near Kingsburgh, Cal. N. P. Shelden, Secretary, 320 

 Sansome street, San Francisco, Cal. 



THE EASTERN FIELD TRIALS. 



THE ALL-AGED SETTER STAKE. 



ON Friday of last week, after the last heat but one of the 

 Derby was run, the All-Aged Setter Stake was begun. 

 A list of the starters and the order in which they were drawn 

 to run was published last week. The judges were Messrs. 

 Bergundthal, Coster and H. B. Duryea, of New York. 

 Joe b. and nellie ii. 

 This brace was put down at 11:41 in sedge and scattered 

 pines. Joe is a black, white and tan dog, above medium in 

 size, rather loosely put together and well un on his 

 legs. He is by Baronet (Belton — Nellie) and out "of Nellie 

 (Maydawn— Nettle). He was entered by Mr. O. H. Boyden, 

 who sold him a short time ago to Bayard Thayer. He 

 was handled by Hart Haight. He is fast, a wide ranger, 

 and appears to have a good nose and considerable hunting 

 sense. Nellie H., handled by Tallman, ran in the Members' 

 Stake. She was under good control and did some good 

 work. She had the best of it in style, but was not quite up 

 to Joe in other points. After a run of 32 minutes the heat 

 was decided in favor of Joe B. It was now past 12 o'clock 

 and we went to lunch, which was spread for us at the Hoi- 

 ton schoolhouse. 



DAISY F. AND JEAN VALJEAN. 

 This brace was put down after lunch at 1:12 in the field by 

 the schoolhouse. Much interest was manifest in the race, 

 as both were known to be good ones. Both ran here last 

 year and are well known. Daisy had many friends that she 

 had won by her gamy way of going, and by her display of 

 remarkable hunting sense. Jean also had admirers who had 

 seen his work last year here and at Grand Junction. It was 

 a very good and close race, and there was not much to spare 

 at the finish. Both did capital work with the balance 

 slightly in favor of Daisy until near the close of the beat, 

 when she got the trail of a bevy wrong end foremost while 

 Jean cast in the right direction and got in a couple of nice 

 points before Daisy came back. This ended the heat in fayor 

 of Jean at the end of lh. 4m. Both are very fast and wide 

 rangers and show lots of style both when in motion and on 

 game. Rather an amusing incident occurred during the 

 heat. Daisy had retrieved a bird and before the dogs were 

 ordered on she made a point and her handler called it. Aveut 

 had his dog by the collar and he instantly turned him 

 toward Daisy, and holding up his head, claimed a back, 

 Daisy was not up to her form of last year, although she ran 

 a good race. Jean ran about as last year, but has had con- 

 siderable experience since and handled his birds much better 

 than then. Daisy was handled by Rose and Jean by Avent, 



GLOSTEE AND GALATEA 

 were put down at 2:20. Gloster was handled by Tucker, who 

 brought him to the post in spleudid condition; Galatea was 

 handled by Tallman. She is a handsome bitch, fairly fast 

 and quite stylish when on game. Both pointed and backed 

 perfectly, and both retrieved well. The heat wes run over 

 the ground where Gloster beat Lady C. last year, and he. was 

 again the victor after a run of 26m. He had the best of it in 

 pace, style, and range and number of points. 



NAT GOODWrN AND RUBY BTJCKELLEW. 

 This brace was put down at 2:55. Nat was handled by Col. 

 Merriman, who made his debut as a handler in public. 

 Except that he went to a branch for a drink while his dog 

 was on point, he acquitted himself creditably, his attitude 

 while missing a corkscrew bird being especially fine. Nat 

 ran here last year in the Derby, and his was the first name 

 drawn; he was beaten by Fred W. He has lost none of his 

 speed or style, and has gained in experience. He was much 

 the best in pace, range and style, and found nearly all the 

 birds. Ruby, handled by Gleason, is a good-looking bitch, 

 not very fast, but an easy mover, and with fair style when 

 on game. She appeared to be over-trained, and was watch- 

 ing her handler for instructions instead of hunting. Both 

 pointed and backed nicely. At the end of 89m, the heat was 

 awarded to Nat. 



ROYAL PRINCE II. AND BELLE OF PIEDMONT. 



The last heat of the Derby was run, and this brace was 

 put down at 4:15. Prince was handled by Luke White. He 

 is a well-known bench show winner, but is not a field trial 

 dog. He puts on a little style when on point, but his way 

 of going is lumbering and awkward; he gets over the ground 

 moderately fast, but runs with head and tail down. Belle 

 is well known; she was handled by Captain McMurdo; she 

 was all off, and ran in nothing like her usual form. After a 

 very poor heat of 55m. they were ordered up and Belle was 

 declared the winner. Near the finish of the heat Captain 

 McMurdo had the misfortune to seriously injure his eve by 

 the springing back of a twig, and that evening he went 

 home, leaving his dogs in care of Mr. Buckle. This ended 

 the work for the day. 



ALLIE JAMES AND CAN CAN. 



On Saturday it was hot and sultry with scarcely a breath of 

 air stirring, scent was very bad and flushes and poor work 

 were the order of the day. Not feeling quite up to the mark 

 we did not start and are indebted to Mr. Rose for notes of the 

 work for the day except in the first heat which was kindly 

 furnished us by Mr. Watson. The dogs were put down at 

 8:17. Allie ran here in the Derby last year, she is a sweet lit- 

 tle bitch with lots of speed and style; she was handled by Ed. 

 Merriman. Can Can, liandled by Rose, is a very handsome, 

 nice-moving bitch, fast and stylish; she appeared to be off in 

 nose. In pace, range and style they were nearly equal. Allie 

 showed the best nose and won after running 40m. Both 

 pointed and backed in elegant style. Allie was under fairly 

 good control while Can Can appeared to be nearly perfect in 

 this respect, and is said to be a wonderful performer when 

 she is all right. 



ROY MONARCH AND FOREMAN'S LASS. 



This brace was put down at 9 o'clock. Both ran in the Mem- 

 ber's Stake. Roy was handled by Tom Aldrieh and Lass by 

 Tallman. In pace and range they were nearly equal, Lass 

 having thebest of it in style. Both were off in nose and made 

 flushes, Lass having much the worst of it in this respect. 

 After an indifferent heat of lh. 15m. Roy was declared the 

 winner. 



EOGEE AND DASHING NOBLE 

 were put down at 10:38. Roger was handled by Aldrieh and 

 Noble by Seager. Roger is a fast, very easy moving dog and 

 a wide ranger, having the best of it in these respects, while 

 Noble is more stylish on point. The latter ran here last year. 

 He is also fast and moves fairly well; he had the best of the 

 work, getting two points to Roger's one, the latter scoring a 

 flush and a refusal to back. They were down 52m. when the 

 heat was decided in favor of Dashing Noble. 



BREEZE GLADSTONE AND CASSIO. 

 This brace was put down at 11:30. Breeze is a very nice- 

 going dog, fast and stylish; he was handled by Tucker. 

 Cassio ran here last year, he was handled by Avent. In pace 



