240 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[April 11, 1889. 



Explorations in Gulp of Mexico.— Advices from 

 Capt. A. C. Adams, commanding the U. S. Fish Com- 

 mission schooner Grampus, dated at Fort Tampa, Flor- 

 ida, March 29, contain the following interesting items 

 about the collections: On March 10, in north latitude 

 25° 44' 32", west longitude 82° 26' 15" in fifteen fathoms 

 of water, thirty-two snappers and two groupers were 

 caught. The dredge brought up broken shells and coral 

 and a liberal amount of ' black gravel. On March 23 a 

 spotted porpoise was captured, of which the skin and 

 skeleton were preserved in brine. Capt. Adams states 

 that he has not seen a whale since the vessel has been at 

 work in the Gulf. Porpoises have not appeared to be 

 abundant, and all kinds of sea birds have been very 

 scarce. He has seen no great number of small surface- 

 swimming fishes toward the outer ends of the dredging 

 lines in deep water, although in eight or ten fathoms 

 mall herring-like fish have been seen in large schools. 



Size of Bluefish.— Editor Forest mid Stream: What 

 is the weight of the largest bluefish ever caught in New 

 York waters ?— F. D. P. (New York). [The author of the 

 Zoology of New York states that he has seen bluefish 

 weighing SOlbs., and has been assured by reliable per- 

 sons that they have been taken of the weight of 35lbs. 

 The bluefish inhabits all the tropical and sub-tropical 

 seas, and is said to reach a length of oft. A specimen of 

 that size should weigh about 251bs.] 



On reference to our advertising columns, it will be seen that 

 the well-known dry goods firm of R. H. Macy & Co. has added a 

 complete line of fishing tackle to their stock in trade, apparently 

 with the object of briuging more fish to their net. 



THE MENHADEN INDUSTRY. 



Edito r Forest and Stream: 



I regret the necessity of asking your indulgence and the 

 space in your valuable paper to answer an article in your 

 issue of Feb. 28. dated at Washington, over the signature of 

 Arthur Martin. This gentleman is unknown to me, and so 

 far as I am able to learn, his whole aim seems to be to cast 

 reflections upon any men who express their honest convic- 

 tions as to the necessity of restrictive laws to govern ocean 

 fisheries, and expresses his great surprise at the audacity of 

 any man who takes occasion to express his opinion through 

 the press in relation to the operations of the State of Maine's 

 restrictive fish laws. He will no doubt be much more sur- 

 prised when he reads the recent action of our Legislature 

 where the House has voted four to one for the repeal of the 

 lobster law as well as a change in the mackerel law. These 

 changes were predicted some time ago and were met by the 

 ridicule of the gentlemen who were instrumental in their 

 enactment and amendment during the past ten years. It 

 has also been prophesied some years ago that the Maine 

 Legislature would m time wake up to the situation and 

 realize what damage the restrictive laws relating to our sea 

 fisheries had inflicted upon the inhabitants of the towns 

 bordering on the coast. Instead of building up the many 

 industries which are dependent upon the fisheries for their 

 existence, it has deprived thousands of men of employment 

 and rendered hundreds of thousands of dollars of property 

 valueless, and prevented the development of our fisheries to 

 an extent which is almost incalculable. The people of out- 

 State, and the Legislature as well, have come to the con- 

 clusion that they have been following a false policy, and 

 have turned over a new leaf, which indicates that they mean 

 to retrieve as far as possible the injuries they have done by 

 a self-inflicted blow. 



It is presumption in the highest degree for the State of Maine 

 or any other State to attempt to regulate the sea fisheries by 

 law. Let any man take a trip from the capes of Virginia 

 to Eastport, Maine, and view the great pastures in which 

 these migratory fish are free to roam, and when we consider 

 that this is a very small part of two-thirds of the water sur- 

 face of this globe, and that these fish are constantly going 

 and coming and chauging their course, influenced only by 

 natural law, and when we remember their power of repro- 

 duction, figures fail to render any aid to compute the abun- 

 ance of the finny tribe. Then, when we study the appear- 

 ance and disappearance, the plentifulness and the scarcity 

 of the difl'erent fish upon our own coast, we become fully 

 convinced that the operations of man with all his appliances 

 has not, cannot, and will not ever perceptibly diminish their 

 numbers. That they are plenty and scarce in the present 

 and in the past we do admit, but that it can be attributed 

 to the efforts of man we do deny. In support of this asser- 

 tion we have the testimony of the highest scientific author- 

 ity of this and other countries. There should be a distinc- 

 tion drawn, however, between the coast fisheries and inland 

 fisheries. Ponds and lakes no doubt would show a percep- 

 tible diminution in the numbers of their fish if allowed to 

 be over-fished, and we have no objection to any law which 

 may be enacted for their preservation, but when the Legis- 

 lature attempts to compare the great ocean to some pond in 

 the woods aud make the same laws apply, we do not con- 

 sider it at all consistent, but entirely unnecessary. I will 

 not occupy more space at this time to further discuss this 

 question, but pass to the criticism of the article written by 

 Mr. Martin. 



In the fourth paragraph he carries the impression that 

 our sister States (he might add Nova Scotia as well) look 

 with admiration and satisfaction on the course of the State 

 of Maine in the enforcement of the fishery laws. No doubt 

 it would be better for our sister States and Nova Scotia if 

 every fishery on our 3,000 miles of coast line were entirely 

 abolished. It would give them the monopoly of the fish 

 market. Higher prices would prevail, and they would have 

 the use of our experienced fishermen to develop their fish- 

 eries which has already proved to be one of the alarming 

 effects of our ill-advised restrictive laws. More than once 

 has the hand of neighboring States and Nova Scotia been 

 seen at work on our Legislature helping to pass laws to 

 cripple us and help themselves. 



In the next paragraph he intimates that there is a three- 

 mile law now in force ; which carries the impression that 

 fishing is prohibited within three miles of the shore; this is 

 not the case. The present law only prohibited the taking 

 of certain species in rivers and bays where the entrance to 

 the same is less than three miles in width. That this law 

 was enacted about ten years ago is a fact, although it has 

 been tinkered and amended by about every Legislature 

 since. Mr. Martin also informs us that about the same time 

 menhaden from known causes ceased to visit our shores. It 

 would be a great satisfaction to the scientists of our coun- 

 try, as well as to the practical fishermen, if he would explain 

 to us why the menhaden left, and why they returned in such 

 abundance the past season, and if he will cite us any in- 

 stance where the menhaden men in our State have operated 

 in defiance of the statutes. If he can do so it would be more 

 than any other man has succeeded in doing yet, to my 

 knowledge. 



In the sixth paragraph his personal allusion to me is 

 hardly worth referring to, as 1 authorized no such statement 

 as he attributes to the Kennebec Journal or any other paper 



at that time, although I fully agree with the comments re- 

 ferred to, aud the recent acts of the Legislature seem to 

 justify such predictions, notwithstanding the old party 

 who have always fought the coast fishermen at every oppor- 

 tunity have been at Augusta many times during the present 

 session to defend their pet laws, which they" claim have 

 worked such wonderful benefits to our State, although the 

 facts do not bear them out. 



In the following paragraph they seem to be very much 

 exercised because I was summoned to court as an expert to 

 explain the difference betweeu a gill-net and a haul shore 

 seine, which I did to the satisfaction of the jury, and they 

 acquitted my neighbor who was complained of. 



Would it not be better to abolish the fish warden system 



— -.ry, by artificial propagation? Fishing 

 always been one of the greatest inducements our State has 

 to offer the many thousand tourists who annually visit us, 

 and no restriction should be cast in the way. Especially are 

 these restrictive laws annoying when we consider the many 

 amendments which place beyond the mind of the average 

 fisherman the ability to correctly construe their meaning. 

 As a matter of fact it perplexes the best legal minds, and no 

 two, as a rule, construe the meaning of these laws the same. 

 For the sake of argument I admit I was interested in the 

 management of an oil factory last season after Aug. 15, 

 which I believe I had an undoubted right, to be, and! am 

 not exempt from a summons to testify either in court, before 

 Congress, or the Legislature. If Mr. Martin will investigate 

 he will not feel so sure as to his position that his views have 

 the entire indorsement of public sentiment. 



Another delusion Mr. Martin is laboring under (which is 

 common to many writers) is that menhaden as they swim 

 are food for any food fish on our coast. Investigation has 

 proved conclusively that few food fish have the ability to 

 prey upon the menhaden or subsist upon it as a daily food; 

 when food fish partake of menhaden it is generally after 

 they have been taken by man and converted into bait. 

 During the ten years' absence of the menhaden from the 

 coast of Maine, it was proved beyond a doubt that the food 

 fish are not dependent upon the menhaden as a food, and 

 that their plentifulness or scarcity does not in any way in- 

 fluence cod, hake, haddock, or any other food fish, as during 

 this ten years' absence of the menhaden, cod and other food 

 fish have been as plenty as ever on our coast, and the mar- 

 kets in many iustances have been glutted. Neither is men- 

 haden the dependence of the coast fisherman as a baitsupply. 

 Herring, which are found most every month in the year at 

 some point along our coast, are now considered a better 

 bait and are used in preference to menhaden. In view of 

 all the facts the unprejudiced mind must conclude that the 

 only proper use for the menhaden is to be converted into oil 

 and guano, and its capture as now carried on does not 

 destroy or in any way affect the supply of food fish, and re- 

 striction by the Legislature is tiuneeessary and uncalled for. 



L. Maddocks. 



Boothbay IIakuou. March 21. 



RESULTS OF FISHCULTURE. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The following facts bearing on the beneficial effects«of 

 iisbculture are nothing new, but I do not remember seeing 

 them put. together before. They speak for themselves. The 

 average catch of food fish in the Great Lakes in 1886 and 1887 

 was 5,232,9471bs.; the catch in 1888 was 8,870,7801bs.; gain 

 3,637,8331bs. The catch of shad from Connecticut to North 

 Carolina in 1880 was 4,U0,9S6 fish; the catch in 1888 was 

 7.000,474 fish; gain 2,859,488 fish. The average cannery catch 

 of salmon in the Sacramento River in California in 1875 and 

 187(5 was 5,205, 1021bs.: the average cannery catch in 1881, 

 1882 and 1883 was 9,596,9841bs.; gain 4,391,8821bs. 



RECAPITULATION. 



Gain in fish catch in Great. Lakes 3,037,8331 bs. 



Gain in shad catch (rating shad at 31bs. each).. 8,578,4641bs. 



Gain in Sacramento salmon 4,391,8821bs. 



Total gain 16,608,1791bs, 



The fact that all these species of fish were on the decrease 

 when their artificial culture on a large scale began gives an 

 added significance to the above figures. 



Livingston Stone. 



Baiud, Shasta Co., Cal. 



GOVERNMENT FISH HATCHERY IN COLORADO.— 

 Work will soon begin on the new station at Leadville, Col- 

 orado, the site of which was selected in October last, by Col. 

 John Gay, inspector of U. S. Fish Commission stations. 

 The location of the hatchery is in the vicinity of the Ever- 

 green Lakes and near the fishcultural establishment of Dr. 

 John Laws. The appropriation for the buildings and ap- 

 purtenances is $15,000, which will be available July 1. The 

 permanent structures will be of red sandstone. There are 

 numerous springs near the hatchery, but the main supply 

 of water will be obtained from Rock Creek and, to insure 

 the purity of the water, the Government obtains a reserva- 

 tion including the sources of the creek, measuring a half 

 mile in width and extending from the hatchery site to the 

 summit of Mount Massive, where the elevation exceeds 

 14,000 feet. Colonel Goodell has aided the project materially 

 by relinuiqshing his right to certain plac er claims situated 

 upon the site chosen and by urging members of Congress 

 to make the necessary appropriation. The Colorado hatch- 

 ery will be sufficiently large to furnish trout fry for the 

 whole Rocky Mountain region. The species which will 

 receive attentiou principally are the Rio Grande trout, the 

 Utah trout, and the red-tbroated trout. Doubtless brook 

 trout, rainbow trout, lake trout and landlocked salmon will 

 continue to be bred, as they have shown their ability to 

 exist and thrive even at considerable elevations in this 

 State. 



SHAD REPORTED IN COLORADO RIVER. — The Com- 

 missioner of Fish and Fisheries, Col. McDonald, has been 

 informed by Mr. J. J. Gosper, formerly commissioner of 

 fisheries of Arizona, that reports have reached him of the 

 capture of fine shad by Indians and others at and near Yuma, 

 Arizona. These are supposed to be the result of the plant- 

 ings several years ago by the U. S. Fish Commission. The 

 Albatross will investigate this subject before leaving the 

 Gulf of California. 



Keokuk, Iowa, March 12. 1888.—./. F. Breitenntein, Esq.. Keokuk, 

 la.: Dear Sir: The box of U. S. C. Co. paper shells that! received 

 from you last fall I tried, and found them to he all that you 

 claimed, and better than anv shell I ever used, not one of them 

 missing fire. Yours truly, (Signed) T. J. Lowrie.— Ado. 



Paulding, 0„ Nov. 4,1888.— United States Carlndae Co., Lowell, 

 Mass.: Dear Sirs: I recently used some of the IT. S. cartridges 

 which my fattier has had for about ten vears, and thev shot well 

 at 50yds. (,22-cal.) and without keyholes. Yours truly (Signed), 

 Loren Kirk.— Adv. 



Names and Portraits op Birds, by Guidon Trumbull. A 

 book particularly interesting to gunners, for by its use they can 

 identify without question all the American game birds which 

 they may kill. Cloth, 220 pages, price $2,50, For sale by Forest 

 and Stream. 



%t fflehnel 



Dec. 2.— Inaugural Field Trials of the Central Field Trial Club, 

 t Lexington, N. C. C. H. Odeli, Secretary pro tern.. Mill's Build- 

 lg, New" York, N. Y. 



FIXTURES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



April 9 to 12.— First Dog Show of the Worcester Kenne] Club, at. 

 Worcester, Mass. Edward W. Doyle, Secretary. 



April 9 to 12, 1889.— First Annual Dog Show of the Masooutah 

 Kennel Club, at Chicago. 111. George H. Hill, Superintendent, 34 

 Monroe street, Chicago, 111. 



April 1G to 19, 1889.-The Seventh Dog Show of the Philadelphia 

 Kennel Club, at Pliiladelpuia, Pa. Francis S. Brown. Secretary. 



May 22 to 20.— Pacific Kennel Club Show, San Francisco, Cal. 



Sept. 10 to 13.— Sixth Annual Dog Show of the London Kennel 

 Club, at London, Out. C. A. Stone, Manager. 



Feb. 18 to 21, 1890.— Fourteenth Annual Show of the Westminster 

 Kennel Club, New York. James Mortimer, Superintendent. 

 FIELD TRIALS. 



Nov. 4.— Third Annual Field Trials of the Indiana Kennel Club. 

 P. T. Madison, Secretary, Indianapolis, Ind. 



Nov. 18— Eleventh Annual Field Trials of the Eastern Field 

 Trials Club, at High Point, N. C. W. A. Coster, Secretary, Sara- 

 toga Springs, N. Y. 



r 



at 

 ing, 



BOSTON DOG SHOW. 



THE fifth annual dog show of the New England Keunel 

 Club was held at Boston last week. Although the num- 

 ber of entries was not up to that of the two previous years, 

 the quality of the animals shown was of a very high order, 

 and we do not remember a show where it has been excelled. 

 As we have before said the first shows of the season receive 

 many entries that are never heard from again, and shows 

 held later are at a disadvantage in this respect. The weather 

 during the show was somewhat sour, ai.d, in consequence, 

 the attendance was not what it would have been with bright, 

 sunny days. Nevertheless, the building was fairly well 

 filled most of the time, and on Thursday it was uncomfort- 

 ably crowded. John Bead superintended the show, and, as 

 usual, gave general satisfaction to all. The management 

 throughout was excellent, except that in benching the dogs 

 exhibitors were allowed to bench their exhibits together, 

 even when they were shown in different classes. We have 

 often pointed out the many serious defects in this system, 

 aud had strong hopes that the praiseworthy example of New 

 Y"ork in this respect would be followed by every show. The 

 vexatious delays and serious inconvenience of the system 

 are not nearly counterbalanced by the very small amount of 

 benefit, derived, and it is to be hoped that, at large shows 

 especially, we shall see no more of this indiscriminate 

 huddling together of dogs of different classes. 



It was mainly from this cause that the judging rings were 

 so poorly served, and in consequence several classes and 

 nearly all the specials were not judged until the second 

 day. The managers as usual devoted their time to their 

 duties and nothing was left undone to make the show a 

 success. The annual dinner on Tuesday to visitors and 

 members of the press, was a very enjoyable affair and added 

 not a little to the reputation of the club for hospitality. 

 Spratts Patent benched and fed the dogs in their usual 

 good style. There was less kickiug at the decisions than is 

 usually the case, although some of the awards were not 

 well received. There was no cussing of the judges, how- 

 ever, and the criticisms offered were couched in gentlemanly 

 language. On Thursday there was a slight fire in one cor 

 uer of the balcony over the hall. Some one struck a match 

 and fire at once caught the lint on the hangings and quickly 

 spread over the surface. A few of the bystanders kept cool 

 and by asserting that there was no possible danger a panic 

 was averted. Meantime Mr. Oldham sprang to the rescue 

 and covered himself with dust and glory by whipping out 

 the incipient conflagration with his nice new dog show cap. 

 which was about the only thing that .suffered any damage, 

 Judging began shortly after 11 o'clock and was not 

 finished until afternoon of the second day. Mr. F. Gresham 

 of London, Eng. judged mastiffs, St. Bernards, collies, 

 fox, Irish, Airedale, Skye. Scotch Dandle Dinmont, York- 

 shire and toy terriers, toy spaniels and the miscellaneous 

 classes; Mr. H. W. Smith, Worcester, Mass., deerhounds 

 aud greyhounds; Mr. Chas. H. Mason, New York, New- 

 foundlands, English, Irish and Gordon setters, all spaniels 

 except toys, poodles, pugs and Italian greyhounds; Mr. J. 

 H. Winslow, Philadelphia, Pa., Chesapeake Bay dogs and 

 pointers; Mr. A. C. Krueger, Wrigbtsville, Pa., beagles, 

 basset hounds, dachshnnde and foxhounds: and Mr. J. H. 

 Newman, Boston, the remaining classes. 



MASTIFFS— (ME. OK ESH AM). 

 The quality of these classes was quite equal to last year's 

 show. The challenge class for dogs brought out Minting 

 and Ilford Caution; the last named was not in the best of 

 condition, but this did uot affect the result, as Mint ing' s 

 better quarters, stronger hiudlegs, smaller ears and more 

 massive body are always too much to eonnterbalace the 

 points that Caution gains in muzzle. Minting was in 

 superb condition. The challenge class for bitches contained 

 no entries. In the open class for dogs Alonzo and Sears' 

 Monarch again met with the same result as at New York. 

 The decision was correct, as Alonzo is not only the better 

 dog, but he wins with a number of points to spare, being 

 better in muzzle, better in skull and wrinkle, and decidedly 

 larger and stronger in bone. Ilford Caution II. was rightly 

 placed third, He is too long before the eyes and wotild be 

 improved by depth and width of muzzle. His other defects 

 are rather large ears, eyes of lighter hue than is desirable, 

 forelegs not straight, slightly weak in front and not just 

 right in feet. The set of his forelegs is not correct, but he 

 has good shoulders, chest, back, loiu and hindquarters, and 

 he moves fairly well. Benjamin Franklin, reserve, was vhc. 

 last year. Defects: Muzzle too long and light; ears neither 

 black nor perfect in carriage; hindlegs too straight. In ad- 

 dition to these defects he is light in bone and appears to 

 have a bad temper. Wyoming Count, he, was fully de- 

 scribed in the Lynn report. Ashmont Major, unnoticed, 

 should have had* a card. We would have placed him vhc. 

 The Lynn report gives his defects. Jumbo, unnoticed, is 

 light in bone, leggy, shelly, light in eyes and long in face 

 Turk, unnoticed, is bad in head, light in eyes, long in coat 

 aud very throaty. Leo Victor, unnoticed, is plain in head, 

 leggy, straight behind and shallow in middle. Mack, un- 

 noticed, is houndy in head and ears, leggy and light in bone. 

 Prince, unnoticed, is a big, leggy animal of wrong type. 

 He is entered as having no pedigree, and his appearance does 

 not belie the information. He was about the worst in the 

 class. Buff of Killingly, unnoticed, is long in head, light iu 

 eyes leggy and straight behind. Linden King, unnoticed, is 

 a better dog than Wyoming Couut, aud should, we think, 

 have been vhc. 



In bitches The Lady Coleus and The Lady Dorothy, both 

 winners at New York, were rightly placed over Madge Mint- 

 ing, that was fully described in the Lynn report, which we 

 here quote: 



"Bitches brought out a new one in Madge Minting, the 

 best of Minting's get that we have seen. While she is a 

 fairly good puppy her enthusiastic owner must not allow his 

 admiration for her to get away with his better judgment. 

 The bitch fails just wbere a dog to be first-class must be 

 fairly good— in muzzle; her ears are large and not well car- 

 ried, she stands low infroutin proportion to height at hind- 

 quarters and is crooked in front. Large and ugly dew- 

 claws give to her hindparts a rather bad appearance, and she 

 lacks in wrinkle and in character. She is a large and 

 strongly built one, with good chest and loins, strong quar- 



