Axrct, 30, 1888.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



107 



to wait till the first of September, for the birds are then 

 better grown, and by a sort of common consent they have 

 agreed among; themselves to see that the law is observed. 



For duck shooting along the New England sea coast the 

 prospects aie not very bright, and the same is generally 

 true of duck shooting in the inland ponds and lakes. 

 Spring shooting has about ruined this sort of sport, and 

 now the spring shooting itself has fallen off very seri- 

 ously. Constant and terrible shooting at these birds at 

 every turn, both spring and fall, has either in a great 

 measure destroyed them or it has forced them to seek 

 other shores, where they are not so continually harrassed 

 with the gun. 1 hear it mentioned by fishermen and 

 others acquainted with the shores along the Nova Scotia 

 coast and even down to the shores of the North Bay that 

 these birds are growing more plenty in those regions, 

 and it is possible that they are driven away from the New 

 England coast, even as a feeding ground, to say nothing 

 of breeding. 



It is certain that in the inland lakes in Maine, once very 

 populous with several breeds of ducks and divers, these 

 birds have been greatly thinned out within a few years. 

 This is probably the direct result of the carrying of guns 

 into Maine, even m June and July, by fishermen and 

 tourists. The feeling with the meu and boys who thus 

 take guns is, contrary to law, to kill everything at sight. 

 Why, even the great northern divers, once so common 

 m the celebrated trout lakes of Maine, are actually be- 

 coming rather scarce, the result of popping away at every 

 loon that comes in sight. It is a shame that these noble 

 birds should thus be driven out of those waters and per- 

 haps out of existence. It is certain that one of the 

 charms of the annual visit to the lakes will be over when 

 the loon's night cry is no longer to be heard. But the 

 carrying of guns into the game regions by mere tourists 

 and VacVioniats in the months when all the game is 

 under the protection of the law is something that should 

 not be tolerated. Why, I stepped on board the Portland 

 steamer the other evening in order to be with a brother a 

 few minutes longer before the steamer sailed, and we 

 counted six men and boys, each with gun or rifle cases 

 and generally with fish rod cases. Now, they were 

 taking these guns into Maine duiing the close season, for 

 the boat was not to stop till she reached Portland, in that 

 State. For what purpose were the guns? Why should 

 they he allowed? Well, there are to be some changes in 

 the game laws of that State next winter. Special. 



A. Northern Fowling Ground.— Seal Island, which 

 was lately advertised as for sale by its owner, Mr. Arthur 

 Tousr-aint, of Quebec, is a well-known marine sporting 

 ground of which Canadian sportsmen have frequently 

 spoken to us. Lying in the St. Lawrence River, about 

 forty-live miles below Quebec, in the direct course of 

 migrating wildfowl, it is, we are told, a great resort for 

 black and other ducks, as well as for geese and brant. 

 Beach birds and snipe are found there in almost countless 

 numbers. The owner states that last autumn in twenty 

 minutes he killed forty-five brant; and the duck shooting 

 is said to be unsurpassed in Northern waters. Seal I-land 

 was described at length in our issue of Dec. 16, 1886, by 

 Mr. J. M, Le Moine, of Quebec. 



Completing the Work of Extermination.— Laurel, 

 Mont., Aug. 15.— Editor Forest and Stream: On July 30 

 a large buffalo bull came within 200yds. of one of Dil- 

 worth's "round up" camps on Rock Creek, about thirty- 

 miles south of the Yellowstone. The cowboys became 

 possessed of the killing fever at once, and two of these 

 gentry proceeded to run the "'remnant" down, which 

 they succeeded in doing, finishing him with revolver 

 shots alter a ride of ten miles. They secured only the 

 head, he being in poor condition and hide comparatively 

 worthless. — M. W. C. 



Angling Talks. By George Dawson. Price 50 cents. Fly- 

 Rods and Fly-Tackle. By H. P. Wells. Price $2.50. Fly- 

 Fishing and Fly Making for Trout. By J. H. Keene. 

 Price si.50. American Angler's Book. By Thad. Norns. 

 Price $5.50. 



SHARKS CHEW TOBACCO. 



I WAS a passenger on the steamship "City of Dallas" 

 bound from Truocillo in Central America to New 

 Orleans, and we had anchored oyer night opposite the 

 town of Ceiba on the Spanish Main, for the purpose of 

 taking on a cargo of bananas. We lay about half a mile 

 off shore, right 'on the open coast, and the light of the 

 early morning spread before us a bf autiful panorama of 

 hills and mountains in the background, with dark green 

 verdure of tropical forest extending from mountain top 

 down to water s edge. Out of doors it was cool and pleasant, 

 with only a fainl, soft breeze stirring the morning air. 

 Not a ripple was on the surface of the water, and the 

 usual swell of ocean was barely perceptible on deck. 

 Down below in the saloon and staterooms we had passed 

 a warm night of uneasy slumber, listening to the mo- 

 notonous slow creaking and rattling of doors, and racks, 

 and tiller chains. The vessel lay head to wind, and not 

 a breath of air stole its way below, so that break of day 

 found me, and many others like myself, lounging and 

 promenading under the awnings on the upper deck. The 

 water beneath us was clear as crystal, and the anchor and 

 chain with some thirty fathoms out could be vaguely seen 

 on the bottom. The songs of birds and cries of wild par- 

 rots on shore were distinctly heard on the ship, and like- 

 wise we could hear the shouts of natives loading their 

 lighters with bananas. This stillness is usual on the 

 coa.-t during the dry season, but it seldom lasts later than 

 10 o'clock m the morning, when the sea breeze comes in 

 and kicks up a big sea. and blows until midnight. 



With the prospect before us of nothing to do to pass 

 the dull time of waiting, I hailed with delight the pro- 

 |X>sal to angle over the vessel's side. I blamed my short- 

 sightedness for not having foreseen this possibility and 

 providing myself with proper tackle, but I made a mental 

 resolve then and there always to carry some with me 

 hereafter. To rectify this omission I cast around to 

 borrow a fishing line "from some one, and tried Tony the 

 dudish mate, and Jim the handsome purser, but without 

 Hiiccess, and wound up by borrowing a primitive hook 



and line from Mary the pretty little stewardess. It re- 

 minded me forcibly of boyhood days— a chunk of lead 

 and two hooks at the end of a knotted cotton line. How- 

 ever, I was as well pleased at its performance as if it had 

 been one of Conroy's, for the way I snatched in the 

 snappers from out of the wet was a caution. By the time 

 I had fixed up my fine in proper shape several other parties 

 had also rigged themselves out with nondescript tackle, 

 and were conjecturing where the bait was to come from, 

 but did not have long to wait, for Joe the steward soon 

 came along with several salt mackerel, and the white 

 belly of that fish made excellent cut bait for our purposes. 



Iii a short while we had caught a nice mess of small 

 snappers, from ten to twenty inches long, and were hav- 

 ing a real good time. We had not fished very long, how- 

 ever, before a large shark put in an appearance, and 

 stopped our sport. We first knew of his presence by his 

 greedily snapping off the fish from one of my neighbors' 

 Hues, having followed it up from the bottom. He ex- 

 ecuted this performance several times, and then the snap- 

 pers stopped biting entirely. Not even a nibble could we 

 get, so we hauled in our lines and commenced to pay our 

 attention to the shark. He was a monstrous fellow, about 

 fifteen feet long, and he kej)t swimming round and round 

 the vessel, sometimes on top the water and sometimes 

 away down deep below us, but always at a respectful dis- 

 tance. His reddish brown body could be plainly seen 

 through the clear transparent green water, and you may 

 be sure he was the cynosure of all eyes. A great many 

 plans for his capture were discussed, but none appeared 

 practicable within our limited means. The engineer sug- 

 gested that if the shark would give him tune, he would 

 forge a proper hook and chain, but as the shark was un- 

 able to give him a guarantee he abandoned the project. 



While we were thus talking, I noticed the native pilot 

 s\ ery now and then throwing overboard oue of the snap- 

 peis'we had so recently caught, aud as the current carried 

 it a little distance clear of the vessel the shark would 

 gobble it down, and in fact the intervals were so regular 

 that Mr. Shark seemed impatient when the regularity 

 was broken by a little delay. We saw that our pilot had 

 some ultimate object in view, and it drew oiu* attention 

 to him. I had not particularly noticed the man before 

 this, more than that he was a fine looking, dark-skinned 

 man, with good European features, but evidently of mixed 

 blood. As he was born and raised on this coast, and had 

 probably served Ms pilot's apprenticeship as a fisherman, 

 he knew how to deal with his inveterate foe, the shark. 

 Anyhow, we all thought so, and gave him credit for it, 

 and although he did not sav much, he went about it in a 

 very earnest manner. After having thrown over ten 

 small fish, he selected another a little larger than the 

 others, and with a stick of wood rammed a roll of chew- 

 ing tobacco, nearly as large as a man's hand, down into 

 its belly, and pressed its throat together again. He held 

 it ready to throw, and as the shark came up, anxiously 

 looking for his fish, he tossed it to him and as it barely 

 touched the water the shark turned over on its back and 

 sucked it in. The shark then swam off as usual to the 

 side of the vessel, and then below us, and was apparently 

 rising again in expectation of another fish when the 

 nicotine commenced its work. His struggles and con- 

 tortions were terrible to behold, as he darted here and 

 there in a blind rage, and vomiting blood, but as he swam, 

 or was carried by the current away from us. his struggl- 

 ing grew gradually less, until it ceased altogether. The 

 tobacco had killed him. L. 



MONTMORENCY BEAVER MEADOWS. 



THE Province of Quebec is renowed for its fishing 

 rivers and lakes, and in the country surrounding 

 the old rock- built city of Quebec it is especially so. 

 Within a few miles of this city are the famed Falls of 

 Montmorency, alxrve which are the Natural Steps, as 

 glorious a picnic ground as there is in the world. There 

 one may recline in secluded spots, surrounded by ferns 

 and raspberry bushes, and whip from the cold rushing 

 stream the brightest of speckled trout. In that stream 

 are dark and silent pools, eddying current and fierce 

 rushing rapids. On one side are the nature-worked steps, 

 barricaded by a forest of pines and maples, whose odor 

 is most entrancing: on the other side is a grand precipice, 

 which rises from the deep waters perpendicularly to a 

 height of over two hundred feet, and at whose summit 

 are lofty trees bending down over the rushing waters. 

 Shrubs and bushes climb up the wall of the precipice and 

 add. a beauty to the otherwise bare wall. Ascending the 

 river the scenery grows wilder and grander, and the fol- 

 lower of Izaak Walton can enjoy his full of pleasure in 

 whipping from the stream the brook trout which swarm 

 this river. The wild flowers and ferns which deck its 

 banks are the most varied and beautiful which delight 

 the eye, while the formation of the rocks remind one of 

 terraces and castelated mansions. But it is not particu- 

 larly this portion of the Montmorency River I wish to 

 describe. Further up, about fifteen miles, are what are 

 called the Beaver Meadows, which extend for about ten 

 miles. 



To reach this place the sportsman should, in leaving 

 the city of Quebec, go down by the Beauport road and 

 take the road to the left when nearly opposite the parish 

 church and drive for about fifteen miles, where he can 

 be accommodated with board by Mr. Doherty in a house 

 located on the river's bank. The fishing there is entirely 

 free, and trout of three and four pounds can be taken in 

 abundance, A few miles above this place is the club 

 house of the Montmorency Fish and Game Club, whose 

 president is also president' of the Quebec Fish and Game 

 Protection Club. The club house is a fine building of 

 about 90ft. frontage, and affords accommodation to about 

 twenty guests. The club is composed mostly of gentle- 

 men belonging to Quebec, but strangers are admitted and 

 those who are fond of using the rod and fly should 

 endeavor to participate in the advantages which the club 

 possesses. Further up the river is another club house 

 affording the same accommodation, and both these houses 

 are owned by the same club. For twenty inUes the right 

 of fishing at the Beaver Meadows is owned by this club, 

 whose members have the right to grant to strangers the 

 privilege of fishing in these rich waters. 



One may speak or write of the fishing in the Lake St. 

 John district, but in the Reaver Meadows cf the upper 

 waters of the Montmorency there are finer aud larger 

 trout caught. Fish of from 3 to 4lbs. are caught con- 

 tinually, whilr often other.-, ranging from 6 to 81bs. are 

 'taken.' The fly mostly used is the red-hackle in the 



morning, fancy flies in the day time, and moths in the 

 evening. There are grand Btretches of still water where 

 the sportsman may take his bark canoe and from it whip 

 the stream from early morning till twilight, and not with- 

 out success, for at the Beaver Meadows fish are plentiful, 

 and the sportsmen will never return with an empty 

 basket. 



Entering the Montmorency is the Snow River, also 

 abounding with trout and under cont-ol of the club, as 

 also are many of the lakes within their fishing rights. 

 Snow River and the many lakes are gold mines to the 

 fisherman. The club houses are not far distant and tents 

 and camp equipage are easily procurable, provided you 

 are a member of the club or a friend of a member. One 

 can therefore ever be certain of accommodation and 

 comfort when proceeding on a fishing excur.-ion to the 

 Beaver Meadows, and one can also be certain of a good 

 catch of not only many trout, but large trout; trout 

 which will exercise the expertest anglers, for there are 

 such rapids in the river Montmorency that when a trout 

 gets the fly in his mouth and takes a rush down the 

 stream, the sportsman must be a good swimmer and an 

 agile follower of his prey. I will merely say that at the 

 Beaver Meadows, on the Montmorency River, one can 

 have more pleasure and catch more and larger trout than 

 elsewhere in the Province of Quebec, 



It is not only the trout fislung that forms the attractions 

 of the Beaver Meadows. It is certainly within an easy dis- 

 tance of the city of Quebec, and roads and bridges'have 

 been built to render access thereto very easy. But leav- 

 ing aside the piscatorial attractions* of "these upper 

 waters of the Montmorency, there is such scenerv as 

 rarely excites the wonder and admiration of the tourist. 

 The river Montmorency comes down from the Laurentian 

 Mounta ins and these grand ranges of hills look down upon 

 the rushing stream from tree-clad heights. Here and 

 there the bare rocks rise up like castles or battlements, 

 again like terraced halls. Up from the dark and whirl- 

 ing river rise precipices, rise mountains, clothed with 

 the verdure of earth. The maple and the pine overhang 

 the mountains and the wild ash ever keeps watch, and 

 who can describe the wild dashing river, the raging tor- 

 rents and rapids, the whirlpools and placid nooks and si- 

 lent water. One cannot conceive a more glorious river 

 for either the sportsman or the tourist than this portion 

 of the Montmorency, and it is ever a favorite resort of not 

 only Quebecers, but of Americans who visit the city. 

 And it is no matter of surprise, for no grander river ex- 

 ists than the Montmorency, whose waters rush over the 

 precipice at its mouth and so well known as the Mont- 

 morency Falls. T. J. O. 

 Qtthbec, Canada. 



LARGE MASKINONGE IN CANADA. 



IN our last issue we gave an account of some extraor- 

 dinary catches of maskinonge taken in Mosquito Bay, 

 as recorded by the Intelligencer, of Bellville, Ont. The 

 excitement at Bellville over the discovery of many large 

 fish of this species seems to be at fever heat aid men 

 who never fished before are buying tackle and hurrying 

 to the bay. The same paper, in a iater issue, says: 



"Every novice seems to have luck. The fish have been 

 loafing around for years for their city friends to call, 

 and now that they are recognized have no hesitation in 

 'catching on.' In the evening about dark groups of per- 

 sons can be seen making their way to the boat landing. 

 Then the triumphant procession sets in. First comes Mr. 

 Herbert Greaves. There is the end of a stick projecting 

 over his shoulder in front, the other end is on the 

 shoulder of a friend behind. They walk with a mili- 

 tary tread, keeping excellent time. " Between them wig- 

 gles and wobbles a 25-pound masko. Then Mr. H. A. 

 Hodgson emerges from a crowd of admirers. He had a 

 stick ever his shoulder and looked several inches taller. 

 His is an 18-pounder, with a small pike to keep it com- 

 pany. Shortly after Mr. A. N. Reid emerged from the 

 gathering gloom with a large basket on his arm and a 

 stick on his shoulder; he has been there before, and is 

 getting accustomed to it. It took some time to recognize 

 the party who supported the rear end of the stick who 

 was overshadowed by a ten cent straw hat, as the popu- 

 lar Alderman of St. John's Ward, Toronto, Mr. A. H. 

 Gilbert. It was a beauty, one that would crowd bOlbs. 

 into a close corner. The darkness gathered, but the 

 steady tread of happy pilgrims homeward bound kept up 

 until," when all had passed, the score card showed a record 

 of ten big fish. 



"The successful ones are A. H, Hodgson, Herbert 

 Greaves, H. A Gilbert, Carl Strom, E. Guss Porter, J. 

 C. Keith, L. H. Henderson, Mr. Lockett, and a son of D. 

 R. Leavens, who caught two. Aid. Porter heads the list 

 with the largest fish captured &o far, viz.; 874lbs. It 

 measured 4ft. 44in. x21in., this morning. The half gold 

 and half silver bait is said to be the best. An extraor- 

 dinary circumstance yesterday was the capture by Aid. 

 Porter of a mudcat, which took his large trod. Mr. Wal- 

 ter Greaves failed to get a maskinonge, but he got a 121b. 

 sheepshead, which gave him plenty of sport. The num- 

 ber of maskos captured this week up to Friday night is 

 24, 4 on Tuesday, 4 on Wednesday, on Thursday and 10 

 on Friday." 



Weakfish is Princes Bay.— During the past week 

 the catches of weakfish in Prince's Bay have been large 

 in numbers and of fair size. This portion of Staten 

 Island is easily reached by New Yorkers who take the 

 Staten Island ferry to St. " George and then go to Rich- 

 mond Valley by rail. Out in the channel the small school 

 fish are plenty, and each angler must decide for himself 

 whether he will fish for them or stay on the flats and try 

 for the larger and more uncertain tide runners. Weak- 

 fishing does not rank high as sport, but hundreds find it 

 amusing, and the morning ferry boats carry many lunch 

 baskets and boxes of shedder crabs. 



Tourists seeking rest and recreation during the hot summer 

 months can obtain valuable int'oi matron from the illustrated guide 

 hooks entitled "A Summer Jaunt" and "Summer of 1S88" issued by 

 the Wisconsin Central bine. These books are descriptive ef the sum- 

 mer resorts in Wisconsin and Minnesota, reached by the Wisconsin 

 Central Line, and will be sent frte to any address upon applica- 

 tion to James Barker, General Passenger and Ticket Agent, 

 Milwaukee Wis.— Adv. 



GF*nra8VIiii J E,Tex.-.WtS8/ > s. Wallace it Sons, Xtw York; Sirs-After 

 an exhaustive trial with every make of shell, I find the strong 

 primer Climax paper shell equal to any English shell I have used. 

 Nothing can be found better for Schultze or American wood pow- 

 powder. (Signed) "Almo. 1 '— Adv. 



