S70 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 29 1888. 



THE MENHADEN RUN OF 1888. 



Editor Forest and Stream: . 



The menhaden run of the season just terminated has 

 been one of large proportions. It has equalled, it not 

 surpassed, those' of preceding years. This is true, not 

 only as to the number and extent of the shoals but also, 

 in a marked degree, as to the broad area over which they 

 have spread, the waters of the Jersey coast, those of 

 Long Island. Narragansett Bay, Buzzard's Bay, No Man a 

 Land Cape Cod Bay, and mirabile dictu, the waters of 

 the Maine coast have been visited by large numbers of 

 these valuable fishes. They have returned to localities 

 from which they have long been absent, and have 

 abounded in augmented numbers in places subject to 

 their yearly visits. 



By concert of action their owners postponed dispatch- 

 ing the steamers for the season's work far beyond the 

 usual time. The trips were begun the latter part of 

 June, and, although the seining season was short, all ac- 

 counts agree in pronouncing it a very successful one. 

 Large fares and quick trips have ruled. 



The best days of the Long Island fisheries never went 

 beyond those of the past season. The ocean in the 

 vicinity of No Man's Land was never known to have 

 been visited by menhaden in such quantities as during 

 the present year. At that island, from June to October, 

 weather permitting, the purse seines were in use, their 

 tripping lines were constantly on the run, and twenty 

 steamers were often loading at one time. After an ab- 

 sence of nine years the menhaden have found their way 

 into Cape Cod Bay. The same is true of the Maine 

 waters, and the oil 'factories of Booth Bay and Bound 

 Pond have put their kettles into operation after nearly a 

 decade of disuse. The oil interests need not be commis- 

 erated by reason of the short season. The menhaden 

 steamers have netted their owners half their value in 

 four months. The explanation of the re-appearance of 

 the menhaden in localities from which they have long- 

 been absent, and of their abundance, does not seem diffi- 

 cult of determination. The practical matter of fact in- 

 quirer will not search for it among theories relating to 

 currents, temperatures, alga? and infusoria, but rather 

 will recur to the circumstance that the menhaden 

 steamers did not, in March last, fit out as usual and in- 

 tercept, capture, nor disperse the schools on their yearly 

 migration northward or eastward. This fact furnishes 

 the explanation, easy of comprehension, of the condi- 

 tions existing in 1888. 



On their last visit to our shores, pursuing their slow 

 but certain course without artificiai molestation, the 

 menhaden filled the indented waters of the coasts of the 

 Middle and New England States and shoaled in countless 

 numbers seaward from the three-mile line. They re- 

 sponded in myriads to the promptings of their natural 

 impulses unharrassed by the pursuit of the oil steamers. 

 It cannot be doubted that this they will ever do, in a 

 greater or lesser degree, when their movements are not 

 trammeled by human agencies. 



Have the food fish interests been favorably affected by 

 the delayed operations of the menhaden steamers? This 

 question may be f airly answered in the affirmative. Tak- 

 ing the water area involved as a whole, bluefish, s+riped 

 bass, squeteague and swordfish have been more numer- 

 ous than for several seasons. Especially is this true of 

 the latter. These species have kept close company with 

 the menhaden, a prominent source of their food supply. 

 The uninterrupted migration of the menhaden to their 

 native summer haunts has also rendered it possible for 

 the spawning process to be consummated in the shallows 

 and the protected spots of the inlets, creeks and bays. 

 Further, it has brought these fishes to the very doors of 

 those who desire them for use as chum and bait. 



These happy occurrences, so readily traceable to the 

 unimpeded run of the menhaden last spring, indicate 

 plainly how much greater good would result in the direc- 

 tion of preserving and increasing the supply of food 

 fishes if the pursuit of tile menhaden were subjected to 

 the restriction of a statute of the United States. A gen- 

 eral law prohibiting the seining of menhaden, except for 

 bait, within three miles of a shore, would be of lasting 

 benefit to the food fish interests, and productive of results 

 of a magnitude far beyond those that have prevailed tl ie 

 past season. No better plea could be advanced in sup- 

 port of legislation to protect the three-mile limit than the 

 facts named above. It is true, the oilmen have operated 

 within the limit, but their protracted movements have pro- 

 duced an effect, in all respects but magnitude and per- 

 manence, like that sure to follow the desired legislation. 



The happenings of the season now closed are oppor- 

 tune. The opponents of the restrictive measure have, 

 without intending it, presented its advocates a powerful 

 argument in aid of a solution of the food fish problem. 



„„ Arthur Martin. 



Washington, D. C„ Nov. 24. 



THE EFFECT OF SAWDUST ON FISH. 



A CORRESPONDENT writes from Canada as follows: 

 "Will you please inform me where I can obtain 

 any information as to the effect of sawdust on ana- 

 dromous fiahes? Do you know of any work treating of 

 this niatter? What would be the effect if swallowed by 

 fish? Do they not often swallow various indigestable 

 substances without injury? These questions are up with 

 us for consideration, and facts are needed. Anything 

 you can do to aid me in obtaining such will be thank- 

 fully received. All the facts I have so far been able to 

 . obtain lead me to believe it comparatively harmless; 

 however, I am after more facts if they are obtainable." 



We do not find that this subject has been investigated 

 to any extent, but it is generally believed that sawdust 

 kills the trout in the streams below it. The only refer- 

 ence to the injurious properties of sawdust is in a paper 

 read before the American Fishcultural Association bv 

 Mr. Fred Mather, entitled "Remarkable Development of 

 Embryo Salmon," and published in the Eleventh Report 

 of the Association, and also in Forest and Stream of 

 April 13, 1883, with illustrations. In this article the 

 writer cites the evil effects of pine troughs which are not 

 thoroughly coated with coal tar, and says: 

 . " Tne theory of the fishermen is that "the sawdust gets 

 into the gills of trout and kills them. This may be true 

 to some extent, but I doubt it for the reason that sand or 

 other material does not appear to iujure its gills, and I 

 have taken adult trout below sawmills. 1 incline to 

 think that the mills are destructive merely to the young 

 by covering the spawning beds to some extent with saw- 



dust, but more by the absorption of turpentine from the 

 pine, or tannin from the oak, the evil effects of which 

 we know too well." 



I $ We would be pleased to have other views on this subject. 



Co-operation in Fishing Laws.— The Fish Commis- 

 sions of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, are 

 preparing to present to their respective Legislatures a 

 carefully prepared series of laws which will make the 

 fishing seasons and close times in all those States the 

 same. This is a great step in advance, and if New York 

 had been included there would be a prospect of having 

 the black bass law so arranged that it would not be law- 

 ful to take a fish in one end of Greenwood Lake at a time 

 when it is unlawful to capture it at the other end, and 

 also of giving protection to the salmon and shad in the 

 Hudson River "by making the law the same in both 

 States. 



THE NEW YORK FISHERY COMMISSION. 



THE Fishery Commission of New York is about to reor- 

 ganize and proposes to introduce business methods in 

 this work, which under the old regime was done in a 

 rather loose manner so far as any attempt at system is con- 

 cerned. To this end the following rules and regulations for 

 the conduct of the practical operations of the Commission 

 are proposed: 



1. Regular meetings of the Board of Commissioners are 

 held at its office in the city of New York on the second Tues- 

 day of each month at the' hour of ten o'clock, A. M., except 

 when such Tuesday shall occur on a public holiday, in which 

 case the meeting shall be held on the next succeeding day. 

 Extra meetings may be held on the call of the President 

 whenever, in his judgment, they may be necessary. At least 

 two days' notice, personally or by mail, shall be given of each 

 extra meeting, and the particular object of the meeting shall 

 be specified in the notice. 



2. The business at each meeting shall be in the following 

 order: 



(1) Reading the record of proceedings of the preceding 

 meeting. 



(2) The consideration of bids for oyster franchises. 



(3) New business connected with oyster franchises. 



(4) Unfinished business connected' with oyster lands and 

 franchises. 



(5) Reports from superintendents, chief game and fish 

 protector and the engineer. 



(6) Auditing of abstracts and accounts. 



(7) Reports from committees. 



(8) Communications in writing from persons not con- 

 nected with the Commission. 



(9) Resolutions. 



(10) Unfinished business. 



3. Each hatching station of the Commission shall be under 

 the direction of a Commissioner, or Commissioners in charge, 

 to be named by the board, who shall, subject to its order, 

 direct the superintendent in the discharge of his duties. 

 The salaries of the several superintendents shall be fixed by 

 the Board. The number and compensation of the minor 

 employes shall be fixed by the superintendent, subject to the 

 approval of the Commissioner in charge. 



4. No expenditure other than for current support shall be 

 made by any superintendent without the approval, pre- 

 viously obtained, of the Commissioner in charge; and no 

 expenditures for new structures exceeding SB50 in cost shall 

 be made at any of the hatcheries without, the approval, pre- 

 viously obtained, of the Board of Commissioners. 



5. Each superintendent shall give bond, with surety, in 

 the sum of 8500, subject to the approval of the Board, for 

 the faithful discharge of his duties and the accounting by 

 vouchers, satisfactory to the Comptroller, of all State fund's 

 coming to his hands. 



6. Payments of salaries, wages and other expenses shall be 

 made at each hatchery on the 15th day of each month, except 

 when such day occurs on Sunday, in which case the next suc- 

 ceeding day shall be pay day. 



7. The superintendent may give, on his own responsibility, 

 in the interim between the 1st and 15th of each month, 

 his receipts for executed vouchers for the expenses of the 

 work in bis charge, payable when he shall receive returns 

 from his monthly abstract. 



8. All abstracts of accounts, or vouchers connected there- 

 with, shall be made in duplicate, and shall be in accordance 

 With the regulations prescribed by the Comptroller. One 

 copy of each voucher shall be included in each abstract. The 

 superintendent shall keep a hook in which shall be recorded, 

 in tiieirorder, the monthly abstracts. The duplicate abstract 

 shall be forwarded with the original to the clerk. 



9. All abstracts shall be made up complete by the third of 

 each month, and shall be first sent, with the vouchers 

 accompanying, to the Commissioner in charge, who shall 

 examine the abstract as to form and substance, and if he 

 And it defective in any respect he shall return it to the 

 superintendent, for correction. He shall also examine the 

 vouchers as to the reasonableness of any charges that may 

 be made in them: and if he find that any expenditures have 

 been made without proper reference to economy he shall 

 adopt such means as he shall deem requisite to secure a cor- 

 rection. The abstracts received by any Commissioner in 

 charge shall be promptly examined by such Commissioner, 

 and when approved by him shall be forwarded to the clerk 

 of the Commission to be presented to the Board. 



10. The clerk shall prepare blank forms of abstracts to be 

 approved by the Comptroller, which shall be furnished to 

 each hatchery and used by himself in all abstracts of con- 

 tingent expenses of the Commission which he may have 

 occasion to make up. 



11. The clerk shall keep in a book, provided for that pur- 

 pose, a record of the monthly abstracts as they may be sub- 

 mitted to the. Board. 



12. Until further orders the following assignments are 

 made, pursuant to rule 3, of this series: Cold Spring Harbor 

 hatchery, Commissioner Blackford; Adirondack hatchery 

 Commissioner Sherman; Sacandaga hatchery. Commissioner 

 Burden: Fulton Chain hatcherv, Commissioner Sherman- 

 Caledonia hatchery, Commissioner Bowman; and to Com- 

 missioner Bowman is also assigned the supervision, as far 

 as any general supervision may be necessary, of the spawn 

 gathering on the upper lakes, and the shad hatching on the 

 Hudson River: and to Commissioner Burden is assigned the 

 supervision of all the fish ways in the care of the Commission; 

 lo Commissioner Joline shall be assigned the supervision of 

 the work of the clerk, as far as his work relates to the con- 

 sideration and granting of applications for franchises in 

 lands under the waters of the State. This rule shallbe 

 printed on cards and posted in a nromiuent place in each 

 hatchery. 



13. No person shall bring into any building, or on the 

 grounds of any batchiug station, any intoxicating beverages, 

 and amy such beverages found in such nlace by any super- 

 intendent shall be summarily destroyed. Nor shall any 

 employe or other person appear on such grounds in a state 

 or intoxication. No person shall be employed in the service 

 of the Commission who frequents dram shops or other 

 haunts of vice or immorality. No person shall smoke to- 

 bacco in any form in the hatching rooms or workshops of 



any hatchery, nor shall any person eject tobacco spittle 

 upon any of the floors, fixtures or furniture of any such 

 building. 



14. An inventory of all public property at each hatching 

 station shall be taken annually on the first day of January, 

 one copy of such inventory shall be retained by the super- 

 intendent and a du plicate" forwarded to the Commissioner 

 in charge, to be filed in the office of the Commissioners of 

 Fisheries. 



15. Each superintendent shall, on or before the fifth of 

 February in each year, report to the Board a statement in 

 tabular form of all applications he shall have received for 

 fish fry for the then current season, together with all papers 

 he shall have touching such applications; and no fry shall 

 be furnished from any hatchery until the Board shall have 

 made a distributive apportionment. 



16. Each superintendent shall, between the first and fif- 

 teenth of December in each year, report to the Board a de- 

 tailed account of the operations of the hatchery in his 

 charge for the last year, together with such recommenda- 

 tions touching the conduct of affairs at the station as he 

 shall deem useful. Such a report shall also contain a list of 

 all the employes at the station and a statement ;of the rate 

 of compensation paid to each. 



These rules shall be printed on cards and posted in a 

 prominent place in each hatchery. 



Immt 



F I XT URSS. 



DOG SHOWS. 



Dec. 3 to 8.— Dog Show of the Northern Illinois Poultry and Pet 

 Stock Association, at Rockford, 111. A. H. Currier, Secretary. 



Jan. 1 to 4.— Fourth Dog Show of the Meriden Poultry Associ- 

 ation. Joshua Shute, Secretary, No. 430 Pratt street, Meriden, 

 Conn. 



Jan. 15 to 19, 1889.— Seventh Annual Dor Show of the Southern 

 Massachusetts Poultry Association, at. New Bedford, Mass. F. 

 W. Dean. Secretary. 



January, last week.— Western Pennsylvania Poultry Society's 

 Fourteenth Annual Show, Pittsburgh. Pa. C. B. Elhen, Sec'y. 



Feb. 4 to 7, 1888.— First Annual Dos? Show of the Columbus 

 Fanciers' Club at Columbus O. Thos. R. Sparrow, Secretary. 



Feb. 12 to 15, 1889. -Fifth Dog Show of the New Jersey Kennel 

 Club, at Jersey City, N. J. Geo. L. Wilms, Secrotary, 143 Monti- 

 cello avenue. Jersey City, N. J. 



Feb. 19 to 22, 1SS9.— Thirteenth Annual Show of the Westminster 

 Kennel Club. New York. James Mortimer. Superintendent. 



Feh. 26 to March 1, 18S9.— Second Annual Show of the Renssalaer 

 Kennel Club, Troy, N. Y. Alba M. Ide. Secretary. 



Kennel ( 



March 12 to 15, 1SS9— Second Annual Show of the Fort Schuyler 

 Kennel Club, Utiea, N. Y. James W. Puulop, President. 



March 19 to 22, 1889.— First Annual Dog Show of the Maryland 

 Kennel Club, at Baltimore, Md. W. S. Diffenderffor, Secretary. 



March 2fi to 29, 1889.— First Annual Dog Show of the Massachu- 

 setts Kennel Club, at. Lynn, Mass. D. A. Williams, Secretary. 



April 2 to 5, 1889.— First Annual Show of the Rochester Kennel 

 Club, at Rochester, N. Y. Harry Yates, Secretary. 



April 2 to 5, 1889.— Annual Show of the New England Kennel 

 Club, Boston, Mass. J. W. Newman, Secretary, No. 6 Hamilton 

 Place. 



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

 Kennel Club, at Chicago. 111. John L. Lincoln, Jr., Secretary. 



April 10 to 19, 1889.— The Seventh Dog Show of the. Philadelphia 

 Kennel Club, at Philadelphia, Pa. Wm. C. Child, Secretary. 



FIELD TRIALS. 

 Dec. 3.— First Annual Field Trials of the Southern Field Trial 

 Club, at Amory, Miss. T. M. Brumby, Secretary, Chattanooga, 

 Tenn. 



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

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

 nati. O. 



Jan. 14, 1889.~Si.vth Annual Field Trials of the Pacific Coast 

 Field Trial Oltftji, at, JJakersfleld, Cal. N. P. Sheldon, Secretary, 

 U30 Sansome street San Francisco, Cal. 



A. K. R. -SPECIAL NOTICE. 

 TpHE 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 he 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 

 81.50. Address "American Kennel Register," P. O. Box 2832, New 

 York. Number of entries already printed G'S'^G . 



THE EASTERN FIELD TRIALS. 



Special Report. 

 THE DERBY. 



THE eighth annual Derby of the Eastern Field Trials Club 

 began at High Point, N. C, on Monday, Nov. 19. There 

 were twenty-three starters, a sufficient number to make the 

 competition interesting, without dragging the running to a 

 wearisome length. The quality of the work done, consid- 

 ered as a w T hole, was inferior to that of the past two years in 

 the same stakes. The judging was exceptionally good, the 

 best dogs coming to the front at the finish. The decisions 

 were well received by all. The judges were Mr. J. Otto 

 Donuer, Major J. M. Taylor and Mr. J. R, Henricks. A list 

 of the starters was published last week. Birds are not so 

 plentiful as in some past years, yet there are sufficient to 

 test the finding capacities of the dogs without discouraging 

 them by long, barren effort. On the whole, the Derby was 

 skillfully conducted and finished pleasantly. 



SATAiSTELLA AXD GLAMORIGAK. 

 The outlook for good work on Monday morning was any- 

 thing but promising. The heavy rains had saturated the 

 ground, and there was every prospect of continued wet 

 weather. The morning's work was done in a drizzling rain. 

 The rain ceased at noon, but the weather was cloudy, raw, 

 damp and threatening. The wind was from the northeast. 

 Birds were not moving, and therefore were difficult to find. 

 They did not lie well to the points, consequently it was dif- 

 ficult for the dogs to work on them, and the results were not 

 up to the average standard. The first brace was very slow. 

 The cold, wet grass and ground appeared to be obnoxious to 

 both dogs, and theypicked their way gingerly and leisurely, 

 hunting side and side much of the time. Ulamorigan, han- 

 dled by D. E. Rose, apparently had a little more independ- 

 ence, but the exhibitions of it were transient. They were 

 cast off at 9:00 near the schoolhouse near the outskirts of 

 the town, and a long, tiresome heat was begun. Satanella, 

 handled by Height, opened the work by pointing a bevy; 

 Giamorigan pointed close behind, although apparently 

 backing; both were steady. On the scattered birds both 

 performed indifferently, although each pointed and backed 

 staunchly. After this no more birds were found, when they 

 were ordered up at 11:35, to be put down again at 4:00 to 

 conclude the heat. At 4: 16 they were again ordered up, one 

 point on a marked bird having been made by Satanella. In 

 all down Sh. 51m. 



OLIVER TWIST AND HOI D'OR. 

 They went off merrily at the word, Oliver Twist handled 

 by Tucker, showing wider range. He did some very nice 

 work on birds, the heat began at 11:40. In heavy weeds in a 

 bottom, Oliver Twist pointed a bevy. A moment afterward 

 Boi D'Or, handled by Avent, pointed about 50yds. from 

 Oliver but no birds were found to his point. Both dogs 

 were steady to wing and shot. Some of the scattered birds 



