Sept. 5, 1889.J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



129 



accounts. J udge Grier was a good story teller and he 

 had th.-ee good listeners, and before night we were in a 

 state to laugh at almost anything the Judge might say. 

 It is am. sing to see how grave and dignified judges and 

 Governors can unbend when they go a-fishing. I see 

 you are all interested, and as my half hour has expired 

 and you have several candidates to initiate, I must bid 

 you good evening, and hope some time to tell you some- 

 thing about one of the greatest of fishes, the muskalonge, 

 and a few of the early experiences I have had in captur- 

 ing this favorite fish." 



As soon as the Judge left the room, the president hn- 

 roediately ordered the Grand Conductor to prepare the 

 floor for the introduction of the candidates — Capt. A. G. 

 Shearman, R. McC. Smith and W. S. Brown. 



"Are the Passenger Agents still in the closet?" asked 

 the president of the Keeper of the Keys. 



"They are waiting your pleasure." 



"Prepare them in accordance with our ritual; see that 

 they are well blindfolded and encased in Stroniburg 

 sacks." 



Mr. S. A. Court, Ohio's Pythian Secretary, kindly ten- 

 dered his services to assist in the initiation, and the presi- 

 dent instructed him to take charge of the floor. To his 

 experienced mind the club is indebted for the prompt 

 workings of the scenery; the fine condition of the Over- 

 land Goat, and the general smoothness of the ceremonies. 

 The passenger agents were hoodwinked and properly 

 prepared, when brother Court, in Ins Oklahoma voice, 

 announced the readiness of the candidates. The hall 

 was darkened and not a sound could be heard. The door 

 was ajar, and out from the swamp stillness broke the 

 Western Traffic Glee Club, engaged for the occasion, in 

 one of their hushed melodies, and when the music died 

 out, much resembling a disappearing freight train, four 

 distinct raps were heard. 



"Who disturbs the solemnity of this association," cried 

 the president in a muffled voice. 



"Three worldly strangers, who seek admission to our 

 club," replied the keeper of the door. 



"Have they credentials?^ 



"They have, and are approved by the Central Traffic 

 Association, and are properly posted in accordance with 

 the revised laws." 



"Why do they come here?" 



"To learn to subdue their passions; to become familiar 

 with the secret arts and mysteries of the Sunset Club." 



"How do they know they are eligible?" 



"By being often tried, never denied, and willing to 

 try again. Capt. Shearman has caught horny suckers, 

 butter chubs, silver sides in the waters of Black River, 

 near Oberlin College, and mermaids in San Francisco 

 Bay. Mr. Brown has flanneled frogs from lily leaves, 

 caught yellow-belly catfish in the mouth of the River 

 Raisin, and seeks admission to this club for the purpose 

 of learning how to land Baw Beeze black bass. Col. 

 Smith is no angler, but has sailed on the centerboard 

 sloop Burns at Elkhart, Indiana, with wonderful results. 

 The.v are gentlemen withal." 



"Let the candidates be weighed," cried the president. 



Their average weight was 1981bs. Their button hole 

 bouquets were ordered removed. A long silence then 

 followed. The three passenger agents were led slowly 

 around the room while the glee club filled the spacious 

 hall with melody. This club comprised the following 

 gentlemen: Mr. M. E. Gaul, Cleveland's favorite railroad 

 theatrical agent, as basso profundo; T. J. Clark, passenger 

 agent C. R. I. & P. R. R., smothered tenor; A. G. Robin- 

 son, (with diamonds) passenger agent C. & A. R. R., 

 mezzo contralto; D. P. Wheeler, (special) passenger agent 

 F. & P. M. R. R., warbler from Michigan, and W. A. Mc 

 Whinney, passenger agent CM. & S. P. R. R., saw-filing 

 soprano. These gentlemen were stationed in the shadow 

 of the veteran F. M. Snavely, passenger agent C. & N. W. 

 R. R., who handled the baton with agility, and with the 

 tread of an assistant traveling auditor, glided noiselessly 

 about the group. The music was fine, in fact all the in- 

 sects in the neighboring district left. When the presi- 

 dent noticed the glee club vacillating, and their discord- 

 ant sounds become more frequent, he motioned for the 

 conductor to stop in front of his station. 



"Strangers," he said, as they were filed side by side, 

 "as the sun rules the day. the moon governs the night, so 

 am I invested with the power to rule and govern this 

 club with equal regularity. There are two important 

 things we would impress upon your minds, viz. ; a listen- 

 ing ear and a silent tongue. These have the same bear- 

 ings upon the workings of this club as it does in your 

 business. A few questions. Do you know of any regu- 

 lation in the inter-State law forbidding your spitting 

 upon the bait used?" 



All were silent. Five minutes passed and they made 

 no effort to reply. 



"The conductor will do his duty," said the president. 

 "We must have ready replies." 



Three inflated bladders were successfully brought to 

 bear upon the uncovered heads of the candidates. Brown 

 smiled. Shearman looked serious. Smith dodged. 



"We do not," they responded, after the conductor had 

 whispered in their ears. 



"In landing a bass or a pike what system have you 

 found the safer, the long or the short haul ?" 



Again they hesitated. The president cried. 



"Is my question fully understood?" 



They nodded assent. Some rumbling noise in their 

 rear caused Brown to venture a reply. He said: 



"If a large fish, the long haul: if small, the short 

 haul." 



"Capt. Shearman, in baiting your hook do you insert 

 the barb through the -head of the department/ or do you 

 prefer the 'terminal facilities' at the other end of the 

 minnow?" 



"In Black River we string the minny the same as we 

 do worms." 



"Col. Smith, do you know a good place to get frogs?" 



"Yes, sir; from the track master." 



"As the Interstate law positively prohibits reba(i)ting; 

 and in order that you may comply with its provisions, 

 what suggests itself to bedbne to men in your positions?" 



After a moment's hesitation they replied in one voice, 

 "A listening ear and a silent tongue." 



There is meaning in this response. 



"Strangers," said the president, after a few pointed 

 secret questions, "in all secret societies experience has 

 taught the founders that it is necessary that the candi- 

 dates should undergo some trying ordeal to test their con- 

 fidence in mankind. Our club has followed this exam- 



ple and the cabinets are well stocked with implements of 

 torture, which our obligations will bring into use, but 

 you have influential friends in this club who appreciate 

 the great work you passenger men have done to encour- 

 age travel to your various places of fishing and hunting 

 grounds, and we appreciate your efforts to advance this 

 noble art to a standard equal to the highest accomplish- 

 ments of mankind. With this in view our advisory 

 counsel wisely suggest that we permit you to select from 

 the mountain recesses of the western world a goat adapt- 

 ed to your strength and capacity, which you will be re- 

 uired to ride successfully in these hall's. The candi- 

 ates may be taken to 'The' Rookery,' the hoodwinks re- 

 moved, after which they will appoint a chairman, who 

 will receive a salary as compensation for his services, 

 for the minutes served, and taking $^5,000 as a yearly 

 basing rate. You will name the person you desire to get 

 the goat." 



The candidates were led from the room. In five min- 

 utes the president received the following: 



"We want a Broncho Rocky Mountain goat from this 

 side of the divide and prefer Mi-. Fred H. Lord, of the 

 C. St. P. & K. C. Railway, be instructed to purchase the 

 goat. — W. S. Brown, Chairman." 



"Brother Court," said the president, "you will inform 

 the candidates that their wishes will be complied with 

 and the goat will be here in time for the next meeting. 

 They may retire. You will have Mr. John Bastible, the 

 genial representative of the C. H. & D. Railway, accom- 

 pany them to see that they go directly to their hotel. 

 Before the club adjourns the secretary has received a 

 communication from Baw Beeze Lake, Michigan, asking 

 the club to send one of our members to that lake for the 

 purpose of teaching the natives how to land black bass 

 weighing over three pounds, I will appoint the secretary 

 as a committee to visit the region and report at the next 

 meeting." There being no further business the club 

 adjourned. J. E. Gunokel. 



A BRITISH FISH HATCHERY. 



BY AS ENGLISH FISHERY COMMISSIONER. 



IN consequence of the depleted condition of many of the 

 rivers in the United Kingdom, rendered so by the multi- 

 farious malpractices of mankind, the science of fishculture 

 has become a recognized necessity, and is now resorted to as 

 a means of resuscitating barren locations and restoring de- 

 cayed fisheries to a condition of plenteousness. During' the 

 past tew years a steady advance has been made in the science 

 and not only has the number of fishculture establishments 

 increased, but the. methods of hatching and rearing fish 

 through the various stages of development have undergone 

 great improvements, so that the science has now been 

 brought within the range of practical utility. At the 

 present time the demands for fish wherewith to stock 

 waters are in excess of supplies, and coarse fish are quite as 

 much needed as trout. Being impressed with the large 

 amount of decay that prevails in our rivers and the de- 

 pleted condition of waters capable of sustaining fish, and 

 recognizing in fishculture a power sufficient to restore them 

 to a state of plenty, Mr. William Burgess, some years n°-o 

 founded a fishery at Malvern Wells, in the Midland, on a' 

 large scale, and called it the Midland Counties Fishculture 

 Establishment. The success attending its formation was 

 such as to induce him to considerably extend its scope be- 

 yond his original conception, with the result that it has 

 now become the largest establishment of the kind in Eng- 

 land. Naturally its object is to develop fish life in the 

 waters of the United Kingdom to meet the dual require- 

 ments of food and sport. In order to carry this into effect 

 upon a sound, practical and extensive basis, every facility 

 has been provided for hatching ova and rearing fish in. 

 sufficient quantities to meet existing demands. At the 

 present time these demands cannot be adequately satisfied 

 by pisciculturists, and many an applicant for young fish 

 and yearlings frequently cannot be supplied; while there 

 are some who. however desirous of stocking waters they 

 may be, refrain from doing so in consequence of the high 

 charges made, which are frequently prohibitive. It is the 

 desire of Mr. Burgess to raise fish in such numbers as will 

 enable him to supply all the best species and varieties at all 

 seasons of the year. 



The location chosen for the establishment is admirably 

 suited to the requirements of fishculture, by reason of its 

 natural surroundi ngs. The water flows from uutainted 

 sources, and can be regulated in accordance with the re- 

 quirements of the fish, be they fry, yearlings or matured 

 forms, or it can be drawn off from the ponds when it is de- 

 sired to empty them for the purpose of sorting or dispatch- 

 ing fish. One series of ponds is provided for fry, another 

 for yearlings, and another for older fish, some, of' the ponds 

 being 100yds. in length and 10ft. in depth. A fall is created 

 at each pond, so that the water in passing throuah is thor- 

 oughly oxyginated. In all his operations Mr. Burgess 

 emulates nature as closely as possible, not only with a view 

 of raising strong, vigorous fish, but in order to rear them 

 with the lowest possible mortality. 



Two hatcheries exist, one being for the incubation of Sal- 

 monicke ova, and the other for those of coarse fish, such as 

 perch, roach, carp, tench, etc. The Salmonidcv hatchery is 

 large and roomy, and is capable of bringing to life many 

 millions of young fish. The mode of hatching is that known 

 as the "overflow system," the incubating apparatus being 

 supplied with spring water, which is concentrated in a 

 colossal reservoir, whence it passes through filters into the 

 hatchery. The hatching boxes are slightly elevated one 

 above another in order to provide for a slight fall of water, 

 which has the effect of aeratiug it throughout. The species 

 and varieties of fish hatched embrace not only all British, 

 Scottish and Irish SalmonhUe, but transatlantic varieties 

 as well, the ova of the latter having been courteously 

 granted by Col. Marshall McDonald, United States Fish 

 Commissioner. The ova are laid down in the winter months, 

 and in the spring the hatching house is crowded with strug- 

 ling masses of young fish, Here they- remain until nature 

 eprives them of their self-contained store of food, when 

 they are turned adrift to seek their living in nursery ponds, 

 pending distribution in public waters. Although an ample 

 supply of natural food exists in the ponds, the fish are fed 

 artificially as well, thus supplementing the food store. 



In addition to Salmonidce culture, a very large amount of 

 space is devoted to the artificial propagation of coarse fish, 

 such as perch, carp, tench, roach, etc. Hitherto we have 

 heard a great deal about the culture of salmon and trout, 

 but nothing about that of coarse fish for whose benefit fish- 

 culture has not been used in the same way as it is for Sal- 

 monidas. Recognizing the numerical decrease of these 

 humbler forms and the loss thereby occasioned to the work- 

 ing classes, Mr. Burgess has gone to considerable trouble 

 and expense to create a coarse fishculture department, and 

 he is now equally successful in propagating this class of 

 fish as he is the higher classes. Many difficulties stand in 

 the way of cultivating coarse fish. In the first place, it is no 

 easy work to secure the spawn, which, unlike that of Sal- 



monidce., is adhesive. The ova. is very minute and hatch out 

 much sooner than Sn.lmnnida: eggs, so that promptitude in 

 dealing with them has to be observed. When the alewives 

 make their appearance from the ova fresh difficulties arise, 

 they being so minute that the.v soon escape unless prevented. 

 Food must be given them within a few days of their birth, 

 and that of such a nature as can be absorbed by the 

 tiny creatures. This point has been closely studied by Mr. 

 Burgess, whose self-manufactured food meets their require- 

 ments. 



The practical ability of the establishment has been tested 

 many times lately, and so numerous and various are the 

 wants of the public that Mr. Burgess has had to greatly add 

 to the establishment recently in order to meet them. Every 

 effort is made to breed as great a variety of fish as possible, 

 to suit all kinds of waters, be they open or inclosed, soft or 

 hard in quality, and strict investigation is made into the 

 conditions thereof before planting fish. The enterprise 

 which Mr. Burgess has exhibited in tnis direction is of no 

 ordinary type, and it is to be hoped that the forward march 

 he has made will meet with the recognition it deserves. 

 Among the species and varieties of fish, propagated by Mr. 

 Burgess are the Sa I veli n us fonUnalis, Sctltno widens and 

 Coregonus albns, several rivers having recently been liber- 

 ally stocked gratuitously in Somersetshire and Devonshire. 



FISHERY CENSUS. — Capt. J. W. Collins, who has been 

 appointed special agent of the census office, in charge of the 

 work upon the fish and fisheries, will spend several weeks 

 at Wood's Holl. On his way there the captain will visit 

 Boston and Gloucester to inquire into the fisheries and 

 other matters of special interest to the, census. The census 

 work this time, so far as it relates to the fisheries, will be 

 almost entirely statistical, and there will be no attempt to 

 monograph as in 18^0. The Avork of the year need not be 

 repeated and the text, it is expected, will be limited to brief 

 explanations of the tables presented and to a concise review 

 of the present condition of the fisheries in which comparisons 

 can be drawn to show the changes in the fisheries siuce 1S80. 

 The descriptions will be made as brief as possible. No effort 

 will be spared to have the data completed at the earliest pos- 

 sible moment since it is the purpose of the superintendent 

 of the census to publish the results of his work at an early 

 date, in order that the people may be currently informed of 

 the statistical condition of the country. 



he Mennel 



FIXTURES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



Sept. 9 to 12.— First Annual Dog Show of the Brooklyn Kennel 

 Club, at, Brooklyn, N. Y. Charles Dickieuian. Secretary, Entries 

 close Aug. 28. 



Sept. 9 to 13.— Dog Show of the Farmers' Lancaster County Fail- 

 Association, at Lancaster. Pa. A. A. Herr, Secretary, Entries 

 close 11 A. M., Sept. 9. 



Sept. 10 to 18.— Sixth Annual Dog Show of the London Kennel 

 Club, at London, Ont. C. A. Stone, Manager. Entries close Sept. S 



Sept. 10 to 13.— Dog Show of the Central Canada Exhibition As- 

 sociation, at Ottawa, Can. Capt. R. C. W. MacCuaig, Secretary. 

 Entries close Aug. 31. 



Sept. 11 to 13.— First Annual Dog Show of the Toledo Kennel 

 Company, Toledo, O. Chas. E. Rowland, Secretary, Box 433. En- 

 tries close Aug, 26. 



Sept. 16 to 19. — Dog Show of the Dominion of Canada Kennel 

 Club, in connection with thn Industrial Exposition at Toronto, 

 Canada. Capt. C. Greville Harston, Sect'y. Entries close Sept. 4. 



Sept. 17 to 20.— Dog Show of the Pet Stock Association at El- 

 mira, N. Y. J. Otis Fellows, Superintendent. Hornellsville, N.Y. 

 Entries close Sept. 7. 



Oct. 8 to 12.— Eighth Annual Dog Show of the Danbury Agri- 

 cultural Society, at Danbury, Conn. B. C. Lynes, Secretary. En- 

 tries close Sept. 2". 



Nov. 14 to 10.— First Dog Show of the Continental Kennel Club, 

 at Denver, Col. Claude King, Secretary. 



Jan. 27 to Feb. 1, 1890.— Dog Show of the Colorado Poultry and 

 Pet Stock Association, at Denver, Col. 



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

 Kennel Club. New York. James Mortimer. Superintendent. 



March 11 to 14, 1890.— Second Annual Dog Show of the Rochester 

 Kennel Oluh, at Rochester, N. Y. Harry Yates, Secretary. 



March 25 to 28, 1890.— Second Annual Dog Show of the Mass. 

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



April 1 to 4, 1890.— Sixth Annual Dog Show of the New England 

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



FIELD TRIALS. 



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

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



Nov. 11.— Inaugural Field Trials of the Canadian Kennel Club, 

 at Chatham, Ont. C. A. Stone, Secretary, London, Ont. 



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. 



Dec. 3.— Inaugural Field Trials of the Central Field Trial Club, 

 at Lexington, N. O. C. H. OdelL, Secretary, Mill's Building, New 

 York, N. Y. 



Dec. 16.— Second Annual F 5 eld Trials of the Southern Field 

 Trial Club, at Anion > Miss. T. M. Brumby, Secretary, Marietta, 

 Ga. 



Jan. 20, 1890.— Seventh Annual Field Trials of the Pacific Coast 

 Field Trial Club at Bakersfield, Cal. H. H. Briggs, Secretary, 313 

 Bush street, San Francisco, CaL 



Fob. 11, 1890.— Fourth Annual Field Trials of the Texas Field 

 Trial Club, at Marshall, Tex. W. L. Thomas, Secretary. 



COURSING. 



Oct. 9 to 12.— Fall meet of the National Coursing Club at Hutch- 

 inson, Kan. M. E. Allison, Manager. 



Oct. 24.— Annual Meet of the American Coursing Club, at Great 

 Bend, Kan. F. K. Doan, Secretary, St. Louis, Mo. 



COLLIE CLUB STAKES. 



RAH WAY, N. J., Sept. 2.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 > The Collie Club has initiated a new departure in hav- 

 ing the Collie Stakes judged at the kennels of the secretary 

 of the club, At Railway, N. J. So many breeders of collies 

 refuse to expose their valuable young dogs to the clangers of 

 our bench shows, that it has seriously interfered with en- 

 tries for the stakes, and the club believes that the difficulty 

 can be avoided by having the stakes judged at the kennels 

 of some prominent breeder. 



Mr. Thos. H. Terry officiated as judge of the fall section of 

 the Collie Club Stakes, and his decisions were accepted 

 without any kicking. In dogs, first went to Colonel Scot, 

 bred and owned by the Chestnut Hill Kennels, bv Dublin 

 Scot out of Finny III. Second to Duke of Kalmia, owned 

 by J. D. Shot well, bred by the Kalmia Kennels, by Snrbiton 

 out of Ethel II. Third to The Bard, bred and owned by the 

 Fordhook Farm Kennels, by Smuggler out of Whirlpool. 

 There were but two bitches present, first to Chestnut Hill 

 Kennels' Roslyn Clara, by Caractacus out of Pitch Dark; 

 second to Jas. Watson's Hera, by Strephon out of Juno II. 



J. D. Shotwell, Secretary. 



TOLEDO DOG SHOW.— Toledo, O., Aug. 31.— Editor 

 Forest and Stream: We shall have an excellent show as 

 far as quality goes. We have 208 entries; It mastiffs, 25 St. 

 Bernards, 4 Great Danes, 4 deerhounds, 3 greyhounds, 30 

 pointers, 12 English setters, 24 Irish setters, 15 black and tan 

 setters, 6 cockers, 7 bulldogs, 7 bull-terriers, 9 fox-terriers, 6 

 black and tan terriers. 12 pugs, etc.— C. E. Rowland. Sec'y. 



