270 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Oct. 24, 1889. 



NEW YORK FISH COMMISSION. 



THE seventeenth report of the Commissioners of Fisheries 

 of the State of New York has just reached us. With 

 the principal statements contained in this document the 

 readers of Forest and Stream have already become ac- 

 quainted through its columns and the daily press. The 

 period covered is from November, 1887. to November, 1888, 

 aud the amount of the appropriation for the general pur- 

 poses of the Commission was §30,000, most of which was 

 applied to the construction and maintenance of the hatching 

 statious. From the hatcheries were distributed about 14,- 

 000.000 of young fish, nearly one-third of which were shad 

 and most of tb e" remainder smelt, trout, salmon and white- 

 fish. The "frostfish," a small species of Coregonvs, was 

 represented by two aud one-half millions of fry. 



"It will be the policy of the Commission, while not aban- 

 doning the propagation of trout, to concentrate its efforts 

 upon the production of food fishes, the stocking of the great 

 lakes with whitefish. the hatching of shad in the Hudson 

 and the planting of salmon trout and muskallonge through- 

 out the interior of the State. In this way the work of the 

 Commission can be made of the utmost practical benefit to 

 the public generally, and repay a thousandfold the appro- 

 priations made for its support." 



The Commissioners express their sense of obligation to the 

 United States Fish Commission for the free gift, of millions 

 of eggs and fry, and for hatching and distributing eggs 

 without expense to New York. Attention is drawn to the 

 increasing number of shad caught yearly in the Hudson, and 

 to the growth of public interest and confidence in the work 

 of the Commission as expressed by letters from prominent 

 sportsmen and fishermen. 



The report of the engiueer of the shellfish department, 

 Mr. Ford, is a lasting tribute to his ability and efficiency. 

 The reports of the oyster protector and the chief game and 

 fish protector show the gratifying results following a vigor- 

 ous prosecution of offenders against the laws. 



Mr. Mather's account of the salmon in the Hudson River, 

 which was referred to at some length in our minutes of the 

 meeting of the American Fisheries Society in May, is here 

 reproduced in full. 



Mr. Green's description on page 45 of the young muskal- 

 longe is full of interest; we are at a loss, however, to under- 

 stand the process of taking eggs from male fish as stated on 

 page 44. 



From Mr. Mather's report on Cold Spring Harbor hatch- 

 ery we learn that eels, kingfishers, minks and turtles have 

 been destructive iu the rearing ponds, and especially the 

 first. The brown trout began spawning Nov. 11 and ended 

 Nov. 27. with the exception of one ripe female found Dec. 9, 

 another Dec. 11 and three Jan. 14. Golden ide spawned for 

 the first time aud the young reached a length of 4in. in 

 seven months. Smelts were obtained in a gravid condition 

 from March 5 to March 2ft. 



The Commissioners recommend new legislation for the 

 better protection of lobsters, shad aud salmon, and the in- 

 terests of the oyster growers. For the work in 1889 an ap- 

 propriation of §44,500 is estimated to be necessary. 



THE FISHING INDUSTRIES OF OREGON. 



WE have, before us the report of special committee to the 

 legislative committee investigating the fishing iudus- 

 tries of Oregon. It was prepared by Senator L. T. Bariu 

 and Representatives J. W. Maxwell and M. Pomeroy. The 

 other members of the committee were Senator J. C. Allen 

 and Representative Bilyeu. 



The committee left Portland July 8, making a thorough 

 examination of t he Cascades, thence to the Dalles and to 

 other points up the river as far as Celilo. Astoria aud vicin- 

 ity, including Baker's Bay, was next visited. Sept. 28, 1887, 

 the Yaquiua Bay aud vicinity was investigated. The com- 

 mittee reports that " the great difficulty that we met with, 

 and perhaps the greatest obstacle, that the Legislature will 

 have to surmount, is the feeling that exists more or less 

 among the fishermen that the particular mode of fishing in 

 which they are engaged is the ouly proper one and the one 

 least injurious to the fish industry of the State, and that all 

 other .modes of fishing are, therefore, far more detrimental. 

 In fact, many of the fishermen of each locality judge of the 

 question solely with the view to what is most advantageous 

 to them, and argue as to the mode of fishing employed by 

 them wholly from the standpoint of self-interest." ' . 



In their investigations they have endeavored to reach con- 

 clusions such as would, if embodied in legislative enact- 

 ments, stimulate the fish industry and keep up ami increase 

 the supply of fish food in the State. 



This report goes on to say that the first salmon to ascend 

 the Columbia River and its tributaries are the largest and 

 best quality of the chinuook (Oneorhynehus chimiehu). 

 The run commences in March and lasts until July or later. 

 The July ruu continues through August, and some even run 

 up during September. The July run of Chiunook salmon 

 are of a small size, but of very goo'd fiavor. 



The blueback (Oitcorhynclius nerka) begin to run in 

 June, but do not enter tributaries of the Columbia until 

 they have passed the Cascades. The next species that 

 ascends the river is the silver salmon (Oncorliynchus 

 Uixiilf.li). The first run of this fish takes place about the 

 first of September. The steelheads (Salvia yairdmri) en- 

 ter the river in July, but do not run into the tributaries 

 until the middle of October. This species is usually called 

 salmon. Many of these are taken during the close season 

 for salmon by fishermen, who claim that they are not sal- 

 mon, but trout, and, therefore, are not entitled to protection 

 under the law for salmon. The Commission suggests that 

 a specific clause be inserted, in any new fish law enacted, 

 for the purpose of protecting this species during the close 

 days and seasons. The Columbia River chinuook range in 

 weight from 3 or 41bs. up to TOlbs. The spring and July 

 runs are the best for canning purposes., finding the best mar- 

 ket abroad. The silver salmon are found from 21bs. weight 

 up to 18 or more. It is a fair table fish and is canned, but it 

 is inferior to the chiunook. The steelhead varies in weight 

 from 8 to SOlbs. It is used for table and canning purposes, 

 and is considered an excellent fish both for shipping and 

 smoking. The blueback salmon weighs from 3 to (ilbs., and 

 is, consequently, the smallest salmon of the Columbia. It 

 is an excellent fish for canning and for table use. 



The spawning season of the different species is given as 

 follows: Chinnook salmon commence to spawn toward the 

 last of August aud continue up to the first of November, 

 silver salmon spawn from Dec. 1 to Feb. 1, the steelheads 

 from about April 1 to the middle of May. 



The committee states that every species of salmon ascend- 

 ing the Columbia and its tributaries has a distinct time for 

 spawning, and that the assertion so often made that the 

 inferior kinds of salmon might be bred or mixed with the 

 chiunook salmon or one species with another at the estab- 

 lished hatcheries or breeding stations, is absolutely with- 

 out foundation. Gill-nets, pound-nets', seines, trap's, fish- 

 wheels and dip-nets are generally used for the capture of 

 salmon. A great deal of complaint has been made against 

 fishing with traps, wheels, seines aud similar apx>liances, as 

 they are said to destroy many small fish, causiug a gradual 

 falling off in the supply of salmon. After a thorough in- 

 vestigation of the subject the committee found that the 

 small fish or salmon caught by these appliances consist 

 principally of small chinuook salmon weighing from 3 or 4 

 to 7 or 81bs.; these run at the same time and with the best 

 chinnook, here called royal chinnook. The other small 

 fish are bluebacks and a very few small steelheads. The 

 smallest female salmon found by the committee was caught 

 near Astoria. This fish weighed 9^'lbs. Of the hundreds 



of small salmon (chinnook) examined by this committee all 

 were males. These ranged in weight from 3 to 7 or 81bs. 

 The committee goes on to state that "The question that 

 now arises is whether or not the taking of them is injurious 

 to our fish industry. If those small salmon referred to 

 ascend the river and return to the ocean, and again ascend 

 the river a larger salmon, then of course it is injurious to 

 our fish industry to take them while they are small, but if 

 on the contrary they ascend the river, perform their func- 

 tions the same as the large salmon aud then die, in that 

 case the taking of them while small is not hurtful to the 

 fish industry of the State, but to the contrary, beneficial." 



The committee investigated the subject of the spawning 

 of salmon with a. view to determine whether all of the fish 

 die after the act of spawniug or if some of them return 

 to the sea. They state that after making a thorough investi- 

 gation, they had to conclude that the chinnook salmon after 

 spawning dies. Tbey state that: "The most conclusive 

 evidence by far was brought to light by the building of the 

 fish rack across the Clackamas River to keep those salmon 

 from ascending that were to be used for propagatory pur- 

 poses at the State hatchery there during the year 1887, 

 That year the rack was not put into the river until after 

 middle of June, consequently all the run of chinnook sal- 

 mon from February until the rack was put in had passed 

 up above the rack. * After the spawning season was over we 

 caused the rack to be watched to see whether the salmon 

 that had passed up the river for spawning would return. 

 The president of the State Fish Commission and parties 

 employed at the State hatchery watched that rack continu- 

 ally for the purpose stated, and here be it understood that 

 uosalmon from above could pass through that rack, and 

 every salmon, whether dead or alive, that came down to the 

 rack could be seen. The chairman of this committee also 

 went there several times to investigate that question, and 

 the result of all these investigations was that all the salmon 

 that came back to the rack — salmon which in their prime 

 would have weighed from 4 to TOlbs. — were found to hare 

 come back dead, in fact were washed down by the current. 

 While the rack has proven without a doubt that the chin- 

 nook salmon die atter spawning, it has also proven without 

 a question or doubt that the steelhead does" return to the 

 ocean after spawning." The committee think it possible 

 that a few of the late runs of chinnook, which are com- 

 pelled by force of nature to spawn within a few miles of the 

 oceau, may return again to the sea. 



Again referring to the small salmon, taken in the nets, 

 traps and wheels, they say that these males ate prematurely 

 developed, that in impregnating eggs upon the spawning 

 grounds they deteriorate the species: that they are not 

 needed for propagating purposes, as there is an excess of 

 large males over the female salmon. They, therefore, con- 

 clude that the talcing of small salmon (chinnook) is not in- 

 jurious to the fish industry, and that every small salmon 

 that escapes is so much loss to the commercial interests of 

 the State, as they sell well, and are preferable for family use 

 on account of their size and delicious flavor. 



The trap and wheel fishermen are generally riparian 

 OAvners, resident citizens and taxpayers, while many of the 

 gill-net fishermen are not residents of either Oregon or 

 Washington, but. come from abroad to stay merely through 

 the fishing season. 



The committee recommend a close season during which all 

 fishing should be prohibited. They state that the close sea- 

 son, which now extends until April 1, should be extended to 

 April 15, and the open season should extend from April 15 

 to Aug. 15) acd that from Aug. 15 to Sept. 15, or Oct. 1, all 

 fishing should be stopped; also, that the close days, Satur- 

 day evenings to Sunday evenings, should be retained. This, 

 the committee thinks, would give ample opportunity for a 

 sufficient number of chinnook salmon of the spring run to 

 ascend the river to their spawning grounds, and to breeding 

 stations. They also say that one hatchery should be 

 established by the State of Oregon, and another by the State 

 of Washington on the tributaries of the Columbia, and that 

 the St ate should extend aid to the hatchery on Rogue River. 

 They further state that a hatchery can be established and 

 put into good running order for a sum not exceeding $10,- 

 000, and that the cost of maintaining and operating it would 

 not exceed §5,000 per annum. To the objections urged by 

 some persons against the hatcheries, and the belief of these 

 persons that it the salmon were permitted to ascend the 

 river in sufficient numbers to their spawniug beds, and 

 there allowed to spawn in a natural way, better results 

 would follow, and the expense of the hatcheries be avoided, 

 the committee say, "But we cannot agree with that view of 

 the matter, for while that might be the case if salmon were 

 not taken in such large numbers as must necessarily be 

 taken to make our salmon industry of any great importance, 

 it is easy to be seen that while fishing is carried on to the 

 extent that it is uosv, in order to keep up even the present 

 supply, nature must be aided." 



The spawning beds of the salmon are infested by hordes 

 of fishes which devour the eggs almost as fast as they are 

 spawned. This report states that of these spawn-destroy- 

 ing fishes the trout are by far the most ravenous. This 

 committee strongly favors artificial propagation aud say 

 that, "We deem it doubtful whether an average of more, 

 than a half dozen young salmon are propagated in the 

 natural way from one female salmou, while a sufficient 

 number of experimental tests has been made to prove that 

 by the artificial method of propagation at least 90 per cent, 

 of the eggs of a female salmon — or an average of 4,500 young 

 salmon— can be hatched out and kept until they are large 

 enough to take care of themselves and then turned into the 

 river. Three hatcheries on the tributaries of the Columbia 

 River would, with proper management, turn into the river 

 at least 15,000,000 young salmon annually, and that number 

 turned into the river each year, in addition to those that 

 spawn naturally, would more thau keep up the supply, and 

 the number could be gradually increased as the salmon in- 

 creased at the propagating stations, until at least 40,000,000 

 or 50,000,000 could be supplied annually, which would be 

 great ly in excess of the requirements of the fishing industry 

 on the Columbia River, aud many young salmou could 

 therefore be turned iuto our coast, livers and thus keep up 

 the supply in those streams. Besides, in addition to chinook 

 salmon, silver salmou and steelheads could be propagated 

 at the hatcheries aud thus keep up the supply of those fish 

 in the bays and the rivers of the State, and especially in the 

 coast rivers." 



Neither Oregon nor Washington, say the committee, 

 should hesitate to expend a mere trifle on an industry so 

 beneficial to both. They also say that a rigid observance of 

 the close seasons is absolutely necessary for the successful 

 operation of the hatcheries, but that the fine now imposed 

 for the violation of the close season law is excessive, 

 making it almost impossible to secure the conviction of 

 parties violatiug that law; that a fine of one hundred or two 

 buudred dollars, part to go to the informer, would work to 

 greater advantage, The State Commission should have the 

 power and means to place watchers along the river during 

 the close season, and the committee fully believe that a good 

 law could be enforced. They would also deem it well to 

 offer a small bouuty for the destruction of seals and sea 

 lions. They further state that there should be a law pro- 

 hibiting the throwing or discharging of sawdust into the 

 Columbia or any of its tributaries, as well as iuto any of the 

 other streams of the State. The levying of a small tax is 

 recommended upon all salmon caught, and upon cases of 

 salmou put up at the canneries, the income from this tax to 

 be used toward defraying the expenses of protecting the 

 salmon and for a hatchery. They also state that all fishing 

 for salmon within one mile of any salmon hatchery should 



be prohibited, and racks necessary for the successful opera- 

 tion of the hatcheries should be protected by law. They 

 would further deem it advisable to prohibit by law the 

 carrying of salmon in or out of the State during the close 

 season from March 1 to April 15, or any of the close days 

 during the year; also, prohibiting all persons from selling, 

 or having in their possession, salmon during the close days 

 and seasons just mentioned. In this connection they further 

 say, "It would not, however, be so easy to enforce a law to 

 prevent public or private carriers from carrying salmou 

 during the close season from Aug. 15 to Oct. i, for at that 

 season the fishing commences aud is carried on to its prime 

 in our coast rivers, and it would not be just to bar the fish- 

 ermen from those rivers from sending their fish to market 

 in or out of the State, or selling them in Portland or other 

 cities." 



The principal fish found in the coast rivers of Oregon, 

 according to this report, are fall chinnook and silver salmon, 

 and steelheads. These begin to run from the 1st to the loth 

 of August, being about the commencement of the fall close 

 season on the Columbia. 



The fish and time of fishing on the Rogue River, especially 

 iu the spring, is said to be similar to that on the Columbia; 

 and the seasons of the Rogue River could be made to corre- 

 spond with those of the Columbia. 



The report concludes, viz.: " To avoid all question or de- 

 bate as to the law regulating salmon fishing on the Columbia 

 being a local law, and therefore unconstitutional, there 

 should be passed by the Legislative Assembly of Oregon one 

 general law to regulate the fishing and the time thereof iu 

 the different rivers and bays of the State. * * * Should 

 a law be enacted for the protection and preservation of sal- 

 mon, each species of commercial salmon should be specified 

 as follows: 1 Chinook salmon,' ' silver salmou,' ' bluebacks ' 

 and ' steelheads ' ; and for the purpose of properly enforcing 

 the law, all those species named shall be deemed salmon 

 within the meaning of this act." 



The fishing season for salmon on the coast rivers and bays 

 should be from the 15th of August to the 15th of November 

 of each year. The close days, Saturday to Sunday evenings, 

 should be observed on all waters throughout the State. 



SCARCITY OF OYSTERS.— The receipts of oysters from 

 Chesapeake Bay for the last fortnight have been very small. 

 Prices in Washington and Baltimore are higher than they 

 were in September. The processes of canning and refrig- 

 eration have greatly reduced the supply for shipment in the 

 shell. Eastern oysters are sent in great quantities across 

 the continent and sell readily, notwithstanding the loss of 

 flavor occasioned by transplanting. The fishery will be 

 diligently operated, for the Maryland Controller has already 

 issued more than six hundred licenses for dredging. 



Whc Mmnel 



F I X T U R ES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



Dec. 5 to 7.— First Dog Show of the Continental Kennel Club 1 

 at Denver, Col. Claude Kuig, Secretary. 



Jan. 13 to 18, 18'JO.— First Annual Dog Show of the Georgia Pet 

 Stock and Bench Show Association, at Augusta, Ga. A. H. Von- 

 (lerleith. .Secretary. 



Jan. 27 to Feb. 1, 1830.— Dog Show of the Colorado Poultry and 

 Pet Stock Association, at Denver, Col. 



Feb. 11 to 14, 1890.— Fourteenth Annual Show of the Westminster 

 Kennel Club, American Institute Building, New York. James 

 Mortimer, Superintendent . 



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

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



March 25 to 28, 1*90— 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 

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



April 15 to 18,1890.— Second Annual Dog Show of tbe Mascoutah 

 Kennel Club, at Chicago, III. John L. Lincoln, Jr., 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. a.— Inaugural Field Trials of the Central Field Trial Club, 

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

 York, N. Y. 



Dec. 16— Second Annual Field Trials of tbe Southern Field 

 Trial Club, at Arnory, Miss. T. M. Brumby, Secretary, Marietta, 

 Ga. 



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

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

 Bush street. San Francisco. Cal. 



Jan. 27, 1890.— All-Day Field Trials, at West Point, Miss. F. R. 

 Hitchcock, 44 Broadway, New York. Secretary. 



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

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



NATIONAL COURSING ASSOCIATION. 



[Special .Report.] 



HUTCHINSON, Kansas, Oct. 15.— The meeting on the 

 home grounds of the. association, the third in the 

 series, began Tuesday, Oct. 8. The weather was favorable, 

 and the preparations being complete, nothing was wanting 

 to make this, the most important meeting of the season, a 

 grand success, and so it proved until it was interrupted by 

 the rain that commenced on Saturday after the first series 

 of the second stake had been run off. 



The programme as published left the entries for the 

 National Derby open to the. world, the American Sweep- 

 stakes excluding imported dogs. 



Several days previous to that named for the entries to 

 close, the nominations came in so rapidly that the manage- 

 ment was obliged to limit the stake to thirty-two dogs in 

 the National Derby, and was further obliged to decline a 

 large number of entries, among which were several imported 

 dogs whose owners intended to enter them, but were de- 

 barred by their own tardiness and neglect. The entries 

 were free', but one-third of the winnings were reserved by 

 the association for a general eutrance fee. and for this rea- 

 son no excuse could be offered for the delay in making 

 entry. 



There is a tendency among coursing men to improve the 

 quality of their dogs, for as proven at the meeting the 

 smaller and speedier type wili carry off the honors every 

 time. A 401bs. greyhound is preferable to a TOlbs. dog for 

 coursing purposes, but the happy medium will come nearer 

 meeting the demand than either extreme. A dog from 

 55 to 601bs. in weight and a female from 50 to 551bs., other 

 conditions being equal, will win more stakes than their 

 much heavier competitors. The feet of the heavy dogs are 

 liable to suffer, and when it comes to "getting ab rat" at the 

 turns the big ones are wanting. 



The morning of the 8th all of the greyhounds to compete 

 at the meeting were brought out on the main street for a 

 grand parade, and the display was certainly the finest ever 

 seen at a coursing meeting in this State, and as they marched 

 up the street with their proud owners at their side "one was 

 reminded of the old days in England," as a big-hearted old 

 Yorkshireman expressed it. 



Prominent among the lot were Trales, the imported son 



