Deo. 19, 1889.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



485 



the ftsb, open-mouthed and exhausted, is drawn floating 

 on his side within reach of the gaff. With a deft in- 

 sertion of the pointed steel beneath the chin or gill- cover, 

 and a single dexterous movement, the dying fish is 

 transferred to the bottom of the boat. Stretched full 

 length he lies before the victor's gaze with no trace of 

 blood revealed to mar his beauty nor to mark a clumsy 

 use of the gaff. 



This is not a fanciful sketch, brother anglers. It is 

 a portrayal of the experience of many of us who find 

 solace and health within sight and sound of the sea. 

 Some of our brothers find their greatest enjoyment along 

 the mountain streams and meadow brooks in whipping 

 the auspicious pools for speckled trout. Others in brav- 

 ing the wilds beyond our northern border for the dreamed 

 of bout with the salmon and winanishe. These avenues 

 of enjoyment have many votaries and yield generous 

 returns. But comfort, ease and the full need of recrea- 

 tive pleasure unattended by hardship, can be more read- 

 ily attained in boat fishing than any other way, and that 

 which has for its object the capture of striped bass occu- 

 pies a foremost place. One. of the chief features of boat 

 fishing is its companionableness. Where three or four 

 congenial fishermen are anchored, each in his own boat, 

 and all within easy chatting distance, anecdote, repartee 

 and small talk add a charm to the occasion not vouch- 

 safed to the lone fisherman ashore. 



For this style of striped bass fishing most any boat that 

 can be obtained, if the angler does not possess one, will 

 serve the purpose. To be the owner of a boat is much 

 more satisfactory. With a rod of two pieces only — butt 

 and tip— its length between 5 and 6ft., an easy running 

 multiplying reel holding a linen line not heavier than 

 liMbread and 200yds. in length, an assortment of knobbed 

 books, a scoop net and a gaff, the angler has an equip- 

 ment that will afford him much enjoyment if he can 

 only get among the bass. 



Allusion has been made to the satisfaction derived from 

 being the owner of a boat. With such a possession the 

 angler is sure of being well boated, and finds in the care 

 of his craft much pleasing occupation when not other- 

 wise engaged. To tinker around a boat is never distaste- 

 ful, for every true fisherman takes naturally to such 

 work. I have in mind a well-known bass fisherman who 

 will spend a day in odd work about his boat as con- 

 tentedly as can be imagined. A strong attachment cen- 

 ters around a boat that remains long in one's possession, 

 and a good one is always parted with reluctantly. 



On a fishing station like that to which attention has 

 been drawn in this brief sketch, one makes many ac- 

 quaintances among those of like inclinations with him- 

 self. Friendships come into existence that make men 

 brothers. It is the good fortune of the writer to number 

 among bis fishing companions many that are famous as 

 striped bass fishermen, some of whom are long past the 

 meridian of life. In the breasts of the latter, who in the 

 days of their active business life were prominent among 

 men, the ardor of youth is securely lodged, and each 

 year they find undiminished enjoyment in casting their 

 lines in the familiar waters. Truly the gentle art, in a 

 pre-eminent degree, holds fast to a spot in the bosoms of 

 its followers that remains perennially green. 



Arthur Martin. 



ANGLING NOTES. 



THE Potaluck Rod and Reel Club, of Newtown, Conn., 

 instituted a criminal prosecution last spring against 

 one John H. Parmalee. for fishing in a certain stream, 

 which the club claimed to own. The statute under 

 which the prosecution was brought requires that a notice 

 shall be posted adjacent to the stream forbidding entry 

 for the purpose of fishing. The defense of Parmalee was 

 that at his request the stream in question had been 

 stocked with trout by the Fish Commissioners of the 

 State, and that this made it a public stream free to every 

 one. The case was tried at Bridgeport last Thursday, 

 and the defense made by Parmalee was absolutely over- 

 ruled by the Court. It said that such a claim was not 

 only repugnant to the spirit of the law protecting private 

 streams, but that it was ridiculous to suppose that a 

 stranger could in this unauthorized way make private 

 streams public ones. The Court further held, however, 

 that the notice above referred to should be signed, and 

 as the club had not done this directed that Parmalee be 

 acquitted. Although the club, through neglect to com- 

 ply with the statute requiring the notice to be signed, 

 lost the suit, they established a point that will enable 

 them to fully protect their stream in the future, and it is 

 also a decision of great value to other clubs. 



More About Burning Out a Brass Ferule.— Editor 

 Forest and Stream: It looks as if your correspondent, Mr. 

 Thomas Clapham, has experienced a backset and been 

 delayed somewhat in getting in his information on the 

 effects of heat on brass. He writes in Forest and Stream 

 of Dec. 12 that " some correspondent has made the curi- 

 ous discovery that plunging heated brass in cold water 

 hardens it like steel or iron,"' or words to that effect, and 

 then goes on to tell that this treatment makes it " softer 

 than copper," etc. Now, in Forest and Stream of Sept. 

 19, '89, in giving brother Hough and others of the craft 

 a pointer on burning out a ferule, I wrote: " When brass 

 is heated red hot and plunged in cold waters the effect is 

 exactly opposite that produced on iron or steel. It takes 

 the stiffness out and makes it so Eoft that it may be 

 readily chipped or whittled with a knife." If Mr. Clap- 

 ham refers to this ' 'curious statement" (and I have noticed 

 nothing else in Forest and Stream on the subject), he 

 must have read it holding the paper upside down, or be 

 the possessor of obtuseness that has never been through 

 a " softening process." — Kingfisher (Cincinnati, O.). 



Artificial Flies in Alaska. — We are informed by a 

 member of the U. S. Fish Commission that Paymaster 

 Williams and Ensign McCormick, of the Albatross, caught 

 300 Dolly Varden trout in about one hour's fishing in a 

 small lake near Eagle Harbor, Shumagin Islands, last 

 summer. The trout were from 5 to Sin. long and were 

 hooked so fast that the fishing ceased to be fun and really 

 resembled the hardest kind of work. We have not learned 

 what flies were used, but. presume they were small and 

 showy. 



Fishing in Florida Waters— Anglers who intend visiting 

 Florida this coming winter will find it to their advanta ge to in- 

 spect the superior tackle for tarpon and other fishes, manufac- 

 tured hy Thomas J. Conroy, 65 Fulton street, New York.— Adv. 



Colorado.— A Denver correspondent writes: "I have 

 been too busy this summer to go a-fishing. Did not cast 

 a line. But the fishing in Grand River and its tributaries 

 was exceptionally good the past season. It has been im- 

 proving year by year for three or four past. There was 

 the greatest abundance of young trout in the streams the 

 past fall that I ever saw in any water outside of a fish 

 hatchery. I was by the water every day. — B." 



National Rod and Reel Association.— Editor For 

 est and Stream: The storm of last Saturday evidently 

 restrained many members from attending the annual 

 meeting of the National Rod and Reel Association called 

 for that day; and the meeting was adjourned until Satur- 

 day, Jan. ll, at 2 P. M., in the laboratory of Mr. E. G. 

 Blackford, Fulton Market, New York.— G. Poey, Sec. 



The Kentucky Fish and Game Club had an informal 

 supper at Alexander's Hotel, Louisville, Tuesday even- 

 ing. As our columns have testified, this is one of the 

 live game protective societies of the country. 



SAWDUST AND FISH. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In tbe Halifax (N. S.) Ilorald of Nov. 29 a letter on the 

 benefits of sawdust in rivers appears, signed W. IT. Rotrers. 

 Mr. Rogers was formerly Inspector of Fisheries for Nova 

 Scotia. A certain river in Nova Scotia, called Le Hare, has 

 a lot of sawmills on it. For years sawdust has been allowed 

 to escape, so blocking the channels and harbor that where 

 formerly a 1,000-ton ship could load, a fight schooner is now 

 unable to float, and the fish have deserted the stream. The 

 Minister of Fisheries, in reply to a petition asking leave to 

 continue the desecration, plainly and forcibly shows the 

 fallacy of their demand, and says stop it, burn up your saw- 

 dust, or quit. This I would expect from his previous -acts, 

 and it is better late than never to lock the stable door. 



Mr. Rogers in supporting the mill owners, describes the 

 sawdust as becoming vegetable soup, so necessary for the 

 sustenance and production of anadromous fishes, although 

 he admits they eat nothing while in fresh water, excepting 

 an odd drink of this soup of his. True, we find no food in 

 the stomach of the salmon while in fresh water, hut the 

 trout is not so particular; he requires something stronger 

 than soup; anything from a salmon smolt up to a mouse or 

 a squirrel is more to his taste; he may take a little sawdust 

 as dessert, but don't make a practice of it. "Mr. Rogers des- 

 cribes truly the clean rapids which are selected by those fish 

 in which to lay their ova," instinct no doubt teaches them, 

 that the sawdust is death. Some of our pisciculturists 

 could decide this question easily, by giving a tray of eggs a 

 coating of Mr. Rogers's favorite sawdust. Mr. Rogers re- 

 pudiates the idea of sawdust getting into the gills of a fish 

 or their being killed by swallowing it. No man ever yet 

 found sawdust in the stomach of a newlv killed fish, but it 

 is a well-known fact that dead fish are often found with the 

 gills ulcerated and the sawdust adhering. Mr. Rogers in 

 describing the mode adopted by the fish in laying their eggs 

 tells us, "The fish plow furrows a few inches deep with 

 their nose and after depositing the 'fertilized ova, 1 cover it 

 carefully over several inches deep with their tails." I fear 

 Mr. Rogers never had much experience with the salmon 

 family: if he had, he never would have written such non- 

 sense. 



The facts are simply these. The salmon never touches the 

 gravel with his nose while excavaring the ridd, the work is 

 performed solely by the action of the tail and body, and by 

 suction, lifting the gravel by the hard quick motion of the 

 strong membranes and holding it in solution while the 

 rapid current sweeps it clear of the ridd, and not a few inches 

 deep satisfies the fish; the general depth- is from Sin. to a 

 foot. As to the fertilizing process, it is often the case that 

 the male may be engaged in a fight with another, or chasing 

 some big trout who approached too near, and the male can 

 be often seen alone ejectine the fertilizing fluid on the ridd, 

 allowing tbe germs of life to find their way to the eggs 

 lying in the interstices of the gravel. Owing to this fact 

 thousands of natural-laid eggs are never fertilized, the male 

 fluid never reaching the egg. Mr. Rogers closes by declar- 

 ing that all who dispute his theory of facts, are uninformed 

 or have political axes to grind. I have none, but I have had 

 some experience both with fish and sawdust, practically, not 

 theoretically, and must say so far as it benefits rivers, har- 

 bors or fish,*I am ANTI-SAWDUST. 



RESCUE QF ILLINOIS FISHES. 



THE TJ. S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries is informed 

 by Dr. S. P. Bartlett, of Quincy. Illinois, who had 

 charge of the work of rescuing and distributing native 

 fishes of the Mississippi Bottoms, that he has sent out by 

 the cars of the Commission 131,311 fishes, as follows: Black 

 bass 64,951, crappie 18,434, redeye (Ambloplites rupesiris) 

 350, sunflsh. 7,028, ringed perch (Perm amerieana) 15,483, 

 wall-eyed pike 700, striped bass (Rocevs ehrygops") 10.484, 

 white perch (Aplndutntvs arunniem) 350, pike 270, buffalo 

 2.285, spotted catfish 10.976. These were forwarded to locali- 

 ties in Arkansas, District of Columbia, Illinois. Indiana, 

 Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, 

 Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. The cars traversed a total of 

 28,000 miles to accomplish this work. In appreciation of 

 the value of the undertaking the railroads hauled the cars 

 without charge all but 1,000 miles of this distance. 



The fish rescued and distributed to living waters would 

 have perished by desiccation of the ponds in summer and 

 freezing in winter. They were all half-grown and adult, 

 varying in length from four to twelve inches. Besides the 

 number 'shipped to distant points Dr. Bartlett states that 

 more than a naif million were deposited in the Mississippi 

 and other rivers of Illinois at or near the place of capture. 



U. S. FISH COMMISSION WORK. 



CAR No. 1 has brought from Illinois for distribution in 

 the East 500 black bass. 400 striped bass (Roccus inter- 

 ruptus), 600 erappies, and 300 ringed, or yellow perch. The 

 crappies will be deposited in the headwaters of the Shenau- 

 doah River Some of the black bass have been distributed in 

 Howard county, Maryland. The work of taking whitefish 

 e°-gs is closed for the 'present season. The total number of 

 eggs taken is 220,000,000. This is about twice as many as 

 were taken last year. ■ 



Sandusky and Alpena hatcheries are full. North ville has 

 60,000,000, which are to be cleaned up and sent to Duluth; 

 10,000,000, are to be hatched at the Erie station by the Penn- 

 svlvania Commission for Lake Erie; 10,000,000, are to be 

 developed at Washington, D. C. These will be planted in 

 the eastern portion of Lake Ontario. 



BLACK BASS PLANTED IN VIRGINIA. -About Dec. 

 5 1S89, the U. S. Fish Commission deposited 675 large- 

 mouthed black bass in the North River, at Lexington, Va. 

 This river is a tributary of the James. Mr. E. R. Lucas was 

 in charge of the shipment. 



ALASKAN SALMON PACK OF 1889.— In order to give 

 our readers an idea of the abundance of salmon in Alaskan 

 rivers we record here the largest catch known in tbe Terri- 

 tory to date. 634,260 cases, representing fully 6,000.000 fish, 

 were shipped to San Francisco, and t he number of barrels of 

 salted salmon was 6,930^ containing 3001 bs. each. The total 

 number of salmon, therefore, was not less than six and a 

 quarter millions, taking 51bs. as the average weight of a fish 

 in the marketable condition. The value of this catch ex- 

 ceeds $3,000,000, If we could transfer one-half of these, noble 

 fishes to eastern waters what an outing our experts with the 

 rod might enjoy. 



SALMON CULTURE IN MAINE— Excellent result 

 have been obtained by the, U. S. Fish Commission at the 

 Craig's Brook station during the season just closed. From 

 110.000 eggs of the sea salmon collected in October, 1888, 

 upward of 83 per cent, of yearling fish, numbering 92,000, 

 were reared, 78,000 of these were placed in the Penobscot 

 and the balance will be kept another year. 26,000 Schoodic, 

 or landlocked salmon eggs, furnished 17,000 yearlings, all 

 of which have been planted in Green Lake, to establish 

 therein a supply of breeding fish for future operations in 

 salmon culture. 



PENNSLVANIA FISH COMMISSION.— The annual 

 meeting of the Fish Commissioners of Pennsylvania was 

 held in Washington, D. C, during the present week, to give 

 the members of the Commission an opportunity to confer 

 with the U. S. Commissioners and investigate the methods 

 of work by the Government. 



%t Menml 



FIXTURES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



Jan, 6 to 11, 1890.— Annual Dog Show of the Michigan State 

 Poultry and Pet Stock Association, at Bay City, Mich: W. F. 

 Brace, Secretary. 



Jan. 13 to 18, 1 890.— First Annual Dog Show of the Georgia, Pet 

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

 derleifh, Secretary. _ _ ■ 



Jan. 27 to Feb. 1, 1890.— Dos 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 Superi ntend en t . 



Feb. 19 to 28, 1890.— Second Annual Dog Show of the Maseoutah 

 Kennel Club, Chicago, 111. 



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

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



March 26 to 28, 1890.— Second Annual Dog Show of the Mass. 

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



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

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



April 15 to 18, 1890.— Show of the Buffalo Kennel Club, Buffalo, 

 N. Y. A. W. Smith, Secretary. 



FIELD TRIALS. 



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

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

 Bush st reet. San Francisco. Cal. 



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

 Hitchcock, « Broadway, New York. Secretary. 



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

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



Feb. — , 1890.— Meet of the Brunswick Fur Club, New Meadows, 

 Me. 



EASTERN COURSING CLUB'S MEET. 



[Special Report.] 



AFTER many trials and tribulations, the members of the 

 club met at Hicksville, Long Island, Dec. 11, and con- 

 cluded the meeting, which had been commenced on the pre- 

 vious Saturday, which had •fiften stopped after the first 

 course by the S. F. P. C. A. 



The case of the slip steward McGregor having been dis- 

 posed of Saturday night and the culprit acquitted, the trial 

 of slipper Black, put down for Tuesday at 5 P. M., had also 

 resulted in an acquittal. The case was prosecuted for the 

 Society by Mr. Elliott, assisted by Mr. C. J. Peshall, who, 

 loaded down with legal tomes, presented a very formidable 

 appearance as he swooped down upon the Hickvillites. He 

 did not disconcert them nor the jury very much, for with 

 the law, (which he expounded from his books) and the 

 eloquence of Mr. Elliott, the case fell flat for want of legs to 

 stand upon, and Judge. Weller, the club's counsel, scored 

 every point to a "finish and kill." In fact so to shreds and 

 tatters did he tear the Society's case that at one time it 

 looked as if Justice Steiner would issue a warrant for his 

 arrest for "willfully, cruelly and with fiendish inhumanity 

 lacerating and otherwise killing the Society's case." In an 

 able and impartial charge the Judge gave the case to the 

 jury at nearly midnight. The interest on the part of the 

 citizens never flagged for a moment: and when the jury 

 went out, the room was being crowded into by new r facet! 

 anxious to know the result. Ahalf-hour's absence brought 

 the jury back to their places and the verdict of acquittal 

 brought forth a salvo of cheers that was simply deafening. 

 The jury no doubt looked upon the. case as striking at the 

 very root of their liberties, and so they defended them with 

 their verdict. 



The club, anticipating a verdict of acquittal, inasmuch as 

 the S. F. P. C. A. had at the very best a poor case, had agreed 

 to conclude the meet on Wednesday, The day broke most 

 wretchedly. It did not rain, it simply poured; and the out-- 

 look for a successful meet was anything but encouraging. 

 Soon however, the rain ceased, the sun came out, and with 

 it the spirits rose. Mr. Watson met Mr. Peshall, and the 

 outcome of it was that the latter took the first train to New 

 York with a proposition to Mr. Haines, of the Society. 

 Word was given that no movement would be made toward 

 coursing till 12 o'clock, which would give Mr. Peshall am- 

 ple time to telegraph the result of the conference. Haying 

 given Mr. Peshall an hour's grace, even as the club gave the 

 jacks fifty extra yards of law, the members quietly started 

 for the coursing field, while Mr. Watson engaged the 

 Society's officer in earnest conversation. Everything being 

 in readiness, the first brace was ordered to the slips. 

 First Series. 



BALKIS AND HAZELHUKST. 



This was a most unfortunate drawing, as Balkis was the 

 sire of Hazelhurst. The former had severed an artery four 

 weeks ago while in training, which, of necessity, laid him 

 np-Sn the hospital for that time. Consequently, when he 

 went to slips he was greatly out of condition, not having a 

 mile's run for weeks. Nevertheless, there being but fifteen 

 dogs entered, Mr. Huntington concluded to let Balkis run 

 and so fill the sixteen-dog stalce. The lack was let out of 

 the preserve and proved to be the big black tail so much 

 desired on Saturday. Out of the lane he went like a shot. 

 Mr, Black made a most elegant slip at about 125yds. , and 

 Balkis started at a pace simply marvelous, leading up to the 

 iack aud making the first turn in true workmanlike style. 

 Hazelhurst now forged ahead and got a go-by and two turns 

 in rapid succession. Balkis coming up at a rattling pace 

 scored another go-by, then two turns and holding his jack 

 well in hand, made a wrench. So closely did father and sou 



