Feb. 20, 1890.J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



87 



may affect the level of a watershed, there are many fishes, 

 among them eels and catflshes, which are able to migrate 

 BOtne distance over land, and may thus be carried into a 

 different watershed leading them thousands of miles 

 from their original habitat. We have previously referred 

 to the action of wind storms in carrying fish through the 

 air. Fish Commissioner W. L. May, of Fremont, Neb., 

 has forwarded to us specimens of the fat head minnow 

 (Pimephales promelas) that fell in the streets a couple of 

 years ago. The scattering of species by means of subter- 

 ranean streams is another important factor in distribution 

 which we have omitted to mention. ] 



RANDOM CASTS. 



IT is not that the laws for the protection of fish and 

 game are inadequate in these parts, but in the lack of 

 the right kind of men to enforce them is where the 

 trouble lies. Of course the number of wardens is inade- 

 quate everywhere, but if those whose business it is to see 

 that the law, are enforced did their whole duty, the benefit 

 would soon be apparent. And perhaps it would be just 

 as well to have the State pay these men more liberally. 



Salmon, perhaps more than any other fish, are whimsi- 

 cal as to the fly they prefer at different time3 and locali- 

 ties. It is frequently the most ungainly looking object 

 (called a fly by the native) that is the most killing, 



A rod belt is a very valuable article in the outfit of an 

 angler when after large fish. It will often be the means 

 of preventing serious injury to the person and such as 

 can never be cured when once received. 



Most men need a hobby. A more innocent and healthy 

 one than angling is hard to be found. 



For the sins of omission and commission, the elabor- 

 ate catalogue stands at the front. 



1 have been in the woods for weeks and weeks at a 

 time, far from civilization and. never yet felt the need of 

 strong liquor, although wet every day and all day, some- 

 times only up to my middle, at others thoroughly drenched. 

 With many it has'becomeahabit to "take a drink," others 

 do so because they are asked to. Why some people like 

 to keep their insides in a constant state of pickle, is to me 

 a mystery. When the time comes when a little liquor 

 would be of benefit, these old hands are beyond the reach 

 of any such advantage. 



After hooking a salt-water trout on the fly, play him 

 slowly and you are very likely to take a second one on 

 the other fly before the first fish is exhausted. 



A heavy reel is an advantage on a fly- rod, it assists in 

 balancing. 



A cheap line, as a rule, is a bad line, and a bad line is 

 [ dear at any price. 



The seine, out of bounds, as it now generally is, is a 

 curse; under properly enforced restrictions it can be made 

 a benefit. Big Reel. 



Pennsylvania Fish Protective Association. — At a 

 meeting of the Anglers' Association of Eastern Pennsyl- 

 vania, held in Philadelphia, Feb. 8, the name of the asso- 

 ciation was changed by a unanimous vote to the Penn- 

 sylvania Fish Protective Association. This powerful 

 society had long since outgrown its original designation 

 and enlarged its scope of action, so that a more compre- 

 hensive title was a recognized necessity. Including in 

 its membership many individuals who are identified with 

 all the recent activity in matters pertaining to fishculture 

 ! and protection in Pennsylvania, officially as well as per- 

 sonally, we are not surprised that its prosperity was 

 phenomena, and we believe that a new bond of sym- 

 pathy has now been established between the workers and 

 the people in whose interest the work has been done. In 

 the estimation of the Pennsylvania public this change of 

 name will be attributed to a change of hea,rt and hun- 

 dreds of hands will be raised to help the protector of fish 

 tbat would not stir to assist the angler. The member- 

 ship of this society will be greatly increased and its 

 power for good largely augmented. 



of young shad have been captured and sold for Bait at about 

 SI per barrel. 



The artificial stocking of streams with trout has been suc- 

 cessful in most instances. Associations have been formed 

 in various parts of the State and are engaged in building 

 hatcheries and ponds for the purpose of restocking streams 

 in their vicinity. State encouragement of such enterprises 

 is urged by the Commissioners. Tfc is expected that about 

 500,000 trout fry will be distributed to applicants in April 

 and May. 



Two hundred thousand eggs of salmon were taken in the 

 Merriinac. The fish averaged only 10 to 12lbs. Several 

 grilse of 3 to 41bs. were caught in the nets, but were liberatd 

 and passed up the river. The young salmon appeared to be 

 going down the river about the last of August. Nearly 

 til 10. 000 salmon fry were planted in Pemigewasset River in 

 May. Superintendent E. B. Hodge has lost no salmon 

 through fungus since the adoption of the new-shaped land- 

 ing nets. 



The experiment of hatching lobsters in floating boxes was 

 only parti all v successful, owing to wave motion and heavy 

 rains. It was found that eggs will not hatch until the 

 water reaches a temperature 'of SOdeg. Fahrenheit. A fall- 

 ing off in the catch of lobsters of nearly one-half million is 

 reported. 



The tables showing the returns of weirs, gill-nets and 

 seines are very instructive. These indicate a very great in- 

 crease in the number of sea-herring and meuhaden, and a 

 falling off in the shad, alewife, scup, squetague, mackerel 

 and bluefish as compared with the returns for 1888. 



The name of Isaiah C. Young, of Wellfleet, should be 

 added to our list of the Commissioners. 



on a hook, 



will enable t 



the vear ei 



ther shad or 



In 1879, 1 



lecause of art 



shad were 



more abunda 



came so pr 



ofitable that 



with poun 



Is, weirs, gil 



nrissioners 



urged the pi 



structive t 



shing, but w 



been a sfceg 



dv and rapid 



until at th 



e end of elev 



cent. *'A1 



1 profitable fi 



of the sein 



is aud gill-ne 



the fisher 



men have be 



some other direction. J 



MASSACHUSETTS FISH COMMISSION. 



n^HE twenty-fourth annual report of the Commissioners 

 ,L on Inland Fisheries and Game, covers the year ending 

 Dec. 31, 1S89, and is a continuation of the longest series pub- 

 lished by a State Commission. 



The fish wardens of Randolph call attention to the exist- 

 ence of eight dams on the Monatiquot River and urge the 

 enforcement of the law respecting the building of fishways 

 to overcome these obstructions. The pollution of the Mon- 

 atiquot by mill refuse has created a nuisance which jeopard- 

 izes the health of the people living on its banks. 



The fishways at Lawrence mid Holyoke have been re- 

 paired. The fh'st fish, a sucker, was seen in the Lawrence 

 fishway April 19. Alewives. lampreys and suckers were the 

 earliest appearing fish. The first salmon was noticed May 

 19, and the last one, Sept. 29. After Oct. 5 nothing but 

 suckers were seen until Nov. 8, when observations closed. 

 Black bass did not appear until June 21 and continued until 

 Oct, 4 



After the shad have finished spawning in the Connecticut 

 ''they wilt bite at flies or any small shining object that at- 

 tracts their attention. A drop of solder, or a piece of silver 

 he angler to catch at this season of 

 alewives." 



aflcial hatching on the Connecticut, 

 nt than ever before, and fishing be- 



nues. 



:ad f r 



{ on this riveris at an end, most 

 a hung up to rot, aud many of 

 bligecl to seek employment in 

 jhey had not been obliged to do 

 this before the mischief was done." 



At the hJOUth of the Merrimac, under pretense of taking 

 halt in -Time and July with fine meshed seines, thousands 



ERRATIC MOVEMENTS OF FISH. 



THE fifteenth annual report of the Eoston Fish Bureau 

 presents a neat and attractive appearance and contains 

 much information of interest to the trade. We shall not 

 dwell upon this feature of the work, but call attention to 

 certain items of value to the general reader. The improve- 

 ment in this annual is due in part to the introduction of a 

 number of illustrations credited to the reports of the U. S. 

 Fish Commission on "The Fishery Industries of the United 

 States." From this source, also, has been derived a portion 

 of the text. 



We are told that mackerel make their appearance on the 

 Irish coast about the last week in March and some of the 

 earliest fish weigh S^lbs. On the Norwegian coast the 

 season usually opens about the middle of May. 



"The erratic habits of fish have for ages been a mystery. 

 The mackerel fishery is not alone subject to seasons of great 

 plenty followed by seasons of remarkable scarcity. The 

 bluefish for forty years left Cape Cod, but returned again in 

 good quantities. More recently the menhaden disappeared 

 in 1878, and ten years later they appeared on our coast in 

 larger quantities than ever before. Other fishes of minor 

 importance as food have disappeared from different sections 

 at various times. The erratic habits of the bullseye and 

 frigate mackerel are well known. One year the catch may 

 be almost entirely confined to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, as 

 in 1886, another year to our shore, as in 1882, While at dif- 

 ferent periods there have been large southern catches, large 

 catches in the Bay of Fundy, or it may be as at the Magdalen 

 Islands the past season, where they have had the largest 

 catch for sixteen years. It is a singular fact that a weir 

 situated in the extreme northern part of Sommes' Sound, 

 an indentation of the fsland of Mount Desert, catches more 

 mackerel, though few, than any other weir on the Maine 

 coast. There are other weirs at the entrance of the sound, 

 which the mackerel pass by." 



After Nov. 30 very few mackerel were seen near our coast. 

 On the south coast of England this species is caught through- 

 out the year. While the yield in our waters has declined 

 steadily, there has been a general increase on the coasts of 

 Great Bi-itain. 



Three hundred and forty thousand Spanish mackerel 

 were taken in the Chesapeake in 1889, showing a slight 

 falling off. 



Menhaden were more plentiful between Fire Island and 

 Mount Desert than ever before since the fishery begun. 

 The gale beginning Sept. 9 caused them to disappear from 

 our waters suddenly and finally for the season. 



NEW SPECIES OF TROUT.— Some of our contempor a 

 ries are announcing the expected arrival of two new kinds 

 of trout from foreign waters and crediting the entire ex- 

 change to England. By reference to our columns of Feb. 0, 

 page 51. it will be seen that only one new importation is 

 looked for— the trout of Swiss lakes {Salmo lacuslris). The 

 saibling has become very well known to us, and was figured 

 in Forest And Stream, April 4, 1889, from a specimen 

 caught at Sterling, N. Y. The introduction of this fine fish 

 was begun by Government, in 1883. The Von Behr trout 

 (formerly brown trout, Salmo fario) has become pretty well 

 established in the United States, but attains to its greatest 

 glory in New Zealand, where it is aiso an introduced species. 

 We are to have three kinds of trout, only one of them new, 

 and this will be obtained, not from Mr. Carter, but from the 

 German Government. When we learn definitely which of 

 the Swiss species Max von dem Borne refers to Sal/no lacus- 

 tris we will have something to say about its size, habits and 

 qualities. 



PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION.— Mr. H. C. 

 Ford writes to Col. John Gay, of the U. S. Fish Commis- 

 sion, concerning the work at Pennsylvania fishcultural 

 establishments: " We are very busy at the hatcheries, and 

 will have about 1,200,000 trout fry this spring. The Penob- 

 scot salmon have all hatched and are doing well. We will 

 have a very early shad season." (Philadelphia, Feb. 11). 



FIXTURES, 



DOG SHOWS. 



March 4 to 1.— Second Annual Dog Show of the Mascoutah 

 Kennel Club, Chicago, 111. Gfo. H. Hill, Superintendent, 175 

 Dearborn street. Entries close Feb. 17. 



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

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



March 18 to 21. —First Annual Dog Show of the Maryland Ken- 

 nel Club, at Baltimore, Md. W. Stewart Diffendeiffer, 220 N. 

 Charles street. Secretary. Entries close March 4. 



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

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



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

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



FIELD TRIALS* 



Feb, 11. -Fourth. Annual Field Trials o£ the Texas Field 

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



Feb. 8 to 2S.— Meet of the Brunswick Fur Club, Great Island, 

 Me. 



Nov. 17— Twelfth Annual Field Trials of the Eastern Field 

 Trials Club. W. A. Coster. Saratogo Springs, N. Y„ Secretary. 



Dec. L— Second Annual Field Trials of the Central Field Trials 

 Club, at Lexington, N. C. C. H. Odell, Mills Building, New York, 

 Secretary. 



1S91. 



Jan. 1 a.— Eighth Annual Field Trials of the Pacific Kennel Club, 

 at Bakorsfield, Cal. H. H. Briggs, Secretary. 



Feb. :?.- Third Annual Field Trials of the Southern Field Trials 

 Club: Tt M. Rrun»y< BeWPtavy, Marietta.. G?v, 



NEW YORK DOC SHOW. 



THE fourteenth annual dog show under the management 

 of the Westminster Kennel Club was held on Feb. .11 to 

 14, at the American Institute Fair Building, on Third 

 avenue. The reason for the change of venue was the re- 

 building now in progress of Madison Square Garden, and the 

 dates selected were a week earlier than those originally 

 named, for the reason that the poultry men had an earlier 

 claim on the building for those dates. "All's well that ends 

 well." however, and the W. K. C. had no reason to object to 

 either place or time, for the public filled the immense build- 

 ing on all of the four days, and but for a shower on Friday* 

 afternoon the weather was all that could be desired. It has 

 been said that this was the largest exhibition ever held here, 

 but such is not the case. This year's catalogue was made up 

 differently from last year's, there being no duplicate num- 

 bers then as was the case this time. Had such been the case 

 in 1889 the catalogue would have been numbered up to 1484 

 as against 1430 this year. But this difference, of half a hun- 

 dred dogs was much more than made up for by the vastly 

 superior average quality of the entries. A really poor dog 

 was an exception such as was never met with before, while 

 in many of the breeds the quality throughout was superb. 



It would be improper as well as foolish to overlook the 

 severe criticisms passed upon some of the judging. This 

 was not the old-time "kicking" of the disappointed exhibi- 

 tor who sought, to cover up his dog's failings by blackguard- 

 ing the judge, but temperate objection to what was pointed 

 out as errors. Exhibitors were also finding fault with the 

 attendants for negligence and drunkenness. As to the lat- 

 ter, we saw no actual evidence, and had no chance of finding 

 out the truth of the former such as exhibitors have. We 

 would say, however, that the. system of tipping the attend- 

 ants is ba.d and naturally results in rum drinking. The 

 proper method to adopt in such cases is to make a report to 

 the superintendent, and not to newspaper representatives. 

 It is not in the manner of offering an excuse for any negli- 

 gence which might have occurred that we desire to say a 

 word for Mr. Mortimer. Very few, indeed, knew the heavy 

 load he was carrying in addition to the cares of such a show. 

 On Wednesday morning he said to us, "I left one little boy 

 dead and un buried when I came away from home on Monday 

 morning and the doctor was attending another. I have not 

 felt like myself either to-day or yesterday." Let us say no 

 more, about any seeming fault in not detcctiug the tricks of 

 attendants after that. 



We hope next year the show will be back in Madison 

 Square Garden, for large aud ample as the floor room at the 

 Institute Building is, yet it was very apparent that the ven- 

 tilation was defective compared with the old stand. "Ash- 

 mont" said the too liberal use of disinfectants was partly 

 the cause of the oppressive air; and of course it reminded 

 him of an apropos story about Elder Smith, who in a season 

 of drought appealed with zealous fervor to the Almighty for 

 rain. This was followed by a severe storm whicb~washed 

 away all the crops the drought had left, whereupon old Mrs. 

 Potts remarked that Elder Smith never knew when to stop 

 when he got a-going. 



MASTIFFS— (MR. MARSHALL), 



The mastiff classes were not quite equal in numbers to 

 those of last year. The average quality, however, was very 

 good, the two new comers, Beaufort and Cambrian Princess, 

 helping out in this respect amazingly. The judge did not 

 handle them nearly so well as he did last year, making a 

 very bad break at the start in the challenge dog class by 

 placing Homer over Sears' Monarch, a much better dog. 

 Both have been, described so often that a repetition is un- 

 necessary. Lady Coleus, looking well, was alone in the 

 bitch class. In open dogs, Beaufort completely smothered 

 his competitors. He is Dill of quality and is very near per- 

 fection in make-up, and his outline could hardly be im- 

 proved. He has a wonderful skull, a deep, square — almost 

 too square — muzzle, and, although shown a trifle thin, he 

 has plenty of substance and bone ? and is exceedingly well- 

 proportioned throughout. His left eye is affected and looks 

 dim, and he does not move quite so well behind as he 

 should. While admiring his vast size and symmetrical 

 form, we more than ever regretted the death of Minting, as 

 it would have indeed been a treat to have seen these two to- 

 gether. Ilford Chancellor, placed second, is also a capital 

 dog, heavy and powerful, massive in skull and well propor- 

 tioned. He is too throaty, which detracts somewhat from 

 his appearance. Next in order came the well-known Mel- 

 rose Prince, looking his very best. He was clearly entitled 

 to the position. Fourth place went to Melrose Caution, a 

 promising youngster with some of the head properties of his 

 sire, including his heavy ears. He has a fair amount of 

 bone and substance, and bids fair to make something above 

 the average. His rather open feet are against him, and he 

 might move better behind. There was nothing very strik- 

 ing in the class behind these. Czar, vhc, has not improved 

 as he should, He has filled out and is quite fair in body 

 and legs, but his bad eyes and heavy ears will always keep 

 him back in good company. Lu Lu, he, is fair in body, 

 but is weak in head and wrong in eyes. Eyrie, also he, has 

 rather a good head that is marred by heavy ears. He was 

 shown too thin to get higher, which we imagine he would 

 have done had he been in proper condition. There was noth- 

 ing else in the class worthy of mention, although Macduff 

 was given a card, probably for his size, as his weak muzzle 

 and badly turned out forefeet could hardly have won it for 

 him. This class was well judged. 



There were nine of the eleven entries in the bitch class to 

 face the judges. Cambrian Princess served her competitors 

 as did Beaufort in his class. She is a capital specimen of 

 the breed, with a wonderful head, which is almost too mas- 

 sive for a bitch. She is not just right in forefeet, otherwise 

 she is grand and much the best of her sex in the country. 

 Second went to Lady Orson , as complete a contrast to the first 

 prize winner as could well be imagined. She has very good 

 eyes, and that is about all that she. has to recommend her. 

 What the judge could see in her that was worthy of more 

 than about the two letters we failed to find, as a brief ex- 

 amination revealed a weak head, a pinched aud shallow 

 muzzle, a lack of substance, cowbocks, and an ahsiost total 

 lack of true mastiff character. Mai, placed third, is a vastly 

 superior animal, and she should have had the place. She 

 has a good head, a short, square muzzle of good depth, good 

 body, legs and feet. Lady Gladys was placed fourth. She 

 has improved in size and substance, but not much in head 

 markings. She was perhaps the next in ordor of merit, and 

 should have been placed third, Lady Phyllis, vhc, was 

 close to Lady Gladys, and she should have been fourth. 

 She has not developed as she ought, but she shows character, 

 and is better all round than Lady Orson. Pharaoh Queen, 

 he, was looking fairly well, and deserved her card. Daisy 

 and Miss Gibhs, both unnoticed, were properly treated. The 

 former is of fair size, but has nothing else to recommend 

 her, while the latter is weak in head and light all through. 

 Only two dog puppies were shown. Sir Minting may im- 

 prove, but he is at present too clumsy looking. He only 

 succeeded in getting second, first being withheld. His litter 

 brother, Duke of Norfolk, was unnoticed; he is weak in 

 head and lacks substance. Karin, the winning bitch puppy, 

 is from the same litter as the dogs, £iud is rather promising. 

 She is of good size and has some character. Gerda II., win- 

 ner of second, is just a fair specimen, too narrow in skull 

 and defective in hocks to win in good company. Jessica, 

 third, is well formed, but not so large as her sister Duchess 

 of York. The latter has a fair head, but her ears hang 

 badly. The novice class contained nothing worthy of men- 

 tion outside of the winners that ha ve already been mentioned 

 in the other classes, 



