Maegh 6, 1890.1 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



129 



THE CANADIAN FISHING LEASES. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your last issue I notice mention of the muddle that 

 seems to prevail in the matter of leased fishing rights in 

 "the Province of Quebec, Canada, the general Government 

 having notified all parties purchasing under the sale by 

 the Commissioner of Crown Lands in January last that 

 such sales were illegal, and conveyed no rights or privi- 

 leges. This is pleasant news for those who purchased 

 and paid a year's rental in advance, especially to those 

 clubs that have expended money in the erection of 

 houses and improvements. The whole business relating 

 to the sale of the rights on the days named in the adver- 

 tisement was characterized by those interested as a bare- 

 faced instance of favoritism, and utter disregard of the 

 terms and conditions stated in the advertisement of the 

 list of rivers and lakes to be sold at auction to the highest 

 bidder: whereas many were withdrawn or rather not 

 sold, no reason being given; and many were negotiated 

 fur privately and obtained without any chance being 

 given for competition. It seemed to be only necessary 

 to have "a pull" or back-door access to the Commissioner 

 to obtain whatever was wanted; in fact the advertised 

 sale at auction was simply a farce, and people who went 

 to Quebec, intending to purchase privileges, expended 

 their time and money on a useless errand, and have just 

 cause to criticise the' course of the Crown Lands Depart- 

 ment for favoritism and failure to keep faith with the 

 public in its manner of disposing of the "rights" in ac- 

 cordance with the advertised programme. 



The conclusion to be arrived at is, that the Crown 

 Lands Department is weals and sadly deficient in dignity 

 and good faith, or whatever else the public may choose 

 to think. Except those who may suffer by its acts, 

 people will rather rejoice at the snub it is receiving from 

 the General Government at its assumption of local owner- 

 ship of th« fishing privileges of the Province of Quebec. 



As the case stands now, there are no privileges for the 

 juoney paid : no exclusive use of any waters in the Prov- 

 ince of Quebec, and no apparent immediate settlement of 

 the question, who can or who will grant leases or on what 

 conditions? 



Under the circumstances, the money received under the 

 grown Lands licenses should be returned. 



It would naturally strike any sensible person that the 

 General Government had entire jurisdiction over all 

 Canada, and a Province has no more right to lease its 

 rivers and lakes than a county in the State of New York 

 has to lease the streams within its limits. The principle 

 is the same; so it looks very squally for the parties who 

 have purchased "rights" either to get the exclusive privi- 

 lege they purchased or the money back paid for them. 

 The Crown Lands Department does not seem to set up 

 any protest to the claim of the Hon. Charles H. Tupper, 

 Minister of Marine and Fisheries, that it has transcended 

 its power and authority in selling what did not belong to 

 it. Those who purchased leases and paid their money 

 would like very much to know what the Honorable Com- 

 missioner of the Crown Lands Department is going to do 

 about it. 



The opening season is near at hand, and we fishermen 

 would be glad to know what our rights are or whether we 

 have any rights at all. Will the Commissioner speak up 

 and tell us how we stand? Fisherman. 



RANDOM CASTS.-III. 



A MAN hardly realizes what good health is until he 

 has been on a fishing trip. Once tried under the 

 proper conditions he is a poor mortal who does not hanker 

 for more. 



Not only is it unsportsmanlike to keep fish under size, 

 it is most unjust, for you deprive others of the benefits 

 that they would derive were the small ones permitted to 

 mature. Therefore, if uninjured in the gills, when there 

 is always a chance of their living, return the babies to 

 the water at once. 



the line of investigation suggested by Dr. Gill. We find 

 in our notes a few items bearing upon the matter, and 

 present them as a small beginning, hoping that others 

 may continue and complete the work. Mr. F. A. Lucas 

 had a pike (Lucius lueius) weighing 51bs. and measuring 

 30in. He studied a large- mouthed black bass (Microjrte- 

 rus salmoides) weighing olbs. and measuring 18in. ; an- 

 other one weighed 5|lbs. and measured 21 in. He states 

 that the yellow perch (Perm americana) averages lib. to 

 one foot "of length. In the red snapper fishery off the 

 mouth of the Gulf of Mexico during February, 600 red 

 snappers (Lutjanus blackfordi) weighed about 9,0001bs. ; 

 100 jewfish (Promicrops itaiara) weighed about 7,000lbs. 

 Capt. J. W. Emmons, of New London, gives the average 

 weight of the red snapper the season through as about 

 lOlbs. On Feb. 7, 1885, the Albatross caught seven red 

 snappers of unusual size off Cape San Bias, Florida, the 

 largest of them weighing 27$tbB; We are sorry to say 

 that the length corresponding with these weights is not 

 recorded.] 



Bath, Feb. 24 — Editor Forest and Stream: At the 

 annual meeting of the Sagadahoc Fish and Game Pro- 

 tective Association, held on the evening of the 21st, the 

 following officers were elected: Dr. Chas. A. Packard, 

 President; James Purrington and Wm. E. Hogan, Vice- 

 Presidents; Geo. E. Newman, Secretary and Treasurer; 

 Geo. H. Nichols, Brunswick; S. W. Carr, Bowdoinham; 

 Augustus Hatch, Bath; Chas. 11. Greenleaf, Bath, and 

 Chas. B. Furber, Bath. Executive Committee. The sub- 

 ject of stocking some of the streams in this vicinity with 

 trout was discussed, and the executive committee were 

 authorized to expend such an amount of money for that 

 purpose as they deemed advisable. Several ponds suit- 

 able for the purpose were stocked with black bass some 

 years ago, and they have done well, a few weighing 2 or 

 31bs. have recently been taken. Our efficient game 

 warden, James Bailey, has been doing good work here 

 in restraining and bringing to justice some of the law- 

 breaking poachers who prey upon the menhaden, mack- 

 erel, lobsters, striped bass, game, etc., and the sentiment 

 in regard to fish and game protection is improving daily 

 in this region. This has been brought about, we believe, 

 largely through the influence of our association, aided 

 by your ever welcome and interesting paper. — N. 



Is another column the Syracuse Bamboo Furniture Co. adver- 

 tise their patent Gane Trolling Bans, which it is claimed will 

 hook two to one of any other bait used. They are fight and easy 

 running, and many prominent anglers have testified to their 

 killing qualities. The makers offer a series of prizes for the larg- 

 est fish taken with these baits.— Adv. 



To Secret abies of Angling associations !-If you will send 

 us catalogues containing the names of your members, we will 

 send you samples of our gang trolling baits. Address Syracuse 

 Bamboo Furniture Co., successors to Syracuse Fish Rod Co., Syr- 

 acuse, N. Y., U. S. A— Adv. 



Seines. Nets of every description. American Net & Twine Co.. 

 Mfrs., 34 Commercial at. Rnstmi. or 199 Fulton at.. N. Y.—Adv. 



Must we wait until our shores become as bare of fine 

 food fish as those of the "old country" before we awake 

 to a realization of the fact that the steam menhaden fish- 

 ermen are fast destroying one of nature's greatest gifts to 

 man? If so we may prepare to do as the Englishman 

 does, eat skates and sea robins for the want of something 

 better. Will the politician ever realize that fish would 

 become so cheap in our markets as to afford the poorest 

 family a good meal were this manure traffic to be prop- 

 erly and justly restricted? Big Reel. 



LENGTH AND WEIGHT OF FISHES. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



A great desideratum is tables of constants for fishes, 

 and especially one giving the relative lengths and weights 

 for different ages or stages. One might suppose that 

 such information could readily be obtained, but from 

 considerable experience I find that such is not the case. 

 Will not some of your numerous readers supply the want 

 to some extent? Commissioner Blackford is just the man 

 who could give the information readily and accurately, 

 on account of the great numbers of fishes which come 

 under his observation. A certain number (say 100 to 

 1,000 — the more, the better), representing the average of 

 those marketed, should be exactly measured in a per- 

 fectly straight line from the snout to the hindmost part 

 of the tail fin and the precise weight of each fish corre- 

 lated with the length. A table representing in detail the 

 ratio of length and weight for each specimen would 

 enable us to obtain a fair idea of the average ratios, as 

 well as an approximation to the maxima and minima of 

 the epecies as marketed. I need scarcely add that such 

 tables would be useful and even invaluable to the angler. 

 With a tape measure he could then deduce the closely 

 approximate weight of his captured fish, and we would 

 have fewer of the random guesses and hit3 far of the 

 mark that every critical reader of angling literature con- 

 stantly meets with in the course of his reading. 



Cannot you induce some one with fresh fish to help 

 with such tablet? W ill not Commissioner Blackford dele- 

 gate some one to perforin the much needed work? Who- 

 ever will publish fcueh tables will deserve and undoubt- 

 edly receive the thanks alike of anglers and iehthvolo- 

 gists. Theo. Gill. 



Smithsonian iFSTnuriON, Washington, Feb. 34. 



[This is a subject in which we have long been in- 

 terested, but without having the opportunity to carry out 



CALIFORNIA FISH TOPICS. 



THE recent action of the State Fish Commissioners in dis- 

 charging two deputies has created a great deal of talk 

 among fishermen, and is likely to lead to many acrimonious 

 discussions. Briefly, the State Board having received many 

 complaints that some of its own deputies were guilty of 

 illegal fishing, made an investigation this week. Carl 

 Precht and Charles Ohm, both deputies, were found to have 

 fished out of season for trout and small fish, in Sonoma 

 Creek. They responded that the fish they had been obtain- 

 ing were salmon, not trout. 



Fish Commissioner Joseph Routier, a very able and ener- 

 getic man. has taken mnch interest in this phase of the 

 question. He says that every fisherman ou the coast knows 

 that the trick of calling the same fish salmon at one season 

 and trout at another has ruined many excellent streams. 

 Hon. Ramon Wilson, attorney of the Board, says that the 

 fish can and must be protected at this time of year, and that 

 prosecutions can be maintained. The Board sustained these 

 views and the deputies were dismissed. 



Thev are popular men, and were backed up by resolutions 

 passed by a club or two, and every effort has been made to 

 obscure the real issue. For instance, complaints were laid 

 against Mr. Latnotte, who is batching trout for the San 

 Francisco & North Pacific R.R., and has already put nearly 

 half a million young trout in the Sonoma. He secures 

 spawn from fish caught by a weir, and then restores them 

 unhurt, as he has been doing for years. He is one of the 

 principal defenders of the fishing interests of Sonoma Creek, 

 and has the unqualified support of the Fish Commissioners. 



I have t alked of this matter with many of the quiet gentle- 

 manly fishermen who always keep on the safe side, and they 

 all th'ink that the "trout-salmon dodge" is becoming very 

 stale, especially for deputy Fish Commissioners. Most of 

 the newspapers take the same view of the subject. A few 

 vigorous prosecutions are what is neededj no matter who is 

 hurt. If a prosecution cannot be maintained, owing to the 

 ambiguity of the law, the next Legislature will readily 

 amend it. But Mr. Wilson is an able lawyer, and his view 

 is that the case is plain. 



The most promising event of the year is the scale of work 

 on which it is proposed to push the new hatcheries of lake 

 trout (from Pyramid Lake) at Tahoe and in San Fra*cisco. 

 The Indians on the Pyramid Lake reservation have been 

 slaughtering them at all seasons along the shallows of 

 Truckee, where they spawn, but a stop has now been put to 

 this performance. The California Indians make their fish 

 carnival at the spawning season. I have seen them club- 

 bing salmon by the huudreds at Redding, on the Upper 

 Sacramento, twenty years ago. The waste and destruction 

 at that time was frightful. Pyramid Lake is still well 

 stocked with trout, and Supt. Woodbury of the State Com- 

 mission thinks that in a f eAV years the old fame of California 

 for this magnificent fish will have even added lustre. 



At tbe beautiful little Sisson hatchery, Sisson's Lake, Sis- 

 kliyou county, there are now more than 1,800,000 young sal- 

 mon ready to distribute. This mountain lake, fed by 

 springs, which maintains its temperature at about 40 deg , 

 summer and winter, is one of the most charming spots in 

 California. Great pines and firs are all about it, and snow- 

 crowned mountains tower over it. I visited the place early 

 in winter, and helped the old pioneer to feed his little pets. 

 When it becomes necessary additional ponds can be made 

 at Sisson's, and tenfold the number of salmon hatched there. 



Charles H. Shisk. 



San Francisco, Cal. 



he Emmh 



FIXTURES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



March 4 to (.—Second Annual Do« Show of the Mascoutah 

 Kennel Club, Chicago, 111. Gfo. H. Hill, Superintendent, 1T.5 

 ileal born street. Entries close Feb. 17. 



March 11 to 14.— Second Annual Dok Shaw of the Rochester 

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



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

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

 Charles street. Secretary- Entries close March 4. 



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

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

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

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



Oct. 6 to 11.— Ninth Annual Dok Show of the Danhury Agricul- 

 tural Society, at Danbury, Conn. B. C. Lynes, Secretary. 

 FIELD TRIALS. 



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

 Trials Club, at Otterburn Springs, Va. W. A, Coster, Saratogo 

 Springs, N. V., Secretary. 



Dec. 1.— Second Annual Field Trials of the Central Field Trials 

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

 Secretary. 



1891. 



Jan. 19.— Eighth Annual Field Trials of the Pacific Kennel Club, 

 at Bakersfleld, Cal. H. II. Briergs, Secretary. 



Feb. 2,-Tlurd Anuual Field Trials of the Southern Field Trials 

 Club. T. M. Brunby, Secretary, Marietta, Ga. 



BOSTON DOG SHOW. 



r pHE premium list of the sixth annual dog show of the 

 JL New England Kennel Club is ready for distribution. 

 In the classes for mastiffs, rough-coated St. Bernards, 

 smooth-coated St. Bernards, large pointers, small pointers, 

 English setters, Irish setters. Cordon setters, collies and 

 fox terriers the prizes art* challenge dogs ^20 and $10; bitches 

 the same; open dogs 820, $10, $5 and $3; bitches the same; 

 puppies, each sex, £5, $3 and bronze medal; novice $10, $o and 

 ij«3. Deerhounds, challenge dogs, $10 and $5; bitches the 

 same: open dogs $15, $10 and $5; bitches the same; puppies, 

 one class, $5, $3 and bronze medal. Bulldogs, bull-terriers 

 and pugs, challenge dogs, 310 and fSS; bitches the same; open 

 dogs $10, $5 and -*3; bitches the same; puppies, one class, $5, 

 $3 and bronze medal. G-revhounds, beagles. Irish tenners 

 and Yorkshire terriers, challenge, one class, 810 and $5; open 

 dogs, $10, $5 and $3; bitches the same; puppies $5 and bronze 

 medal. The Spaniel Club's classification No. 2 is adopted 

 with prizes of $10 and $5 in the challenge and $10, $5 and 

 bronze medal in open and noviee and $5, $3 and bronze medal 

 in puppy classes. Black and tan terriers and toy spaniels 

 (except King Charles), challenge, one class, S10 and $5; open • 

 dogs the [same; bitches the same. King Charles spaniels, 

 challenge, one class, $10 and $5: open, one class, $10, S5 and 

 $3. Bloodhounds, dogs, $10 and $5; bitches the same. Great 

 Danes, dogs, $10, $5 and $3: bitches the same. Newfound- 

 lands, Chesapeake Bay, dachshunde, poodles, Scotch, 

 Dandie Dinmont, Bedlington and Skye terriers and 

 miscellaneous, one class each, $10, $5 and $3. Schip 

 perkes, one class, §10, So and bronze medal. Mex- 

 ican hairless, $10 and $5. Round-headed bull and 

 terriers, large, S10, $5 and $1; small the same; puppies, 

 $5, $3 aud bronze medal. Kennel prizes of $10 each are 

 offered for the best three mastiffs, St. Bernards, pointers, 

 English setters, Irish setters, Gordon setters, spaniels, col 

 lies, bull- terriers, fox-terriers and pugs. To compete for 

 these prizes all must be American bred. The St. Bernard 

 Club offers $25 silver cup each for rough and smooth brood 

 bitch, and medal each tor American-bred smooth dog over 

 18 months, under 18 months, bitches the same, and the same 

 for rough-coa,ted; all to be owned by members of the St, Ber- 

 nard Club. The A. K. C. offers a set of Stud Books for the 

 best kennel of four St. Bernards owned by a member of tbe 

 St. Bernard Club. The Pointer Club offers S10 for the best- 

 pointer dog and $lCfor the best bitch that has won a heat at 

 any field trial. Mr. F. R. Hitchcock offers $25 for the best 

 kennel of four pointers. The Spaniel Club trophy, value 

 $100, f«r the best field spaniel owned by a member of the 

 Spaniel Clab, will be competed for. Tbe Collie Club offers 

 $10 tor the best collie dog in open class owned by a member 

 of tbe Collie Club, and $5 for best bitch, same conditions. 

 The Fox-Terrier Club offers $10 for the best fox-terrier and 

 $10 for best in open class. The Fox Terrier Club Grand 

 Challenge Cup for the Home-Bred Puppy Stakes for 1890 

 will be competed for. 



The show will be held April 1 to 4, in Mechanics' Hall 

 The judges are: Mr. James Mortimer, mastiffs, St. Ber- 

 nards, bloodhounds and poodles; Mr. John Davidson beagles, 

 English, Irish and Gordon setters, deerhounds and grey- 

 hounds; Mr. J. H. Winslow, pointers: Mr. Wm. West, 

 spaniels, except toys; Mr. Martin Dennis, collies; Mr. John 

 E. Thayer, bulldogs; Mr. H. W. Lacy, great Danes, New- 

 foundlands, dachshunde, terriers except fox-terriers, pugs, 

 toy spaniels, Mexican hairless and miscellaneous; Mr. Geo! 

 B. Inches, Chesapeake Bay dogs; Mr. Nauianiel Seabury, 

 round-headed bull and terrier and Schipperke; Mr. Mayhew 

 fox-terriers. Mr. John Read will superintend the show and 

 Dr. Daniel Lee is veterinarian. Entries close March 1?. Ad- 

 dress Bench Show Committee, 6 Hamilton place, Boston, 

 Mass. 



BALTIMORE DOG SHOW. 



BALTIMORE, March I.— Editor Forest and Stream: On 

 the threshold of closing our entry list it is gratifying 

 to know that our most sanguine expectations have been 

 more than realized. The Chesapeake Bay classes have filled 

 so well that the exhibition of this breed will far and away 

 excel any yet given in Ameriea. There wil I be over twenty 

 of these 'dogs shown, and they will include the finest speci- 

 mens in existence. Each would-be winner of the duckers' 

 silver cup declares that he has the monarch Chesapeake, 

 and some of our most prominent Marylanders have entered. 

 Hence we can promise the sporting writers an excellent 

 test of the Chesapeake Bay dog. 



The interest shown here in the show seems to fairly cluster 

 around the Chesapeakes. The exhibit is dear and near to 

 the Maryland heart. This f eature will in itself go far to- 

 ward packing Natatorium Hall. 



It gives me pleasure to anuouuee that Mr. Percy C. Ohl, 

 of New York, will superintend the show. 



Thanking you for your kindly interest in our enterprise 

 heretofore, and with a hearty invitation to you to trace the 

 famous "milk route" ere the April showers, I am, 



W. Stewart Diffenderffer. Secretary. 



Fouest ANi> Stream, Box 2,832, N. Y. city, has descriptive illus- 

 trated circulars of W. B. Lemn^well's book, "Wild Fowl Shoot- 

 ing," which will be mailed free on request. The book is pro- 

 uouDced by "Nanit." "Gloan," "Dick Swiveller," "Sybillene" and 

 other competent authorities to be the best treatise on the eebject 

 extant. 



IMPORTATION OF WATCH.— Toledo, O., March 1.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: Thinking you will be glad to 

 get some dog news from here, I give you the following, 

 which I think will be very welcome news to the breeelers of 

 St. Bernards in this country. Mr. John Poag, of this city 

 (an amateur), has purchased the. celebrated St. Bernard <Jo» 

 Watch (E.K.C.S.B. 25;094); he sails to-day via steamet- 

 Nevada. He probably is the champion of all smooth-coats. 

 His owner would not sell or make a price to remain in Eng- 

 land. He will be placed in the public stud as soon as he is 

 in condition after his arrival, due notice of which will 

 probably be given in your columns. Mr. Poag has never 

 had any experience heretofore in the business, and I think 

 he should be encouraged, as he had to put his hand into a 

 big bank account to reach this prize.— W. J. FARRAR. 



