192 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[mRCH 36, 1891. 



SEALS PRESERVE THE FOOD FISH. 



THE EXISTENCE OF THE FUR SEAL IS BENEFICIAL, NOT 

 INJURIOUS, TO THE SUPPLY OF FOOD FISHES FOR 

 MAN IN THE WATERS OF ALASKA AND THE 

 NORTHWEST COAST OF AMERICA. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In Census Bulletin No. 39, March 16, 1891 (Washington, 

 D. C), upon the "Wealth and Resources of Alaska," 

 Superintendent Porter makes the following^ statement in 

 his letter of introduction to Special Agent Petroflf's report: 



One of the most eminent rtiithorittes on Alaska recently stated 

 itastiis belief ttiat the salmon, cod, and herring lislieries of the 

 Territory would beenme of such immense value in the event of the 

 entire destruction of the fur seal, which now preys upon (he fish, 

 that its possible extermiuatlon is a contingency lliat need not ex- 

 cite serious aliirni. 



As this subject of what influence the fur seal herd had 

 and has upon the supply of food fishes for man, is one 

 which has often been discussed during the last six or seven 

 years among ichthyologists and naturalists generally at 

 the Smithsonian Institution and of the U. S. Fish Com- 

 mission, it is not a nevr theme; but the verdict of experts 

 here is diametrically opposed to the statement above 

 made by Mr. Porter's authority as he quotes him. 



Curiously enough, on page 8 of this Bulletin No. 39 ap- 

 pears the following significant suggestion by Special 

 Agent Petroff of the real and most destructive enemy 

 which these food fishes have to encounter: 



The waters of Prince William Sound contain, perhaps, less fish 

 than other sections of the Territory, the most abundant species 

 being the dogfish, which seems to have driven away the codfish 

 and nearly exterminated the herring, upon which it feeds. 



This is the same dogfish (Squahis aeanthias) that vexes 

 the soul of the East coast fishermen from Massachusetts 

 up to the Gulf of St. Lawrence; it is the same ill-favored 

 sea- wolf that these men recognize there as the most active 

 and deadlv enemy of the cod, lake and pollock. It is 

 none the less destructive in the waters of the Northwest 

 coast and Alaska, going as far north as the 60" of N. lat. 

 in Behiing Sea, and ranging as far south as Cape Mendo- 

 cino, coast of California. 



It is especially numerous and voracious all through the 

 littoral waters between the Straits of Fuca and Kodiak, 

 and it feeds largely upon young codfish, from 2 to 6in. in 

 length, young saltaon fry and herring. 



Now, what has mainly prevented these dogfishes from 

 so rnultiplying so as to produce the same result of ruin to 

 tlie cod and herring fisheries everywhere else in Alaska, 

 as is declared to be the case in Prince William Sound, by 

 Sppcial Agent Petroif, above cited? 



Why, the fur seal. He is the chief and only pronoimced 

 hunter of the dogfish: man rejects all fishing of that 

 creature as unprofitable, except in a very small way for 

 its oil; but the fur seal regards the Squalvs as its especial 

 and most toothsome game, and feeds fat upon its plump 

 oily body, with soft gelatinous fins; bites the head off at 

 the nape and usually rejects it, because the teeth are sharp 

 and hard and unpleasant when involved in the slight 

 mastication that this animal ever gives to its food. Of 

 course, I do not deny that the f ur seal eats cod, salmon 

 and herrings, wolf-flshes, eculpins and crabs. 



A little reflection will-teach most men that nature has 

 kept a perfect system of checks and balances upon the 

 relative status of all wild life, and that when man steps 

 in to disturb that system of JiatUrai equilibJrium he gener- 

 ally makes a bl trader and strives biard to atone for it 

 afterward. 



Of course, if we could protect the f-3od fishes of Alaska 

 from this dogfish, their own most uatm'al enemy, and 

 other enemies, as well as the fur seals can and do, then 

 there would be no argument on that score in fftvor of 

 saving these animals; but until we are equal to that task 

 it is best to let the fur seal life remain, without reference 

 to several other excellent and weighty reasons why it 

 should not be greedily and thoughtlessly exposed to the 

 positive danger of swift extermination by the hands of 

 unchecked pelagic sealers. 



If your readers who are really interested in the subject 

 of the preservation of the food fish fisheries of Alaska 

 will turn to a recent report upon '-The Salmon and Sal- 

 mon Elvers of Alaska," by Dr. H. Bean, S, I'lsh 

 Commission, they will find in its pages abundant proof 

 rhat the chief enemy to-day, and its only one, to the well 

 being and perpetuation of this industry up there is man 

 himself, and that the seals cut no figure in the trouble, 



Henry W. Elliott.- 



Smithsonian iNSTirnTioN, March 20. 



Landlocked Salmon and TRoai.— We have been 

 asked whether or not the landlocked salmon will inter- 

 fere with brook trout if x^laced in the same waters. 

 These two fishes are now associated in various localities 

 without apparent injury to either. In Sunapee Lake, 

 N. H., we have perhaps one of the most striking illustra- 

 tions of this fact. Here the brook trout is native and 

 the landlocked salmon was introduced in the early days 

 of American fishculture, and at numerous intervals 

 within recent years. The landlocked smelt was put in 

 also as food for the salmon and trout. The smelt has 

 multiplied exceedingly, and both the brook trout and 

 landlocked salmon are abundant and thrifty in the lake, 

 the trout attaining a weight of Gibs, and the salmon 

 14|^lbs, It is generally known that the landlocked 

 salmon and the winninish are identical. We described 

 in our columns of Sept. 18 and 35, 1890, the winninish of 

 the Metabetchouan. The first of these articles contains a 

 reference to the food of the fish, which in the specimens 

 examined consisted of small insects and insect larvge. 

 Mr, Dana has found the winninish in the Grand Dis- 

 charge with its stomach filled to the utmost capacity 

 with insects. The probability is, therefore, that even if 

 the smelt be not present in a body of water suitable for 

 trout and salmon, a plentiful supply of insects would sat- 

 isfy the appetite of the salmon and save the small trout 

 from destruction. To be on the safe side, if we were 

 going to associate the landlocked salmon with the brook 

 trout, we should at once supply the smelt as a food fish 

 for both species. 



Great South Bay Tisues.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 In your issue of March 19, " Scarlet-Ibis" calls attention 

 to the omission of the x-edfish and spot from my notes on 

 Great South Bay fishes in the last report of the New York 

 Fish Commissioners. The spot is mentioned on page 260 

 and the redfish was not included because I did not know 

 it had been caught in the bay, although the fish ranges 

 north to Cape Cod occasionally. Both Mitchell and De 

 Kay describe the redfish among tiie New York species. 



Mitchell styles it the beardless drum and branded drum, 

 and DeKay calls it the branded corvina. Neither of these 

 authors names the Great South Bay as one of the locali- 

 ties for the redfish. I trust that " Scarlet-Ibis," as well as 

 other observers, will continue to note additions to the list 

 through the colums of Forest and Stream. The writer 

 knows upward of thirty species, besides twenty-two men- 

 tioned on page 341, which are found both north and south 

 of Great South Bay, and probably form a part of its 

 fauna.— T. H. Bean. 



"Kelpie" says of the BooTi of the Gdme Lam that "it 

 is the most important contribution to sportsmen's litera- 

 ture which has been brought out of late years. It is a 

 remarkable compilation." 



Mmmt 



All communications must reach us by Tuesday 

 of the week they are to be published; and should 

 be sent as much earlier as may be convenient. 



FIXTURES. 

 DOQ SHOWS. 



Marcb 24 to 37.— Second Annual Dog Show of the Massachusetts 

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



March 31 to April 3.— Seventh Annual Dog Show of the New 

 England Kennel Club, at Boston, Mass. E. H. Moore. Secretary. 



April 8 to il.— Third Annual Dog Show of the Mascoutah Ken- 

 nel Club, at Chicago, 111. John L. Lincoln. .Ir., Secretary. 



April 14 to 17.— Fourth Dog Show of the Cleveland Kennel Club, 

 at Cleveland, O. C. M. Munhall, Secretary. 



April 15 to 18.— Dog Show of tlie Southern California Kennel 

 Club, at Los Angeles. 



April 28 to May 2.— Dog Show of the California Kennel Club, at 



an Francisco, Cal. R. P. Rennie, Sec'y. 



Sept. 1 to 4.— Dog Show of the Youngstown KeJxnel Club, at 

 Youngstown, O. 



WASHINGTON DOG SHOW. ^ 



THE veriest pessimist in dogdom must needs retire into 

 the darkest corner, for never has there been a year like 

 1891 from a dog show point of view. Unlike former years, 

 when blank ruin has faced most of the clubs holding shows 

 outside of the three large cities, success seems to crown every 

 effort, I thought Pittsburgh was phenomenal in the way 

 of attendance, but Washington was equally good, consider- 

 ing the price charged for admission, and especially the class 

 of people who simply swarmed into the Riding Academy 

 from Tuesday, March 17, to the end of the week. At times 

 it was simply impossible to move about, except with the 

 swim. Up to the time of our leaving the building, Thurs- 

 day night, about 6,000 tickets had been sold at half dollar 

 each, not to mention nearly a thousand at half price for the 

 rising generation. The class of people who attended were, 

 as might be expected, of the best, and most of the society 

 people .spent half an hour at one time or another "doing'' 

 the dogs, and the elegant equipages which stood outside 

 went far to give the show the needed tone. The manage- 

 ment fully deserved the encouragement they received, for 

 they worked hard, and though most of them were novices in 

 show management, and this was very apparent the first 

 day, they soon fell into the routine and afterward matters 

 worked inore .smoothly. It would be well if clubs., and especi- 

 ally those which are new to the btisiness, would engage one of 

 two or three men who are professional superintendent.^, and 

 who, knowing most of the dogs and exhibitors and the num- 

 ber of attendants required, can at once put the show in 

 order. Ou this depends the celerity to a great extent in 

 which the judges get through their work. If the club mem- 

 bers are all helping a local superintendent to run the show 

 there is no one left to do steward work in the ring; and a 

 ■good steward is half the battle for the judge. The disin- 

 fecting in the ring was hardly what it should have been, 

 and the straw in the stalls did not seem, to get the attenticn 

 that is necessary to secure perfect freedom from ofEensive 

 odors. The president, Mr. Stiner, and the able secretary, 

 Mr. Webster, were conspicuous in their endeavors to make 

 every one feel at home, and they were ably seconded by the 

 bench show committee, Messrs. B. K. Goldsborough. .Jos. 

 H. Hunter, .John A. Hoffar, who also acted as superintend- 

 ent, and W. R. Traver. As I have already given your 

 readers in last week's issue the principal features ot the 

 opening days it is needless now to saj' much niuve. There 

 was .90me grambling among the sporting class exhibitors at 

 the way the field trial dogs carried all before them, and in 

 some instances not without csuse. The judgmg, owing to 

 the limited space allowed for judging rings, e.Ktended over 

 the two days, for it was 12 o'clock on vVednesday before Mr. 

 Mortimer could get down to regular work, 'though he 

 judged fox-terriers the previous eveniiig in an alleyway out.- 

 side the hall , and it was 6 P. M, on Wednesday before every- 

 thing was judged. Although Miss Whitney and Mr. Tracy 

 were the first to begin I will take the breeds, as usual, as 

 they are^found in the catalogue, but as many of the dogs 

 are well known my task becomes easier every week. 



mastiffs— (JAMES MORTIMER). 



In the absence of Sears's Monarch, Lady Coleus was the 

 only one present in the challenge classes. In the open 

 classes, with the exception of those from the Flour City 

 Kennels, the entries were chiefly local, and type \\as very 

 mixed. Most of the dogs from the above kennel, having had 

 an uninterrupted run of luck, will soon be in the challenge 

 classes, and there does not seem to be mnch of anything to 

 take their places. Illford Chancellor walked out as u.sual 

 with the blue ribbon without any trouble, his nearest oppo- 

 nent, Troopu, having a fair head, but is faulty in carriage 

 of ears and is inclined to be cow-hocked; Duke, third, is 

 rather houndy-headed, otherwise fau-ly well formed. .Jumbo 

 II. hardly deserved his three letters, he is long and flat-faced, 

 besides being too black. Of Tiger andNimrod, c, the former 

 is a bad one, leggy, long and narrow in head, badly-carried 

 ears, and the latter is .shipy-muzzled but deserved mention 

 for his bone. Lady Dorothy and Caution's Own Daughter 

 were placed as at Pittsburgh under the same judge, the other 

 two entered were absent. Jefferson, first in puppies, is one 

 of the long-headed ones, and Sport, second, has only good 

 bone to recommend him, head and ears wrong. Stanley, he, 

 is very poor, and I am afraid the letters will raise false hopes 

 in his owner's mind. Mastiifs, as may be gathered from re- 

 ports of shows, are not improving in type, if I except those of 

 one or two kennels. The kennel special went to the Mour 

 City Kennels, and Trooper won that for best dog or bitch 

 owned in Washington. 



ST. BERNARDS— (MISS A. 11. WfllTNEy). 



The entries in these classes have a reflex of Baltimore with 

 several new faces froru the two Melrose kennels, which served 

 to increase the interest when the two kennels came up for 

 the kennel special, which as usual was one of the events of 

 the show. In challenge rough dogs, Hesper and Ben Lo- 

 mond, walked Into the ring again and went out in their 

 accustouied order, but this time Miranda reversed her Pitts- 

 burgh position and no longer played second fiddle to Lady 

 Wellington. An excellent class trooped into the ring when 

 open dogs were called. They filled the ring completely, so 

 much so that it was almost impossible to move them. Mr. 

 Sears showed Sir Bedivere fjid Lothario, and Mr, Moore, 



Alton and Lord Melrose. They divided the honors between 

 them. Sir Bedivere scoring his second first with Alton a good 

 second. JSIeither are in their proper bloom. Lord Melrose's 

 size and well-formed head, albeit he is so faulty behind; could 

 not be denied for third place; Lothario, a nicely-formed dog, 

 though small, taking the reserve. Lion, third at Baltimore, 

 found the company a little too .strong, but gained the three 

 letters, and so did Bruce; both were described in that report. 

 Archduke also came in for vhc; has a nice head though 

 lacking in shadings, his body lacks depth and substance. 

 Count St, Vincent occupied the same place as at Baltimore, 

 he. Tantallon, c, is a white with brindle markings, bit 

 long in head and not in show condition; has good bone. The 

 bitch class was the strongest that can be shown at present. 

 Lady Livingstone and Lady Sneerwell occupied the same 

 positions as at New York, but Plevna was reserved for the 

 specials only. Republican Belle upheld the Baltimore de- 

 cision in the same company, with the exception of Lady 

 Melrose, who came in for reserve; she was- looking better 

 than at New York, though still short of coat. Another 

 from Pine Hill Kennel. Melrose Plinella, a new face, took 

 vhc. ; she is a nice bitch of good quality, eye and muzzle could 

 be improved, but is well off for bone. Lady Adelaide II. is 

 another bitch of excellent type, might be better in head, but 

 very good in body, bone, legs and feet, color a little too light. 

 Prudence and Pleiad, both vhc, were commented on at Bal- 

 timore. If Prudence could be fleshed up a bit she would 

 stand higher no doubt. Veda IL, he. , has a sharp, long, flat 

 face. An excellent class and handled with Miss Whitney's 

 accustomed ability. Count St. Vincent turned up the win- 

 ner in puppies, and that bitch with the terrible name, J. M. 

 S., for short, was put second, so friend Mortimer will have 

 to write it out once more. Lady Floris III., reserve, though 

 good in bone, is a bit fiat-faced and straight behind. Max 

 looks as if his head will be too long when matiu-ed. There 

 was a big class here, but no doubt this will be the last ap- 

 pearance of many of them in public. 



In smooth challenge classes Cleopatra and Thisbe were 

 placed as named. The former stands the racket well. In 

 open dogs the judge reversed Baltimore awards, placing 

 Lord Hector over Adonis II., his Lordship's superior quality 

 no doubt catching his eye; Fritz, long in head and not 

 straight in front, was given third. Empress of Contoocock 

 had an easy win in the next class, and but for cxcejssive dew- 

 lajj she is an excellent bitch. Keepsake, second, was shown 

 in poor shape and Countess, wrongly recorded as second in 

 our last week 's list of awards, was given only c. She is brin- 

 dle marked and too .suipy in muzzle. In "smooth puppies 

 SwfiDhild, a little slack in back, nice legs but feet hardly 

 close enough, fair head, was placed well over Keepsake. As 

 already stated last week, Mr. Moore captured the kennel 

 prize. Best dog or bitch owned in Washington, D. C, V. 

 Petrola's Count St. Vincent. Best rough bitch owned in 

 Montgomery county, Md., J. M. Ford's Rose. Best smooth 

 dog or bitch, Jacob Ruppert, Jr.'s Empress,, of Contoocock. 



BLOOUHOUND.S— C'JAMES MORTIMER). 



In the absence of the Fair Haven, Vt., entries, Victor and 

 Judith, Jack the Ripper, who utterly belies his dreadful 

 name, took first in the dog class, 



JTEWFOXJNDLASDS— (MISS A. H. WHITNEY). 



Mr. Marshall is doing good service to the Newfoundland 

 breed by sending his dogs round the circuit, aud I trust that 

 the breed will be benefited by it, for though they are not 

 crack specimens, still they are 'of good and correct type, es- 

 pecially in coat. Prince Hal turned the tables on his sire, 

 Prince" George, who, though better in type of head, lost in 

 condition and coat. Albany Lass, reserve, and Troy Lass, 

 he, were at Pittsburgh. Rover Hildrop loses in head aud 

 coat to the others, and Rover is hardly the stamp. 



tfREAT DAfTfiS— (,TAMES MOHTIMER). 



Only two were shown, Pedro and Miuca Mia, and both 

 won in their das.ses. Mentor II. haviog died since the Balti- 

 more show, is quite a loss to hi.y owner, for hi: wa:; > ertainly 

 a most promising youngster. 



GREYHOUNDS— (JAMES MORTIMER). 



Gem of the Sea.son had an easj^ win in his clas.s. Hector, 

 .second, is prick-eared, none too straight in front, flat ritabed 

 and straight stifles. Sir Donald is better type, though his 

 feet turn in aud needs a little more rib, is heavy in shoulders 

 and tail not correct. In bitches Lady Clare won over Spin- 

 away, as the latter was shown too thin; Lady Clare is none 

 too healthy looking in skin, but Was here admitted by the 

 vet.,shevfas commented on at Pittsburgh, .Spinaway in 

 condition can give her points. Lady Ringgold, third, has 

 a nice head, is well-ribbed but too slraight in shoulder and 

 but for her temporary lameness would have beeu higher up, 

 no doubt. Trixie C. is only moderate and Ida i.s too long- 

 waisted. First was withheld in puppies and .'second went to 

 Hector, of no aceouut. Best ire;; honrd ovrried by a resident 

 of Washington— Dr. Snyder s ij&ny Hiagsi.jld. Best grey- 

 hound-'A, W, Pui-beck's Gem rit th^- Season, Serond best 

 owned by a resident of Washington— E. L. Piarber's Hector, 



In Russian wolfhounds Ivan won, beatin,i<- Iv.in r.omanofl;, 

 both are well kovvu. Prokaza, though hardly iu good .'^hape, 

 was alone in bitches. She can beat either of the dogs. 

 DEERHOUXDS— (JAMES MORTIMER). 



Some old faces turned up here, Mr. Thayer sending down 

 Robber Chieftain and Clansman, Breck Allen, who won at 

 Baltimore, winning second to the former and beating the 

 latter, with Wallace, vhc, loses to all in head, bone and 

 coat. In bitches the well-known Wanda beat Theodora, 

 both from the Lancaster Kennel. 



POINTERS— (J. M. TRACY). 



These classes showed up well, and the field trial elemeiit 

 was well to the fore. Robert le Diable was placed over that 

 sterling good pointer King of Kent in challenge heavy dogs. 

 In bitches Belle Randolph was alone. Open dogs had a big 

 clas.o, and a very small ring made it a difficult matter to pick 

 out the best of a rather indiff'erent lot, as far as bench-show 

 form goes. Graphite proved the winner, and Nick of Ion was 

 called up for second, he was at Baltimore; Glen Morgan, 

 thii'd, has also been described; and Trinket's Chief, Jr., vhc,, 

 loses to Tory White, reserve, in head and quality; Duke of 

 Richmond, vhc, is big and coarse; Von Little job n, c.,is a bit 

 long-cast, light in eye, but head nicely formed, pasterns 

 faulty. Tempest must have been overlooked. In bitches 

 Woolton Game was well ahead over Bev R., commented on 

 at Baltimore, and so was Cicely, third; Queen C. is rather 

 dish-faced and was in poor shape for showin.g. Iu challenge 

 light-weights Duke of He.ssen was ea.sily ahead of Tribula- 

 tion, and Spot Sting was outclassed, Rosa May's nice head 

 caughtthe judge's eye for first place, though she loses to 

 Queen Fan in body; Stella B. a good third. In open class 

 dogs Rip Rap, though as a field dog he has few supei-iors, is 

 not a bench show dog, and his poor head, light eyes and 

 pasterns are enough to defeat him, against such dogs as In- 

 spiration, Flockfinder, and others behind him. Inspiration 

 was given second; Prince Don, third, is a new one, is well 

 ribbed and stands well all round, eye too full, and muzzle 

 snipy. Bing of Kippen, vhc, is well known, and 

 Daniel Derondu, who is throaty, hardly straight enough 

 in front, has a fair body. Rock II., vhc, is too much 

 cut out before the eye, is heavy in shoulder and a bit straight 

 in stifle. Maid of Kent, a bitch of nice quality and a good 



Eerformer in the sedge, won in the bitch class. She has 

 ardly enough depth of chest, is a bit long cast, not right 

 in front, head might be better, eyes light and is faulty in 

 .stop, is well ribbed. Fan Fan, "second, has fewer faults, 

 though is faulty in head, but is better in front and body. 

 Eva B., third, is only fair— faulty in head and front. Delta, 

 vhc, I did not see» Bloomo IlL, though showu a bit above 



