June 11, 1891.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



417 



Tackled a Sturgeon.— There was a lot of fun in the 

 OvSxvego RiTer below the Northwestern elevator yesterday. 

 When the big barge Eesolute was going out her wheel 

 came in contract with a large sturgeon, which was 

 stunned by the blow and came to the surface, where he lay 

 apparently lifeless. Several lumber sbovers who were on 

 the dock saw his sturgeonship and half a dozen of them 

 jumped into a boat and went out to secure the prize. 

 Among the number was "Alf " Moran, the wrestler. When 

 the boat was alongside of the big fish "Alf" threw both 

 arms around the smooth and eel-like skin of his sturgeon- 

 ship and endeavored to lift him into the "punt." The 

 sturgeon, however, was in no mood to be trifled with. 

 The wheel of the Eesolute had dealt him a hard blow and 

 he was not feeling well. When he discovered himself in 

 the clasp of the brawny 'longshoreman, he brought his 

 big flat tail around with all his might, struck his captor 

 full in the face, and with a parting kick slid from his 

 embrace out into the river. The crowd laughed and 

 "Alf" got mad. He was determined to capture the stur- 

 geon if he had to go into the river and fight it out tliere. 

 Grasping the oar he sculled out into the stream and re- 

 newed the contest. The sturgeon wriggled, twisted and 

 squirmed, but it was no use. "Alf" had him fast around 

 the middle, .and the squeezing he received must have made 

 his sides ache. To Hft him into the boat, however, was 

 another thing, and as the men present refused to lend a 

 hand it was no easy job. At last "All" got his hands 

 into the gills of the big fish, and with a mighty effort 

 threw him into the boat, amid the applause of half a hun- 

 dred 'longshoremen who had witnessed the contest from 

 the docks. The fish was taken to "Tosser" Griffin's and 

 found to weigh just seventy-one pounds.— Osii'6'(/o (N. Y.) 

 Palladium. 



Newfound L.ike.— Salem, Mass., June 5. — I noticed in 

 your issue of June 3 an article entitled "Newfound Lake, 

 N. H.," by "P. L.," which seems to be largely in the in- 

 terest of the hotel keepers in the vicinity of the lake. I 

 think your readers should hear the other side, or from 

 the less fortunate ones who have visited this beautiful 

 lake. I with several friends spent considerable time 

 trolling the shores of this lake, and with all our best 

 efforts we only succeeded in capturing one iQsh, and this 

 one was the only one that took our bait while fishing 

 there. We put in about 15 hoiirs each day; from nearly 

 fifty persons fishing at that time on the lake (and this 

 was the height of the fishing season), I could not learn 

 that more than one in ten had succeeded in taking a fish 

 while I was there. Now, if our friend "P. L." will tell 

 us how Mr. Geo. H, Fowler, of Bristol, N. H., succeeded 

 in taking seventy-six fish weighing GSilbs., we will 

 gladly pay any reasonable price for the recipe, and as 

 we do not wish to depopulate the lake in one season, 

 and are perfectly willing that others should have a 

 chance to take a fish, we will sign an obligation to leave 

 off the seventy and content ourselves with the six fish. 

 If it was possible that Mr. Fowler did or could take se^-- 

 enty-six fish in one seaaon from so small a lake (which 

 must have necessitated his going into the fish business, 

 to say the least of it) there is no credit to him in the eyes 

 of alf lovers of our beautiful game fish, who will, where- 

 cver found, be more ready to protect and seek to increase 

 and multiply them than to exert every energy to capture 

 the greatest number possible, — Bruin. 



Canadian Duties on Rods and Guns.— June 6.— I 

 have read with a great deal of interest the two commu- 

 nications in this week's Forest a.nd Stream regarding 

 Lake St. John. A friend of mine fished there last sum- 

 mer and tells me it was the most interesting, exciting and 

 satisfactory fishing outing he ever enjoyed. There is one 

 matter of which I have seen no mention in print which 

 the sportsmen of the United States should be acquainted 

 with, and that is that the Custom authorities of Canada 

 require a duty of §7 to be paid on each rod. reel and gun. 

 It as, it seems to me, rather a suicidal law for the Domin- 

 ion of Canada, and I presume after having been in opera- 

 tion for a year or two will be repealed, In my own case, 

 I obtained from the Customs department at Ottawa in- 

 Etructions to the Collector of Customs at Quebec to accept 

 a deposit on rods and tackle, to be refunded on my leav- 

 ing Canada. The commissioner wrote me that applica- 

 tion for remission of duties were very niunerous, as I can 

 readily believe.— H. S. Chandler, 



THE KANKAKEE RIVER QUESTION. 



Editor Foreiit and Siream: 



[n answer to Mr. K. Hough's article in a recent number of the 

 FOBEST AND STREAM, in which article he dilates upon the beauty 

 of tue Kanliakee River, the city of Momence, ami relative to the 

 fish and game laws not being properly enforced, I have a few re- 

 marks to make upon the subject. 



I was once a cit izen of Momence, and was appointed fish warden 

 nt that i.>lace in April, 1880, but since that time I have located at 

 La Salle, 111., where you will find me still fieniins in behalf of the 

 finny tribe. Any one can testify as to my work at any point be- 

 tween Seneca and Henry, 111. This, the Illinois River, is the home 

 of the fishermen, but I think you will find more restriction in the 

 law in this territory this year than has been had for years pist, 

 and I am assured by the pole fishermen that the flRh are much 

 more plentiful and much more easily caught than formerly at 

 this paiut. 



I atrree with Mr. Hough as regards the Kankakee River being a 

 lovely stream, and think he will find as good fly-fishermen at 

 Momence as evpr handled a rod or oast a line in any stream in 

 the State. Among those whom I might name, and who would be 

 pleased to meet Mr. Hough should he again visit Momence, are 

 Messrs. W. M. Durham, Ool. e. Daryee, W. P. Watson, J. D. 

 White, Fred Knighthart and numerous others. 



Aa to lawless fishing, the river is practically a protected stream, 

 taking into consideration the Illinois River, as I have made three 

 Beiznres of ne's this seaaon, viz.: April 15, seven nets at Perxi, 111.; 

 May 13, twelve nets between LaSalle and Hennepin; May 26, left 

 LaSalle in company with two assistants, Messrs. Wm. Halen and 

 Edward Shannon, at 3 A. M., aid arrived at Henry at 4:30 P. M., a 

 distance of thirty-five miles, in row boats, and confiscated two 

 Avinged flke and one trammel net. These latter nets belonged to 

 parties who were in the act of illegal fishing, but npon our ap- 

 proach fled to avoid arrest. This shows that twenty-two nets 

 have been confiscated hy me since the close of the season. One 

 mnst take into consideration the amount of work done and time 

 involved in this, .and all without recompense or remuneration for 

 so doing. 



I launched my skiff nt Momence and traveled to the month of 

 the lUioois, thence down to Marseilles, and made an inspection 

 of every dam on the river. I also served flshway notices on the 

 parties owning or controlling these dams. What more could have 

 been done? If, as you say. a company or association is formed to 

 proceed with the work and bring legal proceedings for damages 

 where flshw.ays are not constructed, we can give the fish free 

 passage up and down the river; but until that time we are help- 

 less. There are eight dams in the Kankakee River, viz: Momence 

 two, 6ft. in height each; Waldron or Aroma one, 6ft.; Kankakee 

 one, 8ft.; slack water navigation dam above Wilmiiigtnn, 17ft.; 

 ■■Wilmington one, 6ft.; slack water navigation dam below Wilming- 

 ton, 7J6ft., and Is open for lish; Feeder dam, Sft^, then comes the 

 first dam on the Illinois Rtver, at MarBeiUes, 9ft, and Is -wUhout 



flshway. There is a fish warden, Mr. M. R. Kelley, at the Feeder 

 dam above mentioned, and whose post office address is Wilming- 

 ton. 



As regards the spearing of fish at Momence, Mr. Hough claims 

 to have noticed a dozen or more spearing lignts even inside tlie 

 city limits. Let me ask if Mr. Hough conid riot have ascertained 

 the naTJies of at least one of th» parries who were spearing and 

 had tbem brought to justice? How often do complaints of like 

 nsture come to me from parties who know the facts, yet are not 

 willing to give the names of those who persist in the violation of 

 the law. And again, the writer of the article puDlished admits 

 that he purchast^d a bass weighine 'li-.ilbs., and which iiad been 

 speared. He must know that the purchase of or having of fish in 

 possession whicn have been caught in an unlawful manner lays 

 the purchaser liable to the law, and more especially when the 

 unlawful act is known to have been so. Such acts do not have a 

 tendency to «top the Fpearing, hut on tfie contrary encourages it, 

 from the fact that tlic spearers find sale for what they catch. 

 This cannot be gaiuHaid. 



It has been my experience to find more trotible with parties 

 who own or control clubhouses than with those who follow fish- 

 ing as a means of livelihood. The former bold they have a more 

 legal right to fish at any time than others, as thoy control, or 

 claim to control, the water at tlie point where their club house is 

 located. In this last I can and do spoak from actual experience. 



In speaking of the Fox River Association and its method of 

 working, all are heartily in sympathy wiih it and we can see the 

 benefit of it. Its raembcrs are to be conarratulated for their efforts 

 in behalf of the tish, and it would he well to have more of a like 

 nature within the State. 



In conclusion, I trust Mr. Hough will not in .anyway feel of- 

 fended at these remarks, and I should he greatly pleased to meet 

 him at any time. I shall do all that lies in mv power to protect 

 both fish and game. M. D. Ghebn, Fish Warden. 



La SAiLE, HI. - 



The Foli-ett Patent Automatic Fishing Ron Butt and 

 RebTj has received the endorsement of our most expert anglers. 

 The entire mechanism is contained in the butt, weight being so 

 centralized that balance is given to the rod and no fatigue to the 

 wrist experienced. The reel can be exchanged for difl'erent weight 

 at pleasure. The brnke is operated entirely by the hand lioldirg 

 the rod, leaving the other free to handle net or for other purposes. 



^h^ Mmmh 



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. 



DOG SHOWS. 



Sept. 1 to 4.— Dog Show of the Yonngstown Kennel Club, at 

 Yonngstowni. O. 



Sept. (I to 11.— First Annual Dog Show of the Hamilton Kennel 

 Club, at Hamilton, Out. 



Sept. 14 to IS.— Toronto Industrial Exhibition Association Third 

 International Dog Show, at Toronto. C. A. Stone, Seo'y and Sunt. 



Sept. 23 to 25.— Inaugural Dog Show of the Montreal Exposition 

 Company, at Montreal. Canada. 



Sept. 29 to Oct. 1— Third Annual Dog Show, in connection with 

 the Central Canada Fair, at Ottawa, Ont. Alfred Geddea, Supt. 

 1893. 



Jan. 13 to Ik— Second Annual Dog Show of the Sonth Carolina 

 Kennel Association, at Columbia, S. C F. F. Canera, Secretary. 

 GreenviUe, S. C. 



FIELD TRIALS. 



Xov. 3.— Inaugural Trials of the United States Field Trial Clnb, 

 at BickneU, fnd. P. T. Madison, Secretary. 



Nov. 16.— Eastern Field Trials (Jlub's Thirteenth Annual Trials, 

 at High Point, N. O. Members' Stake Nov. 13. W. A. Coster, 

 Secretary. 



Nov. ai.-Gentral Field Trial Club's Third Annual Trials, at 

 Lflxington, N. C. C. H. OdeU, Sec'y, 44 and 46 Wall street, New- 

 York city. 



Dec. 14.— Philadelphia Kennel Club's Field Trials. Charles E. 

 Connell, Secretary. 



GREYHOUNDS AT CHICAGO. 



Editor Forest and Strcnm: 



One of the privileges which the dog fancier jealously 

 guards and much enjoys, is addressing questions for informa- 

 tion to the papers that puhlish a kennel department. Any 

 person in good standing who seeks information either for 

 himself or for another, and who advances his qtiestions in a 

 courteous and pioper way, has the right to expect a courte- 

 ons .tnd intelligible answer from the paper consulted. In 

 its "Answers to Correspondeuts," as well as in the matter of 

 foot uotes, the Forest Ano Stp.eam has always been well 

 ahead of its competitors in this country. Its replies have 

 been marked by ability, sound advice, conciseness and strict 

 adherence to facts pertaining to the question involved. 

 Evasive, misleading, unintelligible, inaccurate statement is 

 something that the paper has always, since I have known it. 

 left others to wallow in. When I recently addressed a few 

 pertinent qtiestions to your keuuel editor about a wrong 

 report, an erroneous award and certain incorrect and mis- 

 leading statements that had unfortunately gotten into the 

 paper, I had every reason to believe that his answers would 

 be as they had been before— sound, explicit, relevant and 

 correct. Instead of such answers you have, carelessly I hope, 

 printed a foot note which I have no hesitation in saying 

 neither Foeest and Stkeam nor anybody else can make 

 sense of or understand, the foot note itself justifies this state- 

 ment. Instead of answering the questions asked, clearing 

 up matters, and telling us what is right and what wrong, 

 your kennel editor has contradicted himself, befogged your 

 readers, and left matters in a much worse condition than 

 ever before. Surely Mr. Lacy does not realize what that 

 foot note means to Forest and Stkea-m, if it is placed on 

 record as it now stands. Therefore, may I again, in a most 

 friendly way and for the benefit of those dog men who can- 

 not understand that foot note, ask Mr. Lacy for relevant 

 and explicit answers to the following questions: 



1. Mr. Lacy tells us that he did not intend to write that a 

 greyhotiud shotild have a short back, but that he meant to 

 say "short loin." In view of the fact that he had already 

 written about the dog's loin this seems strange; but what 

 does he mean by telling us, after having distinctly stated 

 that the loin should be "short," that "we still maintain that 

 the short and strong loin, comparatively speaking, is what 

 is required"? What are we to understand from these con- 

 flicting statements? Should the loin be "short" as stated 

 in the Chicago report, short in comparison with the length 

 of the back or short in proportion to the length of loin seen 

 in other breeds? 



2. Is there not other evidence besides the Chicago report 

 which goes to show that Mr. Lacy has called for short back 

 when it should not be short? 



3. Mr. Lacy tells us that the greyhound Mother Demdike 

 is faulty in back and ribs. Will he kindly state in what 

 respect she is faulty? 



4. Mr. Lacy says: "To prove that we did not mean that a 

 greyhound should have a short back it was only the week 

 before, while judging at Boston, that we pttt back an other- 

 wise good hound, Imperator, for that very fault." Now, as 

 a matter of fact, Mr. Lacy did nothing of the sort, which is 

 proved by his report on the greyhound class at Boston. This 

 is what lie said (Forest and Stream, April 9>: "Imperator 

 by some mistake was either not in the ring or was sent out 

 by the steward." [The report goes on to say "though too 

 short in back, etc."] And Mr. Lacy asks me to accept this as 

 "proof" that he "did not mean that a greyhound should 

 have a short back." Does it not seem strange that a judge 

 should put a dog back for havinga short back when he 

 never saw the dog in the ring? will your kennel editor 

 Mndly explain just where fehe "proof" comfis InP 



5. In regard to the "wonderful rib development," Mr. 

 Lacy answers as follows: "Rib development does not mean 

 great spring of ribs, which a greyhound should not have 

 unless he has the necessary chest development to .support 

 it." This is entirely too much for me. How could the dog 

 have thi' "necessary chest development' " to support "great 

 spring of ribs" if he did not have the "great spring of ribs." 

 Mr. Lacy has overlooked the fact that the formation of the 

 ribs has quite a little to do with the development of the 

 chest. Will he kindly explain? 



6. "Bib development," says Mr. Lacy, is "that length 

 of hnvk between the neck and the last rib" that "Stone- 

 lienge" speaks of. There is not a particle of evidence to 

 show that when "Stonehenge" wrote of length of back he 

 meant development of ribs or anything else. He intended 

 to say exactly what he did say. Does Mr. Lacy seriously 

 state that his allusions to "wonderful rib development," 

 "rib development," etc., referred to the "length of back 

 between the neck and the last rib"? He might just as well 

 tell US that the length of head means length of tail. One 

 statement is as reasonable as the other. 



7. Mr, Lacy asked us to believe that Lord Neverstill, "like 

 all of his breeding, is not well let down behind." The state- 

 ment does a grievotis wrong to every owner of dogs of this 

 strain. Lord Neverstill comes of illustrious stock and from 

 two families which are as well let dowm behind as any in the 

 world. If the statement is indor.sed by authority, or if a 

 particle of genuine proof can be produced in support of it, 

 will Mr. Lacy kindly name such authority and state where 

 such evidence can be found? 



I asked if Mr. Lacy and Mr. Fellows, who had awarded 

 prizes to a prick-eared greyhound (not a greyhound that 

 ^'occa.sionally" elevated its ears), would confer the same 

 honors upon prick-eared greyhounds when shown iti fairly 

 good comp.any. The answer was that another judge (the 

 writer) gave third jirize in a strong class of thirteen dogs to 

 a specimen with a "half inch overhanging top jaw." It is 

 only a few weeks since Mr. Lacy informed me that this dog 

 was overshot fully an inch. Now^ he has it half an inch, 

 .and I am in hopes that next time he wil.) get it right. 

 But what has this got to do with a question for information 

 courteou.sly asked? Two Avrongs do not make a right. The 

 qtiestion is, Would those gentletnen again award prizes to 

 prick-eared greyhounds .shown in a cla.ss that is fairly good? 

 I am Ciuite willing to discuss ray awards at the proper time 

 and in the proper place, and do it in such a way that your 

 readers will understand what I am writing about. 



Chas. H. Masok. 



New Yobk, June 8. 



[Notwdth.standing Mr. Mason's formidable array of ques- 

 tions, they are only a reiteration of what was fully answered 

 in our last week's issue. If Mr. Mason cannot understand 

 our answer we know of no further remedy. Besides, the 

 subject is of hardly sufficient interest to merit a newspaper 

 controversy.] 



Editor Forest a,nd Stream: 



I am very sorry indeed that my friend, Mr. Chas. H. 

 Mason, should have been abtised on my account, but I am 

 now in a position to know that greyhoituds had nothing to 

 do with the matter. I know what cattsed the trouble, but 

 am not at liberty just now to tell. If the editors of the 

 daily papers referred to had asked my opinion, I should 

 have told them that I consider Mr. Mason the best judge in 

 America, if not in the world. I think he could detect a 

 fancy point in a dog through a brick wall quicker than I 

 could with a microscope. 



About Elcho at Kingston, I will say that he did not have 

 prick ears when in the ring, but when taking notes of the 

 dogs on the benches I did see his ears elevated slightly, but 

 not by any means a prick ear. My hobby is work. I gave 

 first prize to the dog I thought could go the fastest and last 

 the longest. It would have made but mighty little differ- 

 ence to me if he had shown prick ears. I have read of a 

 variety of greyhotind called Heatherjocks, they had prick 

 ears or large' upstanding ones, but I did not read that it 

 hurt their running in the lea.st. Of course, in a high class 

 of greyhotinds, other things being equal, I would peg the 

 dog with prick ears back. The collie, champion Rex", had 

 one prick ear; I exhibited him from Ottawa to Washington, 

 and no judge ever caught him with his ear up when 1 was 

 shomng him. 



I don't want any newspaper controversy with Mr. Mason, 

 his guns are of too large a caliber for rae. I have no time 

 to write, as writing won't buy the kid a coat, but I thought 

 I would set Mr. Mason right,"as I know Dr. Mills had noth- 

 ing to do with the letters to the Toronto papers. 



J. Otis Fellows. 



HoitNELnsviLLE, N. Y., .Tune 7. 



TWO MATTERS. 



Editor Forest and. Stream: 



It gives me a great deal of pleasure to verify, in the most 

 positive manner, your supposition that Dr. Mills had no 

 share in the vttlgar atatise showered on Mr. Mason in some of 

 the Canadian papers, I holding Dr. Mills's letter, strongly 

 denouncing the whole bttsiness and expressing his contempt 

 for the low vulgarity of the.se attacks. Further, if I am 

 not mistaken. Dr. Mills has condemned these attacks in the 

 Canadian Kennel Gazette. Few things worry me more 

 than to have men I know to be honest and aiming at the 

 right for the right's sake, fall out, and while Mr. Mason and 

 Dr. Mills will probabiy never agree in their notions as to 

 dogs, they are in accord in contempt for crookedness of all 

 kinds, and this bond should keep them at least respectful 

 to each other, ditfer as much as they may. However. I sup- 

 pose it is a necessary preliminary to knowing and appre- 

 ciating Mr. Mason, to first have a "fight wdth him, for really 

 I do not now remember one of his many friends, who so 

 thoroughly esteem him, who did not begin by a fight, and 

 not a few found themselves in my fix of long ago, obliged to 

 apologize* to him for wrongs done him. 



I think there may be another explanation of the waning 

 interest of hounds in ptirsuing the trail of wolves than that 

 suggested by Mr. Lort (vide your par on page 400). Dr. J. B. 

 Grimes, an old foxhunter, aiid one of education (not the rule 

 with the foxhunter.) told me that some years since a pack of 

 wolves broke over into the neighborhood of Kingwood, West 

 Virsinia, from Hoye's (or some of the other "wildernesses" 

 of West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania) and that 

 upon attempting to hunt them with their foxhottnds, they 

 fotind the dogs entirely indifferent to the scent. Yet these 

 hounds were thoroughly reliable on the trail of fox, deer or 

 wildcat. It could not be fear of the quarry, for a hotind 

 that ever had a taste of an old "Tom" wildcat need not 

 count a wolf a seriotts job to tackle, and although rather 

 cowardly when not on chase, it is very rare that a hound 

 shows signs of fear when aroused by the excitement of a hot 

 chase, the exception of this being striking a hornet's or 

 yellow jacket's nest. Crowder had killed two wildcats singly 

 and got frightfully torn up at each kill, yet he would drop 

 his tail and run his best at the first taste of any stinging in- 

 sect. To return to following the wolf trail, I stispect that 

 the reason for the indifference of the hounds is that the 

 scent too closely resembles that of their own kind for them 

 to recognize it as game, yet as hounds seem to he tised for 

 trailing wolves, both in our West and in Russia, there must 

 be enough difference in the scents for hounds to be able to 

 discern it. On this point some of your western readers 

 should be competent to speak, and would do us a favor by 

 givin.g us the facts as to how hounds trail wolves, whether 

 naturally, or by special training, W. Wade. 



HuMON, Pa., June 8, 



