472 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Deo. 31, 1891. 



WATCHING THE NETS. 



Dear Forest and Stream: 



"There's a strike, Lon!" was the first sound that greeted 

 my ear as I arrived at the cozy camp of the liake Sunapee 

 State Hatchery cue da^rk, still night in October. FoUowiag 

 the exclamatioB, in which I recogDized the geuial voice of 

 the superlntendeut, Mr. Ransom F. Sargent, two shadowy 

 forms sprang from the sandy beach into one of the large 

 boat.s lying by the little pier and hastily paddled away from 

 the shore, "Where are they going now?" asked the driver 

 who had brought me from the station at the southern end of 

 the lake, some five miles away. "Out to run the nets," I re- 

 plied; "they have got a strike." "Well, you have got me. 

 Run the nets! What do you mean he asked in such a tone 

 of surprise, that I was completely taken back at the appa- 

 rent ignorance of this man, who had doubtless lived within 

 rifle shot of Sunapee Tjake for many years. 



By careful inquiry I learned that he was only one of many 

 who were perfectlv ignorant- of the methods employed to 

 capture the trout in October, when, heavy with spawn, they 

 attempt to run up the brooks. 



Then, thought I, if so many of these people, living within 

 a few miles of a well-ecxuipped State institution, know abso- 

 lutely nothing of the labor and expense involved in "propa- 

 gatiue the species," would not a little article descriptive of 

 niy visit to this, the banner hatchery of New Hampshire for 

 '91, be of interest to many of our readers? Assuming that 

 such may be the case, I would state at the beginning that 

 no more picturesque nor healthy location couid be found 

 upon the shores of this famous sheet than that of neces- 

 sity selected by the Commission ixpon the east shore, by the 

 clear waters of Pike Brook, and u]ion which, about eighty 

 rods from the lake, is the hatchery proper. 



This is one of the most important feeders of the lake, to- 

 ward which the trout aud landlocked salmon swarm as soon 

 as the September rains raise the water to a sufficient height 

 to allow them to pass up. 



Here, close to the mouth of the brook, their further pro- 

 gress is barred by a heavy pound, which is ingeniously 

 placed in the water. Having once passed through they can- 

 not get back to the lake nor further up the stream. This 

 pound is built on a similar principle to the wire fly traps so 

 commonly used. The fish in its efforts to follow the current 

 passes through a small opening in the A-shaped inclosure, 

 and here it safely remains until the netters come and more 

 active operations begin, which is usually about Sept. 18. 

 Just above the pound, in the deep waters of the brook, is 

 built a heavy tank, having three sections, one for eaca of 

 the .species captured here. The brook flows through the 

 long tank to a depth of from 4 to 5ft., and supplies the cap- 

 tive fish with pure water. No food is taken by the trout 

 when confined in this tank at the spawning season. 



The Camp is a hand.some, pniated cottage, containing 

 forrr rooms, ample sleeping accommodations, cooking range 

 and utensils, and is neat and convenient. 



The preparations for the fall campaign are not very ex- 

 tensive, and soon the bu.sy superintendent and his assistants 

 have overhauled the long ue^s and put them in readiness for 

 service, while in the .sandy bar which atretcbe.s away from 

 the beach for many rods, heavy stakes have been driven at 

 distances of lOOl't., this being the length of the nets. These 

 stakes form various angles, and when the nets are dis- 

 tributed make a sort of enclosure. 



Everything in readiness just before dark, the superinten- 

 dent with an as.sistant takes a large tub in his boat, in 

 which the nets have been carefully placed, and beginning 

 at the shore stake, in about 3ft. of "water, the nets are "put 

 Girt," sometimes 300ft. and sometimes 500ft. are stretched 

 in this vei-tical position from stake to stake. The nets are 

 provided with heavy leads on one edge and cork floats upon 

 the other, which cause them to remain vertical in the water. 

 Then from dark until neat morning these sturdy men must 

 wutch and wait for the expected "strike," for, strange to 

 relate, brook and lake trout are moving toward their spawn- 

 ing beds only in the darkness of night. Hour after hour 

 they watch and listen, and when a large specimen is cap- 

 tured much care and skill are necessarily employed in order 

 to release the fish from the nets without doing it injury. 



The trout swimming toward the brook, which flow.s into 

 the lake back of tli.e suspended nets, strikes the fine liuen 

 meshes, and as it feels the threads drawing about its gills, 

 it "strikes," or throws itself from the water in a vain effort 

 to shake itself free from the tangle in which it finds itself. 

 Over and over it turns in its struggles, and one can but 

 poorly judge of the strength of a fifteen-pounder unless he 

 has handled him. Then the attendant puts his arms deep 

 down in the cold waters of the lake and lifts the captive in 

 a baglike fold of the net. Near the surface, oftentimes be- 

 neath the water, and then perhaps in his arms, the attend- 

 ant carefully proceeds to untangle the finny monarch, and 

 this, too, in the darkest of nights— perhaps "it mav be rain- 

 ing violently in addition to the other discomforts. ' 



It was free at last, and placing it carefully in a high, nar- 

 row tank containing a small quantity of water-, the boat is 

 put ashore, where each man ventures an estimate of its 

 weight, of course, and the beauty is placed in the receiving 

 tank to await proper development of an inclination to throw 

 its .spawn, when one by one the females, or "biddys" as 

 they are called, are taken from the tank, with the aid of a 

 dip-net. 



When found to be "ripe" the .superintendent takes the 

 trout upon his arm, its head between his elbow and side, its 

 body firmly, but gently, grasped in his mittened hand, then, 

 by slow and continued pressure the little golden globules 

 are forced into a shallow receptacle. This work is done close 

 by the receiving tank, under cover of a canvas spread to pro- 

 tect the roe from the rays of the sun, which must not fall 

 upon the eggs at this time. Then a male, or "jack," is 

 dipped out and by the same process its milt is mingled with 

 the spawn of the female, and the act of fecundation is com- 

 plete. These trout are retiu'ned to the waters of the lake, 

 while the spawn is carried to the hatchery, where two large 

 pipes supply bountiful streams of water 'from the brook 

 itself, and from a large spring some rods away. The union 

 of these two streams of water keeps the temperature even, 

 and the supply can be regulated and distributed through 

 the various tanks, by means of valves. 



In the long rows of water-tight tanks are arrranged wire 

 screens in boxed sections, and upon these the roe is carefully 

 spread, a crow's feather being used to distribute them. 

 Then the water is allowed to ran through these tanks in- 

 cessantly, keeping the little globules from a third to one- 

 half an inch beneath the surface. 



The building must be so tight and warm that the water 

 cannot possibly freeze, and twice or thrice a week during 

 the long ijrocess of incubation an attendant must visit the 

 hatchery and remove such of the eggs as have not become 

 fertilized. These are easily distinguished by their creamy 

 white appearance, while the perfect spawn is almost trans- 

 parent. This dead spawn acts like decayed fruit upon the 

 mass, affecting all about it, and in turn destroying the en- 

 tire plant. 



The eggs develop and increase in size, until in January and 

 February the little sac bursts, and a tiny wiggling mite, less 

 than an inch in length, is discovered. To this embryo is 

 attached, at the junction of the head and body, the balance 

 of the sac, which supplies the food until abotit the time of 

 the opening of the brooks in April, when the fry are readv 

 for distribution. These in turn make sport for the auglex 

 and supply the hatchery with its required spawn. Bykon. 



A Book AEOxn: Indians.— The Forest and Str.eam will nrail 

 f ree on apolicatioa a descriptive circular of Mr. &rinnell's book, 

 "Pawnee Hero Stories a,nd Folk-fcales," giving a table of coateata 

 and Bpectmes lUnstrations from the volume.— .Adv. 



'h^ Mmnel 



Dogs: Tlieir M anagement and Trea tment in Disease. By 

 Ashmont. Price $2. Kennel Reayrd. and, Accovnt BooK 

 Price $S. Training vs. Breaking. By S. T. Hammond. 

 Price $1. First Lessons in Dog Training, with Points of 

 all Breeds. Price so cents. 



FIXTURES. 



(For fuller delaih sec, imie- of Dec. S.) 

 DOG SHOWS. 



Dec. 30 to Jan. 3.— GHoversville, N. Y. F. B. Zimmsr, Sec'y. 

 1893. 



Jan. 5 to 8.-A1 bany, TST. Y. W- O. House, Fort Plain, N. Y., Sec'y. 



Jan. 5 to 9.— Charleston, S. C. Benj. Melanias, Sec'y. 



Jan. ]o to 16.— Columbia, S. C. P. F. Capers, Greenville, Sec'y. 



Jan. 21 to 25.— IClmira, N. T. O. A. Bowman, Sec'v. 



Feb. 9 to 13.— Chicago, 111. John L. Lincoln, Jr., Sec'y. 



Feb. 16 to 19.— Jackson, Mich. Cha?. H. Ptuhl, Seu'y. 



Sah. 23 to 26.— New York. James Mortimer, Supt. 



March 1 to 4.— Philadelphia, Pa. F. S. Brown, dpc'y. 



March 8 to 11.— Washington. D. C. F. S.Webster, 738 B'way,N.Y, 



March 1-5 to 18 — Pittsburgh, Pa. W. E. Littell. Sec'y. 



April 7 to 10 —Boston, Mass. E. H. Moore, Sec'y. 



April 20 to 2^J.— Los Angeles, Cal. C. A. Sumner, Sec'y. 



May 1 to 7.— San Francisco, Cal. H. L. Miller, Sec'y. 



FIELD TRIALS. 

 18P2. 



Jan. 11-13 —Bexar Field Trials, San Antonio, Texas. 

 Jan. 18.— Pacific FieW Trials, BakersviUe, Cal. 

 • . —.Southern Field Trials, New Albany, Miss. 



RETROSPECT. 



A HAPPY AND PROSPKilOUS YEAR to all kennel 

 readers of Forest asd Stream, The year just passed 

 has been marked by a great advance in all kennel interests 

 in this country, notwithstanding the sevei-e losses some 

 kennels, especially the St. Bernard men, have sustained dur- 

 ing the past summer. In mastifl's there is little new to re- 

 late, Mr. Whitney's importation of Cardinal Beaufort,taking 

 the place of his late Ilford Chancellor, being the most im- 

 portant, and Mr. Bunn has imported several good brood 

 bitches. In St. Bernards Plinlimmou, Prince Regent, Scot- 

 ti.sh Prince, Plevna, Alton, Ben Lomond, Hesper, a galaxy 

 of St. Bernard talent that it will take years of careftil 

 breeding to duplicate, have all gone to the silent majority, 

 but the importation of Princess Florence, Lord Bute, Mar- 

 qitis of Ripon, Refuge II,, King Regent and others will go 

 far to redeem the breed. 



By the importation of Imperator, the great Dane breed has 

 been greatly strengthened here and the interest in these dogs 

 is decidedly on the advance. Newfoundlands have made uo 

 progress. Deerhoimds are also just about where they were. 

 Greyhounds, on the contrary, have been improved by several 

 importations, Gem of the Season, Pious Pembroke, Ornatus, 

 Bestwood Daisy, Lilly of Gainsborough, and in cotirsing by 

 Dingwall, Royal Crest, etc. Coursing is surely ou the boom 

 but is stiil, unfortunately, chiefly confined to the West. 

 Pointers have had no special addition to their ranks and Sir 

 Frederick is the priucioal new comer in English setters. 

 The breed is rather in an unsettled state and there .seems an 

 inclination to favor a lighter type tliau the heavy English 

 too customari ly seen at ourshows. Irish .setters through the 

 field trials have received a great fillip and the importations 

 of Coler-aine, Blue Rack and Finglas are very noteworthy 

 ones. Gordons are about as they were, nothing new except 

 Heather Bee having been imported. Fox-terriers .still hold 

 their own in terriers, and such new dogs as Dona, Dominica, 

 Pitcher, Dobbin, Miss Dollar, etc., will all do good to the 

 fancy, be.sides the several new kennels that are going into the 

 breed. Bull-terriers may be said to be booming, thanks to 

 Messrs. Frank Dole and .lohn Moorehead, whose Gully the 

 Great, imported by the former with several others, and the 

 latter's Streatham Monarch, will all serve to make competi- 

 tion very keen the coming circuit. Irish terriers and Dandie 

 Dinmonts have been improved1)y recent importations. Crate, 

 Banner Boy, Boxer IV., Dunmtirry and Ballyraoney helping 

 the Irish caitse, while in Dandies, Heather Madge audKing o' 

 the Heather arc noteworthy specimens of this game dog. 

 BuUdofis have had several important additions though none 

 that will Ijeat Harper and those we had before. Skyes and 

 Airedales remain still in the cold. Pugs have been 

 strengthened by the Bonsor and Penrice importations. Other 

 toys remain about as they were last year. Black and tan ter- 

 riers, by the addition of Sultan, Queen Hi., Salisbury, Jasper, 

 Ijouie axKl Beaconsfield, have had considerable attention 

 drawn to them, and they arc certainly a coming breed. The 

 Psovoi, formerly known as the Bai'zoi, have made rapid 

 strides inpublic esti mation. Mr. Hacke's importations being- 

 very important, and there is every sign that before another 

 year American grit will have solved the question as to wtiich 

 is the proper type, and then they will get the best as usrtal. 

 Field trials, though they are hardly the sentimental, enjoy- 

 able gatherings they used to be, are now set on a firm bWi- 

 ness basis and must revert to the good of the several breeds 

 of sporting dogs. In conclusion we may remark, that 

 Forest akd Stream, as in the past year, will continue to 

 watch the growing interests in kennel affairs, and, with its 

 increased space, will give its readers all the latest news and 

 most intere.sting "Dog Chat." 



THE PULSE OF THE DOG. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



As the pulse is so important a guide to the health of the 

 animal, any of its peculiarities are of course of the utmost 

 importance. Works on the dog are itnaccountably silent on 

 this subject. The fact is that the pulse of the dog has a 

 character different from that of any of our domestic ani- 

 mals. As regards rate, while it varies with age, breed, etc, 

 it still is not very different from that of the human subject; 

 and the ratio between it and the respirations is about the 

 same, i. c, one respiration to about four pulses. 



But the great and characteristic peculiarity is the irregu- 

 larity of the ijulse of the adult animal. 



If one examines, as a dog lies quietly, either the pulse or 

 the ln,side of the thigh or the heart itself by feeling the crest 

 wall over it, he is struck very forciby if he has ever felt the 

 beating of his own heart, with the pronounced irregularity 

 of the oi'gan, so that one might be forgiven for concluding 

 that the animal had heart disease, as many a one has done. 

 As a matter of fact this peculiarity^ is present in every grown 

 dog, though absent in young puppies; and if it were present 

 it would be difiicuit to detect, owing to the rapidity of the 

 pulse. 



This irregularity extends to the rate and the force of the 

 beats, and by suitaijle apparatus this can be made evident 

 to the eye: but a little practice makes it easy to convince 

 oneself that the irregularity exists in a marked degree, and 

 that the slowing, etc., is manifest only during expira- 

 tion, the heart beating faster and more regularly during 

 inspiration. 



Of course the more frequent the beat the less pronounced 

 is the peculiarity, hence it is much more marked in health 

 than in disease. 



Recently I i-ead an article by an expert, in which he states 

 that the pulse of the dog may be irregular in health, show- 

 ing that this peculiarity of all normal dogs has escaped the 

 observations of even some who professionally treat the dog. 

 It seems to me that it is important that all who have much 

 to do with dogs should be aware of the characteristics of so 

 important a guide to the condition of the animal as the 

 pulse, Wesley Mills, M.D., D.V.S. 



AMERICAN KENNELS.—V, 



THE FLOUR CITY KENNELS. 



THERE is something that savors of the fairy wand in 

 being able in these progressive days to fall asleep in the 

 Grand Central Station in New York and waking find one's 

 self breathing the vapor-laden atmosphere of early morning 

 in Rochester, the Flour City. Such was my experience one 

 day in the early fall. A desire to see the home life of dogs 

 whose bench show career had made them celebrated was not 

 to be resisted, not to mention several pressing invitations 

 both from Mr. James W. W^hitney, the owner, and Mr. Prit- 

 chard, the manager. 



A little misunder.standing in train arrivals led to Mr. 

 Pritcbard's fruitless search at the railway station while I 

 was seeking to make myself heard "over the garden wall." 

 There was no one about, and I judiciously kept the fence 

 between the occupants of the kennels and myself. Though 

 these mastiff's seemed imbued with the utmost i;ood nature, 

 still, mastiffs are mastiffs, and I had no overweening? desire 

 for Ilford Chancellor nor even the niild-faced Miss Caittion 

 to stand guard over tny prostrate body, which, 1 believe, is 

 the traditional and pleasing method dogs of this breed have 

 of protecting their master's property when the stranger in- 

 trudes. Mr, Pritcbard's arrival, however, soon let me into 

 the secrets of the place. 



It is a psculiar situation for a kennel this. Right from 

 the heart of the busy city one walks down a short, steep 

 street, and alongside the Genessee River one finds a perfect 

 little oasis in the deserts of factories, mills, breweries and 

 what not that go to make up Rochester's prosperity. A 

 stretch of land as fiat as a table, and containing .several 

 acres of grass land and gardens, it is a most unique situ- 

 ation. Here the dogs are secure from molestation and their 

 barking can disturb no one. Not very far away are the 

 famed Genessee Falls, but to-day they were falls in name 

 only owing to the dry spell. 



The kennel building is a neat story and a hall' r4 ructurc , 

 very well arranged with a view of getting the maximnm of 

 .space with a minimum of waste. The main buihlmg is 

 about 40x20, and one enters it through a short pas.aa3e, 

 which leads to a square room. Here is a large set pot which, 

 with its brick setting, is abaut 4ft. square, and in this the 

 food is cooked. The arrangement, however, has not been 

 found very satisfactory and will be remedied very soon by 

 having the cooking done in an oritside building. In sum- 

 mer the way it is now it must make the kennels too warm. 

 Round the walls of this room are hung framed priaa cards, 

 showing that thotigh the Flour City Kennels is a compara- 

 tive new comer in the kennel fiebl, its occupants have maile 

 an enviable record for themselves during the year. This 

 room is also traed as an ofQce. A little anteroom leads off 

 from this main compartment, and here 1 found one of those 

 useful adjuncts to a large kennel— the canine treadmill. 

 Opening from, the main room are several kennel.^, and be- 

 ginning with the one by the cook slove 1 found a 12x16 

 compartment, in which Minna Mintin'.;; got lazily up to 

 welcome us. She was in nice summer triui, neither too fat 

 nor too lean. This bitch is by, ;w lier name would denote, 

 the celebrated champion Minting (•SSl.'i) ouc of Mnina (I1T8«)! 

 She is three years old, but ha« Liot Vieen .showt\ vt\ry much. 

 Minna Minting was to have been bred to Ilford Chancel loi'. 

 Pa.ssing to the next compartment I found n, nice briucUc 

 bitch called Princess, small in head, nice body, but struck 

 me as rather li.ght in bone. She was four weelcs in whelp io 

 Ilford Chancellor, whose grand head properties will, it is to 

 be hoped, stamp themselves upon her progeny. She w^'^s 

 bred at the kennels and whelped in 188G, Her sire was the 

 brindle champion Ilford Cromwell and darn Brenda !!. She 

 is already the dam of winners, counting Melrose Prince, a 

 winner o"f many good pri/,e.s. including a .1;l.!)0 silver cup and 

 gold medal at New York in 1889, also Philamon, first at To- 

 ledo and Columbus shows, among her progeny. 



In the corner of this kennel a door opened into the boudoir 

 of the pride of the kennel, at least the female porriou of it- 

 Caution's Own Daughter, whose career since 1 lir.st .siiakc 

 other many good points in November, 1890, has fully kept 

 pace with all expectations, and when our mastiff enthu.sia.st, 

 "The Member for Hulton," thinks her aboirt the best of her 

 breed over here, there in little need for me to either criticise; 

 or praise her. C. O. D.'s record is now well known, and 

 though her chocolate markings may be objected to by some, 

 still her beautiful head outline and inteu.se look of quality 

 must surely impress the most prejudiceil stickler for black 

 points. C. O. D. has another name for commoner wear— 

 Radie. This bitch was sired by that celebrated stud dog ch . 

 Ilford Caution, and her dam is the lieHutiful bitch Lady 

 Dorothy, it may be remarked eii pnymiib that the latter 

 bitch mu.st have thought that the production of two such 

 animals as Caution's Own D.iughter and Miss Caution was 

 Uonor enough for her lifetime, f<u- she has done nothing 

 further to increase the mastiff' population of the country. 

 C. O, D. has won firsts at mo.st of the priucirirtl show.s last 

 spring and in the Cairadian circuit, bein.s only beaten by 

 Lady Dorothj' twice at Washington and Pittsburgh, ami 

 Lady Coleus once at Toronto. 



The next compartment was drawn blank and then with a 

 confldent smile Mr. Pritchard opened the adjoining kennel 

 door and showed me the hope of the kennel— the new young 

 dog Cardinal Beaufort, that Mr. Whitney during the .sum- 

 mer had paid $1,250 for through E. H. Moore when the lat- 

 ter was in England. This dog is now about 23 months old, 

 having been born Feb. 10, 1889^ and is by Sir Stafl-.ord out of 

 Frigga. When I saw him he was just then in the neither 

 hay nor grass period of his life but showed every promise of 

 fixrnishing into a first flight dog. He boasts oie of the 

 stoutest and deepest of heads, as his picture shows, nice 

 small ears, good eye and wrinkle. Body a little short Imt 

 his hindparts, I now hear, have strengthened till now there, 

 is no sign of weakness. Take him all round, with luck, he 

 shouldTbe a dog that will do a lot of good for the breed. I 

 forgot to say that these kennels open into nice grass runs 

 125 by 20ffc fenced in with eight foot palings. 



Crossing the passage we found another kennel opening 

 into Cardinal's yard. In this w.as the noted Lady Dorothy, 

 looking the picture of health, and though she has hardly 

 carried out the early promise as regards siza when first im- 

 ported by Mr. Moore in 1887 she is yet one of the best in the 

 country.' Full of quality, her good points need no repeti- 

 tion. She was about three weeks gone in whelp to Cardinal 

 Beaufort, the first he had viisi ted, I believe, sines his im- 

 portation in July last. Lady Dorothy has a nice body for a 

 brood bitch and it is to be hopsd her union with such a 

 young dog as Beaufort will effect the desii-ed result. L tdy 

 Dorothy was whelped in 18SB and her sire was either cham- 

 pion Hotspur or champion Orlando, he of the wonderful 

 head, and dam Wtinna, by Cedric the Saxon out of Moua. 

 Her winnings include firsts at Providence 1887, New York, 

 Washington, Pittsburgh, etc, 1891. 



The next door led us into two kennels which compose the 

 corner of the building. In the right one is Exeter Dirce, a 

 new importation dttring the .summer. This bitch was 

 whelped June .3, 1886, and is by Beaumaris (131501) out of 

 Doris (19012), by Titus out of Digit, Beaumaris, by champion 

 Beau out of Mischief. She was purchased from Mr. -James 

 Hutchings, the noted Devonshire mastiff breedea'. Exeter 

 Dirce is a little long-faced, but has a snaall ear, fair bone 

 and is nicely ribbed. She was imported in whelp to E.xeter 

 Barrister, but unfortunately lost the litter of nine, as she 

 only came over a week before whelping. She was to visit 

 Ilford Chancellor. The corresponding compartment to this 

 was drawn blank. Opening a slat door into a small room 

 Miss Caution came smiling up. This is a very much im- 



