184 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



LSept. 1, 1893. 



-■ — ^ 



Forest and Stream's 



Fishing Postals. 



"DROP US A LINE" ON A POSTAL CARD. 



Fishing News, Place to Catch Fish, Fish Caught, 

 Fishing Incidents. 

 ♦- ♦ 



Camp Jibbrnainosat, Lake Waquekobing (Clear 

 Water), Aug. 17. — Algoma, Ontario. Total catcli of the 

 Kingfisher Club, 81G bass and 77 troiit, pickerel, etc., 

 while at this canip. Will try and give you a few items 

 soon, Camp breaks up to-morrow. Kelpie. 

 ♦ 



RUSHMOEE, Aug. 26.— Lake Champlain not quite up to 

 the average this year, owing in part to high water. I 

 think the vast hordes of yellow perch are helping to 

 clean out the black bass. Have been through part of the 

 Adirondacks this week. Had three kinds of trnut — bull- 

 head trout, perch trout and trout. Dexter, 

 ♦ 



Philadelphia, Aug. 24.— The fishing at Anglesea is 

 fine, large catches of sea bass, with a few weakfish, por- 

 gies and eels are caught daily from the decks of the 

 steamer which takes you to the banks. Bait and lines 

 are furnished on board. S. P. RI, T, 



CHAIRBACK MOUNTAIN TROUT, 



It is not generally known, I think, that West Chair- 

 back, the highest trout pond in Maine, is also one of the 

 best stocked. West Chairback is 2,120ft, above the sea 

 level and is situated on the side of Chairback Mountain, 

 whose height is 2,270ft. above the sea. 



It is not of the height of the pond or the quantity of 

 the trout I wish to speak, but of a ppculiarity regarding 

 the latter I never noticed elsewhere, although it may be 

 common. When you strike them right — and it's rare 

 that you don't — you catch square-tails averaging about a 

 pound almost as fast as you can land them, and our 

 party was enjoying this very agreeable pleasure. After 

 we had brought in a dozen, I happenpd to glance down 

 at them as they lay in the boat. We hadn't taken the 

 time to cover them up and the sun was shining upon 

 them. Instead of being a uniform color, some reflected 

 back gi'een, some a royal purple, some crimson and some 

 yellow. Of course they didn't show these colors out of 

 the sun, but they were distinct enough as they lay glisten- 

 ing in the bottom of the boat. 



After that I noticed them when brought over the side 

 of the craft we were fishing from with the dip net. First 

 there would be a yellow one, then a green, a purple or 

 red. What I desire to know is if West Chairback trout 

 deserve any special diRtinction on account of this pecu- 

 liarity I have mentioned. 1?"red K, Owen. 



Auburn, Me. 



[The same variation in colors of brook trout has been 

 observed in many other localities; but besides this there 

 are geographical races of trout which differ permanently 

 in color from the usual standard and yet have no other 

 character of importance which would entitle them to a 

 distinct name. Maine lakes contain a red-spotted trout 

 which is different from the brook trout and has a name 

 of its own — the silver trout of Flood's Pond is an ex- 

 ample.] 



GREEN LAKE, MAINE. 



At this date the fishing for brook trout and landlocked 

 salmon is comparatively poor, as these fish are found 

 only in deep water, where they have smelt in abund- 

 ance. White perch, on the contrary, are just beginning 

 to take the hook freely. A fisherman caught eighty one 

 day last week. 



As we steamed up to the head of the lake at noon, Mr. 

 Grirard and Mr. Webster, of Bangor, who were fishing 

 from a boat, told the writer that one of them had just 

 lost a fine large salmon by the breaking of a leader. 



Mr. Daniel E. Wight, foreman of .the Green Lake fish 

 hatchery, states that ful'y 200 landlocks have been 

 caught in the lake during the Reason, chiefly with worms, 

 in .June and July. Mr. Gould, of Bangor, took 25 and 

 Mr. Samuel Carr, of the same place, has caught more 

 than that number, besides some very nice brook trout. 

 Mr, J. W. Davis and other employees of the hatchery 

 secured about 25, At the mouth of Mann's Brook fully 

 75 were captured from the bridges in shallow water. 



What brings the landlocked salmon into shallow water 

 and the mouths of streams early in the season, say in 

 May and June? Smelt. These toothsome little fish form 

 the favorite food of the salmon. They run up into the 

 mouths of streams to spawn and are followed thither by 

 the landlocks, as well as the big brook trout. 



It must be a wonderful sight, this struggling host of 

 smelts that fills the stream, crowding upward only in the 

 night, and coating every rock, twig, and blade of grass 

 with the little golden adhesive eggs, Mr. Wight has 

 scooped up a half bushel of the fish at a single scoop of a 

 net. 



These eggs evidently hatch in a short time, for on July 

 1 the fry were from i to fin, long, just right to feed 

 young salmon and trout in the hatching troughs. The 

 wild trout of course help themselves to the same delicate 

 food in the brooks. 



In October another instinct will impel the landlocked 

 salmon from its feeding haunts in deep water and cause 

 it to re-enter the streams falling into Green Lake. The 

 female will ascend first, and she will select a place in 

 cihallow water where stones are plentiful, from which to 

 build a nest. She will work at night and rest in hiding 

 during the day under some sheltering bank or submerged 

 stump in the deepest water she can find. Two nights will 

 generally suffice for the hard work she must accomplish. 

 The nest will be a rock pile about 3ft. long, 2ft. wide, and 

 7 or Sin. high, and it is surprising to see it composed 

 largely of stones as big as a man's fist. 



Mr. Wight has seen the female making her nest, and 

 says she loosens the stones with her snout and pushes 

 them into position with her tail. The male makes his 

 appearance after the work is completed ^ No female will | 

 use a nest abandoned by another female, but e^-cb must ' 

 have a new nest of her own. ' 



It seems evident that this salmon spawns biennially. 

 A number of females were tagged and liberated after 

 spawning two years ago. None of the tagged fish were 

 taken last year, but six have been caught this year. 



The nest does not protect more than about one fourth 

 of the eggs, the rest are carried away by the current and 

 eatpn by chubs and suckers, which are always to be seen 

 on the spawning grounds of the salmon, and are always 

 found to be gorged with eggs when their stomachs are 

 opened. T. H. B. 



GuKEN Lakk, Me., Aug. 37. 



WOODS HOLL AND THEREABOUTS. 



Woods HoLL, Mass., Aug. 23.— Bluefish made their ap- 

 pearance in the "hole" about two weeks ago, and are here 

 now in small numbers, but they do not take the hook 

 freely, and bait has been scarce and high EeL^km, 

 which was the favorite for trolling last year, is not ef- 

 fective now. Menhaden have been selhng for 5 or 6 

 cents each until yesterday a party secured a fine lot for 

 bait at 3 cents each. This partv steamed out into Vine- 

 yard Sound, about half way to Tarpaulin Cove, and in a 

 couple of hours took about forty fish, one-half of which 

 were beautiful spa bass, the largest weighing 5 lbs. The 

 rest of the catch was chiefly scup, with a few grunting 

 pea robins and several small sharks. It goes without say- 

 ing that the bass and scup slacked oG as soon as the 

 sharks appeared. 



Bass have only recently "struck in," and our catch at- 

 tracted considerable praise at the wharf. The "robins" 

 are despised by most persons, but without reason, for 

 their flesh is really very good eating. Professional fish- 

 ermfn have such a prpjudice against them that they do 

 not consider them fish at all. The bass were very plump 

 and full of food, and when they came on the breakfast 

 table they were found to be white-meated, flaky and firm, 

 while the flavor was excellent. 



We were fishing on hard bottom, in water about 75 to 

 90ft. deep. The tide runs sbrong and heavy sinkers were 

 required during its strength. 



The fresh-water black bass which were introduced into 

 ponds in the vicinity of Falmouth many years ago 

 thrived and multiplied under judicious protective laws. 

 Now that the leases have expired and fishing is open to 

 the public, the fishing has declined somewhat, but is still 

 fairly good. Bass weighing 6lbs. have recently been 

 taken. 



The Grampus returned on Sunday from a trip to the 

 tilefish grounds and brought in another fine specimen 

 weighing ISIbf, The rich lemon yellow spots were well 

 preserved, but Prof. Libbey said it showed none of the 

 characteristic rose tinge in life. The upper parts were 

 steel blue, and with the overlying lemon blotches the 

 colors were very pleasing to the eye. 



The shores are almost barren of' fish. T do not recall a 

 season in which young scup, tautog and menhaden have 

 been so scarce. 



Birds are few and far between; the kingfisher and a 

 small tern are the only species in sight. The surround- 

 ing country is parched and thirsting for rain. T. H. B, 



CULTIVATED TROUT AGAIN. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



When a Governor assumes superior knowledgeto the com- 

 bined wisdom of the Legislature he invites criticism. 



It cannot be said of this trout bill that it was passed 

 hastily and without due consideration. On the contrary it 

 received more than usual attention and was fought fiercely 

 and persistently by the sporting fraternity. But after all 

 the objections, both real and imaginary, it was the decision 

 of the Legislature that the fisheulturist .should have the 

 freedom to sell the products of his industry in a more ex- 

 tended season. But not so the Governor; as a sportsman 

 and in sympathy with the present restrictive, arbitrary and 

 despotic trout law, be vetoed the bill. Although a spor-ts- 

 man, the Governor does not seem to realize the wonderful 

 achievements and grand possibilities of flshculture. 



With repeated demonstrations beyond question of the 

 value of artificial propagation of trout for increasing this 

 desirable fish, he expresses fears that if the people are al- 

 lowed to engage in this business, without restrictions, the- 

 streams will become depopulated. This is strange logic. If 

 the business is made profitable it will incite capital to enter 

 it, and our streams will be taken and utilized to their full 

 capacity With increased production will come competi- 

 tion and with competition only can the price be reduced. 



The Governor speaks of the expenditure of large sums of 

 money and expensive offices of the State, in trying to pre- 

 serve and increase the trout. The State has undertaken the 

 artificial propagation of trout, and with great care and ex- 

 pense hatches and rears about one-half million of trout an- 

 nually, to a certain size, but not having waters where a 

 trout can live, they drop botH scientific and business meth- 

 ods and turn them into private streams to the tender mercies 

 of their enemies. When we consider the variety of birds, 

 animals and reptiles that enjoy a meal of trout, and know 

 they can catch them, we can form some idea of the number 

 the State will be obliged to hatch to make them plentiful 

 and cheap. The fisheulturist employs scientific and biisi- 

 ness methods, but unlibe the State, uses them continuously. 

 He would as soon turn his young fry into the street as into 

 a stream with their enemies and expect profit. He is obliged 

 to class his fish according to size, as it is a fact that big fish 

 eat little ones. 



A yearling trout has no scruples in devouring twenty-five 

 of his kindred young fry for breakfast, while a dozen would 

 not furnish a frog with a luncheon. It is in the utilization 

 of the great fecundity of fish and carefully guarding life 

 from the germ to the marketable product that fishculture 

 has actiiev^ its wonderful results. In the natural state, 

 but a small per cent, of the eggs can hatch, as they are 

 eagerlydevouredby other fish, while the trout, cannibal like, 

 will destroy the eggs of his neighbor. By the artificial 

 method of propagation in a well-regulated hatchery more 

 than ninety per cent, of the eggs are expected to hatch. Those 

 familiar with Warrens Wells brook before Mr. Gilbert em- 

 ployed .'-cientific and business methods in the production of 

 trout can readily compare the difference between nature and 

 art. Now, more than one hundred pounds of trout are pro- 

 duced where one grew before. As the business has developed 

 into an industry, it does not ask for special legislation, it 

 only asks for the same freedom in water farming that is 

 accorded to land farming, but it does ask to be divorced from 

 game laws. 



Artificially reared fish being domesticated, should not 

 come under game laws. With game is associated pleasure, 

 but pleasure and business cannot harmonize. It is this 

 point that needs adjusting. The Legislature has favored 

 business, while the Governor has favored pleasure, and in 

 his veto calls it special legislation if this business is allowed 

 to develop naturally and the people allowed to buy the fish 

 when they want them. We think the Governor has more [ 

 than ipade a mistake; he has blundered. The population is 1 



too dense and the small boy too numerous to respect game 

 laws. The savage still lingers and is ever on the alert to 

 measure his strength with all animate nature around loose. 



If the sesthetic gentlemen of the Massachusetts Fish and 

 Game Association must have game for pleasure, they must 

 retire to distant flelrls where the shriek of the locomotive is 

 not heard, where the music of the babbling brook is not 

 hushed by the mill dam; where nature in its primitive 

 beauty greets them; where the small boy is not; there they 

 can find game that is worthy of the name, and there around 

 their camp fires can spin their yams of what once was in 

 Massachusetts. W. S. Hadawat. 



Plymouth, Aug. 5. 



[This communication is interesting chiefiy because by 

 its characterization of the Association members as "the 

 aesthetic gentlemen," it illustrates the misconception many 

 people have as to the character of those who care about pre- 

 serving the wild fish and game.] 



FIXTURES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



Sept, 13 to 16.— Fourth Annual Dog Show of the Toronto In- 

 dustrial Exhibition Association, at Toronto, Canada. C. A. 

 Stone, Sfic'v, 



Sept. 19 to 23.-Third Annual Dog Show of the Kingston Kennel 

 Club, at Kineston. Canada H. C. Bales, Sef'v. 



Sept. 20 to 23.— Wesrern Micbigan Kennel Club, at Grand Rapids 

 Mifh. H. Dale Adams, Galesburg. Mich., SuperinTeadent. 



Sept. 26 to 30.— Rochester Kennel Club, at Rochester, N. Y. Dr. 

 O. S Banjber, Ser'y. 



Sept. 27 to 30.— Dog Show at Ottawa, Can. Alfred Geddea, Ser^'v. 



Oct. 3.5 to 88.— Omaha Kennel Club, at Omaha, Neb. E. L. 

 MflrstoTi. Sec'v. 



Nov 32 10 25,— Brooklyn. H. "W. Huutlngton, Sec'y, 148 South 

 Eighth street. 



1893. 



Jan. .5.— Gloversvillp, N. Y. F. B. Zimmer, Sec'v. \ 

 Ffb. 21 to 22.— Westminster Kennel Club, New York city. Jas. 

 Mortimer, Supt. 

 .Jure 13 to 17.— World's Fair, Chicago. 

 Sept. 7 to 10.— Hamilton, Ontano. A. D. Stewart, Sec'y. 



FIELD TRIALS. 



Sept. 5.— Northwestern Field Trials Club, at Morris. Man. Thos. 

 Jobnson. Winnipeg, Man.. Sec'v. 



Oct. 25.— Third Annual Field Trials of the National Beagle Club, 

 at Nanu' t, N. Y. Bench show of the club Oct. 24. H. V. .Jamit - 

 son, Sec'y. 



J>Jov. 7 —International Field Trials Club, third annual trialp, ' 

 Chatbaca, Oct. Amateur Stake, Nov. 7. Open Stakes, Nov. 8, I 

 W. B. WePs, Sec'y. 



Nnv 7.— United States Field Trial", a,t Elizabethtown, Ky. P. I 

 T. Madipof, Indianapolis, Ind., Sec'y. , 



Nov. 8.— New England F'^■ld Trials, at Assonet, Mass. E. 

 Knight Sperry, New Hnven, Conn., Sec'y. i 



Nov. U.— Fourth Annual Trials of the Brunsmck Fur Club, at ! 

 Princeton, Mass. J. H. Ba'rd. Sec'y. i 



Nov. 15.— American Field Trials, at Columbus, Ind. W. J. Beck, ' 

 Sec'y. 



Nov. 21.— Eastern Field Trial Club Trials, at High Point, N. C. 

 W. A. Ooster, Sec'y. 

 Nov. 28.— Philadelphia Kennel Club Trials, at High Point, N. C. 



F. G. Taylor, Sec'v. 



Dec. 5.— Central Field Trials, at Lexington, N. C. Col. Odel), 

 Sec'y. 



Dec. 19.— Irish Setter Field Trials, at Lexington, N. C. Dr. G. 



G. Davis, Philadelphia, Pa.. Sec'y. 



SOME GOOD GREYHOUNDS. 



When the s.s. Tauric arrived a couple of weeks since she 

 brought over a lot of horses and four greyhounds consigned 

 to W. E. Warren, Fox Lake, Wis. Not" being able to gain 

 any particulars from the steamship people about the dogs, 

 we wrote Mr. Warren inquiring the pedigrees, etc., of the 

 dogs. The principal owner of the greyhounds is Mr. E H. 

 Mulcaster, of Brandon, Wis., an Englishman who has bad 

 considerable experience in breeding and training greyhounds 

 in the old country. These fine dogs were selected and pur- 

 chased by his father, Geo. Mulcaster, whose nameis familiar 

 to greyhound men. The four dogs are Glen Kirk, Miller's 

 Rab, Gilda and Roy. Glen Kirk is a red dog, weighing 

 GSlbs., and is by Misterton out of Glengowan. His perform- 

 ances are as follows: Ran up to Lord Sinkat in February 

 Stakes (33) at Haydock Park, Pelmiary, 1SS7; won five 

 courses Gosforth gold cup, March, 18Sr, beaten t)v the win- 

 ner, Huic Holloa; won three courses Gosforth gold' cup, 1888, 

 beaten by the winner, Burnaby; divided September Stakes 

 (21) at Haydock Park, 1888; won Londesborough Stakes (12) 

 at Market Weighton, 1888; divided Gosforth gold cup, 1889, 

 and has alwayeran a good cotxrse whenever slipped. Miller's 

 Rab is by Waterford out of Nancy MciPherson. Weighs 

 62lbs. and is a black dog. He divided the Haydock Cham- 

 pion Puppy Stakes, value £6.50, 137 runners, and won Buc- 

 cleugh cup, etc. He is the sire of Gymnast, Porridge, Glad- 

 iator, Jungfrau, etc. Roy is a fawn, by Glentrnim out of 

 Glade and is also well bred. Gilda, fawn, was whelped in 

 1889 and is a fttll sister (later litter) to Gladia, who won the 

 Caledonian (16) and Lytham ctrp (18) and also sister to (ilad- 

 iola, who won the Croxteth Stakes (3i5) at Altcar and three 

 courses in the Waterloo cup. She is by Mentor out of 

 Gladys, by Mis^erton — Annie Macpherson. It will there- 

 fore be surmised that these dogs are both good performers 

 and of royal breeding. Mr. Warren is also interested in 

 their ownership and tells us three or four will be fitted for 

 the Kansas meeting. There are few greyhounds in- that lo- 

 cality, and unless oitr breeders see fit to take the risk we are 

 afraid these dogs will be lost to the general xun of grey- 

 hound breeders. However, it shows that the gieyhound 

 fancy is spreading, and as long as such good ones are im- 

 ported we shall alVays see some good coursing. 



PACIFIC FOX-TERRIER CLUB. 



Mr. J. B. Maktik writes us that the Pacific Fox-Terrier 

 Club held a meeting Aug. 22, at 21 FCearny street, San Fran- 

 cisco, -L E. Watson presiding, J. B. Martin, secretary. G. 

 W. Debenham, Dr. Thomas Bowbill and Robert Liddle, of 

 San Francisco; R. B. Bain, of Fruitva e; A. F. Baumgart- 

 ner, of Oakland; G. D. Schearer, of Sar Rafael and H. H. 

 Carlton, of Alameda, were present. H. W. Fores was elected 

 a member. He recently arrived from Toronto, Canada, and 

 is the owner of Pickle 11., by Suffolk Coronet ex Flora Tat- 

 ters; bitch Kismuth, by New Forest ex Ebor Nettle, and an 

 unnamed bitch puppy, Pickle II. ex a Brockenhurst Rally 

 bitch. 



The matter of awarding prizes to Californian bred dogs 

 only was fully discussed, but this did not meet with the 

 approval of the members, who desired that competition be 

 open to all dogs owned by motnbers of the club, but a prize 

 will be oftered for the best California bred ptrp at each of the 

 shows of the Southern California and Pacific Keiiirel Clubs. 

 It was determined that all the specials to be given by this 

 club consist of cups and silver plate. 



The following was adopted: Whereas, The Pacific and 

 California Kennel Clubs, having each claimed the dates 

 May 3 to 6, 1893, for the holding of a bench show in this city; 

 Resolved, That the Pacific Fox-Terrier Club extends its 

 support to the Pacific Kennel Club, and requests the Ameri- 

 can Kennel Club to award the above dates to said club. 



Treastuer Debenham reported -^TO.'on hand. The meeting 

 then fidjourued until Monday, Sept. 26. 



•J, B. MAETIN, Sec'y. 



