86^ 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



tOOT. 27, 18«2. 



this morass, into whicli and from which they can only 

 enter and leave in heavy rains. I say their habits are 

 like the salmon, and I believe they would ascend any 

 distance, as salmon do. In India they have been seen 

 7,000ft. above the sea. still ascending the river, and in 

 tributaries of the Columbia I know of their being seen in 

 great quantities, 8,500ft., and still pushing up. 



Wm. Neyle Habersham. 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



[By a Staff Cu)re)iimi(J-e>it.} 



Chicago, 111., Oct. 23.— Mr. .Jay Beebe, of Toledo, O., 

 writes me some more about bait-casting lines, as follows: 



"Let me thank you for the favor of the 7th inst. and 

 its inclosures. Herewith I send you cuttings from both 

 the reel and the leader end of the casting line I have been 

 using all the fall, which means about five or six days of 

 actual fishing. This line is retailed by local dealers here 

 at two cents a yard, and by comparing the two pieces you 

 can Judge of the relative wear. The slip with the tag 

 attached is handed me by Mr. Gunckel (of the ' Sunset 

 Club') and is taken from a line sent him the other day by 

 a friend now in Germany. I have not tested it for 

 strength, but in appearance it seems much like the desired 

 line mentioned in my note in this week's Foeest and 

 Stream, (By the way, it will doubtless occur to you, 

 should you take the trouble to read the note in question, 

 that what I wrote was ' a cable-laid line,' and not a 

 cable, as the irrelevant comma made me say.) 



" If you think the secret you mention is likely to dis- 

 turb yoiu- peace of mind, you might forward it to me at 

 any time under a special delivery stamp.'' 



The line that Jay Beebe incloses is familiar to me, but 

 I do not wish to name it for fear the firm might think I 

 was injuring their goods. We tried this line among 

 the others this summer. It casts well, and is a well- 

 meant line, but it rotted very quickly, we thought. It 

 has the further quality of being very hard-braided, so 

 that it cuts itself at the leader-knot very easily. By 

 trebling the strand we helped this out. On a straight tie, 

 this line will cut itself at the knot (our specimens did) on 

 next to no strain at all. This line we have discarded. 



I must thank JMr. Gunckel also for the beautiful little 

 line of German make which he sends me. It is very 

 strong, and would be good tu tie up a dachshund with, 

 but I don't believe it would work on a casting reel at all, 

 for though tine and strong, it is waterproofed and quite 

 stiff. What has a dachshund to do with bass fishing? I 

 am surprised at Mr. Gunckel, I am really. 



That Kekeskee Story, 



Mr. George Stanton, Jr=, of the Grand Rapids & In- 

 dian Eailroad. came clear up into my office the other 

 day. though he had never met me before, to "congratu- 

 late" me on that Kekoskee fish story, and I had the hard- 

 est work in the world to convince him that that wasn't 

 my story at all, but just simply a historical account of 

 events that actually happened^ I get all sorts of letters 

 about that story, and many of them grieve me, And 

 yet the story i« so incontestably true. The other day I 

 was riding on a railway train up in Wisconsin and a 

 friend introduced to me Judge Lamoreux, late of May- 

 ville, now of the circuit bench, once of the State Legis- 

 lature, and one of the most prominent men of the State. 

 "I can testify to the facts of that story," said Judge La- 

 moreux, "out of any personal knowledge. The sleds 

 came there after bullheads from a distance of fifty miles. 

 If I were on the bench and evidence such as you cite 

 were brouglit before mo I could not legally decide the 

 story to be anything but true and the allegations fully 

 pi'oveu. Yes, air, you have made out a good case, and 

 one whir h agrees with the facts." 



Now what do the skeptics think of that? Moreover, on 

 that very same train there was Mr. Geo. Kurtz, an old 

 citizen of May ville, who overheard us talking. He broke 

 in, very much excited, and was disgusted almost to anger 

 when he heard that any one could jdoubt the Kekoskee 

 fish story for one moment of time. Proof? Well, I'd 

 like to know how much proof a fish stoiy ought to have 

 if this one hasn't got enough to support it. j ^It's true, 

 that's Tvliat it is, every word of it. 



I.— The Preparation. 



Columbus opened the gate at the front yard of the 

 palace and stepped briskly around through the marigolds 

 to the back door, as was his custom in making such in- 

 formal calls on the family. Leaning his map up against 

 the palace, he rapped on the door and hummed a gay air 

 while he waited for an answer. Columbus did not get 

 gay himself, but it was October, and the air was gay. 

 Presently the girl came to the door. 



"Mornin'," said Columbus, "How're they comin' this 

 raomin'? Is the Queen in?" 



"I'll go see," said the girl, with a bright smile. They 

 all liked Columbus. 



"Why, good mornin', Columbus," said Queen Isabel, 

 as she came in from the front part of the house, "You 

 must excuse my looks, I've just been tidying up the 

 front parlor a bit. Mary, I want you to always dust off 

 a chair for Columbus and have him set down." 



"Good mornin', Belle," said Columbus, in his off-hand 

 way. "Mighty nice weather we're bavin', ain't it?" 



"A-in't it, though? I was just tellin' Ferd this mornin' 

 that I'd like to go out buggy ridin' this afternoon for 

 a while; but law, Ferd's so took up with this Turkey 

 business, you know, that he don't seem to take no 

 interest in nothin' else at all." 



"Y'^ou Jdon't say," said Columbus, "gettin' ready for 

 Thanksgivin', I s'pose, is he? I thought mebbe he'd like 

 to go out fishin' with me this mornin'." 



" Oh, Ferd won't go nowhere. He don't think of nothin' 

 but business. I tell him he'd ought to get , out oftener, 

 but he won't go." 



"Well said !" said Columbus ; " I wish my wife was 

 like you. It's just the other way over to our house. My 

 wife says I don't care for nothin' but fishin', and she's 

 always at me to stay home and tend to business." 



" Pshaw now ! And how is Mrs. Columbus these 



3?" 



"Oh, she's well. She's healthy and active, and so's 

 to be about," said Columbus, sighing. " I don't see no 

 sense in cleanin' house twict a year, do you ? I sort of 

 thought I'd go out fishin- to day. They're bitin' like the 

 dickens over in the Bay of Biscay," 

 ^ "Do tell 1 You always do know where the good fishin' 

 18 Columbus !" 



" Yep. Find it out in Forest and Stream." 

 " Law me !" 

 "Yep. Say!" 

 "Uh ?" 



" You don't think FerS'lI go 'long, don't you?" 



" No, I know he won't, not till he's licked the Moors." 



" That's so, them Moors is a bad lot. I've been missin' 

 chickens myself. But say, if Ferd won't go, do you s'pose 

 he'd mind lettin' me take his fish-pole ?" 



"Why, I guess he wouldn't mind. It's out there on 

 the wood shed." 



" There's a hook and line on it, ain't there?" 



' Yes, I believe so." 



"Bob?" 



"Oh yes. 



"Say, does Ferd keep the minny-pail out in the shed 

 where he used to? " 



"Why, I believe he does: yon can just take it along." 



"Thanks, I believe I will, if you don't mind. But you 

 see, the worst of it is — " 



"Yes!" 



"I havn't got no boat, you see, I've been goin' to get a 

 boat, but somehow I never did." 



"Oh that's all right, just take Ferd's boat, he aint usin' 

 it. You're perfectly welcome to it."' * 



"Well now, Belle, you're mighty clever neighbors, I 

 always did say I'll bring you a mess of fish when I git 

 back. My land! if my wife was only just like you! " 



"Go way I Y^'ou'd ought not to talk ao. Send Maria over 

 here this afternoon, and we'll go out ridin' together, 

 down to the minister's, while you men are away from 

 home." 



"All right. But say — " 



"IJh?" 



"Is that spot out behind the barn as good for worms as 

 it was last year? " 



"Why, I'don't know, I'm sure, Columbus, but I expect 

 it is." 



"Would you mind send in' one of the boys to dig me a 

 can o' worms? It's sort of hot like, this mornin', and I'm 

 troubled a good deal with malaria." 



"Why certainly, Columbus. The boys can do it just as 

 well as not. Set up, won't you, while they're out dig- 

 gin' the worms, an' have a bite and something to drink." 



"Well, you know — " 



"Mary, draw two! " 



"Oh no, no! I really couldn't, I never take but one 

 drink a day, and I've had mine! " 

 "Pshaw! have one with me." 



"Well— that is— well, if you insist; but make it light- 

 make it very light," 

 "Oh, that's all right, Columbus." 



'■'Well, here's lookin" at you. Law! if Maria just felt 

 the way you do about this goin' fishin'." 



"You're a nice man, Columbus. How's the naap busi- 

 ness doing now?" 



' Oh, first rate, can't complain. Sold four last week. ' 



"That so? Why, you II soon have money enough to get 

 a fishin' outfit of your own." 



"Maybe, but I don't see the use if Ferdain'tusin'his'n. 

 But here comes Jimmy with the worms. Can Jimmy go 

 'long with me, so'st to sort of row the boat while I do the 

 fishin'?" 



"Why, yes, I guess so. But say!" 

 "Well?" 



"Don't you think you have what might be called a 

 Castile nerve?" 



"Well, you got ,to have nerve in this sportin' business. 

 See." 



'•Oh! Well good mornin', Columbus." 

 "Well good mornin'. I'll often think of you. Belle, 

 wheii I'm a treading the quarterdeck alone." 

 "Thank you, Columbus. Say!" 

 "Well?" 



"You'd better take a whole deck, hadn't you? You and 

 Jimmy may get lonesome." 

 "I would, if I could afford it. Has Ferd got one?" 



IK— The Discovery. 



It was pist noon when Columbus asked Jimmy Aragon 

 for the lunch basket. 



"How're you makin' it, Jimmy?" said he. 



"I got a blister on my hand, and I want to go home," 

 said Jimmy. 



"Go home nothin'," said Columbus. "What you talkin' 

 about, we haven't caught only four fish yet." 



'•I'm tired, and I want to go back home." 



"All right, sonny, we'll go home when we've got a 

 good string, or else wait till dark, and don't you forget 

 it. When your uncle C. Columbus goes out after fish he 

 gets fish, and don't you forget it. See! Gimme another 

 worm."' 



"This ain't no good place to fish, I don't believe," said 

 Jimmy. 



"Huh! Like to know what you know about it !" 



"Well, one of the boys told me there was a place, over 

 West a little ways a couple of miles, where the fishin' 

 was real good. He knew a man caught a whole lot there, 

 just the other day. He said 'at hot chicken tamales grew 

 on every tree over there." 



"Huh! That so?" How far over was it, did you say ?" 



"Oh. not very far, just a little ways, 'bout a couple of 

 miles." 



"That so? Well, s'pose we pull over there and try it 

 awhile." 



So they pulled over there, and when they got there the 

 place was about two miles further over yet. So they 

 went on two miles further, and again the place had 

 moved. They kept on. and at last they came to New 

 Y''ork. 



"Hello, is this New Y'ork ?"' said Columbus. 

 "Yes, this is New Y'ork, of course," they told him. 

 "Do hot tamales grow on trees here ?" 

 "Nope." 



' ' Well, which way is Chicago ?" E. Hough. 



175 MoNHOE Street, Chicago. 



* The Origin or A Myth.— History often distorts facts for 

 dramatic effect. Tlie historical in ytli is well accepted that Isa- 

 bella pawned lier jewels to secure aljips for Columbus: but this is 

 onlymjtb. It aro^e in tbe fact thit she loaned to Columbus one 

 boat, a sniHll hoy and a flahiog outfit which belonged to her hus- 

 band.— E. H. 



The Thread-Fin. 



Mr. R. y. H. Schuyler has forwarded to the Smithso- 

 nian Institution a drawing of a strange fish which, lie 

 writes, is taken in seines at Biloxi, Miss., duriug Septem- 



ber, after which month it disappears. The specimen 

 shown was Tin. long. "In life the end of the nose was 

 translucent. Color iridescent when taken out of the 

 water. Back dark green, sides and belly white, " All fins 

 dark green except [the breast fin], which is black. Eye 

 very large, pupil black, cornea silver." 



The fish above referred to was first described by Dr. 

 Girard under the name Polynemus odoneraus. It is 

 valued as a food fish. Nothing is known to us about its 

 habits. The most remarkable character of the thread 

 fins is the division of the breast fin into two parts, the 

 upper portion shaped as usually in common fishes, the 

 lower part consisting of long, separate rays, in this species 

 twice as long as the upper rays. 



The Kentucky Fish and Game Club. 



OPFXOB Olf CORRTISPOMDING SECRETARY, ) 

 COURlEB-JOURNAL BuiI-DING, 



Louisville, Oct. 10, 1892. \ 

 To the Favmen, Hunters and Fishermen of Kentucky: 



The object of the Kentucky Fish and Game Club is primarily 

 for the purpose of securing proper legislation for the protection 

 of game, dogs, birds and flsb; the protection of the farmer and 

 land owner from w-anton trespass, the encouragement of the citi- 

 zens of the State in their efforts to increase varieties and num- 

 bers of game and flsh, and the organization and encouragement 

 ol other clubs for the vigorous enforcement of all laws against 

 killing, stealing, sale or shipment of any such dog, game, birds or 

 fish unlawfully. Another object of the association is to restoclc 

 the streams of the State with indigenous fish and the propagation 

 of them so far as is practicable. To this end the club has already 

 several million game flsb, which have been distributed mostly in 

 the streams of central and eastern Kentucky free of any expanse 

 to the people. All that is asked is their co-operation and their 

 assistance in keeping the streams from being depleted and urging 

 their representatives in the General Assembly to enact stringent 

 laws protecting birds, game and flsh. 



The membership of the club comprises nearly 1,200 people in all 

 parts of the State. Among these are farmers, lawyers, merchants, 

 doctors, and men of all trades, followings and professions. It is 

 desired to make the club an organization of s'reng'h am^ to have 

 every portion of the State equally represented by cooperative 

 auxiliary local clubs in every town. Such clubs, working in hai - 

 mooy, could soon be responsible for the existence In Kentucky ol 

 all the various kinds of game and flsh that existed here in the 

 days of Daniel Boone. 



The Kentucky Fish and Game Club has now before it the task 

 of restocking with game flsh every stream in the State. To do 

 this it is necessary to have the cooperation of citizens in all parts 

 of the State, with whom correspondence is desired. The flali are 

 received through the United States Fish Commission and sent to 

 the State's borders free of expense. Tiie distribution is made at 

 the expense of the cJub and the only assistance asked is such as 

 results from the nominal dues of the members of the assooiatiou. 

 Thesfl are SI per year and 50 cents per year for members of auxil- 

 iary clubs, where the entire club is enrolled. A movement is nov^ 

 on foot to increase the dues of individual membeis. 



It is desired, for the purpose of continuing the work of resloct 

 ing the streams, that application be made for fish from every 

 section where there are none or few. The character of the stream 

 and the -arietiss of the flsh that live in the waters should be ex 

 plicitly explained. The best place for liberating the fish should 

 also be given. This shordd be, if possible, on the line of somo rail- 

 road. If this is not practicable, the nearest station shotzW he 

 designated and a statement made of what arrangements could >'6 

 made for transporting the fish from the station to the stream. It 

 is desired that these applications be sent to the ccrreBponding 

 Fecrefaty for classification at once. 



Rome was not built in a day. The entire State can rot be sup- 

 plied with fish in a week, or a year. The United States Fish Com 

 mission is so hampered by a small appropriation that it is Itnpos- 

 sible to suxjply the demand for game flsh. Consequently, ship- 

 ments are not so frequently as would be desired. It is helieved, If 

 the proper effort is made, Congress can be iod need to devote more 

 money to the propagation of fish. To this end every citizen of 

 Kentucky who is anxious to have the streams restocked is asked 

 to urge his reprei-~entative and senator in Washington to vote 

 for and speak for an Increased appropriation for the Fish Com- 

 mission, which is headed by Col. Marshall McDonald, a Ken- 

 tuckian. It is also urged that the Kentucky Legislature be asked 

 to pass stringent laws and assist in any manner possible the work 

 of preserving, protecting and increasing the fislj, game and birds 

 of the commonwealth. V^ery respeotfuily, 



Chas. a. Dailev, Cor. Sec'v ; 



J. Fry Lawrence, Pres 



VERMONT FISHCULTURE. 



The eleventh biennial report of the flsh commissioners of 

 Vermont, ending with the fiscal year, .June 30, 1890, has just 

 been issued. The commissioners are Mr. -John W. Titcomb, 

 of Rutland and Charles C. Warren, of Waterbury. In the ap- 

 pendix is given a report of the directors of the State Fis-'b 

 Hatchery, "Messrs. C. G. WaiTen, H. H. Swift and A. B. 

 Noyes. Another excellent feature of the appendix is an 

 alphabetical list of the towns of Vermont with the names, 

 character and area of their ponds, and the principal kinds of 

 fish living in them. 



The illustrations consist of plates of the pike, picketel, 

 mascalonge, pike-perch and sauger, the first lent by Forest 

 AND Stream and the rest copied from publications of the 

 U. S. Fish Commission. 



The State fish hatchery is located at Roxbuiy. Its yield 

 during 1891 and '92 was very gratifying, as vrill appear from 

 the following record of flsh planted: 



Brook trout 295,000 



Like trout 127.000 



Von Bebr and Loch Leven trout 75 000 



Rainbow trout "... 26 500 



Landlocked salmon 30,000 



553.500 



In addition to this distribution by the State the U. S. I'ish 

 Commission furnished the commissioners for Vermont 

 waters: 



Black bass tiO 



Rainbow trout (yearlings) 3.550 



Ijake trout (yearlings) 2,000 



Von Behr trout (yearlings) ... 476 



Carp (yearlings) 200 



Landlocked salmon (yearlings) .,15 000 



California salmon (yearlings) 3 470 



We shall have occa.«ion to refer again to other features of 

 this interesting report. 



