Feb. 16, 1893.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



139 



and the gun so heavy, that she had to exert her utmost 

 strength to liold the young cannon up; but she took aini 

 off-hand, and when the gun fired Mr. Bob tumbled fi'om 

 the tree. Fearing he was only wounded, Miss Selma put 

 another sheU into the gun, and though it was about all 

 she could carry, lugged it with her up the hill. When 

 they reached the cat he was as dead as Hector, the huge 

 ball having passed clear through his neck close to the 

 head. 



Considering the AVeight of the gun, the tremendous 

 charge it carries, the smallness of the cat, the distance — 

 over a hundred yards — and the frail arms which held the 

 gun, this is considered a remarkable shot even here, where 

 men kill deer 300yds. away. But the pretty young hero- 

 ine of the episode don't seem to regard it as at all wonder- 

 ful. T. B. 



The Steuben County Sportsmen's Club. 



Bath, K Y., Feb. 6.— The "Steuben Comity Sports- 

 men's Club" has been organized with the following offi- 

 cers: President, Gen. N. M. Crane, of HorneUsville; one 

 vice-president from each town and city in the county to 

 l)e apiiointed by the executive committee; Dr. W. H. 

 Phillips, of Bath, Sec. and Treas. ; and the following 

 executive committee: Trevor Moore, H. 0. FairchUd, 

 Hammondsport; 0. F. Marshall, Wheeler; Jas. A. Drake, 

 Coming; C. D. Wylie, W. H. Phillips and Z. L. Parker, 

 Bath. Application blanks for membership will soon be 

 in circulation on the back of which will be the constitu- 

 tion and by-laws. One dollar is the membership fee 

 which is i-equired to join the club. 



Standart Shooting Club. 



Denver, Col., Feb. 11.— The Standart Shooting Club 

 .held its tenth ann\ial meeting Monday evening, Feb. 6. 

 The following officers were elected: Pi'esident, S. H. 

 Standart; First Vice-President, Henry Saers; Second Vice- 

 President, S. M. Perry; Secretary, L. P. Appleman; 

 Ti-easurer, Edwin Quentin. The Standart is one of the 

 oldest clubs in the State, and now has a membership of 

 7"). It is not a trap-shooting club, but has several large 

 lakes leased near Denver, and controls some of the best 

 duck shooting in the State. The boys are beginning to 

 get ready for the spring wildfowl shooting. The ducks 

 usually get here about the last of February, but if the 

 present mild weather holds we can expect them earher. 



ALBANY FISH AND GAME BILLS. 



__[Special Correspondence Forest and Stream.] 



Albany, Feb. 14. — Senator EicliardsoLi has iBtroduced a bill making 

 the open seasou for deer hunting in Stdlivan county from Oct. 1 to 

 Dec, 1; and the open seasou for possession of the same, Oct. 1 to Dec. 

 ]5, The bill repeals the game code wherever it conflicts with the 

 above. 



Assemblj^man Foster has a bill ameuchng Section 13C so as to forbid 

 purse nets in the Hudson Eiver above Poughkeepsie. 



Assemblyman Higbie has an amendment to Section 1G4. providing 

 that the close season for woodcock shall be from Jan. 1 to Oct. 1 ; and 

 for possession of the same, Feb. 1 to Oct. 1. 



Assembljanan Thoi-nton has introduced a bill amending Section S71 

 of the game code so that Section .5 will read: "Angling" is defined to 

 mean taldng flsh with hook and line or by rods and lines (held in hand) 

 and does not include set lines. 



Assemblyman Rice proposes to amend Section 141 so that suckers 

 may be caught by means of rake hooks, and pickerel with set hues or 

 tip-ups, in any of the waters of the Stat« not inhabited by trout. 



Assemblyman Avery has introduced nineteen amendments to the 

 game code at the request of the Pi.sh Commission. The numbers in- 

 dicate the order of their introduction : 



554 amends Section 138 so as to read: "Richmond county and New 

 Yoi'k Bay, regulations as to nets. ISets of the kind commonly used 

 for catching flsh shall not be placed, drawn or used in New Yoi-k Bay, 

 Raritan Bay, nor in any of the waters in Richmond county, except for 

 the pm-pose of catching shad: nor shall any fish, except shad, be 

 fished for or caught by any means or device except angling, except as 

 provided by Section 14.5." 



655 adds a new section as No. 249, reading. "The oflfleers and direct- 

 ors of a corporation shall be jointly, severally and individually liable 

 upon any and all judgments which may be recovered against said cor- 

 poration for a violation of this chapter. And whenever a corporation 

 shall violate any of the provisions of this chapter tlie officers thereof 

 shall be guilty of misdemeanor and subject to the same punishment 

 as if they had violated it individually." 



556 amends Section 23H so as to read: "Recovery, how disposed of 

 in actions by the people. The amount of lines imposed or penalties 

 recovered and collected in all actions, settlements, compromises 

 or iiroceedlngs heretofore or hereafter brought under the direc- 

 tion of a Commissioner or upon the order of the Chief Pro- 

 tector, in the name Of the people, shall be paid to the Board of Com- 

 missioners, to be disbursed by said board, as hereinafter provided. 

 .'Vn.y officer or pe]'son failing to pay over any such money recovered 

 by "him shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be removed from 

 office, and a civil action maybe brought against any such officer or 

 person for the recovery of any such money received by him in tlie 

 name of the people, under the direction of either of the Commis- 

 sioners." 



657 amends Section 109, relating to unlawful devices, so as to strike 

 out the words "No fish siial! he fished for, caught or killed" and sub- 

 stituting "Nets and devices of a kind ordinarily used for catching fish 

 shall not be placed in, drawn or used" in any of the inland waters, etc. 



.5.58 amends Section 115 so as to make the size of meshes %in. bar 

 instead of li/i^in. bar. 



55i) amends Section 49 so as to make the close season for black and 

 gray squirrels from ,Jan. 1 to Sept. 1. 



5(50 amends Section 145, relating to the taking of minnows for bait, 

 by rewording at the end: "This shall not authorize the placing or use 

 of nets, or any otlier dex'ice of a kind used for catcl:iing fish in streams 

 inhabited hy trout, nor the taking of trout by means of nets or other 

 devices, except angling, in any waters. 



561 amends Section 191, relating to dredging for oysters and clatns, 

 by adduig: "No rake, tongs, dredge or other device shall be used on 

 clams with spaces or opening between the teeth or prongs of less 

 than 13^iu., and no hard oi' round elauis less than ygin. hi thickness 

 shall be caught, and if caught shall be returned to the water ^^ ithout 

 injury." 



5fW amends Section 189, relating to oj'ster beds, so as to prohibit the 

 catching of clams or oj'sters between half an hour after sunset and 

 halt an hour before sunrise. 



503 adds a new section, 131, |irohibit1ug the catching of whitefish in 

 Noveuibor; also anew section, li2, prohibits the catching of weak- 

 fisli, sea bass, blaektish or striped bass under 8in. in length. 



564 makes the close seasou for wildfowl from March 1 to Oct. 1, 



5G5 amends Section 78, relating to the protection of wild birds, so that 

 the words "possessed after the same have been Icilled" shall read "are 

 dead" instead of "have been killed" ; also amends Section 79, relating 

 to the close season for meadow larks, so as to make the same substitu- 

 tion. 



5136 adds the folio wmg to Section 20. duties of protectors: " And 

 shall have lull power to execute all Avai j'ants and search warrants 

 is.sued tor the violation of the hsli and tranie laws " 



.51)1 amends Section .use as to inake the close season for wildfowl 

 March 1 to Sept. l. and strdce.s out these « ords at the end of the sfc- 

 tion: ■ -And said bn'ds may be pursued and kdled from sailbo.ats 

 si earn launches and iK.iats ui'opelled bv hand. 



SOS amends Section 24. compensating protectors- bv adding at the 

 pnd: "After all the expenses of recovering said tines and penalties 

 have been paid. 



509 amends Section o so that the regular meetings of the Stite 

 Br-ard shall be on tlie second TUe.sdavs of .Tanuai v nnd .Tulr 



:j70 ariien.ls Section 21, so as to uiak-e a imnunuiu ir.eiifiltv of S15 "in 

 ddditi 1 t th I 1 111 li t u dM thi- nn I 1e e 



0,1 1 ei 1 u Tl I tl \i ei iiK 11 L 1 u the mi- 



posilion or er.lleetnin of nnes mt peuallies sliall be deducted before 

 one-halt of said nnes or penalties tr.-.es to the infonnfr. 



72 amen 1 Sei U n M s is t ill i i II ,Mon No 11 liad- 



mg: ■•Inclosed lands is detiiied to meuu l.mds rli*- r.utliues or bound- 

 aries of which are marked bv ater. liv ti w iiv ditr-h. hed-e or fence 

 road or hit;hwtiv, or partiallv b\' one or niort- of said me m-: r.r .niy 

 visible mclosure or distinctive boundarv which indicates a separntlon 

 from the surrounding or contiguous ft^rritorv of whatever nature- ' 



en mid Jfiif 0shmg. 



The Fish Lrms of the United States and Canada, in the 

 "Game Laws in Brief," 25 cents. In the "BooTi of the 

 " Game Laws " {full text), 50 cents. 



INDIAN HALIBUT HOOKS. 



Of the accompanying illustrations Fig. 1 is a halibut 

 hook used by Indians of British Columbia. The hook was 

 obtained at Victoria by Dr. T. H. Bean. 



Fig. 3 is used by the" Kadiak natives for the captvxre of 

 halibut. The specimen was collected at St. Paul village 

 by Dr. T. H. Bean in 1889. 



Fig. 1 is made from the tough root of a spruce; the 



Fio. 1. 



shank is somewhat elastic in order to allow the halibut to 

 get the barb well into its moutli. The barb and head of 

 the hook are wrapped Avith splints of spruce root; the 

 barb is sometimes bone, and sometimes iron or copper. 

 Fig. 2 is a crude modification of the native hook. The 



Fig. a 



bend and shank are made of soft wood and the lasliings 

 are common cotton twine. Tlie barb is iron. The illus- 

 ti-ation is about two-fifths natm-al size, while that of the 

 AT'ictoria hook is neailj'- one-half natural size. These liooks 

 are said to be much more killing for lialibut than tlie 

 American hooks, for the l eason that the mouth of the 

 fish is forced wide open and drowning follows speedily. 



The Lake Trout. 



Dallas, Tex. — There is a fish caught in the Great 

 I/akes, aiuong otht.'rs Ontario, which attains the weight 

 ot 25!bs.. and wlucli I liave always heard called "salmon 

 trout. ' It is very iilentitul, and like the regular salmon, 

 ( \( <.]){ 1 b( ]ii ^ o til it it I) 1-^ 11(1 .scales and the flesh is of 

 a paler color. 1 liave been told that there are no "salmon 

 trtait. except in nalt \\-.ater. Is this a fact, and the name 

 ■salmon trout a misnomer when apjilied to the fi.sh men- 

 tioned? A. H. S, 



[The salmon trout of the Great Lakes has many com- 

 mon names, the best known being lake trout. In Maine, 

 \( \\ Biunsu i( ],. uid C m id i it is called tog^ue and tuladi. 

 Indiau n;ira('s are mac^lcinaw or namaycusli. In some 

 j artsoE iNew York the hsli is known as red trout, gray 

 trout and black salmon. The so-called trout of salt water 

 eouth ot V n-ginia is not one ol the trout (or salmon) fam- 

 ily at all. Ijiit a wcakhsh. 1 lie lake trout has small scales. 

 In tlie report ot the .PennsN Ivania Fish Commission, re- 

 cently issued, you will lind a color plate of this trout.] 



ANGLING NOTES. 



Homeric Fishing. 



A FEW evenings ago, during a pause in a game of whist, 

 Mr. F. F. Giinn, who was associated with Dr. Jordan as 

 an instructor m the Indiana University, said to me: 

 "Had you lived in Homeric times you woidd have found 

 it better form to saw wood than to go fishing; therefore 

 be thankful that you live now even if this game is going 

 against you." When a man makes a statement of that 

 kind, particularly at a time when I am a tail-ender in the 

 game, I want proof of it — documentary evidence, so to 

 speak, and when I asked for this proof on this occasion, I 

 found Mr. Gunn was loaded, and had cartridges in his belt 

 besides. He quoted from this introduction to Homer by 

 Prof. E. C. Jebb: "In the Homer'c world fish is not men-^ 

 tioned as a delicacy — rather it is regarded as the last re- 

 source of hunger. The siinilies from fishing point to the 

 use of fish by poor people who could command no other 

 animal food." I argued that that was because the fish 

 were caught in a net, in all probability, and no one had 

 arisen to proclaim that "angling is an art, and an art 

 worth your learning." Then he took a snap shot at me 

 from Book 4 of the Odyssey, Bryant's translation: 



"Now would our stores of food have been consumed, 

 Now would the courage of my men have died, 

 Had not a goddess pitied me, and come 

 To my relief, by name Idothea, born 

 To the great Proteus, Ancient of the Deep, 

 For she was moved by my distress, and came 

 To me while I was wandering alone, 

 Apart from the rest. They through the isle 

 Eoamed everywhere from place to place, and pinched 

 With hunger, threw the hook for fish." 



That, I was forced to admit, was suspiciously like fly- 

 casting — that throwing the hook, but as my partner and I 

 were .still behind the game, I began to question the kind 

 of hook that was used, when he gave me his left barrel, 

 chokebored, from Book 10: 



"While yet we had our bread 

 And ruddy wine, my comrades spared the beeves, 

 Moved by the love of hfe. But when the stores 

 On board our galleys were consumed, they roamed 

 The island in their need, and sought for prey, 

 And snared with barbed hooks the fisb and birds — 

 Whatever came to hand— till they were gaunt 

 With famine." 



That left me tottering on one leg, for the ethics of the 

 profession would not permit me to question a fish story by 

 a brother angling writer, particularly as he was an old- 

 timer, and the only thing left to do was to question 

 Homer's standing- in the profession. Was Homer an au- 

 thority as a sporting writer? He evidentlj^ had sporting 

 instincts, but he seems to have been a pot-fisherman, 

 chiefly, and I do not think he deserves to rank as a first- 

 class angling writer, and for this reason. Prof. .J. D. 

 Quackenbos, in his "History of Ancient Literature," relates 

 the legend that "Homer, twice warned by an oracle to be- 

 ware of the young men's riddle, went ashore one day on 

 los, an island of the Cyclades, and there, noticing some 

 boys who had been fi.sliing, asked them: 'What luck?' 

 'What we caught we left, what we could not catch we 

 carried with us,' was the rej)ly. Unable to guess the rid- 

 dle, the old poet died of vexation." His asking "what 

 luck" was evidence that the germ of angling desire had 

 been i:ilanted, but as he could not answer such a simple- 

 riddle it was proof positive that the germ had not devel- 

 oped, and he was not a first-class fisherman. "What we 

 caught we left." That is, they had caught nothing in size 

 over the legal length, and had thrown back aU the little 

 fish for fear of being pulled by a fish and game protector 

 for having fish under six inches in their possession. 

 'What we could not catch we carried away with us." 

 How simple that is, for they carried away, in their imagi- 

 nation, the big fish which they bragged of around the 

 stove during the winter evenings, and wrote to the news- 

 papers about. Hence I am forced to think that as an 

 angling writer, measured by some modern standards. 

 Homer was a duffer. 



Frozen Streams and Spawning Beds. 



A few weeks ago I mentioned the probable effect of the 

 extreme cold weather, now fortunately broken, upon some 

 of the spawning beds of the brook trout in northern New 

 York, where the small streams have frozen solid to the 

 bottom. Suice that note was written I have seen the 

 representatives of two lumber concerns who have spent 

 two and eight weeks respectively in the Adirondacks, al- 

 though in widely separated regions, and they tell me that 

 never before have they seen the streams frozen to their 

 beds as they are this winter, forming a solid mass of ice 

 over which the water flows and freezes. This is not 

 promising for a crop of trout fry from these small streams 

 next spring. To-day I had a talk with Myron Buttles, the 

 forester of the Adirondack Club, who comes from a region 

 between the two that I had previously heard from, and 

 while he reports much the same state of aft'airs as to the 

 ice being solid in the small streams, he takes a hopeful 

 view of the situation, inasmuch as he thinks that comj^ara- 

 tively few brook trout ran up the streams to their source 

 from tlie lakes and ponds to spawn. He gives it only as 

 an opinion, however, that most pond trout that go into 

 the streams to spawn, spawn near the mouths of the 

 streams. He has promised to examine some of the spawn- 

 ing beds on his return to the club house and write me 

 what he discovers. Streams that are not frozen solid ares 

 full of anchor ice that has lodged on the rapids where 

 trout make their beds, so that altogether the spiing crop 

 of fry must suffer to a greater or less extent. Mr. Buttles 

 reports "Jierds" nf deer. He thinks in all his experience 

 in the woods lie lias never known these so plentiful, and 

 he says that th^ey liave not .sufl'ered as has been i-eported, 

 because tlie snow has not up to this time been deep, and 

 they could get around easily and find plenty of food. 



A. N. Chenet. 



India/na Commission. 



CoL. Wm. T. Dk-^kis has resigned and Prof. Phillip I H". 

 Kirsch, City Siixicriiitendeiit of Schools, Columbia City, fud,, 

 has been appoiuied Connuis.sioner of Fisheries of liidiaua. 

 Prof. Kirsch has published a number of papers on fishes and 

 will undoubtedly prove an active and intelligent com-mis- 

 sioner. 



