US 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



tion, sleek and quite strong. It swam vigorously, but 

 did not attempt to fly, and when caught struggled with a 

 good deal of force. As it was being put in the boat, its 

 head and neck hanging down, it disgorged two or three 

 tablespoonfuls of a yellowish fluid and died. A swan 

 caught on Brant Island a day or two earlier was brought 

 in alive and put in the goose pen, where it lived for a 

 short time, but was found dead one morning. At times 

 this bird seemed to feel pretty well, dabbling in the 

 water and dressing its plumage, but much of the time it 

 stood or sat with its bill open, breathing hard and with 

 the yellowish fluid dropping from the beak. 



A dissection of the two birds mentioned reveals the dis- 

 ease from which the fowl suffers and its cause. 



All the orga,ns are in a healthy condition until the giz- 

 zard is reached. In the case of the goose the stomach 

 and upper gizzard were filled with fresh grass, on which 

 the processes of digestion had not begun. The posterior 

 part of the gizzard contained perhaps two ounces of fine 

 sand mingled with coarser bright gravel. Distributed 

 through this sand was a small quantity — perhaps one- 

 quarter of an ounce — of particles of lead, evidently shot. 

 Some of these particles were large and round, others 

 were flattened, others still were no larger than No. 10 or 

 No. 12 shot, but were not round, but oval or bean-shaped. 

 The surfaces of all were dull, and on close examination 

 were seen to be finely pitted by attrition against the 

 harder sand and gravel which grinds up the bird's food. 

 The gristly lining of the gizzard of this goose was greenish 

 in color and entirely different in character from the same 

 membrane in a healthy bird. Its thinner margin was 

 soft and decayed or corroded, easily to be pulled to pieces 

 or rubbed off with the finger, and in some places had 

 degenerated into a soft jelly-like mass of yellowish color. 

 The thicker tough lining of the gizzard was also corroded 

 and could be picked away in small pieces, while in a 

 healthy bird it would have stripped away in a single 

 piece from the white membrane upon which it lies. This 

 white membrane showed here and there pinkish or 

 purplish spots indicating inflammation. The right lobe 

 of the liver was discolored, having a dark unhealthy 

 look. The small intestine showed evidence of intense 

 . inflammation throughout its length, and the rectum was 

 also inflamed. 



The swan was examined a few days later than the 

 goose and several days after its death. Its gizzard con- 

 tained perhaps twenty or thirty grains of corn, which 

 were softened, but not at all digested or even abraded. 

 The gizzard contained no sand, but did contain a quantity 

 of yellowish jelly-like matter which appeared to be the 

 broken down walls of the gizzard lining. At the posterior 

 part of the gizzard were a dozen particles of lead, two of 

 them evidently No. 4 shot and the others small ground up 

 fragments of shot which had lost shape and size. The 

 tough lining membrane of the gizzard was black in color, 

 had lost all character and could be picked off piece by 

 piece like rotten wood or burned leather. The subjacent 

 white membrane showed the pink and purple spots of in- 

 flammation noted in the same membrane of the goose. 

 The small intestine was highly inflamed throughout its 

 whole tract. The fiver was absolutely black and very soft. 



From these examinations I conclude that the birds dis- 

 sected died from acute corrosive gastritis due to the lead 

 taken into the gizzard. 



Each season great quantities of shot are fired on the 

 waters of this sound, and much of it falls on the feeding 

 grounds of the wildfowl. In feeding, the geese, ducks 

 and swans take into the stomach more or less of this shot 

 either by accident or in the belief that it is sand or gravel. 

 When the shot has passed into the gizzard it is subjected 

 to the same grinding process as the grass, grain or other 

 food, and being softer than the sand it is ground into 

 minute particles, which at once set uj) an acute inflamma- 

 mation throughout the whole alimentary tract into which 

 they pass. The result is that the bird dies from a poison- 

 ing which is partly mechanical and partly corrosive. 



Geo. Bird Grinnell. 



Ontario Fish and Game Commission. 



At a meeting of the Ontario Fish and Game Commis- 

 sion, Dr. McCallum of Dixie presiding, and Mayor A. D, 

 Stewart of Hamilton, W. G. Parish of Ottawa, J. H.Will- 

 mott of Beaumaris, Muskoka, andH.P. D wight of Toronto, 

 present, it was recommended that the present law in re- 

 gard to snipe, quail, woodcock and partridge be continued 

 for three years more. Also that the present law govern- 

 ing the close season for deer be continued, except that 

 there should be no hunting with dogs after Nov. 1. It 

 was decided to ask the Legislature to appoint two new 

 game wardens for Ontario, as the four now in office are 

 inadequate to cover the territory. The muskrat season 

 was recommended to be fixed from Jan. 1 to March 1, 

 but they may only be trapped during April. In regard to 

 the fisheries question the commission decided to urge an 

 issue in the test case now pending between the Dominion 

 and Provincial governments to determine wherein lies the 

 jurisdiction. 



A THIRTY-POUND TROUT.* 



(Translated from the Swedish for Forest and Stream.) 



It was July 12, 1893. The wind, which for a long time 

 had blown from the north, during the course of the day 

 veered around to the westward. It was, therefore, with 

 somewhat stronger expectations than usual that I went 

 out in the afternoon to a bridge over the River Murole in 

 the parish of Ruovesi. 



It had already become calm. The sun still shone from 

 a cloudless sky. Over the tops of the birches fluttered 



i-POtDID TROUT. 



Seymour Garey's Lost Bear Trap. 



Auburn, Susquehanna County, Jan. 30. — Editor Forest 

 and Stream: While on a shooting trip in Windham town- 

 ship, Wyoming county, last November, it was my privi- 

 lege to meet with an interesting relic. 



About the year 1830 one Henry Champion had a deei 

 lick located about two miles from the river bluff, opposite 

 Black Walnut. This lick was frequented by a large buck 

 which Champion expected, sooner or later, to secure. A 

 neighbor, Seymour Garey, hearing of the big buck that 

 came to Champion's lick, proposed capturing the animal 

 by means of a large bear trap, of which he was the pos- 

 sessor. This coming to the ears of Champion, Garey was 

 warned not to attempt it, and it was hinted that he might 

 lose his trap. Nevertheless Garey set his trap in the 

 lick. It disappeared, and its removal was credited to 

 human agency. Both men grew old and passed away, 

 but the whereabouts of the trap was never revealed. But 

 some of the older men of the locality still remember the 

 circumstance, and it was often discussed among them. 



Last August a friend, with whom I have spent many 

 pleasant days afield, was traveling through the locality in 

 the company of a man past middle age, who related to 

 him the circumstances attending the trap's disappearance, 

 with the remark that it was doubtless somewhere in their 

 immediate vicinity, securely hidden for more than sixty 

 years. Two days later some boys, while picking berries, 

 found the trap but a few yards from where they had dis- 

 cussed it. It had been hidden in a large hollow log. The 

 action of the elements and decay of more than half a cen- 

 tury had so weakened the shell that it had fallen apart, 

 revealing the old relic. 



It is now in the possession of Damon Allen, at whose 

 shop I saw it. It is in a good state of preservation, appa- 

 rently little affected by the rust of so many years. One 

 of the springs has at some time been broken and roughly 

 welded. It is an interesting reminder of a class of men | 

 and customs that are fast passing even from memory. 



In November, 1892, Judson Jayne was hunting among 

 the hills one mile south of Jenningsville, and while 

 seated on a log enjoying his lunch noticed iron among the 

 leaves at his feet. When uncovered it proved to be a 

 large bear trap, and the jaws came up with a vicious snap 

 that might have caused serious trouble had it been trodden 

 on unseen. This find was widely talked of, but no owner j 

 has been found. To whom it belonged and how it came ' 

 to be left in the condition in which it was found will 

 doubtless always remain a mystery. Bon Am. ' 



thousands of ephemera, and thousands more rose up out 

 of the stream and enveloped the angler like a cloud. In 

 short, the weather was as beautiful as a salmon fisherman 

 could desire. 



I fastened a small whitefish on a feathered treble hook 

 with gimp snood and made a cast. After only a couple 

 of minutes I felt a strong pull— but nothing more. Dis- 

 appointed, I reeled in the line and found that the hook 

 was missing. I selected a new hook with double gut lure 

 and resumed fishing. This time I was more fortunate. 

 After a quarter of an hour's battle a trout weighing 

 141bs. was'struggling in the landing net. When I under- 

 took to release the hook, I found, to my astonishment, the 

 first hook in its lower jaw. Thus it was the same fish 

 which had taken the hook twice, in succession. 



I had intended to go home, as it has not happened for 

 years that two large trout have been taken out of the 

 Murole in one evening. But the resplendent natural 

 beauties which surrounded me determined me to remain. 



Again I cast out and again fortune favored me. After 

 only ten minutes another trout lay in the grass on the 

 shore. It weighed, however, only 51bs. "Ei Jcahsi 

 Jcolmatta," f thought I, and the sequel showed that in our 

 skeptical day we know little about the inherited wisdom 

 of our ancestors. 



For the fourth time I baited the hook, and after I had 

 raised an incense to show my gratitude to the divinity of 

 the water, I cast again. Nor did I need to wait long this 

 time before a fish struck so hard that the cigar fell out of 

 my mouth. And then begun a struggle of life and death. 

 The reel sung shrill as a locomotive whistle when the 

 engine is at full speed. 



It was not worth while to take the line in the fingers. 

 By degrees the run slackened and I begun carefully to 

 reel in the line. But then the fish rushed off again on a 

 longer run if possible. This was repeated several times, 

 and playing the fish was made very difficult on account 

 of several sticks that floated about in an eddy in the 

 middle of the stream. After this suspense had lasted 

 nearly an hour the monster took refuge behind a stone. I 

 held a tight line, ready to give slack instantly if it should 

 again start to run. And I waited and waited, but it 

 showed no sign of leaving its place. Pricking sensations 

 in the arms warned me that they were becoming numb, 

 and gradually I began to lose patience also. More than 

 once I was tempted to give a jerk, but most fortunately I 



*"EnTrettio Skalpunds Forell: Fiskeritidstoift for Finland," No. 

 11. 1893, pages 159-161. 



t A Finnish proverb which means: "No second without a third," or 

 "Three things are always good." , 



controlled myself. Finally, when I had stood like a 

 statue more than an hour, I hit upon a practical idea. I 

 sent out a boat to frighten away the fish. It succeeded, 

 too, and for an instant we saw its back at the surface of 

 the water. But when the boat withdrew the fish went 

 back to its former station. Once more the same means 

 was tried, this time with better result. Now it remained 

 off the bottom of the stream, and after very little resist- 

 ance it lay in the landing net. It was then so weak that 

 it could hardly move a fin. And my strength was so 

 much exhausted also that I could not possibly have drawn 

 up a small trout. Accompanied by a troop of lumbermen 

 I carried it up to the house. It was hung on a pair of 

 scales and found to weigh 301bs. 



So it was the largest trout within my recollection which 

 was caught out of this stream. As far as I know, 231bs. 

 was the weight of the largest one taken hitherto. It was 

 nearly 3ft. long and fully llin. broad. In color it was 

 dark above and profusely covered with spots. The flesh 

 was fat and well flavored. In sex it was a female. 



C. Thesleff. 



BLACK BASS IN FINLAND. 



Dr. Oscar Nordqvist has added to the attractions of 

 his native country a well known American game fish, 

 the large-mouthed black bass. Having satisfied himself 

 that the fish is a valuable one, and can be introduced 

 without the risk of its encroaching upon trout and salmon 

 waters, he ordered 400 of each of our species from Herr 

 Max von dem Borne, but was able to secure only the 

 large-mouthed bass. 



The fish obtained were six months old and some of them 

 measured from 4 to 4|in. in length. They were shipped 

 from Bern euchen, Germany, on a Tuesday afternoon or 

 Wednesday morning, left Stettin Wednesday noon by 

 the steamer ' ' Jakobstad" and arrived at Helsingf ors, Fin- 

 land, at 11 o'clock Friday night. At this stage of the 

 journey, fifty-nine of the fish were found dead. From 

 Helsingfors the remainder were carried four hours by rail 

 to Jarvela, and thence more than fifty kilometers by team 

 to the Fishery Experiment Station at Evois, where they 

 arrived at 2 o'clock Sunday morning and were at once 

 deposited in a small lake about 600 meters long, 400 meters 

 wide and about 30ft. in greatest depth. 



The bass were shipped in four wooden vessels each con- 

 taining 100 fish. Between Berneuchen and Helsingfors 

 they received no special attention, the journey having 

 occupied certainly more than sixty hours. In Helsingfors 

 and on the way to Jarvela, the water was aerated. On the 

 journey from Jarvela to Evois fresh water was supplied 

 from brooks and lakes at several places to replace the 

 water spilled in transportation. The total loss of fish was 

 only seventy-eight — a remarkable success in carrying 

 fish. 



The lake at Evois in which the bass were planted has no 

 outlet. The water is perfectly transparent. The bottom 

 consists of stone, gravel and sand. The lake is well 

 stocked with yellow perch and roach, and contains also 

 a few pike and burbot, all of which fish except the roach 

 are identical with fish of the same name in the United 

 States. Our black bass has the same species among its 

 companions in this country. 



A letter from Dr. Nordqvist, dated Dec. 31, 1893, in- 

 formed me that "when put in the lake they disappeared 

 in the darkness. When I visited the place the next morn- 

 ing none were seen, as I believe all were alive. If some, of 

 them had died, one would, no doubt, have seen them on 

 the bottom as was the case with some Coregonus marima 

 (whitefish), which were planted some days earlier in 

 another lake also belonging to the Experiment Station. 

 Now the lakes are covered by ice, so I cannot get any in- 

 formation about the bass until next summer." 



T. H. B. 



BOSTON FISHERMEN. 



The latest reports from the Florida tarpon fishermen 

 suggest a very dull season thus far. But old hunters for 

 the silver king think that it is not quite late enough for 

 good sport. One or two Boston parties have put off their 

 Florida trips till a week or two later, A letter to Mr. 



C, Z, Bassett from Mr. C. A, Dean, mentions that the 

 tarpon fishing at Punta Gorda is very dull. Mr. Dean is 

 the acknowledged champion tarpon fisherman, but he 

 had, up to the time of writing, taken but one tarpon. 

 This letter will cause the Boston tarpon fishermen to wait 

 a little longer, especially where their time is limited. Mr. 



D. H. Blanchard, whom the readers of the Forest and 

 Stream well know, through his efforts to lessen the 

 amount of netting in the Canada and New Brunswick 

 salmon rivers, a couple of winters ago, is going to Florida 

 soon; probably as much for health and recreation as for 

 tarpon fishing. But his fishing tackle will all go with 

 him; of this be very sure. If he does not catch a tarpon, 

 why, there is a plenty of other fishing. The Maine papers 

 say' that Capt. Fred C. Barker, of Rangeley Lake steam- 

 boat fame, is on his way to Boston and New York, and 

 that he will prolong his trip to Florida, if his health per- 

 mits. 



Boston fishermen will be pained to learn that Mr. Geo. 

 B. Appleton, of Appleton & Bassett, the well known 

 Washington st. fishing tackle dealers, fell on the ice the 

 other day and broke the small bone of one of his legs. He 

 is now flat on his back, and will have to stay there for 

 some days. Mr. Bassett suggests that the accident, if it 

 must have happened, "could not have happened in a bet- 

 ter time; " it being in the dullest season of the tackle 

 trade. 



Recent letters from Andover, Me., say that Mr. J. A. 

 French of that town, who has run the hotel camps at the 

 Upper Dam, Richardson Lake, for several years, is not to 

 run that well known abiding place for fishermen this 

 season. It is mentioned that Mr. John Chad wick, who has 

 been the Union Waterpower Co.'s agent there for a good 

 many years, is to have full sway and take charge of the 

 hotel arrangements. The newspapers have reports of 

 another scheme to connect the Rangeley Lakes with the 

 outside world by rail. It is proposed to build a railroad in 

 from Bethel or somewhere above, to connect the Grand 

 Trunk with Umbagog Lake by all rail. The Grand Trunk 

 is believed to be interested in this plan. Still there is no 

 money yet raised, and everybody knows that the Grand 

 Trunk is not noted for building branch roads in Maine, 

 having its great interests in Canada and the West. By 

 the building of the Portland & Rumford Falls extension 

 from Lewiston to Poland, Poland Springs and to Mechanic 

 Falls, which extension is now completed, sportsmen who 



