[Feb. 29, 1886. 
CUSK FISHING IN THE CONNECTICUT. 
Spoktsmkn of New Hampshire and Vermont relieve the 
monotony of midwinter and Bupply their tables with one 
of the best food fishes by fishing through the ice for cusk. 
The same tackle is used as when fishing through the ice 
for pickerel or longe; but as the cusk is a night feeder, 
the flags are dispensed with, and the staffs on which the 
lines are wound may as well lie across the hole as to be 
erect. Live minnows are used for bait* although the 
busk is a ravenous feeder and will take a dead minnow. 
They are bottom feeders, and lines should be well leaded 
and bait allowed to lie on or swim close to the bottom. 
Cusk can be taken at any season during the winter, but 
the best time is upon the advent of new ice early in the 
season and then again in March. February is a dull 
month for them, as the females are spawning and seldom 
take a hook. The males taken at this time will also 
average much smaller than in January or March. 
I had my first experience with this method of fishing 
last evening, when I was invited to Lunenburgh to see 
how it is done. Within half a mile of the railroad sta- 
tion I found my friends just before dusk busily cutting 
holes and setting the lines. At 5 o'clock the lines were 
all baited (fifteen to a man), and shortly afterward a tour 
was made resulting in a catch of fifteen cusk for sixty 
lines. This assured my host, the minister, fresh fish for 
breakfast and prospects for a good Sunday dinner, and 
we repaired to a vacant house near by to cook our supper 
of ham and eggs. After supper we made another tour of 
the lines and captured eighteen more cusk. As my train 
home left at 8:50, it was necessary for me to take my de- 
parture, leaving my friends to pass the night in recount- 
ing their adventures as they lay before the cheerful fire, 
varied by an occasional break (when the stories became 
too rank for the minister) to take a look at the lines. I 
have not heard the result of the catch during the night, 
but as the cusk feed all night I feel certain that the four 
which I brought home will not deprive the minister of 
his Sunday dinner. 
The fishermen are positive that, while these fish are not 
tempting to look upon, they are superior as a food fish to 
the longe or any other fresh-water fish taken at this sea- 
son. I am surprised that market fishermen do not take 
up this means of livelihood at a season when work is 
scarce of the kind which suits their temperaments. Per- 
haps they consider this method of fishing too hard work 
(I refer to the market fishermen of the interior). The 
holes should be cut and lines set before dusk, and then 
tended throughout the night. The cusk of the Connecti- 
cut range from | to 51bs. in weight. The thirty-two cap- 
tured before I left the fishing grounds were all males 
from i to 21bs. each. Wheelock, 
St. Johnsbury, Vt., Feb. 5. 
CARP ON CAPE COD. 
Boston, Feb. 13.— Editor Forest and Stream: I want to 
tell you about the perhaps termination of our carp pro- 
ject on the Cape. 
I think it was seven years ago I obtained from the 
State a can of carp, placed them in a little pond kept alive 
from surrounding rainshed, with the idea of transferring 
the increase to other and favorable places. The original 
plant consisted of about thirty fish not over 2^in. in 
length. Eighteen months later I took two of them out- 
one a male and one a female with spawn. They weighed 
21bs. each and were 16in. in length. The next year I 
took from the same place several young carp, perhaps 
6in. long, weighing j.\b. No other fish were in this pond, 
and lilypads and grasses were profuse in and around its 
edges. The third year four of the larger carp were trans- 
ferred to another pond near by which had for denizens 
yellow perch, shiners, pickerel and turtles. This also 
was a pond which existed from rainshed alone, no springs 
augmenting its contents. The pond was of say two acres 
m extent and as favorable for carp support as the first 
one. That they throve there well is evidenced by the fact 
that owing to dry times the pond has subsided to the 
extent that Saturday, the 8fch, the carp were being taken 
out dead m large numbers, frozen to death, as well as 
pickerel and perch. I quote from my friend's letter con- 
cerning them. * * * "No less than twenty-six great 
fash were spread out on the banks quite dead and looking 
like a school of porpoises; about one-third of them were 
of the leather variety, the others having symmetrical scales. 
o£ e £- were very unifor£ Q in size and weight, averaging 
2ft. 6m. m length and weighing 151bs. With them there 
were about a dozen pickerel, the largest weighing 3 Jibs., 
and a considerable number of perch and shiners. The 
carp must have weighed close upon 4001bs. Of course, 
they must have, been killed by the frost, as the water was 
reduced to about 15in. in the deepest part of the pond." 
Evidently the cold weather had hardened the mud to 
prevention of the carp being able to get into it, as custom- 
ary with them in cold weather. 
Thus ends my Barnstable attempt, which has been kept 
a wonderful secret, to the extent that none save five per- 
sons knew of their presence until this disaster, which called 
many to view and much talk. 
Another lot placed in a pond with shelving depths run- 
ning from 3m. to 30ft. further down the Cape fifteen 
years ago by myself we shall probably hear from later. 
1 his pond had nothing but shiners in it, and only verv 
small anglers visited its waters. They all in their early 
youth have acquired the stigma of big fish stories, for 
they have told of big fish jumping out of the water, but 
their elders laugh. There must be some whoppers there 
by this time, judging by the Barnstable result. 
_ Reigjsolds. 
New Jersey Sea Fishing. 
The Board of Fish and Game Commissioners of New Jer- 
sey has sent the following address to the Senate and General 
Assembly of the State of New Jersey oeud,l ' B dna ^erai 
Gentlemen: The Board of Fish and Game Commissioners 
desires respectfully and most earnestly to call your attention 
to a state of affairs existing along the coast line of this State 
which in our opinion requires immediate attention. One of 
the natural advantages of this State is its long stretch of 
seaboard, an advantage of vast benefit to our citizens in 
many ways. Although some years ago it may have appeared 
impossible to deplete the ocean of its stock of fish, yet such 
have been the improvements of modern time in the manu- 
facture of appliances for taking fish, and such the rapacitv 
of men who have unhindered pursued the calling of fisher- 
men, that there is a serious danger threatening the supply 
of fish. Other States have long since given heed to the warn- 
ing, which is becoming louder every year, but so far the 
subject has received very little attention at the hands of the 
legislators of this State. Although the taking of fish in our 
inland waters is jealously guarded and our shad fisheries 
have received the protection accorded to them by many wise 
laws, little or nothing has been done toward the regulation 
of taking fish from the ocean. The natural result of restrict- 
ive legislation on the part of other States has been to bring 
to our shores a horde of fishermen from other places, for 
here they enjoy the license which has long since been refused 
to them at other points along the Atlantic seaboard. 
For the purpose of taking an important step toward the 
protection of the shore fisheries the Board of Fish and Game 
Commissioners has caused to be drafted three bills, which 
have been introduced in the Senate, and to the necessity of 
the passage of which we desire to call your attention. 
Pounds-Net Fishings 
It is but comparatively few years ago since the first pound- 
net was erected in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean along 
the coast of New Jersey. Since that time, however, the 
number and size of these nets have increased in such propor- 
tion as to seriously threaten the supply of food from the sea. 
Many of these nets have been erected near inlets and thus 
thousands of fish are annually prevented from reaching 
their spawning grounds The pound-nets take in all the 
fish, large and small, and the damage done is incalculable. 
The immediate result of the multiplication of these nets is 
to render fish dearer and scarcer and to deprive hundreds of 
fishermen of their means of gaining a livelihood. The 
pound-nets remain in the ocean throughout the summer 
months and frequently take far more fish than the market 
needs. Formerly fish were taken at every seaside resort and 
every place along the coast where there were any human 
habitations. Now the -pound-nets secure all the fish and 
these are taken to the New York and Philadelphia markets 
to be subsequently returned to our State in a very much 
deteriorated condition on account of their having been kept 
on ice for several days. During the past summer numerous 
instances occurred which proved conclusively the injury 
done by these pound-nets. At time3 stress of weather pre- 
vented the agents of the pound-net owners from getting to 
their nets; the result was that thousands of fish were killed 
in the nets and subsequently thrown out to be washed 
ashore in a putrid condition, not only endangering the 
health of our residents, but materially interfering with the 
business and enjoyment of people who come here for the 
purpose of spending the summer. At other times the 
quantity of fish taken was so great as to necessitate the re- 
moval of them to so-called factories, where they were used 
for fertilizing purposes. The result of a continuance of this 
state of affairs will be apparent to every person and needs 
no further elucidation on our part. 
For the above reasons the Board of Fish and Game Com- 
missioners respectfully urges the passage of a law regulat- 
ing in some manner the taking of fish from the ocean. If 
any further reasons are necessary to show the propriety of 
some restrictive legislation, attention might be called to the 
fact that the men engaged in fishing with pound nets are 
constantly occupying territory which belongs to the State of 
New Jersey, and that the fish they take are the property of 
the public. They gain their livelihood and accumulate for- 
tunes from the advantage which nature has bestowed on the 
State at large. 
When the law suggested by the Board of Fish and Game 
Commissioners was recently brought up for discussion before 
a gathering of persons interested it was argued that its pro- 
visions were too severe. The Board of Fish and Game Com- 
missioners thereupon made such modifications to the pro- 
posed enactment as were deemed advisable, and finally no 
argument could be found against the measure on the part of 
owners of pound-nets, with the exception of the general 
statement, arrogantly expressed, that they want no interfer- 
ence in their business. All other industries of which the 
natural advantage of the State forms an important compo- 
nent part are regulated by legislation, and we respectfully 
submit that there is no reason why the pound-net industry 
should be an exception, especially when the serious harm 
done by the pursuit of this industry is considered. 
Inland Tide Water Fishing. 
Another bill which has been introduced in the Senate, and 
the passage of which the Board of Fish and Game Commis- 
sioners would like to advocate, is the bill providing for uni- 
formity in the taking of fish in the inland waters of this 
State. These waters are the great natural spawning beds 
of the fish from the sea, and the fact that interfering with 
fish during their spawning season will eventually drive these 
fish from our shores.has in the past induced the Legislature 
to pass laws regulating the taking of fish in these waters. 
These laws were passed at the demands of various localities 
where the evil effects of indiscriminate slaughter of fish were 
becoming apparent, and the result has been a mass of legis- 
lation kaleidoscopic in its many variations. Thus there are 
five different laws regulating fishing in the inland tide waters 
of Cape May county, each pertaining to some particular 
locality and nearly every one being different from all the 
others in the seasons for taking fish. What is true of Cape 
May county is true to a greater or less degree of every county 
along the ocean. The advisability of some uniform legis- 
lation on this subject is thus made apparent. 
Menhaden. 
The Board of Fish and Game Commissioners has no desire 
to precipitate a discussion of the question of taking men- 
haden. No matter what may be said on that subject, the 
fact remains undisputed that menhaden form the principal 
food for bluefish and other valuable food fish, and that the 
deprivation of their sustenance will drive from our shores all 
such fish. By a recent decision of the Supreme Court of the 
United States the principle has been established in this coun- 
try that the control for fishing purposes of the ocean for 
three miles from the coast line is vested in each individual 
State, and does not pertain to the United States as a nation. 
Before the rendering of this decision it was contended that 
New Jersey could not control the fishing within the three 
mile limit. The decision has rendered operative a law on 
our statute books absolutely prohibiting the taking of men- 
haden by the use of shirred or purse nets. Investigation 
which the Board of Fish and Game Commissioners caused to 
be made indicated that the two establishments engaged in 
taking menhaden in this State confine themselves strictly to 
that industry, and that neither attempts to take food fish for 
fertilizing purposes. Nevertheless, every year millions of 
food fish are removed from our shores by vessels hailing from 
other States. The Board of Fish and Game Commissioners 
would accordingly suggest the enactment of a measure by 
which the taking of menhaden may be licensed to residents 
of this State, it being believed that in this manner a stop can 
be put to the mischief done by non-residents without inter- 
fering with established industries within the borders of the 
State. 
The Board of Fish and Game Commissioners is anxious to 
subserve the interests of the general public, and for the pur- 
pose of accomplishing this desirable end hopes for such 
assistance from the Legislature as has been herein indicated. 
Very respectfully yours, H. P. Feothingham, Sec'y. 
Mt. Arlington, N. J., Feb. 17. 
The Forest and Stream is put to press each week on Tuesday 
Correspondence intended for publication should reach us at th 
atest by Msw %ay and as much earlier as practicable 
the H^mml 
FIXTURES. 
BENCH SHOWS. 
March 3 to 6.— City of the Straits Kennel Club. R. Humffrey 
Roberts, Sec'y, 6 Merrill Block, Detroit. Entries close Feb. 20. 
March 10 to 13.— Chicago.— Mascoutah Kennel Club's bench show- 
John L. Lincoln, Sec'y. 
March 17 to 20.— St. Louis Kennel Club's show, St. Louis. W. 
Hutchinson, Sec'y. 
April 20 to 23 — New England Kennel Club's twelfth annual show. 
D. E. Loveland. Sec'y. 
May 6 to 9.— Pacific Kennel Club's fifth annual show. H. W. Orear, 
Sec'y. 
FIELD TRIALS. 
Sept. 2.— Morris, Man.— Manitoba Field Trials Club. John Wootton, 
See'y. ' 
Oct. 28.— Greene county, Pa,— The Monongahela Valley Game and 
Fish Protective Association's second annual trials. S. B. Cuinmings 
Sec'y, Pittsburg. 
THE NEW YORK DOG SHOW. 
The twentieth annual bench show of the Westminster 
Kennel Club was a most pleasing success. It held un- 
diminished its importance as a society event, vieing with 
the horse show as an interesting attraction. From the 
first day, Feb. 19, to the close on Washington's Birthday, 
the visitors seemed to increase in numbers. On the last 
day Madison Square Garden was filled to its full capacity. 
Both in the quality of the dogs and in the number the 
management bad an excellent show. There were 1,409 
dogs catalogued, and of these but few were absent. 
The judgeB and their classes were as follows: 
Mastiffs, St. Bernards, bloodhounds, Russian wolf- 
hounds, deerhounds, greyhounds, English foxhounds, 
collies, Old English Bheep dogs, poodles, bull dogs, bull 
terriers, fox terriers, Irish terriers, Scottish terriers, Bed- 
lington terriers, pugs, toy spaniels and miscellaneous were 
judged by Mr. George Eaper, Sheffield. Eng. 
Great Danes, American foxhounds, Basset hounds and 
dachshunde, by Mr. G. Muss-Arnolt, Tuckahoe, N. Y. 
Pointers, by Mr. James L, Anthony, Netherwood, N. J. 
English setters, Gordon setters and Chesapeake Bay 
dogs, by Mr. William Tallman, Plainfield, N. J. 
Irish setters, by Dr. William Jarvis, Claremont, N. H. 
Irish water spaniels, Clumber spaniels, field and cocker 
spaniels, by Mr. J. F. Kirk, Toronto, Canada. 
Beagles, by Mr. W. S. Clark, Linden, Mass. 
Boston terriers, by Mr. W. C. Hook, Boston, Mass. 
Newfoundland dogs, whippets, Black and Tan terriers, 
white English terriers, toy terriers, Yorkshire terriers, 
Dandie Dinmont terriers, Skye terriers, schipperkes and 
Italian greyhounds, by Dr. H. T. Foote, New Rochelle, 
Dr. H. Clay Glover was veterinarian. 
The catalogue is probably the most artistic and useful 
of any one ever published by any bench Bhow manage- 
ment in America. It contained the standards of the dif- 
ferent breeds with illustrations, thus being a work of use- 
ful information as well as of immediate reference. 
Mr. James Mortimer superintended the show in hiB I 
usual skillful manner. 
The judging was not satisfactory to all, a condition by 
no means rare at bench shows, but it was accepted with 
much less discontent as a whcile than is commonly the 
case. 
A protest was lodged against the bull terrier bitch Merle 
Goddess on the ground of deafness. On examination by 
the club's veterinarian the protest was sustained. A simi- 
lar protest had been lodged against the bitch in England 
before she was shipped to this country, but it was not sus- 
tained. Dr, Sewell was the veterinarian at that time. He 
pronounced her only partially deaf. The dogs below her 
in her class will not be advanced to the next higher places 
till it is definitely learned whether or not her owner will 
appeal to the A. K. C. 
There seemed to be a growing interest in dogs. Many 
owners reported sales. Dr. Lougest sold Mayflower, mas- 
• tiff bitch, winner of first in the puppy class, to Dr. Hill. 
The bitch is to be sent to the doctor's home in Dresden, 
Germany. The winner of first in open bitch class for 
mastiffs, Mr. J. L. WinchelPs Constable, sold for $250 to 
Dr. Perhacs. Dr. Lougest reported a greater demand for 
mastiffs than he had stock on hand. The Meadowmere 
Kennels reported sales aggregating about $1,100. They 
sold Carnot, poodle dog, to Miss Whitney for $250; Caesar 
toMisB Bloodgood for $250. The Hempstead Farm Ken- 
nels sold the pointer dog, Hempstead Druid, and the collie, 
Hempstead Yokel, to General Torrance. Mr. Geo. Mott 
sold the pointer, Sir Walter, to Mr. W. G. Brokaw. Messrs. 
Phelps and Davis sold the Boston terriers, Topsey and 
Commissioner, to Mr. M. C, D. Borden, New York, and 
Circe to Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan. 
Spratts patent benches and fed in their usual acceptable 
manner. 
Pointers.— The classes were well filled, and as a whole 
were of good quality, though it were far from uniform, it 
running from good to very ordinary. Mr. Anthony ac- 
quitted himself most creditably of his judging responsi- 
bilities. In heavy-weight dogs, challenge class, Lad of 
Kent won over Count Graphic, and in the corresponding 
class for bitches Josie Bracket won over Lass of Kent. 
There were eleven heavy-weights in the open dog class. 
Sir Walter carried off the honors. He is a stoutly made 
dog, of good muscular development, and while not coarse, 
he is somewhat lacking in fine symmetry. He is some- 
what heavy in skull and is throaty. He has excellent 
back, legs and feet. Jackson, second, is throaty, head not 
clean cut, and is a bit coarse. The rest of the winners 
were about the average. The bitch class had four com- 
petitors; and of these Devonshire Pearl, in. the pink of 
condition, won easily. All Mr. Gould's dogs were notice- 
able for their perfect condition, clean coat, hard flesh and 
good health. Lady Graphic, second, is coarse in head and 
fair otherwise. The rest of the class were average in merit. 
In the light-weight challenge dogs Ridgeview Comet had 
a walkover, and in bitches Lady Gay Spanker won over 
Miss Rumor, all well known. There were thirteen in the 
light-weight open dog claes. Prince's Boy, first, stands 
on good legs and feet, shows throatiness; head fairly 
good. Chancellor, second, is well known. Plain Sam, 
third, is a fairly good dog. Furlough Mike, fourth, stands 
a trifle high on good legs; neck lean and well set on good 
shoulders. Beaufort of Kent, the reserve, was lacking in 
symmetry and clean finish. There were twelve in the 
light-weight bitch clasB. Belle of Lancaster heavy in 
