March 28, 1896, 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
£61 
Mongolian Pheasants in Massachusetts. 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of 
Fisheries and Game — Winchester, Mass., March 16 — 
Editor Forest and Stream: In your issue of March 7 is a long 
communication from Mr. Baumgartel, of Holland, Mich., 
apparently intended to instruct persons in raising pheas- 
ants, and yet near the close of the article he says: "I have 
had no success with the Chinese pheasants imported from 
Oregon- Out of thirty hatched, none lived over a 
month." Just what success he has had with the ordinary 
ring-neck or English pheasant he does not say, but from 
his statements as to difference of time in the hatching of 
the eggs and way of feeding, I judge his loss was consid- 
erable. 
If his hens are good sitters and the nests properly 
made the eggs will hatch within a few hours of each 
other, and there will be no necessity of removing the 
young birds "to a warm place to await the hatching of 
the rest. " I have often set a hen on fifteen Mongol ian eggs 
and had them all hatch within a few hours of each other, 
and raised every one. 
The Mongolian is a more hardy bird and easier to raise 
than other pheasants, and the breeder who cannot raise 
from 85 to 90 per cent, is not in a position to instruct 
others. The phenomenal success in the introduction of 
the Mongolian pheasant into Oregon and Washington, 
and the repeated failures with the ordinary ring-neck or 
English (which is a cross between the old English and the 
Mongolian), is an object lesson which our sportsmen will 
do well to consider. 
The pure Mongolian is a distinct type in every way ex- 
cept in size, greatly superior to the English. I have 
owned, both varieties, have studied them carefully, and 
have no doubt that if there is any decided success in 
introducing pheasants into our Northern and Eastern 
Spates, it will be from the pure Mongolian stock. 
There will be no difficulty in breeding them freely, 
while as a game bird for the sportsman and for the table 
they are superior to other varieties of pheasants. 
I am breeding them for the State and have neither 
birds nor eggs for sale, and my judgment is based entirely 
upon c ireful study of the habits and character of the 
bird. E. A. Brackett. 
and a few redheads. It is quite early for so many in our 
waters. Around here it looks now as if most of our winter 
was over, and the birds are all in good condition for bo 
early in the spring, for they most always come back here 
very poor. 
L. E. Howell. 
The Changes of the Years. 
Nashua, N. H.— I have just been looking over a lot of 
my old Forest and Streams, 1885 to 1887, and I wonder 
if sportsmen realize the revolution (almost) that has taken 
place in firearms and ammunition — ideas, too — in such a 
short space of time. In these ' 'venerable" papers scarcely 
any mention is made of nitro power or hammerless guns, 
except to speak of them in a rather skeptical way as 
something of the distant future, to be perfected and 
brought within reach of the purse of ordinary men before 
being worthy of serious attention. 
In one of these numbers (I forget which) comes a wail 
from Massachusetts sportsmen at the prospect of having 
the opening season on woodcock changed to Sept. 15 (from 
August), one sage giving his opinion that the woodcock 
would mostly have left Massachusetts by Sept. 15, and 
that no shooting can be had worth speaking of after that 
date. I wonder if there is one intelligent Bportsman in 
New England to-day who would advocate setting the date 
back to allow summer shooting. Personally, I think Oct. 
1 is early enough anywhere in the United States. It 
makes a shorter season surely, but much more satisfactory 
in quality. 
In one of these old papers I came across an article by Mr. 
E. Hough, "The Enchanted Valley," a delightful sketch, 
reminding me somewhat of some of my own Western ex- 
periences in 1879-80. It also made me wonder why the 
department of "Chicago and the West" was not started 
earlier. I almost feel as though I had been cheated in 
having been deprived of Mr. Hough's excellent articles 
until this department was regularly started; and all on 
account of a miserable "prospect hole" in New Mexico. 
To those who impatiently imagine the cause— or rather 
the sentiment — of the better enforcement of the game 
laws is making slow headway, I recommend reading over 
the old files of "our" paper and contrasting the sentiment 
then with that of to-day. To me a gratifying result is 
shown, and I believe the progress is due to Forest and 
Stream more than to any other one agency. 
W. H. B. 
Megantic Club. 
We have received the annual report of the Megantic 
Fish and Game Corporation, the contents of which have 
already been given in an earlier issue. President Robin- 
son concludes: "In closing I thank you for your kind co- 
operation and support in the past, and I only wish every 
member could and would resolve to avail himself this sea- 
son of the many privileges thp> club offers; for with 300 
active, enthusiastic sportsmen, firmly convinced by actual 
experience of the magnitude and superior resources of the 
club's preserve, and of the healthful and beneficial rpsults 
accruing to those seeking rest and recreation in the club's 
domain, working unitedly for a common cause — the club's 
success— the season of 1896 will surely be the banner year, 
and the Megantic Club universally acknowledged to be 
the greatest and grandest organization of its kind in the 
world." 
New York Legislature. 
Albany, March 23. — None of the numerous fish and 
game bills thus far introduced in the Legislature have be- 
come laws for the reason that both game committees are 
preparing an omnibus bill to take in all of the amendments 
that are approved. The committees do not like Senator 
White's bill from the State Sportsmen's Association. 
The Senate committee has done absolutely nothing, but 
the Assembly committee has reported these bills: Hobbie, 
prohibiting the shooting of deer for ten years in the towns 
of Putnam and Dresden, Washington county; Allds, al- 
lowing hounding for deer from Oct. 1 to Oct. 15, and 
jacking from Sapt. 1 to Sspt. 15; Allds, making the open 
season for rabbits Sept. 15 to Feb. 15. 
Both of the committees seem to be in favor of making 
the open season for partridges later by one month, but no 
bill of this sort has yet been reported. 
ANGLING NOTES. 
Long Island Ducks. 
East Quoque, L. I.— There are a great many geese and 
wild ducks in Shinnecock Bay, broadbills, black ducks 
Horse Mackerel and Tuna. 
A correspondent writes: "If you will look at 'Fishing 
in American Waters,' by G. C. Scott, pp. 136 and 137, under 
the heading 'Horse Mackerel,' you will find some notice of 
a very noteworthy fi3h. He says: 'This is not a fish for 
the rod and reel, for it is as strong in proportion to it3 
weight as the bluefi3h, and it would trouble an angler to 
kill a 30Lb3. bluefish or even take him in by trolling,' etc. 
"I have never been where these horse mackerel are 
found and I wish to know more about them. I think 
they are the same as the famous tuna of Santa Catalina 
Island, California. If so they interest me. Those fellows 
out there are the moat astonishing game fish I have ever 
heard of, being in the habit of chasing and capturing the 
swift flying fish by following just beneath until the ex- 
hausted flyer after a possible 700 ft. sail drops into their 
jaws. I have seen them perform this feat a hundred 
times. I tried very hard to kill one with rod and reel 
during last summer, but they are very shy about biting 
and I never succeeded. I had one glorious run of 500ft. 
or more from a big fellow, but my fifteen-thread Cutty- 
hunk was worn and he parted it. If these fish are identi- 
cal I want to know something as to their habits and 
whereabouts on the Atlantic Coast, therefore can you 
answer these questions for me: At what point on the 
coast would one be most certain of finding horse mack- 
erel? What time of year? Do they take a bait? Have 
they been killed of any size, say upward of 2001bs., with 
rod and reel?" 
My trouble just now is to know exactly what this tuna 
really is, for never have I seen its specific name given in 
any account. I have seen of the fish. Some years ago a 
friend on a vacation in California wrote me of the fish, 
and described it from his recollection of what some one 
had told him. Last season a friend at Santa Catalina 
Island sent me some photographs of black sea bass, and 
wonderful accounts of fishing for tuna, but I learned noth- 
ing concerning the identity of the fish. Jordan says the 
bonita (Sarda ehilensis) is called Spanish mackerel, skip- 
jack or tuna on the California coast, but he gives the aver- 
age weight of the fish as 12 lbs., so it cannot be the tuna of 
Santa Catalina Island that we are after. Holder writes 
of the tuna as "the king of Santa Catalina game fish — the 
irrepressible tuna. The tarpon is a slow coach to this un- 
caught fish — uncaught with reel — two, one of 175lbs., and 
another of 150lbs., having been taken on a hand line the 
past summer." But there is no description of the fish or 
specific name by which it can be identified, and I. have 
asked Dr. Jordan to furnish it. 
The horse mackerel (Orcynus thynnus) is one of and 
the most important of the tunnies, and is also called ton, 
tunny and tuna in the Mediterranean, but it is not credited 
to the Pacific. It is found in the North Atlantic, and the 
best description of it comes from the Gulf of St. Law- 
rence and Massachusetts Bay. It appears in June and 
remains until October, although naturalists have little to 
say about it. It is said to be growing more and more 
common at Newfoundland during the summer season. 
In the bays of Chaleur and Gaspe it is taken by spearing 
and by baiting. The bait is herring, on very strong hooks 
and solid lines, and according to the Canadian Fishing 
Report of 1862-3 the fishing is attended with risk, as there 
is danger of the fishermen being pulled overboard. 
I can find no record of the horse mackerel being taken 
with a rod. Dr. Storer records that one was taken off 
Cape Ann that weighed l,0001bs., but larger ones have 
been captured. 
Mascalonge in Chautauqua Lake. 
There is a bill now before the Legislature, and one 
clause of one paragraph reads thus: "Fish of every sort 
may be speared through the ice in Chautauqua Lake or 
in the outlet thereof from Jan. 16 to Feb. 15, both inclus- 
ive." I have received several letters protesting against 
this provision of the bill, as it must work injury to the 
mascalonge fishing in the lake. One correspondent has 
sent me the ovaries of a 401b. mascalonge which I found 
to weigh 3lbs. lOfoz, The fish was "caught with a gaff 
hook in a fish house through the ice." The ovaries were 
sent to me on Feb. 25, and 1 was informed about a week 
later that another female mascalonge of about 40lbs. was 
exhibited in a market in Jamestown. The State is en- 
gaged in hatching mascalonge in Chautauqua Lake, and 
a few females of 401bs. each would furnish as many eggs 
as are taken annually for propagation, and it would 
seem to be a mistaken policy to legalize the spearing of 
mascalonge for one month just before the spawning sea- 
son, as it might result in killing the fish faster than the 
State could breed them. I am informed that the farmers 
about the lake who were in favor of spearing have come 
to realize their mistake, some of them, in advocating 
such a measure. 
Inland Fisheries of New York. 
In Forest and Stream of Feb. 29 I referred to the in- 
vestigation that had been made by Mr. JohnN. Cobb, field 
agent of the TJ. S. Fish Commission, to determine the 
value of the fisheries of certain inland waters of the State 
of New York, and I am now indebted to Acting U. S. 
Fish Commissioner Herbert A. Gill for a summarized 
account of Mr. Cobb's work. Fifteen lakes and three 
weirs were visited and investigation made as to the num- 
ber of fishermen engaged, the capital invested, the .pounds 
of fiah produced and the value thereof, for two years— 
1894 and 1895— for the purpose of comparison. 
From Chautauqua Lake, in 1895, 202,225lbs. of fish, 
valued at $22,193, were taken, and this was an increase 
over 1894, when 166,0701bs. were taken, valued at $19,164. 
The most marked difference was observed in Oneida 
Lake. In 1894 50.0001bs. of fish, valued at $3,750, were 
produced, and in 1895 211,863lbs. were produced, valued 
at $8,989. 
Of mascalonge 106,1301bs. were produced, valued at 
$15,920. The fish that heads the list is the bullhead, 195,- 
3451bs., valued at $8,492, being taken. Black bass fur- 
nished 45,9991bs. of food, valued at $5,078. 
In 1894 a total of 591,1191bs. of fish were produced from 
the waters examined, and in 1895 the same waters pro- 
duced 754,7301bs., an increase in one year of 163,61 libs, of 
the best fresh-water food fishes. 
Lake Champlain Ice Fish. 
More than twenty years ago I first heard of the "ice 
fish" of Lake Champlain, and when I saw them I found 
them to be the common smelt; but from that time to this 
the identity of the fish has been questioned at recurring 
intervals. Last year, when I saw smelts being taken at 
Port Henry, over 1ft. in length and weighing ilb. each, 
and was told that even larger ones were caught through 
the ice at Port Henry and Westport, I was obliged to 
admit that I had never seen smelts of such great size; 
nevertheless that is what they were. Last week I was at 
Port Henry and the identity of the "ice fish" was once 
again discussed, with the added information that the fish 
were now sent quite regularly to New York city, where 
they were pronounced to be different from the smelt. I 
had some packed to bring home with me, and asked to 
have several of the very large ones put in the box to have 
the matter of species set at rest. The man who furnished 
the fish told me that after Mr. Cobb's visit to the lake the 
United States Fish Commission had sent for specimens to 
determine just what "ice fish" really were, and that 
specimens had been forwarded to Dr. Hugh M. Smith. I 
asked Dr. Smith about them and he writes me: "The 
specimens of 'ice fish' recently sent to us from Lake 
Champlain were the salt-water smelt {Osmerus mordax), 
They were fine examples, the largest being more than 1ft. 
in length and weighing £lb. The females were filled 
with ripe spawn. I have never seen such fine smelts on 
the New England coast, although they are sometimes 
taken in Maine and Massachusetts fully as large as those 
under consideration. As you know, this species is land- 
locked in some of the Maine lakes, and Prof. Evermann 
took specimens in Lake Memphremagog; the fish in the 
latter lake, however, are quite small. In your opinion, 
do the Lake Champlain smelts come up the St. Lawrence 
River each year for the purpose of spawning, or are they 
permanent residents of the lake ?" 
I believe that smelts are not permanent residents of 
Lake Champlain, as they are caught only through the ice 
in February and March, and a search for them by the 
anglers in the summer and fall months has proven fruit- 
less. In New Hampshire, where the smelt is landlocked, 
I have caught them in June, July and August, and if 
they remained in Lake Champlain permanently they 
would be found by those who have persistently sought 
them. Another reason for thinking that they come from 
the St. Lawrence only to spawn, for it will be noticed 
that they are caught in the lake just before the spawning 
season, is that they have two runs of smelt in that river, 
one of small fish and one of large fish, such as are men- 
tioned by Dr. Smith; the large fish of the lake answer- 
ing to those known to run up the river. The landlocked 
smelt that I have caught in New Hampshire are much 
more slender, length for length, than the Champlain fish, 
showing that the latter are accustomed to rich pasturage 
probably not found in the lake. In Lake Champlain the 
large and small smelts are caught together, showing that 
the schools must mingle after they reach the lake, and 
they mingle in more than one way, for large smelts have 
been caught with small smelts inside of them, showing 
that the big fellows feed on their small brethren. One 
big smelt has been convicted of eating seven small ones 
at a single meal. This I learned only a few days ago. 
Fish Screens in Irrigating Ditches. 
Some one has asKed Forest and Stream about the con- 
struction of the screens used in irrigating ditches in the 
West to keep fish from wandering beyond their bailiwick. 
Supt. Land, of the Wyoming Fish Commission, tells me 
that the law compelling ditch owners to maintain their 
screens has been repealed, but the screens were made oti 
wood slats, 2in. wide and Jin. thick, set in a wood frame, 
the iin. face of the slats facing the current. The frame 
and slats are painted with hot tar or asphalt varnish and 
they last for years, and the drift can be raked off with a 
rake made of nails to fit the spaces, a rake for each screen. 
The spaces would have to be adjusted to suit the particu- 
lar fish to be controlled. A. N. Cheney. 
Idaho Fishing. 
Hotel Riverside, St. Anthony, Idaho, March 12. — I 
send you a clipping from the Freemont county News of a 
catch that we made yesterday (March 11) on the North 
Fork of Snake Rivar: "Landlord White, of the Riverside 
Hotel, O, H. Casick and O H Kister were fishing yester- 
day afternoon and came home with 126 fine trout that 
weighed 601b3. An afternoon's pleasure like that would 
make an Eastern sport jump out of his boots. This is un- 
doubtedly the best country for fishing and hunting that 
can be found anywhere." I have fished trout in "Ver- 
mont, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin and Canada, but 
the fishing that I have found here surpasses any fishing I 
ever saw. O. H. Cusick. 
The "Forest and Stream" Part of Education. 
Michigan Citt, Ind,, March 15. — Editor Forest and 
Stream: I have been a reader of your paper for years 
and I think it improves every year. After reading each 
number through, I do it up and forward to my 17-year- 
old boy, who is at school in the East. The Forest and 
Stream part of his education must not be neglected, what- 
ever else may be. Greenhdrst. 
For a Man in Cold Water. 
If you break through the ice and can't get out, put your 
wet hat, mittens or any other wet cloth as far out on the 
unbroken ice as you can reach. If the weather is very 
cold it will freeze to the ice and enable you to pull your- 
self out. O. H. Hampton. 
Halberton Paintings. 
Mr. Thomas J. Conroy, No. 310 Broadway, New York, 
has on view seventeen oil paintings by Wakeman Halber- 
ton; thoy consist of fish pieces, landscapes and game. 
