Jan. 9, 1897.] 
31 
a boat, and I continued to fish when ordered away by a 
farmer, who bad the stream posted on both sides through 
his farm. My understanding of.the law was that I had a 
right to fish from a boat or wade the stream, as the stream 
had been declared a highway for the purpose of running 
logs, in consequence of which the farmers had been 
- obliged to take up what were called water bridges, which 
interfered with the passage of the logs. Afterward I 
learned that this particular farmer had had the bed of the 
stream suiA+eyed out of hie farm so he would have a less 
number of acres on which to pay taxes, and had after- 
ward put his property out of his hands; so he did not even 
ow:n the banks on which he stood when he gave orders to 
cease fishing on his property. I respect' property rights, 
but I have never regretted casting a fly and catching a 
trout in front of this man while he was reading the riot 
act as to trespassing and trespassers. Ever since that time 
I have taken a keener interest in the fishing rights of the 
State. The Vermont courts have recently made a ruling 
on this subject of fishing rights, as I learn from a news- 
paper clipping sent to me by some unknown friend, who 
has not taken the trouble to indicate the paper the clip- 
ping is taken from: 
"The Constitution of the State provides that the in- 
habitants have a right to fish in all 'beatable' waters 
at seasonable times, which are fixed by law. 'Boatable 
waters,' as defined by the Supreme Court, are waters 
capable of common passage as a highway and susceptible 
of a beneficial use for the purpose of transporting either 
people or merchandise. Acting on this definition, a 
County Court acquitted a man arrested for invading with 
a boat and fishing tackle a pond fenced, stocked and 
posted by a fishing club. As the Supreme Court's defini- 
tion is a broad one, and in cases of invasion of fishing 
preserves must be tried before a jury, the odds are against 
the exclusive fishing clubs and in favor of the predatory 
angler." 
That is the substance of the information conveyed by 
the clipping, but if the Supreme Court upholds such a rul- 
ing of the County Court in the case of a pand such as is 
described it will be strange indeed. No one can tell what 
a jury will do, not even a grand jury, and my interest in 
the matter will not wane until the Supreme Court, which 
is Vermont's Court of Appeals, passes upon the case, for 
surely it will be appealed to determine if a small fishing 
pond fenced in is "Capable of common passage as a high- 
way and susceptible of a beneficent use for the purpose of 
transporting either people or merchandise." I am some- 
thing of an angler myself , but I would not dare trespass 
under the circumstances. 
Congratulations. 
Hon. L. Z. Joncas, ex-Member of Parliament, has been 
appointed Superintendent-General of the Department of 
Fish and Game for the Province of Quebec, and both Mr. 
Joncas and the Province have my warmest congratula- 
tions. Mr. Joncas was the Canadian representative of the 
Fisheries Department of the World's Columbian Exposi- 
tion in Chicago, in 1893, where he read a paper on "The 
Fisheries of Canada" before the World's Fisheries Con- 
gress; and also Canadian representative at the Inter- 
national Fisheries Exposition in London, in 1883, He is 
particularly well equipped to fill the position to which he 
has been appointed, as he has long been a close observer 
and student of the fish and game of the Dominion. 
Canada is remarkably rich in the number of her 
beautiful lakes filled with the choicest of game fish, 
and to parcel them out to fishing clubs will be one of the 
duties of Mr. Joncas, as the region in which many of 
them are situated is fit for little else. It is more than 
suspected that some of these interior lakes contain trout 
that are entirely new to ichthyology, and doubtless the 
new superintendent-general will do all in his power to 
make known to the world what they do contain, for his 
newspaper training will act as a spur in this direction. 
Mr. Joncas is likely to have as an associate in his new 
field Count de Piiyjalon, the naturalist, and altogether 
the work will be in the best of hands for all concerned. 
Sunapee Trout In Maine. 
Since the introduction of the sunapee trout into New 
York waters from Sunapee Lake, New Hampshire, more 
than one newspaper has stated that these fish are found 
only in Sunapee Lake, but this is not true. In my notes 
I have mentioned that the largest trout of this species 
known came from Dan Hole Pond, also in New Hamp- 
shire; but whether they are native or introduced into 
Dan Hole is a moot question. Soon after the discussion 
was opened in these columns regarding the identity of 
the Sunapee trout, it was reported that the same species 
of fish were to be found in Flood's Pond, in Maine; and 
when specimens were submitted to Prof. Samuel Gar- 
man, of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cam- 
bridge, Mass., he pronounced them identical with the 
Sunapee fish. So they are known to inhabit three 
different waters, two in New Hampahire and one in 
Maine, They have since been transplanted into other 
waters in New Hampshire, but so far as known it 
is not even claimed that they are native to other waters 
than the three named. The German saibling, which 
the Sunapee trout closely resembles, have been traced 
to New Hampshire a few years before the Sunapee trout 
or saibling were discovered in Sunapee Lake, but there is 
no record that the eggs of the German saibling were ever 
sent to Maine, and this is a strong point in favor of the 
claim that the fish are a new epecies aboriginal to the 
waters of New England. 
Much is yet to be learned about the habits of this fish 
in confinement, for up to this time for breeding pur- 
poses they have been taken from the shoals in the fall 
and released when the spawn has been taken; for it is 
understood that if they are confined for any length of 
time in the breeding pens, in a similar manner to trout 
and salmon, they will not give up their eggs, 
Mr. Arthur Merrill, of East Aubtirn, Me. , writes a letter 
to Dr. John D. Qaackenbos, from which I am permitted 
to make the following extract: '-The Sunapee trout is 
attracting attention among the people interested in fish- 
culture in this State, and the Fish Commissioners will at- 
tempt its cultivation on quite a large scale next year. In 
answer to their request for information I have forwarded 
your pamphlet 5vith other papers to their ofiice in 
Augusta." ' ' " 
Early in November I went to Flood's Pond, where the 
TJ. S. Fish Commission has a collecting station, and 
secured twelve fine specimens to be kept at this hatchery 
for breeding purposes. The largest one that I got; weighed 
Slbs., but if I had gone a few days earlier I could have 
got some 21bs. heavier. 
I carried the fish 180 miles, but they stood the Jonmey 
well ahd seem contented in their pond, and take the in- 
fertile eggs that are given them as their food readily. I 
do not know as i shall have the pjeasure of taking any of 
these fish to the Sportsmen's Exposition next March, but 
they will be shown in several local exhibitions, as will 
some fine specimens of trout weighing 71bs. that I have 
secured. 
Mr. Eace, superintendent of the Green Lake station of the 
tJ. S. Fish Commission, says that the saibling, or golden 
trout, as he prefers to call it, is easily cultivated ; the eggs 
surpass in vigor any trout or landlocked salmon eggs, and 
the young fish are easily reared. 
This is quite important, as it is the policy of the Com- 
missioners of this State to rear their fish to the age of 
eight months before liberating them. A portion of the 
eggs taken at Flood's Pond are to be distributed among 
the State hatcheries (in Maine), and at Auburn and Mon- 
mouth the fry will be fed. I anticipate good results at 
these places, as the water supply is from springs, and is 
very cool and abundant. 
In summer the Sunapee trout is the most delicate of 
fishes, the young being particularly sensitive to suddpn 
changes of temperature; and when caught in 40 to 50ft 
of water and drawn to the surface they are often killed 
by the sudden change from bottom temperature to sur- 
face temperature. Game and hard fighting as these fish 
are, they must be handled with the greatest care to avoid 
injuring them during the summer months, but in the 
autumn they are as hardy as any of the salmon family. 
The adult fish at the Aquarium in N^w York (Dr. Bean 
writes me under date of Dec. 37 that they are alive and 
flourishing, and attract much attention from the visitors 
to the Aquarium) and at Caledonia hatchery, if they live, 
will be watched with interest when the breeding season 
approaches to discover if they can be handled like other 
trout, and spawned artificially when under restraint. 
Black Bass in the Adirondacks. 
Every little while some one wishes to plant black bass 
in Lower Adirondack Lake because the trout fishing is 
poor or pike have found their way into the lake, and 
Ijlack bass are deemed more desirable than pike, or "bet- 
ter than no fishing at all." The Fisheries, Forest and 
Game Commissioners reject all applications for black bass 
to be planted in Adirondack waters because section 130 of 
the Game Laws of New York provides that: "No fish, 
fish fry, spawn or milt, except speckled trout, brook trout, 
brown trout, salmon trout, rainbow trout, Adirondack 
frost fish or landlocked salmon, shall be placed in the 
waters of the Adirondack region, except under the im- 
mediate supervision and in pursuance of a resolution of 
the Commissioners of Fisheries. Whoever shall violate 
the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a 
misdemeanor, and in addition thereto shall be liable to a 
penalty of four hundred dollars for each violation there- 
of." The Commissioners will not pass the necessary reso- 
lutions to admit the black bass, as they realize that it will 
be more difficult to get rid of the black bass than it is to 
get rid of the pike, and that bass will speed from the 
waters where they might be planted to other waters 
where even the advocates of the black bass would not 
wish to see them. Furthermore, it is the policy of the 
Commission to introduce yearling and other fish of the 
salmon family into the pike- infested waters to restore the 
trout fishing, if it is possible to do so. and it is possible, 
because it has been done elsewhere. 
It has been reported to me that people who have been 
disappointed in getting black bass from the State for 
planting in Adirondack waters will apply to the U. S. 
Fish Commission for black bass to carry out their purpose. 
This will be utterly useless, for the U. S Fish Commission 
is familiar with the laws of New York and will not assign 
any black bass to the State without first consulting with 
the Commissioners of New York, and the messengers of 
the U. S, Fish Commission will be careful to see that the 
State laws are observed. 
Apparently it would be wiser and cheaper to wait and 
see what the result of planting yearling trout in the pike 
waters will result in before black bass are planted to cure 
the evil. Pike can be controlled in a measure and black 
bass cannot, 
"Susquehanna Salmon." 
A writer in one of the New York daily newspapers says 
it is doubtful if greater success ever followed the trans- 
planting of fish into alien waters than has resulted from 
the introduction of wall-eyed pike or Susquehanna sal- 
mon into the Delaware River, 
He adds, very properly: "How the fish came to be 
called a salmon is one of the mysteries of piscatorial no- 
menclature, but that was the name it received (in the Sus- 
quehanna River) and by which it has been known ever 
since. * * * As a matter of fact it is no more a pike 
than it is a salmon." If he had put a Pike county period 
after the word salmon and stopped he would have been 
all right and within the truth, but he goes on to say, "It 
is of the bass family and might properly be called a 
yellow bass." In the last sentence he fell into a pit of 
his own digging, for the pike-iierch is no more a 
bass than it is a salmon, and it does not belong to the bass 
family, and it would be improper and highly objection- 
able to call it a yellow bass or any other kind of colored 
bass. The pike-perch belongs, as the second part of the 
hyphenated name indicates, to the perch family, and that 
is what it is, and it would be as absurd to call it a bass as 
it is to call it a salmon. I beg that this fish shall not have 
another inappropriate and improper name attached to it. 
To set people right as to the names of our fishes is very 
commendable, but when the instructor goes deeper into 
the mud than the fishes previously were in the mire it is 
not to be commended. 
Swiss Lake Trout. 
"An innovation in Adirondack fishculture has just 
been inaugurated by the Adirondack League Club, which 
has released into Green Lake, one of the small ponds on 
its 100,000-acre preserve, 1,000 yearling Swiss lake trout 
from Lake Geneva, Ssvitzerland." 
That is the substance of a newspaper item which I have 
read in a number of different newspapers or had sent to 
me in the form of a clipping, and while it is all true 
enough, those fish are not the first of this species to be 
planted in New York waters. 
In 1889 the U, S. Fish Commission received some Swiss 
lake trout eggs from the Swiss Government in exchange 
for some eggs of native fishes, and the next spring I ob- 
tained 5,000 of the fry and planted them in Lake George. 
Although it is six years since the plant was made, I do 
not know what the result of the planting has been, for so 
far aa I personally know none of the fish have been 
caught, although I harfe heard of two fish being taken 
that were strange fish, and which were not lake trout 
such as are native to the lake. 
This fall the Fisheries, Game and Forest Commission 
planted 1,000 yearling Swiss lake trout from the U. S. 
Fish Commission station at East Orland, Me., in Lake 
George, making the second planting of this specimen in 
the lake. 
The Swiss lake trout (Salmo lemamis, S, lacustris, S. 
rappii, for it has been given a number of specific names) 
has been held to be a modified form of the brown trout, 
changed by environment, food, temperature, etc. In 
fact, one European writer suggests for it the specific 
name of Salmo variabilia. A. N. Cheney. 
NEW YORK NETTING. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
In relation to netting there is one main fact which it 
seems to me covers all the rest. So long as nets shall be 
permitted in inland waters, just so long will the money of 
the State spent in the propagation of fishes be wasted. 
The present provision of law for the licensing of netting 
is but a scapegoat. Licenses have been issued with such 
freedom as to give netters about all the liberties that 
could be asked, and applications have been signed by 
politicians, while protective associations have been com- 
pletely ignored. Oneida Lake, twelve miles from Syra- 
cuse, for instance, has no superior and very few 
equals as a breeding ground, and during the 
time when local associations had some control over 
it, before licensed netting was authorized, there was 
a rapid increase of fish food, so that any angler could 
spend a day of recreation there and make a good catch. 
But the whole army of netters has spent most of the sea- 
son in its old occupation of robbing the people at large 
and shipping frequent and large catches to Eastern mar- 
kets, studiously avoiding the Syracuse market, which is 
mainly supplied by Bufltalo, except the sea food. The 
question has come to this: If netting is to be allowed at 
any time of the year, then stop the waste of money 
spent in stocking streams and lakes almost solely for the 
benefit of netters. The people at large pay through taxa- 
tion this money into the State treasury, but if the netters 
are to rob the waters, then let them pay the taxes, or 
wholly discontinue propagation and protection. 
The State Commission is only a part of a political 
machine, though possibly there are one^or two members 
of it. whose impulses are better than their actions. There 
can be but very little hope of the faithful protection of 
fish, game and forest while this condition of things exists, 
so perhaps the best, most feasible action for the Legisla- 
ture to take in relation to the matter would be to deny 
any appropriation to be wasted, as those in the past have 
mainly been. 
It is just as useless to attempt to protect game against 
the avarice of cold storage interests and the political pulls 
which for money they can command. The season for 
killing game now practically covers 365 days every year, 
so while these "fences" for covering market killing at all 
times of the year exist, why continue the waste of main- 
taining a so-called Commission and it corps of caucus 
workers? 
Unless the State Association at its coming meeting 
makes some provision for watching legislation this win- 
ter, and making itself felt at the Capitol constantly, it 
will be quite useless for it to spend any time in making 
"recommendations" to the Legislature. It must under- 
stand that there are so many political influences to be 
brought to bear by the "machine" which controls t) at 
body, that only by the most persistent, earnest attention 
can those citizens of the State, those tax-payers who 
would serve the people at large instead of a tew influen- 
tial politicians and fish exterminators, hope to inaugurate 
such protective measures as will give much hope of the 
future. Central New York. 
CENTRAL NEW YORK. 
Ithaca, N. Y. — The ruffed grouse season closed to-day, 
Dec. 31, and it leaves a good many birds in the covers. 
In a cover within forty minutes' walk of the city at least 
fifty grouse are to be found, and what ia true of the cover 
referred to is true, proportionately, of other well-known 
grounds about here. Men marvel that the ruffed grouse 
supply should continue to be so numerously maintained, 
in the face of such persistent and destructive shooting as 
has been carried on for the past decade, but when the 
almost inaccessible reaches of territory inhabited by the 
grouse family is considered the question no longer re- 
mains debatable. As for example, the cover alluded to 
as holding fifty grouse embraces a tremendously rough 
sweep of country which only the most rugged and finely 
conditioned pedestrians would care to tramp over. And 
in the wildest and most declivitous retreats, where shoot- 
ing is to be done only under the most forbidding condi- 
tions, the elusive, but none the l:ss magnetic, bird 
secludes itself. This explains why the grouse has been 
able, and continues to be able, to hold its own against all 
the forces of man, bird and beast committed to a com- 
mon warfare upon it. Given adequate protection, such 
as now prevails, and the ruffed grouse supply of Central 
New York bids fair to bafiie the minions of extermina- 
tion for an indefinite period of time. 
The early part of the present week Mr. William Bishop 
shot a young English pheasant within a mile of this city, 
and it is generally reported, although I know of no one 
who is actually prepared to prove the accuracy of this re- 
port, that a number of these beautiful birds are to be 
found in local covers. This is the first wild pheasant of 
any variety that I know to have been shot hereabouts. 
Local sportsmen are unaware of any pheasants having 
been brought to and turned out in this immediate part of 
the country. 
The Daily Journal devotes considerable space to a con- 
sideration of the subject, but in common with the rest of 
us offers no testimony showing from whence this bird 
came or to what extent it is represented along the reaches 
of local territory. 
A large flock of wild geese is again wintering on Cay- 
uga Lake. The birds daily fly to some extensive buck- 
wheat stubbles along the east eide pf the lake, some fiye 
