Mat 15, 1897.] 
387 
INDIANS AND DUCK EGGS. 
Game and Fish Cojimission op Ontario.— Dunnville, 
May 1. — Editor Forest and Stream: I have just read a letter 
in your issue of this date from Mr. A. C. Trippe, of Balti- 
more, in which he describes a trip into Canada, where he 
found that the natives made a business of gathering duck's 
eggs for food, and cites this as a prominent cause of the 
diminished numher of ducks now as compared with former 
years. Mr. J. H. Keene. too, has been investigating the 
cause of the diminished number of ducks which visit the 
Chesapeake, and he, too, has only directed his investigations 
to the Indians of Canada as the probable guilty parties. He 
does not stem to have found any detinite evidence that such 
a nefarious trade exists, nor did Fobest and Stream from 
its inquiries in the same direction fome time ago; nor do I, 
who have had some opportunities in Ontario to know if such 
practice existed, believe that there is any regular traffic in 
duck's eggs. I have not the slightest doubt as to New York 
being capable of consuming all the illegally taken game in 
Canada; but I think that our game laws are too well admin- 
istered to allcw any such traffic to go on largely. That the 
Indians and others in real need of lood may and do occa- 
sionally take a nest of fresh duck's eggs I have no doubt, but 
for this there is some excuse — necessity knows no law — and 
indeed our game laws exempt the Indians from their provis- 
ions where the game is taken striciiy for their family use. 
Civilization could scarcely accord less to the lormer owners 
of the land and the game thereon. 
In order to further the efforts of the afore-mentioned gen- 
tleman and of FoEEST and Stream in this inquiry, allow 
me to ask them if it has ever occurred to them to examine 
post mortem the bodies of the ducks which their friends, men 
of all degree, even up to the President, have shot in the 
spring. In former years I have examined ducks shot in the 
spring and almost invariably found in each duck the eggs 
which would under other circumstances have produced a 
flocfe of from ten to twelve ducks for shooting in the proper 
season. What can be said then of these duck nest robbers? 
They did not destroy a whole nest full of egga because they 
were in want of food as the poor Indian, because they did 
not even eat them, yet I will venture to say that hardly any 
Indian in any one day ever secured or destroyed as many eggs 
as a spring shooter who bagged a dozen ducks. 
In Ontario we never now think of shooting a bird in the 
spring, and I am glad to say that public sentiment is so ad- 
vanced that even the boys consider it such a mean, con- 
temptible trick that they very rarely touch a bird's nest. I 
am very fond of Forest and Stream, but I must confess 
that sometimes it makes me sick to read the able letters 
which some of your correspondents send you describing the 
slaughter of ducks, snipe, etc., In the spring, when they are 
nearly all paired and on their way to find a home in which 
to raise their young. Imagine the good such a writer as 
Mr. Hough could do were he engaged to write down spring 
shooting. It wouldn't take long to reason with sportsmen 
and arouse public sentiment against the chief cause of the 
diminished number of ducks and other bii ds. 
G. A. MAOCAIiLXJM. 
Proprietors of fishing resorts toill find it profitable to advertise 
them in Forest and Stream. 
Bay Birds on the Eastern Shore. 
KelxiER, Va., May 6. — Atlantic Coast birds are now very 
plentiful on our meadows; curlew, yellowlegs, gray backs, 
robins, snipe, blackhreasts, etc. Sportsmen are having the 
best of shooting. Dr. I C. French, who has been waiting 
for several weeks in anticipation of the coming of birds, is 
having fine sport, getting good bags every day out. 
There have arrived during the week, Messrs. H. R Rogers, 
Brooklyn; A. Eddy and P. Kelly, c^f New York city, mem- 
bers of Accomac Club; and George Sbiras, Howard 
Nimick, Howe Childs and Henry Browne, all residents of 
Pittsburg, Pa., and members of Revel's Island Club. Mr. 
Shiras returned to-day, and reports birds in abundance and 
shooting very good, although he believes that a couple of 
weeks hence the variety will be greater, curlew being more 
numerous just at present than the other sorts. 
Those fond of fishing may find in our channels drum very 
plentiful; fifteen to twenty in a few hours to a craft not 
being unusual, while trout (weak fish) are in great abund- 
ance. 
The weather being warm, no better time could be cho?en 
for a camping party. There are plenty of high spots on our 
meadows where a tent could be pitched, shade erected, and 
every facility provided for a rough and tumble outing. We 
sometimes wonder that sportsmen do not hit upon this idea 
It would not be at all costly, if expense should stand in the 
way. Guides can be had for |2 a day, with the use of their 
boats (which are always comfortable) for fishing, and for 
moving the decoys, etc., around to good shooting or fishing 
places, all, in fact, being right at hand, 
When a young man, with a company of companions, I 
used to sometimes camp out for a month at a time, returning 
to home fat and as brown as a ginger cake. After a month 
on the salt meadow one does not need pie to tempt his appe- 
tite. A side of fat bacon, plenty of fish, clams to waste, 
half a bushel of marsh hen and gull's eggs, always in canlp, 
strong coffee made in the tea kettle, Indian corn meal, make 
up the bill of -fare; nor will the mind wander to, or the appe- 
tite crave for better things. T. G. Elliott. 
A Scottish laird was relating the story of a flue fish he had 
caught one day tohisfiiends at his dinner table! "Donald," 
said he to the servant behind his chair — an old man but a 
new servant — "how heavy was the fish I took yesterday?" 
Donald neither spoke nor moved. The laird repeated the 
question. "Weel." replied Donald, "it was twal' p'und at 
breakfast, it had gotten to achteen at dinner-time and it 
was sax and-twenty when ye sat down to supper wi' the 
Captain." Then after a pause he added: "I've been tellin' 
lees a' my lile to please the shooters, but I'll be blowed if 
I'm going to tell lees noo, through my old age, to please the 
fushers." — Angler's Basket. 
\ REPORT YOUR LUCK \ 
* With Rod or Gun { 
To FOREST AND STREAM, \ 
New York City. ( 
r w« 
BLACK BASS AND BASS LAWS. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I have read the article by Mr. Van Cleef on bass, in the 
Forest and Stream of April 17, with a great deal of inter- 
est, as it is in every respect in fall accord with my own 
ideas. 
The author is a veteran, well known in this State and in 
the Dominion of Canada, both as a most unselfish fisherman, 
of the most observing nature as to fish and their habits, and, 
as the Counsel for the Senate Committee of this State, who, 
jointly with Mr Wakeham, representing the Dominion, 
iramed Article XV., of the game law, commonly known as 
the special act for the Thousand Island^, and which by 
mutual legislation became the uniform law for the St. Law- 
rence from Lake Ontario to Ogdensburgh. 
I am informed that an effort was first made to make the 
bass season in this State open on July 1, but so much opposi- 
tion was encountered that it was compromised by changing 
the date to June 15. 
I have fished for many years, and have probably taken my 
share each year, particularly in the inland waters of this 
State, and have learned a few things about bass, which I will 
briefly state. 
First — Bass hibernate in cold weather and go sub- 
stantially directly from that hibernation to spawning. That 
period of retirement is evidently one of preparation for that 
act. 
My observation has shown me that the actual time there- 
for depends upon the temperature of the water. When the 
water arrives at the flxed-by nature temperature, probably 
not yet actually determined by man, bass will spawn and 
not before. 
The season regulates this temperature. In early spring 
they spawn early, and later in a late spring, because of the 
difference in the time when the water actually reaches the 
spawning temperature. 
Second — I have found a further distinction as hetween still 
and running water, lakes and streams or rivers. 
In lakes they spawn later because the water remains 
longer below the spawning temperature. 
The ice leaves the running waters first ; the sun of spring 
has greater effect upon the swift waters of their rifts or 
rapids; this continuous disturbance, or ebullition, causes a dis- 
tribution and commingling of their warmed waters with the 
cold, all of which results in their sooner reaching the spawn- 
ing temperature, and the bass spawn earlier iji them than in 
the lakes. 
The waters of the lakes, agitated only by the waves, warm 
up much more slowly. This is the precise reason for their 
spawning earlier in running waters. 
Also the southern waters of the Delaware and Susque- 
hanna rivers warm up earlier than those of the Seneca, Os- 
wego and Ontida rivers in central New York, and these in 
turn earlier than those of the St. Lawrence or Niagara rivers, 
and all of these earlier than those of the lakes connected to or 
bisectpd by them. 
Some years ago I saw bass taken at Binghamton prior to 
May 20 which had fully spawned and recovered their natural 
appetite and vigor. 
I have fished a great deal on May 30 in the Oneida, Seneca 
and Oswego rivers, and have very rarely taken a bass which 
had not spawned and recovered. 
1 have absolutely failed to take any basg in Oneida Lake or 
Onondaga Lake on May 30, but on the same day, by going 
down the Oneida River "from the lake to the rifts at Caugh- 
denoy, have taken large numbeis in the running water; or by 
■ going on the same day from Onondaga Lake to the Seneca 
Rivtr, and a mile or so up stream to the rifts, have made a 
good catch. - 
All of these bass have been fully spawned fish. 
All of these were taken with fly or bait, mostly with the 
fly- 
My observation has shown me that, as a rule, bass will 
not take a bait or a fly during the period of spawning, or 
while guarding their young. This is my experience based 
upon actual trials made for the purpose of testing my theory. 
Of course there are exceptions to all rules. Once in a 
while, but rarely indeed, will an angler on May 30, take a 
bass which has not spawned. There are always exceptions, 
with fi=h, animals, or even human beings; some will hold 
over. 
If I take twenty bass on May 30, and find among them one 
(which is possibly about the average) which has not spawned, 
this|does not satisfy me that the open season should be changed, 
to open later. For some reason, or from some cause, there 
are late spawners, but the large majority should govern. 
The fact is that I always return a bas's which has not 
spawned, because I am able to distinguish it; but it occurs 
very rarely. I have also learned from personal experience, 
and from otter sources, that bass which can run from a lake 
into a stream will spawn earlier in the running water. 
On the other hand, i know from the same sources that it 
is a rare thing to take a bass with either bait or fly from any 
of the lakes of central New York before June 10, but in ease 
of an early spring 1 have taken fully spawned fish in several 
of them on May 80 
As stated, 1 have read Mr. Van Cleef's article in the For- 
est and Stream last month, and know from him and other 
sources, that June 9 was agreed upon by the Canadian 
authorities as the proper time to open the season for bass 
in the St. Lawrence, although it is so far north, is the outlet 
for the cold water of Lake Ontario, and is almost a lake in 
itself on account of its size. 
All of this has led me to the following conclusions: 
1. Thai bass spawn much earlier in running water than in 
lakes. 
2. That the season, early or late, exerts a controlling in- 
fluence upon the actual time. 
3. That the location of the waters, north or south, in this 
State causes a variation of the actual time. 
4 That no law of a general nature can be framed which 
will fit all of these conditions precedent. 
For the foregoing rtasons I advocated the establishment of 
May 30 as the date for opening the bass season. I still 
believe I am correct. My opinion has not been changed by 
the article of Mr. Cheney in the Fokest and Stream of 
May 1. 
i know that June 15 was made the opening date in Ontario, 
and July 1 in Quebec, because of their climate, and because 
those dates were made a general and not a special law for 
each Province, the same as May 30 was made the general law 
for this State 
In conclusion, rdesire to simply say that Mr. Van Cleef 
and myself ha^ve labored for years to establish uniform laws 
for the entire State broad enough to cover the breeding 
seasons of all fish and game for the general good of all peo- 
ple. 
We have been absohitely and teetotally opposed to all 
"special backyard" legislation. 
We are willing to abide by the law, and neither of us has 
any desire, inclination or propensity for getting ajiy "bulge"" 
upon any other fellow-man. 
Mr. Van Cleef, at least, is too well known to the true 
sportsmen of this State, and Canada also, to be accused of 
any such thing. C. W. Smith, 
THE POTOMAC BASS. 
Baltimore, May Q.— Editor Forest and Stream; Your 
readers will remember that the Maryland Game ard Fish 
Protective Association has been energetically at work striv- 
ing for the enactment by the legislators of Maryland, Vir- 
ginia and West Virginia of a uniform, law for the protection 
of black bass in the Potomac River. The Legislatures of 
Maryland and Virginia passed the law in 1896, and the Leg- 
islature of West Virginia passed the law Feb. 19, 1897. 
But, according to the provisions of the bill, the Governor of 
Maryland is rt quired to issue a proclamation giving notice 
that the States of Virginia and West Virginia have passed 
the law; and before this proclamation can be issued the Gov- 
ernors of Virginia and West Virginia must give the Gov- 
ernor of Maryland official notification of the passage of the 
law by their respective States By some oversight these 
notifications were not sent the Governor of Maryland, and 
when the close season began — April 15 — we were confronted 
with the fact that the law, legally, was inoperative, but mor- 
ally every true angler was bound by a sense of honor not to 
take advantage of the situation. 
The matter did not become known until April 25, when 
Gov. Lowndes, when asked whether he had received word 
from Virginia and West Virginia of the passage of the Poto- 
mac fish bill, answered in the negative, saying at the same 
time that his proclamation was all ready for publication as 
soon as he heard from the other States. In the meantime. Rev. 
Dr. Owen, of Hagerstown, was arrested for violating the 
law for taking bass in the Potomac at Williamsport on April 
29, and was acquitted, for the reason that G^v. Lowndes had 
not issued his proclamation. Some lively hustling imme- 
diately followed on the part of the officers of the Marj land 
Association, and I am happy to tell your readers that Gov. 
Atkinson, of West Virginia, notified Gov. Lowndes May 4, 
and Gov. O'Farrell of Virginia sent his notification to- day, 
and to-morrow Gov. Lowndes will finish the good »vork by 
issuing his proclamation, and every true and worthy disciple 
of Izaak Walton will be happy and the bass will have a rest 
till June 1. 
Owing to heavy rains the Potomac has been muddy for a 
week, so that no fishing could be done. We only know of 
three persons who could not restrain their piscatorial enthu- 
siasm and abide the proper season for taking bass. 
It is refreshing to know that the hundreds of anglers who 
fish in the Potomac al most to a man refrained from being 
enticed to take advantage of the law. It demonstrates the 
influence exerted over a whole State by a thorough organiza- 
tion of the sportsmen and anglers into State and in county 
organizations. In addition the deputy game wardens now 
on duty along the Potomac, Game Warden J. Olney Norris 
has prepared a list of twenty-five more who will be commis- 
sioned at once, so that the river will be so well guarded as to 
make it next to impossible for anyone to violate the law and 
not be arrested. With these additional deputies we will 
have 200 on duty. 
The Game Association has been assisting the Sta.te Fisli 
Commissioner in distributing fry for the past three weeks. 
Eight hundred thousand perch and 350, 00() trout have been 
distributed, and 3,000,000 shad will be put out next week, 
all in the western part of the State, mostly in streams that 
have never been stocked before. The tributaries of the 
lower bay will receive many millions of shad. Our Associa- 
tion is increasing in membership very rapidly. A branch 
club was organized in Frederick recently, with fifty-three 
members. Geo. W. Massamere, Sec'y-Treaa. 
TROUTING IN MICHIGAN. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The Michigan trout season opened this year as usual on 
May 1, and as usual it might as well have opened on Feb, 1, 
so far as the comfort of the fishermen was concerned. 
Messrs. T. W. Childs, Noah Swayne and others, who have 
club interests there, went up to Evart to open the season, 
while the Mills party of Toledo performed a similar service 
on the Sable. They found, what all the local fishermen 
found in the lower peninsula, the streams high and dis- 
colored, and the weather bleak and cold enough to chill the 
ardor of the most enthusiastic angler. The Mills party, con- 
sisting of General Superintendent Mills, of the Clover Leaf 
road; Clarence Brown, its solioitor; John W. Oswald, the 
Castalia expert, and Dr. Frank Beebe, of Columbus, man- 
aged to get along very comfortably in Superintendent Mills's 
piivate car, but the Sable was nearly a foot higher than even 
the ordinary spring stage and as dark as Erebus, a most ex- 
traordinary condition for that sand-filtered stream But on 
Monday the river began to clear, and on Tuesday and during 
the remainder of their stay they enjoyed such fishing as 
seldom falls to the lot of mortals outside this ideal stream. 
The party reached home early on Friday morning. 
The Sable River, formerly the finest grayling stream in 
Michigan, now affords exceptional trout fishing, the greater 
part of the fish taken being the Sahno fontinalis, although 
there is a very fair representation of the rainbow trout, 
which seem to live in perfect harmony with their Eastern 
cousins. It is an interesting fact that less than ten years ago 
there was not a trout of any variety to be found in the 
waters of the Sable, but since it was artificially stocked so 
admirably has it proved itself to be adapted to the require- 
ments of the trout that they have thrived and multiplied be- 
yond all expectation. From the village of Grayling, where 
the river crosses the Michigan Central Railway, to the south 
branch of the Sable, a matter of some twenty-flve miles by 
stream, scarcely a single specimen of the fish of the rainbow 
dorsal is to be taken, but there are said to be still a number 
in the south branch, and in the main river a few miles fur- 
ther down. And this melancholly condition of affairs leads 
me to remark that if Brer Hough is really in earnest about 
the capture of his grayling he cannot afford to put it off 
