Nov. ao, 1897.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
411 
"Do you think that fish life can be studied better in an 
aquarium than in the lalies, rivers or the sea?" 
"Yf s. In the river man might watch for a year and not 
see a hellbender in the position that one is, with its back 
almost out of water and its legs dioopiDg, as if it were dead. 
That appears to be its way of resting and oossibly is what 
gave it its popular name, but those men who caught the 
benders on hooks in their bovhooD's fishing trips would 
never see that act. If they did they would stone the animal, 
for they have about as great a dread of it as the average 
woman has of a mouse, and would never give a moment to 
tbe study of its habits. In an aquarium they will see more 
of it than they ever did in all their lives." 
"How did it ever get the name of hellbender?" 
"The origin of the name is not known to me. Jordan 
and other authorities give that as the popular name, and as 
the only choice is between that and 'alligator,' which is the 
local name in western Pennsylvania, we choose the former 
for the animal with its slimy skin is certainly not an alli- 
gator, but the name must have come from some aquarium 
naturalist who had observed its bending habit, and then, 
after seeing that our friend was not a beauty, added a syl- 
lable to denote its infernal origin, but, as it is an animal of 
just as orderly and respectable habits as any other dweller 
in the rivers, it seems unjust to call it hard names " 
"What good is it?" 
"There you go, on that old question," said I. "What 
good is anything? This animal in its small way fills the 
whole round of animal life. It feeds, procreates and dies 
It may be a check on the increase of other forms of life- of 
that 1 cannot say; but the big lake trout have been known 
to eat a hellbender, and man eats the trout. I don't believe 
that this world was made for man any more than it was for 
a hellbender; each lives as best he can and enioys life as 
seems best unto him. " 
This did not accord with my friend's view of life, and he 
proposed that we should sit down and discuss this thing. 
Said he: "Do you seriously tell me that you believe that 
this world was created as much for a rattlesnake as it was 
for us?" 
"Just as much, Jim. In our animal nature we are on an 
equality with the rattlesnake, or with the elephant. They 
are animals which differ greatly in structure, but vastly 
more in brain. Neither could exterminate the other, but 
man can kill oil both when he bBcomes numerous enough. 
Man survives because he is the fittest " 
"See there," said Geddes, "that big hermit crab pulled 
another one out of its shell and popped into it, Pardon me 
for interrupting your lecture." 
"Don't apologize; you only illustrated it. The strongest 
hermit crab took the shell; the longest pole knocks the per- 
Simmons, which proves that the longest oole is the fittest " 
That is the kind of talk that an aquarium suggests. It is 
a great object lesson, which causes men to observe fishes 
and aquatic animals, and to learn that Ihey have their 
hopes, fears, loves, jealousies, and all the other passions in- 
cluding selfishness, ihat man has, facts which fishing for 
theni would never reveal. An aquarium is a greater educa- 
tor in this line than a zoological garden, lor there each 
species is isolated, and does not show its nature, as a tank 
full of pugnacious crabs displays the character of its vigil- 
ant and pugilistic tenants. No museum can teach us as 
much as an aquarium can, for there we see not only the dif- 
ferent forms of aquatic life, but they are much nearer to 
their natural conditions than are caged animals; they seem 
to be unconscious of the presence of spectators, because the 
latter are not in as strong a light as are the fishes. 
The city did a grand thing when it converted the old 
building into an aquarium after it was no longer used as a 
place for receiving emigrants, and it came about in this wav 
One day IVIr. E G. Blackford, then president of the Sla'te 
Fish Commission, met J\:lr. Meyers, the city Comptroller, and 
asked; "What are you going to do wiLh old Castle Gardi n, 
now that you have another place for emigrants, and there's 
nothing in the old place except rats?" 
"We haven't thought about it." said Mr. Meyers. "It's a 
building of too great historical interest to be torn down, but 
just what use can be made of it 1 don't know. Can you 
suggf'st Bomf thing?" 
"Yes," said Mr. Blackford; "the best thina; you can put it 
to is to make a public aquarium in it. Give the people a 
chance lo see not only different kinds of fish, but also how 
they use different mvians of locomotion ; how they breathe, 
eat, and how they live in the rivers and in the seas, and yet 
differ as much, or more, in their ways as the land animals 
do, " 
Mr. Meyers answered: "That's a good suggestion, Mv. 
Blackford; but we must bring the matter before the Part 
Board in some shape, so that they will approve the plan and 
get the State Legislature to sanction it and make an appro- 
priation for the purpose. If you will make a ground plan of 
some sort and send it to me, it will serve to start the move- 
ment for an aquarium." 
Thus it began in the brain of one man, spread to the Park 
Board and then to the State Legislature. But unfortunately 
Mr. Blackford, in his busy life as merchant, banker and 
other business, was not consulted about the beginning of the 
worK, as he should have been, and in a former article I 
have shown how the Aquarium was badly managed by an in- 
competent superintendent, who was only dismissed after he 
had completed the work so far that it needed to be built all 
over again. The present superintendent has done enough 
of this to put the Aquarium in running oider. Two weeks 
ago the gallery tanks were opened to the public, and all the 
tanks aj-e watertight. 
Lest it be thought that I am too severe on the first super- 
intendent, and designer, for he seems to have had his own 
way in all his plans, let this instance suflice: A 10m. pipe 
supplied the tanks on one side of the building, and for an 
outflow he had two Sin. pipes. Any schoolboy would have 
said that if you put two 5in. ciicles toaeiber they will 
cover about half of a lOin. circle, and all through the Aqua- 
rium the waste pipes were too small. If they were equal in 
size to the supply pipe, the fact that the water from the 
latter came in under pressure with an increased flow was 
overlooked. I hate to scold, but if ever there was a gross 
case of mismanagement in any public work greater than this 
I don't know of it. 
So much space has been taken up by the history of the 
Aquarium and other matters, that the interesting creatures 
in the tanks have been neglected. Next week they will 
have an inning, 
[to be CONTINtlBD.] 
Tlie FosEST AND Stream is put to press each week on Tuead 
Correxpondtince intended for publication should reach us at 
ateat hy Monday, and iw much earlier as practiable. 
THE FISH COMMISSION AND COM- 
MERCIAL FISHERMEN. 
BY W. B, MEEHAN. 
Read before the Pennsylvania J'isheries Convention, Harrisburg, 
Pa., Sept. 15. 
The interests of the Fish Commission are those of the com- 
mercial fishermen. Between the two the closest and most 
cordial relations should exist, and remain unbroken. Un- 
happily, however, this desirable state of affairs does not 
prevail throughout the entire State, Among many commer- 
cial fishermen there is an unreasonable disposition to look upon 
the Fish Commission as their natural enemy, instead of, aa is 
the fact, their best and strongest friend. The extent and 
intensity of this feeling varies according to locality. In some 
places, as for instances the Delaware Valley and Lake Erie, 
the feeling of animosity is almost entirely absent, or at most 
mildly antagonistic among isolated individuals, who, as a 
rule, are natural and persistent lawbreakers and poachers, 
and the majority of the commercial fishermen are staunch 
supporters of the Commission. In . others, notably the 
Su quehanna Basin, the bitter feeling is still so intense as 
sometimes to lead to the shooting at and wounding the fish 
wardens while in the performance of their duties. It is idle 
to deny either the extent or the strength of this feeling of 
commercial interests suffer. There can be no successful 
contention against the proof which can be advanced con- 
cerning the destructiveness of baskets with respect to shad. 
The annual half million dollar catches m the Delaware, 
where there are no such devices, and the few thousand dollar- 
catches in the Susquehanna, where destructive contrivances 
exist, would convince anyone who desired the truth. 
There is no doubt that the fishermen along the Susque- 
hanna and iis tributaries in Pennsylvania have a real griev- 
ance in the fact that Miryland permits her citizens to fish 
the river within her borders how and when thev will, but 
that is not the fault of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. 
This body has been fighting for years to have a stop put to 
the use of over destructive devices in that State and will con- 
tinue until that dasired end is gained. 
It may be also claimed by some that the Fish Commission 
18 too sweeping in its condemnation of many devices for 
catching fish. Among the contrivances employed are some 
less destructive than others, and perhaps if the commercial 
fishermen on the Susquehanna and elsewhere were to send or 
appoint a strong and reasonable delegali )n to discuss the 
matter with the Fish Commission some understanding could 
be arrived at, which would be satisfactory to all around. 
This is a matter lo which the earnest consideration of the 
Governor, of the'Fish^Commission and the commeicialjfish 
A TROUT Oif THE GUNJSII80N. 
Caught by h\ C Brown, of Fox Lafee, WiS-^ in tbe Gunnison River, Colo., iug. is, 1897, Weight, laibs. 
antagonism, for the evidences are abundant and may even be 
found in the Lfgislature The one comfort and encourage- 
ment which the Pi-h Commission may take to itself is that a few 
years ago the fishermen of the Delaware Vnlley, and to 
some extent of Lake Erie, who are n..w its staunch supporters 
were as bitter as many of those of the Susquehanna Basin 
to day, and it may hope in time to prove their devotion to 
the latter's interests as effectually. 
The element which fosters antagonism to the Fish Commis- 
sion is composed chitfiy of those who wish to fi^h how, 
when and where they please, regardless of the rights of others 
or the maintenance of the food fish supply. They find 
sympathizprs among those who are inclined to look upon 
fish asferm naturw, and therefore the lawful prey of anyone 
and at any time. They also have at least passsive supporters 
among those who ignorantly suppose that the Commission 
labors chiefly in the interests of the sportsman angler. The 
contention that the interests of the commercial fl-hermen are 
subordinated to those of the sportsman angler us the greatest 
difllculty which the Commission has to contend with in com- 
ing to a friendly understanding with the former, although 
it is the easiest to disprove. It seems stranee. but it is often 
in vain that it is pointed out that of 100,000,000 to 160 000 
000 fish distributed every year, less tnan 4,000 000 are wnat 
are called game fish, while the remainder are practically 
commercial fish only, namely, shad, white fish and wall-eyed 
pike or Sufquehana salmon. The answer almost invariably 
is, "Tde Commission won't allow us to use fish-baskets', fyke 
nets, eel weirs or outlines, although we only wish to catch 
eels." This is followed usually by the declaration that very 
few game fish are taken in fish baakets or eel-weirs. A 
curious phase of this declaration is, that it is persistently 
reiterated in the face of the presentation of overwhelmino' 
evidence to the contrary. The experience of the Commission^ 
andofall whohaveany knowledge of such devices, flatly con- 
ntradicts the claim that fish-baskets or eel weirs capture or hold 
few gamefinh; but while I speak entirely for myself, and with 
out the auihority of the Pennsylania Fish Commission, I say 
emphatically, tbat I believe the Fish Commission would with- 
draw all opposition to the use of fish baskets and eel-weirs 
in such streams as the Su quehanna, if only the catching of 
game fi^h and eels were concerned. My confidence in this 
is founded on the knowledge that the Fish Commission regards 
the commercial food fish industry as paramount to the sports- 
man anglers' interests, great as they are. This is abundantly 
siiowu by the vast preponderance of commprcial fish fry 
distributed every year in comparison with those of trout, 
black bass and other game fish, by the capacity of the hatch- 
ing stations devoted to the rearing of the former and by the 
amount of money expended therefor. But the financial 
returns of the commercial fishermen, where the laws can bj 
enforced, should be the most convincing proof that the Fxsh 
Commission is working in their interests. The increase in 
the value of the commercial fisheries of the State, have been 
more than $1,000,000 a year for the last seven years. It may 
confidently be said that if the Susquehanna Basin fishermen 
would give the Fish Commission hearty cooperation, the 
increase five years hence would be nearly 750, 000. 
The vital objection to the use of fish baskets and eel weir,s 
is not so much that they catch and hold game fish but that 
they destroy the moit highly prized food fish known as the 
shad; that in this manner, not the sporting interests but the 
ermen is earnestly invited. It is time that the strained rela- 
tions which undoubtedly exist between the C )mmi&sion and 
the commercial fishermen be replaced by good feeling and 
hearty, unanimous cooperation for the io crease of the food 
fishes of the State, to the profit ahke of the people, the fish- 
ermen and the Commonwealth. 
THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION. 
Boston, Nov. 13 —Editor Forest and Stream: The first 
meeting of the Massachusetts Fuh and Game Protective 
Association since the long vacation was held Thursday even- 
ing, Nov. 11, at the Copley Square Hotel, and notwithstand- 
ing many of the members are still in the woods after various 
kinds of game, there was a good attendance and a very 
profitable and eDj>vable meeting. Among those nreseot 
were ex- presidents B C. Clark and E. A. Samuels, Beni F 
Stevens, J. W. Wildma", the venerable Judge Chnrles Levi 
Woodbury, Dr. Heber Bishop, Laring Crocker. George O 
Sears, E E Small. Warren Eapgood, W. B. Hastings* 
Charles G Gibson, Joseph W. Scnitu, Thomas Dickson, Dr' 
Wm. D Ft-rguson, Sd is Lawrence, Dr. John T. Stetson' 
John F. Dennen, Charles A. R?ad, and Mess-s. Arthur w' 
Robinson, Daniel C. Pierce, Henrv W. Sanborn, Albert 
Bernard, Dr. C. M. McConnell and William A. McLeod of 
the Megantic Ciub. Col, H. T. Rockwell, the president 
was in the chair, and secretary Kimoall was at his usual 
place. Considerable routine business was disposed of; 
.several applications for membership were received and 
Alessrs. George W. Wigein, J. N Raberts, J. S. Duncklee 
1 H. Hall, A. C Risteen, C. Z Bissett and W. C. Presl 
tott were appointed a committee to nominate a list of officers 
for the ensuing year. A vote was passed requesting the 
committee on legislative matters to consider what, if any, 
changes are desirable in the fish and game laws in order to 
further the public interest, the committee to report their 
findings to the board of government prior to the next annual 
meeting. 
Mr. E E. Small was then introduced as the principal 
speaker of the evening, his subject being the mackerel, and 
how better to protect tbem In the beginning he said the 
Association was noc an enemy of the honest fisherman— its 
members were fishermen tnemselves, and their only concern 
was for the greatest good of the ereatest number He then 
went on to say that the mackerel were lost sight of about 
Cape Hatteras in the fall when they were fat and good; thpy 
re-appear in the spring about the same place when they are 
so poor and emaciated as to be unfit for food. If left alone 
a large part of them would without doubt reach the New 
England coast to spawn, but at the start they are met by the 
destructive purse stine of the Southern fishermen and ruth- 
lessly slaughtered. It takes from 13.") to 175 of these fish to 
make a marketable barrel, and it is estimated by compel ent 
auihority that there were 40,000 000 eggs in every barrel of 
these fish. Years ago, when there was a law protecting 
the fish during the spawning season, there was a notable in- 
crease in the supply, but feince the law was repealed the 
catch has largely decreased. But in his opinion it would be 
useless to enact laws to protect these fish in the spawning sea- 
,9on unless protection was extended to them until they reached 
mature age. There were three wavs to remedy the evU- 
First— To reenact the law of 1887, which provides "that 
