374 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
Nov. 8, 1902.] 
social gifts spends the greater part of the time in which 
he is in the society of his fellows in some form of con- 
versation, or at least vocal exercise. An afternoon tea 
or a Salvation Army testimony meeting is not by any 
means the only occasion upon which a continuous flow 
of remarks is considered an absolute necessity. A flock 
- of rooks, a band of sparrows, a drove of elk, nay. a 
dignified senate of sea-lions or congress of seals, are 
all imbued with the same idea. Even cattle and sheep 
will keep up a constant interchange of sounds, except- 
ing at such times as their mouths are actually engaged 
otherwise in the process of eating and drinking. Man 
is probably the one animal that talks while he is eat- 
ing, but with that exception he is ■ not a whit more 
loqtiacious than mam^ of his blood relatives. Not only 
is this true of talking as a means of social intercourse, 
but I have also known a great variety of animals, in- 
cluding elk, bear and buffalo, as well as birds innum- 
erable, who would keep up an almost incessant con- 
versational soliloquy even when entirely separated from 
the rest of their kind. The moping owl is seized with 
fits of this description. 
The presence of these sea-lion hunters brings under 
notice an interesting and hotly disputed question as to 
the natural dietary of these great beasts. On the one 
side are ranged the fishermen and salmon canners; on 
the other the scientists. The former hotly denounce 
the sea-lions as among the deadliest foes of the salmon 
and other fish, alleging that, not content with captur- 
ing them in open chase, they will hang about the gill 
nets spread in the mouths of the rivers, when the 
chinook are running up to their spawning places, and 
tear the thirty-pound "silver sides" right out of the 
meshes of the net— with what effects upon the latter 
fabric may be readily imagined. They allege that the 
sea-lions simply swarm about the mouths of the rivers, 
when the salmon are running, like deer about a salt- 
lick, .and that one sea-lion will destroy hundreds of sal- 
mon in a short season. Not only do they kill and de- 
vour them, but they are also said to rush furiously in 
among the ranks of the fish and snatch and tear in every 
direction, burying their teeth in the flesh, or eating a 
single mouthful of a salmon and then dashing for an- 
other, killing for the mere lust of slaughter like a wolf 
among sheep. For a long time no one dreamed of chal- 
lenging this assertion, and the sea-lion was put down, 
like Artenius Ward's Indian, as "pizen wherever found." 
But a few years ago a biologist was appointed by one 
of the State institutions to investigate the question, 
which he proceeded to do by securing the bodies of as 
many sea-lions as possible and examining the contents 
of their stomachs. A number of stomachs of the creat- 
ures were also secured by fishermen and others and sent 
in with their contents for examination. The result was 
somewhat startling, for in no single instance were fish 
bones or scales to be found either in the stomachs or 
in the intestines of tluese great brutes, while an abundant 
supply of the remains of cuttlefish and traces of shrimps, 
jelly-fish, etc.. were discovered. Whereupon the dis- 
tinguished scientific gentleman was compelled to state 
that, so far as he could discover, the alleged atrocities 
perpetrated by the sea-lion upon salmon and other fish 
were not supported by sufficient evidence. This natur- 
ally annoyed the fishermen, as nobody likes to be flatly 
contradicted, even when he is told that an imaginary 
enemy of his is really doing him no harm whatever; 
and as they were agitating for a bounty to be placed 
upon the heads of sea-lions, as enemies of the State, 
they demanded a further investigation. Another expe'-t 
was thereupon set to work and reported precisely the 
same results, only the "pens" of cuttlefish being found 
in the alimentary canal, instead of bones and scales. 
In spite of this, however, the fishermen and cannery- 
men having a considerable number of votes and the 
scientists only one or two, the legislature was induced 
to pass a bill granting a bounty of $2.50 for the scalp 
«r other evidence of the killing of a sea-lion. Where- 
upon our fishermen aforesaid had taken advantage of 
the slack season in the salmon fishery to embark on their 
little lion-hunting expedition. Unluckily for our friends 
Solomon and Indian Joe, by a base trick of fate or a 
special dispensation of providence (according as one 
sides with the scientists or the fishermen) it was dis- 
covered after the bounty bill had been passed that no 
funds had been provided to pay the scalp fees, but as 
this did not come to light until the first batch of scalps 
was actually presented, their enterprise was under full 
way before its hopes were dashed to the ground. The 
naturalist's sneaking fondness for biology (of which he 
declares that man and all his works form only one small 
chapter) was unexpectedly stirred by the problem, mto 
which he suddenly plunged, if not up to the eyes at 
least up to the elbows. A number of gruesome and 
fragrant carcasses, victims of the hunters' rifles, strewed 
the beach, and equipped with a large hunting knife he 
proceeded to dispute with the gulls for the possession 
of these entertaining pieces of carrion. In spite of the 
abundant supply of excellent, if rather rancid, oil which 
his investigations provided, the flame of his enthusiasm 
waned lower and lower, after each ghastly encounter, 
until finally after two days, during which not only every- 
thing which he handled or ate or looked at but even his 
very dreams fairly reeked with train oil, he announced 
with a snort of disgust that the rest of the question might 
settle itself, so far as he was concerned. One small in- 
cidental advantage derived from the process was that 
his hands and boots were both practically waterproof 
and protected from "salt-chap" during the remainder of 
his stay. 
However, the five iiuge paunches which he did suc- 
ceed in quarrying out of the cavernous interiors of these 
great hulks, weighing from 1,500 to 2,000 pounds, abso- 
lutely confirmed the reports of the scientists. Not one 
of -them contained the faintest trace of any form of fish 
food, nearly all being occupied by a thick, reddish fluid, 
which closer investigation showed to be a puree of 
shrimps, and from one to a do'zen "pens"' (or chitinous 
plates from the dorsal mantle) of cuttlefish. After care- 
ful collection and sifting of the evidence of a 'number 
of fishermen he was able to arrive at a conclusion which 
was satisfactory, at least, to himself. His decision was 
a somewhat Delphic one, that both parties were right, 
as their apparently conflicting results were obtained at 
different seasons of the year. The only season at which 
the sea-lions can be captured in any considerable num- 
bers, or at which their bodies can be obtained for 
study, is during their breeding period, from May to 
August, when they collect upon the reefs and rocky 
islands in swarms and herds. Now, during this season 
(as he fishermen promptly and without any leading on 
his part informed him) they are like their cousins, the 
fur seals, eating nothing at all or confining themselves 
to cuttlefish, jellyfish, hydroids, shrimps and such ex- 
ceedixigly small deer as can be captured in the open sea; 
just as the findings of the scientists from their stomach 
contents indicate. As soon, however, as the autumn sets 
in and the fall run of salmon begins they disappear from 
these breeding places and begin to frequent the mouths 
of rivers and smaller streams, which are packed with 
the masses of the salmon. There seems no reason to 
doubt the veracity of the fishermen's testimony in this 
regard, as salmon have been found with large pieces 
bitten out of them, and these rovers of the sea have 
also been seen dashing in among the frightened salmon, 
coming up to the surface with a grc^at "steel-back" be- 
tween their teeth, tossing him into the air and catching 
him as he falls with a resounding snap, just like a 
greyhound with a hare. Until a sea-lion can be caught, 
during either the fall or the spring run of salmon, in 
one of their chosen beats, the question must remain un- 
settled, with the burden of proof on the side of the 
fishermen. So far as analogy is concerned, their near 
cousins, the seals, are well known to be as destructive 
to fish of every description as terriers are to rats, and 
may be seen driving or herding schools of mackerel, like 
sheep dogs their flocks, and chasing them up into nar- 
row and shallow inlets of the bay, where they can be 
secured by the rest of the waiting pack. On the other 
hand there is no inherent improbability in such behe- 
moths supporting life entirely upon a thin and unsub- 
stantial diet like shrimps and cuttlefish. Those masto- 
dons of the ocean, the whales, live exclusively upon such 
food materials, and even, include infusoria and tiny 
hydroids as well. 
Natural Preservation of Fishes. 
From the manuscript of a book on "General Biology," by Prof. 
H. A. Surface, Department of Zoology, the Pennsylvania State 
College. ■ 
Fishes have greater economic value than all other 
classes' of so-called "cold blooded" animals combined. 
They are beyond doubt the best flesh food that mankind 
can eat, and as a consequence serve as food for all na- 
tions. Statistics show that ihose nations, like the Scotch 
and South Sea Islanders, who eat fish as their chief flesh 
food and avoid beef, are most exempt from tuberculosis 
and other diseases and parasites that are conveyed to man 
by infested beef. 
Years ago nearly every stream in this State yielded 
fresh fish in abundance for the masses, and this formed 
a common element for the food of the working man. To- 
day most of the streams are barren, and fresh fish is a 
delicacy found upon the table of the wealthy man only- 
Fishing as an industry or for recreation is steadily de- 
clining. The reduction of our native fishes is due to the 
combined influence of their natural enemies and man, 
but the effects of the latter are hy far the most de- 
structive in most places. Among their natural enemies 
iire internal and external parasites, aquatic insects, hags 
and lampreys, other fishes, water dogs or mud puppies, 
and other amphibians, water snakes and turtles, certain 
aquatic and semi-aquatic birds, such as herons, divers, 
loons, mergansers, kingfishers andospreys, and certain 
mammals, like the otter, mink, raccoon, muskrat, wild- 
cat, etc. 
The indirect effects of the actions of mankind have been 
far more destructive to fish life than have the effects of 
his direct attacks upon the finny tribe. The mere taking 
of fishes from the water would not exterminate the race. 
Among the agencies that are effecting their wholesale de- 
struction are the following: i. The pollution of streams 
by poisonous waters from mines, factories, sewers, etc. 
2. Dumping into water such material as sawdust, ashes, 
screenings, etc., that cover the fishes' spawning beds and fill 
their gills. 3. Keeping the water constantly roily by certain 
kinds of mining operations, factories, etc., and by rooting 
of carp, which were introduced by man. 4. Logging or 
floating large logs down streams and tearing up spawning 
beds, often at a time when many eggs are thus destroyed. 
5. Clearing away forests and natural vegetation, which 
cau'ses the water to be warmer and shallower or less abun- 
dant and more intermittent in flow than formerly. 6. 
Draining swamps, which not only reduces the water sup- 
ply, but also destroys the minute food material for the 
young fishes. 7. Clearing out streams and clearing away 
debris that furnishes natural places for their safe con- 
cealment and reproduction. 8. Building canals and irri- 
gating ditches and otherwise^ turning the water out of 
its natural channel. 9. Building dams, which prevent the 
migrations of the anadromous fishes, like the salmon and 
the herring. 10. Wanton destruction in capturing fish, as 
by dynamite, and the accidental and careless killing of 
great numbers of small individuals when hauling nets. 
All of these are causes over which mankind has con- 
trol to some extent and their practical remedies are being 
sought and made known by our State and United States 
Fish Commissions, which deserve the strongest support 
of every citizen and all possible aid by legislators. 
Dynamitefs in Arkansas, 
Alma, Ark., Oct. 25^ — Editor Forest and Stream: I 
have had an opportunity the past summer to see what 
destruction is wrought by the dastards who are mean 
enough to use dynamite in a .stream to kill fish. The 
headwaters of White River in Washington county, Ark., 
afford good bass fishing and many have been the gamy 
black bass I have lured from the shady pools along these 
streams. But in Jime some parties killed everything in the 
shape" of fish in the West Fork of White River : but so 
careful were they in their work, that it is impossible to 
detect them, and while I am sure I know who it is, I 
have no legal proof. Under the laws of Arkansas it is 
only a rnisderaeanor to kill fish with explosives. But I 
have prepared^ and when the General Assembly of the 
State meets in January, 1903, am going to have intro- - 
duced a bill making it a felony, punishable by imprison- 
ment in the penitentiary for not less than two nor more 
than ten years, and to pay a fine of not less than one 
hundred dollars, one-half of the fine to go to the informer 
who gives testimony securing a conviction, and the other 
half to go to the school fund of the State, and upon failure 
to pay the fine the defendant to serve it out in the peni- 
tentiary at one dollar per day. This may seem a rather 
drastic punishment, but I think this to be one of the worst 
crimes against property that can be committed. In order 
to protect the game and fish of the State, the Legislature 
has declared them to be the property of the State ; and 
now I think it the duty of the lawmakers to enact laws 
that will protect them, and I propose to see that at least 
the Legislature has a chance to vote on this proposition. 
1 would be glad to have the views of other sportsmen 
along this line. J. E. Loudon. 
Httngffy and Tame* 
Lake Fore.st, 111. — Several weeks ago Forest and 
Stre.\m contained a little article concerning the feeding of 
fish while confined in a fish box. The writer was some- 
what surprised to note that a fish endeaA'-ored to swallow 
another almost half its size while so confined. He wanted 
to know if others had noticed siinilar cases. In answer 
I would like to relate a little experience I had last 
summer. 
Ditring the month of August the fishing at Lake 
Wabesa, Wis., was not very good, and an angler was 
generally kept bus}^ all day providing a mess for dinner. 
One evening in particular we had imusually bad luck. 
One of the little boys at our camp caught a small perch 
some nine inches long, after faithfully fishing all even- 
ing. He put this fish on a stringer off our pier. Next 
morning I saw the little fellow, took pity on him, and re- 
moved him from the stringer with the intention of throw- 
ing him into the lake. Just then I noticed several dead 
minnows in my minnow' box, and got the happy idea of 
providing the perch with breakfast before releasing him. 
I placed one of the dead minnows part way into the 
perch's mouth, while T held him several feet above the 
water. Imagine my surprise to see that the perch was 
not at all backward, but swallowed and enjoyed the min- 
now with every indication of pleasure. Three other min- 
nows followed in rapid succession. The last one I placed 
on my hand, just touching the nose of the perch, which 
wiggled until the minnow was safely stowed away. 
Are perch in the habit of getting familiar on such short 
acquaintance? ^ E, J. R. 
Rennet 
— « — 
Fixtures. 
BENCH SHOWS. 
Nov. 26-29.— Philadelphia. — Philadelphia Dog Show Association's 
show. M. A. Viti, Sec'y. 
FIELD TRIALS. 
Nov. 6. — Eastport. L. I. — Pointer Club of America's (member of 
the American Championship Club) second annual trials. R. E. 
Westlake, Sec'y, Scranton, Pa. 
Nov. 7-8.— Robinson, 111.— Western Irish Setter Club's inaugural 
trials. T. L. Fenn. Secy. 
Nov. 10.— Bicknell, Ind.— Independent Field Trial Club's (mem- 
ber of the American (Championship Club) fourth annual trials. 
H. S. Humphrey, Sec'y, Indianapolis, Ind. 
Nov. 11. — Hampton, Conn.— Connecticut Field Trial Club's trials. 
F. W. Smith. Sec'v. New Haven. 
Nov. 10. — Ruthven, Ont. — North American' Field Trial Associa- 
tion's (member of the American Championship Club) fourth 
annual trials. Richard Bangham, Sec'y, Windsor, Ont, 
Nov. 11.— St. Joachim, Ont.— International Field Trial Club's 
fourteenth annual trials. W. B. Wells, Hon. Sec'y. 
Nov. 17. — Glasgow, Ky. — Third annual trials of the Kentucky 
Field Trial Club. S. B. Hays, Sec'y. 
Nov. 18. — Branchton, Pa. — Central Beagle Club's seventh annual 
trials. A. C. Peterson, Sec'y. 
Nov. 18. — Ruthven, Ont. — Fourth annual trials of the North 
American Field Trial Club. Alfred Wigle, Sec'y, Windsor, Ont. 
Nov. 24. — Glasgow, Ky. — American Championship Field Trial 
Association's second annual trials. C. B. Cooke, Sec'y. 
Nov. 29.— Thomasville, N. C— Continental Field Trial Club's 
eighth annual trials. 
Nov. 24. — Glascow, Ky. — American Championship Field Trial 
Club's second annual trials. Chas. B. Cooke, Sec'y, Richmond, Va. 
Dec. 15.— Huntsville, Ala. — Alabama Field Trial Club's (member 
of the American Championship Club) third annual trials. John 
F. Fletcher, Sec'y, Birmingham, Ala. 
Canine Elegies and Epitaphs. 
XXVII— Hectot. 
The correspondent who sends this writes: "The attthor is now 
Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court. The dog was a 
setter that I owned — a good all-round dog, and by long odds the 
best quail dog I ever saw. — H." 
Here lie the relics of a faithful friend 
' Upon whose virtues it were vain to dwell. 
He sleeps the sleep that never knows an end. 
Amid the woods and fields he loved so w<ll. 
The fields, the woods, the hills he joyed to roam 
Lie round him yet; he is like them a part 
Of Nature that has kindly called him home, 
To sleep forever near to Nature's heart. 
**A Vermont Mode.*' 
Philadelphia, Pa. — In Forest and Stream of Nov, i 
there is a letter on fox hunting, by W, W. Brown. While 
seriously intended as an account of good sport, the 
methods employed placed it well outside the domain of 
sport, as the term is understood by sportsmen. The ordi- 
nary New England method of "fox hunting" has long 
been a matter of debate pro and con. As a method of 
fox hunting, it is not fox hunting at all in the true sense. 
Fox hunting in its true sense is a pursuit, the fox being 
the pursued and the dogs the pursuers. The fox hunters 
follow afoot, horseback or in carriages, as they please. 
The New Englander employs a hound or two instead of 
pack,' pickets the fox's runways with a number of his 
friends armed with shotguns, who wait patiently till the 
fox is driven to them, whereupon, thus ambushed, he is 
potted with a load of buckshot, the remains are collected 
and constitute a trophy, and the sum total of activity is 
termed fox hunting. Now, New Englanders have a 
