1A.PRIL 9, 1904.1 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
298 
have strong hope that the bill will not be reported by the 
committee. 
Brooklyn, N. Y., March 25.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: Your editorial in the issue of Feb. 27 in regard 
to spring shooting and your eulogy of Mr. Brown_ occa- 
sioned some thoughts in my mind, and I would like to 
unburden myself of the same. 
Did Mr. Brown ever go to the root of the matter, 
"the sale of game" ? There is the trouble. It is not the 
spring shooter, like myself, who breaks his chain for two 
or three days in the spring that is reducing the supply 
of ducks, but the market hunter and cold storage. 
Let Mr. Brown go to the root of the matter and get 
up a bill stopping the sale of game, and he will no doubt 
find the nut a hard one to crack. 
^¥here were the opponents of the Hubbs bill a few 
years ago, when a market hunter managed to_ get a bill 
passed allowing battery shooting between Smith's Point 
and Quogue, Great South Bay, Long Island? According 
to R." B. Roosevelt, "the battery is the coffin of the duck," 
and it is especially so in that locality, the bay being so 
narrow. A few "spring shooters" (not market shooters) 
got together and had the bill repealed the following year. 
During the first freeze-up of the bay last winter, two 
market shooters of Long Island killed nearly 300 ducks 
in two days, and you can rest assured that those 300 
ducks came to the New York markets. 
Stopping spring shooting will only be successful in a 
very small measure in increasing the supply of ducks. 
Let Mr. Brown bend his energy and knowledge to the 
suppression of the sale of game and he will be nearer a 
solution of the problem. 
Mr. W. E. Hookway's suggestion "to limit the bag" 
would help to reduce the market supply. 
According to newspaper reports Grover Cleveland has 
just been on a successful duck shooting trip. Lucky 
Grover ! I wish I were as well fixed. I'd shoot some 
ducks, too. C. Howard. 
The Kadiak Bear. 
Seattle, Washington, March 27. — Editor Forest and 
Streams: Referring to your editorial on The Passing of 
the Kadiak Bear, I should like to say something about 
this species. 
I spent parts of 1888 and '89 prospecting on Kadiak 
Island. Bears were very plentiful at that time, and 
there was more than one species. During the summer 
season I have known the bears to swim from Kadiak to 
Goose- Islands, thence to Silchinak Islands, and thence 
to Tugidak, where I shot a three-year-old during the 
latter part of August, 1889. . I have seen bears on the 
mainland of Alaska, opposite Kadiak Island, which I 
could not tell from the Kadiak bear, by seeing them on 
foot and being very close to them. 
What is commonly called Kadiak bear has a broader 
skull than any other bear found in Alaska. The nose is 
also broader, the nostrils larger, the perpendicular crease 
between the nostrils deeper and more prominent, the skin 
on the nose is darker, and the dark skin extends deeper 
in the nostrils. This last feature you will not find in any 
other member of the brown bear family in Alaska._ 
I have seen bear tracks on Sutwick Island, which lies 
twelve miles from the mainland. I know two fishermen 
who wintered on "Nigai" Island, who killed a bear in 
the early spring of 1887. To reach that island a bear 
v/ould have to swim a distance of over twelve miles. 
Bears are attracted to outlying islands in the summer 
season by dead whales drifting ashore. In former years 
caribou existed in great numbers on the Alaska penin- 
sula, and during the calving season swam off to all the 
islands west of the "Simedas," to escape the wolves. 
Natives have repeatedly told me that the bears followed 
the caribou in former years and preyed on the caribou 
calves. I have been on at least 25 islands — during the 
years 1886, '87, and '88— where the old caribou horns lay 
concealed in the dead grass so thick that it was difficult 
to walk through small patches on account of getting the 
feet tangled up with the horns. 
The narrowest point on Shelikof Straits between 
Kadiak Island and the mainland is 25 miles. There is 
nothing improbable in the bear swimming either way, 
or having been carried either way on the ice. I do not 
believe the bears found on Kadiak Island are any larger 
than some specimens taken on the mainland. The largest 
bear skin I saw during my residence in Alaska was 
killed over 200 miles southwest of Kadiak on the Alaska 
peninsula in 1886, and the first time I go to San Fran- 
cisco I believe I can get the dimensions of the skin. 
Thos. W. Hanmore. 
A Vanishing: Game Bird. 
In the April number of the Auk Mr. Herbert Brown 
vvrites with much feeling of that rare little game bird 
Colinus ridgwayi, the masked Bob White. This bird, as 
niany ornithologists will remember, was originally iden- 
tified as Orty.v graysoni, a Mexican species, but was 
later described by Mr. Brewster as new, and was named 
in honor of Mr. Ridgway. Mr. Brown tells us that it is 
reported that in old times — say forty years ago — 
this bird was moderately abundant in a limited range in 
southern Arizona and northern Sonora, but the settling 
up of the country, the bringing in of a great number of 
Cc.ttle, and a number of rainless seasons have stripped 
the country of the masked quail bare of vegetation, and 
the birds are disappearing or— Mr. Brown fears — have 
already disappeared. "When their food and shelter had 
been trodden out of existence by thousands of hunger- 
dying stock, there was nothing left for poor little Bob 
White to do but go out with them. As the conditions 
ir Sonora were similar to those in Arizona, birds and cat- 
tle sufifered in common. The Arizona Bob White would 
have thrived well in an agricultural country, in brushy 
fence corners, tangled thickets and weed-covered fields, 
but such things were not to be had in their habitat. Un- 
less a few can still be found on the upper Santa Cruz, 
we can, in truth, bid them a final good-by." 
Haverhill Protective Association. 
Haverhill, Mass, April 2. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
For some time several of our enthusiastic sportsmen have 
been talking of game and fish protection, enforcement of 
the game laws, and the good that might be accomplished 
by an association of the right kind, with the result that 
Thursday evening, March 31, they met at a prominent 
business office, and when they wended their way home- 
ward The Haverhill Fish and Game Protective Associa- 
tion had been formed and officers elected: Mr. C. J. 
Halpen, President; Mr. Clifford Poor, Secretary; Mr. 
j. A. Wood, Vice-President; Mr. J. W. White, Treas- 
urer; Messrs. C. J. Halpen, J. L. Adams, C. A. Abbott, 
C. D. Syrrell and G. W. Beckell, Directors. The mem- 
bership roll already carries forty-five names. The charter 
list will remain open until May X, when it is expected 
this number will be more than trebled. The association 
will be incorporated at once, and it will no doubt be a 
power in the good work of game protection. 
_ The extreme cold and deep snow of the past winter 
has played sad havoc with our quail, and without doubt 
most of them have perished. Three years ago this spring 
the Haverhill Gun Club and their sportsmen friends pro- 
cured thirty dozen quail from Kansas and liberated them 
withm a few miles of our city. They did very nicely 
indeed. Their experiment proved a grand success; so 
much so that they again took up the burden, or rather 
the hat, and the shekels kept up a merry jingle until 
a goodly sum was raised, and several dozen quail have 
aJ ready been secured and turned loose, and several more 
dozen are expected. 
We are gradually getting on to the Forest and Stream 
Plank down here in the "Old Bay State," the sale of 
partridges and woodcock being prohibited at all times, 
so that It really looks as though the time was not fair 
distant when we can hold the whole plank down. 
, Pointer Man. 
Legfislation at Albany. 
Albany, April 2.— Governor Odell has signed Assemblyman G 
H. Whitney's bill, 741—876, providing that perch shall not be taken 
from the waters of Saratoga county from Feb. 1 to May 1, both 
inclusive. 
The Senate has passed the following -bills : 
Senator Le Fevre's, 376—1041, relative to the close season for 
grouse, woodceck and quail in Dutchess, Orange and Ulster coun- 
ties. 
Senator Malby's bill, 718—980, relative to the proceeds of actions 
brought jDy the people for violations of the forest, fish and game 
laws. ° 
Senate committee's bill, 668—1014, relative to the prevention of 
forest fires. 
Senate committee's bill, 783—1013, Constitutional amendment al- 
lowing the Legislature to authorize the removal of dead timber on 
burned areas m the Adirondack region so far as is necessary for 
reforestation. 
The Senate has advanced the following bills to third reading- 
Assemblyman Wolff's bill, 383—886, relative to fishing in Jamaica 
Bay. 
Senator Malby's bill, 538—1049, relative to fishing in St. Law- 
rence county. 
Senator Townsend's bill, 788—1030, providing for restocking the 
Adirondack region with wild deer and elk. 
Assemblyman C. R. Matthews' bill, 687—807, relative to the close 
season for trout. 
The Senate Committee on Forest, Fish and Game has reported 
the following bills : 
Assemblyman Dickinson's bill, 160—883, relative to the close sea- 
son for squirrels, etc., in Genesee and Cortland counties. 
Assemblyman Cowan's bill, 518—1297, relative to the close season 
for pheasants. Advanced to third reading. 
The Assembly has passed the following bills: 
Assemblyman Robinson's bill, 1090—1416, prohibiting the placing 
of carp in Conesus and Hemlock lakes, Livingston county. 
Assemblyman Denison's bill, 1100—1455, relative to taking wild- 
fowl in Black River Bay, Jefferson county. 
Assemblymar! Reeve's bill, 376—1537, relative to the possession 
of venison. 
Senate Committee's bill, 630—800, defining the boundaries of the 
Adirondack Park. 
Senator Barnes' bill, 410—987, prohibiting the sale of trout caught 
in Rensselaer county. 
The Assembly has advanced to third reading the following bill: 
Assemblyman Cocks' bill, 1178—1594, relative to gray squirrels. 
The Assembly Committee on Forest, Fish and Game has re- 
ported the following bills: 
Senator Townsend's bill, 12—853, providing for the protection 
of wild black bear. 
Senate committee's bill, 481 — 754, providing that no person shall 
take any wild deer between one-half hour after sunset and one- 
half hour before sunrise. 
Senator Townsend's bill, 15 — 870, requiring residents of other 
States to secure licenses from the State Commission before being 
privileged to hunt deer in New York State. 
Assemblyman F. C. Wood's bill, 1202—1618, relative to restocking 
the Adirondack region with elk. 
Assemblyman F. C. Wood's bill, 950—1182, relative to the com- 
pensation of game protectors. 
EA AND nva nsmN 
Flies that Feed the Trout. 
A Few Notes fay an Eothusiast, 
Nothing excites the ardent angler more than seeing 
a large trout rising steadily, which he cannot induce to 
take his flies. I am speaking now of fish that are reajly 
feeding upon surface food, and not playing. If the right 
fly is at last found and success follows, great is the joy 
■of our friend. He attributes the result entirely to his own 
skill and feels proud of himself accordingly, and is apt 
thereafter to pay more attention to the natural flies that 
he sees on or about the water. There is no doubt that 
the study of entomology would add considerably to the 
interest of fly-fishing, at least in many of the streams of 
New York and Pennsylvania. I know of no work upon 
the subject that is of much assistance to the angler, and 
he will often be at a loss in trying to identify an insect 
which he finds is attractive to the fish. The habit is 
formed, however, of noting the flies as they appear, and 
he will often be astonished at the numbers which hatch 
out when the weather is favorable. He learns to be a 
good judge of color and size, and finds that a compara- 
tively small assortment of flies will enable him to imitate 
the naturals, if he fishes in the same locality. The scien^ 
tific side of the question, with Latin names, etc., is not 
of the first importance to the fisherman, yet I hope that 
in the near future some well equipped naturalist will take 
up the subject of stream flies. I believe that four fam- 
ilies comprise the major part of the insects found o^ 
the cold, clear brooks and rivers of the Middle States; 
the Ephenieridce, to which the May flies, red, brown and 
golden spinners, and the different colored duns belong; 
the Perlidce, st6n% flies, willow fly, etc.; Diptera, all the 
black gnats, etc.; and the Trichoptera, all the caddis flies. 
Ephemera are very numerous and are easily known by 
the upright wings and long, tapering body, curved up- 
ward at the tail and terminating in two or three whisks, 
which are frequently mottled. 
Nearly everyone has noticed the big stone fly which 
hatches out irregularly all through the season, when the 
weather is not too warm. I have never seen this fly in 
large numbers, though a yellowish stone fly that is a 
little smaller comes out in great force sometimes in the 
latter part of May or early June. As with all these in- 
sects, the temperature of the air and water has every- 
thing to do with the time when they appear. The wings 
of the stone flies lie flat upon the back when at rest, and 
are four in number. They make a fine show when ex- 
panded, and the fly itself is a fat and juicy morsel for 
the trout. I do not think that the fish get many of these 
insects in a perfect state, but when they are crawling 
about waiting for their wings to grow the trout have a 
ibetter opportunity. I have found many in their stomachs. 
Everyone has seen the case which these flies leave upon 
the rocks after they have hatched out. I have an idea 
that one of our stone flies comes out of the larval case 
at Bight, at least I have found many cases of a rather 
small fly which I could not follow in its metamorphoses. 
■Jlie Dipter^ form a very large family by themselves, 
the first to appear being a black gnat with clear wings, 
early in the month of March. There are more or less 
. of these little creatures about at all seasons, but I do 
not know much about them. Some are so small as to 
be scarcely visible without the aid of a magnifying glass. 
The Trichoptera, or caddis flies, are a host in them- 
selves, and their numbers are, at times, almost beyond 
belief. The larger members of this family make their 
houses of sticks, and until they are seen crawling about 
will be thought to be sticks in reality. Vast quantities 
may be found in many waters in the month of June. 
The smaller caddis use small stones and sand to build 
their homes. All are beautifully made, and are as smooth 
as satin inside. Trout when hungry will swallow the 
caddis, case and all. The remains of the cases can often 
be found in the stomachs of large brown trout, usually 
the stick kind. In western North Carolina the caddis 
is called "stick bait," and has always been used in trout 
fishing. The Indians of this State made use of the deer 
hair hackle or buck-tail fly long before the country was 
settled by the whites. I cannot vouch for this, but my 
informant was a gentleman who was passionately fond of 
"The Land of the Sky." I would like to know how the 
aborigines made their hooks. 
All the water flies are quite hardy and are best to be 
observed in the early part of the season. As soon as the 
temperature of the water rises they cease to hatch out 
in any number. I say the temperature of the water, 
because one can find more or less flies about during the 
hot weather if he seeks the headwaters of the brook. 
