98 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
|Peb. 4, 1905. 
covey of quail, later into a big bunch of willow grouse. 
Both were quite tame; they would hardly get out of our 
road and a good marksman could have bowled over 
many of them. 
The Novitiate's two rainbows weighted 4 and 4^ 
pounds respectively. She killed her first, the smaller, 
in less than five minutes under my coachmg. The last 
consumed somewhat more time, as she was alone and 
feared that too fast work would result in loss. Neither 
had swallowed the hook, the last dropping off the 
hook while being "walked up the beach." My catch 
of six tipped the scale neatly at eight pounds. 
"Sorry you didn't do any business, Mr. Hunter," I 
said, banteringly. "Better take the loan of a few flies; 
you'll do better next time." 
"Don't be too brash, young man. I didn't say I 
hadn't ketched none," and running his long arm into 
the regions of his hunting coattail he fetched forth 
three — every one a mate to the Novitiate's capture. 
Eleven and one-half pounds was their total. 
"Now what about your ginger quills and hare's ears 
and such like? They are all right for you, sonny; 
but the old man will stick to his minnows." 
I was unable to stay and convince him, for we wanted 
a day at Wood's Landing on the Big Laramie; time 
was pressing. 
"The boys" — there were several of them— had built 
a rousing fire near the little rivulet that flows by the 
doorway of the Hunter home, and "oodles and oodles" 
of red hot embers and sizzling ashes awaited us. With- 
out disemboweling or scaling our trophies they were 
wrapped in a coating of mud, cast into a bed of hot 
ashes, covered with lurid embers, next with hot coals. 
There they lay and sputtered while we prepared for 
breakfast. In time the sputtering grew less boisterous, 
the baked mud cases that encompassed the fish were 
duly cleft, and peeled off, skin and scales coming away 
simultaneously. It was a simple thing to run the thin 
blade of a steel knife in at the gill and deftly turn the 
point so as not to disturb the ribs. Thus one entire 
side of the trout was lifted unbroken on to a platter — 
smoking hot. A similar motion, and the entire bony 
framework was lifte'd away from the lower side and 
cast into the midst of a pack of hungry deer hounds. 
One lean fellow caught the morsel on the fly with wide 
open mouth, the others looked disappointed and as 
though they wished they had been the lucky dog. The, 
latter a moment later probably wished the same thing, 
for he had swallowed it without knowing how hot his 
prize was, and demonstrated that dogs can shed tears. 
If he didn't get indigestion he was surely a wonder. 
Deftly lifting the other half of the trout on to the 
platter, our cook gave the other similar treatment. A 
sauce of hot butter of the Hunter home-brewed brand, 
hot vinegar, pepper — hot also — salt, sugar, all thor- 
r)ughly emulsified over the fire, completed that part of 
the menu. Then there were fresh-laid dropped eggs, 
light fluffy baking powder biscuits, coffee that crinkled 
in one's mouth and a hearty "Now, help yourselves, all." 
The Novitiate repeatedly counseled me to "be care- 
ful of your indigestion." I must have obeyed her for 
once, for I got away with that meal without turning 
a hair. 
^ Pinkhamtop is an aggregation of cottages known as 
"Kings," a justly popular stopping place for hunters 
and fishers. It is close to the Platte — about three miles 
distant, Colorado lineal measure — and grouse, sage 
hens, quail (now under three years' protection, I be- 
lieve) abound. Chasing the coyote also furnishes great 
sport, if one has a good pack of trained coyote hounds. 
Uncle Jack Hunter has such a pack; many coyote skins 
adorn the floors of his home. 
Our course now bore us back toward Laramie via 
the Wood's Landing road, crossing the Big Laramie at 
the landing of that name. Three years previously I had 
visited a rancher friend in this vicinity and had had 
the sport of rny life, on three successive days filling my 
creel with rainbows ranging from twelve to sixteen 
inches — big, chunky, fat ones, all. I took all that were 
coming to me, too, for the reason that back under the 
eastern foothills were many fish-hungry "can't-get- 
aways," to whom I had solemnly given promise of a 
trout dinner — a regular gorge. I was going to keep 
my word, and did. 
We reached our destination late and I persuaded the 
Novitiate to forego fishing for the evening and help 
wash dishes. She accepted the suggestion. I soon 
found my favorite pool. It was 75 to 100 feet wide, 
several hundred feet long, but not above thigh-deep. 
A royal coachman, white miller and coachman, all No. 
6, comprised my cast. I did not use over twenty feet 
of line. It grows dark before 8 o'clock at this season, 
and the darker the better the fishing. One hour's cast- 
ing in ice-cold water netted twenty-four like those de- 
scribed above. Another charming breakfast, a portion 
of which consisted of freshly caught fried trout, more 
zephyr-like biscuits, country butter and Colorado honey, 
a hearty command to "come again and stay longer," 
and the Novitiate and the undersigned soon "hit the 
dusty trail" for Laramie City, whence we set out for 
Lake Tahoe, the wonderful, to have a try at the big 
lakers who — but of that we will have more later. 
J- C. 
Fish and Fishing. 
The Netting in Missisquoi Bay. 
Nothing decisive is yet known as to the outcome of 
the interview at Ottawa the other day between American 
fishery officers and others and the Dominion and Provin- 
cial Ministers of Fisheries, Hon. Messrs. Prefontaine and 
Parent, respecting the netting of Missisquoi Bay. The 
delegates from both New York and Vermont presented 
their case very strongly, commenting upon the impro- 
priety, to say the least, of the netters upon one side of 
the international boundary being permitted to take spawn- 
ing fish out of waters common to both countries, which 
are only stocked by the authorities of the other side. 
Many millions of young fish were being planted in Lake 
Champlain every year from American hatcheries, and 
neither New York nor Vermont now permits seining in 
the spawning season in Missisquoi Bay. The North 
American Fish and Game Protective Association was 
represented by Dr. Finnic, of Montreal, vice-president for 
the Province of Quebec, who strongly supported the con- 
tentions of the American delegates. The representatives 
of the Canadian netters were particularly vigorous in 
their opposition to the views of the delegation. Among 
them _ were the Hon. Mr. McCorkill, Treasurer of the 
Province of Quebec, and therefore a member of Mr. 
Parent's cabinet, who represents in the Government the 
section of country bordering upon Missisquoi Bay; Mr. 
Meigs, M. P., who represents the county of Missisquoi 
in the Dominion Parliament, and a Mr. Jamieson, a 
lawyer retained by the interested parties. These parties 
rather staggered their opponents by the assertion, which 
they supported by a quotation from some alleged Govern- 
ment publication, to the effect that the so-called pike- 
perch which were being planted in Lake Champlain were 
not the Stizostedion vitreum or dore of Canadian waters 
at all, but simply the yellow perch. It is most remarkable' 
to say the least, where such a statement could have 
originated, when the last published list of the details of 
distribution of young fish issued by the United States 
Commission of Fisheries shows that only 1,700 yellow 
perch were distributed in all during the year, while the 
Vermont Fish Commission alone distributed 16,000,000 
of the fry and fingerlings of the pike-perch. The dele- 
gates from Vermont and New York seemed to be dumb- 
founded by the announcement, and not only promised to 
obtain reliable information on the subject immediately, 
but also to secure orders to stop the planting of the yel-. 
lov. perch at once — that is, if it be true that any are being 
planted. In the meantime the matter is left in the hands 
of Hon. Messrs. Prefontaine and Parent, who will shortly 
hear of more vigorous protests against the netting 
nuisance from the North American Fish and Game Pro- 
tective Association, which is meeting this week in St. 
John, N. B., and will devote much of its attention to this 
important subject, as it has already done at former 
meetings. 
Why Protective Associations are Needed. 
No individual member of the North American Associa 
tion has worked, harder in it for the abolition of the 
seining in Lake Champlain than its second president, the 
Hon. John W. Titcomb, now in charge of the Division of 
Fishculture at Washington. Mr. Titcomb is unable to 
be present at the meeting of the association this year, but 
he has written it one of the most striking arguments in 
support of its work ever uttered or penned. Among other 
things, Mr. Titcomb says : "I wish it were possible for 
me to be with you. The association is an influence for 
creating an appreciation of nature's blessings. When the 
whole people appreciate the liberality of the agencies 
which carry on the processes of creation or of being, the 
problem of the protection of fish and game will be easily 
solved. Nature's equilibrium, disturbed by civilization, 
must be aided by both propagation and protection. I 
sometimes think it would be a good thing if fish and 
game were exterminated, if only we had a source of 
supply to draw upon in order to restore nature's equi- 
librium in this respect. Take, for illustration, the little 
country of New Zealand, of one million inhabitants. The 
people there appreciate the advantages of the propagation 
and protection of fish and game. Through the work of 
just such societies as the North American Fish and Game 
Protective Association, the waters of New Zealand have 
become stocked with fish introduced from Europe and 
North America, and the country is now an angler's para- 
dise. Englishmen take the long journey to New Zealand 
purely for the fishing and hunting. Hunting also is the 
result of introducing game from abroad. I have just 
had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Donne, who is New 
Zealand's promoter in the introduction of game, etc. He 
informed me that in 1882 two hinds and one stag were in- 
troduced from England, and that now more than ten 
thousand deer roam over the islands. Other game has 
been successfully introduced, and he is now about to take 
from this country ten elk and as many moose. I do not 
believe the people of New Zealand require protective 
associations at present, because they appreciate the bless- 
ings which have been brou.ght to them. Nature was so 
liberal with us at the start that we did not appreciate our 
blessings, and thus the necessity for associations." 
I only wish that the above extract from Mr. Titcomb's 
letter could be scattered broadcast throughout the land, 
in the columns of every newspaper in the country. 
E. T. D. Chambers. 
1 
A Palm Beach Ambet Jack. 
The illustration shows the largest amber jack on : 
record. The fish, weighing 92 pounds, was taken on rod 
and reel by Mr. J. B. Cauldwell, of New York. The time ; 
required to bring the fish to gaff was forty minutes. The • 
record up to this time for amber jack was 84 pounds. The ■ 
tackle used was supplied by Edward vom Hofe, of New ■ 
York, and consisted of a star reel equipped with an auto- 
matic and adjustable friction drag, greenheart rod 7 feet 
long, weight 13 ounces; 600 feet No. 24 line, and 9/0 1 
forged hook. 
Worn-Out Gasolene Engines, 
BY A. E. POTTER. 
The question was asked me some time ago as to when 
I considered a gasolene marine engine worn out and 
valueless but for junk. The importance of the question 
at the time did not impress me greatly, but latterly I 
have been considering the matter carefully, and it appears 
worthy of attention. Owing to the usual trunked piston 
construction, there is no take-up for wear due to side 
thrust in both two and four-cycle engines, and the 
effectiveness of the engine does not usually decrease until 
the cylinder walls, piston or rings become so worn as to 
lose compression. The piston and rings should be made 
of softer material than the cylinder itself, and if atten- 
tion is paid to the selection of materials entering into the 
construction of these wearing parts, with proper lubrica- 
tion a cjdmder should out-wear several sets of rings. If, 
on the other hand, a piston fits the cylinder too snugly^ 
and no allowance is made for unequal expansion, the pis- 
ton will bind and cause excessive wear on the walls of 
the cylinder. Rings are used to prevent the hot gases 
from passing from the explosion to the compression 
chamber, if the engine is two-cycle, or the crank case or 
open air if four-cycle. 
While the carburetor has been termed the lungs of the 
gasolene engine, the piston rings could well be called the 
nerves. If the rings are in good shape, of the proper 
material, well designed, properly proportioned, decently 
well machined, practically fitted, and renewed when they 
ought to be, the life of the engine will be prolonged If 
on the other hand, the conditions are bad in one or more 
of the above essentials;, gasolene engine "nervous prostra- 
tjop can be looked for as a result of wh^t could \yith 
propriety be called piston ring malpractice. A gasolene 
engine is a piece of high-strung machinery. 
Snap rings are about the only ones used in gasolene 
engine work, as they seem to fill the requirements better 
than any other construction. The material should be 
close-grained, homogeneous gray cast iron, with good 
springing qualities. These will be enhanced by molding 
each rmg separately, so that the scale may be left on the 
inside of the ring. The top and bottom edges may be 
ground off on a surface grinder, or the ring may be 
chucked for the purpose and the grinding done on a uni- 
versal grinding machine. No matter what method is 
pursued, the width of the ring should be absolutely uni- 
form, and the ring itself should not be distorted. In 
some cases one side only is ground, then the ring held 
by an expanding clutch and plate pressing against the 
under ground edge, until the outside of the ring is turned 
off, when the front clamp being released, the ring is held 
by outside jaws and the third side finished. Even should 
this method be pursued, I always advise that the side 
which was ground at first have a light chip turned off 
so that no ground surface should be exposed with the 
possibility of its becoming "charged" with emery or any 
other abrasive substance, and cause excessive wear on the 
cylinder walls, which should be kept as perfect as possi- 
ble. For these same reasons I have always heartily dis- 
approved of grinding the pistons. It may never cause any 
trouble, but there is a possibility of it, and I have 
always , maintained that such chances should never be 
taken, knowing how easily cast iroff may be charged with 
abrasive material— emery, corundum, powdered oilstone 
pumice,, or other similar materials. ' 
A ring that is too wide causes not only excessive wear 
in the cylinder, but shortens the Hfe of and reduces the effi- 
ciency of the ring. Too much -spring ifi the ring will pro- 
4upe the swne feswits, " ^ f • 
_ There should be much more spring in the ends of the 
ring at the point of parting than at the back, consequently 
the rmg is usually made eccentric. The eccentricity is. 
frequently not made as great as it ordinarily would be; 
on account of weakening the ends, causing a liability to 
breakage, especially if the ends are so constructed as to 
lap one half the width of the ring. To obviate this 
danger, it is good practice to have the ring cast not 
exactly round on the inside, but with a flattened section, 
increasing the thickness considerably at the point of part- 
ing. The cylinder is less liable to be cut by rings that are 
parted diagonally than where the ends lap by each other; 
and were it not that a square parted ring, similar to those 
used m the Westinghouse steam engines, is liable to cut 
and score the cylinder at its point of parting, this ring 
would be found every bit as efficient as the more expen- 
sive method, and the liability of broken ends and points 
would be entirely eliminated. These rings should be re- 
newed much oftener than is customary. As they wear, 
they become more and more open at the ends, and the hot 
gases passing by the ends of the rings have a deleterious 
effect on the polished cylinder surfaces. 
Marine and automobile engine cylinders do not usually 
last as long as stationary; for one reason, on account 
of the different proportions of the length of the connect- 
ing rod to the stroke. Where it is essential that the length 
of the rod should be very short, there is, of course, more 
side thrust and more wear. In stationary design the con- 
necting rod is rarely less than two and one-half times 
the stroke with an angularity at its greatest of 9° ; while 
in automobiles and marine engines it is seldom that the' 
length of the connecting rod exceeds twice the stroke, or 
a maximum angularity of 11° 15', an increase of 25 per' 
cent, m the amount of the side thrust of the shorter overt 
the longer rod. 
Leaky cylinders also, in two-cyclp, engipe^ partipu 
