iJ80 
FOREST AND STREAM 
New Jersey.— Kirby's Ashley House, May 
very plenty, aDd parties makmg good catches. Tn y 
from 5 to 10 pounds. Last week the blue fish drove the 
moss-bunkers ashore in large schools. 
Pennsylvania— White perch are now biting in the Dcla- 
' Christiana, May 10.— Fites Eddy, on the Susquehanna .s 
one of the ’best bass fishing places on that nver toth for 
striped and black bass. Mr. Clarkson BosUe keeps the hotel, 
and the Columbia and Port Deposit railroad passes his door. 
A party of Lancaster gentlemen have bought an Island in 
front of his hotel ami are going to build a dub house aud have 
a place for Summer resort. 
South Carolina — Charleston, May 13. — Harbor fishing has 
been excellent for the past two weeks, and several splendid 
catches have been reported. A party of five were out last 
Wednesday and brought home 573 fish — whiting, sbeepshead 
and blackflsh— in a few hours. • Ybnots. 
Missouri— St. Louis, May 8. — The King’s Lake Fishing 
Club have mode extensive repairs and additions to their club- 
house. Bass and crapple fishing reported good there this 
spring. 
Canada — Watertown, Ont., April 8.— The trout fishing 
(Satono fontinalis ) commenced on the let inst., but owing to 
recent heavy rains sport has been indifferent. The best catch 
I have yet heard of was made by a clergyman on Saturday 
last— 150 in an afternoon's fishing, some of them weighing to 
a pound, but the average being about five to eight ouncea^ 
Bio Wall-Eyed Pike.— Our Montreal correspondent says 
that the pike perch, or wall-eyed pike, of Quebec Province 
Canada, grow to a weight of fifteen pounds, and that ten or 
twelve pounds weight is not uncommon. The pike perch is 
identical with the “salmon" of the Western rivers, where 
they grow very largo. Dr. D. C. Estes, of Lake City, Minne- 
sota, has the jaw of one which weighed forty pounds. 
Mdboai.lunqe.— In an official Minnesota pamphlet we find 
the name of this fish spelled mustfucalonge ! This is the latest 
orthography. It is altogether an innovation upon the old-time 
spelling of muscalongo, maskenonge, masquelonge, muskal- 
lunge, el al, and cannot be regarded as an improvement. 
—The Alexander House is a first-class summer resort for 
anglers, located at Grosso Isle, Michigan. 
OUR NATIVE SILK-WORMS. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
In my last I gave a brief •description of one of our four 
native silk-worms, the Attacus prometheus. I now give a des- 
cription of two others— first, the Attacus polyphemus, named 
after one of the Cyclops, like the last one described. The 
larve of thiB moth is large and spins a large cocoon of strong 
silk, but, owing to its scarcity, 1 do not think, with our pres- 
ent knowledge of its habits, it can be made available for silk 
gut. The moth is a splendid fellow, wide spread of wings, and 
beautifully marked. Among the markings are perfect pictures 
of the human eye. I have never seen the larve of this moth, 
and am not certain on what it feeds, but think it feeds on the 
Osage orange for one thing, as I have found its cocoons on 
the Osage orange hedges in this neighborhood. But it is a 
careless insect about spinning its cocoods, frequently spin- 
ning them on the ground, among little twigs. 
With this brief account we will dismiss him, and take up 
the Attacus luna , a beautiful moth, of a pale green color, 
with a few markings on its wings, one of which in shape re- 
sembles the moon In its first quarter. The larve and moth 
are both large. The larve feeds on the leaves of the butter- 
nut, and also on the leaves of the hickory tree, and always 
BpiDS its cocoons on the leaves of the trees on which it feeds, 
folding over the edges of the leaves, but does not, like the 
A. prometheus, fasten the leaf to the twig on which the leaf 
grows ; consequently the cocoons fall to the ground with the 
leaf, and a great majority of them perish during the winter, 
which accounts for their scarcity. The cocoon is large and 
composed of beautiful, strong white silk, which can be reeled 
from the cocoon in the same manner as the Italian silk. Its 
scarcity renders it unavailable for silk gut. The Attacus 
cynthia, mentioned by Prof. J. H. Richardson, of Toronto, 
which feeds on the Ailanthus, is a foreign silk-worm, from 
Japan. The larve and moth are vtiy large, as is the cocoon. 
This silk-worm could be made available for silk gut, which 
could be drawn out from five to six feet long, and of suffi- 
cient strength for salmon fishing. 
This finishes up all that I have to say about our native silk- 
worms, with the hope that some one will experiment with 
them as I have. The two first ones described are the oneB to 
be used, as both can easily be procured in great numbers, 
the A. cecropia preferable to all others. 
Very truly yours, T. Gabliok. 
Bedford, 0., May 7, 1878. 
in order to lend a helping hand to any one seeking such in- 
formation or instruction. 
LINKS. 
The perfect line for black bass bait fishing is yet in the fu- 
ture. The best manufactured at present is the hard braided 
silk line, not waterproof ; it is mottled in color, and keeps its 
tints quite well. The smallest size should be selected, and it 
should be carefully dried after use or it will soon become rot- 
ten ; and, in fact, with the best care, is reliable only for one 
season. Loosely braided lines should be avoided, as they ab- 
sorb water too freely, and thus develop an annoying habit of 
clinging to the rod. The smallest size braided linen is a good 
line, but hardly small enough for long casts; it is 
stronger than the silk line, and is preferrable when the bass 
run large, averaging three pounds. Twisted or cable laid, 
linen or cotton lines, should never be used for reel lines m 
black bass fishing where much casting is practiced ; their ten- 
dency to kink and snarl can never be reformed, and if by the 
most approved means this “ kinking quality ” seems to have 
been remedied, a few subseqnent casts will demonstrate that 
the kinks are still there, and no amount of manipulation will re- 
move them effectually. The twisted grass line is open to the 
same objection, though in less degree, and were it not for this 
it would take precedence of all other lines. The smallest size 
is the best line made for casting a natural bait ; it absorbs less 
water, clings less to the rod, and leaves the reel more freely 
than any other line, and, notwithstanding its kinking, is the 
favorite line in Kentucky, Tennessee and other Southern 
Slates. A small-sized, tinted, closely braided grass line, were 
such a line manufactured, would he the line par excellence for 
black bass, and would rank in bait fishing as the tapered 
waterproof silk line does in fly fishing. 
About fifty yards is the right length for reel lines, which 
should be always well dried after fishing and before putting 
away. Beware of waterproof lines for bait fishing, they will 
not answer. Use small-sized lines, they are strong enough 
with a pliant rod. A line that will hold up two pounds, dead 
weight, will land the largest black bass that swims, when used 
with a proper rod. Indeed, I have often used a line which, 
toward the end of the season, when tested, would scarcely 
hold a pound dead weight, hut which would safely land the 
largest bass or even pickerel of fifteen pounds or more. 
HOOKS AND SNELLS. 
The Sproat bend, the round-bend Carlisle, and the round- 
bend Aberdeen, medium sizes, are the best hooks for black 
bass ; hooks with the Kirby or side-bend should never be used 
when either of the others mentioned can be procured. The 
Sproat hook, having the most even temper, the most scientific 
and practical bend, and the most approved form of barb, is 
justly considered the best in use. Hooks should be small 
rather than large, except when the Oswego or large mouth 
variety of Black bass — micropterus palUdus (Raf.) Gill & Jor- 
dan— and pickerel predominate, in which case larger hooks 
can be used ; they should he tied on strong single gut snells 
always, except in waters where pickerel or pike-perch are very 
numerous, when gimp snells may be substituted. Hooks 
should be kept sharp by means of a small file ; the Sproat 
hook, having a short barb, keeps its point better than any 
other hook, and should be used in preference. 
FLOATS, SWIVELS AND SINKERS. 
The float should never be used when it can be dispensed 
with, as it is detrimental to good casting, and is always in the 
way. It becomes necessary, however, in rapid, shallow 
streams, where the bottom is covered with snags, roots and 
other obstacles, but when used it should be as small as possi- 
ble, consistent with the weight of the sinker required, and 
should be employed for the sole purpose of keeping the hook 
away from the bottom, and not as an object of intense and 
constant observation to indicate a bite. A small swivel 
should always be used — the line tied to one end and the snell 
looped in the other ; brass swivels are best, as they do not 
rust. In lakes, ponds and quiet streams, no additional sinker 
will be required, unless very large and strong minnows are 
used, when the smallest-sized ringed sinker should be added 
to keep the bait below the surface. In swift streams a sinker 
will be necessary, large or small, according to the strength of 
the current. Itinged sinkers are preferable, as they can be 
attached, taken off, or changed by looping, and without re- 
moving the swivel or hook. 
he used, and the Orvis reel answers as well as any. There 
are quite a variety of click reels manufactured, made of Ger- 
man silver, brass, vulcanized rubber or celluloid — “ You pays 
your money and you takes your choice.” 
J. A. Henshall, M. D. 
— Mr. James S. Wibirt, of the Astor House coach firm of 
Wibirt & Mumford, has just opened the newly furnished and 
refitted Mansion House, Mauch Chunk, Pa., which is cete- 
ra ted for its romantic and picturesque situation. 
Utiotud jgnstimqz. 
Walking Championships.— The series of walks at the 
Rink, this city, last week, were contested by a large number 
of amateur and professional pedestrians, and the work accom- 
plished was very creditable. The entries for the professional 
36 hours’ walk were : John Ennis, of Chicago, 111 ; Charles 
A. Harrimau, Haverhill, Mass.; George Guyon, Chicago, 111; 
Frank Clark, Philadelphia ; W. S. O’Brien, New York ; 
George Coyle, New York; E. Wigzell, Ravenswood, L. I; 
John Haydock, New York; James L. Downey, New Y r ork ; 
J. C. Moore, New York ; Peter Rice, Vermont ; Ben CurraD, 
New York ; Peter Van Ness, New York, aud It. Campbell, 
New York. The course was 8 laps to the mile for profession- 
als, and 9 laps for amateurs. The start was made at 11 o’clock 
Friday morning, and the first 25 miles were finished : Wigzell, 
4h. 26m. 25s.; Van Ness, 4h. 32m. 41s.; Ennis, 4h. 33in. 28s.; 
Harrimau, 4h. 35m. 43s.; Guyon, 4h. 36m. 30s. ; Rice, 4h. 39m. 
21s.; Downey, 4h. 45m. 36s.; O'Brien, 5h. 0m. 05s.; Moore, 
5h. 04m. 43s.; Coyle, 5h. 08m. 38s.; Curran, 5h. 09m. 35s.; 
Campbell, 5h. 45m. 17s.; Clark, 5h. 45m. 45s. Haydock gave 
up on the fourth lap of his eighteenth mile. Fifty miles were 
credited to Harriman in 9h. 28m. 35s.; Ennis, 9h. 33m.; 
Guyon, 9h. 37m. 20.; Rice, 9h. 42m. 80s.; Wigzell, 9h. 55m. 
20s; Van Ness, lOli. 26m. 30s.; O’Brien, lOh. 34m. 15s.; 
Coyle, llh. 16m.; Curran, llli. 50m. 32s. Clark stopped at 
the end of 28 miles, 6 laps ; Downey, 55 miles; Campbell, 59 
miles; Van Ness, 63 miles ; Ennis, 61 miles, 5 laps; Wigzell, 
67 miles ; Rice, 68 miles ; Coyle, 92 miles ; Curran 106 miles, 
2 laps. There were then left Harriman, Guyon, and O’Brien, 
Harriman showing himself the best of the lot. He took the 
lead at the 50th mile, and maintained it thereafter. . The 100 
miles were made in 19h. 86m. 52s.; 125 miles in 25h, 18m. 7s.; 
total distance, 136^ miles, in 34 hours and 29 minutes, and in 
this time he only rested 17 minutes, this being at the end of 
his one hundreth mile. What little food he took was eaten 
on the track. Only a perfectly healthy organism could stand 
such a severe strain without fatal injury. He won the first 
prize, $200, and the championship belt. Guyon made 151 
miles and 5 laps in 23h. 48m. and took $100, second money, 
while O'Brien, with 132 miles in 34h. 7m. 53s., received the 
third prize of $50. At 11 r. m. the following amateurs en- 
tered the lists : T. H. Armstrong, H. A. C.; E. C. Holske, H. 
A. C.; J. W. Gocdwin, A. A. C.; J. B. Gillie, S. A. A. C.; J. 
Stern, A. A. C.; R. H. Pelton, G. A. C.; J. V. Woolcott, M. 
A. C.; H. Weise, Western Union Telegraph Company; G. 
Cook, Brooklyn ; J. Dugan, New York ; J. Byrnes, Babylon, 
L. I.; J. P. Mackey, A. A. O.; H. Foster, New York; J. 
Tlckmidt, Brooklyn ; F. L. Edwards, 8. A. A. C.; Charles 
Conner, 8. A. A. C.; W. Wilson, New York; J. Hoteainn, 
New Y'ork ; M. J. Ennis, H. A. C-; W. A. Clark, NewYork. 
Woolcott led for 13 miles, making them in 2h. 10m. 26s. 
Holske then led to the end of the 25th mile, completing this 
in 4h.16m.49s., after which Armstrong went ahead for a mile, 
finishing 26 miles in 5h. 30s. Then Brynes went to the front 
and kept his place to the finish. His time was : 20 miles, 3h. 
51m. 55s.; 50 miles, lOh. 47m.; 60 miles, llh. 48m. 53s.; 70 
miles, 15h. 57m. 40s.; 90 miles, 19h. 48m.; 100 miles, 21h. 
42s.; 105 miles, 22h. 11m. 10s.; total distance, 108 5-9 miles, 
23h. 4m. He received the well earned first prize, and is now 
to be known as the amateur champion of America. M. J. 
Ennis, H. A. C., received the second prize, a gold medal, 
having made at lOh. 10m. 101 miles in 23h. 08m. 49s., and 
was still walking, with the prospect of still adding a mile or 
two to his score. J. Schmidt received the third prize, a silver 
medal, having completed nearly one hundred miles. J. V. 
Woolcott, M. A. C., retired after walking thirteen miles; E. 
O. Holske, H. A. C., when his twenty-fifth had been scored; 
J. P. Mackay, A. A. C.; F. L. Edwards, S. A. A. C.; W. 
Wilson, New York; W. A. Clark, New York; G. Cook, 
Brooklyn, and J. Stern, A. A. C., at the end of fifty; T. H. 
Armstrong, Jr., H. A. C., and J. Dugan, NewYork, at fifty- 
five ; J. Holzman, New York, at fifty-nine; H. Wiese, West- 
ern Union Telegraph Company, at sixty six ; J. W. Goodwin, 
A. A. O., at sixty-eight, and H. Foster, NewYork, at seventy- 
five. Gillie rested only twice— twenty minutes at the end of 
his fiftieth mile and half an hour at the end of seventy-fifth 
mile. 
Amateur Whaling. — An oyster knife is a good enough 
tool in its way, but for killing a whale give us something else. 
That was what George Pope, a Raritan Bay fisherman, thought 
last week. Wednesday, after he had been plunging his oyster 
knife without effect into a big whale on the Port Comfort 
6hoals. So he weDt back and sought out a companion, and, 
armed with an ax, the two returned to the charge- They 
chopped away at his head until he began to flounder and roll, 
and finally getting off the shoal, he started for Sandy Hook. 
The fishermen followed and tried to catch the fish by throw- 
ing their anchor into its blow-hole. Finally, with the aid of 
a rapidly recruited fleet of whalers, the whale was driven 
ashore and killed with a farmer's scythe. When stranded tho 
captors found their trophy to be a cow whale thirty -flvd feet 
long, nine feet in diameter, and yielding about tliirty-twe 
barrels of sperm oiL 
BLACK BASS TACKLE. 
Ctnthiana, Ky., May 4, 1878. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
As the season for black bass fishing is so near at hand— al- 
ready begun, in fact, in some localities — I am induced to offer 
the following observations on the proper tackle to be employed 
LANDING NETS. 
The landing net should be of good depth, with a brass hoop 
or ring from ten to twelve inches in diameter. It should 
have a long, light handle ; bamboo is best. Those made with 
a folding ring, and jointed handle arc very portable and con- 
venient. For fly fishing a short-handled trout net is to be 
preferred. 
FOR FLY FISHING. 
The enameled waterproof, braided and tapered silk line has 
superseded all others for fly fishing for black bass, speckled 
trout, etc. It is of a good color, strong and serviceable ; is 
largest in the centre, and tapers toward each end, and is made 
in lengths of from twenty-flve to fifty yards. This line must 
not be confounded with the oiled silk line, which is a sticky 
abomination until the oil wears off. The old silk and hair 
line answers pretty well. Leaders should he nine feet long, 
of strong, single silk worm gut, tapered, and if not tinted 
should be stained with strong green tea. Bass flies should 
always be tied on sproat hooks. Most of the flies manufac- 
tured are quite large and gaudy ; they answer very well, 
but I have been more successful with large trout flies of h 
more sombre hue, as the large bushy hackles, etc. Wkitiea 
or grayish flies, as the “ millers,” are best for evening fishing. 
It is well, however, to stock the fly-book with a good variety, 
as bass are as dainty and fastidious in regard to flies as brook 
trout, if not more so. The old rule of bright colors for cloudy 
days or turbid water, and sober colors for bright days and 
clear water, is a safe one to follow. A rather heavy trout fly 
rod, weighing from eight to ten ounces, is the proper rod for 
fly fishing for black bass ; its length should be from ten and a 
half to eleven and a half feet. Split bamboo is best, but ash 
and lancewood is good enough, and will last longer, beside 
being one-third less in price. A click reel should, of course, 
Coaching Clhjj.— T he spring parade of the Coaching Club 
takes place May 25th. The drags meet as usual on the west 
side of Madison Avenue facing Twenty -third street, at 4:15 
p. M. 
Westchester Polo Club.— The formal opening of the 
Westchester Polo Club grounds at Jerome Park, next Satur- 
day, offers an interesting programme. Among the features of 
the day’s sport will be an introductory game of polo by the 
members, among the players being Messrs. Herrman Oelrichs, 
Harry Oelrichs, F. Gray Griswold, August Belmont, Jr., S. 
H. Robbins, George R. Fearing, Pierre Lorillard, Jr., and 
others. A game of foot-ball between the rival teams of Yale 
and Princeton will, no doubt, be a hard fought contest, and 
excellent playing may be looked for. A match between the 
New York and Ravenswood Lacrosse clubs will be contested 
for an elegant cup, presented by the Polo Club. The con- 
cluding event will be a polo game between New York and 
Newport players. 
N- Y. A. C. Games.— In the games of May 30 the club will 
give a special prize to the competitor making the fastest time 
in. the handicap one-mile walking race. This is in addition to 
the other prizes already announced. 
CRICKET NOTES. 
—The Staten Island Club has refused to join the “Cricket- 
ers Association of the United States,” recently organized at 
Philadelphia. The Manhattan being the only club in this 
vicinity which belongs to the association, some difficulty in 
arranging matches may be experienced. 
— The St. Georges will probably visit Syracuse this sum- 
mer. 
