166 
FORES'! AND STREAM 
(ftiltttrc. 
PROTECTIOM OF SALMON. 
P ROF. BAIRD. United Slates Fish Commissioner, in a 
recent official communication on the subject, says 
that on the Columbia River, whero the sitlinon is found at 
tho present time In greater abundance and larger variety 
than almost anywhere else on the face of the globe, the 
experience with regard to the fisheries will be the same oh 
in other noted streams if steps are not taken to prevent it. 
Tho causes which are likely to lead to these results are va- 
rious. Among them is, first, that of excessive fishing at 
untimely seasons, especially when the fish are depositing 
their spawn; second, the establishment of dams, prevent- 
ing t lie upward movement of the fish to their spawning 
ground-; third, some change in the physical condition of 
their spawning. The important cause results from the de- 
struction of the forests and undergrowth of the region 
consequent upon the progress of civilization, and adultera- 
tion in the character of drainage. Where u region is cov- 
ered with forests, the rains as they fall are taken up by the 
soil, or absorbed by the dead leaves and mosses under the 
trees, so that the drainage is gradual; floods are infrequent, 
as are also low stages of water; the average depth is main- 
tained throughout l lie year, while various ravines, hills, 
and cold springs maintain a ‘regular discharge into the trib- 
utaries which flow into the main stream, and thus keep the 
water a* a comparatively low tcmperalure. 
With litis clearing up of the land the whole physical 
condition seems to be altered. The falling rain is not re- 
tained, bill rushes oil in a flood, which, as far as the sal 
jnon aio concerned, destroys the spawning beds, tearing 
out the gravel in which the eggs arc deposited, or covering 
them to the depth of many inches, so that the young, if 
hatched, cannot emerge. At other times the water is ex- 
tremely low, scarcely affording a passage for the fish. The 
absence of the continued flow of the cold springs permits 
an increase in the temperature of the waters to a degree 
beyond that which the salmon can sustain. Still, a formid- 
able cause of disturbance may lie found in the introduc- 
tion of refuse material, ns that from gas works, factories, 
paper mills, etc. This, however, bus not materially affected 
the salmon fisheries of the United States, whatever it may 
have done abroad. 
From one or several of these causes combined the sal- 
mon fisheries of Europe, as well as the United States, have 
been almost utterly destroyed, so tliut where within a pe- 
riod of less than fifty years these fish existed in the greatest 
abundance, they have now become an almost unattainable 
luxury. Warned by these facts, we can readily appreciate 
one change which threatens the salmon fisheries of tho Co- 
lumbia River. Even now the diminution is appreciable, 
and although it may bo several years before this becomes 
very marked, yet such a result is sure to arrive in lime, es- 
pecially as every ) ear witnesses an increase in the estab- 
lishments devoted to the preparation of the salmon in odc 
form or another. It is therefore a very wise precaution on 
the part of the Legislature of Oregon to seek for some ac- 
tion by which this threatened evil may be averted, and so 
important it branch of industry retained by the United 
Stntes, those of tho west const particularly. 
Prof. Baird says that in 1874 there were secured at the 
United States breeding establishment on the McCloud 
River, 8,000,000 of eggs. Of these 1,000,000 were batched 
and returned to the Sacramento River, and the others were 
forwarded to the States east of the Mississippi River and 
hatched out in great part by the Stale Commissioners of 
Fisheries and introduced into the inoRt suitable streams. 
The eggs were kept in hatching boxes on the McCloud 
River foi six weeks, and alter the eyes began to show in 
the embryo they were taken out, packed in boxes between 
layers of damp moss, aud sent to llieir destination. Owing 
to t he beat of the season some of the hits were prematurely 
hatched out in the moss. The greater number, however, 
reached their destination in good condition, and it is prob- 
able that the yield was 5,000,000 young. The 5,000,000 
young fish, according to the preceding calculation, are 
equivalent to to 5,000,000.000 eggs spawned naturally, or 
the progeny of from 500,000 to 1,000,000 pairs of parent 
fish. The total cost of tho work on the McCloud River 
wus about $10,000; a trilling expenditure compared with 
the benefits which are likely to be derived by the introduc- 
tion of this magnificent fish in the streams of the United 
Stntes. 
Fien from Germany,— Fred. Mather, Esq., in the Live 
Stock Journal , notices the recent arrival at the New York 
Stale Hatching Houso of a box of fish spawn from tho 
German fish breeding establishment at liuningen. It was 
a sort of dry goods box, of about eighteen cubic feet, and 
the invoices staled it to contain 2,500 brook trout, 7,600 
salmon, and 7,500 hybrid eggs, the hit ter a cross of the 
other two vurielics. They were packed at liuningen just 
one month before llmir arrival. The eggs were packed in 
oval wooden boxes, about fourteen inches long und eight 
deep, in wet moss, t he bnxes were packed in dry sea 
weed. When opened there was not a good egg in the lot ; 
they had evidently been dead some lime, ns they were in a 
humble state of putrefaction. The trouble seems to have 
been in the weight r»l the packing, a- there was a great wad 
ot moss on top ol each box. Our Jriemls at liuningen do 
not seem to be expert at packing for long voyages; this is 
lliu i.coml batch that they have sent w th the same result 
We think that Mr. M. A. Green lias packed .-pawn which 
have be n sent to Germany successfully, and we know that 
brih Green lias sent them to E iglatnl. 
Tim nsi ot li-hcs propagated at liuningen, as taken from 
the punted list accompanying this lot ul spawn, is us fol- 
t*. — 
tiermnn Nome. Scientific Nome. English Name. 
D.ilifor- lie- Toil in turn. Brook Hunt. 
Luiliofor lie .Trillin 1 1 111 In Sa moa trout. 
Sic.nullc Tiiiliu hicll-irin Saver, or trout. 
Lett* Siilnio ulnr Salmon. 
Saibltng . .. biilmu euivclii.vi- Snlllllng. 
Kuicr !■> lino nmiilu Chair. 
Uuciiun 8 lino buclio . . .. Danube salmon. 
.'‘•'Cicii i'a>inulii!» vulgana Graj Huff. 
rVia C.r.gumu r«in .... Gjuufil, (u species 
ol m IiIicmoIii. 
U col Ihox Incus. .Pike, or pakcrvl 
Wc in.-- mm i iii' lift n involute ( * * nnnn fish, the sand re 
i/.< new/ i.ai iru.dic), r. Iisli tny similar to our pike porch, 
“i vwill iyid pike. Ann this is ihe til si tune we have ever 
seen Ew.c uu the list of li&liua ptopugulcd by auy Stale or 
government. 
SPAWNING SEASONS. 
Wateryille, April 12th, 1875. 
KniTon Forest and Stream : — 
I went fishing April 10th and caught six brook trout. 1 took them 
borne, and when I cnino to clean tbcin I found that four out of the six 
bad email spawn in them. 1 though thin rntner queer, considci lug the 
lime tronl usually spawn. I would like to know If uny readers of For- 
est and Stream know of auytbing similar to this. 
IIariit N. C andrk. 
As soon as the roe sack of any kinds of fish lias had time 
to heal after apawjiing the sack is small, and is as perfect 
os it wits before spawning, and is full of small spawn. By 
examination under a magnifying glass seven different sizes 
will he found; each size is the spawn for each year. It is 
the same in fowls, which have a different size of egga for 
each day. If Mr. Cnndcc will examiuc the trout lie takes 
from now until Full he will find the spawn and sack a little 
larger every day until the spawn are ready to be cast in the 
Fall. Seth Green. 
Salmon in the Raritan.— On Monday of last week 
some fishermen, seining in the Raritan, near New Bruns- 
wick, captured a young salmon about four inches in length. 
This fish, which will be forwarded to tho commissioners 
is undoubtedly one of those deposited in the Raritan by 
Dr, Slack nearly two years since. 
— The North Carolina Legislature has passed this Winter 
n law for the protection of fish, etc., and a Mr. Welslier is 
now engaged in establishing a hatching house for shad, 
rock, etc,, at Newborn. 
SAWDUST IN STREAMS. 
Wilkinsburo. Alleghany county, Pa., April, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
To "D. T. K P ’a, Truckce, Cal.," inquiry In your Inst issue, I would 
any, that from personal observation I have knowu sawdust to be Injur- 
ious to trout, uud believe that the refuse from u saw mill, thrown Into 
uny trout stream, will soon depopulate it of that beautiful llsb. During 
the month of May, 1870, I wus fishing iu a small stream in Bald Engle 
Valley, In tins State, and although In former seasons I bad Invariably 
been successful, yet at this lime my efforts were poorly rewarded. 1 
caught but few, aud ibey took the Ity so very lazily that but poor sport 
was afforded, aud I soon gave it up. On cleaniug my fish, preparatory 
to leaving tho stream, I examined them closely, and noticed that they all 
presented a sickly appearance. Their spots were dim, they ivi re poor, and 
Altogether looked "very sick." On a farther inspect Ion I found that in 
each of their eills there were small festered spots that enclosed a grain 
of fair dust/ A sow mill had been erected on the bunks of the 9tream :he 
previous Autumn, l'bis accounted for It, und I emptied my basket. and 
left In disgust. The next season, ns I passed by I dutifully whipped the 
stream for more than an hour without gelling a rise, and I doubt if there 
was a fish In the stream below the saw mill, but leurned that above the 
trout were more plenty than they had been for Borne years, but were 
very Braoll. 
1 think that the above proves that the sawdust does directly injure the 
trout, besides, as yon remarked, cover up their epusvulng beds. By the 
way, In your list of Close Seatons, gi«en in yonr Issue of the 25th nit, 
you SHy our State prohibits trout being taken from Aueuit Kib to April 
let. If I remember rightly, onr late Legi.iaturo passed a law extending 
the time to April 15th. Very respectfully, W. G. Hdblst. 
LAND-LOCKED SALMON AND SALMON 
TROUT IN CALIFORNIA. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
Rending In yonr Interesting pnpur a letter from E, M. Stillwell, con- 
cerning land-locked salmon In Mniuc, reminds me that we have in Cali- 
fornia what are termed lund-lockcd salmon in some of the lagoons having 
connection with the Pacific Ocono during the rainy season, commencing 
ubout December und ending in February or March. Some persons hero 
cnll them salmon trout. They are rolbcr a long fish in their form, of a 
yellowish red linge, with many dark specks, and their flesh is of a light 
pink color. Their eizo runs from ubout two lo twelve pounds, at least 1 
have *cen none emnllcr. These llsli hear no rceerublunce to the true 
salmon, either jonng or old. which ore eo plentiful iu our river-, and are 
now running (as I lately Informed you) In coualdernble numbers in Sun 
Fruncisco Bay, and affording us pretty good sport in catcolng them. 
There is a rather Inrge lagoon across the bay, about fourteen miles from 
here, In Marin county. Every year, by permission of the owner, Mr. 
Thockmorton, one of the Kish Commissioners, sportsmen capture a 
goodly number of these fish, as well us brook trout, which Inhabit the 
creek which flows into this lagoon. These brook trout are generally 
rathor small. These land-locked salmon are so entirely different from 
the real salmon iu form, color and appearance, that I cannot help inclin- 
ing to the opinion oxpres-od by Prof. Agassiz, in speaking of probably 
tho same kind of fish in the East, that they are “a distinct species, and 
not a demoralized salmon." By the exercise of patience and prudence, 
the people of San Francisco can gain facilities for lively fishing for trout, 
perch and pike (a species of sucker, or Cyprlnida.) in ilie leading 
stroums anywhere within fifty miles of here. Few anglers fail to appre- 
ciate this fact. Tho Fish Commissioners of this Stulo have earnestly 
and intelligently psrformud their duties. We owe very much to their 
efforts and labor*. All the young fish they have planted lu various 
waters, ns fur us we ore yet enabled to learn, lire doing well und showing 
themselves. The black bass placed In particular, but n»yol to the pub- 
lic uukuown localities, are raid to be thriving nicely, and i tic young ones 
readily come to the surface when any food is shown lo them upon tin- 
water. But wo want a more hearty co operation u lib the Comml-slon- 
cis on the part of the public, to aid them in ilic apprehension and pun- 
ishment of many p-r.ions who persist in violating the game laws in many 
ways, for fishing at rather long distances from this metropolis Is excel- 
lent, both north and sutitli. With proper protection, cure und vigilance, 
we cuiinut fall to regain a spoilsman s purudi-e. If wo *ndnul, as wo 
do, that is has beeu by carelessness and Illegality 1 q a degree lost. 
E. J, Hooper. 
FISHWAYS REQUIRED. 
Olean, N. V., April 14, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
We on the headwaters of Hie Alleghany River wonld like to have yon 
call the attention of tho Penn. Stute Firh Commissioners to the fuel 
that the dams In the Alleghany ure not provided tviili fishways, and that 
In consequence wc are nearly deprived of fish, being ton far fr.un the 
hikes or uceiiu lo get much of a euppl) from them. Tho mnri formidable 
d un, known an the Coiydnn dam, I n« gone out lids Spring, nod now Is u 
favorable time for thu Con m e-iotcre lo >cc that a proper fishway Is 
constructed, If the laws of the Slate provide for one \\ e are now daily 
looking for the retain of the shad plained at Salamiinca two or tlircu 
years since. Yours, ac., M- A. B. 
FISH CULTURE IN VIRGINIA. 
Leesboro, Va„ April 17, 1675. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
The experiment In trout culture here was moderately successful. Out 
of the 5.000 ova we have saved about 8,000,1. about sixty per cent. 
This was onr first trial, with no instruction except from the books! 
Some of our mistakes were such as experience will euro, and some were 
owing to onr being unable to givo personal attention to Important de- 
tails. An old trout association was resuscllated for this experiment, 
and llieir subscription, headed by the genial Commissioner from Mary- 
land, will pay for (lie eggs; the sale of fish will, I think, pay the carpen- 
ter's bill, and tho apparatus w ill be ready to hatch 10.000 next year for 
some one stream, so ns to make a respectable beginning Iu this matter m 
tbe county, and at least attract attention to the feasibility of stocking 
Loudoun streams. T. W. 
WHITE PERCH FOR STOCK FISH. 
Waverly, N. Y„ April 10, 1876. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
When I see eo much esld about salmon and ealmo, it is to me remark 
able that the white perch of fresh and salt water Is notnsed as a stock 
fish. They are gurney, prolific, and are almost unrivalled as pan fish. 
Millions might be proenred In tbe Chesapeake or Delaware Bay, at an al- 
most nominal cost, and they w ould thrive better In onr mill ponds or 
rivers than might be supposed. They seem to grow larger In fresh than 
In salt water. I have taken them In ponds in Kent county, Delaware, 
weighing four pounds. 1 wonld like to seo the flvb Introduced, and know 
It would be an acquisition to our Inland waters, even if salmon are all 
the rage. Yonra truly, J. E. D. 
Slut u nil ^islarn. 
A Fine Collection of Fossils.— Negotiations are now 
pending, looking to the purchase by the trustees of the 
American Museum of Natural History, of the celebrated 
collection of fossils and owned by Professor Jas. Hare, of 
Albany, Curator of the State Cabinet of Natural’History. 
This collection contains upward of 200,000 specimens, and 
llic duplicates alone, which will be available for exchange 
with European societies, fill several hundred boxes. 
During the enlarging of the Erie Canal experienced col- 
lectors were appointed lo collect all the valuable fossils 
found in tho rock cutting. The Southern and Western 
States are also represented by paleontologicul specimens. 
The paleozoic fossils of the Silurian and Devonian periods 
are in profuse numbers. The families of Trilobites aud 
Crinoids, the former now extinct and the latter nearly so, 
are very largely represented, and it may be doubted 
whether a series of greater value can be found in this or 
any other country. Among the fossils from tho later geo- 
logical epochs, the tertiary beds at Claiborne, in Alabama, 
have furnished many valuable specimens. $85,000 is the 
price asked for the collection, aud it is lo be hoped that 
New York will secure it. The lamented Agassiz has said, 
“the museum securing the Hall collection will become the 
finest museum in the country." 
For Forest and Stream. 
THE GREAT (?) AMERICAN EAGLE. 
A FEW weeks ago, while on a ducking excursion down 
the Neu6c, we ran into South River. During tho 
second night of our stay the Julia picked up her anchor 
and went ashore, uuder the persuasion of one of the most 
terrific gales I ever experienced; hut the oft quoted saying, 
“that it is an ill wind that blows no one any good," was 
illustrated in our case, as it blew us into, or upon, the hos- 
pitality of Mr. John B. Neale and his interesting family, 
who did everything in their power to make our enforced 
stay a pleasant visit. While sitting before the large open 
fire-place — filled with nearly a load of bright, blazing 
sticks — smoking our fragrant Durham, Mr. Neale related 
the following incidents, illustrative of the thievish pro- 
pensity of the bald-headed eagle, which I thought of suffi- 
cient interest to jot down: — 
“A few years ago," says he, “my attention was directed 
to a large fish-hawk that kept circling around, screaming as 
if in trouble. I immediately surmised that he was watch- 
ing his natural enemy, our ‘bald eagle.’ I was right, for 
in a few moments he picked up from the shore something 
that looked like, and I believe was, a piece of bark, and 
began circling around iu tbe air, rising higher and higher, 
and screaming constantly, as if wishing to aliract the at- 
tention of his adversary, whom I now saw for the first time 
coming like the wind directly for the hawk. They were 
both by this time at an elevation of several hundred feet, 
and when the eagle had reached nearly within striking dis- 
tance, the hawk dropped the baric with a scream of 
triumph, und like a flash our robber darted after and caught 
it before it touched the water, but let it go almost instantly 
with a piercing cry of anger, while the hawk apparently 
screamed, 'fooled !' ‘fooled 1’ and made every effort to 
keep above the eagle, who, the instant he discovered that 
he was not to have fish for diuner, turned aud went for 
that hawk there and then. The hawk evidently knew that 
so long as he kept above the eagle he would be master of 
the situation, but the rapid circles of tho latter began to 
tell, and at last, when they must have been some three 
thousand feet above the earth, the eagle suddenly darted 
down upon his purveyor, who turned his sharp talons up 
and received him — if not with 'bloody bands lo hospitable 
graves' — with weapons of death — neither ever loosened 
that grip of death— for whirling, tumbling through the air 
they came, screaming like very devils, and finally struck 
I he ground in my yard, where we killed them both, still 
locked together as if with hooks of steel. 
"Just before the war a neighbor of mine took his gun 
along one day in the Spring and went down to the shore of 
the river, about opposite Wilkinson’s Point, thinking he 
might get a shot at some geese he had seen off there, and 
while behind some low bushes, used as a blind, saw a large 
bird coming across tbe river directly for him, but could not 
imagine what kind of u bird it could be, but finally dis- 
covered it to be an eagle with something in its talons. The 
river at this point is 6ome five miles wide, and the eagle 
was fast tiring out, for he kept dropping lower and lower 
1 until it soemed to me he would fall into the water, but he 
