182 
FOREST AND STREAM 
&s tt (juU utte. 
WHOLESALE POLLUTION OF RIVERS. 
O NE of the most glaring coses of fish poisoning that 
has of late come under our notice is furnished by 
one of our Yorkshire correspondents. It appears that dur- 
ing the latter purl of last week a lino tributary stream of 
the Swale, called the Wiskc, in the neighborhood of Thlrsk 
and Northallerton, was poisoned ten miles above its junc- 
tion with the Swale, and tons of fish were killed. Infor- 
mation has been given to the police that this dastardly act 
of fish destruction is due to a large quantity of gas refuse 
being pumped into t lie stream from the gus works at North- 
allerton. Some parts of the river were one mass of dead 
fl'h of all kinds and various sizes, viz., trout, dace, burbot 
(for which this stream is noted), pike, perch, chub, eels, 
«tc. The destruction was so great that a couple of laborers 
were employed on one estate two days removing the dead 
ILli from toe bunks. Cart loads were taken away, and at 
tint Northallerton quarter sessions, on Tuesday last, the 
Hon. O. E. Lascelles referred to the dastardly affair, which, 
lie said, was of cognate interest, the honorable gentleman 
•aid it bud been a most wunton act. Earl Cathcart agreed 
with the remarks made by Air. Lascelles, and said that 
which poisoned llsh would also destroy human life, and 
therefore this was u very serious matter. lie hoped the 
Conservators of the Yorkshire Fishery District, or some of 
the rlpuriun owners, would luke the matter up. Mr. Hut- 
ton suggested a public prosecution as a lesson. The chair- 
n.un said the riparian owners might lake action, either by 
obtaining an injunction in chancery against the pollution 
ot the river, or bring an action for damuges or proceed on 
the clause us to (lie pollution of streams. It is said the 
main river was affected by the poison for some distance 
below, alter receiving the Wiske, us hundreds of fish were 
seen lioutiiig dead lor many miles. — Loudon Land and 
WaUr. 
The foregoing statement, painful enough in itself, and 
indicative of the most wanlou contempt and disregard of 
rights of property and liurnuu health, contains some sug- 
gestions worthy of note as to modes of procedure to obtain 
redress for outruges of this character. Tlie information as 
to the effect of the pollutions of rivers by gas refuse, and the 
eiluut of damage that may bo caused thereby, is imporlanl 
•mi sufficiently sturliing to suggest the most rigorous pun- 
ishmcui of the offense. There Js 110 doubt that an action 
on ibo grounds of pollution would be readily sustained, in- 
asmuch us the poisou thut kills llsli by. the carl load, 
and disseminates itself through many miles of stream, is 
not ouly injurious to persons who driuk it, but more than 
dangerous to human life; for a medical examination of the 
cases of diseuse or dualli occurring in the tainted locality 
would undoubtedly bIiow their origin in the poison intro- 
duced us ufuresaid. 
Wo have iiad occasion to allude to this matter before. It 
was prominently brought to the notice of the American 
Fish Culturisls’ Association at its last meeting by Air. Fred. 
Aluther, who deserves our thtiuks for thus guarding our 
•unitary and pecuniary interests. Too much thought can 
not be paid to it. There arc muny streams in the United 
Btatcs that uro notably polluted by gas refuse nnd dye 
stuffs. 7 lie insidious injury that cortainly must result from 
the use of this water os u beverage, us well as from its per- 
colation into and through the udjucent soil, will some day 
bo ms do manifest by an analysis of vital statistics thut will 
exhibit results us slurlliug and painful as tlie National Ho- 
tel poisoning at Washington years ago. The whole subject 
should demand the attention of the game and llsli protec- 
tive associations that aie soon to meet. 
Grayling Spawn.— Mr. D U. Fitzhugh, Jr., who lias 
been so closely identified with tlie introduction of the gray- 
ling, bus added another wreath to his laurels. Remember- 
ing his failure to gel spawn last year, by having Mather 
come too early mid Green loo lute, he hit the coirect time 
this year, and tlie result is that when himself uud purly, 
consisting ol Fred Alathor and guides, struck the river this 
year, on the Oth of April, tiny tound a few ripe fish. They 
took 12,000 spawn up to the 12th, when they had to leave, 
•s Air. Alather's engagements required his presence in New 
York on the loth. They think, however, that they could 
have takcu 100, ()00 eggs in the next three days. They left 
4,000 eggs und fifty fish with Mr. N. W. Clark, and Aluther 
*em home triumphaut with 8,000 eggs aud forty yearlings, 
the latter uvoruging five iuches long. 
We have a promise of an account of the trip, which will 
be looked for with interest, as this parly ure the pioneer 
grayling fishers. 
Keepi.no bPAWN Dry. — Air. Fred. Aluther )in 3 sent us a 
clip ping from the Buffalo Lico Mock Journal, containing 
tms following memomudu of his on a niHtler which he 
says occasioned him greut apprehonsiou two years ugo, but 
which Air. Alouroe Green's subsequent experiments prove 
to have been groundless, as he bus kept them for months in 
thut state: 
“I ouce had the supply of water fail some time in the 
night, and the uext morning, about nine o'clock, when I 
•ppioacficd the house, 1 did not hear the musical dropping 
»t a dozen streams, which partly assures me before un- 
locking i lie door that things ate right within, nnd on cntcr- 
>ug i luuuU the gravel iu oue trough dry, uud the eggs on 
L.p ut n luking an air bulb; this was before I used pilch, 
atm Hu* Uougu leaked enough to dry out when no water 
ran iu. 1 ue\ er kuew exactly how lung they had becudry, 
but 1 bail not been there in twcuiy-lour hours belore, and 
»up,mse u uiusl have been at least six or eight hours siuce 
the water sloppeu ruuniug. 
i i lore going to the darn to ascertain the cause of the 
stoppage 1 gave the eggs some water, by filling the distrib- 
uii. g trough with water Irom under the house, anil louud 
Hull ihc dry tyy, JlouUd, which shows thut the water had 
been stopped some time. I stopped the water before it had 
risen high enough to How over the strips and mix the dif- 
ferent lots of eggs, and had then to touch each egg witli a 
wet feather so as to wet it all over, whet) it sank, and there 
were no c-ggs lost. 
These accidents of freezing nnd drying happened at the 
commencement of my trout breeding experience, and I 
watched those hutches of eggs with interest, but did uot 
see but tlie young were ns strong as those from ova that had 
never met mishaps; there was no way of getting informa- 
tion in those days, especially about anything of an acci- 
dental nature. Fred. Mather.” 
VinorNiA Fisn Commissioners.— Tlie following gentle- 
men have been appointed Fish Commissioners of the State 
of Virginia, the two last named in place of Gen. Fitzhugh 
Lee and Air. Dibhall, declined:— Dr. W. B. Robertson of 
Lynchburg, Alex. Mosely of New Keht County, and H. 
T. D. Lewis of Stafford County. 
The General Assembly of the State, recognizing the im- 
portance of the subject, lias passed a law for the protection 
of fish in the James river, of which the following is a btief 
synopsis: 
Seining or netting in any manner is prohibited, except as 
regards the necessities of the Fish Commissioners for prop- 
agating purposes. The building of dums or obstructions 
of any kind, for the purpose of taking fish, is forbidden. 
The placing of lime, gas lur or the refuse of gus works, or 
COCCuIub indicus, by any person or corporation, in any of 
tlie waters of the James river or its tributaries, or tlie Kan- 
awha canal, is prohibited. The other sections of the act 
refer to fines and penalties. 
— The township of Brock, iu Ontario, Canafll, is much 
exercised over the diminution of bass in tlie Beaver river, 
where they formerly abounded, and which they attribute 
to the erection of dams across the stream. The residents 
have petitioned the Government to require fish ways to be 
built by the mill owners; that tlie fish may thereby bo ena- 
bled to ascend ; but it is argued, par contra, that the bass 
is not of those species of fish that ascend tiie streams to 
spawn, and hence that there is no sense or necessity for 
constructing the fish ways. However, it is usserted that 
bass were caught for miles up the river before the obstruc- 
tions were put in, and that they were so numerous that 
they could be thrown out by scoopfuls below the dam at 
Beaverton, while awaiting an opportunity to ascend tlie 
stream. There may be a peculiarity about the Beaver river 
that is favorable to the well-being of (his fish in regard to 
food, or as a good locality for spawn deposit, inducing 
them to seek its upper waters. At any rate if the river is 
frequented by bass, it is better to throw theory aside and 
insist upon opening a passage for the fish. 
Massacitpsktts Anglers’ Association.— An adjourned 
session of the annual meeting of this association occurred 
on Friday evening. 10th inst. , at their rooms in Boston. 
President Ordway occupied the chair for the first time since 
his accident. Several new members were admitted. 
Col. Theodore Lyman and Prof. Alexander Agassiz were 
unanimously elected honorary members. The Committee 
on tlie Change of the Trout Law reported progress. 
The President explained the manner in which the peti- 
tion of the association had been treated by the Legislative 
Committee on Fisheries, and read the laws of many other 
States concerning close limes, showing that the law at pres- 
ent on our statute book was entirely useless, and a bid for 
thieving and poaching in other States. The members 
seemed to feel that justice had not been done, but they 
proposed to work with more zeal in the luture in obtaining 
protection lor this beautiful fish. 
Walter M. Brackett, Esq , who is an active member, was 
unanimously invited to exhibit at some future meeting of 
the association the scries of four salmon paintings which 
lie has recently finished, entitled "Tlie Rise," "The Leap ” 
•The Struggle," and "Landed," ami to give the members’a 
"talk on the respective subjects. 
Effect of Polluted Water on Fishes.— An appeal 
wts recently presented by the fishermen of Alunich to the 
Government in reference to the admission of gas water 
into the river Isar, nnd its influence upon tlie fishes of that 
stream. Plot. A. Wagner, an eminent chemist, was in- 
structed to investigate the matter and make a report upon 
it. His article has lately appeared in the Dayermhcs Indus 
tric-u nd- (Jewerbeblati, in which he describes a uumber of his 
experiments. For this purpose he introduced small fishes 
into vessels containing well water, different amounts of gas 
water being added. Tlie results were as follows:— 
In water to which oue per cent, of gas refuse was added, 
tlie fish put into it became at ouce very restless, tried to 
jump out, turned on their backs after they had been in tlie 
polluted water one minute, and were dead after the lapse 
of six minutes, in water containing one half per cent, of 
of gas refuse, fish became at once restless, floated on their 
backs after five minutes, and died in thirty minutes. In 
water to which one quarter per cent, of gas refuse had 
been added lisli became restless ufter some time, floated on 
their backs iu one hour, and were dead after an hour and 
a half. In water contaiuiug oue tenth per cent, of gas 
water, the fish remained quiet; one of them showed no 
change after three hours and a half, but died after the lapse 
of six hours; no change was noticed iu the case of an- 
other, a small pike, after seven hours, but it was found 
dead the next morning. 
To reduce the injurious effect, therefore, of gas refuse 
on fish. Prof. Wagner recommends that instead of empty- 
ing burrols containing about thirty cwt. of gas water into 
the river at once, as hitherto practiced, it should be slowly 
run into it in a thin stream, so as to effect tlie ruuning iu 
of the quantity during the day in the twenty-four liour 9 , 
the stream never exceeding five quarts, nor being less than 
one quurt per minute. By this mcaus these small quanti- 
ties would at once be diluted to such an extent as to be- 
come comparatively harmless, chemical decomposition of 
their elements iu the river water setting iu at the same 
time, aud the injurious influence need no longer be feared. 
— 'lVibune. 
Natural history. 
THE GRAYLING OF MONTANA. 
I N Forest and Stream, Alay 14th, 1874, appears a let- 
ter from Dr. J. F. Head, Surgeon U. S. A. since 184G 
and for many years stationed in Montana, pertaining to a 
species of grayling found there, but of which sufficient 
was not then known to assign it definite place in the thy- 
mallus family. In that letter, which was one of much sci- 
entific value, attracting the attention and research of natu- 
ralists here and abroad, the following passage occurs: — 
"An effort will be mude to have 9ome specimens sent as 
soon as practicable to the Smiihsouiun Institution, and to 
obtain notes of careful observaiions of the colors in tlie 
freshly taken fish, a copy of which I will endeavor to send 
you." 
In accordance with Dr. Head’s purpose, a quite thorough 
investigation of Alontanu waters and critical studies of this 
grayling were secured through tlie co operation of army 
officers stationed in different parts of the Territory, and 
the correspondence has been kindly placed in our hands. 
As will bo noticed by the subjoined extracts, specimens 
and data were forwarded to tlie Smithsonian by Drs. Old- 
mixon and Hart: — 
Camp Baker, Montana, July 11, 1874. 
Dear Colonel:— 
I have succeeded In obtaining some good specimens of tlie “grayling," 
which I will forward to the Smithsonian at the earliest opportunity. 
The freshly caught llsh exhibits most of the colors described In the 
"extracts'' from Forest and Stream you were good enough in send me, 
the few exceptions consisting iu the buck and sides, suggesting (as you 
observe) a dlugy, or obscure olive, shading, however, towards the belly 
to abtuleh while. Thu dorsal presents, in addition to the spots described, 
(what I should term) a brlgh: lake color bordering Its extreme crest, and 
retaining it long after immersion in alcohol. The anal, in many apt* i- 
mens changes abruptly from the light olive green, observed in its upper 
porilou, to a very light brown. The rest of the flns are much us Mr. 
Mather describes them; but In the shimmering and glancing rays of a 
bright sunlight, all so kaleidoscopic nnd Inconstant us to baffle the 
keenest eyesight uud render any but the plainest description morurying. 
ly ho'ielcss. 
This may, however, bo the llsh caught, and noticed by you In yonr 
communication, It being not unreasonable to suppose, as no /lonrlit exist- 
ed with which to assist deliberate investigation, that the variety of color 
in the closed An escaped your scrutiny, und to the detection of which 
Mr. Mather himself appears to havo been indebted from leisurely seeing 
him, us ho enthusiastically observes, "coming In on tlie .line with his 
flns all standing." Yours very sincerely, 
Geo. Scott Oldmixon. 
Col. J. F. Head, U. 8. A. 
Fort Shaw. M. T., July 27, 1874. 
My Dear Doctor: — 
I am incllflcd to think that the colors of the Sun River grayling have 
heretofore escaped observation, because they have uot been particularly 
souuht for. The brlllisnt spots and tints are opou the dorsal fln w hich 
falls close lo the back when the llsh is takcu from the water, and are 
only observed when the fln is lifted. In the specimens which I have. 
Major Jackson (who was Ashing with me) observed the brilliant lines, 
particularly the emerald green, which faded entirely away after dentil. 
The appearance the Ash presented at time of capture was, buck, gray 
with bluish cast luuning Into silvery while on belly; gill covers, blue, 
piuk and yellow blended; dorsal flu, spotted bright red and blue, with 
emerald green In life; ventral flns. large, nnd striped with blue und pink; 
anal fln, brown; two greenish blue spots under gill covers; V und in- 
verted W spots on the shoulders ruuning iu lines buck to the adipose fln. 
The number of these vary in different flsb. The weight of the largest 
specimen wus nine ounces, and toial length twelve inches. The dorsal 
lln Iu this Osh was four nnd a half inches in length and one and a lunf in 
height. I have taken the number of rays In the various flns and will in. 
elude them In the description w hich I send to the Smithsonian Institute. 
As they will probably be of no value to you I do not Include them here. 
*••••• 
Very truly yours, Cnas. A. Hart. 
Camp Baker, M. T., August lat, 1874. 
Dear Doctor:— 
With tho exception of the large dorsal flu-ond the V shaped spots, I 
can sec no resemblur.ee between our dingy flsb und the brilliant one de- 
scribed by Mr. Mather, although there Is no doubt in my mind I hat they 
are the same, my experience being tliat tlie flsh takes Its color from the 
water In which he is caught, us 1 will show when you make your annual 
tour. Yours truly, n. B. Freeman. 
Mr. C. C. Gilbert, of Fort Shaw, states that these gray- 
ling ore abundant in the Geyser district, where the camp 
fed plentifully upon them. "We caught them,” he says, 
“in tlie Yeilowstone nnd tributaries (trout and grayling on 
the same string every day) and in the Madison River down 
us low as the bridge, on our return to Ellis after leaving 
the Geyser Basin. In Bridge Creek, near Ellis, no gray- 
ling were caught, so far as I can recollect, but tlie trout 
were large aud stlperior in every respect. In Gardiner’s 
River, near the Mammoth Hot Spring, we took even better 
trout, but no grayling." 
We understood Prof. Gill to say, at tlie late meeting of 
the Fish Culturists’ Association, that tlie data herewith 
given was amply sufficient for purposes of comparative 
identity. 
One item of information respecting trout, that is not ex- 
actly pertinent to the subject in hand, should not lie omit- 
ted here, as it includes an interesting fact relative to para- 
sites in fish. He says: "Between the upper and lower falls 
of tlie Yellowstone we caught over forty trout of the 
largest size, but all were ’wormy.’ Prof, ilnyden reports 
them not wormy below the upper falls. They may not 
have been when he was there, but they were in the month 
of August last. The distance from the upper to tlie lower 
falls (tlie Grand Fall of the Yeilowstone) is only about one 
thousand jards. These wormy trout maybe extending 
down the stream; if so, it is a pity, for they are ghastly, 
sickly objects. If the great fall does not destroy this 
plague it will spread." 
This whole subject of parasites on flsh is very interest- 
ing, and any knowledge thereof is most important at this 
time, because of its direct bearing upon fl6h culture, and 
in view of the efforts being made to determine the proper 
