








































































































































420 FOREST AND STREAM. [SEPT. 14, 10907. 
Hearing in Fishes. Secondly, I can hear under water, and quite The Aransas Pass Tarpon Club. 
distinctly, too. It is simple, and I wonder that ; Soa 
Mitton, Ark., Sept. 7.—Editor Forest and thousands have not tried it and reported, for it _ AKRON, Ohio, Sept. 6.—Editor Forest and 
Stream: If all the readers of ForEst AND is one of the most delightful experiences pos- Stream : yy he Aransas Pass Tarpon Club, o 
STREAM could spare the time, and the paper sible to the nature-lover or philosopher, requir- Parpon, T exas, this day awarded Mr. Elmer 
could be large enough to contain everything, no ing neither magic, scientific-appliances nor un- Beach, Chicago, Ill., and Mr, Mark Sarazan, 
doubt their criticisms of each other’s opinions, 
and varying manner of expressing the same, 
would form an extremely interesting, if not in- 
structive, addition to the matter now running 
in its columns. 
I like to see criticisms, not contradictions of 
statements, especially statements concerning 
natural or unnatural history. I was very much 
pleased with W. J. B.’s “Hearing in Fishes,” 
in Forrest AND STREAM of July 6. In a gentle- 
manly manner, he suggests that a writer in 
some unnamed daily may have drawn erroneous 
conclusions—instead of flatly contradicting him 
and offering an opposite opinion, perhaps 
equally unproven, as an unassailable fact, after 
the manner of some naturalists who would be 
more respected if they were not so “dead certain 
sure” of their own stubborn negative opinions. 
It is all right to stick to what we know is, but 
we cannot be sure other people’s experiences, 
however unusual or impossible they appear, are 
the results of mere illusion or false reasoning. 
In a varied experience of something less than 
a century I have become convinced of so many 
hard and often unwelcome facts, that I would 
not call any man a liar if he asserted that he 
had seen seven ladies pass leisurely by a bargain 
sale counter without stopping. 
A man is no more a “credulous fool” for de- 
clining to contradict a startling statement, how- 
ever contrary to all his own observations, or 
the observations of his friends, or for even seek- 
ing evidences in its favor, than is the man who 
believes himself master of a subject—on the 
negative side—after any number of “exhaustive 
experiments,” apparently establishing his own 
position. 
Then, allow me to submit that even the “long 
series of experiments” conducted by “Livingston 
Stone, the eminent fishculturist,” need not be 
considered conclusive, for several reasons—not 
to here mention* opposite results from similar 
experiments—some of which are: 
Fishes, like land animals and man, may readily 
become so familiar with certain sounds (or 
“vibrations” if you like), and sights, too, as to 
utterly refuse to notice them. If their hearing 
equalled a wild turkey’s, even, tumultuous 
and noisy is the element in which they live, that 
no one who has tried actual living with them 
in it could be surprised if they refused to be 
startled by any sound, and showed a preference 
toward trusting to sight to warn of danger— 
though a few naturalists have scouted even the 
keenness of the latter sense because they are not 
always afraid of everything they see, and be- 
cause they sometimes sleep. After being handled 
by man they frequently become so trustful as to 
imagine that everything he does is all right. 
Differing waters, weather, feed. treatment, etc., 
sometimes produce very different conditions ot 
characters in water as well land creatures. 
Who has not seen fishes, even in freedom, oc- 
casionally in actual contact with several varieties 
of their usually worst enemies, each apparently 
unconscious of the other’s presence? At times 
a fish is utterly oblivious to a thing which some 
other day or hour will produce in him the great- 
est excitement. One day he will refuse to notice 
the daintiest morsel actually thrust against his 
nose; the next day that same fish will eagerly 
snatch at a grain of corn, a chip, or a pebble! 
Nothing ever stated of fishes is truer than this. 
I beg leave to declare W. J. B.’s own experi- 
ment about a man’s ability to hear, under water, 
sounds from the shore, or the air above, in- 
sufficient. First, a man, unlike the fish, must 
hold his breath while submerged. This causes 
the heart to labor more violently, filling the 
brain with the greatly magnified sounds within 
So 

as 
one’s own body; besides, the pressure of the 
water at first causes a roaring in the ears. The 
fish not only has no external ear to be so con- 
fused, but, being in his normal element, is calm 
and normal within and is not confused by any 
unnatural roaring. 
997 
- “ol. 
*See Forest AND STREAM of Sept. 17, 1904, p 
usual powers of any sort. 
Enter the water alone. Carry a weight that 
will hold you under easily, so that you may keep 
perfectly quiet. For your first experiment 
calm water; if very warm, so much the 
better. Wade out to where you can draw your 
head about a foot below the surface without 
bending your back or neck, but bend your legs 
all you please. Raise one hand for a signal to 
your companions on shore, distant ten to 
twenty feet, to begin speaking slowly, one at a 
time, then carefully lower the hand and keep 
it still. When you arise you will be able to 
repeat every word your companions uttered. 
After experimenting you will be able to hear 
at a much greater depth, or in colder or flow- 
ing water, or in the midst of confusion. If a 
man can hear under water, is it not reasonable 
to suppose the fish may do so, and much more 
easily, even though it may show no sign? 
As for hearing the rocks or stones striking 
together under water, that is far easier, of 
select 
course. A deaf man could hear or feel them, 
which is about the same thing, and at a great 
distance, too! I have many times proven to 
crowds that I could hear under water. 
Since reading W. J. B.’s interesting article, I 
went swimming with four boys, and an accident 
happened that seemed provided purposely, 
though it had not been previously mentioned to 
any of them. Joe James took a sudden dive, 
duck-fashion, near one of the others, who was 
leisurely _paddling around between him and the 
shore, whereat I exclaimed to the shoreward 
one, “Jump on, and ride him!” or, “Dive under 
him and tickle his ribs!’ or some such nonsense 
familiar to all boys, be their ages eight or 
eighty, who really enjoy sporting “in the Old 
Swimmin’ Hole.” In about three seconds Joe 
popped up his head, laughing and spurting the 
water from his mouth, and shouted, “No he 
won't!” and repeated my words quite gleefully. 
I think he said it was the first time he had 
noticed his ability to hear under such conditions. 
L. R. Morruew. 

An Odd Catch. 
Wuirterietp, N. H., Sept. 8—Editor Forest and 
Stream: Every fishing season we hear of won- 
derful catches of different objects besides the 
fish which were being angled for. These catches 
include almost everything from old cans to 
watches and wedding rings, lost years before. I 
remember reading of an angler in the west who 
had a battle royal with a wild turkey, which had 
taken his fly while his rod was leaning against 
a tree; but the most peculiar catch ever made 
in this vicinity took place in the adjoining town 
of Bethlehem, and was made by Clarence Sim- 
monds, at the electric light plant. 
After shutting down the plant one morning, he 
Saw some large trout in the raceway, about 
twenty feet below the window, from which he 
was looking, and having his rod with him. he 
began fishing for them. Tempting worms were 
dropped within a few inches of them, but not 
one of them seemed to care for breakfast. See- 
ing that worms would not tempt them he tried 
a piece of fish, but with the same result. 
As he was about to give it up he espied a 
mink coming out on the rocks near the water. 
Simmonds then turned his attention from the 
trout to the mink, which seemed more eager for 
a breakfast, for he no sooner saw the bait than 
he started for it. After taking it he wanted to 
run into the rocks before getting it far enough 
in his mouth to get well hooked, but watching 
his opportunity, Simmonds at length struck hard 
and seated the hook firmly. The fun was then 
on. Anyone who has ever handled a fish while 
fishing from a bridge or dam knows what a job 
he has on his hands, and can easily imagine the 
fight an animal as lively as a mink could put 
up, but he was safely landed at last and now 
adorns a cage, a living proof of a peculiar catch. 
W. H. Younc. 




| 
Sherman, Texas, each with a silver button, which | 
is the award offered by the club to any one land- 
ing a tarpon in the waters at Aransas Pass 4 feet 
6 inches long on a rod not less than 6 feet long 
with a tip not more than 6 ounces, and with 9 
thread Cuttyhunk line (breaking strain 18 
pounds), 
Well may the gentlemen feel proud, as it is, 
indeed, a most difficult thing to do what they 
have done, and requires great skill. The Aransas 
Pass Tarpon Club has only been .in existence 
since July, but already has stirred up great en- 
thusiasm and interest in the use of lighter tackle 
and for the establishment of a higher standard 
for sea fishing. 
A gold button is awarded to any one landing a 
tarpon 5 feet 6 inches long with the same rod 
and line as above. In addition to the buttons, 
other prizes are offered. 
I have pamphlets giving a full description of 
rules governing, and the conditions under which 
these prizes are awarded, and will be pleased to 
mail a copy to any one who will make application 
to me, J. E. PFLUEGER. 
Corresponding Secretary. 

Salmon in California. 
Monterey, Cal., Aug. 30—Editor Forest. and 
Stream: The salmon fishing closed this year 
somewhat earlier than usual, but it has been an 
exceptionally good one, with large schools com- 
ing along one after the other, while on their 
way to the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. 
These rivers give the spawning grounds required. 
Despite the yearly canning of five million sal- 
mon, and more than that number lost in the 
rivers, there seems to be no diminution in num- 
bers on this coast. This season they schooled 
here in immense numbers from June, and are 
now practically gone, though all the year a few 
are taken. One day 46,000 were brought to the 
wharf, all taken by hook and line, almost wholly 
by trolling with hand lines and fresh-fish baits, 
perhaps one-fiftieth part. by fishermen with light 
tackle for sport, ten ounce rods and hundreds 
of feet of small lines on reels, a system intro- 
duced by me fifteen years ago with great suc- 
cess, when I caught several thousand pounds dur- 
ing the season, my largest salmon being 54 
pounds, and the average about 17 pounds. Then 
there were about one hundred and twenty mar- 
ket fishermen, of mixed nationalities, principally 
Portuguese and Italians. Now there are 400 boats 
manned wholly by Japanese, who have taken 
away all the business from the other races. 
In 1892 the fishing boats were large and 
manned each by two men. Now the Japanese, 
most expert and accustomed to the business, go 
out one man to the boat with their stout cotton 
lines and large hand nets, discarding the gaff 
which mutilates. Now the industrious Jap goes 
into the fruit picking and packing business, and 
later on chops wood through the winter. He 
sells all his salmon at the wharf to a packing 
company, which pays three and a quarter cents 
per pound whole as caught. 
The salmon are rapidly prepared by removing 
entrails and backbone, and headless, are rolled 
freely in coarse salt and laid flat in casks hold- 
ing 800 pounds. Then packed solid, the casks are 
filled with water. In two weeks or so the casks 
are opened and all the brine drained off, newly 
prepared brine is added, and the casks are then 
shipped to New York in cold-storage cars, and 
in cold storage principally to Hamburg. On ar- 
rival in Hamburg the salmon are slightly 
smoked, and sell for six cents per pound. Mil- 
lions of pounds are likewise sent from Oregon 
and Alaska. The salmon so prepared is very 
palatable and furnishes an acceptable bon bouche, 
then sliced in sandwiches. 
As mentioned, the Japanese have complete con- 
trol of catching salmon for market. Their ex- 
penses are light, for they live largely on the re- 
fuse fish caught—be it skate or shark—declined 
by the old line of market fishermen. They eat 



