The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-11-09
vermont Association for the Protection
and Preservation of Fish and Game.

hhu PRESERVATION OF f1sh ana tame.
y This association was incorporated by
Qnact of the legislature in 1874, and any
citizen of the state, of respectable char
actcr, may become q member by sub
scribng his name, or causing il to be
subscribed, in book kept by the record
ing secretary for that purpose, and pay
ing an admission fee of one dollar. II
already has membership of more than
n hundred.
The annual meetings of the Society
are held on the first Tuesday of Novem-
Der, each year, alternately ut Rutland
and Montpelier. This year the annual
meeting was held at the Berwick House
in Rutland, Tuesday afternoon, the 9Th
inst. Before the meeting, at one o'clock,
the members of the association present
sat down TO an elegant game dinner.
At two o'clock, the meeting was call
ed TO order by the President, DR.. NJ.
Goldsmith, and during the remainder OF
the proceedings, was presided over by
Gen. W. Y. w. Ripley. The minutes
of the last meeting were read by the
secretary, Henry A. Hartman. Esq.
Several new members were added TO the
society. Reports were made by the
president and others of what had been
done during the year for the increase of
fish and game in the state. Several
rivers and ponds have been stocked
with black bass and other food and
game fishes, and from different parts of
the state very favorable reports are re-
ccivcd of the increase of fish and game
under the protection afforded BY the
law, and through the efforts of individ-
uals and local associations. Mr.. Henry
w. Taylor, of Shcrburne, who controls
Pico pond, said that trout i'm that pond
have increased very rapidly since the
law afforded their protection, and this
year two hundred pounds of the aver
age weight of onc-fourth of a pound
each, have been taken from that pond.
which covers about twelve acres.
The Taconic Fish and Game Club, of
Manchester, turned out, last spring. in
the Green Mountains, five deer, which
have bred during the season, and at last
reports were doing well. Judge Eycrts
gave full and very interesting account
of the migratory quails. which were i'm
ported from Messina, Sicily, bv him. and
turned out in Rutland early in June
These one hundred and ninetv-scyen
birds cost, set down in Rniland. thirty
five dollars, and they have Matched their
young and gone South. II is estimated
that more than five hundred Young birds
were reared from this importation.
They left on the Southern flight about
the first of September. and have not
been heard from south of Eagle Bridge.
n. Y. They lived during the summer
principally on insects, and deyoured
grasshoppers with great avidity. On
motion of DR.. Goldsmith. the society re-
quested Judge Everts to write to Scna-
tor Edmunds regarding the fondness of
these birds for grasshoppers, in order
that he might, ifhe thought best, recon-
mend their importation on an extensive
scale by the government or the states,
as an antidote for the grasshopper
scourge in the west, and secure an ap-
preparation from Congress for that pur-
pose. After an interesting discussion
on variety of subjects relating to the
association, it was voted to proceed to
the election of officers. As DIR. Gold
smith declined serving as president an
other year, Hon. NJ. 5. Colburn, of
Manchester, was unanimously chosen i'm
his place. The other officers are as fol-
lows:
Vice presidents--Geo +. Edmunds,
Burlington; j. w. Newton, St. Adams !:
George F. Gale, Brattleboro; Carol S.
Pitkin, Montpelier.
| Corresponding secrctary-S. d. Pet
tengill. Rutland.
Recording secrctary-IIenry a. Har-
man, Bennington.
Treasurer-N. II. Spraguc, Brandon.
Directors-Wm. y. Ripley, Rutland !;
f. Stewart Stranahan, st. Adams; Lee
Grand b. Cannon, Burlington; ROYAL
ID. lledden, Salisbury: Henry Fair
banks, St. .Johnsbury: NJ. ID. Gilman,
Montpelier; Henry W. Davis, Factory
Point.
Counsel-E. J. Phelps, Burlington.
1t was voted to recommend TO the
Legislature an amendment to the law
making the open season for partridges
and woOdcock begin September |, and
close December |. The following
committee was chosen to make arrange
ments for assisting any parties who wish
to procure deer for stocking the lands of
the state, viz: Col. Colburn, Royal ID.
liedden and Gen. George p. Foster.