The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-11-11
Shad1in the Columbia.

FollOwlng Is copy OF an interesting
letter to Prof. Baird, of the Smithson-
ian Institute, Washington, from Mr..
c. j. Smith, bearing date Astoria, July
%, 1880, from Forest and Stream:
Your letter of the Sd inst, asking
for fuller information in regard to the
presence of shad in the Columbia
river, came duly to hand; and, in re-
ply, I will say that the first fish of this
kind was taken early in the fishing
season of last year (1S79), in a station
ary fish trap in Bakers bay, a few
miles Zone or two) above Fort Candy,
w. L. | did not see this fish, but it
was shown by the owner of the trap,
Capt. James Williams, to Mr. Geo. w.
Hume, a well known salmon canner
of the Columbia, who pronounced it a
shad. A few days later Capt. vii.
liams brought two more to Astoria and
gave them to Hon. ID. c. Ireland, ed.
itor of the daily historian, who invited
me into his office to see them. l had
never seen a shad, but thought they
agreed sufficiently with the best de-
sciption | was able to obtain. took
their measure and made the best de-
scription | could and sent it to Col.
Webber, commissioner New Hamp-
shire, who wrote back that they GER
tainly were not shad; basing his opin-'
ion upon the fact that they had six or
eight small, round, dark spots along
| the lateral line, and projection of
the scales along the lateral line, pro-
lection of the scales along the belly
which described as n sickle edge. Col.
| Webber sent my letter to you, and
| I,a nj
| fish in question was some unknown
species of herring, and asked me to
save and forward him II specimen.
shortly after taking the last mem
toned, the traps were swept away, and
no more were taken that year This
year Capt. Williams built trap on
the Oregon side, just above Fort Ste
vens, and about May 18th he brought
me the first taken. Except that it was
larger fourteen inches to eleven) it
was exactly like those taken last year.
| 1t had been cut in catching, and was
| otherwise in poor condition, but he
| told me that his trap had been injured
and he might not get another. |
sealed the specimen in tin case and
was on the point of sending 1t to you
when Prof. Jordan arrived here on his
first visit. Thinking it amounted to
the same thing, | gave the fish to him,
and he, on inspection, pronounced 1t n
shad. | called his attention to the
spots and sickle edge, and he said those
points were characteristic of young
shad and disappeared at maturity. |
have found Prof Jordan's knowledge
of the SdlnORid0' to be exceedingly
accurate, and so have full confidence
i'm his assertions in regard to this fish.
The fish trap was repaired about the
middle of June, and on the 18th Capt.
Williams brought four specimens to
Astoria. These were bought by Mr.
A. J. Megler, of the Occidentol Hotel,
who, knowing that | wished TO obtain
specimen, brought the best one and
presented it to me. 1t is now in Prof.
Jordan's alcohol tank. Immediately
after the capture of these four, the trap
was again swept away, and it will not
be again rebuilt. 1t is Capt. Williams
opinion lin which | coincide) that
there are hundreds and perhaps thou
sands of these fish in the river, they
being too small to be caught in the
gill nets, that being the only method
of fishing here; the small amount of
seining being hardly worthy of men,
ton. Whether shad will become ac-
climated far as to propagate here, Is,
I think extremely doubtful. | am in
formed that in June, when theyispawn,
it is necessary that the water should
have minimum temperature of sew
enty degrees. did not test the river
water at that time, but the mountain
streams were as follows: foungs river,
June 9Th, $50 Klaskania, June 18th,
so; Klaskani, June eth, $50; while
the Columbia to-day, in the ships
channel is SO. think the attempt
now being made to introduce carp into
lakes on Clatsop plains will fail for
the same reason. In eastern and
southern Oregon they may succeed.
In closing | will say that | would like
to know what food fishes other than
the sdimonidG will thrive i'm coun-
try where the temperature is rs above.
l suppose it is well known that our
winters are mild.
Respectfully yours,
c. J. SMITH.