The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-09
GAME AND FISH.
Stocking Ranches With Monaghan
Pheasants.
GriIse Fishing in Tamalpais slough-Disap-
pointed Angiers-Do Salmon De
After Spawning!

The passengers on the early boat which
took its cargo of human freight from this
city to SausalitO last Sunday were a very
much assorted lot. That is, as far as their
dress and general make up was concerned.
Although fair sprinkling of those dressed
in the latest American fashion assembled in
the cabin Of the steamer and chatted on the
beautiful weather which followed the late
storm, the lower deck Of the boat was liter
ally packed with men whose garments
plainly indicated that they were members
of fresh-air club.
Guns, dogs, fishing poles and gum-boots
made up peculiar assortment, which
seemed TO puzzle the Imagination Of bevy
Of sight-seers. who were programmed to eat
luncheon on the summit Of Mount Tamal-
pals.
The anglers, who outnumbered the other
sportsmen, made a wholesale descent on
Tamalpais slough when the train for San
Rafael came to a halt at Larkspur, which
place is within few minutes walk of the
fishing grounds.
Thirty-fve fishing poles were counted and
considering that the space on the banks of
the slough is limited to about 100 yards,
speculation was rife as to who would retire
at dusk with high basket"
ALONG THE BANK.
Ben, the well-kn0wn fiy-maker, was pro-
vided with peculiar assortment of lines,
which he said would tempt Old Nick him
self should he appear in the brackish waters
as devil-fish. DR.. Dean, it was rumored,
had discovered while camping on the Sau-
salito beach a foreign species of shrimp
that would enlice the most fastidious grilse
TO partake of little mess. Dan OConnell,
who had promised to join Colonel Boland
and Frank Cummings in a little piscatorial
sport and who missed the boat, telegraphed
that owing to the prankS of an unreliable
alarm-clock he had remained too long in
bed.
What decidedly reliable fellow" NUT
tered the Colonel as he read the dispatch a
second time. " guess 1t must be u case Of
three sheets in the wind with Dan."
Sid Hall, Smith, Batteau and Reynolds
had excellent sport catching crabs and cat
fish. Among The army Of anglers who tried
every means to capture the gamy grilse,
only three men were successful.
Ben was asked to explain the reason for
such poor sport, and he promptly said that
all of the large species of fishes were gorged
with the SaTdnes, and that anglers need not
hope Tor much success until the recent in
tiux of theseiminlature fishes should dimin-
ish.
CAUGHT OFF THE wHARVES.
During the past week several grilse have
been caught from loft the wba.yes. The
Harrison and Lombard street wharveS were
well patronized by fishermen last Sunday,
but, as previously stated, the young salmon
have too much food at present to notice ordi-
nary lures.
Italian fishermen are said to be seining
Tamalpais Creek at night, and selling the
fish caught to Testaurant-keepers in this city.
Dolhver and Wilson caught some large
grilse at Point Reyes last Sunday.
James Chesiey and Ed Briggs wasted a
large number of shells last Sunday on
IhIOckmorton's ranch, which is now "a pre-
serve. They bagged about twenty quail,
and report the birds as being wild and scat
tered.
John X. Orr returned yesterday from
Olema, where he had very fair shoot on
quail and snipe. Since the last rain the
ducks have vacated the marshes In that
vicinity.
Tie Fish and Game Commissioners have
been importing large numbers of Mongolian
rheasants from Oregon and distributing
them among the ranches where they will be
protected Tor few years until they have
had time to increase.
DO SPENT FISH DIE?
For many years differences of opinions
have existed among exi erts as to the QueS-
ton of the return OF the Pacific Coast salmon
TO the sea from the rivers in which they
spawn. Some sey that they die after spawn
following interesting letter from Thomas
MOwat, dated at New Westminster, b. e.,
September 6, 1890. to Colonel Marshall Nc
Donald, United States Commissioner of fish
and fisheries, should certainly decide the
question, as the writer gives very excellent
illustrations as proofs that the fish do return
to salt water:
have much pleasure In informing you that
have proof without doubt that the oncorhynehus,
or Pacific salmon, do 10 many cases return 10
fresh wafer annually. Df
ducing their species. have proof Of this In the
case:of The quinrat tOneerhynchus chouicha) and
suckeye 10. uerna), aud am contdrDt, from OBJ
servations that l have made, that the oboes
(Oncothynchus kisutch) do return IN larger num-
ners than those first mentioned. During the
seasons OF 1884, 'S5, $50, l made use OF The
leather, OF haIness-makers' punch, TO mark the
QulnDat salmon after they had been partially
stripped OF their eggs. and were obliged to be re-
turned 10 the pens. The marhipg was done by
punching one OF more holes through The adIpose
dorsal TN and then passing piece Of colored
guish them from Tie, fish that had not been
handled. Sometimes We cut portion the
whole of this fin on and these
fish were returned to the water after
we had finished stripping them Two successive
years later Il few OF The tsh SO marked passed
through our hands and were recognized, and
leaned that some had been taken by tile METERS.
ii must be understood that the strings we've not
left OH Tie fsh. The lin was found 10 be with.
cred somewhat, with the hole partially grown up
Since the season OF 1887 we have been opei ating
on The suckeye, and, as have already described
some Of these were mara ed in a similar way; but
owing TO having SO many In the pens we had TO
X ep different marks them, SO that the tails Of
some were bent or doubled up and V-shaped
piece taken out. Two Of the iish marked In this
manner were taken by meters this season and
sent TO me- One so marked was shown to the
editor OF ihe Columbian at my office. hence the
report
My contention has always been that at least
four species Of our salmon return to the rivers to
reproduce; the fourth, including those alluded
to. Is The steelhead. OF which none die except BY
accident. My opinion is that 10 per cent OF the
quinnat salmon survive that ascend from sew
enty five to 100 miles inland those that ascend
from 100 TO 1000 miles, or reach the summit OF
the Rocky Mountains, are reduced from various
causes down to fiOm 5 to 25 per cent. The per-
centage OF the suckeyes that survive Is slightly
under that OF The qninnat, while that OF the
cohoes Is very large, as hey do not ascend sofar
inland and have 4 better chance 10 return. The
quaa and bumpbacks die in large numbers, as
they are more Iugnacious. spawn In shallow
waller and are more liable 10 disease.
HABITS OF TIRE SALMON.
Speaking Of the habits of the salmon of
this Coast the Forest and Stream remarks:
The question OF the return OF the Pacific
salmon TO the sea after spawning is a very i'm
portant one, aud worthy Of much more extensive
Investigation Than Il has We! received. We have
salmon t0ncorhynchus chouIcha and o. nerka)
all die after spawning, as stated by some very
good authorities, and yet this Is merely matter
OF belief and may not be warranted by the facts
In The case. We have seen the mending dog
salmon 10. keia) In fresh water near the sea.
We ave also observed the apparently complete
annihllation of the humpbacks alter spawning,
although NOT more than a few yards from salt
wafer. " hat Is needed in the case of the uun-
nat, red salmon and silver salmon is observation
OF the streams which they ascend for the pur-
pose OF spawning continued until the fish de-
scend TO the sea. In this way only eau the
problem be solved.
Burglary Folsom Street.
r. rppDrfpd IN tho Ha,hor p,tic, v,os