Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-03-09
FISH AND OYSTER NOTES

ais-before the Maryland Legislature
nave been recommitted, and there will
hardly be any drastic legislation this
session.
All the oyster shucking establish
ments on the seaside have closed after
very unsuccessful season, attributable
to the exceptionally mild winter. The
same condition exists here.
Three hundred square miles OF the
richest oyster territory in the world are
to be taken away from Mississippi and
become the exclusive property of the
state of Louisiana by decision of the
Supreme Court of the United States
which was handed down Monday.
Shad are being caught in small quanti-
ties in the Chesapeake and its tribu-
taries, and herring in fair abundance.
Owing to the mild winter the season is
far advanced. Seanettles in the water
and flies on the land are indication that
the winter has been an exceptional one.
Two hearts that beat as one'' if
they beat at all, fully describes an oys-
ter sent to this Office by B. F. Wood
land, of Mill Creek. In opening the
oyster its heart was located in the usual
place and cut loose, but still the shells
refused to come apart, and on pryinp
them open it was found that another
heart, or muscle, about a half an inch
above the first one and apparently per-
forming the same functions was found.
Maryland has larger oyster navy
than we have and has less oyster ground
to protect. Last year Maryland oyster
revenue was 500, 089 l6 and the cost was
$50, 02S.S4. That same year 5000 Vir-
ginia's revenue was S68, OPS. 81, the ex-
pense $24, 202. 81. So Virginia was in
$40, $3.50 net on the oyster question
alone. That's a pretty good showing.
but it shows also that we can afford
another good police steamer for the
Potomac. -Northern Neck News.
Large numbers of dredgers, from
both Maryland and Virginia, are at work
IN the Potomac, harboring in the Macho-
doc, and are kept under close surveil-
lanceb the police steamers and as they
will "shovel by stock" several lots
have been thrown overheard to prevent
the collection of fine. Several boats
in creek today threw their cargoes on
the planting ground of some person.
verifying the adage that ''what is one
mans loss is another's gain. king
George letter in Free Lance.
1t is not to be supposed that fish is
absolutely comfortable away from its
own element, butt is nevertheless true
that it sometimes sees Sit to live on the
land for short period. OF all land
frequenting fish the most famous is the
climbing perch of India, which not only
walks out of the water, but also mounts
into trees by means of sharp spines
situated near its head and tail. 1t has
peculiar breathing apparatus, which
enables it to extract, oxygen from the
water stored up within small chamber
near its gills, for use while on land.
The "shovel by oyster buyers are
lying around here trying to get loaded
but the police boats are also here
making business slow. The Mary
land police steamer Gov. Mclean, Capt.
Turner, was kept busy last Sunday,
several vessels heavily loaded with shells
and small oysters having tried to avail
themselves of Sunday to get out of the
river, without being caught, but Capt.
Turner was on to the racket, and hauled in
several captains. Colonial Beach Prog
ress- Capt. Hudgins, of the Virginia
navy, is also on hand and pursuing the
vioiators.
A hearing was given last week at
Trenton, N. j., by Governor Stokes
| commission to investigate salt water
fishing, particularly pound and menhaden
fisheries. Captain Mark Casio, the hero
of the Cherokee rescue, was one of the
principal speakers. He said menhaden
fishing did not interfere with fishing for
food fish. The argument of those who
spoke against the industry was that if
menhaden fishing is continued the food
fish will soon become extinct. They
also declared the meshes of pound nets
should be enlarged to at least FIVE inches,
with four inch meshes in the pockets,
and the nets raised every week from
Saturday night until Monday morning.
The newspapers say that Walter E.
Hathaway, as secretary of the Fisheries
Company, Of New York, spoke in favor
Of menhaden fishing, saying that deep
sea fishing could not be exterminated
by human agency. Questioned by one
of the commission, he said that his COM
pany operated twenty-four steamers and
employed more than 1000 men, which
is greatly in excess of the reports by
the State Fish and Game Commission.
(Communicated.D
MARYLAND'S RETALIATION.
EDITOR CITIzEN:-I wonder what our
people think of that bill the Marylanders
are trying to put through. My opinion
is that it is good one, provided Vir-
ginia will follow suit But if Maryland
gets that bill through-to stop dredging
one, year-and Virginia don't, there
wont be enough oysters left in Virginia
waters after one season to bake a pie.
The Virginia navy would be compare
lively worthless in trying to keep the
Marylanders out of our waters. Then a
Maryland dredger Captain would only
have to hire Virginia cook, taking out
license. in the cooks name, no one could