The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-06-16

Mentions the Sport-Method 10 En-
pIoyed in Relatively Few Places in
Misunderstanding Is Done Only al
Night, the Darker the Better-Birds
as Keen for Their Work as Pointer
Dogs.
Just as Americans amuse nOtables
from abroad by showing them round
ups in the COW country, so the Japa-
nese are able to entertain their visi-
tors by initiating them into the PIC
turesque mysteries of cormorant fish
ing in their back country, says bull
letin issued from the Washington, D.
c., headquarters Of the National Geo
graphic society. Continuing in de-
scription Of the queer method of fish
ling with trained birds recently exhibit
ed for the prince Of Wales, the bulletin
says.
Fishing with trained cormorants
seems to be as ancient as Japanese
history, for an old poem in regard to
the first emperor mentions the sport.
Today the method is employed in rel
atively few places in the islands, and
is at it's best in the Niagara river near
the city Of Gifu, about $50 miles west
of Tokyo The fishing is done only
at night the darker the better. Moon
light seasons are off periods, and it il
useless to take the cormOrants out ex-
cept before the moon rises or after
it SETS This is because artificial light,
furnished by blazing pine faggots in
metal baskets hung from the bows of
the long narrow fishing boats, is an
The fish are attracted by the glare,
and when they rise near the boats the
cormorants reap a rich and quick har.
vest.
Look Awkward, Dive Like Fish.
"The birds that play the stellar role
in this queer sport-industry are like
large, black, awkward-looking ducks.
But their apparent awkwardness is
highly deceptive; and they possess a
marked degree Of intelligence. Placed
in the water, they dive like a flash;
and dart as he may, the nearby fish
once sighted is almost sure to VIVID
up in a twinkling in the unerring gull
let that pursues him.
"But catching is not keeping for tho
cormorants. Each bird has cord at
tached from near the base of his
wings, the other end held, in common
with the leashes Of perhaps eleven 9TH
err birds, by deft-fngered Japanese in
the boat About the lower portion OF
the throat of each feathered fisherman
is an adjustable metal collar This is
loose enough to permit the passage OF
very small fish, but not those OF a
size. Above the collar the
larger fish pile up, expanding the elias
tic gullet, until -four to eight have ac-
cumulated Then the bird is towed
to the boat, placed over basket, and
the fish gently pressed from the throat
and mouth A few less considerate
masters unceremoniously turn me
birds upside down and shake out the
catch
"The birds are as keen for their
work as pointer dogs. They dart
about with the greatest enthusiasm,
croaking as they dive or when they
come momentarily to the surface to
swallow their prey. Their active life
is about twelve years. The senior OF
the flock is known as Number /, and
has the position Of honor near the DOW
as the boat prepares for action. Inc
other birds are ranged in order OF
seniority alternately on the sides OF
vho i.dc the order !
in which they are to be placed in the |
water and taken out, and If the proper
order is departed from they make
noisy protest.
sAfter the nights work is over the
teathered fishermen come into their
reward. The fish are sorted and small
ones are fed to the cormorants, whose
collars have been removed. They
catch their food on the fly as it is
,ossed to them, for all the world like
4 pack of hungry hounds about
farmhouse door. In the feeding as In
Ill the other routine. of handling the
birds the senior member of the flock
must be fed first and the others in
rider. or their resentment is shown
It once.
Sport Once Known in West.
1.-THE fish caught by means OF the
rained cOrmorants are sort of dwarf
almon, called ayu, comparable in size
O smelts. They run up the river in
pring like salmon TO spawn. When
hese little fish are fried to golden
rispness their flavor and delicacy Is
unsurpassed They are In such high
avor that a considerable area Of the
shing ground on the Niagara river IS
eserved for imperial use. and special
and their masters are EN-
Logged to keep the tables of the en-
error supplied during the season.
"F1shing with cormorants is also
racticed III some parts of. China, but
lere the fishing Is almost entirely
with little of the sport as
ect. The sport was known In the
Vest early in the Seventeenth century
nd James ] of England had among
Is officials a Master of Cormorants
lst as had falconer.'
eads Twelve Sons in World War; Il
Twelve sons OF Mnnna G. Bruner OF H
NJ, fought II, the III