RANDOM NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY. 



\voodsnear their yard, and discovered the 

 enemies. The hens were running with loud 

 screams from a flock of crows pursuing them. 

 One crow was perched upon a large hen's 

 back at which he was pounding and tearing 

 with his beak in order to pluck out the 

 feathers. When he succeeded he flew off to 

 " feather his nest," leaving his victim with 

 a large wound in her back, from which she 

 was to die in afewdays. The crafty wretches 

 had insidiousl}- obtained the confidence of 

 their daUy companions, the hens, by walk- 

 ing about with them in the woods and pre- 

 tending to be very sociable, while in reality 

 they were plotting their base designs of a 

 ' ' forced levy." Have they not proved them- 

 selves eminently worthy of the appellation 

 *' black rascals," and has such an experience 

 ever been reported before? To me the lat- 

 ter was both novel and 2)0 /»/«% instructive. 



P. S. Hunter. 



T)}e Poultry MontMy. 



To Prepare Turtles for Skins or Mounting. 



The under shell of a turtle is called the 

 plastron, and is joined to the upper shell on 

 each side for a little distance which varies 

 in thediff"erent species ; therefore, afine sharp 

 saw is the first requisite, with which to di- 

 vide as neatly as possible both of these con- 

 necting pieces of shell, then with scissors 

 cut through the skin all around the hinder 

 part of the plastron, as close to the plas- 

 tron as possible, and yet leave an edge 

 of skin to sew to, when making up or 

 mounting the creature. The plastron 

 may then be turned back like the cover to 

 a box, the legs disjointed and skinned, as 

 with any animal, and all tlie bones left in ; 

 skin the tail and take out the bone, disjoint 

 the neck, and skin as far as possible, which 

 will be just back of the eyes ; remove the 

 brain and the flesh back of the eyes, and 

 the muscle in the hinder portion of the jaw. 

 The eyes must be removed from the outside 

 and with great care to prevent cutting the 

 lids. It is sometimes desirable to cut 

 through the skin on the under side of the 

 tail for about half its length, and also 

 through the soles of the feet or flippers, as 

 it faciliates the turning of these members. 

 Poison all parts thoroughly with arsenic and 

 alum, or arsenical soap. In mounting make 



an internal skeleton of wire as for a mam- 

 mal, and stuff with sawdust or choi)ped 

 tow. 



I HAVE received from Col. N. S. Goss 

 his revised catalogue of the birds of Kansas, 

 allowing to that state three hundred and 

 thirt^'-five species, and describing with care 

 and exactness, the eggs and the buihiing 

 habits of such as are positively known to 

 breed in that state. An addition to orni- 

 thological literature of much value and in- 

 terest. 



Colonel Goss has followed in his arrange- 

 ment and nomenclature, the A. O. U. 

 Check-List. 



Sword-fish Xiphias Gladius. 



Just at present (Jul}" 10) that little piece 

 of Rhode Island, New Shoreham or Block 

 Island, anchored ten miles out at sea is hav- 

 ing high jinks over the annual appearance 

 of sword-fish. The}' appear to our islanders 

 about July 1, attracted b\' the usual abun- 

 dance of food, which is largely mackerel, 

 menhaden, and squid, and in fact any small 

 fish that come in schools. The best fishing 

 ground lies on the shoals, to the south and 

 southeast of the island, and the sport affords 

 a decided revenue. Many sportsmen are 

 attracted to the island and the steamer 

 " Ocean View " is frcquenth' chartered by 

 them for a day's fishing. The success is 

 various. A report to the Providence Jour- 

 nal, Jul}' 15, states : 



" Sword-fish seem to be running heavier 

 than usual of late, most of them weighing in 

 the neighborhood of three hundred pounds. 

 The three taken by the ' Ocean View' Mon- 

 day weighed 981 pounds dressed, and the 

 five of Tuesda}' 1,395 pounds." 



Another report says : " One part}' brought 

 in thirteen sword-fish weighing about two 

 hundred and fifty pounds each ; while tiie 

 next day fifteen were captured. 



A correspondent of the Hartford Times 

 writes from the island : 



" This exciting fun is now at its full tide. 

 It is splendid sport. 



"The vessel is fitted with a little standing 

 place called ' the pulpit,' down in front of 

 the bows, outside, among the bowsprit and 

 anchor chains. On this a barpooner stands 



