FOREST AND^STREAM. 



155 



what he witnessed id. km iv< ■ ■ thai vicinity 



relative to a sea serj rted that in June, 1808; he 



saw a huge creature from the shore ami from a, boat, "Its 

 head was wide and oval, neck small, and it moved swiftly, 

 with a snake-like motion. Sometimes the head way out Ot the 

 water, and then the speed seemed to decrease, and its object 

 was evidently to Bee; and at one titnett dived furiously under 

 and putsoed the boat," Again he says, " We saw it from the 

 Shore, and it moved Ofl about a mile, and we lost sight of it. 

 Its length we believed to be from eighty 1)0 one hundred feet, 

 Af'tei ward it was seen between Roun and Parma, Us head 

 high above water and moving along at about five miles an 

 hour." 



One point in their favor is that the descriptions agree in al- 

 most every case, those of Norway and America being about 

 the s;i.me. Hundreds of arguments are brought up. The in- 

 ability of men to judge when frightened, is one; but in New 

 England it was observed by men who were entirely composed ; 

 ayain it has been compared to a line of porpoises, but these 

 could not raise themselves in the air after the fashion of this 

 fabled monster. These questions are answered by Sir Charles 

 Lyell, whose theory is that the sea serpents arc in reality 

 large specimens of the Stjutilm mirsimii-s. He says ; ''Dr. 

 Melville informed me that he saw a large species of shark 

 swimming at a rate of ten miles an hour in the Torres Strait, 

 and besides the lateral ilextures of the tail, which are the prin- 

 cipal propelling power, the creature described as it advanced 

 a series of veitical undulations, not by the actual bending 

 iy itself, but by the whole animal rising near the 

 surface and then dipping down again, so that the dorsal fin 

 and a part of the back were occasionally lifted to a considera- 

 ble height. So, if a large shark was moving at a rate of 

 twenty miles an hour, that portion of the back that emerged 

 ill front might easily be taken for the head, the dorsal for the 

 mane, and t he waves formed by the rising of so heavy a body 

 complete the humps. Again, if the fins should emerge and 

 be submerged in rapid succession, the image of one set 

 would he retained on the retina of the eye after another set 

 had become visible, and they might be continued over and 

 indefinitely,." The" extending of the head out of the 

 water has been laid to the PItoca probastidea, or sea elephant, 

 metimes grows to a length of thirty feet, but it is a 

 question whether the animal coidd move for hours -were its 

 head so high. So it will be seen that there are many points 

 ou both sides. Those fortunate beings who have seen the 

 great unknown believe in it, and those that have not do not 

 like to deny it, as it would be casting some reflection upon the 

 word of a conviuced (?) colleague. However, we live in 

 hope, and fondly expect some fine morning to see the Brook- 

 lyn Bridge clasped in the slimy folds of the great unknown. 



New York, C. F,H. 

 • — i. . 



Osteich Breeding. — The value of ostriches has very largely 

 increased of late. The London Colonies and India gives the 

 price of some ostriches sold at Micldlebury, South Africa, for 

 breeding purposes, as £285 a pair. Twenty pairs of breeding 

 birds averaged £130. Fine feathers are worth a3 much as 

 £67 per pound, or about fifteen shillings for each feather. 

 When it is remembered that a few years ago ostriches could 

 be procured in South Africa for the catching, and were pur- 

 chased for a mere trifle for exhibition purposes in this coun- 

 try, whereas at the present time a live ostrich does not exist 

 in London, the importance of the birds on the ostrich farms 

 of Cape Colony may readily be realized. Northern African 

 birds do not possess the fine plumage of the Southern varieties. 

 Wiry should not Bird of Paradise culture be attempted ? It is 

 quite possible that in New Guinea some of the finest of the 

 Paradise? might be produced by artificial incubation. Who 

 would like to go into the business? The only trouble is that 

 the ladies are inconstant in their fashions, and the rage for 

 Bird of Paradise feathers might be at fever heat one year and 

 "horrid" the next. 



Tee Pompano. — Our few remarks in last week's paper on 

 the pompano might be conducive of error if not more 

 thoroughly explained. Liunasus called this fish a Oasteros- 

 texts. Of course this resemblance was but superficial, and is 

 not recognized to-day. Tho pompano has nothing to do with 

 the stickleback, all its relations being nearer to the mackerel 

 and caranxes. All of these were once considered to be mem- 

 ber of tho genus G aster osteus. 



— The bead gardener of the Maharajah of Tohore undertook 

 to take liberties with the python, and kicked the boa. Like 

 lightning the python wound himselE around that Singapore 

 gardener and almost squeezed him to death. A private of an 

 English regiment came to the gardener's aid and managed to 

 take the hitches out of the snake. Don't fool with a python. 

 — « — . 



Bbes fou New Zualand.— Insects play an important part 

 in floral economy, and a curious bit of agricultural enter- 

 prise, based upon this principle, comes to us reported from 

 New Zealand. The New Zealanders are about to spend a 

 Considerable sum of money in acclimatizing the humble-bee 

 so as to assist the agriculturists in cultivating clover. Com- 

 mon bees are not strong enough to force their way into the 

 petals of the clover flower, and thus fertilize the plants as 

 they fly from one to another. For this purpose, therefore, 

 the humble-bee is needed, but so far the nests sent out have 

 been destroyed. Attempts to acclimatize the common bee in 

 some hot climates have so far proved useless. After a short 

 period they quit the hives, and cannot be enticed back. 



A Team of Elk. — A novel feature of the State Fair at St, 

 Paul, Minn., the other day, was the team of elk driven by 

 Mr. A. n. Moore. The auimals were captured about two 

 years ago on Rice River, eight miles south of Fargo, Dakota 

 when four or five days old. "Dexter" weighs 512 pound, 

 and " Dasher " 500 pounds. They are. well broken to harness 

 thoroughly trained and gentle. Their speed is sixteen mfleB 

 an hour. 



— At Merthyr Tydvil one of the great events of the year is 

 an athletic meeting on a large scaled organized by a society of 

 licensed victuallers. Because thus organized before the 

 meeting took place this year public prayers were offered up 

 in several chapels that rain might be sent to spoil the sport. 



7*u Hqtmql 



■ •red a stubble Held 



ail v without, result, 



it for birds. Thence 



until 5; 15, when 



Minnesota. Field Teials.— Owing to failure of the mail, 

 the conclusion of our report of the Field Trials did not reach 

 us in time for last week's paper, and we append it herewith, 

 containing the Thursday's work for Dogs of All Ages; 



Thursday, P. M., Sept. VMh.— After dinner Clipper and 

 Jennie were put down (3:45) working in grass with a flush lor 

 Jennie almost immediately. Altera little clipper weakened and 

 Was ordered in. Friend was then put down. Friend is an im- 

 porter] red Irish setter (Flash-Stella). J 

 surrounded by prairie and worked it, pa 

 Ground so situated is usually most excel 

 into grass and then into stubble, and 



a flush was scored to Jennie's account, which took her up. 

 Queen of the West took her place at G o'clock, and no birds 

 showing, the dogs were taken up, and the trials adjourned 

 until Friday, all hands overworked and the business grow- 

 ing decidedly monotonous. Seven singles and three braces 

 remain to be run. As we returned to camp myriads of wild 

 ducks filled the air flying trorn their feeding grounds in the 

 fields to the ponds and sloughs. 



,, ,, 13.— MorD trig frosty, iirUtut and clear; wind light, aoutb- 

 eusi ; 12 m., wind soma and brisk ; 6 v. St., elear aud ealin. 



Friend and Ranger were put do^vn at 8:30 a. m. and soon 

 cast off in a prairie near camp. Ranger is a seven-year liver 

 and white ticked pointer, well known as one of the best dogs 

 in the country, very steady aud a hard worker. Presently 

 the dogs moved into stubble, Friend working slowly and de- 

 termined not to risk a flush. Ranger justifying his name. 

 Almost immediately Ranger found. Soon after a covey of a 

 tlozen got up wild ; no score. Ranger afterward earns two 

 poiuts in an old rag-weed field. Large flocks of wild geese 

 rose from a "break" (newly plowed land). Now across a 

 mile of prairie, and thence into stubble. Poor Friend is 

 footsore, preferring furrows to straw stubs, Ranger gets a flush 

 on the edge of a prairie due to carelessness of handling, walk- 

 ing in after he had established his point, but earns a point five 

 minutes later. Friend also earns a point and is taken up at 

 10:15 with a full score of five points. Hanger goes up at 10:20, 

 and Maggie May, a black, white and tau imported English 

 setter, and George Waddington's Nellie are put down. Nellie 

 winds well on the edge of a dry slough, roading carefully, 

 and trailing a circling bird, and won a brilliant point. Dogs 

 taken up to change to distant locality, and are put down again 

 on prairie at 11:15, both quartering beautifully, and going at 

 a great pace; thence into stubble, crossing it, both winding 

 on the edge of a prairie, Maggie coming to a point first and 

 scoring. At 11:50 Maggie earns another point in grass. Birds 

 scarce, lie very close, single, aud when they rise fly the regu- 

 lation mile before settling. Gophers very numerous, render- 

 ing false points liable. Gopher mounds are the central struc- 

 ture, from which the burrows of these pestilential rodents 

 radiate. They are usually two feet high, ten to twenty feet, 

 in diameter, and covered with tall weeds. There are also 

 badger mounds. Hawks are constantly sailing over tho 

 prairie and pick up many chickens. At i2 m. another pretty 

 point for Maggie May, who shows most excellent nose and 

 staunchness and good roading. (Taken up at 12:30 for din- 

 ner.) Dogs put down again at 1:45. Nellie gets two flushes 

 and is taken up. Maggie earns a flush at 2:50, and is with- 

 drawn. Countess Royal, a liver and white pointer, and 

 Strathroy, a setter, are put down and worked untU (i o'clock. 

 Countess scores two flushes and two points and is withdrawn, 

 becoming sick and unfit for work. Strathroy runs out with 

 four points aud a flush. Dan withdrawn, 



The Brace Stakes, for which there has boon three entries, 

 were set aside and not run, for want of time. Broke camp 

 Friday night. The following is the score in the All Ages 

 Trial : 



SCALE OF POINTS. 



—Merit. — , ,-Demerit.-^ 



el 



Snap 



Daisy 



Clipper. 



Jennie 



Friend 



Queen of the 



West.. 



Ranger 



Jet.. 



Nellie..... 



Maggie May — 

 Countess lioyal. 



Ktrathro? 



Jack, withdrawn 



There is a probability that Friend will be protested, as he 

 was withdrawn before the Trial was run ; in which case he 

 would not be entitled to either record or place. 



The Minnesota Kennel Club have been very fortunate in 

 the selection of their judges, who had a difficult and thank- 

 less task. No greater care could have been taken of the in- 

 terests of the competitors, the judges disputing fractions of 

 points on the merits of the dogs. Had the birds been abund- 

 ant, and the weather more auspicious on the first day, the 

 Trials would have been more enjoyable. It is seldom that so 

 many superior dogs have met in competition in this country, 

 most of them being owned by professional breakers and 

 breeders. The camp canteen was well managed by purveyor 

 Charles Benson, proprietor of the West. Hotel at St. Cloud, 

 and the table was all that could be wished or expected. Suf- 

 ficient teams were provided for spectators. Probably one 

 hundred persons in all witnessed the Trials ; but on the last 

 day the judges, handlers, and two reporters, were all who 

 witnessed the fortunes of the field, and wearily followed the 

 dogs through stubble, break, slough, and prairie. 



Doo Holes is New Yobk. — Our most trustworthy Eng- 

 lish contemporary, the Line Slock Journal, has an excellent 

 article on the dog dens of London. It speaks of the miserable 

 places where dogs are kept by dealers on sale as " hot beds of 

 cli8ef.se, engendered by filth, overcrowding, and the abominably 

 disgusting food supplied to the unfortunate creatures confined. " 



"Strathbogie" writes that in a place five feet wide by Ave 

 feet ten inches in length there were fourteen dogs of different 

 sizes, confined in cages in which they could not turn them- 

 selves. Such cases of wretched cruelty, we regret to say, are 

 not uncommon in New York. We know of one place where, 

 in about a space of ten feet by eight, we counted sixteen 

 dogs, some of them of good size, three cages of rabbits, two 

 with Guinea pigs, besides numberless coops and crates filled 

 with chickens and pigeons. The odor was simply horn hie- 

 As we approached the den it was sickening. That such an 

 unwholesome hole must breed a pestilence seemed to us to bo 

 very certain. The use of the simplest disinfectants is ap- 

 parently unknown to the people who keep these dog holes. 

 We often wonder where the proprietors find any money in the 

 business. Animals or birds in such an atmosphere must 

 sicken and lose condition. There is no doubt but that a great 

 many of these dog dives in New York, as in London, are re- 

 ceptacles for stolen dogs, and that the poor poultry exhibited 

 arc simply blinds. Strange to say prices asked at such dog 

 dens are most preposterous, generally three to four times more 

 than the value of the dog. It is, however, very rare that a 

 good animal cau be found in such places at all. We do not 

 mean to be general in our remarks, for we are pleased to 

 state that there are quite a number of dog dealers in the city 

 who have toy breeds, who keep their places in good order, 

 and where animals arc fairly cared for. All such places of bad 

 repute ought to be put under surveillance. The question of 

 dog-stealing is, of course, one that should be summarily dealt 

 with ; but in close September weather, unless such dens are 

 purified, the health of a whole neighborhood may be en- 

 dangered. 



Treatment of Dogs When III.— We take the following 

 from an article by Dr. Gordon Stables, contributed to. the 

 Reading Mercury-. "There is a disease know as distemper, 

 about which not a little misunderstanding prevails among 

 people generally, It is believed that all dogs are bound to 

 have it once, and once only. This is wrong, for in well-kept 

 kennels it is exceedingly rare ; on the other hand the same 

 dog may have it more than once, and that, too, when quite 

 old. Distemper is really a catarrhal fever, ushered in with 

 some degree of shivering, dullness, loss of appetite, running of 

 water first, and pus mixed with blood afterwards, from nose 

 and eyes. There is also rapid emaciation ; this latter symp- 

 tom distinguishes it from a common cold. There is, too, 

 snorting and coughing in distemper. The disease should be 

 met at the outset with an emetic, such as a teaspoon! ul of 

 mustard in warm water, followed, or not, by some camoiuilo 

 tea j then get the bowels to act by the common buckthorn and 

 oil mixture ; dose, from a dessert-spoonful up to two table- 

 spoonfuls. If the, cough seems very troublesome, a setonmay 

 be put in the front of the chest. For the first two or three 

 days, from two to ten grains of James' powder should be 

 given thrice daily, with a dessert or table spoonful of Minde— 

 rerus spirit at bedtime. You must sustain the system as soon 

 as the fever is abated with nourishing soups and port wine, 

 and, to complete the cure, give quinine, from half a grain to 

 two grains thrice a day made into a pill, with from two to five 

 grains of extract of dandelion ; cod-liver oil must then be 

 given for a month ; dose, from a teaspoonful up to one ounce 

 twice a day. I know of no more excellent remedy for weak f 

 ness of all kinds, either for grown dogs or pups, than cod-li vcr 

 oil. I invariably use the light brown ; it is the dearest, but in 

 my opinion far away the best. Dogs are often troubled wiih 

 diarrhoea, and, as it may merge into dysentery, it should be 

 Bpeedlly seen to, sspeciallyin warm weather. It is usually an ef- 

 fort of nature to expel some irritant substance from the bowels ; 

 a dose of castor-oil will, therefore, assist the action, with a few 

 drops of laudanum to ease the pain. Chalk mixtures may then 

 be given thrice a day, or oftener, and rico and milk as food. 

 When the reverse is the case, and costiveness occurs, a run 

 and a dip in the water will often effectually relieve it. If the 

 dog seems in distress administer an enema of warm water, 

 with half an ounce or more of castor oil in it. Constipation 

 in the bowels is usually produced by want of sufficient exer- 

 cise, errors in diet. When we know this we have the remedy 

 clearly set before us : Give more green food, aud more meat 

 and exercise. Medicine may relieve, but cannot cure, a con- 

 stipated habit either in man or beast. Colic is a painful af- 

 fection in the dog, and is often brought on from cold, consti- 

 pation, or the eating of indigestible food. Tho dog is uneasy, 

 constantly changing his position, and giving vent to piteous 

 howls. The indications of treatment are tw'o : ease the pain' 

 and act on the bowels. Give at once some brandy and water , 

 with from ten to twenty drops of laudanum in it, anil shortly 

 after a good close of oil, aiding its action with an enema) 1 

 Dogs, as well as their masters, suffer often from indigestion, 

 generally brought: on from lazy habits and over-indulgence of 

 too luxuriant appetites. The fault maybe the owner's; he may 

 feed the animal between meals, cram him with tit-bits, dose 

 him with daiuties, or let him gorge himself ou that grueBome 

 garbage— greasy greaves. And so the dog thrives not ; his 

 coat Blares or is in tatters, his nose is unhealthy, and his 

 sleep disturbed by fearful dreams. To cure him, feed spar 

 ingly anil rationally, give an occasional aperient, and a daily 

 dinner pill of quinine, rhubarb and taraxacum, and a bucket 

 bath every morning. I must at present pass unnoticed the 

 more serious internal inflammations, such as nephritis, bron- 

 chitis, hepatitis, pleurisy and other diseases of the lungs, as 

 well as jaundice; this latter is often as speedily 

 fatal as yellow jack itself, and proper advice shou.d 

 be sought as soon as it appears. In all acute diseases 

 you can seldom do wrong in at once getting the bowels to 

 move, applying counter-irritants to the seat of pain, aud hot 

 fomentations or the hot flat-iron, and administering repeated 

 small doses of opium by tho mouth. Mange is too well known 

 to need a description. The dog should be washed twice a 

 week, using Spratt'8 soap, and after each washing anoint with 

 the following liniment: Mix four drachms of creosote with 

 seven ounces of olive oil, and add one ounce of solution of 

 potash. Change the dog's bed often, alter l hedlet, give an occa- 

 aperient, and from three drops to eight (according to size 

 ■ (61 liquor arsenicalis twice or i hi ice a day in the food to 

 two or three weeks, unless it brings on redness of eyes j if ic 

 does, omit for a day or two, and begin again." 



