204 



FOREST AND STREAM* 



sects, heed Dot 1he carping sparrow-hawks, wo will protect 

 thee, and, moreover, give thee all the grain thy plucky little 

 body needs to keep up thy great soul in thy little person, 

 Thou art indeed the friend of man. 



Robebt B. Roosevelt. 

 ^ — .. 



Ha.be Pish — Editor Forc.it and Stream : Within the last 

 week I have carefully examined a specimen of one of our 

 Tare fishes, taken on this coast, which was received for the 

 Provincial Museum by its vigilant curator, Piofessor Honey- 

 man. It proves to be the Aspidophoroides ■monoptarygius of Cu v. 

 and Val. Its total length i.s four inches and two lines; diameter 

 of its body at its widest part, the origin of the pectorals, 4J 

 lines. Hardly anything appears tobe known of the habits of this 

 flslt, and even the recorded descriptions of American authors 

 appear to have been made from mutilated specimens. De 

 Kay. who copies from Storer, mentions the existence of a 

 smaller spine posterior to the two nasal ones, which is absent 

 in our Halifax specimen. Gimthcr (Cal. of Fishes Vol. II. p. 

 316) grants two spines only to the isolate species he describes 

 from Greenland, and ho also gives sis aDal rays, which our 

 specimen possesses, while the Massachusetts specimen appears 

 to have, according to Storer, four, and De Kay, five. I am 

 inclined to believe that a specific difference exists between 

 the Massachusetts and Greenland specimens. 



Halifax,, 1ST. S, J. Matthew Jones. 



Three-Legged Bikds. — We noticed some weeks ago a 

 three-legged bird, received at a popular restaurant in this 

 city. The London Field has just seen a three-legged chicken, 

 and a three-legged goose has .been exhibited in a London 

 market. These malformations, which are not of extreme ra- 

 rity, are accounted for upon the theory that they come from 

 double-yolked eggs. One yolk is perfectly developed and the 

 other only partially so. It's rather rough on the undeveloped 

 bird. 



—At a late Agricultural Unicn Fair, held at Lake City, 

 Minn., Dr. D. C. Bates, a naturalist and sportsman of that 

 city, was awarded ten first premiums for the following exhi- 

 bitions: Taxidermy, Indian relics, concohology and ento- 

 mology. Also for tine aquarium with specimens of Lake 

 Pepin fish, an exhibition of Bplit bamboo fishing-rods, and a 

 large collection of artificial flies. 



Bkookltn Entomological Society. — This society was 

 organized in 1872 with only five members, the same number- 

 ing to-day ov-3r thirty active coleopterists and leidopterists. 

 The society has acquired a fine cabinet containing about two 

 thousand accurately determined beetles (Coteoptera) from all 

 parts of the United States and Canada, and a valuable collec- 

 tion of entomological publications. The meetings of the 

 Society are at No.'O Broadway, Brooklyn, E D., on the first 

 Saturday of every month. The Society publishes a monthly 

 Bulletin, the first number of which "appeared in May, this 

 year. The contents of the Bulletin are: 1. Practical hints for 

 Collecting Insects ; 2. Raising the Larvae of Beetles in Breed- 

 ing Cages; 3. Raising Larvte of Butterflies; 4. A List An- 

 nouncing the New Publications of the American Entomologi- 

 cal Society of Philadelphia; 5. Synoptic Tables of Genera 

 and Species made by Dr. Horn, of Philadelphia. 



Nesting of Ctjokoos — Editor Forest and Stream : A pair 

 of black-billed cuckoos (Coccyjus erythropliilialmus) nested 

 on the banks of the Northwest Arm this summer, and the 

 eggs were taken by W. G. Morrow. This is the first instance 

 known of the nidification of this species in the neighborhood 

 of Halifax. J. Matthew Jones. 



Halifax, N. S. 



The White Elephant of Siam. — That White Elephant 

 of Siam has just died again. A procession of thirty vessels, 

 etc., etc. Long live the white elephant of Siam. 



Animals Keceived at the Philadelphia Zoological Gardens foe 

 the Week Ending: Oct. 5.— Fonr hog-nosed snakes, Betarodon platy- 

 rhinos; one garter-snake, Mtitomia sirtalis parietalU; one opossum, 

 Didelphys virgintuna ; two gray lizards, Scelopones undulatue ; one black 

 gaake. Bascanion conxtricMr ; one water saake. Tropidowtus rluombifer; 

 one quail, 0> tyx virginianus ; oue uillk snake, Coluber obsoletm eonfinis; 

 two land tortoises, Tcstudo tabulata ; one gray squirrel, Sciurus caroli- 

 rtensis, all presented. One brindled gnu, Catoblepus gorgon; two 

 whooping cranes, Urus americanu* ; two sandhill cranes, Grns mna- 

 detuis; One weeper capnehin, Cebus capucinus; one red coatl, Xasua 

 TWtrwa,* one pair hoopoes, Upupa epopsi one Jackdaw, Census ttkmw- 

 dula, all purchased. Two elk, Cervus canadensis, born in the garden. 

 Abthuk E. Brown, sjupt. 



RETRIEVERS. 



Tit rievcr proper, that is, the land retriever, is a dog 

 almost unknown in this country, for the reason that 

 our setters and pointers are. broken to perform the duty of 

 fetching game as well as pointing it. So many changes of 

 late, however, cooio o'er the spirit of the sportsman's dream 

 that it is not impossible, that we may yet adopt the retriever 

 as a portion of the field equipage. There arc times and sea- 

 sons when he is undoubtedly of value. For instance, we have 

 shot snipe (abroad, tobe sure,)when they were so abundant that 

 a setter was not only useless but rather in the way, while the 

 little curly-coated retriever who kept at heel until a bird was 

 grassed was invaluable. The question as to whether the fact 

 of retrieving dead game affects a dog's nose is one admitting 

 of too much discussion to be entered into here, although we 

 are of the opinion that the quality of the dog3 used in shoot- 

 ing in this country, and which are almost invariably taught 

 to retrieve, effectually disposes of the question. Still, we 

 expect to some day see the retriever come into fashion. He 

 makes a splendid companion on an excursion of uny kind. 

 As to his qualifications, Mr. Colqnhoun, in his capital book, 

 "The Moor and the Loch," says that they combine a very 

 soft mouth, unflinching '.courage in water, perseverance on. 



land "never to lay down game, howevev heavy or far to 

 carry, and mild, tractable temper." A dog gifted with these 

 requisites must be trained entirely by kindness. This rule 

 should never be forgotten. Severity may sometimes be 

 needed to restrain an impetuous, headstrong pointer or setter, 

 but so much depends on a retriever's own will and willing- 

 ness that any dog requiring harsh breaking had better be at 

 once dismissed. Some time ago, Mr. Colquhoun remarks, n 

 hasty gamekeeper near Edinburgh got a practical lesson from 

 his dog, which he would remember better than the soundest 

 scolding his master could have given. He dropped a partridge 

 with his first barrel, wounding another, which fell out of 

 bounds, with his second. The dog retrieved the first bird, 

 but not having perceived that the othev was hit too, only 

 wagged his tail with an expressive look at the dead partridge 

 when ordered to fetch its neighbor. The keeper losing 

 patience, gave him a flogging. For weeks, although most 

 willing and efficient in collecting the dead M wounded for 

 any one else, the sagacious creature obstinately refused to re- 

 ceive game killed by one who so rewarded his efforts. The 

 keeper, fully aware of his mistake, tried his utmost by kind- 

 ness to regain the dog's confidence, but whether or not he 

 succeeded we are not informed. 



A writer in a recent issue of the London Fanmrti' Gazette 

 gives the following hints as to how a retriever should be 

 trained : 



First of all make your dog know you as his friend as well as 

 his master ; and 1 may here repeat what has often been re- 

 marked before, and what everybody, I dare say, knows, that 

 there is nothing you can do for a dog that goes to Ills heart so 

 soon as giving bitn liberty. Always unchain him yourself, 

 and he will always look up to you as his greatest benefactor. 

 I have not space to enter at any length into the whole sub- 

 ject of the education of the dog, my object is rather to give 

 hints with the hope that they may be found capable of being 

 put into practical execution. There is a great deal to be 

 done before you should take your dog into the field with the 

 guns. And here the question naturally presents itself, when 

 is he ready to go into the "field ?"— the answer to which is, 

 when he is obedient; when he will "eeelt" when told to do 

 so, and readily bring the object of his search; and when he 

 will at all times, and uuder all circumstances, " down charge" 

 directly the hand is held up. This is very important, as it 

 acts as a check upon too high spirits, aud is" a means of steady- 

 ing the dog when apt to get wild. You must be very strict 

 in your teaching tins lesson, aud, if necessary, severe. If he 

 gets up after being told to " down charge," take him back to 

 the place he came from as many times as he moves from it, 

 until he lies still, and is told to do otherwise. 



In your lessons take care never to weary the dog; it must 

 be a pleasure, and not a toil. Never play with him, or allow 

 him to play with anything whi'.e you are instructing him, or 

 he will make but an indifferent retriever. Always, by hiding 

 a glove, or dropping a glove for him to go back "for. develop 

 as" far as you can those faculties with which the dug is so 

 largely endowed, "instinct" or "reason," so called, but 

 which we would prefer to call " memory." And now having 

 made your dog obedient, take him into the "field" alone by 

 yourself, and be very careful with him, for much will depend 

 upon this day. ¥ou must meet with severity such flagrant 

 faults as chasing fur and hunting up and i hen chasing winged 

 game, the latter you should never even give him the chance 

 of doing. When you lull a bird, walk quietly up to the 

 spot where you think the bird fell, and wheu within a few 

 yards of it, let the dog search for it, steadily aud quietly. 

 Wnen he has found the bird, call htm and walk away, he is 

 sure to follow you, take tho bird from him, bag it, and caress 

 him. Never play with him by throwing the bird for him to 

 bring again, for he knows as well as you do that such child's 

 play is sheer nonsense. Be quiet and steady yourself, for ex- 

 citability is catching, and quickly reciprocated by the dog. 

 When you have a winged bird down, be careful never to 

 hurry your dog. The bird will not run far before it hides 

 somewhere. I have noticed — and I may speak on this sub- 

 ject with every claim to he heard — that when "runners " are 

 lost in turnips they will, in nine cases out of ten. li. in.. 

 when the field is walked through again, and frequently close 

 to the spot where they were lost— the loss being owing to the 

 dog being hurried, and lifted and helped, ff the bird is not 

 where he was known to have fallen, then let the dog hunt in 

 circles, widening them gradually ; this he will soon learn to 

 do of his accord. When he hits off the trail, and settles down 

 to it, be quiet, and watch him. If he does not "settle " to it, 

 walk in the direction he appears to "wind" the bird, which 

 has probably gained the fence if there is one near. You had, 

 however, much better not take that for granted. When your 

 dog is hunting for a winged bird, after a few casts of his own, 

 he frequently gets invigorated by his fancied liberty, and 

 turns wild. Here I can offer a hint which is simple, and its 

 after effects never lost. As soon as he shows any symptoms 

 of wildness, throw at him a stone, stick, clod, or anything 

 that comes to hand (not viciously, but as a reminder), this 

 will bring him to his senses in no time, for there is nothing 

 that the dog dreads so much as a stone. The utility of this 

 method is twofold. 



1st. It has the desired effect of bringing him to his senses. 



2d. It has the effect of making the dog keep his eves upon 

 his master, a habit he will maintain throughout life, and n 

 valuable one too, for when he becomes old and deaf, he will 

 be able to work by signs instead of sounds, which is of course 

 the perfection of the art. 



Always make your dog find wounded game if possible, 

 however much patience it may require on your part. Always 

 shoot for the sake of the dog, and not for the bag ; the reason 

 why keepers seldom train dogs perfectly is that they always 

 shoot for the bag, aud never for the dog. They always forget 

 that the dog is more valuable than a wounded bird or wounded 

 here, and even these they are more likely to get if they do 

 not hurry the dog. Never overlook a fault ; always be 

 patient. Always treat your dog consistently, reproving faults, 

 praising good deeds. Never send him after crippled ground 

 game until out of sight; and keep him from trausgressing as 

 far as you can, always remembering as your motto that a good 

 dog U one that does what he is told to do, and does not do 

 anything that he is not told to do. 



— The concluding paragraph of a short article in our last 

 issue, entitled " Dogs, Sporting and Domestic," should prop- 

 erly have been placed after another headed, "Dog Pointing a 

 Stone." 



For Forest and Stream and Sod arid Gun. 

 AY-AB, AN ARAB DOG. 



T WAS convalescent in Cairo in 1870. My time of anxiety 

 x was gone. No longer kind friends were solieii 

 my health. My hacking cough, my feebleness, n i , 

 lion had passed away. The delightful Cai rem: wil 

 given me new strength and hope. I was told that I had been 

 saved from the jaws of death. My first ride in a close car- 

 riage, propped up with cushions, gave mo the ion e 

 new life. There are many good Maltese servants in Cairo 

 and Jaconio was a typical coachman. I fancy he had been 

 early in service in Malta, in some English family, as he had 

 all the ways and manners of an intelligent English groom. 

 From his former English master, who was an o'fflc: : 

 as I afterward learned, he had absorbed some idea of what 

 was a good dog. "When my old mister go shooting in 

 Malta he always take me. Oh! miss, such 

 pinntare. De dog of Cairo not. worth powder and shot to kill 

 him. What for good Cairo dog? Only to eat bone. Mfes 

 say she want Cairo dog; mauwi.i chien. Have mi 

 hang his tail between bis leg, no come when you 

 Say you find dog, nobody buy dog in Cairo; wha 

 with him, miss? Ynuashanic to carry him away with you, 



— you t 



poor brute. Do nothing Cairo dog but bite and snap and 

 show him teeth." 



While Jacomo was with us he had always on his English 

 slop. Sometimes as a philologist, Jacomo's organ was attuned 

 to French, Italian, German, Arabic or Lingua Franeu, as the 

 necessity presented itself. 



I had expressed my determination to our coachman to have 

 an Egyptian dog, a pet of some kind, and Jacomo objected to 

 it. But a dog I would have, and at last I became the owner 

 of a IhiD, scraggy and poor puppy. 



" If miss," said Jacomo, "make up her mind to have dog, 

 I get miss leetle dog before he know bad treeks. if miss 

 want Maltese dog, pug dog, spaniel, I get him. Plenty nice 

 dog in Cairo, dog of gentleman and lady, not mean, poor 

 street dog." 



But it was the poor, much abused street dog I wanted. 

 Ay-ab was brought mc in a basket of plaited reeds, lil 

 Moses, when he was four month old, a true Arab dog of low 

 degree. True to his instinct when I first ventured to be 

 familiar with him, though not inclined to be snappish, he 

 would have nothing to do with me. In fact, tho want of 

 sympathy between man aud dog, as shown in Eygpt, wasquite 

 positive in Ay-ab. It was some lime before he even ventured 

 to wag his tail with emotional instinct. Ouce started in this 

 education of his better faculties, Ay-ab's improvement was 

 rapid. Determined that he should love me and obey me, I 

 never allowed any one, for quite a long time, to feed him. If 

 I have stated that Ay-ab's improvement was rapid, I must ac- 

 knowledge that, with a woman's prevailing jealousy, I was 

 pleased to see that the dog's liking was for me alone, Mv 

 father he could bear on suff rauce, but my brothers he despised. 

 With some of the native, servanis it was different, 

 allow them to care for him, but he absolutely repulsed their 

 caresses. Ay-ab, in the presence of those ho disliked, was an 

 abject cm-. He would slouch into some corner, with his head 

 toward his aversion, and generally howl ; he never barked. 



■lyto 

 ■ Ay- 

 :Ould 



I human 

 his own 



This howling was terribly ear-splitting and annoy it 

 burst outat anytime. Entilhe wasayearold, Iseei 

 ab to lie his only protector, and when in trouble I he 

 keep him away from me. In time I got him to be q 

 and affectionate, and by degrees his animosity towi 

 beings was only individual, and not general. But f 

 kind he indulged in a special hatred. Even when a puppy, 

 seated at my low window, when a brother of his passed, the 

 hair on his back would stand on end, and, curling his tips, he 

 would show his nascent fangs. Coward as he was with hu- 

 man beings, he was bravery itself with his own ap 

 unless secured by a chaiu he never went out without a light. 

 Now. there are two kinds of dogs in Cairo, tho larger one re- 

 sembling the Constantinople breed, and the smaller peeuliai 

 to Egypt. Between the pictures of tho dog as found on the 

 old monuments and the present race, those who have studied 

 the forms of animals declare there is a great difference. The 

 animal of Cairo is of a coarser type, and with sharper eammd 

 a heavier body. Mariette Bey has promised my father to have 

 a critical examination made of a mummy dog, in order to 

 compare it anatomically with the animal oi ti 



But to return to Ay-ab. It was along time before he 

 took to civilized ways, and more than once 1 had a hard time 

 in fighting for him. A dozen times it was decided on that he 

 should be turned into the street. I declare tu-duy that there 

 is no such amiable animal in the world as Ay-ab, and I never 

 had so docile and intelligent a creature. When I left Egypt 

 for the United States Ay-ab came with us. Should the editor 

 of the Fobbst and Stbbam ever come to our country, to a 

 certain quiet old homestead, as ho opens the gate to the 

 avenue he will see a good-sized dog, recalling no canine type 

 he ever saw, watching him closely from the veranda. Ay-ab 

 will not bark at him, but will give two or three prolonged 

 yelps. Should you endeavor to pat him, as you are a stranger, 

 he will evade you. He is not familiar, and" will not lie pro- 

 pitiated. When you are fairly at the door he will jump 

 through the window and bolt straight to me, and inform me 

 as plain as can be that some one he has never seen before is 

 about to pay me a viBit. His loyalty to me is immense. Ay-ab 

 takes to colored people much more readily than he does to 

 whites. Once we took Ay-ab into the woods about ten miles 

 from the house, and he found a deer. In an instant the dog 

 was on the trail, and some lady friends who are familiar with 

 hunting declared that ho ran as swift as a deer-hound, but 

 made no noise. As I am writing this Ay-ab has come in. I 

 have a letter from Cairo just received by the la.st mail. 

 show it to Ay-ab, and say in my best Arabic, " Good dog ; 

 but he has been so long away from the shadow of the Pvramids 

 that he has lost his appreciation of the language, lie" replies, 

 however, by putting his paws on the table, looking at mo with 

 his dark eyes, and whining piteously, his manuer of showing 

 affection for me. Maut. J. 



Near Danville, Va. 



The Pbofeb Food foe Dogs. — We are of the opinion that 

 the noses of a very large number of dogs are spoiled by feed- 

 ing them too much meat, particularly when young. "Stone- 

 lienge," and other authorities, strongly advocate the most 

 sparing use of meat, and then only iu the shape of broth, in 

 which meal or biscuit should be boiled. When young does 

 once become accustomed to meat it is exceedingly difficult to 

 get them to eat anything else, and the only ooursa to pursue 



