FOREST AND STREAM. 



T6d 



Ijtetaris* 



ANOUtS RECEIVED AT CINTTUL PARE MUKAGERIE F011 WEB! 



Ending Oct. 19, 1ST8.— Oils bPlted kingUsber, Ceryle alcyon, presented 

 by Mr. James p. Swain, Jr., Bronxville; six black swans, Cytrnus 

 atrai.ua, born lu Honageiie. Tuls Is the second brood of cygnets rawed 

 by the same swan this summer. One red-tailed hawk, Butto bareaUs, 

 presented by Mr. Guso Kiscbebusch, N, T. City; one collared pecoary. 

 Dimtyle* tojacu, presented by JIIss Emma L. Jucob, Maniaroncck ; one 

 gray fox, Vulpes virginianvs, presented by Mr. Harry N. Watts, N. Y. 

 City ; one American bittern, Sutaurua tentigarwtws, purchased. 



W. A. Conkijh, Director. 



Mioropteeos Saxmoideb and M. Nigricans.— Under the re- 

 vised nomenclature of Gill and Jordan, the big-mouth, Oswego, 

 or grass bass, as it is variously called, will be known as M. 

 pallidua instead of M. nigricans as heretofore. As the true 

 black bass, known as M. salmoidcs is really the darkest in 

 color, we are pleased with the change which marks the dis- 

 tinction between it and its cousin pallidum, or pale. 



—Two California squirrels have recently been turned loose 

 on Capitol Square, in Richmond, Va. They are larger and 

 stouter than the gray squirrel of Virginia. 



The Uatden Expedition. — Prof . Hayden's Surveying Ex- 

 pedition is officially reported at Washington all -well. With 

 the exception of some mules stolen from the Wilson detach- 

 ment no losses have occurred to the survey during the sum. 

 mer. He reports that the work of the survey, though inter- 

 rupted from time to time by storms, has gone on steadily, and 

 that two tons of specimens are on their way from Bozeman. 



Est Spawn. — Mr. Eugene Blackford has been exhibiting 

 this week what appeal's to be eel spawn under the microscope. 

 Prof. Baird has so pronounced it. Having fixed the spawn 

 we await the next stage in the development of this interesting 

 question of reproduction. 



Linmban Society,— The Linnean Society held its first 

 meeting of the season on Saturday evening last with a good 

 attendance. Mr. Merriam spoke of having found the past 

 spring the nest and eggs of the black-backed woodpecker, 

 Picoides articus, in Lewis County, N. Y. This is the first 

 authenticated instance of the finding of the eggs of this bird. 

 Both parents were taken. The change in the habits of the 

 horned lark (Ercmophila alpestrU) were also spoken of, they 

 being found much more abundantly in this State duriag the 

 breeding season than formerly. Mr. Osborne also related his 

 experience in finding the nest and eggs of the yellow-belly 

 fly-catcher (Ernpidonax JUivivenlris) at Grand Menan, N. B., 

 imbedded in a tusoock of moss and entirely hidden from view 

 and was only discovered by his almost stepping on it and 

 starting the female oft". Several new members were proposed, 

 and great interest was manifested in the winter's work to 

 come. The fact of two of its members having each added a 

 set of eggs before unknown to the record of science is one for 

 which they are to be congratulated. 



* — -*- — . 



Carb or Young Pigeons.— A considerate contributor sends 

 the following : 



Mb. Editor— I have made a little discovery with regard to 

 feeding young pigeons. It is entirely new to me, though it 

 may he an old story to some. A short time since, a pair of 

 my old pouters neglected one of their young, feeding only one 

 and starving the other. I was anxious to save the bird and 

 make an experiment too. I mixed some suitable food, and 

 putting it in a cup stretched over it a piece of thin rubber, 

 through which I made a hole about one-half inch in diameter. 

 After two or three attempts to feed him through the hole, 

 the youngster began to see my meaning and would gorge 

 himself finely. He was raised successfully, and I am proud 

 of my success, for the hand-fed bird is as large as the other, 

 and able to take care of himself. It is considerable trouble 

 to feed a hungry bird four or five times in a day, but it may 

 sometimes be desirable. F. W. Kitouell. 



Milburn, M. J., Oct. 17, 1878. 



"WHEN DO DEER FEED? 



October 21, 1S7S. 

 Editor Forest and Strkam : 



Let me "correct proof" In your last, where you. have Amtlote, instead 

 ol AndoU Keys; ancl then let me say In regard to the article headed 

 as above tn your last — something. Paul Cauovas, bora in St. Augus- 

 tine, and long a resident ol Jacksonville and its vicinity, was regarded 

 by all who knew him a* the best and most successful hunter of Ins day. 

 I knew him Well, aud was Telated to him by marriage. He held the 

 "Florida belief" that deer always came out from the hammocks to feed 

 at moonr.se, and killed many on their feeding grounds by moonlight. 



My own i xperieuce in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia ; 

 in New York, Pennsylvania, Maiue and Vermont; and Wesr, from 

 Illinois to the Pacific, is that tney feed when they are hungry and are ou 

 good feeding grouud. H./w many of us who used to be up early for 

 trout along the lakes aud streams in the Adrrondacks have startled 

 them at dawn as our boats dashed along the shores ? How often at 

 sunset have we watched them cropping the tender grasses on the 

 glades near by our camps. With the Editor of Fobbst and Stream 

 I hold it peculiarly as a Florida belief, because I never beard it else- 

 where. 



One word of thanks from one of the "old nns" to "H. W. D, S.," 

 whoever he may be, for his kindly words to na whose tramping, camp- 

 ing, Ashing days are nearly over, but who yet dearly Iovgs the old camp 

 Are, the song and yarn of livelier, happy dayB. Nbd Bdntline, 



In districts where deer are much hunted they feed mostly 

 at night.— Ed. 



QUESTIONS ABOUT SHORE-BIRDS. 



Boston, Mass., Oct. 14, 18TB. 



EDITOR FOREST AND STREAM : 



Having last September had a crack at the shore-birds in New Bruns- 

 wick, there are some points with regard to which I should be glad 10 

 get information. Firstly, wilh regard to the name of a bird of the 

 plover family of which I shot a great many. They were flying with the 

 golden plover, dough birds, ring necks, etc., or, rather, I slurald say, 



flying at the same ttroe— generally In buuettes of from flvo or Rix to a 

 couple of dozen, but. also a good many single ones, wblnh always made 

 a good deal of whistling— a single sharp note. They looked when dy- 

 ing more, to a ring neck than anythin? else, although somewhat 

 larger ; but when picked they were, almost 09 big as a golden p.'Over, 

 and most delicious on the table. The uiuoiml of meal on them, com- 

 pared Willi Die r apparent biimi with the feathers on s ruck me as very 

 marked. They had a short, beak ol a dark, ye lowl-h color, some black 

 about the neck, quire r. variegated imck. with rich reddish brown, bUtuk, 

 etc., and orange legs. 1 thought at first that they were chicken plover, 

 until I shot so tie ot the litter, ad -aw mat there was a difference, 

 they being larger and more black about the neck. 1 think it a r«nge 

 that a brd that Is so plenty here should have never come under my 

 observation on our coast. It I am not nils aken, when flying tuelr 

 backs look black with two white angular lines on the wings like invert- 

 ed Vs. 



There were also some birds exactly like penpR, only certainly two, if 

 not three, times as large, and very good they were. I compared the 

 two often, and could see no difference except in size; but they were 

 not mixed up together— some flocks being of tho one, some of the other 

 kind. 



One other point— Is there any (to the unscientific eye) difference, 

 except that of size, between the jack curlew and the Esquimaux curlew 

 or dough bird 1 I shot many certainly of the latter, as tney were mixed 

 up with tliegoldeu plover.aud also some that were lu flocks by themselves 

 that were nearly half as large again; but as far as plumage goes, I conld 

 seo no difference. 



Some of the golden plover had very black breasts— not ' the beetle- 

 head or blackiircast, as I got those also, aud know the difference lu 

 Bhapoof head— to say nothing of the absence ot even a rudimentary 

 joint toe in the golden plover, but undoubtedly golden plover. If I re- 

 member rightly, when I was a youngster shooting aiouud our harbor, 

 the gunners used lo say that the young birds for the first year had black 

 on their breasls. These, however, seemed always to bo the largest and 

 plumpest, If there can be any difference iu plumpness where all are 

 li. e a bait of sweet, fresh butter. 



The r.atives on the coast of New Brunswick can give no information 

 as to the different varieties, as in the Euglbh-speaking communities 

 they call all shore birds snipe or curlew, while the French lump them 

 all under the term alloucttcs (larks), and do not consider them worth a 

 charge of powder and shot. I noticed, however, that they w<re very 

 glad to get them when I got more than I and my canoemen could use. 



One more question— Is the large herou or crane that is so plenty 

 here the sime as the crane ot the Western prairies winch is said to be 

 good eating ? I was told that it was very good, but did not like the 

 looks of the meat. Doctor. 



Judging from the description of the plover mentioned in 

 our correspondent's first question, we should suppose the 

 birds to be killdeer plover (^Sginlitis vociferous) the rich 

 reddish brown of the back especially points toward that 

 species. 



The large "peeps" were perhaps Tringa Bonapartei— the 

 whiterumped s andpiper — though we should not like to say 

 positively without a fuller description. 



With regard to the Esquimaux and jack curlew, we may 

 say that size is the most apparent characteristic of the two 

 species ; otherwise they resemble each other quite closely. 



Finally, the large heron of New Brunswick is a true heron 

 (Ardea herodias), while the crane of the Western prairies is 

 equally a true crane (Grus canadensis.) In the vernacular 

 the former is called the great blue heron and the latter the 

 sandhill crane. — Ed. 



BREEDING FOR SEX. 



BY MOHICAN. 



IMPREGNATION is due to the spermatozoon (plural sper- 

 matoza) of the male vivifying the ovum (plural ova) of 

 the female. The ovaries — the organs which are removed in 

 spaying— contain the ova; these latter are given oil only at 

 the time when the bitch is in heat, and find their way from 

 the ovary through the fallopian tube lo the uterus or womb, 

 where, if impregnated, they are developed into perfect em- 

 bryos. The spermatozua arc secreted by the testicles and are 

 contained in the semiual fluid of the mule, and under the mi- 

 croscope resemble so many little tadpoles. One or more of 

 these spermatozua may be necessary to impregnate an ovum. 



Dr. Carl Weitzman has propounded the theory, that if one, 

 or possibly a few, reach an ovum, the female element will be 

 in excess, and the result a female ; if many, the opposite will 

 hold true and a male be produced. 



If coition lakes place at the beginning of "heat" the ova 

 will be at or near the ovary and few spermatozoa will reach 

 the ova; but, if coition be delayed, the ova will be further 

 down and more spermatozoa will come in contact with them. 

 Prom the foregoing we deduce the following rule : To pro- 

 duce females coition should take place at the earliest moment 

 possible ; for males it should be delayed until tho very end of 

 "heat." 



So much for theoiy ; let us see how facts bear us out. Gen- 

 tlemen have told me that if a cow is not served by a bull at 

 the earliest moment after she is found 10 be in heat, the re- 

 sult is usually a bull-calf. One of our most successful 

 breeders of blue blooded dogs, recently, in answer to my 

 question, " When do you serve your bitches ?" replied as fol- 

 lows: 



" The sixteenth day ; they usually bleed nine dajs; I wait 

 a week longer unless I want a litter of bitch pups. C. (a 

 noted breeder) once told me my idea was all humbug ; so, 

 contrary to my own judgment, formed from experience, 1 

 followed his advice and had a litter of live bitches." 



A fact which seems to me to bear out the theory, is that in 

 herds of wild animals the number of females is greatly in ex- 

 cess of the number of males. This is a provision of nature, as 

 one male can of course impregnate many females, and is to be 

 accounted for by the reason that the males servo the females 

 at the first opportunity, the exceptions occurring often enough 

 to preserve the breed. 



This rule has been tested in human beings by Dr. J. B 

 Swift, who has reported in the Boston Medical and Surgical 

 Journal, 26 Sept., 1878, twenty -two cases, in eight of which 

 the facts bear out the theory, aDd in the remaining twelve tho 

 sex was correctly predicted before delivery. Of course the 

 few cases reported are too few to furnish au unerring rule, 

 but they are very interesting and warrant lurther investiga- 

 tions, which, in regard to canines, can be easily made by the 

 owners of kennels. We should be pleased to hear from our 

 well known breeders giving their experience in the past, if 

 they have any reliable data, and from all who will take the 

 trouble to fully record any authentic cases which may occur 

 in the future. 



[We would add to " Mohican's " article above, a statement 

 that our own experience carries out the theory mentioned. 

 On one occasion we bred a bitch so late in her season that we 

 fanced wc had delayed even too long. The result was a litter 

 of six dog puppies.] 



Tennessee Field Tbiaxs. — We are requested to announce 

 that these trials will be held on Dec. 2, at Nashville, and that 

 the programme will be about the same as in 1877, including 

 trap shooting. The purses for champion, brace, puppy and 

 under twelve months, will be attractive and graded. For 

 particulars address Mr. H. Clarke Prichitt, Secretary, Nash- 

 ville, Term., from whom programmes may be had. At pres- 

 ent the judges are (unless they cannot attend): Gen. Wm. H. 

 Jackson, of Nashville, Tenn.; Gen. Churchill, of Little Rock, 

 Ark., and " Guyon" (Dr. Rawlings Young), of Corinth, Miss. 

 Birds are plentiful and perfectly protected, and entries from 

 Boston, St. Louis, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Canada, 

 Michigan and other points insure a full and enthusiastic meet- 

 ing. 



„ .». . 



HUMANE METHOD FOR DESTROYING 

 DOGS . 



AS the safety of the commtnunity requires that the house- 

 less and friendless dogs that infest our streets— the curs 

 and mongrels without character or kind— should be destroyed, 

 it behooves us that the mode by which they should be put to 

 death should be as humane as possible. The method now used 

 at the dog pound in this city is by drowning through the me- 

 dium of a large iron cage, which, after being filled wilh dogs, 

 is submerged. It is claimed that this plan is accompanied by 

 a certain amount of cruelty, although if the generally received 

 theory that death by drowning is painless, we cannot see where 

 the cruelty comes in. There are other methods in use for this 

 same purpose by which death is produced more rapidly, and 

 we are indebted to Our Dumb Animals, of Boston, for the 

 following cuts and description of the plan adopted by tho 

 Penn Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, of 

 Philadelphia and which has been in use since 1874 : 



WEST. >'o. l. 



^In this„instance~ death is caused by the use of curoonoua 

 oxide gas. 



The woodcut represents the interior of a small brck build- 

 lug, nearly square, containing two rooms, one oa the ground 

 floor and one above it. The walls on the north and east are 

 omitted in the pictures to allow a view of the inside. 



Cut No. 1 shows best the upper room (from the east side) ; 

 No. 2, the lower room (from the north side). The building is 

 12 feet 6 inches long, 11 feet wide and 12 feet high. The 

 lower room runs along the whole width of the building, 11 

 feet, and is 4 feet 5 inches broad, a partition of brick sepa- 

 rating it from the rest of the space beneath. 



At the east end (marked A) it is 2 feet 8£ inches high, its 

 roof or top being a little higher than the floor of the room 

 above ; the incline of the roof upward to the window D 

 makes that end of the room 4 feet 41 inches high ; the incline 

 was made to allow more light and an examination of the pro- 

 cess, but window D could be made lower in the new building 

 and the roof be made straight instead of Inclined. Window 

 D is 4 feet Hi inches long and 1 foot 5| inches wide. Win- 

 dows A and B are 3 feet 5i inches long, and 2 feet 6 inches 

 wide ; each of these windows has a dash of glass, and one of 

 wire; the sashes lift in and out. Window C ou (he top is 1 

 foot 4 inches square. The floor is of brick, and the (loir, 

 ends and sides are covered with cement to make the room air- 

 tight. 



I 



