FOREST AND STREAM. 



339 



gun '. and spare the flugerlings, lover of the rod! And ro 

 shall thy days end in quiet, peace and happiness, and thou 

 Buftlt not "sie red" in the rosy hours of (he mom, nor 

 " dream black " in the still, solemn watches of the night. 



The Count during all our morning's sport had been unusu- 

 ally taciturn- he, who was the vevyVml of all loquacity ; for, 

 except an occasional Sacre, when a bfg fellow would get 

 away, or a suppressed milts L>nn±res when they took off his 

 minnow, he stood stern and silent on his log. 



Myself (loq.) — " My dear Count, you do not seem to enjoy 

 your angllug mis morning. What is the matter ?" 



Count — "Ah I my dear young frent, it makes the feeling 

 of sad over me to think that this beautiful stream runs not in 

 La Belle France, where so many would enjoy these big baas, 

 these gay perch, all of colors the. most beautiful." 



Laughing at the unexpected turn which the Count's patri- 

 otism had taken this morning, I proposed, as we had a 'walk 

 of four miles over the roughest ground in all Kentucky, that 

 we return to camp. Bill shouldered the fish in a large corn 

 sack, the Count his Wesley Richards, and I the rods, and so 

 up the river to our camp. Being considerably in advance of 

 the rest, on turning a sharp bend in the stream I saw a large 

 clump of teal, which were gaily disporting themselves in a 

 still shallow on our own side. Stopping, with monitory 

 finger on lip, I motioned to the Count to come to me. He 

 hail insisted before we started on loading his gun with buck- 

 shot, for "fear of an encounter of buck," and now, drawing 

 the charge as quickly as possible, T poured into each harrel 

 about a half handful of No. (5 shot— a supply of wliich Bill 

 had brought with him— and telliug the Count to creep to a 

 large red oak, about forty yards from the birds. I waited with 

 much interest the denouement. 



The meluucholy exul-jnitriii. oi the morning was now trans- 

 formed into the experienced, enthusiastic duck-hunter. 

 Throwing off his broad Panama hat, the Count threw him- 

 self llal on the ground and worked his way up the oak from 

 which he was to shoot. Raising himself on his knees, he 

 poised the heavy gun— and fired. Heavens I what a roar! 

 Never had I thought that a shotgun could crack go loud. 

 Running up to the oak I found the Count lying on his back, 

 ihes o\ser his head. With the aid 

 Ling posture. Rubbing his hand 

 cad and anathematizing all the 

 this special one in particular, in 

 rered enough from his disjointed 

 ! situation. 



aun for the, "encounter of buck'' 

 full charges of powder, and [ 



t the I 



gazing vacantly 

 of Bid f raised mm to 

 ruefully og i b toj oi 

 duck gnus in the work 

 the choicest, Ffi 

 statements to understai 



The Count in loadio, 

 in the morning had pul 



had put in more than that quantity "of loose shot, and, of 

 coarse, when the gun was tired, she resented the overcharges, 

 ami, jumping like un femmt d/'ahle, had landed on the crown 

 of the head or the kneeling shooter. 



-A contusion about the size of a walnut and a gen- 

 eral haziness for about fifteen minutes. 



So soon as I could speak for the suppressed laughter which 

 secerned almost killing me, I offered him my condolence in 

 the politest French that I could muster, but'thc exile from 

 sunny France evidently looked upon himself aa a victim of a 

 deep conspiracy between myself and the innocent Bill. 



However, when that sable son of Africa returned, bearing 

 the spods of that lucky shot, the good-natured Count forgave 

 me instantly, and, with Rome gioonry misgivings, Bill als-o. 



There they lay, ten fine, fat blue-wing teal, those which, if 

 served with a sprinkling of lemon and their own gravy, no 

 better bird flies. Once more we wended our way to camp, 

 and, arriving there, found the Doctor skinning a noble buck, 

 which had fallen to his unerring aim. 



Soon the rest of the party came straggling in with some 

 turkeys adding to our list of game. 



I could tell how the fat, fat deer and the red, red wine dis- 

 appeared that night. I could chronicle how the valiant Gaul, 

 after many heavy potations and being reminded of his mis- 

 hap of the morning, challenged the Doctor to mortal combat, 

 on the spot ; how Pete fell into the river, being enticed to do 

 so by a baleful trap laid by the innocent-looking Bill ; how 

 the lawyer aueKhe two farmers shot at a spot, by torchlight ; 

 all this and much more could this veracious historian chronicle, 

 but Apollo plucks his ear and reminds him that Fo&bst akd 

 Btheam is a sporting paper, and not a literary magazine. 



As one day in camp is very like another, 1 shall end this 

 pleasant reminiscence of old timas by saying that we all got 

 baca safe to the haunts of civilization, bringing back as rich 

 spoil two deer and a number of turkeys. 01 fish, I need say 

 no more than that we had all we could eat while in camp, 

 and of ducks, abundance. 



Are they gi 

 Count? it v 

 through thes 

 depths by tin 



Yes, they a 



lllf:,:l U 



3 big-he 



'led Doctor and the mercurial 

 is but just now that they were here walking 

 pages with me, evoked from memory's mystic 

 magic of my old steel pen. 

 d hundreds of others are gone before. May I 

 the unknown hereafter, knowing and loving 

 them better, if possible, than I did on earth. 

 Fraternally, 



;Vfe, 6a., Sept. 30, 1S78, 



St. Clair. 



For Forest and Stream and Mod and Oun. 

 SIALIA: THE STORY OF A BLUEBIRD. 



SHORTLY after noon of a beautiful June day, many years 

 pgo, the writer of this article started forth, as was his 

 custom in his unregenerate youth and before the game law 

 was amended, in search of adventures and birds' eggs ; but 

 principally birds' eggs. 



He had not gone far when be saw seated upon a branch of 

 an ancient pear tree a motherly-looking bluebird, with an ap- 

 parently well-behaved family of three. He no sooner saw 

 this beautiful family group than he determined to possess 

 one of its members, and immediately proceeded to carry this 

 determination into effect. 



As they were out of reach, they must be started from their 

 position before anything could possibly bo done. This was 

 easily accomplished, and while the parent bird piloted two of 

 them away in safety the other, probably a fast youth who was 

 impatient of parental control, took another direction, de- 

 termined, apparently, to shift for himself. But he found, as 

 many another in his position has found, that he lacked 

 strength and experience. 



He flew a short distance, hotly pursued by his prospective 

 captor; but his strength soon failed him and he was con- 

 strained to alight, which, from inexperience, he did in a rather 



awkward manner. Striking upon his feet, he fell forward and 

 turned completely over before he came to a perfect under- 

 standing of his position. But he was not to be taken yet, and 

 immediately launched out upon another flight, shorter than 

 the first. His manner of alighting was very similar to that 

 already described ; but he was now too much exhausted to at- 

 tempt another flight. Casting his eye about him he saw a 

 large oak leaf, under which he immediately thrust his head, 

 and imagined, in his simplicity, that he was safe from all 

 danger; but he was mistaken. He was so large, or, more 

 properly, the leaf was so small, that the. greater portion of his 

 body was left, exposed. He was picked up tenderly and care- 

 fully, and, with his prize securely held, the captor fled away 

 at more than ordinary speed ('wishiug to avoid being himself 

 captured), as, in the excitement of the chase, he had been led 

 into the back -yard of a crusty neighbor, who would probably, 

 had he known the facia, have taken measures that might have 

 resulted in mutual dissatisfaction. 



w_ Sialia was duly installed in a large cage, and his captivity 

 commenced. For a long time he was very disconsolate, and 

 seemed in danger of going into a decline ; but the elastic 

 spirits of youth triumphed, and he forgot his earlier days and 

 settled down contentedly to his new life. Perhaps the attain- 

 ment of this happy state of feeling was hastened by the intro- 

 duction between the bars of his cage of a few of the creeping 

 things of earth. It may be here remarked that the quantity 

 of food which would disappear into that cavernous opening in 

 his head, commonly called a mouth, was wonderful— even 

 fearful— to contemplate. He grew constantly in size and 

 beauty— and certainly there was abundant opportunity for im- 

 provement in the latter respect, a young bluebird being only 

 second in ugliness to a young robin. 



His life was uneventful and apparently happy for a time ; 

 but one day, while upon another predatory expedition, a gold- 

 finch's nest was discovered, and after some trouble one of the 

 young was secured and borne homeward. This infant, to- 

 gether with another of the same species, taken a few days be- 

 fore, was put in charge of Sialia, to be educated and reared in 

 the way they should go. 



Upon their being placed in the cage with him he seemed for 

 a time to be at a loss as to how he should conduct himself, and 

 from time to time he cast curious glances from the corners of 

 his eyes toward these (to him) strange birds. Cut this con- 

 straint on his part soon wore off. After sitting quietly for a 

 time — no doubt meditating and coming to the conclusion that 

 these new companions of his would be his rivals in the atten- 

 tion of his friends, and being moved by jealousy — he com- 

 menced, at first cautiously, and then boldly, to crowd them 

 toward the end of the perch. As he was much the largest of 

 the three, he soou had them in uncomfortably close quarters, 

 so close, indeed, that one of the finches, in fear of beiug 

 crushed, pushed through between the wires of the cage and 

 flew aimlessly about the room. It was soon caught, however, 

 and returned to the cage. Finding that this manner of pro- 

 ceeding would afford him no permanent relief, he refrained 

 from any further practice of it, and they lived as peacefully as 

 might be under the circumstances. In fact, after a tune,' he 

 came to take great interest in their welfare : aud to prevent 

 them from injuring themselves by over-eating, as in their 

 youthful carelessness they were liable to do, he would gorge 

 himself nearly to bursting. But he was not accurate in his 

 calculations as to the amount which a finch should eat, and it 

 was found advisable to separate the finches from Sialia. 



He f ouud great pleasure in playing with pins, and he was 

 frequently with difficulty prevented from swallowing them 

 and thus bringing himself loan untimely end. He always re- 

 sisted these precautionary efforts in his behalf, and protested 

 loudly aud volubly upon every such occasion. 



He one day escaped from his cage and took a prominent 

 position on the top of a neighboring tree. OE course the first 

 thought, was how to get him back to his cage. Nothing would 

 induce him to return until a piece of bread soaked in water — 

 his favorite food— was temptingly displayed before him, when 

 he immediately descended and allowed himself to be caught 

 and returned to his captivity. 



If petted and handled often he became quite fearless, but if 

 neglected for a few days his wild nature asserted itself, and 

 he woidd grow suspicious of every one who approached him. 

 Sometimes, in his more trustful mode, he would carefully push 

 himself into the pocket or sleeve of the person who was hold- 

 ing him, and seemed not in the least disconcerted at the 

 strange quarters in which ho found himself. 



The cat, which was full-grown when Sialia was first caught, 

 became accustomed to seeing him, and at last took hardly auy 

 notice of him ; but ho never failed to notice her when she 

 ga v e 1 1 i m an opportunity. The cage was frequently left upon 

 the floor or upon a low chair, and if the cat passed near 

 enough her tail was almost certain to get a pinch, which made 

 her in time come to consider that neighborhood an unpleasant 

 one. 



His door being one day left open he appeared unexpectedly 

 at the dinner table, or, rather, upon the table. He immedi- 

 ately helped himself to that which stood nearest, which, un- 

 fortunately, happened to be salt. This evidently did not suit 

 his taste, for he sprung back a short distance while a look of 

 astonishment and wonder spread itself over his expressive 

 countenance. Then ho commenced a series of backward 

 movements rouud and round that salt dish, shaking his head 

 violently in his efforts to fiee his bill from the salt, particles 

 of which still clung to it. At another time he inadvertently 

 took a sip of hot tea, and afterward he was very cautious how 

 he tasted anything with which he was not familiar. 



It was his usual custom to keep very late hours, eating and 

 amusing himself by lamplight at any time, between the hours 

 of nine and twelve in the evening. He took great pleasure in 

 catching flies about the room in the daytime or evening, as 

 the case might be— it seemed to make little difference with 

 him. He would perch upon a finger and allow himself to be 

 carried from place to place in search of pre3 f . Upon being 

 placed in reach of an insect he would immediately seize it and 

 swallow it with evident relish. If the fly was beyond the 

 reach of the person holding him he would leave his position 

 /rand fly up to the place which it occupied, and 

 after disposing of it would return to the perch. Of course he 

 always had better success in the evening, because while ho 



" ■ ' ,fc perfectly well by lamplight the flies were not so 

 fortunate, and fell an easy prey. 



His fate is si ill a mystery. One morning in the early Bum- 

 "•■■■■'', ■■' !■ ■'■ hi had been with us for but little more than a 

 year, we found his cage door partly opened, and Sialia was 

 not inside. Wfe never saw him again. The cage stood near 

 an open window, aud it is possible that, finding his door open 

 or having opened it himself, he passed out, through it and the 

 open window to freedom, or perhaps to death, wliich latter is 

 probable from his inexperience to take care of himself. 



C. F. Eaele, 



For Forest and Stream and Sod and. Bun. 

 HIGGINS' SINGLE-BARREL PIGEON 

 MATCH. 



TJ IS name was Higgins, and he came running into the 

 J- J- office to say that a blue pigeon had flown in through 

 the broken window on the third floor, and he wanted to know 

 if he might not go up there and catch it. We assented, and 

 went along to see the fun. Armed with an old broom, to- 

 gether we repaired to the scene of action. On one aide of the 

 room reclined a whisky barrel, while a dozen bales of cotton 

 were ranged near the wall opposite. Above the barrel the 

 pigeon was discovered clinging bat-like to the wall near the 

 rafters. Broom in hand, Higgins cautiously poised himself 

 on the barrel aud aimed a blow at the bird that would moat 

 infallibly have settled him had the barrel remained firm ; but 

 it shot from under him, and, instead of bringing down the 

 pigeon, Higgins himself was brought down, floored by whis- 

 ky, aa it were. We, the umpire, scored "no bird." Tho 

 pigeon laft his resting-place, and, after circlinc round the 

 room a few times, perched on a bale of cotton. Hiegius 

 picked himself up, and, brushing off the dust, tried it again. 

 To reach the prey he lifted himself on top of a bale of cotton, 

 on which the dust of two months had gathered. Crawling cau- 

 tiously along on hands and knees, he approached the pigeon, 

 which calmly awaited his coming. It seemed so tame we be- 

 sought him to take it alive, and, as it was our warehouse, he 

 laid aside his broom and reached out his hand to grasp the un- 

 suspecting victim ; but he had no salt to put on its tail, and as 

 he clutched at it the bird Hew again, while we, in the language 

 of a colored base-ball player, called out, "Johnsing, why 

 don't you cotch him on tho flew?" He was mad now, for it 

 was hot and dirty work climbing along the cotton, and as ho 

 descended with the broom, and rushed toward where the 

 pigeon had again alighted, he gave vent to his feelings in 

 language which, tnougti not celestial, might under the cir- 

 cumstances be termed "pigeon English." This time he 

 hurled the broom at the bird with terrific violence, but missed 

 him again. The pigeon was now roused, and flew round and 

 round the room, while Higgins chased him, striking at him 

 in the wildest way. it, had become a question of endurance, 

 when suddenly the bird hethough him of the broken window 

 by which he had entered, and out he flew, leaving Higgins to 

 brush off the dust and wish himself a "canny Scot," that he 

 might cut the pigeon wing and thus curtail his flight. 



Sniosbv. 



_ MASsAonusKTTs— Gloucester, Nov. 15.— The Fish Commis- 

 sion secured some two millions of codfish eggs Wednesday, 

 and put them into the hatching cones. Everything promises 

 a successful opportunity for thoroughly testing the practica- 

 bility of artificially hatching the eggs of the codfish. 



MabtI/AND.— Thirty thousand salmon have been deposited 

 in the Elk River tributaries, and fifteen thousand in the Ches- 

 ter River at Milington. 



\ Honob to Wuom Honob is Due.— It is not of at all un- 

 common occurrence that credit is given where it does not be- 

 long, and that one man receives a reward for the success of 

 another man's work. An instance in point has just come to 

 our notice. In a letter to the London Field of the 2d inst. 

 a correspondent writing of the piscicullural prize recently 

 awarded among the annual prizes of the French Acclimatiza, 

 tion Society, says : 



The next recipient on the list is M. Tellier, whose services 

 consisted in constructing an apparatus suitable for the trans- 

 port ef Salmoouinnat ova from California to Europe; the 

 thought and care he bestowed on the same having done much 

 to insure the safe arrival of the last consignment of eggs, and 

 thus render possible tho introduction of Californiari saltnon 

 into French waters. The apparatus in question is composed 

 of two wooden boxes, situated one within the other, the in- 

 tervening space beiug filled with powdered cork. The ova, 

 having a layer of ice above and below it, occupies the centra 

 of the inner box, and a few small holes in Hie latter allow the 

 ice water to escape. Thanks to this cautious arrangement, 

 the temperature remained during the whole voyage at abouj 

 38 deg. Fahr.; incubation was retarded, and the eggs did not 

 hatch out till some time after their arrival in Paris! 



Commenting upon this in the next issue of the Field, our 

 esteemed friend Fred Mather good naturedly says : 



Part of the above is not only news to me, but very funny 

 news, as I brought the eggs over, and never saw nor heard of 

 the box described j nor had any suggestions from any person 

 in France upon the subject, nor have 1 told any one the tern- 

 parature at which they were kept, which, instead of 36 dog., 

 was 42 deg. The facts are these : Last year Professor Baird, 

 the United States Commissioner on Fish and Fisheries, wished 

 to make a shipment of eggs of the California salmon (On- 

 corJiyncTtUS auhatnl , to Europe, and I was selected to accom- 

 pany them. They were packed in moss in California by Mr. 

 Livingston Stone, and I proposed to re-pack them in New 

 York in a box containing a number of flannel trays, with an 

 ice chamber on top. Mr. Stone was Tearful that the exposure 

 to the air in repacking might hasten the development; and, 

 as it was a question of responsibility, I only packed 25,000 in 

 the refrigerator, and these were the only ones saved. My box 

 had several faults : The eggs would roll on the trays if the 

 box was tipped up, and the cold air did not; get down to the 

 bottom. This year Herr Von Behr, Prest. of the Deutsche 

 Fischerei Verein, ordered 250,000 egg.s, on condition that I 

 should re-pack and accompany them. 1 then arranged tho 

 ice chamber with a grating below instead of a few holes, 

 made the frame smaller to allow an air passage all around, 

 used musquito netting instead of canton flannel, and cut out 

 ail passages in the tops of the frames to allow circulation over 

 the eggs, fixed a cover of netting to lie upon the eggs, which, 

 when wet, prevented their rolling in some degree." I sailed 

 from New York on the lath of October with the following 

 shipment ! 200,000 for Germany, 100,000 for Holland, 100,000 

 for France and 10,000 for England. The latter are now part 

 iu the Free Museum at Liverpool, in charge of tho curator, Mr. 

 T. J. Moore, and part in the Soulhporf Aquarium. My box 

 was of rough inch boards, and only cost, frames and all, seven 

 shillings. Its dimensions wore 2oiu. high by Lliu square, in- 



