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FOREST AIND STREAM. 



Wl §ttltoi& 



The AmrrrjAN Fishoulturists' Association.— A meeting 

 of the officers and executive committee of the American Fish- 

 culturi. ts' Association was held on Jan. 18 at the office of 

 Robert B. Roosevelt, Esq. It "was decided that the eighth an- 

 nual meeting phould be held on Wednesday and^Thursday, 

 the 25th and 26tb of February, at eleven o'clock, in the di- 

 rector's room of the Fulton Market Fishmonger's Association. 



Makilahd — Elkton, Jan. 14. — Our county islargelycngagep 

 in shad and herring fishing. The Susquehanna, "Elk, North- 

 east, Bohemia and Sassafras Rivers pass through our county. 

 Our State Fish Commissioners have been propagating shad 

 and herring in our waters for three years next spring. The 

 large increase of small male shad last spring (two years after 

 they commenced hatching the spawn of shad) I think proves 

 that they have been successful. Our fishermen think that 

 the shad matures in one year. A. W. SI. 



International Fishery Exhibition.— Following is the 

 prospectus of the International Fishery Exposition to be held 

 in Berlin, April, 1880 : 



CLASS I. — AQTTATIO ANIMALS. 



1. Alive or stuffed, preserved in alcohol or represented in 

 pictures, casts, etc. 



2. Prepared or dried, salted, smoked, pulverized, preserved 

 in tins, etc.; the various stages of preparation to be shown. 



In particular the following are desired : A. Sponges in their 

 natural state and prepared for use, shown according to their 

 various species and localities. B. Corala in their natural 

 state and prepared for use. C. Mollusca ; oysters, samples of 

 shells from the most famous localities, anatomy of the oyster 

 in. enlarged proportions ; shells of all sorts, pearl shells, 

 mother of pearl, manufactured ; pearls, sorted according to 

 their value ; imitation of pearl, river pearl shells ; mother of 

 pearl, from the same. D. Starfish, Stella marina, sea urchins. 

 E. Worms. F. Insects (chrysalides of insects, as destroyers 

 of spawn or as food for fish). G. Crustacea ; various species 

 of crawfish. H. Fish of all kinds and of all zones. I, Am- 

 phibious animals, tortoises, turtles, terrapins, etc.; tortoise 

 shells in different stages of preparation up to the comb or 

 boule furniture (for comparison's sake, also counterfeit tor- 

 toise shell) ; salamanders, frogs (spawn of frogs), snakes 

 (skins of snakes). K. Aquatic birds (all sorts of birds detri- 

 mental to fishing, sea-gulls, herons, cormorants, etc.) L. 

 Mammalia (seals, -whales) and manufactured articles from the 

 same ; mammalia detrimental to fresh water fish. 



3. All kinds of products manufactured from Aquatic ani- 

 mals. 



CLASS II.— FISHING. 



A. Fishing gear of every kind and from every country, or 

 models thereof. B. Fishing craft of all nations, in models 

 and representations. C. Fishing tackle and netting in differ- 

 ent stages of preparation. D. Machinery and implements 

 used for working up the raw material. 



CLASS III. — PISCICULTURE. 



A. Hatching apparatus in operation. All kinds of appli- 

 ances and implements for the artificial breeding of fish, crabs 

 atid shells. Boxes for conveyance of fry, etc. B. Models or 

 drawings of well-known breeding institutions. C. Models or 

 drawings of appliances for protecting or perfecting aquatic 

 animals (salmon ladders, etc.). D. Aquaria of all sorts. E. 

 Illustrations of the development of some of the most import- 

 ant specieB, such as oysters, salmon, herring, crawfish, etc., 

 shown in their various periods of growth. 



CLASS IV. 



Appliances in use for keeping and conveying freshly caught 

 aquatic animals. Also working models of such appliances. 

 Conveyance ol freshly caught fish by railway. 



CLASS IV. 



Models and other representations of appliances in use for 



the preparation and preservation, by drying, salting, smok- 

 ing, etc., of the produce of fisheries for commercial purposes 

 (smoking -houses, etc.), and for household purposes (fish- 

 kettles, fish-dishes, etc-) 



OLASS vi. 

 Models of fishermen's dwellings and costumes ; also of fish- 

 ing implements not included in the foregoing classes. 



CLASS VII.— SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING THE 

 STOCK. OF FISH. 



Physico-chemical researches ; investigation of the bottom 

 of the sea and lakes, shown by samples; aquatic plants in re- 

 lation to fishing, herbaria, etc.; researches into aquatic fauna 

 (animals of the subordinate classes preserved in alcohol or 

 etc, ) ; apparatus and implements used in researches. 



OIASS VIII. — HISTORY OK FISHING. 



Implements of fishiug, original or in reproductions, from 

 I lie oldest time downward; also models, pictures, seals, em- 

 blems of ancient fishermen's guilds, etc. 



CLASS IX. 



Literature, statistics of fisher)', maps showing the geo- 

 gi'aphical distribution of fish. 



jural ^tetorgt 



DEATH FROM SKUNK BITE. 



THE recent notes on this subject in the columns of Forest 

 Stream have exited a widespread interest among 

 its readers, and we have been favored with several communi- 

 cations calling attention to Col. R: I. Dodge's mention of the 

 fatnl efftct of the skunk's bite in his late work, " The Plains 

 of the Great West." In 1877, when the above-mentioned 

 work appeared, we noticed it at some length and referred 

 particularly to this point. Unfortunately for the value of 

 Col. Dodge's contribution to the literature of this very inter- 

 esting subject, he gives no facts in support, of the opinions 

 which he there advances, Indeed, he expressly says, " I 

 have never had the opportunity nor the technical knowledge 

 .ry for a cartful investigation" (of the subject), and it 

 appears that he only reports the general opinion of hunters, 

 plainsmen, etc., an opinion which had been brought to the 

 knowledge of the scientific public three years before by Mr. 

 M. C. Hovey (Amer. Jour. Set. and Art, dd ser., vol. vii. pp. 

 477-483, May, 1874). 

 Mr. Hovcy's article was baoked by a number of definite 



facts, and the examples cited by him show the terrible effects 

 which so often follow the bite of the skunk. In the paper 

 just referred to the author quotes Dr. M. M. Spearer, Surgeon 

 Sixth U. S. Cavalry, and this gentleman's opinion differs 

 wholly from the conclusions reached by Dr. Jaueway, to be 

 stated further on. Dr. Spearer says, "I regard this virus as 

 being as peculiar to the skunk as the venom of the rattlesnake 

 is to that creature ; and not an occasional outbreak of the dis- 

 ease, as the mstru.i veneris of the wolf or the rabies canina." 

 A similar opinion is expressed by Col. Dodge in his book, 

 where he says, "lam convinced that the terrible disease 

 (hydrophobia) is .the natural result to man of the bite of 

 the skunk— in the territory designated ; and that while 

 inflicting it on the person bitten, it does not follow that the 

 skunk is himself afflicted with the malady." 



Dr. John T. Janeway's article in the New York Medical 

 Record (vol. x., pp. 177-180, Mar. 13, 1875) deals with this 

 question in a very conscientious and scientific spirit, and gives 

 the fullest and most detailed reasons for the conclusions which 

 he arrives at. He cites cases where death followed the bites 

 of skunk, wolf and dog, gives the symptoms, treatment and 

 result in each, and finally concludes that death from skunk 

 bite is caused by rabies which does not differ essentially from 

 rabies canina. Dr. Janeway also differs from Mr. Hovey in 

 believing that the bite of the skunk is not always fatal, and 

 cites one case in support of it. In this instance two herders 

 were bitten, one of whom was treated by Dr. J., the wound 

 being freely cauterized with nitrate of silver, and striebnine 

 administered in l-Kith grain doses every three hours. Subse- 

 quently the strychnine was gradually increased^ to one-half 

 grain on the eighteenth day, and it was not until the twenty- 

 fourth day that any symptoms of its toxic effects showed 

 themselves. The man thus treated recovered, while his com- 

 panion, who was not under the Doctor's care, was reported to 

 have died ten days after being bitten. Dr. Janeway regards 

 this form of hydrophobia as " evidently epidemical, no cases 

 having been reported previous to 1870 in this region " 

 (Kansas). In further confirmation of his belief that the bite 

 is not necessarily fatal, the writer of the article above cited 

 mentions eight cases of persons bitten (six hunters and two 

 soldiers) who recovered, and states that two dogs in his pos- 

 session have been frequently bitten by skunks and have never 

 shown any symptoms of rabies. 



This subject, as we have remarked before, is one that de- 

 serves investigation, and medical men who are stationed on 

 the plains will no doubt see that no opportunities for observ- 

 ing the disease are lost. We have never heard of a death from 

 the bite of a skunk anywhere this side of the Missouri River, 

 and we should be glad to receive and print any information 

 bearing on the question of the geographical limit, if such there 

 be, of the disease. 



We have been led to write thus fully on this subject, not 

 only on account of its importance, but also because none of 

 those correspondents who have written us on the subject 

 seemed familiar with the articles from which we have quoted. 

 We shall hope at some future time to receive some additional 

 reports, which we will gladly present to our readers. 



ARE WOODCOCK NOCTURNAL? 



Holland Patent, N. Y., Dec. 24, 1878. 

 Editor Forest and Stream: 



My three companions and myself were spending our sum- 

 mer vacation at one of the many miniature lakes which so 

 materially add to the attractions of the northern wilds of the 

 Empire State. About sunset one evening we were seated 

 outside our shauty, enjoying a quiet smoke, when a sharp 

 "tweet, tweet, tweet" issued from the bushes a few rods 

 away, and was taken up and repeated in the shrubbery all 

 about us. 



"I say, BD1," querried the professor, one of our number, 

 " to whom or what are we indebted for this gratuitous sere- 

 nade?" 



"Ha! ha! ha!" roared our guide, the person addressed. 

 " Ain't you been in the woods loug enough to know a wood- 

 cock when you hear one ?" 



"A woodcock!" exclaimed the professor. "You don't 

 mean to tell me those are woodcock making all this racket I" 



" Well, that's about what it amounts to." said Bill. "If 

 you wait awhile longer the air wdl be full of them." 



This remark aroused the hunter's instinct in my nature, 

 and I lost no time in getting out my " Parker." I stationed 

 myself in the ceulre of the little clearing in which our shanty 

 was located, and prepared myself to improve the first oppor- 

 tunity for a wing Bhot ; for although the persistent "tweet, 



eel " apparently issued from every bush, i 

 dark to discern any small object on the ground. Suddenly, 

 almost from under my feet, a bird rose perpendicularly in the 

 air to the height of perhaps two hundred feet and sailed off 

 knees. Its position could be followed only by its 

 note, in which there seemed to be an entire change when 

 the bird was on the wing. The sound, however, gradually 

 came nearer, and ere 1 had time to raise my gun the bird 

 dropped into the identical bush from which it started and re- 

 sumed its monotonous cry. The next bird that arose I was 

 somewhat belter prepared for, and as the air soon became 

 literally alive with them, I succeeded in a short time in bag- 

 ging enough to insure us a hearty breakfast of woodcock on 

 toast for the next morning. 



While sitting around the camp-fire that evening the conver- 

 sation naturally turned on the habits of the woodcock. The 

 majority of our party knew this bird was in the habit of seek- 

 ing its food at night, but as we had often hunted them suc- 

 cessfully iu the daytime and never succeeded in catching one 

 asleep, the question arose as to where they slept and whether 

 or not they indulged in this luxury. The question having 

 arisen again recently, Martin's Natural History was referred 

 to. This work, in describing the woodcock (Seolopax rusti- 

 cola), says: " Every evening after sunset these birds sally 

 forth to Beek their food, consisting of larva?, slugs and aquatic 

 worms, which they find in marshy meadows. Their cry is 

 zig-zig-wauk." 



The American woodcock (Seolopax minor), he says, "dif- 

 fers from the European species in the temperature of the cli- 

 mate they select for their resilience. The sensibility of their 

 beaks, as in the snipe, is sufficiently acute to enable them to 

 collect their food by sense of touch. The 6nipe (Scolopax 

 Oallinago), when flying, mounts high in air and descends as 

 rapidly as it rose." Now while this works designates cer- 

 tain peculiarities in this class of birds, the author leaves us 

 fully as much in the dark as before in regard to the matter 

 under discussion, viz : Whether woodcock are, strictly speak- 

 ing, night birds. Hoping to receive further information in 

 regard to their habits we decided to lay the matter before the 

 Forest and Stream, for whose opinions we havo the utmost 

 respect. Tours, etc., Poetsa. 



Woodcock are generally believed to be twilight rather than 

 strictly nocturnal birds, though at the mating season their 

 shaip note is often heard throughout the night, especially 

 during full moon. We have never known of their "singing" 

 except in early spring, when, of course, no one would shoot 

 them. We should be glad to hear of further observations on 

 this point. 



. — -». — • 



Valuable Stuffed Specimens.— We have seen some very 

 fine specimens of stuffed birds and animals, preserved by Mr 

 A. Yeomans, of No. 76 Bowery, this city. The truthfulness 

 of the poses and the life-like effect of the groups are very 

 superior. In an artistic sense the works are of unusual ex- 

 cellence. Students of natural history, artists and seekers of 

 these articles of household decoration should not miss inspect- 

 ing Mr. Yeomans' work. 



On TriB Golden-Eyes or Garbots in Nova Scotia.— 

 We have received from the author, Mr. J. Bernard Gilpin, 

 A. M., 31. D., M. R. C. S., a very interesting paper with the 

 above title. Mr. Gilpin's essay is devoted principally to the 

 discussion of the differences between the common (B.elungula) 

 and Barrow's golden-eye (B. Ulandkua), though he goes into 

 the history of B. albeola quite extensively. His examinations 

 of the two first-mentioned species have brought to light very 

 interesting anatomical differences between the males of each, 

 which are admirably illustrated by a plata showing the heads 

 and windpipes of both birds. The paper is a most interesting 

 one, and we only regret that the proofs should have been so 

 carelessly read, as seems to have been the case. The number 

 of typographical errors is inexcusably great. 



The Zoologist.— We are glad to be able to call to our 

 readers' attention, and to recommend, the Zoologist, a very in- 

 teresting monthly magazine of Natural History. It is by Mr. 

 J. E. Harting, who iB well known to the scientific public by 

 his contributions to our knowledge of the Natural History of 

 Great Britain. 



The Zoologist numbers among its contributors many of the 

 leading naturalists of England, and all who are interested in 

 the study of Nature should have it. Its price is so low as to 

 bring it within the reach of every student, the annual sub- 

 scription, postage prepaid, being only thirteen shillings. In 

 the first numbers of the present year will be found a continua- 

 tion of Captain Fielden's interesting "Arctic Notes," in which 

 a very complete outline of the observations of the Eritish 

 Polar Expedition will be given, and many other articles of 

 very great importance. Persons desiring to Bubscribo to this 

 excellent magazine should send a P. O. order for thirteen 

 shillings to Mr. T. P. Newman, 5(> Hattcn Garden, E. (J , 

 London, England. 



_^»^, 



Another Migratory Quail.— We have received from Mr. 

 A. F. Clapp, field editor of the Sunbury (Pa.) Antertfan a 

 specimen of this bird, which was killed in that vicinity some 

 weeks since, and a notice of which appeared at that time in 

 the American. The specimen had been kept so long without 

 apparently any attempt having been made to preserve it, that 

 dissection failed to reveal its sex. From the plumage, how- 

 ever, we take it to be a young male. 



The apparent success which has, up to this time, crowned 

 the efforts to naturalize this bird to North America are most 

 encouraging. 



— — ■».— — 



How They Wear Them.— A correspondent, G. H. W. 

 writes us from Titusville, Pa., about the rattles of the rattle- 

 snake, saying: 



I have seen and helped kill a good many, all of which carry 

 their rattles narrow side down and not the broad side. 



Pale Eggs— Summit, Union Co., N. J., Jan.. H. — TSditor 

 Forest and Stream : On the 10th of May, 1878, I 

 the nest of a robin built flat on the top of a beam , i 

 bridge. It was constructed somewhat after the ma n 

 bridge-pewee's nist. It contained two eggs. Di 

 same month I found a blue-bird's nest containi:._ 

 white eggs. Is not this rather strange, as the eggs of this 

 bird are blue? These eggs were much larger than those 

 which a blue-bird ordinarily lays. Soon after the 

 of this nest 1 found a crow's nest which contained five eggs, 

 four of which were colored as they usually are, but the other 

 was pure buff. Geo. Lawrence Nicholas. 



A Point Well Taken— Rutland, Yl., Jan. L—Mn, 

 Editor: I call you to order. In two recent numbers of 

 Forest and Stream you have spoken of the migrai 

 as the Messina quail. Let us try to call these strangers by 

 their right names. There is no reason in the world why ihey 

 should be called Mcminn, quail, except that the birds imported 

 into this country by myself, Mr. Hapgood and Oth 

 purchased in Sicily and shipped from the port ol 

 There is an American bird known as the Maasena quail ; it is 

 found in Texas, Arizona and .New Mexico, rarely, however, 

 north of the 35th parallel. They are totally unlike 

 pean birds, and should not be confounded with them. We 

 have confusion of oames enough now. The Wilson snipe la 



