FOREST AND STREAM 



37 



sometime? attack as large ap animal as a caribou, nnd often 

 successfully;. It is exceptional, for they are of a very cow- 

 ardly nature, though immensely powerful for their size. Its 

 most common prey is the hare. (Lfpnn Ganadmsti) which 

 overrun the swamps throughout the country. I once had 

 an opportunity of observing their n. muter of pursuit. 1 



had been out hunting boras on snow-shoes to while away 

 a morning, and in crossing a swamp on a point of the river 

 1 came upon a fresh track, and while slowly and carefully 

 following it up so as not to disturb tlvo hare before I could 

 ixif< within shooting distance, the track was suddenly joined 

 by a lynx'9, which in passing across at right angles had 

 seemingly made up hi- mind to put sue the same course 1 

 was following. I onl.v hesitated to increase my charge of 

 shot, determined to witness the flenoument. A dozen rods 

 further on, the hare had evidently become aware of the 

 near presence of its implacable enemy and had made pro. 

 digions efforts I i«si ipe. units immense leaps testified. The 

 long regular Ftrides of the lynx began to tell, and the hare 

 ill its terror must have turned to double and thereby ran 

 into Hie danger it WHS trying to avoid. The lynx had made 

 short work of it, for scarcely a vestige but a few hairs and 

 [lie i'lnnil-siaiued snow were left to tell the tale. I followed 

 the lynx for Some time, hut he had too much the start. 



\ !. - many \vu\ U'ero captured during the 'Winter in steel 

 traps, united with meal and drug. It is easy then to dis- 

 patch il with a gun, but approach it then not too closely, 

 for il maddened bv pain is treacherous and wicked. One 

 man at Cap llouge, Bellow by name, had his arm so badly 

 lacerated by one which he had caught in the above manner 

 that it was -found necessary to amputate it. He had ap- 

 proached it with an axe to dispatch it, wdien il sprang for- 

 ward and fastened upon his arm. It was with the utmost 

 difficulty thai he lore himself from the fearful hold of the 

 lynx. 



Not unlike the fox, they will oftentimes gnaw their paw 

 Off to escape from the trap. This happened to one which 

 my friend. Mr. John Xeilsou had captured, and singular to 

 -ay, escaped him entirely, though be followed its track a 

 day. 



Col. Rhodes Of Quebec, one of the finest sportsmen in 

 Canada, once related to me, while a travelling companion 

 of his ii-om INew York, several adventures and methods of 

 taking ihe lynx, which he and his son had. He has had 

 reproduced many of the, scenes in a series of photographs 

 got I on up ill a Considerable expense and outlay of time, 

 representing suoniug life in Canada. 



G. M. Faikchild, Jr. 



varieties of bass. 



a Indianapolis, Ijtd., August 20. 1874. 



BniTOK KulUiST A.NH Sl'HKAM:— 



We have in the waters of this State a fish which I had 

 always supposed to lie the black bass'. Messrs. Scott and 

 Uoo.rveit both recognize it as such, but .Mr. Norris says it 

 is not Now the buss of the Potomac are called black bass, 

 and il was slocked from Western streams and not from 

 Northern lakes. Our fish rise lo Ihe fly and are game; their 

 average weight is about two pounds, and although fisher- 

 men hereabout claim to have killed five and six pounders, 1 

 never -aw a flab that exceeded lour pounds weight but 

 once. Any information on this point will be thankfully 

 received. Yours, truly, Ai.ia. 0. .Iamkscn. 



w Investigations by the best scientists have determined that 

 ihere are but two distinguishable forms of black bass— the 

 Mfcroptems Satmmdes, or the small-mouthed bass, and the 

 :/. \,y,v/,.N. or the Larger mouthed variety. Both of these 

 species occur naturally over a fifreater pari of the United 

 .-laic-, with the exception of New England ana tlie Atlan- 

 tic stmboani. of the Middle States, although only one, the 

 small mouthed, seems to have been originally an inhabitant 

 of the hydrographic basin of Ihe Ohio. The difference be- 

 tween them is so appreciable that the veriest tyro, seeing 

 them side by side, must admit their distinction. It is not 

 to be understood, however, rhai there are no variations 

 from the standard type to be observed in the bass of these 

 two groups in different localities, and it is not improbable 

 that a careful criticism will reveal certain trifling peculiari- 

 ties, which may serve to distinguish those belonging to a 

 particular area. 



As to this much vexed question of taking the By, our 

 abundant evidence proves that both of the varieties indica- 

 ted above §a rise to the. fly in some localities, but not in 

 others ; thai is, ffiffl'iomis will take the fly in one locality, 

 lake or river, and not in another, aud so also will Mato/Uridea. 

 We cannot tell why this is. Possibly, the food in one 

 place makes the fish surface feeders, and in another keeps 

 them at the bottom, though this conjecture would scarcely 

 signify. It may be that difference in habit ir caused by 

 some variation from the standard ivpe, as suggested.— [ED 



BLIND SALMON OF THE GASPE (CAN- 

 ADA) RIVERS. 



Washington, August join, 1874. 



ElUTOB BYlKKST AMI STKEA.M I. — 



As some interest, leas been excited by an article iipon the blhtd salmon 

 of York Kiver, copied quite extensively from London Land and IVattr, 

 I hasten to add, a wont upon t he matter. In company with our genial 



friend Luzell, or Urookiyu, who will lie recalled at once by scores of 

 friendly anglers us the ■•man who < att't make n lob.-ter salad,'' f had the 

 pleasure of tMilr.g ihe York hi-t inonili through ihe kind invitation of 

 Mr. Eeynohe. . ... , ink.i in. »s t lie Mend of Fred Curtis, Esq of Bos- 

 ton; Later 1 ashed il.e lianniouth, and a friend Ihe St. JoIiilso thai my 

 facilities for a knowledge of thane rivers was good 



The blind -aimou are not ul all coulined to the York, but found orten 

 in hothlhe Daruin'Otliand ul the month Of the St. John. They are not 

 often bliud in both eyes : I n i il i, - owe times, round so. During our trip 

 up to Ihe ''Narrows.'" url.ithest accessible pools of il, ,. York, the head 

 canoe man several timet* couln approach a HiUmnn near enough to tOUOtl 



his Bides with the setting pole. Af.cr the l|sh hud taken position on the 

 other side nf the pool, npon approaching him on the revcrao side, he was 

 as readily frightened as any other salmon would lie. A bircc, fine, male 

 salmon was shown me. with one eye blinded by what was apparently a 

 thin film or scab -ron n over-ita entire surface, while Hie other was 

 slouirliine away. Coon a close esarouwtfoa ihe distinct wbltescnrof 

 the- -ill net .in waafonnd crowing He first aye, while npon the last was 

 round a vcrv recent and unhealed . (tended From some 



llltle distance above Ihe eye lo a point directly underneath its centre 

 This salmon, which was. of course. "Stone blind." was taken with a spiff 

 a few mill s above the nets, and his tail was split by the twine between 

 Ihu spines in several places, indicating the Before struggle lie had m free 



[hghlmself, I presume si or your salmon angling readers have seen 



the salmon, when recently csogbt to the Bet bracing himself with Ms 

 tail against the twine I rfreeing himself. 



Many of the vcrv to.:- tinctly from the Matt banks of 



the iipner pools ,,r the York, have net scars apon their leads. In the 

 water this -< „■ looks like a white cord passing across the head. If 1 re- 

 member, (without my notes) rather more than half the large ones we 

 connted just under the foils of the Dartmouth, and some few small ones 

 hare these white line scar- when- Che twine had ■■■■! i In ir heads. 



■ nt writer, as you well know is neither a Naturalist nor a 

 Pisicisl, and uracil less a Traumatologic, but yet ventures a common 

 sense hypothesis, only Stipulating thtil it snail «oiit found bl Bttkune, 



These salmon, whether blind in odfc eye or in both, are usually of the 

 largest size, tor the reason (hat on none but the largest will the mesh "f 

 the net gem rally strike across one or belli eye-. Th- smaller ti-h would, 

 of course, pass the head farther through. Again, the Larger the salmon 

 the belter Ihe chance of his forcing himself out of th" net and living, not 



in W, but lo.«/ew his 1'iU. split by Ihe twine. I Ills head scarred and 



eyes cut. It seems beyond a question thai this liliiidue-s is liaumatic. 

 or the n-ult of a wound. A sharp i * in- Bill across the eye would, irnot 

 too deep, bring about, as a result of Inflammation, a hypertrop/tous con- 

 dition, which w onld extend lioih sales „f in e cm our me entire conjunc- 

 tiva, and would be of a slightly darker shade ami somewhat opaque, e* 

 peei'ill> alter purulent initltration. 'this hypertrophy would be perma- 

 nent. These blind salmon starve to death finally in Ihe rivers. When 

 the main body of the fish, after the bre.ikiue up of tin- ice ill He- spring, 

 go down to ihe "ea. these are left behind. Several ■<{ arj canoe 

 upon both rivers live directly upon ihe bank>, and aver} spring wati -h 

 the salmon going down, about two months before any run up. 



The number or bliud fish increases yearly by reason of the better pro- 

 tection now afforded. Or course more tish go clear or the nets and 

 poachers each year, and live to trot large enough to have their eyes 

 blinded, if you ask why these blind fish are more numerous onthe 

 Gaspe rivers, I Win only speculate thftttttftj would he found tostaanu- 



(e— pro- 



Before closing, let 

 killing fly yet tried. Its 

 Govern 

 the stn 



I. of course, a careful observer Ashed it. As regards 

 the Y-:-:. i:. /-I'..- -f..r ..no half day (six hours' tish- 



was five tish. averaging 8SJ pounds. As I re- 

 e of all the tish taken by LnsseUe and myself was 



I took full notes of temperature Of pools and 

 11 get at theiu aud work them up for you before 



nmeudioyour angling renders the most 



i does not transpire, but it is used by the 



my with thegtmrdi" 



One 



e up ti 



"Fr, 



ssfdl a 



it he w. 



a pretty 



Alook at his rod and lin< 

 killed a three pound sea trout, suggested a suspicious smell of small 

 nuct. Upon going to the canoe we found a salmon weighing thirty-three 

 pounds, with one eye blinded by the hypertroplieia conjunctiva, and the 

 other by a deep, fresh twine cut. His tail was split into numerous pieces 

 (not worn off at all), and a sharp cut, with ihe edges well defined all 

 arouod. to represent where the tish Had beer, hooked on the lower jaw, 

 We complimented the overseer upon so skilfully playing his lish il.at the 

 hook diu n't even round aud wear the edges of the orifice, and suggested 

 that if he could only furnish flies like his own. that would make a "stone 

 blind" salmon rise, his fortune was made. This ilv was an old hook 

 with a few blubs of colorless feathers, its bend covered with an oiidis- 



eholtld have been wetled, a good fly put on. and 

 with which it would hu\o beer. )mMble to kit 

 have been work d around in the cat In the jaw 

 ed eye should have been gaffed as if by accidei 

 an angler you are too tlun. 



Tnro i_'Ai.ii.'t>i!.\iA Quail.— A party campinu ^w the 



Met l.onl Kiver, in Cahloinia, near wliete ihe U. S. Fishery 



Commission is nt work, informs! us in a private letter that 

 quails are numerous in the woods round about, and by 

 bailing lliein with rice they come so near ihe camp and 

 net .one so lame thai moving (o and fro does not frigUten 

 lliein away. They come within fifty Fees of where per- 

 sons are silting. It is very interesting to watch their move- 

 ments. 



CENTRAL PARK MENAGERIE. 



Due, 



tw STo 



toil Pa 



or' PWBl 10 PARKS, | 

 K. Aug. 23, IKM. f 



to for the week ending 



Animal* received a 



Augnal -J. 1S74: 



One Corncrake, lux /«w./iw. Uuli. Ktirone. Presumed by .Mr. 

 Jeremiah Singleton. 



Tan 'iiar-h Haw k», GiMti MtdseiaM. Presented by Mr John Nolan, 



'two lied shouldered Hawks, ISuUo liiied'a*. Presented byllr War- 

 ren Priuniuond 



One Barred Owl, Ht/nliim TSblUosutn. Presumed by Dr. E. Sterling. 



One silver Pheasant, Buploetmtm nyctfienlet n». Presented by Mr. W. 

 H. S leil iug. \v. a. Oohkok. 



LiAiiE Tn icACA.— The tfctnutijic Awei-iain .suites that 

 Lake lii ieucn, on Ihe crest of the Andes, is ihe highest 

 large body of fresh water, ami that the lake never freezes 

 over. Two little steamers of 1U0 tons each do a trifling 

 business. .Steam is generated bv llama dung the only fuel 

 of the country, for there are no trees within 150 miles. 

 The steamers actually cost their weight in silver, fur their 

 transportation (in pieces) from the coast costs as much as 

 die original price. A. steamboat company has asked from 

 Bolivia the exclusive right of navigating' Tilicaca and the 

 Rl'o ltesugiindero n, Lugo PauipuT with guaraulee of six 

 per cent, mi the capital and a share of all new mines dis- 

 covered. Professor Orion, the latest traveller in the re- 

 gion, calls attention to the fact that Lake TlWoaca is uoi so 

 high us usually given in geographical works by about 300 

 feel, lis Hue altitude is l'J.ilio feet, and in the drv season 

 il is four teet less. This [act has been revealed bv the 

 consecutive levelings made in building ihe Anapiipn rail- 

 way, just finished, which reaches from the Pacific to Lake 

 Tilicaca. Lake Titicaeit is .about ihe size of Ontario, shal- 

 low on ihe west aud north, deep towards the east and 

 south. On an island within it are the imposing ruins'of 

 the Temple of the Sun, mid around il are monuments 

 which aiie.st the skill and magnificence of the Tncas. There 

 are also the remains of burial lowers and palaces, which 



ontedale Ho: elilsode- and ,,.-. , i o, -i .■! . o v. |„c- lnrarial. 



^oodhnd, Waivn mid <§xrden. 



SHEEP RAISING IN CALIFORNIA. 



Nkw York. August SOth, 1874. 

 Knrrou ftmnsT »sa SmEAjti— 



K within the scope of your journal, could you kindly inform me re- 

 pvrdfng -beep herding and raising in the State or California, say in tho 

 vicinity or San Diego? To w bar disease are the Sheep most susoeprlble, 

 and whin are the reroedies! \Tliat breeds are most desirable for that re- 

 ffinn, both a- to nuautity and quality of wool and for propagation? What 

 siy.e ilock is a fair risk for a nesrinner of smalt capital and comparative. 

 inexperience? What ontflt is necessary for n bachelor? Ts destruction 

 bv do^s an item of risk, andis watchfnlneas the only preventive? 



H. W. T. 



To furnish our correspondent with all the information 

 he desires upon the subject would involve much space. 

 Briefly, the requisites are, a fair amount of capital, unlimi- 

 ted perseverance, and the capacity for finding happiness 

 and enjoyment in comparative solitude aud natural beauty. 

 The first, to be sure of tiding over a year or two in which 

 experience must be bought, and the latter from the fact 

 that, in this country, where, fidelity- can rarely ho pur- 

 chased, to have a thing well done you must do it yourself. 

 There is a trnct of country in the county of San Ber- 

 nardino, in the neighborhood of the San Gorginio 

 Pass, which, although directly on the line of the Southern 

 Pacific llailroad, is, as yet, comparatively unsettled, and 

 which would probably furnish the best and cheapest, 

 ramres lo be found in that part of the State. Considerable 

 Government land still remains, and our advice would be 

 to select and pre-empt, if il could be found, a quarter 

 section contiguous lo sonic large tract, which might be un- 

 desirable for other than grazing purposes, or joining one of 

 Ihe old and still undivided Spanish grants, which could be 

 rented reasonably. Should he be 80 fortunate as to find a 

 piece with abundance of water, to which he could procure 

 the proprietory right, other occupations could be added to 

 that nf sheep raising. Here, under the shadow of grand 

 old Mount San Bernardino, he could build his little cabin, 

 with a cool mountain stream trickling by his door. The 

 nurseries of Los Angelos and San Bernardino would fur- 

 nish him with fruit trees of every description, from the 

 tropical orange and lemon to the home-like apple and 

 pear ; a little labor night and morning would soon bring 

 him a bearing vineyard : he could luxuriate in green peas 

 with his lamb by Christmas, and have strawberries all the 

 year round. Coming home with bis herd in the evening, 

 and stowing them safely in corral for the night, he could 

 smoke his pipe under his own vine and fig tree, and enjoy 

 such sleep and health as no city man ever dreamed of. He 

 could find use for his gun among the quail and rabbits, or 

 the deer on the foot hills, or with his rod and the trout in 

 the mountains. 



Sheep are comparatively free from disease in California ; 

 sometimes a little mange, but easily cured, The Spanish 

 merino is undoubtedly the best, or that with a cross of 

 Cotswold. A flock of from three to five hundred ewes, 

 such as could be picked up in Los Angelos or further 

 north, with hired pure Spanish rams, would be the best to 

 commence with. If successful, our correspondent could 

 import his own rams from Ohio, and gradually " grade 

 up." On a good range, with proper attention, the in- 

 crease is wonderful. No danger from dogs to be appre- 

 hended, but in their place the coyote is the most des- 

 tructive. They rarely attack, however, in the day time, 

 and at night a good corral is the best defense. 



The Power of the Grasshopper. — A letter written 

 from Nebraska to the Germantown Telegraph on Jnly 27th. 

 describes the sweep of the grasshoppers over the country 

 in n nudter-of-fnet way that gives our renders some con- 

 ception of the horrible nature of the scourge and the im- 

 mensity of the demonstration. He says: — 



"The air has been filled with them for the last two weeks. 

 having the appearance of a snow-storm, sometimes thick 

 enough to form flaky-looking clouds. Very few in pro- 

 portion to the number passing over alighted: I should sup- 

 pose not more than one out of a thousand, and yet enough 

 to destroy all the Green crops. 



Last Seventh-day, (.Tulv 35th.) about thrpe o'clock, P. W. , 

 I witnessed a scene that to me was awc-inspirincr. The 

 sky was nearly clear: a strong wind, almost r gale, was 

 blowing from the north or a little cast of north; we first 

 noticed very black clouds coming up from the north, much 

 like those that precede a hurricane. Not much notice was 

 taken of it until the van came prettv well overhead, thpn 

 we perceived it to be grasshopnets ! A field -glass was 

 brought, into requisition which defined them very distinctly. 

 The "cloud was so dense that it gave the landscape that 

 peculiar twilight appearance, not unlike an approaching 

 eclipse. 



Its course was a little west of south. How far it ex- 

 tended east and west. I know not; it met the horizon either 

 way. They could not have been troing at a less rate than 

 thirty or fortv miles an hour, and it took them two hours to 

 pass 'over. Then I fell the utter insignificance of all human 

 efforts to cope with such a wonderful entrineof destruction. 

 Had they carried a banner inscribed 'Desolation !' 'Fam- 

 ine !' it could haTdly have impressed me more solemnly 

 than it did. or conveyed a more convincing evidence of 

 their mission." 



— As the season progresses, we are learning by our suc- 

 cesses and our failures, bow to arrange our rustic baskets 

 another year. The first thing is to have a sufficiency of 

 mould earth, loam and sand, to be placed in the basket's in 

 the proportion say of two parts of earth, two of loam and 

 one of sand, with such drainage as will prevent the roots 

 from standing water, however thoroughly the basket may 

 be watered. A eentunrea for the centre, with a fine fuchsia 

 on the north, or in the shade; a scarlet geranium, nnd heli- 

 otrope, ivy and lobelia, will make a bosket which, with 

 proper care, will afford pleasure by its constant blossoming 

 nil rhe s'lison Again, a rich geranium in the centre. 



