212 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



S*H §i*ltm[e. 



This Journal Is the Ofllcial Organ of the Fish Cultnr- 

 ists' Association. 



CALIFORNIA FISH CULTURE ILLUS- 

 TRATED. 



\\ > 



WE have to thank Mr. E. Conkling, of Morrisania, 

 who has been with the United States Fish Com- 

 missioners in California all Summer, for some very fine 

 photographs of the commissioners, their encampment, the 

 hatching house, and the species of salmon indigenous to 

 the California waters. The first photograph shows the 

 members of the commission arriving at camp, with all 

 their paraphernalia of blankets, rifles, and knapsacks. 

 The background is formed by a steep hill, which supports 

 a profuse growth of small coniferous trees. 



The next gives a picturesque view of their home on the 

 McCloud River. This home is a rude board cabin, perched 

 on the bank of the river, at the base of a whitish rocky 

 bluff, and almost buried in foliage. The third shows the 

 hatching tent, a mammoth stretch of • canvass, where the 

 eggs are prepared for propagation, and the fourth sketches 

 the rustic bridge which crosses the stream, and the quaint 

 wheel used to pump water into the troughs. The fifth im- 

 parts a vivid idea of the character of the headquarters and 

 the primitive wilderness which surrounds it. 



A second series of smaller photographs shows the salmon 

 of the regiou in various conditions. The first displays the 

 female after spawning, when she is attenuated by her se- 

 vere labor ana tedious journey over cascades and through 

 rapid currents, and the nest shows the male and female to- 

 gether. A splendid photograph of the heads of these 

 gives us an excellent Idea of their supreme ugliness, for 

 they do not at all resemble their Eastern congeners in 

 beauty of outline, The upper maxillary, which is broad 

 and pointed, curves downward at the anterior termination, 

 and this gives the visage quite a fierce aspect. The head 

 of the female is more regular than that of the male, yet 

 that, also, is ungainly enough to entitle it to be ranked as 

 rather Ugly. Other photographs show the dorsal outlines 

 of the species, and the form of the salmon grilse. 



All the pictures are interesting as works of art, let alone 



. their importance to naturalists and fish culturists. A full 



account of this commission was published in Forest and 



Stream about six weeks ago, so we think it unnecessary 



to refer further to it at present. 



THE CALIFORNIA SALMON. 



Last week we printed a summary of the distribution 

 made of the salmon ova obtained in California. Herewith 

 we give the sequel, in part.— Ed.] 



Aqdetono Springs, New Hope, Pa., Nov. 9th, 1874. 



EDITOII FOKEST AND STREAM!— 



Through the kindness of Prof. 8. F. Baird, Mr. Livingston Stcne 

 shipped me on the 14th of October, from California, 150,000 salmon eggs, 

 which arrived In splendid order on the 21st. They were immediately 

 placed on floating screens in water 52° Fahrenheit, and to-day are all 

 hatched, with a loss of less than 9,000. or 1.66 percent. As they are in- 

 tended for the Aquctong Lake and the Delaware River, 1 shnll use the 

 greatest care to rear them, and hope to see rare sport for the lovers of 

 the rod. J. B. Thompson. 

 *«» 



California Loiisteus.— Some months ago— June, we 

 believe it was— the aquarium car transported some cans of 

 Eastern lobster eggs to California for propagation there. 

 The result is shown in the following letter from Mr. Red- 

 ding, State Fish Commissioner of California, which has 

 been mailed to us by Livingston Stone, Esq. Our readers 

 will at once perceive the importance of this little item of 

 news. If lobsters have obtained a foothold in the Pacific 

 Ocean, think of the commercial consequences and results! 

 Sak Francisco, Oaj.., October 27th, 187*. 



Mr. Stone:— Let me congratulate yon. Mr. Throckmorton has just 

 brought in fifteen young lobsters for me to see. They are one and a half 

 to two Inches loni;, and were taken this morning in the bay in a oaten of 

 ten pounds of shrimp, and selected from the catch. So [hose lobsters 

 lived and have batched. They will he preserved In alcohol, and yon can 

 see them wheu yon come down. B. B, Redding, 



California Commissioner of Fisheries. 

 «■» 



Enfobcqjo toe Fish Lawb in New Hampshire. — The 

 subjoined article, taken from the Manchester Mirror, shows 

 that the conservators of game and fish in that State are in 

 earnest: — 



"We doubt not that more or less trout have been ille- 

 gally taken from lake Winuepesaukce during the present 

 spawning season, but there is no question that mainly 

 through the efforts of Commissioner Wadleigh, the slaugh- 

 ter by the barbarous spear has beeu esseni hilly checked. 

 The Commissioner has acted firmly yet judiciously. Giv- 

 ing full warning that all offender!) would be prosecuted to 

 the full extent cf the law, he has, by personal solicitation 

 and influence, interested many fishermen, to whom the 

 • 'spear and jack' are not unknown, in seeing that the laws 

 for the protection of fish are respected. In Laconia this 

 sentiment took the form of a 'mass meeting' of fishermen, 

 presided over by the veteran Nate Wadleigh, which took 

 strong grounds in favor of observing the laws. 



"A force of fish wardens has been appointed, many of 

 whom have zealously entered upon their duties. Two ar- 

 rests have been made for spearing tront upon Sanbornlon 

 Bay, and one upon l he lake. We would appeal to the bet- 

 ter feelings and judgment of fishermen, to abandon the 

 nefarious ami illegal system which is rapidly depopulating 

 the lake of trout. Tile public do not look upon them as 

 heroes, nor upon the law as oppressive, and will back the 

 officers in giving all violators who may be captured the full 

 benefit of the law." 



—The California Fish Commissioners have spent half of 

 their next year's State appropriation (this year's was used 

 up by the aquarium car) in the procuring of young salmon 

 from the United States fishery on McCloud River, to be 

 planted in the Sacramento, and the number thus to be 

 planted, including the State's proportion from the hatching 

 at the fishery, will be about. 1,500,000. Some of the black i 

 bass and catfish imported in the aquarium car have beeu 

 frequently seen in the streams in which they were placed, / 

 and appear to.be thriving. 



—We see a statement ascribed to our old friend Seth 

 Green as to the proper care and treatment of gold fish, to 

 which we do not altogether subscribe. We have had a 

 pond of gold fish for some twenty years, and find them 

 hardier than even catfish. They will live with less food 

 than any fish of which we have any knowledge, or in mnd- 

 dier water, and they will bear as much handling or rough 

 usage as any, without any perceptible effect. We have 

 taken hundreds of large sized specimens with the hook, 

 played them for some time, drew them out, and then 

 threw them back again without any injury. Seventy-five 

 were caught for the fountain basin of the great sanitary 

 fair held in Philadelphia during the war, were dropped in 

 a barrel and hauled to the city, and if any of them died 

 we did not hear of it ; but we did hear that they were sola 

 at the end of the fair at a dollar apiece. Among other 

 things, in another statement, Mr. Green is made to say that 

 while fish have sharp sight, and are sensitive as to any jar- 

 ring of the earth, as by stamping, or of the air by the dis- 

 charge of a gun, they do not hear. We have published 

 this fact from our own experience nearly or quite a quarter 

 of a century ago. — Gcrmantown Telegraph. 



— The Fisli Commissioners of Maine have located fish- 

 ways on the dams on the Presumscot River, but the own- 

 ers of the dams refuse to build them, and the county com- 

 missioners have the matter under consideration. 



WHEN BLACK BASS SPAWN. 



Uaqkbstown, Md,, November 7, 1874. 

 Editor Forest and Stream :— 



A recent fishing excursion, otherwise almost f rnttlesa, developed the 

 fact, hardly accidental, that the block bass (.Vicroptertis satmoidts) do not 

 spawn uniformly in the Spring. Because of a fearful fog, my catch— on 

 the Potomac, near Williamsport, Md.,— was limited to four fish, two 

 males, weighing each twelve ounces, and two females, a pound each. 

 While examining the gill covers of one of the latter, holding her securely, 

 I noticed the pressure caused the expulsion of a number of ova ; and by 

 "stripping," quite a quantity was expelled. I then "stripped" the 

 males, and got from each a few drops of mill. Upon my return I opened 

 Iheni all carefully, autl, while finding no special features In the males, 

 found each female having two fully developed sacs of ova, one of them 

 apparently entirely ripe. I estimate the number in each at twelve thou- 

 sand ova. luquiry on tile spot falls to find any similar cases, yet no one 

 that I have met has given attention to the nolnt. I am pushing inquiry 

 wherever I can, to learn of other similar cases. These Hell were lakeu in 

 water which for u mile or more runs from six to sixteen feet in depth, 

 with shallows a mile distant cither way, the bottom rocky throughout, 

 and where they apparently gather for Winter quarters. 



I hope any of your readers having information will give it ; and those 

 interested may make inquiry. If there be other seasons for spawning 

 than Spring, it is well that the habit be definitely learned. You will note 

 that all of the catcltwere preparing; and it can scarcely be that so well 

 developed ova would occur so far in advance of the usual season. 



The above suggests iuqniry, which is full of interest to us all, in view 

 of the positive value of the bass. The bass of the Potomac seem lo lie 

 far more uncertain than elsewhere. I have fished on the loveliest of days 

 over ground on which a week before, or a week after, yielded mo grand 

 sport, and tliat, too, under adverse circuuisiances, when the best of bait 

 and tackle would not lure "worth a cent" ; at other less propitious intervals 

 I couldn't help catching. Do you find it so elsewhere '! 

 Very truly yonrs, 

 Albert Small. 



^tutiil gistorg. 



THE ENEMY OF THE RATTLESNAKE. 



THE hog has never been the recipient of many com- 

 pliments from writers of natural history, nor have 

 they given it the honor of being useful as a destroyer of 

 noxious vermin ; yet it is entitled to more respect than is 

 usually allowed it in the latter category, especially when in 

 pursuit of rattlesnakes and kindred reptiles. A correspon- 

 dent in a late issue of the Forest and Stream mentioned 

 {lie fuel of hogs trailing a rattlesnake, as hounds would a 

 fn\- or hare, and finally overtaking and killing it. This 

 power of scent is a quality the suidfo were not supposed 

 lo possess, yet the fact is true that no animal can excel It 

 in pursuit of the reptilia, for it seems to be the fiercest ene- 

 my and most determined hunter the latter has to contend 

 with. The perseverance and sagacity displayed in follow- 

 ing the trail of the serpent to its burrow is very remark- 

 able; but it is not less so than the apparent enthusiasm 

 with which the chase is carried on, and the pleasure ex- 

 pressed at I he death of the foe. Turning droves of hogs 

 among the haunts of the rattlesnake was formerly the 

 most common method in several portions of this country 

 of extirpating the vermin, and it is yet the most successful 

 that can be devised. The contest between these adversa- 

 ries is very interesting, as each displays its peculiar mode 

 of attack and defence, and enters into the struggle with all 

 the fierce vehemence of ils nature. Neither ever refuses a 

 challenge to combat, for they apparently understand that 

 they are natural foes, and that the sooner the battle is over 

 the better, as come it must on some occasion. In prepar- 

 ing for Uie struggle, the hog raises its bristles until they 

 seem one mass of quills, like those of a porcupine, and 

 cautiously approaches the enemy, the snake at the same 

 time erects its head, and, assuming a vigilant attitude, pro- 

 parts for defence. The hog then falls on its knees, and 

 by slow movements crawls by side-long motion toward its 

 foe. When within reach the snake darts forward, and the 

 hog dexterously catches the fangs in the fat of the jaws; 

 the blow is repeated, and the hog, having been smitten on 



one cheek, deliberately turns the other. This the animal 

 continues to do until the snake has not only exhausted, for 

 the time being, its poison, but also its strength. The hog 

 then deliberately rises from its knees, and regardless of 

 consequences, seizes the serpent near the head, and putting 

 its forefeet upon its squirming body, strips the reptile 

 through its teeth, and thus tears it to pieces. If the hog, 

 as is sometimes the cas», happens to be very lean, and the 

 poison fangs thereby strike the circulation, its death is the 

 result, but this event is of rare occurrence. 

 ■»*•» ■ 



The Beisa Antelope.— The antelopes are a numerous 

 family. Their principal characteristics is the cylindrical 

 and simulated form of their horns; which in the antelopes 

 are never angular or ridged longitudinally. The various 

 species comprise animals which greatly differ in size; one 

 species, which is the smallest of ail horned creatures, being 

 no larger than a hare; others stand from 3^ to 4 feet in 

 height at the shoulders, and weigh some 800 to 000 pounds. 

 One species inhabits our Western plains, the Prong-horn 

 Antelope, which is perhaps the most elegant and graceful 

 of all our wild animals. It is only since~the English inva- 

 sion of Abyssinia, that the Oryx Beisa, a new species, has 

 been observed by naturalists, and until recently no living 

 individual had been captured. A specimen has within a 

 short time been added to the magnificent collection of the 

 Zoological Gardens of Regents Park, Loudon. 



The Beisa Antelope differs from a well known, closely 

 allied species, tlu: Eeucoryx of Northern Africa, in having 

 straight horns, and by its peculiar markings. It is of a 

 cream color, with black bauds upon the face and legs. Its 

 length of face is 17 inches, from its ears to the root of the 

 tail it measures 4 feet 7 inches, the tail is 26 inches in 

 length, including the brush, which measures 11 inches. 

 The height at the shoulders is 3 feet 7 inches, and the length 

 of tho horns is 2 feet inches. The courage and strength 

 of this graceful beast is such that it readily attacks and 

 frequently vanquishes and kills the lion, and when wound- 

 ed it charges the hunter with great fierceness. These 

 animals feed upon coarse grasscs,~and occasionally browse 

 upon the shoots of acacias and other trees. They feed in 

 the morning and evening only, and drink at mid-day. They 

 run in herds of ten and less in number, although single 

 animals are occasionally met with. They arc exceedingly 

 cautious and wary, and can only be approached with diffi- 

 culty. By the capture of this rare animal the natural 

 history of Africa, of which wo have so much yet to learn, 

 has been enriched in a notable degree. 



— Advices have been received from Professor E. D. 

 Cope, palsentologist of Lieutenant Wheeler's surveys, of 

 the discovery of a vast bed of eocene vertebrate fossils in 

 'New Mexico. The Professor bad discovered no less than 

 twenty-five or thirty new species, embracing eight or ten 

 new genera. 



A large lot of natural history specimens, collected by Mr. 

 Charles E. Aiken, has been received at the office of the 

 Wheeler surveys. Thev number over fifteen hundred, one 

 hundred and flfly of which are of birds alone.— WaJUny- 

 ton Sunday Herald. 



—Upon a ranche in Nevada, on the Carson River, there is 

 a herd of twenty-six camels, all but two of which were 

 bred and raised in Nevada. Some years ago nine or ten 

 camels were imported into that State, but of these only 

 two lived lo be acclimated, and from this pair have been 

 raised twenty-four. The camel may now be said to be 

 thoroughly acclimated in that State. 



CENTRAL PARK MENAGERIE. 



DiL 



New Tokk, Nov. 8, 1874. 

 Animals roeelvod at Centra) Park Menagerie for the week ending 

 November 7th, 1874: 



One Toque Monkey, Maccaeus ptltalue. Bab. Ceylon. Presented by 

 Dr. H . A. C. Anderson. 



One black -handed Spider Monkey, Ateles melanochir. Hab. Costa 

 Rica. 



One red-billed Tree Dack, Dtritlrocygna ttutumnalis ._ Hab. South 

 America. Presented by Rear Admiral Napoleon Collins, TJ. B. H - 



W. A. CoNKLra 



faodlmtd, ^ttvn and <§;irdm. 



THE ENGLISH SPARROW. 



A Red Hook farmer asks us if we can recommend the 

 propagation of the English sparrow; if they are destruc- 

 tive to grain, etc, 



We know that, notwithstanding the great value placed 

 upon the English sparrow as an insect exterminator, there 

 are sober sides to this question. They are, we allow, 

 pretty, social birds, and by the denizens of the sunshiny 

 city thoroughfares deemed good company, and no one 

 must deprive them of their daily crumbs. That they have 

 done good service in exterminating the mother "miller 

 moth, which deposits the eggs of the worms that eat the 

 maples of our large cities, we have no doubt; but this is 

 not all these English sparrows do. They increase and mul- 

 tiply with exceeding rapidity, and have already become a 

 pest in some portions of the country— notably in New Jer- 

 sey. They are by no means content with feeding on in- 

 sects. Since their advent among us they have improved 

 wonderfully in their tastes—they have become epicures, 

 and to the old creeping red and blank worm dinner of their 

 advent days they turn up their litlle bills with disgust. 

 They have become somewhat pampered in their appetite, 

 and turn aside from plebeian worms and bugs to feast 

 upon the aristocratic pound cake of Oux City, and the rich 

 cereals of New Jersey. We would not do "these sparrows, 

 even as they arc, an injustice, but we must speak the truth 

 of them. We are quite as willing as any advocate of these 

 birds to admit that they have done good service in cities in 

 freeing the trees of insects, but we do pause before we add 

 the word gardens. They do as much harm to fruits, such 

 as grapes, in their wanton pecking and puncturing Ihe 

 fruit, unless driven away and watched, as they do good in 

 destroying insects. When found in great numbers, in the 

 vicinity of gardens, they do not feed ravenously upon the 

 worms, or tree insects and moths. They will not, unless 

 extremely hungry, eat Ihe canker worm of the elm and 

 apple trees, and there are some four or five other insects 

 common to the garden that the English sparrow has too 

 nice an appetite and stomach to digest. 



