356 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



#4 gnltmte. 



This Journal la the Olliclal Organ of the Fish Cnltur- 

 ists' Association. 



PROF. BAIRD'S REPORT. 



COMPARATIVE VALUE OF ANADROMOUS AND OTHER FISHES. 



In reference to the fresh water fishes most worthy to at- 

 tract the attention of the General Government or of the 

 States, the distinction between resident species aud those 

 thai arc nnadroinous, or which spend II part only of their 

 life in the fresh waters and remainder in the ocean, must 

 he clearly borne in mind. The species which belong exclu- 

 sively to fresh water, such as ihe brook trout, the lake 

 UTffit, the land locked salmon, the whitetish, the. black 

 bass,* &c, arc well worthy of attention, and by judicious 

 treatment can be introduced into new waters, or their num- 

 bers greatly increased in any particular locality. But, after 

 all, there is a direct relationship between the number of 

 anv kind of fish of a given weight and the amount of water 

 needed to furnish a supply sufficient to add definitely to 

 that weight of food; and when the limit has been reached, 

 we cannot, without feeding artificially, advance upon the 

 proportion. Where the waters are pure and constantly re- 

 newed, and a suitable supply of healthful food is furnished 

 regularly, large numbers of fish may be kept and cultivated, 

 where not one in ten thousand w T ould find an ample supply 

 of natural food, bnt, as a general rule, the expense of feed- 

 ing is such as to render the sale at comparatively high 

 prices necessary for a satisfactory result. 



It must be remembered, too, that however rapidly certain 

 fish, especially the black bass, multiply in new waters, 

 there is a limitation to their increase, as shown by the ex- 

 perience of the Potomac River. This fish was introduced 

 into this stream in 1854 by Mr. William Shriver, of Wheel- 

 ing; several mature fish having been transported in the 

 water tank of a locomotive from the Ohio River, at Wheel- 

 ing, to Cumberland on the Potomac. Not many years 

 after, the young fish began to distribute themselves in iiiim- 

 hers, and in time the entire river became thoroughly stock- 

 ed with the new game. Starting at the headwaters of the 

 river, the bass found immense numbers of Cypri/iida such 

 as chubs, minnows, suckers, &c., as also of crawfish, in- 

 sect-larva?, and the like, which had been previously, for 

 the greater part, Undisturbed, except, perhaps, by the 

 pickerel, and, having an ample supply of food, in accord- 

 ance with the theory of natural selection, they multiplcd to 

 a prodigious extent. Year by year they extended their lim- 

 its toward the mouth of the Potomac, unlil at the present 

 time they are found in great abundance near Washington, 

 and form a very attractive object of sport. 



I am, however, informed by residents on the Upper Po- 

 tomac and its tributaries that the bass are becoming scarce, 

 and that their numbers are much less than a few years ago, 

 •while, as u concomitant, the immense schools of smaller 

 fry, formerly so abundant, have disappeared, a minnow in 

 some localities being a rare sight. This is a very natural 

 consequence, and must produce its result. In the increas- 

 ing scarcity of herbivorous fish, the bass will be driven to 

 feed more and more upon each other, and after a time a 

 oortain average will bo established, perhaps the same as 

 that existing in the waters of the Mississippi Valley and 

 elsewhere, where, although indigenous, they are in propor- 

 tion fewer than in the Potomac River. 



An entirely different condition of things prevails with 

 the anadromous fish, among which we may enumerate as 

 best known the shad, the alewife, or the fresh water her- 

 ring, the salmon, the smelt, and probably the striped bass. 

 These fish spend the greater part of their existence in, aud 

 derive their chief growth from, the sea. At certain 

 seasons of the year, when fat and plump, they enter the 

 rivers and proceed usually as far as the obstructions will 

 permit, or until they find their proper spawning ground; 

 here the eggs are discharged, fertilized, aud hatched. The 

 adults either return immediately to the ocean or alter a cer- 

 tain interval. The young fish spend a certain period in the 

 fresh waters, feeding, it is true, but on minute organisms, 

 which are always procurable in abundance. 



Shad and herring enter the rivers aud spawn in the 

 Spring, and the young return in the Autumn. ' The eastern 

 salmon enter the rivers in Spring, and spawn in the Autumn, 

 the eggs not hatching until late in the Winter. The young 

 remain for one and some of them even for two years, aud 

 then go down to the sea. After a certain interval these fish 

 return to their birth place, the shad, at the age of three or 

 four years, weighing from three to five pounds; Ihe salmon 

 after the same interval, weighing from nine to twelve 

 pounds; this immensely rapid growth having taken place in 

 the ocean, and without requiring anything in the way of 

 human intervention. For this reason it is that the efforts 

 necessary to the multiplication of anadromous fish may be 

 limited to securing a proper passage of the adults to and 

 from their proper spawning grounds, or, in addition, to 

 the securing of their eggs in numbers, and placing the 

 young when hatched, and after a suitable interval, in the 

 water where they are to pass the period of their infancy. 

 Nothing, therefore, is asked of the waters but the right of 

 way, the adults rarely taking food of any kind while in the 

 rivers. Their sustenance during this period is derived 

 from the surplus of fat in their own bodies, and Ihe exhaus- 

 tion produced by this period of abstinence, especially with 

 its accompaniment of the development of the eggs and 

 their fertilization, being made up by the voracity of their 

 feeding on returning to the ocean. 



The species just mentioned all live in the ocean and run 

 up into fresh water to spawn; the list being capable of 

 considerable addition. Other fishes, again, live in large 

 hodics of fresh water, as lakes, and run into tributary 

 streams or outlets Cor a similar purpose, and are thus ana- 

 dromous likewise. The Coregonus or whitefish, are almost 

 universally anadromous ; also the landlocked salmon, the 

 oouassa trout, or blue-back, the fresh water smelt, iSic. 



In this connection it may be interesting to refer for a 

 moment to the difference in habits between the common 

 eel and the species just referred to. This, like the others, 

 is an anadromous nib, or better, perhaps, cata&romous, the 

 order of its movements being reversed. The eggs of eels, 

 lor the most part, are laid in the sea, and the young, after 

 a short interval, enter the mouths of rivers and streams in 

 early Summer and pass up as far as au open passage will 

 permit. The adventurous visitor to the Cave of the Winds, 

 under the water sheet of Niagara Falls, is struck as much 

 by the immense number of young eels swarming against 



the rocks nud attempting to climb over their surface as by 

 any other feature, the, numbers to be scon being simply 

 incalculable. 



After reaching a suitable place of abode, in fresh water, 

 the eels remain, as is supposed, for at least three years, 

 growing to a considerable size. After becoming sufficiently 

 mature," their instinct, probably that of reproduction, car- 

 ries I hem seaward again during the Autumn; and it is at 

 this time that various forms of fish dams and fish weirs are 

 called into requisition. The simples!, kind consists of two 

 lines of stone wall, forming the sides of a rude dam, made 

 so as to converge and bring the angle down stream, through 

 which the passing water falls into a sort of basket. This 

 consists of a frame with lattice work at the bottom, so ar- 

 ranged that, while the water passes through, the fish are 

 forced up over the slats, arranged so as to form U series of 

 slides, aud fall into a receptacle beyond, where they arc 

 taken sometimes by wagon loads. 'The most productive 

 result of this mode 'of fisliing consists of eels intercepted in 

 their seaward movement, although other fish are often 

 taken. It is very destructive lo young shad and is very 

 properly interdicted by the laws of Pennsylvania and New 

 Jersey, in their shad rivers, 



The laying of the eggs, it is supposed, takes place in the 

 Autumn,' or Winter, and the young begin 10 move up in the 

 Spring, or early Summer. 



In further reference to the history of the eel, we may 

 states that its precise mode of copulation ami of reproduc- 

 tion was entirely unknown until recently, but that at the 

 present time the view is maintained by very high authority, 

 principally that of Italian physiologists, that the eel is 

 strictly a hermaphrodite; that is to say, that both the male 

 and female organs ate fouud in the same animal. These 

 are said to be developed to the proper degree in Winter, 

 and the eggs discharged from the ovary fertilized by the 

 seminal fluid from the testicles, and leave the body in a 

 condition for further development." 



TEXAS RIVERS FOR STOCKING. 



Gainesville, Cook Co., Texas, Jsnnnry 1, 18'7>. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



I see from the columns of your paper that a *< cond shipment of fish 

 (first, shad; second, salmon) has been made by the l r , S. Fish Commis- 

 sioner to S. W Texas, and in hoth cases it seems that, they were for the 

 Bra?os and Colorado Rivers. I should like to know if Northern Texas 

 is not eulitled to a poriion of the appropriation? If fresh water is neces- 

 sary for salmon, we or (lie Trinity aud tied Rivers are far ahead of (lie 

 lirazos River in that line. Very respectfully, G. H. Rac.sdai.e. 

 -*•»- 



— The first Penobscot salmon of the season was received 

 by Sbattuck & Jones, 128 Faneuil Hall market, Boston, on 

 the 20th nil. It weighed twenty pounds, mid was sold to 

 ihe St. James Hotel "at a dollar and a half a pound — a pretty 

 good price for hard times! 



We see this item in a Boston paper, but no comment on 

 the violation of the law regulating the close season, which 

 is from November 1st to April 1st in the Slate of Maine. 



jftttttrnl HfyistorQ. 



For Forest and Stream. 

 THE MOA.— IHno mi* HuIihsImh. 

 *"• 4 



ONLY" a few yours ago paleontologists, and scientific 

 men in general, were aroused by the rumor of a new 

 discovery, one calculated to tax our "belief in wonders" 

 to the utmost, and to wipe away the slurs of discredit cast 

 upon the founders of those tales of the heroic days in which 

 the Him- figured so prominently and to such good purpose. 

 Aud not unlike this light of other days is our quasi new 

 discovery, a huge giant bird towering far above the tallest 

 living creature and vying with many even in strength. It 

 has been found more plentifully in New Zealand than else- 

 where, and the numerous traditions that are familiar to the 

 natives and told to the traveler, tend to throw a glamour of 

 mystery and romauce around this epic of greatness that 

 makes the subject of more than passiug interest. Incredible 

 were the stories told concerning them, and every fresh dis- 

 covery would be the sign for some new tale that would be. 

 suddenly remembered by.the natives. They also believed 

 that these huge birds had lived within their own memory, 

 aud I hat still in the far interior they roamed in hordes, sale 

 in their own strength and the unapproachable character of 

 tic ir retreat. They knew it as the Mm, and remembered 

 that its superb plumage was worn as a gala dress by their 

 ancient kings, and that the bones were eagerly sought alter 

 for implements of various kinds. For long years their 

 stories were laughed at by casual visitors, and not until the 

 visit of Kev. William Colenso wasany belief placed in these 

 strange rumors. His curiosity, however, being aroused, he 

 made the attempt, and alter great labor excavated three or 

 four specimens of this wonderful bird, which were followed 

 by ihe important discoveries of Kev. W. Williams, the re- 

 sults of which were published at that time in the Tasmantaii 

 Journal, (18+2,) and republished at great length in the 

 "Annals of Natural History," and up to the year 184(5 num- 

 bers of small discoveries were made that seemed like the 

 small veins of ore that gradually bring the miner nearer 

 and neareT to the fountain head of splendor; and thus the 

 interest was kept up by the small finds of Mackelbtr, Earl 

 and Wakefield, until 18-Mi, when Mr. Walter Mantell drew 

 aside, as it were, the veil of the past and these huge actors 

 of a by-gonc age appeared rearing their pillars of bone-like 

 monuments to perpetuate their memory into all time. -Mr. 

 Mantell resided in Wellington for several years, and pene- 

 trated the interior with the sole purpose of obtaining, if 

 possible, a live specimen of the huge bird, so much spoken 

 of by the natives, and while prosecuting his search he made 

 a magnificent, collection of its remains, amounting to over 

 eight hundred bones of this and other species. From the 

 position of some of these bones, the shank and legs being 

 found standing erect, and just protruding from the soil, it 

 is evident that like the mastodon and other huge forms, 

 they were caught by the soil and held by a grasp that only 

 released its hold when all but the semblance of their power 

 had passed away. The location of these ossiferous deposits 

 is described as follows in the notes of Mr. Mantell:— "Near 



Waikouaiti, seventeen miles north of Otago, there isa head 

 land called Island Point, about three quarters of a mile in 

 length and 150 feet high; it consists ot sfiody clay distinctly 

 htrntilicd and traversed, by dykes of columnar trap, the 

 Columns being at right angles to the .vide." of the veins. In 

 a. little bight south of Islam! Point, on the side of the bar 

 which unites that headland to the mainland, at the entrance 

 of the river \Vaikonaiti,in front of the native Kaika, named 

 Makuku, is situated the so-called tertiary deposit whence 

 bones of moas and other birds of various kinds havo been 

 obtained in such number and perfection, This bed is about 

 three feet, in depth and not more than a hundred yards in 

 length, and lies immediately on a stratum of blue. clay. 

 Its inland boundary is obscured by vegetation, and appears 

 to be of very limited extent; the tied is submerged and only 

 visible when the tide has receded. It consists almost 

 wholly of decayed vegetable matter aud its surface 

 is studded with Ihe undisturbed roots of small trees, 

 which appear 10 have been burnt to the ground at, 

 some remote period. It is u light, sandy, elastic earth of 

 a blackish-brown color and emits a strong, fetid odor when 

 first, collected, from the large quantity of animal mailer it 

 contains. 1 conceive it was originally a swamp, or mom <«s 

 in which theN. Z. flax, (P/wrmhim teiiii.r,) once grew lux- 

 uriantly. It is now covered by a thin layer Of sand when 

 exposed at low water." This, then, is the tomb of this by- 

 gone race. Years before they probably frequented the lew 

 lands in droves, and perhaps fleeing from some still larger 

 form, sought security on the marshes, and there huddled 

 together they sank, their very limbs dragging them down, 

 and lacii tremendous struggle only enlarging the grave that 

 was to preserve them and lo perpetuate unto future ages 

 the wonders of "primeval greatness." 



Speaking of his excavations on the west shore of the 

 North Island and about sixty miles southwest of New Ply- 

 mouth, Mr. M. says:— ' -Between the two bluffs near the 

 embouchure of the river there is a sand flat about 200 yards 

 across, and this on my first visit was strewn with the bones 

 of (meir) moas and other birds, and two species of seals. 1 

 had some deep openings made near the foot of the aucient 

 cliff, on Ihe top of which is the Pa, or native village of 

 Ohawetakotoko; and at the same level as the fiat on which 

 I had observed Ihe strewn fragments of bones, 1 came to a 

 regular ossiferous deposit. The bones, however ptrfec', 

 were as soft, and plastic as putty, so that if grasped si rongly 

 they changed as it were by magic into clay pipe, and it was 

 necessary 'to dig them up with great care, and expose them 

 to the air and sun to dry before they could be packed and 

 removed." 



The finding of human remains among them tends to show 

 that some of the wonderful traditions were founded on 

 fact, and in the immediate vicinity of tiie sand tlat at Te 

 Rangatopcc M. Mantell found circular beds of ashes that 

 contained ancient bones of several auimals its well as those 

 of man and the moa, and near them were, dug up portions 

 of obsidian, flint, fishing lines, stones and a whale bone. 

 Some of the moa bones were cut with the evident intention 

 of securing the marrow, and these facts, with many Diners, 

 one of which is, that the name of the bird is used 111 many 

 of their old songs, points to the truth of the belief that they 

 were well known to the natives who first appeared on tile 

 island. 600 years ago. And if other proof were wanting, 

 mound upon mound was opened and found to contain 

 masses of bones of the moa and man charred and burnt 

 and thrown together, the remains ot some barbaric feast, 

 that not only shows that, the two were contemporaneous, but 

 that cannibalism evidently prevailed among them, and Dr. 

 Mantell says.— "In case 15 of the British Museum are frag- 

 ments of a human clavicle, radius and some phalangeal 

 bones lower jaw, teeth and oilier bones of dogs aud some 

 pieces' of moa bones. These relics, which have manifestly 

 been subjected lo the action of fire, contained no traces of 

 the earthy powder or ferruginous impregnations so constant 

 in the fossil bones from the tluviatile deposits, nor of the 

 menacbanite with which all the bones from the sand beds 

 are more or less permeated." 



A nd from the same spot egg shells were taken charred ana 

 bent out of shape by the action of heat. Some ol the eggs 

 found were of wonderful size, and near Walngomjori 

 numbers of pieces were found by Mr. M., the largest, being 

 four inches in diameter, showing it to be much larger lhau 

 that of the ostrich. ... 



In a report to the French Academic des Sciences, M, 

 fsedore Geoffrey St. Hilaire, describes three enormous 

 fossil eggs front Madagascar, and some bones belonging to 

 the same bird. %r . 



The Captain of a merchant vessel, trading 111 .Mada- 

 gascar, one day observed a native using for domestic pur- 

 poses a vase which much resembled an egg, and upon ex 

 animation it proved to be one. The native stated many 

 such were to be found in the interior of the island, and 

 eventually procured the eggs and bones exhibited by M. 

 St Hilaire. The largest of, these eggs is equal 111 bulk to 

 135 hen's eggs aud wTll hold two gallons of water. I hear 

 a sigh from the gastronomic reader, a slight regret 1lmt he 

 did not flourish 111 the good old day of these monster eggs. 

 At Ihe present time no perfect .specimens are possessed 111 

 the Uuited States, beyond the fragment ol bone or lndit- 

 ferent cast brought home by the interested traveler, bul this 

 want in our scientific midst will soon be remedied by the 

 prompt aud energetic action of the Museum at Natural 

 History, as they havo succeeded in purchasing at. great ex- 

 pense over sixteen specimens of the gigantic moa, repre- 

 senting several species and in perfect condition, which arc 

 now on their way from New Zealand, and will soon grace 

 the halls ot the new building west of the Park. Photo- 

 graphs of them can now be seen tit the Museum, and the 

 Befit is almost, beyond belief, some of ihom towering 

 eighteen and nineteen feet above the ground aud supported 

 by huge masses of bone that seem more fitted lor gigantic 

 columns of support than for locomotion. Beside them the 

 ostrich, SO long the king of birds, as regards size, sinks in 

 our estimation, and the thought is lorced upon us hat wc 

 are in the epoch of a great change, and, as slowly and surely 

 as did these grand forms die away, so are wc destined to 

 change,and perhaps in the great, future shall be represented 

 by a race as totally different from the present, as ihe 

 Diemv descendants of the moa are to their mighty fore- 



C. F. HoIjDEBi 



pigmy descendants c 

 fathers. 



•+**■ 



A _We published a paragraph recently, announcing the 

 killing of a doe of the common deer, with large auiler.s, In 

 Canada. A correspondent in Montreal writes us that his 

 guide on one occasion informed hint that he had shot a doe 

 having one prong jutting from the middle of the forehead, 

 near the apes, almost similar to that which we see in pic- 



