106 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Maboh 10, 1881. 



and punch until the irritated victim would strike viciously at 

 them, when they would fly away with loud cawings of 

 amusement and derision. If for any reason their meal was 

 delayed beyond its accustomed hour the pair would proceed 

 to the kitchen door and raised such a tumult as never failed 

 to call forth some one to satisfy their wants. 



OREGON QUAIL IN ALABAMA. 



TOTTR correspondent, "Morse," in your issue of the 17th 

 instant, wrote in a. descriptive way of a bevy of what 

 you advised him are mountain quail, OreoHyx prim. Very 

 considerable interest has been created in the birds here, and 

 despite the rigors of the climate 'many places were suggested 

 for colonizing or domesticating them. These were but the 

 expressions of enthusiastic wishes, however, serious thoughts 

 of the birds passing through one of our winters being out 

 Of the question. 



The gentlemen to whom they were sent here, have finally 

 sent them to the sunny South, and they are now in the care of 

 the Montgomery Sporting Club, Montgomery, Alabama, of 

 which Mr. Charles Spear is President. Advices say they ar- 

 rived there in fine condition and are greatly admired; The 

 bevy of twenty-one are to be divided, apart liberated in a 

 locality favorable to their propagation and protection, and a 

 part upon private lands uuder the surveillance of the pro- 

 prietor 



In the interest of true sportsmen and of all interested in 

 colonization and domestication of foreign birds, please insert 

 this in Foeest and Stream. It will surely merit the atten- 

 tion of the gentlemen having the birds in charge and secure 

 in your attractive columns reports of this experiment. 



The narrative of the advent of these beautiful birds, from 

 its very inception, is interesting. Twenty-four birds, caught 

 near Oregon City, Oregon, in late fall or early winter — in 

 what manner I know not— were there cooped in a pine box 

 about three feet square, with a single partition, or deck, 

 slatted on two opposite sides, and shipped by steamer to San 

 Francisco and thence sent by rail to this city. Two birds 

 were missing on their arrival here and one was found dead 

 in the coop. The twenty-one survivors were in good heart 

 and condition. They were liberated in a large cage con- 

 structed to receive them, with a floor, and of about twenty- 

 five square feet, and about five feet high, slatted on all sides 

 and the top, and with cross-pieces pinced for the birds to 

 roost on. The cage was kept in an apartment heated pretty 

 uniformly above the freezing point, and a few days in tins 

 habitation restored the birds in spirit and appearance from 

 the ett'ects of their long journey. Their habits were watched 

 so far as could be for about six weeks with curious interest, 

 and they developed, seemingly, every trait that could en- 

 courage hopes of their complete domestication. 



What beautiful birds, to be sure! The first impression 

 from them, seen huddled in fear and apprehension — heads 

 erect, the slender plumes in their crowns at a perpendicular, 

 nodding, Hitting, their beautiful plumage displayed iu their 

 strut and cfutese — is charming. I wonder if this long, deli- 

 cate plume is peculiar to the mountain quail ? 



In size, full-ajowu, the bird is about that of a pigeon. 

 The breast is very full and dimpled and of a rich bine, fad- 

 ing into a dusky 'brown on the sides of the. neck and upward 

 1 all over the back, wines and tail, save 

 : the wings is marked by dottings of white, 

 he feathers are of a lustrous maroon, 



over th 



that the contom 

 Below the win 

 barred with wh 

 ornamented vrti 

 with white, the 

 lower point, ten 

 bill. The plum 

 oped, and when the bird 

 close to the neck and la 

 it to a perpendicular; aj 

 one and sometimes of tv 

 To observers here then 

 birds hut a dominating n 

 What game to entice 



icki 



shi. 



The 



te d< 

 li lust 



ipper points reaching the auricular.", and the 

 dnaling about an inch below the base ot the 

 3 is about two inches long when fully dcvel- 

 is undisturbed slopes backward and 

 ck. When animated the bird erects 

 d it is seen to consist sometimes of 

 o long, slender, dark brown feathers. 

 was nothing to indicate sex in the 

 otion and expression, 

 the true sportsman from office and 

 shop! Dinsmore, to whose attention the birds were fortu- 

 nately committed while here, declares he will go to Alabama 

 next season and identify his pets and the progeny. Mao 

 Offdemburff, If. 7"., Februury, 1881. 



THE GIANT SQUID ON THE GRAND BANKS. 



BY FROKICiK.n: 



vicnitar,. 



T71R0M Oapt. J. Collins, now of the TJ. S. Fish Commis 

 JO sion, I learn that in October, 187f>, an unusual num 

 ber of giant squids were found floating at the surface on tin 

 Grand Banks, and mostly entirely dead and more or less mm 

 tilated by birds and fishes. In very few cases they were no! 

 quite dead, hut entirely disabled. These were chiefly sect 

 between N. lat. 44 deg. and 44 deg. 80min., and between W. 

 long. 4!i deg. 30 sec. and 4!) deg, 30 min. 40 deg. SO nun. 



He believes that between twenty-five and thirty specimen: 

 were secured by the fleet from Gloucester, Mass., and that a! 



many more were pro 



bablv obtai 



led bv the a 



essels from other 



places. They were 



cut up and 



isedas bait 



for codfish. For 



this use they are of ( 



onsideni.hle 



value to th 



> fishermen- 



Capt. Collins was 



it, that lime 



in corn in ai 



d of the schooner 



Howard, which sec 



u'ed five o 



: these gia 



it, squids. These 



were mostly from te 



i to fifteen 



feet long, 



not including the 



arms, and averaged about eighteen inches in diameter. T 

 armsweie almost always mutilated. The portion that was 

 left was usually three to four feet long, and at the base about 

 as large as a man's thigh. 



One specimen when cut up was packed into a large hogs 

 head tub, having a capacity of about seventy-five gallons, 

 which it filled. This tub was known to hold 700 pounds of 

 cod fish. The gravity of the Architenthis is probably about 

 the same as that of the fish. This would indicate more nearly 

 the actual weight of one of these creatures than any of the 

 mere estimates that have been made which are usually much 

 too great. Allowing for the parts of the arms that had been 

 destroyed this specimen would perlmps have weighed nearly 

 000 pounds. 



Among the numerous other vessels that were fortunate iu 

 securirg this kind of bait ('apt. Collins mentions the follow r - 

 ing: The schooner Sarah P. Ayer, Captain Oddey, took one 

 or two ; the E. R. Nickerson, Captain McDonald, secured 

 one. that had its arms and was not entirely dead, so that it was 

 harpooned. Its tentacular arms were thirty-six feet long. 

 The schooner Tragabigzauda, Captain Mallory, secured three 

 in one afternoon. " These were eight to twelve feet long, not 

 ncluding the arms. 



These statements are confirmed by other fishermen, some 

 of whom state that the "big squills" wore also common, dur- 

 thc same season, at the "Flemish Cap," a hank situated 

 some distances northeast from the Grand Banks. 



The cause of so great a mortality among these great Ceph- 

 alopods can only be conjectured. It may have been due to 

 some disease epidemic among them, or to an unusual preva- 

 lence of deadly parasites or other enemies. It is worth while, 

 however, to recall the fact that these were observed about 

 the same time in autumn when most of the specimens have 

 been found cast ashore at Newfoundland in different years. 

 This season may perhaps be just subsequent to their season 

 for reproduction, when they would be so much weakened as 

 to be more easily overpowered by parasites, disease, or other 

 unfavorable conditions. — Amen'r'ti.m Journal of Science. 



The American Jottrxaj. of Soienoe. — The March num- 

 ber of the Journal contains a number of articles of great 

 value, most of them on physical subjects. The number 

 opens with an article on the Phosphorograph of a Solar Spec- 

 trum by Prof. J W. Draper, following which is a, discussion 

 of the Structure and Affinities of Euplwherin of Meek and 

 Worlhen, by S. H. Scudder. Mr. S. P. Langley writes of 

 the Actinic Balance. The wonderful mineral deposit at 

 BrauchviUe, Conn., which has furnished so much interesting 

 material to the mineralogists, calls forth two articles in this 

 number. Mr. G. W. Hawes gives an interesting paper on 

 Liquid Carbon Dioxide in Smoky Quartz, and Prof. Arthur 

 W. Wright one on Gaseous Substances contained in the 

 Smoky Quartz of Bran'chville, Conn. 



Other articles in the March Jourral are: Origin of New 

 Points in the Topography of North Carolina, by W. C. Kerr; 

 On the Solubility of Chloride of Silon in Water, by J. P. 

 Cooke; Papers on Thermometry, from the Winchester Ob- 

 servatory of Yale College, and others. 



Scientific Intelligence is very full and varied, and the num- 

 ber, as a whole, is extremely interesting. 



Unusual Deer.— Bozeman, Montana Ter., Feb. 18.— I 

 have noticed in a recent number of Forest and Stream 

 "Cork's" letter about .a " horned doe." In the whiter Of 

 1873 74, while hunting at the head waters of McDonald's 

 Creek— a tributary of the Musselshell River— Montana, Ter- 

 ritory, I happened to kill a large while-tail doe with four 

 horns— or, rather, four spikes— each from U to 4 inches in 

 length. They were produced in pairs, one pair on each side 

 of head. In the fall of 1873. while trappinc at the head of 

 Flat Willow and McDonald's creeks, 1 also"killed two large 

 white-tail deer with a black line along backbone, and two 

 rows of white spots, the latter of the size of a copper cent, on 

 each side. Have not seen any like it since. A. G. 



In the autnmu of 1878 we killed, in a dry lake, near the 

 head of the Dismal River, Nebraska, the biggest and hand- 

 somest buck we ever saw. He had on each side of the back- 

 bone a row of spots somewhat smaller than a five-cent nickel, 

 which were very much paler than the rest, of the coat. We 

 never saw one marked like him, though there is no doubt that 

 adult deer are sometimes more or less spotted. 



Neotueus Lateralis.— Catskill, Feb. 26— Editor Forext 



This afte 

 big in the river Ihev c 

 ft looks about as 1 shi 



Is 



night :i 

 nliiim 



irly of 

 ions kiokii 

 •oss bet 



affa 



to tip; IB :f i 



low. and quite n 

 looking c'l'ay ey 



, , ahead of fore 

 a side) of a dark, 

 bullhead, 



■1 and 

 tip 



lef, : [IS 



a.!, six inches Ions f 

 on the back: its si 

 spots; its belly a light-yel 

 iad, flat head, small, dead 

 very much like a Hazard's, 

 2 on 



re two spongy HK< substances (p 

 tOlor. Has a tail very much like a 

 " Is as slippery as an eel." Is it fish or lizard ? 

 W. K. II. 



The animal which you mention is easily recognized from 

 your description. It is neither a fish nor a lizard, but an 

 amphibian, and belongs to the same class with the frogs, 

 toads, siredons and so on. It is called mud-puppy, water- 

 dog or menobranchus in the vernacular, and Neitums later- 

 aliu by scientific, men. It is not uncommon in the Northern 

 United States, though not very often seen, and sometimes 

 reaches a length of two feet. The " spongy-like substances " 

 are the gills. 



A Tame Riiffeo Grottse— Cortlandt. N. Y., March 3— 

 Mlitor Fo/v.fit a ii<l Stream : I have now in my possession a 

 tame partridge. Hearing remarkable stories' about such a 

 bird having been secured, that, bavins been placed in the 

 COOP with the chickens it had conformed to their habits and 

 mode of life, I had the curiosity to drive with a friend about 

 a mile from town to see this domesticated partridge. 



Upon arriving at the house the farmer led the way to the 

 hen-house, cautioning us, as we opened the door, not to ap- 

 proach too near the bird, as it did not like strangers. He 

 had the grouse confined in a coop in one corner of the hen- 

 nery. Upon opening the lid the bird walked out with the 

 familiar kluck '. kluck! " and with many a flirt and flutter" 

 flew to the floor, taking his place familiarly with the cock 

 and hens, they seeming to recognize him as one of the 

 family. 



We were told that tbc bird had flown into the house about 

 five months ago early one morning, the family supposing it 

 had passed the night in one of the balsam trees near the 

 house and that the cat, prowling about, had startled him, 

 when he flow bliudlv through the open door into the room. 

 He was immediately placed with the fowls, with the result 

 before stated. 



He is fed only with the chickens and eats with them with 

 apparent unconcern, and at night, would take his place on 

 the roost with them, but for tear of accident his owner has 

 of late each night placed him in a small, slatted coop. The 



bird allows Mr. H to take him in his hands to be shut in 



quarters for the night. What seems to me the most remarka- 

 ble is that the bird should know Mr. H from others, as 



it was very evident thai he did. Mig. 



Animals Reoriteb at Central Park Mekaoerie for Wkek end- 

 tnc Kfrruaky '.W.-Two Kaccoons /'rnrva Inii.r, presented try Mr. 

 Julius Grail, S. Y. city. One Horned Owl, Bilto titrgfniamu*, present- 



ed by Mr. O. W. Baxter. Captured at Ne 



acta Pnivupine. EfH\i-:~r, ,.v,.".:,i.'t<k, presen 

 art, N. Y. city. Two Opossums, DUdpl 

 Mr. W. Irving Snyder Captured at Hi 

 eared Owl, O rt nr 1 i 



x. T. city. One Founder's Capromy. C<*j 

 Presented by Captain William H. Taylor. 



iv:- Lor,,,'. 

 -i:':;im>a 



ib. ctln 



fd$ and 



wn. 



Dittmar Sporting Powdee."— The Forest and, 

 Strf.am's pamphlet, explaining the dangerons nature ot thB 

 Dittmar detonating explosive, will be sent to any address' 

 upon application. The articles contained iu the pamphlffl 

 were published in this journal as follows: 



Sept. 33, 1880— Tee " Dittmar Sporting Powder." 



Sept. 30, 1880 -Evading Detonation. 



Oct. 7, 1880— The Detonation of "Dittmar Sporting Pow- 

 der." 



Dec. 9, 1880— The Dittmars' Abracadabra. 



DUCK SHOOTING OFF THE VIRGINIA CAPES. ^ 



Capeeville, Vmoruu, October, ihsi). M 

 Bear Sir : Ton asked rae last summer to notify you wlien was tba 

 best time for duck shooting off the Capes, loom all Indications, th? 

 brant and black ducks will be In heavy force about the 1st of Pceem- 

 If you want, good sport, make your preparations to come about 

 that time. Cold weather wilt have set in, and the birds wUl be youngJ 

 and not shot at. It would lie necessary for yon and your friend t n go 

 aboard a schooner and anchor off near the blinds so that in rough 

 ather you would be on the spot; for if you boarded on the main- 

 land your expenses would be heavy and (he shooting not worth the 

 while, to say the least of It, tor on windy days the ducks fly up to tin: 

 decoys and you could not reach the blinds were you on the mainland. 

 snipe, too, so you had best bring a large 

 supply of No. I" shot t cannot promise you luxurious fare, but can 

 give you plenty of good bread, butter, eggs, beef, bacon, oysters^ 

 clams, stewed terraptn, ducks, snipe and wild goose. Bring a heavy 

 ipply of ammunition, waterproof boots and clothing, and come dOTJj| 

 l Hie steamoy Northaxuptoi 



n.l a 



)BS the 



(ifingf 



a tn I 



title 



i tei 



idles. J 



• traps. 



xpr 



edto 



nd t 



ibab 



ston ttousetodtep! 



remembered you . 

 enough funds left over for Cliri: 

 at least fen days, as nay expens 

 considerable. Very truly yours 



8.— Bring two breech-load 

 hot with rapid firing as to nece 

 to shoot at long distance at, the 



urpltis gam 

 f pay all y. 



from Cherrystone, 

 iv-111 haveanamlni. 

 ooner, well furnisher;, 



wer.\lliing. All got™ 

 would be best for yam 

 nth a Baltimore cofl 

 , for after your trleiffl| 

 ur expenses and lam 

 expect ,vou to remain, 

 uly tor the trip wIUM 



Mai 



I ts apt 1 



did get 



aloud 



and, lik 





skillful ent 



ill 'It:: 



for tl 



ic erectio 



i i 



f his batteri 



■-. .= '1 



d tor 



his into 



de 



d departure 



and 



ml he 



is about, 



to 



leave on a 



oral 



lectr 



r preparn 



ig 



for a foray 



11111111 



rronn 



rled by n 



.li. 



liring friends, \M 



NOW, I appeal to every lover of the gun if (his letter wa» 

 not calculated to make any sportsman gooff at balf-eoclj 

 to make business distasteful forthe time and lurn his thoughts! 

 waking, andhisdreams, slumbering, to visions of slaughteiM 

 the wild fowl ? Willi such a letter in his pocket a man ujtuhl 

 be pardom d for ignoring " the partner of his bnssom and the 

 sweet offsprings of mutual affection." as Mr. Micawber pa- 

 thelically expresses it, and let, his gaze wander lovinglv mil) 

 longingly at his pet breech-loader that sits so solitary and 

 alone In the corner. 



Dark hints are made in the family circle of failing health 

 and failing appetite, glowing descriptions of successful duek- 

 buuts in the Fohest >xn Stream, from the pens of enthusi- 

 astic Nimrods, are re 

 preparing the approac 

 the, shootist breaks gr. 

 then it becomes know 

 duck-killing trip. LI 

 the Grecian host, he ii 



warriors help him to arm — buckler, casque, javelin ; the W 

 Trojans give him helpful words and smiles And, like the flH 

 vori'te son of Priam, as he goes out to slay and couqm r. at 

 deals in liberal promises, not like Hector," though, in firing 

 this one a love-lock from Paris' brow, that, a golden gorget froffi 

 Belus' shield, or the gilt, eagle that, adorns the top of tint 

 Thracian standards; instead, he pledges his solemn won! iS 

 forward hampers of game to every acquaintance, a pledge, if 

 carried out, would load down every steamboat, on the Clu:-sa> 

 peake Bay. But in the midst of all this exultant preparation, 

 comes the boding voice of some Cassandra in breeches, who 

 croaks of bad luck, of wild shooting, of stormy days, of big 

 ter, hiling weather, of colds, rheumatism and neuralgia, of 

 false, fleeting aii.l perjured guides, lluit make the tvordH 

 promise to the ear only to break it to the hope. 



But who ever heeds the warning voice when bent on M 

 enterprise, whether it is of conscience, of our creditors orlffl 

 our friends?— Allah Rakalum .' What is to be shall be, alii 

 so we and our friend James Fox. of Richmond, a direct deS"- 

 eendeul, by the way, of the famous Charles James of King/ 

 George's time, proceeded to lav in our stock of ainmunitiOlL 

 Just here, bv the way of digression. I would like to ask nlj 

 fellow-sportsmen why there is always such a wide differeiiffl 

 between the estimated and actual expense of fitting out. for 1 

 hunting expedition ? It, seems a very simple and inexpensive 

 affair — powder and shot, don't cost much. A mere bagatifl 

 not worth a moment's consideration, says the huntsman, !B 

 he stuffs his roll of notes iu his watch-pocket, those sauir 

 promises to pay being the expenses of the round trip. A 

 mere nothing, "is it?— not worth a thought ? Well, rclleclion 

 comes when buying a ticket to your destination — Whereto 

 the money ? Surely some of it is lost ! You search in ea«K« 

 pocket, kn-t your brow and then, after a moment of brofft) 

 study, a new" light breaks upon your bewildered mind. Yrtfll ' 

 paraphernalia— that your gunmakerhas beguiled you into put 1 

 chasing — is about ten times more than you dreamed of, H 

 as you think of your hank account and supply yourself with 

 blank checks vou register a mental vow to be more cautioBV 

 in future. Everybody cuts the suit according to the clolflf- 

 but a sportsman never does. 



Fox and myself compared notes . The expenses were al- 

 ready as much as the whole trip ought to have cost, ami W 

 had not even left Richmond. But when a man finds himself 

 in that position called "in for a penny iu for a pound" lis 

 gets as reckless as a poker player who sees a heavy blind OB 

 a bob tail flush. 



