36 
FOREST AND STREAM 
such a display would he very great independently of its 
value as an exponent of advanced views with regard to 
the proper uses of specimens in public museums, but the 
cost to the society would be very considerable, not less 
than $2,000. 
Fourth —That the society also exhibit selected portions 
of its New England collection. This follows the preced¬ 
ing collections, and supplements them. It contains all the 
species of minerals, fossils, plants, and animals found in 
New England. The specimens are meant for the use of 
those seeking special information with regard to any par¬ 
ticular form found in this vicinity and serve as illustrated 
sources of reference for the correction or confirmation of 
facts observed in the field work of the teacher or general 
student, which last work can only be intelligently entered 
upon after the study of the general connections of things 
in the type collections. This department could be com¬ 
pletely illustrated with selections occupying twelve cases, 
and the cost to the society of the preparation and care of 
the same would be at least $1,000. 
The gentlemen having this matter in charge, all of whom 
are leaders in the society, and well-known teachers and in¬ 
vestigators, are using every endeavor to bring the plan to 
a successful issue, and are pausing only until it is seen 
whether the Massachusetts Legislature will be sufficiently 
impressed with the importance of the thing to grant the 
$4,000 or $5,000 needed to defray the expenses. It is, un¬ 
fortunately, somewhat doubtful whether this appropria¬ 
tion will be made, and the society, despairing of any other 
source of funds fears that all its efforts hitherto will prove 
to have been useless. This event would bo a deplorable 
one. The biological science of the country will then have 
no other systematic exposition at the Centennial than that 
afforded by the Fish Commission, whose department is 
circumscribed; and the stranger of scientific tastes who 
visits Philadelphia next year must content his curiosity, 
and desire for a kn owledge of the palaeontology and zoo¬ 
logy of the country with the meagre display made by a 
few taxidermists, whose object is artistic excellence rather 
than scientific information. We have lauded before the 
world our extraordinary educational facilities, and no fetr 
ture of the home side of the exhibition will have more 
interest for intelligent foreigners than that illustrating our 
school system. But more and more every year natural 
history is coming to he a necessary and sought-for part of 
a liberal education; and, next to England, no nation has 
provided so well for teaching popular science as America. 
Under these circumstances will it not be an omission so 
noticeable as to be a disgrace if this important element of 
education in the United States, and particularly in Massa¬ 
chusetts, is left unrepresented? It would not seem to be 
very difficult for New England legislators to appreciate 
this, and to give ungrudgingly the small sum asked by the 
competent men urging it to properly exhibit natural history 
at the Centennial. 
OUR “INVITATION” HEARD FROM. 
It does not surprise us to find that the propositions con¬ 
tained in the article last week entitled “An Invitation,” 
have attracted the attention their object deserves, and have 
already begun to bring responses, as will he seen below. 
Prof. Spencer F. Baird, of the Smithsonian Institute, 
writes as follows:— 
“I am in receipt of the proof of the article you propose 
to publish in Forest and Stream, iuviting the collection 
of information in regard to the birds of the United States, 
and their geographical distribution during the whole or a 
part of the year. This idea is an excellent one, and should 
be carried out, and I wish you every success in the enter¬ 
prise.” 
Prof. Baird was one Of the earliest, and has become 
among the most eminent of American ornithologists. He 
first called attention to the study of the geographical dis¬ 
tribution of animals in this country, and ascertained a 
large number of facts in connection with it which have 
since supplied to him and other workers material for par¬ 
tially working out the laws of climatic and seasonal vari¬ 
ation. Commendation from him, therefore, is the best 
guarantee of the importance of the subject. 
Thu subjoined contribution from l)r. Abbott is also 
timely, since it brings to notice some points in our article 
which may be misunderstood. Dr. Abbott has not made 
out a complete case against us, however, except as to his 
locality, for the blue bird has not been observed to breed 
north of Lake Superior, and is certainly a true migrant as 
far south as Lake Erie. Ouly a few song sparrows winter 
as far north as Boston, and the meadow lark is completely 
migratory north of Massachusetts, Southern Canada being 
given as the northern limit of the breeding range of both. 
The goldfinch ( Ohrycomitris trislin), is resident, to be sure, 
in most parts of Eastern North America, but there are 
many things in reference to its nest-building, changes of 
plumage, and habits which are yet to be learned. For ex¬ 
ample. Does it universally breed, as late as it is known to 
do in some localities — Northern Ohio, for instance—where 
its eggs are rarely found before July 4tli? And is this 
owing to a previous want of proper iood for its young? If 
so, what is this diet, and how restricted is it? The south¬ 
ern range of our birds In winter is another point upon 
which information is needed. Dr. Abbott must remember 
that the brief list of only well-marked birds was intended 
for the whole country. Just such notes as his, from a 
hundred places, would soon let us into the secret of the 
home, and travels, and habits of all the birds. We are 
certain that an increasing interest will bo aroused by the 
publication of these observations until every Teader 
becomes an observer. Dr. Abbott’s letter was as fol¬ 
lows:— 
“Prospect Hill, Trenton, N. J., Feb. 18th, 1870. 
Editor Forest and Stream-— 
In your proposal lor accurate data concerning the mi¬ 
gratory movements of our common birds you refer to 
three species which I think can scarcely be considered as 
migratory; they are the blue-bird, song sparrow, and 
meadow lark. I have been familiar with these well known 
species of New Jersey birds for many years, and can as¬ 
sert confidently that they are resident every month of the 
year, Within a week I have heard song sparrows singing 
as merrily as ever in flowery May; and oniy to-day, brav¬ 
ing the chill northwest wind, blue birds were flitting from 
post to post of my lane fence, warbling their quaint, peon 
liar notes, too mournful by far to charm away dull care. 
The same is to be said of the meadow larks. While fully 
able to withstand cold weather they prefer warm; and will 
carefully hunt out, it would seem, suuny nooks in sheltered 
fields, from which you would have difficulty in flushing 
them. I have many a time chased a little flock of a dozen 
about a field, but without forcing tbam to take wing. 
They trusted to running, and were no mean contestants in 
the foot-race. They seem to have forgotten, at this time 
of the year, their old stands on the topmost branches of 
tall trees, and whistle not a note. For this reason, they 
are by many supposed to have gone south, hut such is not 
the case. 
A word or two with reference to the red-winged black 
bird, and the kingfisher, and 1 have done. The former 
must be considered in New Jersey as semi-migratory, as 
also must the crow black birds, for in scattering numbers 
they are with us until December, and not unfrequenlly the 
January thaw brings a few to llie flooded meadows. This 
winter, now nearly past, the unusual “openness,” or 
warmth ought to have caused many of our birds to come 
back, it might be thought. They did not, however, and 
for ten years, certainly, There have been fewer birds iu this 
neighborhood than during any of the other winters. But 
in February, as usual, the red-wings put iu an appearance 
infullfoice; as on Saturday, February 12th, 1 saw three 
large flocks; but ahead of this, in my note of a large 
“mixed company of crow blackbirds, red-wings, and 
cowpen birds, seen in a piece of woods on January 29th.” 
That day was pleasant until noon, when a cold wind sprang 
up. A stray kingfisher haunts nearly every mill-pond 
through the winter if the ice does not entirely shut him off 
from fishing, for 1 suppose he does fish then; yet I have 
often dipped a sure summer net in the same waters right 
after him, bat got only water hanes. 
In looking over your list again 1 see you mention the 
goldfinch, or thistle-bird. Is he not a rambler rather than 
strictly migratory? By migratory I mean regularly passing 
from one latitude to another, and returning thereto after a 
sojourn qf a uniform length of lime, comparing year with 
year for ages. Chas. G. Abbott, M. D.” 
A Correction. —We were somewhat chagrined upon 
receiving, during the past week, a letter from Dr. Elliott 
Coues, informing us of mistakes in the paragraph referring 
to him, which we published in the last number. We sup¬ 
posed our informant was sure of his knowledge, hut seem 
to have been led into an unfortunate misunderstanding. 
Hr. Coues say that he is not writing and does not intend to 
write a “Birds of the Southwest;” and tells us what he is 
doing, as follows:— 
“I am chiefly busied at present in writing a treatise on 
the zoology and botany of the United States Northern 
Boundary Commission, to which I am officially attached; 
reading proofs of various matters I have in press; getting 
up some lectures and addresses; reviewing hooks, and oc¬ 
casionally indulging in magazine work. As to the “Biblio¬ 
graphy,” I have in preparation a complete digest of or¬ 
nithological literature from Aristotle to 1874, and have 
made such progress with it already that, if 1 livo long 
enough and have good luck, I may go to press with it iu 
the course of ten or fifteen years, or at any rale shall be 
able to leave the plan of the work to my children as a 
family heirloom,” 
—In Forest and Stream for December lGlh, 1875, we 
printed a list of birds observed in the vicinity of Minneap¬ 
olis, Minn., by Tlios. 8. Roberts, not enumerated in Dr. 
Hatch’s list. This reappears, with a slight rearrangement, 
in the Scientific Monthly for February. 
Growth of Salta. —W. K. Brooks, of Cambridge, 
Mass., has recently communicated to ihe Boston Society 
of Natural History a preliminary account of studies he is 
making into the development of the Salpa chain, in which 
Sars first discovered, as he supposed. Unit curious method 
of reproduction which has since become so widely known 
and applied under the name of “alternation of geueratious." 
Mr. Brooks’s researches seem to prove that the solitary 
Salpa is the female, and that she produces a chain of males 
by budding, and discharges an egg into the body of each 
of these before its birth. These eggs are impregnated 
while the individuals (“zooids”) of the male chain are very 
small and sexually immature, and develop into females 
which, in turn, give rise to males the other way. We 
have here, not an alternation of generations, hui a very 
remarkable difference in tlie form and mode of origin of 
the two sexes, throwing light upon the way in which they 
may become separated in forms that were originally her¬ 
maphrodite. Mr. Brooks is the author of several papers of 
great interest and originality upon the anatomy and em¬ 
bryology of mollnsks. 
—Mr. Alfred Newton writes n striking protest to the 
London Times against the wholesale slaughter of birds for 
the sake of ornamental feathers. He quotes the proceed¬ 
ings of a single sale of feathers, to show that to supply 
that sale alone 9,700 herons (or egrets) must have been 
destroyed. * AH these feathers are said to have come from 
India last autumn. Mr. Newton observes that no country 
could supply 10,000 herons in a single breeding-season 
without nearly rooting out the stock. Moreover, 15,000 
humming-birds and upwards were included in the sale, of 
which 740 were of a single kind, As far as we know, 
none of these birds really diminish the food available for 
man, so that in destroying them for mere show, we empty 
the world absolutely of a certain portion of its beauty and 
happiness—while the beauty is certainly by no mrans 
made up iu the ornamentation of feminine toilettes which 
is thus procured. In this age office moralities, does no 
one really bestow a thought on the morality of such reck¬ 
less spoliation of life as this? 
Says an English paper-. “The increase of rats in farms, 
hedges, rabbioburrows, is to many quite unaccountable. 
The rule is, if you diminish one pest you make room for 
another. A few yea is since birds of prey, snob as the 
hawk, grey-owl, carrion crow, etc., were plentiful, and all 
lived in the season on young rabbits, rats, mole, mice, etc., 
which kept them under control; now it is a rarity to see a 
raven, crow, hawk, owl, either grey or white. The result 
is of late year an extraordinary increase of rabbits and 
rats. In ferreting for rabbits, rats are often driven out aud 
killed. 
Decent Arrivals at the Philadelphia Zo.'Looical Gardens.— 
One rufous rat kangaroo (“ lipsiprymmis rvfescem)< born in ibe gardens: 
one great kangaroo, (Afacropus giganUvs), bom iu :he gardens; one li¬ 
oness and two whelps, ( Felts ho ), purchased; one mink, {Pulwius lutre- 
otus ), presented by C. P>. Rossell, N. J.: one Fournier’s capromys, {Gap* 
romyspU'irufai) t presented by Capt. .T Evans, Philadelphia; one tor¬ 
toise, ( Xerobates Bmianduri). presented by Dr. Yarrow, Washington, 
D. C.; nineteen chequered tortoises, (Emys fiefo), and oneied-bellied 
terrapin (JStjifjsrtibreventris), presented by J. Fletcher, Philadelphia; 
one snowy owl, {Jifyctea nivsti), purchased; and one fulmar petrel, {Ful- 
man& ffladatU), presented by W. IT. Zorn, N. J. 
#4 
THE MAINE FISH COMMISSIONERS. 
I T is reported that the Fishery Committee of the Maine 
Legislature has voted unanimously to recommend 
the abolishment of the Board of Fish Commissioners after 
September 15th, of the present year. It is expected that a 
lively fight will be made in opposition to the carrying out of 
this recommendation by.the friends of the Commission 
when the subject comes before the Legislature. 
We trust that this rumor is incorrect. It was apparent 
from the last report of the Commissioners that there was 
difficulty between themselves and certain mill owners 
owiDg to the refusal of the latter to obey the mandates of 
the courts as to erecting fishways through their dams. 
But it seems incredible that a few corporations can have 
the power of so influencing legislation as to procure the 
abolishment of sueli a valuable Commission as that de¬ 
voted to the preservation and propagation of fish in the 
State of Maine. We probably err in ascribtug this move¬ 
ment to this cause, and it more likely owes its origin to a 
disinclination to make the usual appropriation. We trust, 
however, that the measure may be defeated, and that the 
Commission may continue to exist. In a memorial, re¬ 
cently addressed to the Legislature by the officers of Ihe 
Maine Fish Association the advantages of fish culture to 
the State are very clearly set forth. The last paragraph of 
the memorial would, we should think, alone be sufficient. 
It says:— 
“The improvement of the fresh water fisheries is of im¬ 
portance in more ways than one. Not only will it aid in 
supplying the people with healthful food and recreation, 
but it will attract to our State great numbers of tourists 
from ahroal. It is estimated by a gentleman wlio has 
given this matter some attention, that so large a sum as 
$ 100,000 was spent by tourists in Maine during Ihe past 
year. A very large per centage of these people were sports¬ 
men, drawn hither by our inland fisheries; and the better 
the fishing the more they will come. They are generally 
liberal iu their expenditures, aud leave behind them more 
dollars than they kdl of fish.” 
^ FISHWAYS. 
It will he remembered that a fortnight since, we pub¬ 
lished some correspondence between lion. Tbo-, Logan 
and Seth Greeu relative to fishways in Ohio, a hill having 
come before the Legislature of that State repealing the law 
which compelled millers and others to erect chutes or fish¬ 
ways iu their dams. The following letter from Mr. Logan 
explains itself:— 
Cincinnati, Ohio, Febitiary Till, J87A 
Seth Great, j Rochester:— 
Mi Dear Sir:— Your very explicit, Idler of 31st nit., with accompany¬ 
ing documents are received. I inn much obliged for the clear expres¬ 
sion of your views, and the information relative to till: success of 
Brewer’s patent flab-way. 
The bill width I referred to came Up in the Senate aud was defeated 
by only one vote. Amotion to re-ccnislder was carried R’td it is mil, un¬ 
likely tbat it will again be called up, whenever its friends And n thin 
attendance, or deem that they can force its passage. To von, who tbtva 
Witnessed bo much legislative Ignorance, prejudice, and unbelief, upon 
this subject, and have struggled so long for tbo success In flsU cul¬ 
ture, w hich you have now attained, it rutty seem 1 lull we lire easily dis¬ 
heartened by such n result. Bntwohnd hoped that by Ibis time., the 
public, and especially the lawmakers, had come to a knowledge of tbo 
itnportauce of the iiueetion, We did not think that our efforts to increase 
a food supply, which would henellt the people at large, could be met by 
such narrow minded opposition, mid such palpable seilsbness .and- 
meanness. It is Ihe fact, however, and we must race it as a fact. 
We shall renew oar endeavors, and we will ultimately defeat the 
bill, ir energy and perseverance can defeat it. la any future discus- 
sion we will he strengthened by the statements you have made to us, 
which cannot fail to prove a tower of strength. Wttli thankafor the 
inti:rest you have manifested, and sincere wishes for your prospAlty and 
welfare, I am very truly yours. Trios. II. Logan . 
STOCKING CANANDAIGUA LAKE. 
A question was asked through our paper, last week, us 
to the success that had been met with in stocking the lakes 
of this State with fish. The following extract from a let¬ 
ter to Seth Green from Mr. G. A. Finley, of Canandaigua, 
furnishes satisfactory evidence of success. After request- 
