20 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
worth copying, Jlerc are two extracts, as examples, the 
scientific names being omitted:— 
K ilbrco t fine-.Ian. 1—18 
Liks ion = ne<»ti-.Jan. 1—',8 
Nnihatr.il 1t>*ai d.Jan. 1—14 
Willi* r aconite, duncra .Jan. 1 Feb. 18 
Sill Ill'S* smiti or slug appe nd.Jim. 8 
Gray mid white waziails ap;.i-ar.Jan. 3—11 
Jl I-tel ihrueii atnga.Jan. 2—14 
■WJitieaa.il 11 cliirpa. 
Si.ell-aouit appears. 
Earthworm* vuct-tider. 
Barren ciia-vbcri-y lio.vcis.. 
Bluo tlTinrn.de chnpa. 
Brown w oods) boot. 
Hen pbeazam. sits. 
Marsh titmouse begins bid two harsh sharp 
QdSianicr lloais. 
.Jan. 28 
.Jan. 28 Feb. 24 
.jan. 30 
.Feb. Mar. 20 
.Feb. 1 
.Feb. 2 
.Feb. 3 
■ Fob. 3 
.Feb. 4 Apr. 1. 
It is through such observations as this, continued year 
after 3 r ear, that the natural history of England has become 
so well known, and so many persons there have become in¬ 
terested in it. Our American birds range over such a vast 
extent of territory that a record of one locality, however 
full, will not Buffibe, and we must have information from 
stations in all seasons, in order to accomplish the good 
result,. . 
To elicit such important and interesting data, Forest 
and Stream proposes to each one of its readers, the plan 
of noting down in reference to the birds of his district, 
observations, upon some or all of the following points:— 
1st. Whether each Species is resident throughout the 
year, is a summer or winter visitor, or only passes through 
in spring and fall. 
2nd, With reference to each species in his locality, 
whether it is “abundant,” “somewhat common,” or 
“rare.” 
3rd. What species breed; and whether more than once 
in a season. 
4th. Dates of arrival, greatest abundance, nest-building, 
laying eggs, hatching of young, and beginning of depar¬ 
ture of eacii species, and when it is last seen in the Fall. 
0th. What effect, if any, upon, the relative abundance of 
particular birds, in retarding their arrival or hastening 
their departure, sudden changes of the weather, storms, 
and “late” and “early” seasons appear to have. 
Gth. Similar notes upon the appearance and movements 
of the quadrupeds, reptiles and fishes of the region; and 
upon the times of flowering of trees and plants. 
7th. Other occurrences considered noteworthy. 
Among the birds most likely to be reported upon, and 
whicli are the best exponents of the laws of migration, are 
the following, and to them especial attention is asked:— 
Cut-bird. 
Bluebird. 
yellow 
Meadow Lark. 
Haiti more Oriole, or Uan^-neat. 
Phoebe bird, or Bridge Pewee. 
Chimney swift, or Swallow. 
. 
, Red-headed woodpecker. 
Woodcock. 
Killdeer plover. 
Wilson’s snipe. 
White ciane. 
Wood duck. 
Wild geese. 
Summer yellow-bird, 
warbler. 
Golden-crowned thrush. 
Redstart. 
Barn swallow. 
Goldfinch, or thistle-bird. 
Song sparrow. 
Ohewink, orTowbee-finch. 
Bobolink. 
Red-winged Blackbird. 
Now we are not so sanguine as to expect that because 
we-address Gtreseives to everyone of.our readers, that con¬ 
sequently every one will reply in full; but we do ex¬ 
pect to receive, and publish',during the next year, a large 
number of notes upon the regular aud.irregular migrations 
of birds in all parts of the country; and thus to collect a 
fund of information from which, by and bye, important 
deductions can be made. Let no one think his observa¬ 
tions, though few and short, are too trivial; and let no one 
think that now is too late or early to begin, lu a few days 
the first of the Spring birds will make their appearance 
from the South, and go about their love-making, and the 
winter birds will betake themselves northward. 
THE BOHEMIAN WAXWING. 
I N the number of Forest and StrJ am fer January 6th, 
just received by me, I notice am^ng the Answers to 
Correspondents, that a gentleman from Auburn, N. Y., in¬ 
quires where he would be likely to find the Bohemian wax- 
wing (Auifdis garrulua Linn.). As this is one of the most 
interesting biros found in this country, and one whose 
hat-its are Mill imperfectly known, I will contribute to the 
inform l ion what I have been able to obtain respecting 
this species, from personal observation during the past two 
months, in tlio hope that others of your many readers may 
do likewise, in case tin y have met with this bird at sometime 
or another. 
S:range to Bay, although this bird has been known to 
European naturalists for more than a century, the de¬ 
scription of the female of this species is partly incorrect, 
at least 1 find it so, in the latest work on ornithology to 
which I have access at present—the History of North 
American Birds by Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, 
(Boston, 18,74). On page 897 it reads as follows: “Mate 
with the white of outer web of primaries, continued 
around eud of inner webs also. Female without white on 
terminal edge of inner web3 of primaries,” etc. This I 
believe, is based on statements made by Degland, a Europ¬ 
ean ornithologist; as I see that Prof. 8. F. Baird quotes 
him on page 400, of his Review of American Birds, Part 
I (published by the Smithsonian Institution), for his au¬ 
thority. I have bceu fortunate enough to secure a fine 
series of skins of these birds in this vicinity during the last 
two months, comprising some thirty-seven specimens in 
different stages of plumage, from fully adult birds of both 
sexes to what I presume to be young of the year. I find 
in examining adult females that the markings on the wings 
are exactly like those in the male except that the so-called 
sealing-wax appendages are perhaps a.trifle smaller in birds 
of the same age. In fact, and not to make this article too 
long, t will simply state, that I can find no difference what¬ 
ever in ihe sexes, exeopt, perhaps, in the extent and density 
of tlio black on the throat. The first two specimens which 
came under my observation, were shot- November 23d, 
1875, out of some willow bushes on Sylvies River. Bince 
then, I have obtained them at, different times, (generally 
preceding a snow storm) to within a week past. 1 have 
heard of a flock said to contain several hundred specimens, 
but the largest I have seen so far, was composed probably 
of fifteen individuals. Out. of these I shot seven. I have 
more frequently found them single or in pairs. I don’t 
know whether to call them shy or not, as I have found 
them exceedingly so at times, and then again exactly the 
reverse. They are excessively fat, and all of those obtain¬ 
ed by me appeared to feed on nothing but the berries of 
the wild rose, which grows abundantly on the creeks about 
here. The only note I have heard them utter, resembles the 
syllable izear, tzear. This can be heard for a long distance. 
Generally, however, they are silent. Their flight, notwith¬ 
standing their long wings, appears to me to be rather 
slow. I can confirm the account of their devotion to each 
other. When one of the birds has only been wounded, it 
is sure to draw the rest around him, and to give the gunner 
a chance for more victims. I consider the Bohemian chat¬ 
terer nearly, if not quite the most handsomely plumaged 
bird found in the United States. I should he pleased to 
know whether it has been observed in other parts of the 
United States this winter.— Captain Charles Bendiue. 
Camp Harney , Oregon. 
- 1 » ——— 
THE SHORT POMPANO [Traehynoius omtue) 
AND THE AMBER FISH {Sertola sp). 
U. S. Fish Commission, Fish and Fisheries, j 
( Smithsonian Institution, 1 
Wabiukutok, D. C., Fob. 7th, 1870. I 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
The poropanoes from Pentacola, Fla., referred to inyoaclaetissoe, 
one of which was sent by Mr. Blackford to the National Mnsenm, be¬ 
long to a species not nearly so common on oar coast as the Trachynotua 
Carolimis. The short pompano {Traehynnlm <mxtw) Is easily distin¬ 
guished by the greater height of its body, which Is nearly or quite equal 
to the half of its length, and by the prolongations of the anterior rays 
of the dorsal and anal 11ns; the lobes of the caudal, dorsal, and anal are 
blackish, while the general hue of the body is more golden than in the 
ordinary spcciea. The short pompano Is cosmopolitan; it luis been ob¬ 
served in Australia; in the seas of China and India; in the Moluccas and 
about Ceylon; in the Maylayan Peninsnla and the lied Sea. It occnra 
on the coast of South America and in the West Indies. It Is pspbably 
the “pompynose” of New Orleans, though the oiher species probably 
also occurs in those waters. While at Wood's Hole last Summer, the 
seining party of the United Slates Fish Commission look three speci¬ 
mens of this species at the head of Vineyard Haven (Holme's Hole) 
Harbor; these were very young, not exceeding one inch in length, aud 
were preserved in the aquaria for some days. 
Mr. Blackford has recently sent to the museum another, interesting 
fish belonging to the geuns Seriola, one of the Cararlgidcey and not very 
remotely related to the banded rudder-Hah (1 'lalatractax jnnalvs), which 
is frequently seen in our waters. It is very closely related to the fish 
known as the "amber fish” in the Bermudas, and as the "yellow tail” 
about St. Helena. This fish, which came from Key West, was forty- 
seven inches in length and weighed thirty-two pounds. Its specific re¬ 
lations are not yet determined. G. Brown Goode, 
Birds of Arizona. —Mr. H. W. Hansliaw has published 
in the Annual Report for 1875, of Lieut. Wheeler’s Surveys 
West of the 100th Meridian, an annotated list of the birds 
of Arizona, inclu ding 291 species. It is preceded by an 
introduction of great interest, and accompanied by several 
pages of notes contributed by C. E. Aiken, which abound 
in valuable observations. The history of the mammals 
also is not neglected. These gentlemen were members of 
the Scientific Party of the Survey, and the results attained 
exceeded in numbers of specimens those of any previous 
year’s work. Of botanical specimens 9,000 were secured, 
including about 1,000 species, of which fifteen or twenty 
were new to science; 1,300 ornithological specimens, com¬ 
prising skins, crania, sterna), nests, eggs, etc., of which 
nine species were new to Ihe fauna of the United States, 
were taken, besides hundreds of reptiles, fishes, and in¬ 
sects; in short all branches of zoology and botany were 
well represented. Paleontology and ( ethnology also receiv¬ 
ed much attention, and the report contains valuable mat¬ 
ter in all departments of natural science. 
—Mr. J. A. Allen, of the Museum of Comparative Zoo¬ 
logy at Cambridge, Mass., who has made for himself a 
large reputation as a student of birds, especially wilh refer¬ 
ence to their geographical distribution and the variations of 
form accompanying it, has lately turned his attention chiefly 
to mammals, and their classifications. A synopsis of Mr. 
Allen’s Monograph upon the Rabbits was published iu 
Forest and Stream for January 27th. This Monograph 
when completed, which will be very soon, will be publish¬ 
ed by Dr. Hayden, as a continuation of the memoirs be¬ 
gun by Dr. Coues in his Monograph of the Mice. Mr. 
Allen has also long had in prepuraliou an account of the 
buffalo past and present, aDd has collected an extraordi¬ 
nary amount of material bearing ’upon its history, habits, 
and affinities. This is now rapidly going through flic press, 
and will make a quarto pamphlet of about 250 pages, to 
be published as one of the Memoirs of the Kentucky Geo¬ 
logical Survey under Prof. N. S. Slialer—the fact that the 
buffalo formerly ranged over that State being sufficient 
reason for its publication there. This memoir will he 
bountifully illustrated. It is to be hoped that Mr. Allen 
will hasten forward his extensive studies on the Squirrels, 
to as happy a conclusion as he has those upon the rabbits; 
and that he will not soon cease his work upon American 
quadrupeds, which have been somewhat neglected by our 
later naturalists. 
—Dr. Elliott Coues, whose recent volume on the Birds 
of the Northwest, published by Dr. F. Y. Hayden, has at¬ 
tracted universal attention from ornithologists, has begun 
the preparation of a companion volume, to be styled 
“Birds of the Southwest,” from material in the Smithson¬ 
ian Institution, chiefly collected in New Mexico, Arizona, 
and Southern Colifornia. Dr. Coues’long residence in that 
region, as well fits him for this task, as did. his northern 
experience for the welcome work included in his first men¬ 
tioned book. Dr. Coues is also at work upon a Biblio¬ 
graphy of American Ornithology, which is vastly needed; 
and already lias about 6,000 titles in type. This will be of 
very great assistance not only to ornithologists—to whom, 
indeed, it will become indispensable — but also to every 
working naturalist. 
'guru and ^rapping. 
quotations from o. e. ounther's sorb, 
BEAR—Northern, aecordingto size and quality, prime_$10 D0a$15 00 
Southern and Northern yearlings, prime. 5 00 a 10 00 
BEAVER—Northern, per skin, parchment, according to 
size and color.... 8 TO a 3 Ml 
Western, according to size and color, prime. 150a 250 
Southern, and ordinary, per ekin, according to size, 
prime ... . 0 50 a 1 00 
BADGER-Prime. .. 0 20 a 0 50 
CAT—Wild, Northern and Eastern States, cased, prime... U 50 a 0 60 
Wild, Sonthexn and Western, prime. 0 *0 a 0 50 
House, ordinary, if large, prime... 0 03 a 0 08 
HoiiBe, black, fnrred. prime. 0 15 a 0 25 
FISHER—Northern and Eastern, according to aize aud 
color, prime. 7 00 a 12 00 
Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Western, ditto, prime. 5 (10 a 8 00 
Southern, ditto, prime.. 3 DO a 5 00 
FOX--Silver, dltto.prlme.15 tlOa 60 00 
Cross, Northern and Eastern, ditto, prinu. 3 OH a 5 01) 
Red, Northern and Eastern, ditto, prime . . ... 150 a 165 
Red, S. Penn , N. J., and N. Ohio, ditto prime. 1 85 a 1 50 
Red, Southern azd Western, ditto, prime. 0 75 a 1 00 
Grey, Noitliem and Eastern, cased, ditto, prime. 0 76 n 1 00 
Grey, Southern and Western, ditto, prime... 0 50 a 0 60 
Grey, Southern and Western, ditto, open, prime. 0 40 a 0 50 
Kitt, ditto, prime. 0 30 a 0 60 
LYNX-Ditlo, prime. 100 a 2 00 
MARTIN—States, ditto, prime......... 1 50 a 2 DO 
MINK-New York and New England, ditto, orime. 3 00 a 4 00 
Canada, Michigan, and Minnesota, ditto, prime. S 00 a 3 00 
S. New York, N. J., Penn., and Ohio, ditto, prime.. 1 00 a 1 60 
Md., Va,, Ky„ lod., Wie., and Iowa, ditto, prime.,. 0 75 a 1 ‘85 
Missouri, ana all Southern, ditto, prime. 0 60 a 0 75 
MUSKRAT— N. New York, and Eastern Spring. 0 60 a 0 00 
Western, including Penn, and Ohio, Spring.. f; OH a 0 00 
Northern und Eastern, Fall and Winter. 0.85a 027 
Western, including Penn, and Ohio, Winter,_ 0 20 a 0 2.1 
Southern, prime. 0 15 a 0 20 
Soul hern, Winter and Fall. 0 12 a 0 15 
OTTER—Northern. Eastern, and Northwestern, according 
to size and color, prime...... 10 00 a 12 00 
Penn., N. J., Ohio, and Western, prime. 8 On a 10 00 
Ky., Md„ Na„ Kansas, and vicinity, prime. SCO a 8 00 
North Carolina, prime... 4 00 u 6 00 
South Carolina and Georgia, prime... 2 00 a 4 Oil 
OPOSSUM—Northern, cased, prime. 0 18 a 0 :30 
Southern aDd open Northern, prime. 0 12 a 0 15 
RACCOON--Mich., N, Jud., N. Ohio, Indian handled, 
dark, according to size aud color, prime._... .. 0 80 a 100 
Ill.. Iowa Wis.. and Minn., prime. 0 50 a 0 65 
New Yorkand Eastern States andN. Penn., prime.. 0 65 a 0 75 
N. J., S. Penn.. III., Mo., Neb. and Kail., prime... 0 40a 0 60 
Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky aud Tenn., prime.,.. 0 30 a 0 40 
N. and S. Car.. Ga.. Ark., Fioridaand Ala., prime. 0 15 a 0 85 
RABBITS—Prime cased. 0 02 a n OS 
SKUNKS -Prime black, I., cased. 0 00 a 1 30 
Prime black, I., open...... 0 00a lit) 
Prime black. I white streak, It., cased. 0 00 a 0 80 
Prime black, i white streak, II., open. 0 00 a 0 50 
Prime whole streaked III. and IV . 0 15 a 0 20 
Prime scabs... 0 00 a 0 03 
WOLF SKINS—Mountain, large. 2 00 a 3 00 
Prairie, average age, prime rkln*. 0 75 a 1 25 
—A citizen of Hanover, N. II., sent 2,000 skunk skins 
to market last year. 
—The sea otters of Alaska, whose skins are far more 
valuable than those of seals, are being rapidly extermina¬ 
ted by the indiscriminate slaughter of the females and the 
young. 
—The otter is still to be found in Now Hampshire. A 
correspondent writes us that Mr. C. O, Ivuox killed one re¬ 
cently in Ossipee that meusured seven feet. Quite a num¬ 
ber were killed last season. 
\ —Mr. Samuel Bait, of Easton, Pa,, who lias been en¬ 
gaged in the trapping business during tbe present winter 
season along the Bushldll, lias succeeded in capturing 142 
muskrats, twenty-seven skunks, five minks, aqd several 
gray squirrels. 
Enemies of Bees. —A serious charge has been laid to 
the tom-rits in England by writers in the London Field. 
They aver that tom-tits perch on the alighting board of a bee¬ 
hive, tap with their beaks till the bees come out, when they 
secure one and fly off. This accusation seems to have 
been well substantiated, for one gentleman caught in a day 
or two fifteen of the offenders in a mouse trap placed on 
top of one of his beehives, which was rapidly being depop¬ 
ulated by the bird. Tbe tits would even pull away the 
small tiu slides covering the entrance to a hive. 
—La Nature for January 23d, contains an interesting ac¬ 
count of the eider duck and “le niacareux,” ( [Murmonfra■ 
tereula) of Iceland, by Drs. Ed. Heckel and A. Kermor- 
gant. It is illustrated by two very excellent wood cuts. 
—Quite a “colony” of robins was seen about Syracuse 
last Saturday and Sunday, 
—An otter was caught in a steel trap near Mack’s mill¬ 
pond, at Niantic, Conn, last week. It weighed fourteen 
pounds, and measured four und a linlf feet from the tip of 
its nose to its tail. It had put its foot in a trap before, and 
lost part of Us toes. Another, four feet long, was caught 
ia Ootoras Creek, Chester county, Pa ', a few days since. 
—A hunter residing in the northwestern section of 
Bucks county, Pa., is said to have captured 17G muskrats 
und one mink during the present season, in the small 
streams along tile line of Berks and Lehigh counties. On 
one day lie caught, as many as thirty. From eighteen to 
twenty-five cents are obtained for each skin, according to 
the quality of the fur. 
Trapping on the Nottoway— A correspondent who 
visited the Nottoway reizion for the purpose of trapping, 
in December last, does not write very flatteringly of his suc¬ 
cess, On the first night of his arrival at Black’s and 
