68 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Zoological Items.— Pelicans (P. fuseus) are unusually 
numerous in San Francisco Bay this season. Recently, 
during a dense fog, a 'white pelican (P. crythrorhyncua) 
measuring ten feet from tip to tip of wings flew into the 
arms of a man in San Francisco... .Nine cinnamon bears 
were recently caught with steel traps on a rancli'on the 
const near Bodega Corners, Sonoma County, California; 
and William Bonness, a settler on the Little Chico, in Butte 
county, killed last month a family of California lions, con¬ 
sisting of the parent pair and two cubs. Robert Ford also 
killed throe in Oregon last month, and one was recently 
killed near Seattle, W. T., which measured nine feet four 
inches in length... .Deer are plentiful in San Bernardino 
county, and robins and larks are unusually abundant in 
the orchards of Santa Cruz, California_A certain tree- 
frog Polyindat-es) from tropical Western Africa, deposits its 
eggs, as is usual among batrachians, in a mass of albumi¬ 
nous jelly; but instead of placing this in the water, it 
attaches it to the leaves of trees which border the shore 
and overhang a water-hole or pond. Here the albumen 
speedily dries, forming a horny or glazed coating of the 
leaf, inclosing the unimpregnated eggs in a strong envelope. 
Upon the advent of the rainy season, the albumen is 
softened, and with the eggs is washed into the pool below, 
now filled by water, Here the male frog finds the masses, 
and occupies himself with their impregnation... .Some 
years ago Professor Cope described the snake-eating habits 
of the Ozyrrhopus plambevs Wied, a rather large species of 
snake which is abundant in the intertropical parts of 
America, A specimen of it from Martinique was ob¬ 
served to have swallowed the greater part of a large fer-de- 
lance, the largest venomous snake in the West Indies. 
More recently a specimen was brought by Mr. Gabb from 
Costa Rica, almostflve feet in length, which had swallowed 
nearly three feet of a snake about, six feet in length. The 
head was partially digested, while three feet projected 
from the mouth of the Ozyrrhopm in a sound condition. 
O.vyrrhopus is entirely harmless, although spirited and 
pugnacious in its manners. Professor Cope suggests that 
its introduction into regions infested with venomous snakes, 
like the island of Martinique, would be followed by bene¬ 
ficial results.— Naturalist. 
Notes From Our Correspondents.— A goodly number 
of blue-birds have already arrived, the first one having 
been seen February 36th. I may be able to send you some 
notes soon upon .the game birds, which will soon be with 
us (George F. Chafee, Middletown, Conn.)_Dr. C. C. 
Abbott (Trenton, N. J.), promises us a transcript of his 
field notes for February. Dr. Abbott is peculiarly favor¬ 
ably situated for observing animal life, and few facts 
interesting to the naturalist escape his notice. 
Collections for Sale. —We have received from C. E. 
Aiken, of Colorado Springs, Col., a circular and catalogue, 
in which lie announces the opening of an establishment 
for the sale of the skins, nests and eggs of birds, and the 
skins and mounted preparations of animals of the.Rocky 
Mountain region and taxidermists supplies. We are glad 
to hear of this. A perfectly trustworthy naturalist, like 
Mr. Aiken, is not often found in connection with business, 
ami we heartily commend him to the patronage of all who 
wish to increase their collections. 
Night Herons.—O n Feb. 13, Mr. James Russell Low¬ 
ell wrote from Cambridge, Mass., to the Boston Advertiser 
as follows; “Among the phenomena of this remarkably 
mild winter there is one which seems well worth recording, 
since it is, so far as my own observation goes, without a 
precedent. A number of night-herons have not yet migrated 
to the southward. According to Nuttall, a very careful 
observer, these birds generally leave us about the middle or 
toward the end of October. This accords with my own 
experience, though I have once seen them so late as the 
15th of November. What makes the fact of their stay 
more surprising, is that the coldest weather of the winter 
came in November, and that Charles River (their feeding 
ground) has been twice, and in our neighborhood, four 
timeB, wholly closed with ice. It should seem from this 
that these birds are not without some skill in meteorologi¬ 
cal prognostication. I have seen them every evening up 1,0 
the 12th February. The largest number I have counted is 
eight, though there are no doubt more.” 
—In his “Field and Forest Rambles," Mr, A, Leith 
Adams, discusses at some length Lhe influences of climate 
upon animals and plants, and avails himself of the experi¬ 
ence of Mr, George A. Boardman in reference to the birds 
of Eastern Maine. Mr. Boardman quoted as follows;— 
“I remember during the cold season of 1858-9 that cross¬ 
bills and pine finches were very numerous, and I procured 
a large number in February, to see how far the eggs had 
advanced, and found them nearly as large as buckshot. 
Two days afterwards we had a warm shower, then u sud¬ 
den change to extreme cold, which killed every small native 
bird in the woods. Not one bird was seen again during the 
season, and the ruffed grouse were exceedingly scarce from 
the circumstance that the entrances of their burrows in the 
snow were frozen over and the birds were starved to death, 
and in the spring their bodies were found here and there 
all over Lhe forest." 
The same thing Mr. Adams says occurs in England, and 
many of the small birds sometimes perish with cold, hut 
the destruction is never so complete. 
Another Singing Mouse.— A gentleman in Hartford, 
says the Oourant, caught a mouse possessed of musical 
powers, imitating the voice of the canary bird, but softer. 
He constructed a cage, with revolving wheel and retiring 
house, and lias often during the eight months the mouse 
has been in liis possession, exhibited its vocal powers to liis 
neighbors. In appearance it does not differ from the ordi¬ 
nary mouse, 
P&Hbner's Monthly for March oontains a biographical 
sketch of Wilson, the ornithologist, with a portrait and 
other illustrations, 
Recent Arrivals at the Central Park Menagerie.—Two 
Meadow Larks (Stumella magna ), presented by SamnelW. Francis, M. 
D., Newport. One Crab-eating Raccoon (Proctjon cancrtiwus ), bob. 
South America. OneCapybara, iUydrochcerut capabara). Two Spider 
IdonlteyB, (Aides bdzebutk). One Green Monkey, (Chlorosebits mbo-m). 
W. A. Conklin, Director. 
Phil adelphia Zoological Gardens.— During the week the Garden 
bns received one tmkey buzzard (Calhartu avvd), presented by .T. M. 
Wilson, Washington, D. C.; two opossums (Didelphys virginianus), 
presented by S. P. and G. D. Wetheriil, PliUadelphin; one St. Bernard’s 
dog ( CanisfamUiaiius ), presented by J. P. Mingle, Philadelphia; three 
skunks (Mephitis mepttica), presented by Joseph A. Cunningham, Vir¬ 
ginia, 111. Huon. 
Culture. 
THE NATURAL AND ECONOMIC HIS¬ 
TORY OF THE SALMONIDaE GEO¬ 
GRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND 
ARTIFICIAL CULTURE. 
NO. THREE. 
BY PHILO ICHTHYOS. 
I F the salmon has hitherto maintained hut a nominal 
sovereignty over the great ichlhyc kingdom of food 
fishes, artificial culture is fast hastening a real supremacy. 
All along the ages the salmon has been the most esteemed 
of all the finny tribes. Writers have extolled the delicacy 
and deliciousness of its flesh for centuries. Poesy has 
sung its praises and celebrated in song its game qualities, 
its agility, and sylph-like movements in its native clement. 
Anglers have expatiated upon its coyness and sagacity 
which it exhibits in eluding capture; its wariness in avoid¬ 
ing dislodgment from its crystalline home. While much 
useful knowledge was very early gained in the Depart¬ 
ment of Natural History—little was gleaned regarding 
food fishes beyond that many varieties existed which 
have an economic value to-day. The salmon is unmistaka¬ 
bly alluded to by Pliny, a Roman writer of the first cen¬ 
tury, and Ausonius, a Roman poet of the fourth century. 
It is a notable fact, that the Provinces of Rome acquired 
in lhe zenith of her glory in northern Europe, contained 
the richest salmon streams of the Globe; and as Pliny 
wrote much upon rural affairs, and took note of eveiy 
thing of economic value or national interest—so disling 
uished a food fish could hardily have escaped his attention. 
For a long period of time the salmon has been considered 
par excellence the “angler’s fish.” Old Isaac Walton called 
it the “royal fish," and his accounts of his fishing excur¬ 
sions to his favorite streams, are full of interest even at 
this distance of time, and his “Complete Angler" is still 
read as authority on angling, and with unfailing interest. 
Sir Walter Scott, in “Guy Mannering,” and in “Red Gauut- 
lett,” delineates the sport and excitement attendant upon 
salmon fishing in the fruitful rivers of Scotland—the “land 
of the mountain and the flood," where angling is cherish¬ 
ed as the most agreeable of all pastimes. Sir Walter was 
a worthy, as well as skillful disciple of the rod. Prof- 
Wilson, who is better known as “Christopher North," was 
passionately fond of angling, and his daughter, Mrs, Gor¬ 
don, in her Memoirs of her Father, has collected many 
anecdotes illustrative of his well-known Bkill with the rod. 
The Prof, not only, but many of his cotemporaries, were 
eminently skilled in (his “the contemplative man’s pastime.” 
Nearly all the members of that celebrated “Literary Club,” 
whose sittings are so graphically described by Mr. McKen¬ 
zie in his volumDs, entitled “Ambrosial Night." 
We might mention the names of a brigade of American 
anglerB, who will rank with those of auy country, in mak¬ 
ing successful casts; and the number is increasing, who 
believe in rational pastimes—to relieve an over worked 
body, and an over -tasked brain. The salmon the world 
over, is sought by anglers. Angling, were the world de¬ 
prived of this regal inhabitant of the crystal streams would 
become a lost art; and the fraternity would all become re¬ 
tired, melancholic, and morose dyspeptics—unless some 
new fish could take the place of the salmon, or some new 
and equally enchanting recreation could be invented. The 
eminent and laborious naturalist, Liumeus, first described 
this fish, aud bestowed the stocking, buL true and natural 
cognomen, Salmo salar, upon it. • The term salmo is its 
generic name, and is applied to all of the species so far 
described, while salar, is its descriptive title, and is derived 
from the Latin verb salar, to leap, which is so significant of 
its propensity to ascend the swiftest streams, aud even leap 
mill-dams of moderate height, Caneir, subsequently, 
though endorsing a portion of the Linntean system, gave 
the world a classification of fishes and a normenclature so 
rich, so expressive and true to nature, (the latter feature 
should constitute the basis of all classifications in natural 
history,) that it must absolutely stand as the dictum of the 
scientific world for ages to come. Bonaparte, the eminent 
and indafalignble French naturalist, farther enriched the 
nomenclature of natural history, by suffixing to the generic 
terms the patronymic idea, which when appended to salmon 
gives us salmonidm, or to Genus the stag, ccmidim. This 
leature of grouping has wonderfully abridged the lubor 
of descriptions in the study of the most interesting field of 
natural science—Ichthyology. The salmon, the burden of 
our thoughts, and it is a theme worthy of abler pens—is ilie 
most distinguished of all the beautiful denizens of lhe im¬ 
mense water area of the globe. Of all the grand combi¬ 
nation of fish elicks, the salmon stands at the head, and 
may be considered the dele of the great body social, of the 
ocean. Its migratory habits, the instinctive trail that im¬ 
pels it to return annually to the fresh water shingly beds, 
to perform the functions of reproduction, gives it a high 
value for artificial culture, and great economic and com¬ 
mercial significance as a food fisli. This species lias such 
marked family traits, such uniform characteristics, and in 
cemparison with other species, such plain distinctions of 
bodily form, bb to be easily recognized by persons having 
even a superficial knowledge of ichthyology. Its natural 
life from infancy to adulthood, has been scrupulously di¬ 
vided by naturalist into parr-life, smolt-life, grilse-life, and 
the adult salmon. If any revision were applicable, it is 
suggested then one more division is necessary if not nat¬ 
ural with all. From the time the wco fish merges from 
the shell it is encumbered for forty days with the yolk 
sack, and conscious of its impediment, and that it is but 
half hatched, it should be called a hatching until complete 
absorption takes place, of the yolk sack, then the parr un¬ 
til tile scales are developed, then lhe smalt, then the appli¬ 
cation of grilse to the vergin fish-eater. 
In further describing this species, in the apamenus or fe¬ 
males, the ovaries are "formed of closed sacs without nver- 
ducts; the eggs upon leaving the ovaries fall directly into 
the abdominal cavity, (a septern dividingthisportion oT the 
abdomen from the abdomen traper,) from which they find 
an exit through the post-anal opertuse, provided for their 
egress. In the same manner the milters, or males, are pro¬ 
vided with melt TeceptacleB, which is, by a wise provision, 
only ripe when the spawn is sufficiently ripe for emission. 
It is well known even to those who have hut a slight know¬ 
ledge of natural history, that the impregnation of fish-ova 
is purely an extraneous act. The spawning nests are labor¬ 
iously scooped out with the snouts, and the ova are ex- 
liuded into those nests, while the male emits upon them 
the melt; after spawning is over Lhe nest are covered, and 
the eggs hatch out in from ninety to one hundred and 
twenty days. According to repeated calculations of pisci¬ 
culturist the female salmon will produce one thousand eggs 
for every pound in weight. Thus a twenty-five pound sal¬ 
mon will produce twenty-five thousand eggs. As a rule 
fish are oviparous. There is a fish called the blenny, (bten- 
nius occellanus), Baird, which is viviparous; the young of 
which are so perfect at birth as to be able to swim about 
with great ease. The skate fishes, (Grain chagrinm), arc all 
viviparous. The Ditrema argentea, of South America, is 
also known to bring forth its young alive. The ancients 
had a singular notion regarding the fruitifying of fish eggs. 
Herodotus, good authority in some matters, but very 
doubtful in many of his atttempts to account for naturtd 
phenomena, says, in reference to fishes of the Nile. “When 
the desire of engendering comes upon them they swim out 
in shoals to the sea; the males lead the way, scattering the 
sperm, and llie females following swallow it and are thus 
impregnated.” The learned Greek (?) only stated a myth 
as lie generally did. In this connection it is proper to con¬ 
sider the question of the food of the salmon, and where it 
is obtained. 
Long ago a hypothesis was originated that migratory 
salmon visited the North Pole; but their speedy return— 
their very short duration in the sail water, completely upset 
this theory of feeding and fallowing in the Polar Seas. 
Hundreds of salmon have been dissected in order to ascer¬ 
tain what they feed upon; but only in extremely rare in¬ 
stances could any traces of food be found in their maws. 
What then do salmon subsist upon ? Every person versed in 
the habits of the salmon, knows that during its infantile 
life, as a hatchling, parr, or smelt, its food is that which is 
provided by nature aud which fresh water yields to fresh 
water fishes of all kinds. But. when the migratory life 
begins, the sea and the sea only, furnishes food for this 
species, as far as research has yet determined. The sea 
yields some kinds of food, for which they have a peculiar 
fondness, for they become ten and fifteen pound fish in an 
incredible short space of time, and after their return to 
fresh water they begin to loose their flesh, and fall off in 
condition. Reasoning from a physiological stand point, 
the rapid growth of the fish argues u powerful and an ex¬ 
ceedingly rapid digestion, or the food obtained is very 
easily assimulated. It has been assorted that as soon as 
salmon are caught they instantly cast up their food. If 
this feature is as common in connection with the salmon 
as claimed, the fact would have long since have been es¬ 
tablished, and Lite subject ceased to be agitated. This is 
untrue. Dr. A. C. Hamlin, a gentleman even with the age 
in piscicultural knowledge, has examined hundreds of 
salmon in the Bangor fish-murket, and his careful efforts 
revealed no traces of food, except in a single instance, in 
which two small fishes were discovered. Thousands of 
salmon have been dissected with a view of discovering 
what kind of food they fed upon, with like results. Dur¬ 
ing 1874, the Packing Company of J. W. A Vincent Cook, 
on the Columbia River, examined eighty thousand salmon, 
and only three had anything in their stomachs, and they 
had the appearance of having just left salt water. Does 
not this experiment set this question at rent forever? 
There is every evidence that salmon feed and fallow in 
the sea, while there is no assurance whatever that they 
feed in fresh water. The rapidity with which (hey fat¬ 
ten, the ease which they acquire an excessive amount of 
adipose matter argues that the sea and the sea only is tlieir 
great magazine of food; and that the fresh water is ex¬ 
hausting and debilitatiug to them; and even though they 
fulfill the law of their instincts by ascending fresh water 
to deposit tlieir spawn, it is unnatural and detrimental to 
them. So much so, that many never reach the sea again, 
aside from their spent and debilitated condition conse¬ 
quent upou spawning and moiling. It is a physiological 
law in connection with many animals, and probably the 
salmon may be included, that when and where food is 
abundant and excellent they become excessively fat; lay¬ 
ing up a store against a natural contingency, that they may 
draw from those adipose deposits to maintain the vital 
functions, while food is impossible of attainment, or cir¬ 
cumstances preclude the use of it. We might mention in¬ 
stances highly opposite, but any furthef discussion of this 
question is unnecessary. Jt is 1 I 10 complaint of old fisher¬ 
men that salmon do not attain the great weight now they 
did twenty years ago; that they used to he found upon 
market tables weighing forty to sixty pounds, while those 
weighing only twelve to fifleeu pounds are now caught 
and exposed for sale. The only solution needed in this 
case is, that the waters they inhabit are so thoroughly and 
persistently fished that none escape to attain the goodly 
size of olden time. In connection with the fisheries of 
Scotland, England, and Ireland, the same regrets are ex¬ 
pressed, aud the same causes are in operation; but arti¬ 
ficial culture is now adding largely to their rentals, for 
tlieir products are annually, and very perceptibly increas¬ 
ing. Some of the English pisciculturists aver that salmon, 
as migrants, make two voyages to the sea each year. The 
Rev. Duguld Williamson has written a pamphlet in sup¬ 
port of this theory, in which he entertains no doubt of u 
double journey. He says: "Salmon migrate twice in the 
course of each year, and the instinct which drives them 
from the sea in summer impels them to the sea in spring. 
Let the vernal direction of the propensity be opposed, let 
