FOREST AND STREAM, 
Si 
shallows, where they are seined in large numbers. My 
largest specimens measured over two feet in length. Both 
this and the preceding species are eaten with impunity, 
though, the former is regarded with suspicion on the Medi¬ 
terranean, and the latter has to answer for several well- 
attested cases of eiguatera, though in some of the West 
India islands it is enteu freely. 
The mullet ( Mugil liza) is very common, especially in 
Hamilton Harbor and other shallow bays, breeding. They 
are seined, and brought to market in large numbers. 
Anchovies (Sardinella ancJwm'a) occurred in great schools 
during the. month of March, and wore seined together with 
Deeaplerus punctatus, and sold in quantities along the 
quay.. Their average length was about five inches. 
Great quantities of pilchards ( Harcngula mucropMhalma) 
were seined during the month of March, and sold from 
row-boats at the water's edge. Their average length was 
nine inches. The name is derived from England, where 
an allied species, Clupett pitchardus, Walbaum, is commonly 
known as "the pilchard.” 
Most of the line-fishing is done among the outer reefs or 
on the outer banks, twenty miles distant. The favorite 
baits are the flesh of the “Bermuda lobster” (Palinurm 
umeriawus) and the “Spanish lobster” ( Scyllarm aquinoxi- 
alia), and, that of some of the larger fishes, such as the 
“mackerel” (Orcynus alUteratus), and the morays, (Mum- 
nidw I, The pilchard ( Harengula macrophthalma), shad (Eu- 
diioUovmx gula. and E. Lefroyi), and the robin ( Detapterus 
punctatus), are used as “full baits,” as are also the various 
kinds of "fry” (Atherina and Engraulis sp.), The “scut¬ 
tle,” a large Octopus, very common on the reefs, is also 
frequently used, its toughness making it a very lasting 
bait. Many of the choicest and largest species, such as 
the Pmtipomatidce, Serranidw, and Scombrida, are taken ex¬ 
clusively with lines. 
The Sparidas, Labrida, Scaridas, the smaller Scrranidw, 
and many others, with great quantities of the large crus¬ 
taceans so much in demand for bait, are captured in basket- 
work fish-pots constructed of split cane. These are built 
on the same principle with the lobster-pots in use on the 
Hew England coast, but are very peculiar in shape. A fair 
idea of one of them may be gained by imagining two 
crockery-crates placed together, with the ends at an angle 
so as to form a very thick capital letter V, with arms about 
four feet square, the entrance being through, a funnel- 
shaped aperture placed in the inner angle. Smaller and 
more portable pots, made after the same model, in annealed 
wire, are also in use. Such pots ate baited with fish or 
lobsters, and anchored in two or three fathoms of water. 
Shallow seines, a hundred yavds or so in length, are plied 
in the bays, and with them are taken vast numbers of the 
smaller school-fishes, such asSargus variegabus, Piimlepterus 
Eoseii , Mugil liza, Eucinoxtomua gula, Eucinostomus Lefroyi, 
llemirhamphus Pleii, Eeeapterus punctatus, etc. These 
seines are usually tanned with the bark of the mangrove- 
tree, llhizophora mangle. 
Circular casting-nets, ten feet in diameter, are used with 
much dexterity in capturing small fish for bait, 
The "grains,” a heavy, two-pronged instrument, resem¬ 
bling an ordinary fish-spear or gig, is carried in every boat., 
aud used in striking large fish. The skillful grainsman sel¬ 
dom misses his mark, aud in these waters, clear as crystal, 
this instrument is effective at the depth of ten or twelve 
i'eet. 
During the winter months, recourse is had to the fish¬ 
ponds, which are stocked with the surplus of the summer’s 
catch. These are of simple construction, usually natural 
pools in the rocks, or protected coves, inclosed by loosely- 
laid stone walls. Hundreds, sometimes thousands, of large 
fishes are here stored up for seasons when the severity of 
the weather is such as to prevent the usual visits to the 
fishing-grounds.- The largest of these, the “Devil's Hole,” 
is a lurtre natural pool near the center of the main island, 
and about one hundred feet from the south shore of Har¬ 
rington Sound. Several hundred large. Groupers and Ham¬ 
lets C Epinephebus etriatm) are usually confined here, and the 
place is much visited by strangers. At feeding-time, when 
one looks into the clear waters of the pool, nothing can be 
seen but an array of areal open moutns. When the food 
is thrown in, a scene of indescribable commotion and 
splashing ensues. They are very fierce, and rush savagely 
at any thing which looks eatable. I have seen two large 
ones, each four feet in length, seize the opposite ends of a 
cuttle-fish arm tugging for several minutes at the tough 
morsel before the question of ownership could be decided. 
THE RELATIONB OP TJlft BERMUDIAN PISH-FAUNA. 
These islands, considered in reference to their marine 
fauna, lie on the extreme northern aud eastern boundary 
of the West Indian “Begion.” All the more characteris¬ 
tic fishes of this “Region" are represented in Bermudian 
waters, and the invertebrate fauna, as far as investigated, 
appears to have very similar relations. The reef-building 
polyps find here their farthest northern remove from the 
equator. That the subtropical character of the marine 
fauna and flora is determined to a great exLeut by the influ¬ 
ence of the Gulf Stream is rendered very evident by com¬ 
paring the life on the land with that of the surrounding 
waters. The latter is much the more tropical and West 
Indian in character; while the former, although many 
West Indian species are represented in the flora, is a curi¬ 
ous assemblage of forms brought together from various 
quarters by winds, ocean-currents, aud the agency of man. 
Drift wood and seeds from the Antilles are cast up in great 
quantities with the flotsam and jetsam of the shore, and 
many of the commonest plants of the Bermudas are sup¬ 
posed to have found their way thither in this manner, Thus 
the transporting power of the Gulf St ream appears to have 
been quite as important in the introduction of tropical 
forms of life to this group as has been its thermal effect in 
rendering it a suitable home for them. Since the Bermuda 
atolf is comparatively recent in origin, it is not difficult to 
believe that it has taus been supplied with living forms. 
Mauy fishes of I he West Indian fauna have been round in 
the waters of the Azores, Canaries, Madeira, the Cape 
V erde Islands, and other points in the Eastern Atlantic; it 
appears easy to account for their wanderings by an exten¬ 
sion of the action of the same transporting agent. 
The occurrence of several strictly European species is 
also to be noted. All of these appear to be powerful, rapid 
swimmers, with the exception, perhaps, of tiynodus lacerta. 
[Tables are here given showing the geographical distri¬ 
bution of all the species observed in the Bermudas.] 
POPULAR NAMES. 
The names in use among the fishermen afford some curi¬ 
ous sludies. Where practicable, hints in regard to their 
origin have been given. 
I observe that of the thirty-three names given by Cates- 
by as in use in the Bahamas at the time of his visit to those 
islands, one hundred and fifty years ago (1724-25), twenty- 
six are applied to common species in the Bermudas. Nearly 
all of these are applied to fishes of the same family or ge¬ 
nus, and most of them to the same species. This may per¬ 
haps be explained by the common origin of the colonists 
of the two regions. It is an interesting instance of the 
persistency of common names. Many of these uames are 
in use at the present time in the Southern Atlantic States, 
though usually applied to different species. 
Mountains.— An "Appalachian Club" has been formed 
in Boston, of which Edward C. Pickering, Samuel H. Scud- 
der, T. B Henck, Jr., F. Sterry Hunt, Charles H. Hitchcock, 
Oharles E. Fay, and W. G. Nowell are prominent members. 
They wish to include as members, not only persons who 
wish to make scientific investigations in this great and 
ancient range of mountains, but also those who desire to 
find pleasure in tramping about them, or in seeking out 
new hunting and angling fields. Its object is similar to 
that of the celebrated Alpine Club. 
Types. —Whoever puts his confidence in types stands 
on treacherous ground. By one of those accidents 
which will happen in the best regulated printing offices, 
the exasperating little pieces of metal, last week, in the 
article “Recent Pamphlets,” made us call Zapus, “La pus,” 
and two lines further on “Zapus” appeared where wewrote 
Jacutus! These changes will pul some meaning into the 
sentence. The diphthongs * and oe are particularly obsti- 
• nate. No amount of care in proof reading seems to save 
one from being printed where the other belongs. 
—It is not easy to find an engraver who can properly cut 
natural history drawings. Having some fine work of that 
character to he done, we were therefore fortunate in 
being recommended to B. B. Chamberlin, of No. 34 Park 
Row, in this city, who gave the fullest satisfaction. Mr. 
Chamberlin is a skillful workman, and a gentleman of 
scientific tastes, to whom we commend our readers. 
—The new Metropolitan Museum of Natural History at 
Central Park, in this city, is near completion, so far as the 
present place is concerned, and will be opened to the pub¬ 
lic next fall. The work of removing the old collections 
from their present place in the Arsenal. The cost of the 
new exhibition cases alone will be $62,800. 
—Greene Smith, Esq., and a party of gentlemen are on 
the Gulf coast of Florida securing specimens of sea-fowl 
for preservation. _ u 
Ornithological Calendar for March. —In 1868 
Mr. J. A. Allen contributed to Vol. I of the American 
Naturalist an ornithological callendar of the spring months 
for Massachusetts, from which we extract the following for 
the first half of March:— 
First to tenth—Blue-birds, song sparrows, robins, purple 
gralcles, red-winged black-birds, rusty grakles, and cow 
birds begin to arrive. 
Tenth to twentieth—The preceding become more com¬ 
mon, meadow larks, bridge pewees or Phoebes, snow-birds, 
and purple finches begin so arrive. The hawks, that in 
winter arc represented by bat a few individuals, as the 
marsh, red-tailed, etc., increase in numbers by arrivals 
from the south. The gos-hawk, snowy owl, and other north¬ 
ern birds of prey retire. 
Notes from our Correspondents,— Mr. John Krider, 
the well known sportsman, of Philadelphia, writes to us 
that he has just received six full-plumaged Bohemian wax- 
wings (Ampelu garrulus) from Winnebago County, Iowa. 
They arrive there about December 1st, aud remain until 
they devour all the wild rose buds, and a red berry re¬ 
sembling the holly_“Pero-Nixon” (Hamburg, Berks Co., 
Penn.) writes that the birds are arriving there very early. 
The blue-bird, which usually makes its first appearance in 
April, arrived in February. Sparrows and swallows have 
been heard. English sparrows were numerous throughout 
the winter, and other species are becoming common.. .. 
Last October a female deer was killed at Bay Lake, N. V., 
which was entirely white except a small spot on the top of 
its hack which was the usual color. Four or five years 
ago one entirely white was killed near the settlement of 
Fine, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. t and some fifteen years ago, 
near the same place, a spotted one, the groundwork being 
white, with large spots of the usual color-S. B. Buck- 
ley (Austin, Texas), says that Gambel’B quail is occasionally 
seen near El Paso, Texas, in winter; and that the Messina 
quails visit plantations in Burnet County, and are com¬ 
mon west of Pecos River, but that they are more shy 
than the Bob White. 
- -* 
—In the first Bulletin for the year 1875-76 of the Ameri¬ 
can Geographical Society is a report of Mr. James T. 
Gardner on the “Uses of a Topographical Survey of the 
Stale of New York,” in which he urges the imporianee of 
such a survey. 
—Wolves are killiug sheep in great numbers in Clear¬ 
field County, Pa., in which these beasts have not been 
seen for fifteen years. 
GREAT ENDURANCE OF A TURTLE. 
Philadelphia, March 6th, 1676. 
Editor Fobebt and Stream:— 
Some years ago in New Jersey, I was present when the owner of a 
very old mill was having the pond drawn oil for the purpose of making 
some repairs. Large iinantitiea of fish were captured, and among them 
in one of the hauls made, was an immense snapping turtle {.Chelydra 
serpentina)- To secure this valuable prize it was proposed to cut off its 
head, and a small hatchet was secured for the purpose. But the snap¬ 
per would not submit willingly to be decapitated, and although he could 
not, like the box tortoise (Ceitudo virginianvs), shut, hia head entirely 
within hla house, he conld draw It back far enough to make it very 
difficult to behead him. At last, however, an opportunity offered, but 
the hatchet fell jost back of the eyes—which in this species of turtle are 
placed ve.ry far forward—and cutting clear through, left the poor reptfle 
with about two-thirds of a head. It was thought, however, that the ex¬ 
ecution would suffice, and turning the turtle on its back upon the bank a 
considerable distance from the pond, it« owner started for another ban I 
of flsh. That being made, to the surprise of all, It was found that the 
turtle was missing. Great search was made, but in vain, and finally it 
was concluded that, it had been stolen. 
Two years afterward it became necessary to draw off the water again, 
and the customary fishing took place, when there was caught a snapping 
turtle minus Its eyes and a third of its head. It was onr old friend of 
two year’s before, which, upon being weighed tamed the scale at forty- 
two pounds. How did it get back into the pond without eyes? That is 
a hard question; perhaps by accident. How did It sustain life with only 
part of a head? Well, the snapping turtle is very tenacious or life, and 
tliis one doubtless sustained himself by sucking in Ihe small fry abound¬ 
ing In mill ponds, aud it seems not to have decreased in size durlug the 
two years it was a clippie. This may seem a hard story to believe, bnr. 
it is true, and equalled by mauy well-known cases of tenacity of life. It 
requires many hours to drown u turtle in alcohol for example. The re. 
cords of the Spanish Inquisition show how very long men, and even deli¬ 
cate women were able to survive its infernal tortures. Alexis St Mar. 
tin lived for years and years, (and may be living yet,) with the hole of a 
bayonet-thrust in his stomach, through which could be seen, and hun¬ 
dreds dia observe, the process of digestion. Among tlrn lower orders 
or creation in many cases, if an animal Is cut into two or more pieces, 
each part will take up the business or life, become an independent being, 
and go on reproducing Us species. IltroN. 
SCARCITY OF BIRDS IN NEW JERSEY, 
Wbnonait, Gloucester Co., N. if., March 6th, 1870. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I regret that my brief residence at this point (three years) will not en¬ 
able me to give yon much information concerning birds. For some rea¬ 
son unknown to me, there has been an unusual scarcity or the usual 
winter birds daring the past winter, with the exception of crows and 
hawks. Up to the middle of January, however, I noticed (locks of the 
common yellow-bird, the first I ever saw in winter. The robin, which ‘ 
has been common daring the two previous winters, 1 have not seen this 
year. The scarlet tanager has also been common .heretofore, bnt the 
first specimen appeared on Feb. 14th. The red-winged aud crow black-birds 
came on the same day. The bine-bird has been with ns at brief inter 
vals all winter. The meadow lark has been abundant, as heretofore. I 
have only seen snow-birds two or three tunes during tho past winter. 
Milton P. Pierce, 
Recent Arrivals at tub Central Park Menagerie. —One 
Spotted Cavy (Catogemjs paca nab). South America, presented by Mr. 
Fidel G. Pevra. One Spotted Cavy (Valogenps pace), presented by Mr. 
E. Hnzarte. One Horned Owl {Bubo vtrginiauus), presented by Mr. 
Charles H. Cummings. W. A. Conklin, Director. 
S isl l 
ABSTRACT OF THE SIXTH ANNUAL 
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS 
OF FISHERIES OF THE STATE OF 
NEW JERSEY. 
F OR convenience the State is divided into tile Tidal or 
Southern, and the Non-Tidal department. The re¬ 
ports of the Fish Wardens of Burlington, Camden, Glou¬ 
cester, Salem, and Cumberland counties, bordering on the 
Delaware bay and river indicate that tho catch of sliad is 
becoming greater in numbers, and that Hie fish are larger 
in size in each successive year. Fifteen drift or gill seines 
were used in Cnmberland County, and 3,000 shad taken 
during the season, many of them weighing as high us 
seven pounds. On the Cohousey only about 0,000 were 
taken, owing probably to the muddy condition of the 
water. 
Tho more intelligent fishermen, constituting the majority, 
ascribe the increased number and superior quality of the 
shad to the successful operation of the new fishing laws, and 
express themselves well pleased with them. 
The sturgeon fishing has been poor. They appeared 
late and left early. Their numbers are decreasing yearly. 
This is evidently due to the sturgeon gill-nets. Before 
these nets were introduced the sturgeon were caught in 
large numbers at all the shore fisheries, and it becomes n 
question as to whether their destruction should be allowed 
to continue. They certainly constitute a valuable article 
of food, and a thriving business is done in the caviare 
made from their roe, In Gloucester County the catch 
averaged about 3,000 fish to the net, and the fishing laws 
have generally been respected, although there have been 
some violations, resulting in indictments and fines. 
To enforce the laws which are common alike in Dela¬ 
ware and New Jersey a river police is necessary, and the 
Legislature of Pennsylvania authorized the Fish Commis¬ 
sioners of that State to appolul not less than three such 
officers for the Delaware, hut, no such appointments have 
been made, and Ihe whole burden of enforcing the laws 
common to both States for their united benefit has fallen 
upon the New Jersey Wardens, notwithstanding the fact 
that the most troublesome violators hail from Philadelphia, 
The report describes in detail the effect of a large number 
of drift nets drifting for hours and over many miles of 
water, breaking up and scattering the schools of shad, and 
to which is due the almost extinction of our migratory 
fishes. The close seasons now observed, and enforced by 
the Fish Wardens of the nine counties fronting on the 
Delaware have resulted in a steady increuse in the numbers 
and size of shad. 
In the Non-Tidal department, comprising Warren, Hunt¬ 
erdon, Mercer, and Sussex counties, the Wardens report 
that the first fish (shad) were caught in Mercer, April 15tli, 
and in Hunterdon April 0th. The catch was very large 
throughout the month of May, and up to the close of the 
fisliiug season the fishermen were well paid for their labor. 
The proportion of large shad was greater than at any time 
for twenty years past, and the gross receipts from the shore 
fisheries exceeded any returns made since the appointment 
of the commission. The drift nets also shared the ad¬ 
vantages of the increase in the quantity and quality of 
the fish. 
