116 
FOREST AND STREAM 
—We ask a careful reading of the letter from Prof. 
Allen, each of whose many essays upon the details of 
the subject of which he writes lias represented an ad¬ 
vance in our knowledge of ornithology. One sugges¬ 
tion of his we ourselves were about to make, numely, that 
our correspondents should allow their real names to be 
printed with their paragraphs. We should much prefer it. 
—Readers of this Department in particular ought not 
to stop at the end of its columns. Notes of value to 
the naturalist are every week scattered all through the 
paper; particularly under the the head of “Game Bag and 
Gun." _ _ 
Calendar. —Mr. Allen’s Ornithological Calendar for 
Massachusetts, for March 20th to 81st, is as follows:— 
Grass finches, mourning doves, pigeons, and fox colored 
sparrows arrive; black, wood, and pin-tail ducks, the mer¬ 
gansers, divers and grebes come; the red-headea, canvas- 
backed, ruddy and surf ducks, the scoters, and other 
species of ducks and gulls, arrive from the South. Snow 
buntings, and such rare birds as the pine grosbeak, white- 
winged crossbills, Arctic three loed woodpecker, and lesser 
redpoll depart for the North, as well as many of the 
butcher-birds. Such early breeding species as some of the 
hawks, owls, etc., pair during this month. The duck, 
hawk, and horned owl, begin to lay and sit. 
BIRDS OF SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT. 
Uiuganum, Conn., March 8th, 1876. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
This place is situated on the Connecticut River, half-way between 
Saybrook and Hartford. The following brief diary of ornithological 
events may be of interest:— 
March 8. Large flock of blackbirds made their first appearance to day; 
also a number of bine-birds. Weather warm, and snow fast disappear, 
ing. 
March 7. Another warm day. Blue-birds are singing from almost 
every tree top, and I believe the same pair that hatched their two broods 
lost summer in a hole iu a post have begun house cleaning, and are get¬ 
ting ready to settle down. A few pheebes (Sayondx fuecus) arrived to¬ 
day, and are mingling their plaintive notes with the louder cry of the 
jay, which stay with us all winter. 
March 8. Arainyday; wind S. S. E. in the morning, 8. W., and W. 
in the afternoon, and growing colder, bio new birds, but those that are 
here seem very busy. Charles O. Gladwin. 
Recent Arrivals at the Philadelphia Zoological Garden- — 
One gray squirrel, three lions, born in the Garden; one indigo bird, 
live red tailed hawks, two red squirrels, one alligator, one red headed 
duck, one.opossum, (Two were boru dead, the third was kUled by the 
mother wheD it was butn few hours old.) UuON. 
#4 §nltme. 
THE NATURAL AND ECONOMIC HIS¬ 
TORY OF THE SALMONIDiE- GEO¬ 
GRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND 
ARTIFICIAL CULTURE. 
NO. FIVE. 
BY PHILO ICHTHYOS. 
THE MACKINAW TROUT—GREAT LAKE TROUT. 
Salmo Namaycush. Pennant. 
ESIDES the species of salmon inhabiting the two 
great slopes of the continent, we have the iaenstrine 
species, of the great chain of lakes of the interior, non-mi- 
gratory salmon, which we are accustomed to have served al¬ 
most daily upon our tables. They are excellent fish, as we 
think; indeed to us they are toothsome and delicious, cut 
off as we are from obtaining, during the greater part of the 
year, so many excellent varieties of ocean fish. The Sal- 
monidm and the Corregoni of the fisheries of the great inte¬ 
rior lakes, must ever he our supply of fresh fish; for they 
are to be so cheapened by artificial culture, that the masses 
may soon rejoice in an abundant supply of wholesome 
food. The lacustrine family of non migratory salmon 
may be found from Ontario to Lake Superior, and accord¬ 
ing to Sir John Richardson, in all of the interior lakes 
northward, from the United States to the Arctic Ocean, 
which so thickly stud the entire area of British America. 
In Winter Lake in Lat. G-l 1 N., the S. namaycush, was 
taken by Dr. Richardson and Sir John Franklin. Dr. 
Mitchill says he saw specimens of this salmon caught at 
Mackinaw, weighing one hundred and twenty pounds, hut 
at Ihe present time they do not exceed seventy pounds, 
even what fishermen call the largest. In the description 
of this famous iaenstrine salmon, the following salient 
points may he observed: Body fusiform; dorsal outline 
moderately arched; lateral line nearly straight; scales 
small oval adherent; head one-fourth of total length; 
nostrils double; contiguous muzzle somewhat point¬ 
ed; month l:rge; jaws strong in the male; the up¬ 
per one longest, the lower having a conical point at 
top; jaws and tongue, with a single row of teeth on each 
silt*; vomer with hut a single row. Teeth strong, sharp, 
and translucent; in the breeding season showing a beauti¬ 
ful amethystine color at bases; dorsal fin nearly in the cen¬ 
tre of Ihe fish; its height slightly longer than its base; the 
adipose is well marked; the caudal is decidedly furcated; 
the anal is longer on its anterior margin than posteriorly— 
or at its base; the ventrals at their origin are slightly pos¬ 
terior to the centre of the fish. 
Hay formula—Br, 12, 13; D, 12-14; P, 15; Y, 9-10; A, 11- 
13; 0, 80. Colors: dark, or dusky brownish-gray abovo; 
chin and under parts light, or cream color; Back and sides 
specked with numerous irregularly shaped spots of lighter 
gray, browu, or soiled white; lower fins slightly yellowish. 
H. A. B.—Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, 
and, according to Sir John Richardson, all the great lakes 
which lie between the United States and the Arctic Ocean, 
but never found to inhabit tidal waters. The lake trout, 
or salmon which do not reach tide waters are fish of great 
economical value, and are wisely being sought by piscicul¬ 
turist for artificial cultivation. With one or two excep¬ 
tions those species of the Great Lakes, spawn from Octo¬ 
ber to middle of December. 
Brook Trout— Sahno FontinuMs. Mitchill. 
The brook trout are the smallest members of the salmon 
family. They inhabit rivers and mountain streams from 
the icy and desolate regions of perpetual snow, of the far 
north of British America to the interior of the United 
States, and even south to the 33d parallel. This species 
differ in color and markings, in different localities, quite as 
much, if not more, thau the salmon of the two coasts of 
our country. It seems that those species inhabiting the 
waters of New Mexico, are paler than those of the waters 
of the extreme north of North America, especially those of 
the streams of Southern Alaska, where they are nearly 
black. It is said the trout of California differ in markings 
and color, in the different waters where they exist, which 
is owing to some law affecting the Sahnonidoi. Wherever 
this favorite of the angler is found, its capture in its proper 
season, Is one of the most keenly relished sports of the de¬ 
votees of the rod. It has also gained a deserving promin¬ 
ence in connection with artificial culture for stocking fish 
farms, and fish culturists are reaping golden rewards from 
its propagation. The following are the characteristics of 
the trout: 
Head sloping nearlysyrametrically above aud below; body 
oblong, compressed; back broad aud rounded; nostrils 
double—a characteristic of all the trout families; labials, in- 
termaxillaries and lower maxillaries, armed with miuute 
teeth; tongue with two rows of from four to six teeth; vomer 
with six or eight teeth in a row. 
Bay formula: Br, 12, 12; D, 12, 0; A, 11; C, 7, 19, 8, 18; 
Y, 8;T, 14. Colors: above with irregular dark markings 
on a horn-colored ground, which in freshly caught speci¬ 
mens, give blueish and greenish reflections; sides lighter, 
merging into silvery white on the abdomen, hut showing 
much red in the spawning seasons; upper part of the head 
dark greenish brown, with quite obscure mottlings; Vermil¬ 
lion dots and yellowish spots along the lateral line. The 
pectorals have the first ray, and the second black, while 
the remainder are orange; ventrals and anal with first ray 
white, as on the tips of second and third. Caudal reddish, 
with obscure parallel dark bands, more distinct towards the 
lobes. Caudal somewhat emarginale; quite forked in the 
young, which have also dark transverse bats on the scales. 
This sprightly agile, and beautiful congener of the salmon, 
is the popular and favorite fish with every disciple of the 
rod. The trout spawn in October and November. 
the THYMALLi — Graylings. 
THYMALLUS TRICOLOR. Cope. • 
This tribe of fishes bear marked relasionship in many re¬ 
spects to the sahnonidw. Tliey inhabit the cold streams of 
many portions of the United States, Canada, Europe, and 
Asia. It proves to be a game fish of the first quality, 
and hence, when generally known, will be much in favor 
with anglers. It takes tbe fly with avidity, and carries on 
a brave and spirited contest with its captor. It has a rich 
and beautiful combination of colors on the body, and a 
beautifully conspicuous dorsal fin that it shows off to ad¬ 
vantage while manifesting displeasure at being in the toils 
of the angler. Its flesh is white in color, and excellent in 
flavor. The artificial breeding of the grayling was suc¬ 
cessfully carried on in Bavaria twenty years ago by Mr. 
Kauffer Royal, fisherman in the Garden of the Royal Ve¬ 
terinary School. Fred Mather and Selh Green, our eminent 
pisciculturcsts, have both bred the grayling successfully by 
the artificial process. There are several species, which 
will be appended to the synopsis of the mlmonida * in con¬ 
nection with their geographical distribution. Prof. Cope 
gives the following characteristics of T. tricolor: “Body 
elongate, sub compressed, highest at anterior portion of 
dorsal fin. The greatest height of body equal to length of 
head. The length of the snout is about equal to tbe inter 
orbital area. The origin of tbe dorsal fin is vertical to a 
point midway between tbe insertion of the pectorals and 
the ventrals. The last ray of the anal fin is opposite to the 
anterior insertion of adipose fin. The greatest height is 
.214 of the length of tite body without the caudal; the 
greatest width of the body is .09; the least height of tail is 
.07#; the length of the caudal peduncle (that space between 
a vertical line drawn at the posterior edge of adipose fin to 
the caudal) is .10; the distance from the snout to the dorsal 
fin is .354; the length of the base of the dorsal fin is .23; 
the distance from the snout to the anal fin is .70; the dis¬ 
tance irom the snout to ventrals is .51; the length of me¬ 
dian rays of caudal is .07); the length of external rays of 
the same is .20. Head .21} of the length of the body with¬ 
out caudal; the distance from the snout to the nape is .15}; 
the width of the head is .44) of the length of the head; 
the width of the interorbital area is .24} of the same; the 
length of the maxillary is .334; the length of (he mandible 
is .51; the length of the snout is .25; the length of oper- 
calum is .25}; the diameter of the orbit is .27J. 
Hay formula. Br., 9, 9; D., 24; A., 3-11; C., 8-19-7; P., 
16; V.j 10. Scales in lateral line, 92; transverse rows above 
lateral line, 8; below lateral line, 11-4; caccal appendages, 
18. T. tricolor, as well as all oilier known species, spawn 
iu April. 
THE CORItEGONI— White.jink. 
corbegonus albus. Arted. 
This food fish is assuming, under artificial cultivation, an 
economic and commercial importance equal, if not supe¬ 
rior, to any fresh water fish on tbe continent. Akin to the 
salmon, its flesh is of great value rb an element of food. 
In the great Ulterior lakes its food is abundant, and the fish 
is always fat and toothsome in the highest degree. Ex¬ 
cept, we regret to say, when kept in fish rucks too long, it. 
then becomes insipid, as if it had been Awed. 11 is a 
free feeder, and sooner than oilier fish loosWfts flavor by 
confinement. It is said that the corregoni are addicted to 
vegetable food more generally than all of the sabnonidw, 
hence rarely take to bait of any kind, although they are 
occasionally caught on set lines in Seneca Lake, N. \,, by 
fishermen. As found upon the market tables they have 
the following characteristicst Body elongated, rather stout 
and sub-fusiform in profile; peduncle of tail well developed; 
head rather small, sub-conicle terminated by truncated 
snout that slightly protrudes beyond the lower jaw; mouth 
rather small; the maxillar bone proportionally very broad, 
hut so short, that its posterior margin scarcely reaches a ver¬ 
tical lino drawn in front of the orbit. The origin of dorsal 
fin is nearer the posterior margin of the base of the adi¬ 
pose fin titan the extremity of snout; upper jaw is sub- 
concave instead of linear. The anterior portion is higher 
than its base is long. The adipose fin, (the mark of con¬ 
sanguinity), or blood relationship with the mlmonida is as 
markedly developed as in any of its congeners, and is situ- 
aLed opposite the anal fin. The latter is anteriorly deeper 
than long; its initial ray being nearly equidistant between 
the origin of the ventral tins and Hie insertion of the cau¬ 
dal. The external margin of ills anal fin is sub-concave, 
also its own base entering eleven times in the length of its 
body, and twice in tbe length of the side of the head. 
The ventrals are inserted opposite the posterior fourth of 
the base of the dorsal fin; the posterior margin of ventrals 
is sub-truncated, or rounded off, and when flexed back¬ 
wards their extremities do not nearly approximate the vent. 
The ciudal is furcated, shorter than the head, since it 
enters a little more than six limes in the total length. 
Hay Formula—Br, 9; D,12; A, 12; V, 12; C, 16 6 6=28. 
The scales are large iu development, deeper than long; au- 
terior margin undulating, rounded sideways, and poste- 
riorily, slightly diminishing in depth. The four sections 
of scales are limited by a furrow; the concentric lines lire 
nearly obliterated upon the posterior section; no radiating 
furrows being observed on any of Hie sections. Eighteen 
rows, lengthwise of body, may he counted between tbe an¬ 
terior margin of the dorsal and the insertion of the ven¬ 
trals; nine above the lateral line, and eight below. The 
lateral line is perfectly straight. Colors. The upper region 
is bluish-gray or lead color; while the sides and lower 
parts are whitish, with a silvery reflection generally. 
White-fish spawn in October. See Report of Pacific Rail¬ 
road Survey, 10th Vol,, fishes. 
Artificial Propagation of Stiuted Bass— (Eaccus 
lineatus ).—Several gentlemen of Brooklyn, including Mr. 
Henry Van Siclrieu, of Coney -Island, propose to restock 
Coney Island Creek with striped bass, which formerly 
abounded with this delicious game fish, affording sport to 
many anglers. It is now almost depleted, notwithstanding no 
changes have taken place in the channels or lands adjacent, 
and natural food is as abundant as ever. These gentlemen 
have made extensive inquiries of Seth Green, E. Black¬ 
ford, and others familiar with salt water fish to ascertain 
the cause of the depletion, and whether the creek could 
not he re-habilitated by artificial breeding. The corres¬ 
pondence is before us, and we find the uuanimous conclu¬ 
sion to he that Hie scarcity is chiefly due to pound nets set- 
in the streams or in its vicinity. Seth Green says that everj* 
family of fish has a regular route that tliey travel every 
year, and.assumcs that these pound nets, have been set 
acrosB their thoroughfare. He declares that, "pound net¬ 
ting should be stopped in all waters in the United States. 
There is no other kind of net used that does not leave 
some; the pound takes all." Seth green’s letter con¬ 
cludes:— 
“Your creek can he stocked again by artificial hatching, 
and I want to find a place where striped bass can he taken 
in great numbers while in the act of spawning. If any 
one that sees this article knows of any such place I hope 
they will let me know, for 1 wish to sec all of our waters 
stocked with striped bass again.” 
We are glad to know that Mr. Green is prepared to un¬ 
dertake this experiment. It is an additional step in_ tbe 
progress of fish culture, and we shall watch it with much 
interest. Of course it iB useless to attempt it if pound nets 
are to be tolerated, and the first effort therefore should he 
to abolish these. We trust that our legislature will not de¬ 
cline to act upon the proposed measure now before them. 
—An exchange says that six hundred frost-fish, taken 
from the Raritan River at New Brunswick, wore sent to 
the Commissioners of Fisheries of Maryland last week. 
They arc intended to stock the Elk aud Patapsco rivers. 
These fish are in reality smelts, and not the fish known in 
this vicinity as frost-fish, or tom-cods. The Raritan smelt 
is one of the finest fishes in the world) far move delicate 
than those taken in Maine or Massachusetts waters. Protec¬ 
tion in the latter State has made them very abundant. We 
would suggest to our Fish Commissioner? that some atten¬ 
tion he paid to their artificial propagation in our own 
waters, 
—The Westport, Connecticut, Trout Association, have 
lately received from Bucksport, Me., 320,000 eggs of the 
land-locked salmon. They came in two shipments, 160,000 
each time, in cans containing 80,000 eggs each. 
FISH AND FISHING IN ILLINOIS. 
w Rockford, ill., March, 1876. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
Rockford is finely situated for one of the best fishing points in the 
country. Rock River flows through the city, and is joined by the Kish- 
wauket- a few miles below. Both of these rivers have been greatly de¬ 
pleted by tho use of nets, etc., but 'now, with a stricter observance of 
the fish laws, and the imrodnetion of newilsb, we hope soon to have 
waters thnL will delight any angler. Inside of the last two years there 
have beeu introduced into these rivers or their tributaries, several thous¬ 
and shad, salmon, aud trout, and the U. a. Fish Commission has just 
allotted to this portion of Rock River 40,000 Penobscot salmon, 10,000 
Schoodio salmon; these two last lots are now ready for shipment. 1 
have learned The first shad that were placed in these waters have dona 
Weil, aud they aro umv to be seen in the creeks tributary to the rrver 
where they were deposited. We still have fit for the rod that, game fish, 
tbe black bass, though qnite scarce; more pike and pickerel are caught, 
and a few perch. Pickerel commenced running the last of February, 
and nnmhjp of them are taken every spring at the moatlie or the 
streams wWre they ran. They ofton bite voraciously at this time, and 
any boy that can make a raise or a live minnow is almost sure of a pick¬ 
erel. Pike and black bass are taken later In the season. A day can ho 
spent on tbe Kishwauked very pleasantly alter black bass, np and down 
the banks, taking oat the beauties from some dark hole, or from under¬ 
neath a fallen tree trank, averaging from two to four pounds. A live 
grasshopper is as tempting a bait as lever need, a live minnow next. 
