FOREST AND STREAM 
197 
be took it from the brine, and dividing it into several por¬ 
tions, preserved such parts as were Btm undecomposed in 
strong alcohol. These various portions are now in my 
possession, and with the photographs have enabled me to 
present a restoration, believed to be quite accurate, of the 
entire creature, Mr. Harvey has published popular ac¬ 
counts of this specimen, and the previously captured arm 
ot a still larger one, in the Maritime Monthly Magazine of 
St.John, N. B., for March 1874, and in several newspa¬ 
pers. To him, therefore, we are mainly indebted for the 
latest and most important additions to our knowledge of 
these remaikable animals.” 
Prof. Verrill then proceeds to give elaborate accounts of 
the measurements and general character of the various 
portions. Of the jaws he says:— 
“When in place, these jaws constitute a powerful beak, 
looking something like that of a parrot or hawk, except 
that the upper jaw shuts into the lower, instead of the re¬ 
verse, as in birds. The color is dark brown, becoming al¬ 
most black toward the lip, where its substance is thicker 
and firmer, and smoothly polished externally. The upper 
jaw measures 3.85 inches in total length, 1 inch in greatest 
breadth, and 2-50 from front to back. The lower jaw is 3 
in. long, 2.75 broad and 2.65 from front to back. Tire small 
squids of our coast have a very similar pair of jaws. The most 
remarkable anatomical character observed’ in this speci¬ 
men is found in the form and arrangement of the teeth on 
the‘lingual ribbon,’ or odontophore, for in this respect it 
differs widely from all other known cepkalopods. The or¬ 
dinary squids and cuttle fish all have these teeth arranged 
in seven regular longitudinal rows, those of the three mid¬ 
dle rows being generally two or three pronged, as in Lolig 
pallida, while the lateral rows have long, simple, fang like 0 
teeth- But in this species the teeth are very irregularly 
scattered over the surface ol' the broad, thin membrane, 
and it is difficult to trace the rows—if such they can be 
called—for the arrangement seems to be somewhat in ir¬ 
regular quincunx. 
“Prom the above description it will be seen that the most 
important aud the most characteristic features of this spe¬ 
cies, or rather of the genus to which it belongs, is found 
in the lingual dentitiou iu the internal shell, in the form of 
the caudal fins, and in the cluster of small suckers and tu¬ 
bercles on the long arms. The three first of these peculi¬ 
arities indicate a low or generalized structure, and there¬ 
fore a low rank iu our system of classification, unless it 
should be found to have some other characters not yet 
lcuown, and of greater importance, which might outweigh 
those here given. It. will appear, therefore, that this genus 
of huge squids should be classed below Loligo, which, iu 
its turn, will go below Ommastreplm , to which genus the 
common squids of our northern coasts belong, for the lat¬ 
ter genus has distinct eyelids, which are not found iu Loli¬ 
go, and the internal shell is also more specialized. 
“The pen of our ArchiteulhU seems to resemble that of 
the ancient genus Tendopsis, found fossil in the jurassic 
formations, aud contemporaneous with the huge marine 
saurians, lcthyomarui, Plesiosuarus, etc., the “sea serpent” 
of those ancient seas. May there not also be huge marine 
saurians still living iu the North Atlantic, in company with 
the giant, squids, but not yet known to naturalists? Such 
a belief seems quite reasonable when we consider how 
many species of great marine animals, both among cepha¬ 
lopoda aud cetaceans, are still known only from single spe¬ 
cimens, or even mere fragments, generally obtained only 
by chance," 
It will be seen from the concluding extract that the Prof, 
inclines to the belief that the discovery of the sea serpent 
is not quite aa impossibility. 
—By an unfortunate error last week, we signed the name 
of Harry W. Caudee to the article “Birds of Central New 
York," the writer of which was Mr. H. G. Fowler, of 
Auburn,NT. Y., whose name should be substituted. 
A Peculiar Bird’s Nest. —We have received by the 
courtesy of Dr. 0. C. Abbott, of Trenton, N. J., an old 
bird’s nest which he recently found, and could not identify. 
It is inches deep and 3 inches in diameter. It is sus¬ 
pended from the slender forked branch of a spicewood. 
The nest is formed almost wholly of scraps of newspapers, 
tied to the twigs with string, and lined with the needle-like 
leaves of the white pine. This is undoubtedly a nest of 
the white-eyed vireo {V. noveboracemis). Wilson describes 
it as suspended by the upper edge, like those of all the vi- 
reos, and says: “Outwardly it is constructed of various 
light materials—bits of rotten wood, fibres of dry stalks, 
of weeds, and of pieces of paper, commonly newspapers, an 
article almost always found about its nest,, so that some of my 
friends have given it the name of the ‘Politician.’ ’’ 
—The American Museum of Natural HiBtory at Central 
Park is to have an aquarium at its new building on Eighth 
avenue. 
—Zoologists are looking forward to examining the four 
small elephants which the Prince of Wales is bringing 
home from India. One of the two kinds of elephants iu 
Nepaul is small, not more than five feet high when adult. 
Professor Busk has found in the bone caves of Gibraltar, 
the remains of a pigmy elephant, and interest is aroused to 
know if these small ones from India will not prove to be 
the same species which long ago became extinct in Europe. 
Special arrangements are being made at the London Zoo¬ 
logical Gardens for the Prince’s valuable collection, which 
Will be kept separate. 
-4 
A White Skunk!— We have received a present of a 
White skunk (defunct), accompanied by the following let¬ 
ter. It is a beautiful creature; but albeit its skin is as 
spotless as snow, its breath is bad, aud we have had to use 
chlorides and carbolic soap for a seven day’s purification, 
after the taint left by the handling of it. The nasty thing! 
And yet—and yet—it is an object of great curiosity—to sa- 
vans:— 
Flatdkad Agency, i 
Missoula Co., Montana, April 11th, 1876. j 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
1 have sent yon by this mail a white skin What Is It? Trappers and 
Indians here say it is a white eknnk. One man only—a half-bread— 
sayB he has seen one before. Cilibili. 
[Albino skunk, and no mistake,—E d. J 
REFLECTIONS UPON REFLECTIONS. 
New Haven, Conn., April 14th, 1876. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
Have you seen the book on birds by Theodore Jasper, pnblished re¬ 
cently in numbers? How la it possible that such a bonk has been allow- 
ed by the author to go npon the market? The cuts of the birds and the 
positions are good; the text is good enough. But the coloring of the 
plates, how entirely nnmiturail how consummately absurd! The author 
seems to have an insane propensity to produce an effect by reflecting 
colors on bis birds from surrounding objects. For instance, in one 
plate the blue sky has cast a blue reflection over the backs of the birds, 
and this color lias in turn been reflected from the birds to the trees, 
etc., in that vicinity. A ud from the grass below, which Is colored a rich 
impossible yellow, there is another reflection to the breast of the 
birds, and indiscriminately over their bodies, If the author will allow 
such reflections on the birds be must not And fault if reflections are cast 
on his work. In fact, between the effect of the reflection from the sky 
and that from the ground, the original color is sometimes almost entire¬ 
ly lost. In other cases the wrong tints seems to have been applied with¬ 
out any definite aim. if an artist were engaged npon the painting of 
an Alderney cow, would he carefnlly sketch it, give it a graceful posi¬ 
tion, and then paint it a sky blue Color, with red horns and tail, and a 
broad green stripe down the back? Surely this would be no more absurd 
than the manner in which Jasper has treated many of his bi rds. 
Robt. T. Morris. 
- 
i THE LABRADOR DUCK. 
Ann Arbor, Mich., April 2till, 1876. 
Editor Forbbt and Stream:— 
I would say in reply to Prof. Baird’s call, in your issue of April 1st, 
Tor information of the Labrador duck, t CantptoanrMS lobradoritcs), that 
I have one specimen in my collection taken at Delhi Mill, Mich., April 
17th, 1872. There is no specimen iu the Michigan University Mnseum. 
A. B. COVERT. 
Recent Arrivals at the I'm i. a help hi a Zoological Garden.— 
One common boa (Boo constrictor]. Purchased. One young alligator 
( Alligator mississippiensh). Presenled by Master George English, Phil¬ 
adelphia. Three golden pheasants (T/iaumaleapMa). Purchased. Five 
silver pheasants (Suptocamur nyctkemcrus) Purchased. One Tobin 
(Tunlus inlgratoriils). Presented by John Pearsall, Philadelphia. One 
red-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps). Presented by Wm. Philips, 
Philadelphia. Two greaL horned owls (Bubo vlrymlanm). Presented 
by Joseph M. Wilson, Washington, D. C. One snowy owl (Nivea scan- 
dittca). Presented by Uanry N- Stewart, Philadelphia. Two Guinea 
baboons (Cynocephntus sp/dnx\, two pig-lailcd monkeys ( Macacua m- 
me&biims), four Macaque monkeys (Macacos cynomolgm), one sooty 
mangabey ( Gercoctbusfuliginosus ), one cinnamon bear ( Ursus america- 
nwsvnr.). Purchased. One woodcock (Phikthela miliar). Presented by 
Philip Rhoads, Lancaster, Pa. One horned grebe (Podiceps comulus). 
Presented by - . Three red foxes (Vulpes fulvus). Presented by Ed¬ 
gar F. Jordan,Philadelphia. One mooSe ( Mcesmachlis). Purchased. 
One barn owl (Strlxpraiincola). Presented by-. Two screech owls 
(Scops mid). Presented by Edgar Wiestling, Philadelphia. One young 
alligator (Alligator f/usdstippiCnds). Presented by Frank M. Scanlan, 
Philadelphia. One pair zebus (Bos Indicus), four Bewick's swana (Cyg- 
nustninor(?). Puicbased. One loon (Colymbus torguatus). Presented 
by Joseph M. Wilson, Washington, D. C. One banded rattlesnake 
(CrolalW durlfsm), Presented by H. Krauser & Bro ., Milton, Pa. Two 
caribous (Rangi/ercaribou ). Puicbased. 
Recent Arrivals at the Central Park Menaoekie.— One 
spotted eavy, CuUogemys paca. Presented by Mr. J. W. Wilson. One 
golden-crow tied connre, Oonurus aureus, Presented by Master George 
A. Keys. Two slender-billed cockatoos, Zecrnetis tenuirostris. Two 
sun bears, Ursus nadaynus. One Colobas monkey, Colobus cristatus. 
W. A. Conklin, Director. 
\ea and iver ytjfishiqg. 
FISH IN SEASON IN MAY. 
Trout, salmo fontinalis. Salmon Trout, Salmo cvnjlnis. 
Salmon, Salmo solar. Shad. Alosa. 
Grayling, Thymallm tricolor. Land-locked Salmon, Salmo Gloverl. 
For list ot seasonable trout llioa for May see our issue of April 27th. 
Fish in Market.— The markets have been well supplied 
with fish during the past week, particularly with shad, the 
prices for which have fallen to 35 cents for North Rivers, 
50 cents for Connecticut Rivers, and 25 cents each for 
Sonthern, The mo.,t marked feature lias been the arrival 
of large quantities of pompauo from Pensacola, and a re¬ 
duction iu the price of this delicious fish from $1 to 50 
cents per pound. Striped bass are worth 15 cents; smelts, 
15 cents; Kenebco salmon, 75 cents; California, do., 30 
cents; mackerel, 30 cents each; white perch, 15 cents per 
pound; Spanish mackerel, 75 cents; greeii turtle, 20 cents; 
terrapin, $12 per doz.; halibut, 15 cents per pound; had¬ 
dock, 8 eeuts; kingfisli, 80 cents; codfish, 8 cents; black 
fish, 15 cents; flounders, 8 cents; eels, 18 cents; lobsters, 
10 cents; sheepsheatl, 35 cents; scollops, $1 per gallon; 
soft clams, 40 to 00 cents per 100: whitefish, 18 cents per 
pound; pickerel, 15 cents; Canada brook trout, 15 cents; 
Long Island, $1; bard shell crabs, $4 per 100; soft, do., $3 
per dozen. 
—The rivers and lakes well to the northward are now 
clear of ice, aud south of the St. Lawrence River the trout 
fishing season may be said to be fairly at hand. Snow 
still remains five feet deep at Quebec and beyond. It lies 
dense among the Adirondack?, where the lakes are not yet 
open, though the ice is daily expected to break up. Nev¬ 
ertheless there is clear passage from lake to lake through 
the entire great chain, and from them to the Gulf of St. 
Lawrence. The rivers of Maine are open, and navigation 
is resumed on Lake Champlain. In Nova Scotia, where 
the season is always mnch earlier than in any other part of 
the Canadian Dominion, the months of April and May are 
the most favorable for flyfishing for salmon, which begin to 
run as soon as the ice fairly breaks up in the rivers. Parties 
proposing to visit this province need not expect any suc¬ 
cess whatever after J uly 1st, whereas from the 15th of 
June to the 20tli of July is the cream of the salmon fish¬ 
ing in New Brunswick and the St. Lawrence tributaries. 
We know of quite a number of leading American anglers 
who propose to visit the Canadian waters in June, some by 
invitation of the lessees, and some to test the unleased riv¬ 
ers, where, it will be remembered as we informed.our read? 
ers a month ago, fishing privileges are granted for the very 
moderate sum of $1 per day per rod in the Dartmouth and 
Resligouche Rivers, the latter of which is famous for its 
large salmon, and one of the finest riverB in the Province. 
This is a privilege which our anglers ought to avail them¬ 
selves of, the more especially as the locality is made easy 
of access by the completion of the Intercolonial Railway 
of Canada, via Quebec and Riviere du Loup, or via St, 
John and Shediac. 
Land-locked salmon are found in the eastern and west¬ 
ern Grand Lakes of Maine, the latter more generally 
known as the Scboodics, reached by steamers from East- 
port and Calais, and the’ former by the E, and N. A. Rail¬ 
road from Bangor. They are also taken in the Sebec Lake, 
reached by the Piscataquis Railroad, and in Stoney Lake, 
in Canada, which lies back of Peterborough; also in 
the Upper Saguenay at the grand discharge of Lake St. 
John, where they are locally known as winninnish, 
beginning to run about the middle of June. Iu all other 
localities mentioned May is decidedly the best month for 
taking these fish, not only because the run is better, but 
because there are no black flies to molest, and few anglers 
out. In June there are two fishermen to every fish. 
Brook trout will now bo taken in the quickest water of 
running streams; in lakes they are scattered everywhere. 
We gave a list of trout flies for May in our last issue. Sal¬ 
mon trout are also near the surface, and take the troll 
freely throughout the month; they will sometimes rise to 
the fly, and afford good sport. 
Grayling abound in the Michigan streams, and the nu¬ 
merous authentic articles which we have printed from 
Fred Mather, Uncle Thad Norris, and others in back num¬ 
bers of Forest and Stream will instruct the angler when, 
where, aud how to fish for them, April, May, and June 
are the best months, but the fish are game all through the 
summer. The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad tra¬ 
verses the country which the grayling inhabit, and the ad¬ 
vertisement which wo print for the company this week 
will give onr readers much information. 
Shad-fishing with fly is in older, but the interest in this 
sport seems to have been evanescent. We do not think it 
the most exciting in the world, but better than no fishing. 
Altogether May is the angler’s chosen month, and he 
who would exercise his prerogative should go forth soon 
and make the most of it. Our local reports will indicate 
the condition of the streams and fishing propects in va¬ 
rious States. 
—Up to the present time reliable private advices from 
the Newfoundland sealers, report 12 steamers to have ar¬ 
rived from the ice, bringing about 130,000 seals, the value 
of which is estimated at over $400,000. Eight steamers 
and all of the sailing vessels are as yet unaccounted for, 
and the presumption is that the steamers still out have 
fared badly, and that few of the sailing vessels will do 
well. 
—Striped baBS, weighing two and a half pounds, will be 
caught on the “Jersey Flats” and other localities in our’ 
harbor during the present month, while on their way up 
the river to spawn. They are in good condition now, 
although June is an off month. The veteran angler, An¬ 
drew Clerk, Esq., with 1ns vivacious and enthusiastic suc¬ 
cessor, Mr. Abbey, and other chosen comrades, will test their 
quality and temper in the coming days, and we shall be 
pleased to report a goodly catch as the result of their en¬ 
deavors. 
—A southern correspondent describes a primitive method 
of fishing as follows:— 
“Pike or jack, as they are called here, are taken in large 
quantities iu the mill-ponds in the Carolina.? by holding'"a 
torch, at night, over the centre of a canoe and roeltiug it 
while moving down stream. The motion with the light 
attracts the fish, who jump into the boat, of ten in large 
numbers.” 
—The traffic in fresh fish over the Intercolonial Railway 
of Canada for the winter of 1875-6 amounted to 30 cases, 
4,044 barrels, and 4,630 boxes. Tbe sales were made 
chiefly iu Ibe United States. 
—Good trouting can be had at Hillsgrove, Sullivan 
county. Pa. For particulars address R. Biddle at that 
place. 
—It is reported that specimens of salmon, weighing 
nearly a pound each, have recently been caught in seines 
in Pawcatuck River, Connecticut. 
Pennsylvania— Philadelphia, May Ut .—'Tbe shad fish¬ 
ing has been about the same this week. The catch has 
been better than middling. One gill-net brought in 57 this 
morning from one drill. Of these, one weighed 7J and 
another 6 pounds. The law making a close time from sun 
set on Saturday until midnight on Sunday meets with somo 
opposition, but thanks to the vigilance of the fish wardens, 
and especially of the fishermen that have been caught 
once, the law is well enforced. Three infringers come up 
for trial at Mt. Holly this week. A seine drawn at the 
mouth of the Rancocas on Thursday night. Caught among 
the shad was one black bass, probably a descendant of 
those put in the creek three years ago. At Fairmount, on 
Thursday, one rod took several rock fish of about a pound, 
and a half and two pound black bass. The latter was at 
once set free. Sculls. 
Vermont— Montpelier, May "1st. — To-day is the opening 
of the trouting season, Prospects are decidedly unfavora¬ 
ble, as we are iu the midst of a driving snow-storm. Last 
winter’s snow in many places is two feet deep. 
W. A. B. 
North Carolina— Morgantoion, April 22th .—I have not 
been out yet, owing to the unsettled weather, but heard of 
some 4} pound trout being caught thirty miles from here 
last week, and as soon as 1 can leave the Post I shall try 
them. Doctor, 
