2(8 
FOREST AND STREAM 
A WEEKLY JOURNAL, 
Devoted to Field and Aquatic Sports, Practical Maturat-History, 
FtSHjCltt.TURB, THE PROTECTION OF GAMEtPftE 1 'I' r ationof Forests, 
add the Inculcation in Men and Women o, _ WEALTHY interest 
ln Out-uoou Recreation and Study : 
PUBLISHED BY 
Sorest and J jublisftittg (gompaify, 
17 CHATHAM STREET, (CITY HALL SQUARE) NEW YORK, 
fPOBT Office Box 2833 .] m 
123 SOUTH THIRD STREET. PHILADELPHIA. 
Termi, Five Dollars a Year, Strictly In Advance. 
A discount of twenty-five percent, allowed for live copies and upwards. 
Advertising Rates. 
In regular advertising columns, nonpareil type, 12 lines to the inch, 25 
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notices, 50 cents per lino. Where advertisements are inserted over 1 
month, a discount ol 10 per cent, will be made; over three months, 20 
percent.; over six months, 30 per cent. 
NEW YORK, THURSDAY, j»AY 11, 187G. 
To Correspondents. 
All communications whatever, whether relating to business or literary 
Correspondence, must he addressed to The Forest and Stream Fub- 
LI8IUN6 Company. Personal or private letters of course excepted. 
All communications intended for publication must be accompanied with 
real name, as a guaranty of good faith. Names will uot be published if 
objection be made. No anonymous contributions will be regaraed. 
Articles relating to any topic within the scope of this paper are solicited. 
We cannot promise to return rejected manuscripts. 
Secretaries of Clubs and Associations are urged to favor ns with brief 
notes of their movements and transactions, as it is the aim of this paper 
to become a medium of nseful and reliable information between gentle¬ 
men sportsmen from one end of the country to the other; and they will 
And our columns a desirable medium fer advertising announcements. 
The Publishers of Forest and Stream aim to merit and secure the 
patronage and countenance of that portion of the community whose re¬ 
fined intelligence enables them to properly appreciate and enjoy all that 
8 beautiful in Nature. It will pander to no depraved tastes, nor pervert 
the legitimate sports of land and water to those base uses which always 
tend to make them unpopular with the virtuous and good. No advertise¬ 
ment or business notice of an immoral character will be received on any 
erms; and nothing will bo admitted to any department of the paper that 
may not be read with propriety in the home circle. 
We cannot be responsible for the dereliction of the mail service, if 
money remitted to us is lost. 
Advertisements should be sent in by Saturday of each week, if possible. 
CHARLES IIALLOCK, Editor. 
WILLIAM C. HARRIS, Business Manager. 
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR THE COM¬ 
ING WEEK. 
Thursday, May 11th.—Racing: Lexington,Ky., Austin, Texas. Trot¬ 
ting: Woodbury, N. J., Washington, D. C. Bench Show of Doge: Lex¬ 
ington, Ky. Base-ball: Philadelphia vs. Campbell, at Philadelphia; 
Athletic vs. Mutual, at Brooklyn; Cricket vs. Carbondalc, at Carbon- 
dale, Pa; Live Oak vs. Rhode Island, at Providence; Fall River vs. Suf¬ 
folk, at Boston, Mass.; Boston vs. Harvard, at Boston; Chicago vs. 
Cincinnati, at Chicago; Louisville vs. St. Louie, at St. Louis. 
Friday, May I2th.—Racing: Lexington, Ky., Anttin, Texas. Trot¬ 
ting: Washington, D. C. Meeting of Kentucky State Sportsmen's As¬ 
sociation, Lexington, Ky. Base ball: Athletic vs- Jartford, at Hartford; 
Philadelphia vs. Centennial, at Philadelphia, Nc Haven vs. Live Oak; 
at New Haven; Alaska vs. Chatham, at Hobo' in, N. J.; Lowell vs. 
Fall River, at Lowell, Maes.; Cricket vb. Wilk- obarre, at Wilkcabarre, 
Pennsylvania. 
Saturday. May 13th—Raoing: Lexington, K. .Austin, Texas. Rifle, 
Turf, Field and Farm badge and Hepburn tropi it Creedmoor. Base¬ 
ball; Boston vs. Athletic, at Boston: Chicago v t.onisville, at Chicago; 
Cincinnati vs. St- Louis, at St. Louis; Harvard s. Brown, at Boston; 
Philadelphia vs. Active, at Reading, Pa.; Live >ak vs. Fall River, at 
Lynn, Maes.; Hoboken vs. Stevens’ Institute. a, Hoboken, N. J. 
Monday, May 15th.—Racing: Louisville, II-. Centennial Billiard 
Tournament begins at Philadelphia, continui- g two weeks. Columbia 
Rifle Association matches at Gntleuburg, N.,! Base ball! Athletic vs. 
Boston, at Boston; Philadelphia vs. Ne.v Have lit Philadelphia. 
Tuesday, May 16th.—Racing; Lexington, - Trotting: Suffolk 
Park, Philadelphia; Spring meeting American Rnlo Association, Pet- 
hamvllle. United Schuetswn Association, GiwnVllie,N, J. Base-ball: 
Athletic vs. Hartford, at Hartford. 
Wednesday, May 17ih.—Racing: Lexington I. Washington,D. 
C. Trotting; Suffolk Park, Philadelphia. Spring Meeting American 
Rifle Association, Pelliamville, 
The Adiuondacks.—J ust as we go topless a dispatch 
from our correspondent Romeyn, dated Keeseville, N. Y., 
reaches us via Whitehall, and announces “open water from 
Marten’s to Bartlett’s, on tlie Saranac lakes." This win be 
■pleasant news to early Adirondack visitors, indicative of 
possible trout fishing, and tlie cream of the sport. 
—Visitors to the Centennial exposition are to be regis¬ 
tered by telegraph. By an ingenious contrivance every one 
of the eighty turnstiles set at the several entrances of the 
grounds will be connected by wire with a dial in tlie main 
office. When a person enters through a turnstile he is in¬ 
stantaneously registered on this dial. 
—Although English snipe continue comparatively plen¬ 
tiful on the New Jersey meadows, the close season com¬ 
menced on the 1st. A fair quantity of docwitch snipe aud 
yellow legs have been killed near Roekaway, 
THE MINK. 
T HE establishing of minkeries by securing the wild an¬ 
imals and keeping them in close yards lias enabled 
the naturalist to ascertain facts regarding their breeding and 
habits which were before unknown, This branch of in¬ 
dustry is not only remunerative, hut has contributed much 
to the knowledge of the student of nature. 
The mink resembles the ferret in general shape. It has a 
long and slender body, long neck, and short aud stout legs. 
The palmer surface of the feet are covered with hair, even 
to the nails. Tlie feet are slightly wclibed, which adapts 
them to water as well as land. The hair on the tail is in- 
inclined to stand erect, which gives it a round appearance. 
When excited it emits a strong musky odor, which is se¬ 
creted in glands situated on either side of the tail. Its fur !b 
very valuable for articles for ladies wear. The foundation 
next the skin is composed of a downy fur with longer and 
stronger hairs penetrating through it, which contribute in 
tinting the coloring of the fur and conceals the downy fur 
beneath. The under coating is of a brownish yellow, the 
outer coating is of an uniform lawny brown, excepting tlie 
ears and the sides of the under-jaws, which are a little 
lighter. The under surface of the tail and tlie posterior 
portions of the hack are of a little darker tint. There is 
some white about the jaws and throat extending on the 
breast between the fore-legs. In different specimens the 
stripe of white is wider than in others. 
There is quite a variation in the lint of minks. Some 
are much darker than others. The Canadian minks are 
darker than those in the United States, and the white on 
the throat is less distinct, ln the southern part of the 
United Stales they are larger, with more while on the 
under-surfaee, with coarser hair, which is lighter in color; 
tail longer and less bushy. Among the mountain streams 
of the Northern and Middle Slates there is a smaller variety 
which is darker in color. The mink measures in length 
from eleven to thirteen inches. The (ail varies in length 
from seven to eight inches. It is one of the most destruc¬ 
tive depredators among the poultry yard. A single speci¬ 
men will, if not discovered, cause the stock of poultry in 
the farm yard to disappear. Audubon says, “A fowl may 
be seen moving in a singular and mysterious manner in the 
clutches of a mink towards a fissure or hole in some stone 
pile in the grey of the morning, and should he be pursued, 
it will be suct3enly twitched into a hole too deep to 
fathom.” In a state of nature they feed on frogs, cray-fish, 
meadow-mice, and rats. Having a good nose their prey is 
pursued by scent; when captured, it is conveyed in the 
mouth like the cat. 
Borne twenty five years ago when black Cochins were 
first introduced into this country, a friend sent me some 
very fine specimens of the breed, and they, of course, were 
visited many time a day. On rising one morning and visit¬ 
ing the hennery I was surprised to find the finest pullet 
dead on the floor. She was fearfully lacerated about the 
throat, but the floor was not much bloody. I could not 
devise the cause, and on each succeeding morning I was 
greeted with the same sight until my favorites had nearly 
disappeared. In the meantime I had fastened a severe 
watch dog in the house to protect the poultry, but in this I 
was disappointed; finally in despair I summoned to my as¬ 
sistance a shrewd, but roguish negro, acting on the princi¬ 
ple that if ittakesarogue to caleh a rogue the creature could 
not fail to be brought to justice. My detective scrutinized 
the premises carefully, and for a time was baffled until one 
morning after a rain he found foot priuts of a mink in the 
wet clay which he traced to a small adjacent stream. He 
demanded one dollar each for every mink caught near the 
humery. The traps were prepared and set, and each morn¬ 
ing brought from one to two minks until they numbered 
thirty, when I deemed it prudent to close the contract, 
having had sufficient revenge. As I counted the silver 
coin, aud each piece struck with a decided clink his broad 
palm, he showed his white ivories and chuckled audibly. 
The joke was good, for I afterwards learned that he had 
traps set for miles around my premises. A friend who en¬ 
joyed the joke rather more than I, has recently affirmed 
that this'was a death blow to minks for not another one has 
since been seen in this vicinity. 
Mink are fond of water, and are good swimmers. They 
are not cunning and are easily caught in a trap or dead¬ 
fall. They do uot burrow but avail themselves of the holes 
of any other vermin. They cannot climb a smooth sur¬ 
face and seldom take to a tree except to evade danger. 
Tlie month of March is considered tlie running season. 
The female remains in boat four days, and it has been ob¬ 
served that when a number arc confined within an enclos¬ 
ure, that this season is confined within a period of ten 
days. One male will serve six females. Tlie females 
carry their young six weeks, and in kittening they do uot 
vary half a day from this time. They seldom have less 
than three or more than ten young at a time, which are 
blind and destitute of hair. In five weeks their eyes are 
open, and by that time they are covered witli hair which 
is beautiful aud glossy. The females obtain their growth 
in ten months, the males are grown when eighteen months 
old. The females are ready to assume the responsibility of 
mothers when one year old. In a litter of young, one sex 
or the other are apt to prevail. A grown male weighs 
about two pounds and the female one and three-quarter 
pounds. 
During the running season the males fight desperately, 
and if confined in a yard one assumes the mastery, Mink 
never breed at unseasonable times, aud never have more 
than one litter a/ear. Farm mink are stronger than, wild 
ones, and invariably whip in an encounter. This is un- 1 
doubtedly owing to the kind and amount of food taken. ■ 
They are readily tamed when taken in hand. By the lime B 
Iheir eyes are beginning to open, they should betaken ■ 
from the mother and fed by hand. They resemblo kittens ■ 
in their playful antics, and are troublesome pets; their keen I 
scent often enables them to detect food not intended for I 
their use. Farm mink make excellent ratters, and they H 
hunt with energy and speedily exterminate rats. When ■ 
rodents find they are being pursued by mink they become ■ 
bewildered and seem oblivious to the presence of mau. ] 
They never give battle, and when overtaken by mink | 
the neck arteries are servered so speed ily as not to be observ- I 
ed by the by-stander. Confinement will cause their fur to ■ 
look dull and rusty. They require a darkplace to exercise. I 
Fish given occasionally improves their coal, aud soft water I 
for bathing also improves the texture of their fur, They I 
do not relish tainted flesh though if forced by hunger will I 
eat it. The nest of the female is peculiarly constructed I 
with straw, grass, or leaves, and lined with fur from the I 
body of the mother, which is so compacted as to be with ■ 
difficulty torn to pieces. 
The expenle of feeding mink is very trifling in compari- I 
sion with the profits. A moderate estimate claims.that a ■ 
mink with her increase will more Ilian equal the profits of ■ 
a sow, cow, or mare—any one farm animal. 
The (N, If.) Mirror gives the particulars of the exploits I 
of some young trappers who gained possession of a pair of I 
old mink with four young. At this season their fur was I 
worthless; they constructed a temporary place to keep 1 
them until maturity. A box was made 13 feet long by 4 I 
feet high and six feet wide. One end was placed in a run- I 
ning brook with holes bored through it so as to allow a free ■ 
flow of water. One end of the box was partially covered I 
with earth, aud the top of the bos was overlaid with green I 
boughs. The little family were deposited within and in- I 
creased as opportunity offered until the colony numbered I 
twelve. They were led on wild meal, wood-chuck, aud I 
squirrels, nnd occasionally fish, caught iu nets were added I 
for their use. Themink thrived and grew like pigs. iYhen I 
their fur was in condition they were killed and their skins I 
sold for fifty-seven dollars. The minkeries established in I 
New York, however, find it more profitable to sell the kit- I 
tens at twenty dollars each than their pelts for five dollars I 
each. The demand is now so great that application must I 
be made months in advance in order to obtain them. 
Opening of the Centennial Exhibition. —The Ex¬ 
hibition at Philadelphia was opened yesterday in due from, 
in great part according to tlie following programme pre¬ 
viously announced. We can give no particulars, as our 
paper was already on the press before ‘.he ceremonies 
began:— 
“The dedicatory ceremonies will lake place on the terrace 
between the Memorial halt and the main building, whore 
semi-circular platforms will be erected and handsomely 
decorated. Grouped iu appropriate positions in this semi¬ 
circle, will be the President, the Vice-President, and the 
Cabinet, the Supreme Court in its robes, and the Diplomatic 
Corps iu “uniform,” the United States Senate and House 
of Representatives, the representatives of tlie United States 
army and navy, Governors of States and territories with 
their staffs, Mayors of cities, I he Pennsylvania Legislature, 
the Board of State Supervisors, the Foreign Commission¬ 
ers, the United States Centennial Commission, Board of 
Finance, Government Board of Commissioners, the 
Women’s Centennial Executive Committee, the City Gov¬ 
ernment of Philadelphia, etc. When all these dignitaries 
arc assembled, an orchestra of one hundred and fifty mu¬ 
sicians, conducted by Theodore Thomas, will play the 
national airs of all the nations. The President will be es¬ 
corted by Governor Hartrnnft, of Pennsylvania, and a 
guard of honor. 
After the President has been received, Wagner's march 
will be performed. Prayer will then lie offered; a hymn 
by John G. Whittier will be read; the remarkably good 
cantata, which Sydney Lanier, of Georgia, has written for 
the occasion, will be sung to music written by Dudley Buck, 
of Connecticut; and General Hawley, as President of tile 
Centennial Commission, will then report to the President, 
who will then declare lire exhibition opened. There will 
then he salvos of artillery, much ringing of bells; the 
Foreign Commissioners will disperse to their respec¬ 
tive departments, and, while a chorus of six hundred voices 
renders the ''Hallelujah" of Handel, the President, es¬ 
corted by officials aud invited guests, wilt pass through the 
rnaiu building, then into Machinery hall, where he will, 
with his own bands, set the great Corliss engine, the motor 
of thirteen acres of machinery, in motion." 
The following are the fixtures for the Centennial season, 
as given in Lipiucotl’s Guide to the Exposi lion, which is a 
reliable authority on these matters: — 
Muin exhibition opens Mas 10th. 
Grand ceremonies on exhibition grounds -inly 4th. 
Trials of harvesting machines, Jnueuud July. . 
Trial of steam plows and tillage implements, September and October. 
Exhibit of horses, mules, and nsseB, Sepicmber 1st to September l»th. 
Bxhibit of horned cattle, September 20th lo October olh. 
Exhibit of sheep, swine, goals, and dogs, October 10th 10 October 2otll. 
Exhibit of poultry, October 28lh to November 10th. 
Main exhibition closos November Kith. 
Exhibits must be removed by December 31st. 
society meetings, parades, regattas, etc. 
Knights Templar {Masons) annual conclave May 30th. 
Knights Templar (.Masons) graud parade, Jane 1st. 
Order of Good Templars, special gathering, Jane 18th. 
International regatta (New York barbur) June 22d. 
Yacht regatta, Delaware River, in June. 
Sons of Temperance, special gathering, June. 
International series of cricket matches, Jane and September. 
Congress or authors in Independence Hull, July 2d, 
Parade of Irish societies, (dedication of fountain), July 4tb, 
Parade of military organizations, July Itb. 
United American Mechanic's parade, July 8th. 
Koigbts of Phytbias parade, August 2*1. 
International rowing regatta, August 20tb to September lain. 
International ride matches in September. 
Interua'ional medical congress, September 4th- 
Independent Order of Odd-Fellows' parade, September 20th, 
—Old fishermen prophesy an unusual season ol plenty 
for fi6h of cveiy description in our waters, 
