FOREST AND STREAM, 
233 1 
•mouthed white-fish resembling a herring. They are all 
'frequently taken with the hook, and the trout particularly 
'afford excellent sport." 
If 1 ain not mistaken, we have in the above paragraph, 
the first recorded discovery of the grayling within the limits 
of the United States territory. 
Five days after leaving their camp, on the banks of the 
Siskadee, we find them encamped on Bear River, about one 
buudred miles above Salt Lake. In regard to this river 
he writes on page 80: “This is a fine stream of about one 
hundred and fifty feet in width, with a moveable sandy 
bottom." Under the same date, July 5lb, he also writes: 
“Trout,, grayling, and a kind of char, are very abundant 
here, the first very large. 
In conclusion I will veulure to assort that, in my opin¬ 
ion, the fact is very clearly established that to John K. 
Townsend belongs the honor of having first published to 
the world, that grayling existed iu the waters of the United 
States. If any one is disposed, by w'ay of objection, to 
state that our author may possibly have been mistaken, 
and that the fish which he pronounced a grayling was not 
a grayling, but some other species, widely differing, I 
would reply that his scientific knowledge, as well as the 
circumstances under which he must have made his obser¬ 
vations, were sucli us to preclude his making such a mistake. 
Although he is more extensively known and quoted for his ac¬ 
curate knowledge as an ornithologist, yet he was well post¬ 
ed as to the distinctive characteristics of the grayling. 
His friend, Frof. Nultall, who was a native of England, 
:and eminent as a scientist before he came to this country 
with his thorough knowledge of**the English grayling, 
could not have fallen into an error of this kind. Its 
resemblance to the English species may have been so 
•■striking as to lead them to the conclusion that if the two 
were not identical, the points of difference were so slight 
as not to entitle it to be classed as a new species. Final¬ 
ly, in view of the fact that Townsend’s discovery of gen- 
mine grayling in the waters of the Siskadee and Bear Riv¬ 
iere was long prior to the reported discovery of the species 
an Montana, Michigan, and other parts of the United iStates, 
he ought to receive the full credit due to his name; and the 
American fish discovered by him ought to have received 
the specific name of ThymuHus TowtmndU. 
' O. A. KlNCiSBUUY. 
Philadelphia, May 13 th, 187G. 
FIELD NOTES AT R1VERDALE. 
April 3d.—Clear; warm south wind in the afternoon. 
Much insect life at the pond. Some buds of saxifrage (&txi- 
fraga vernaUs) almost open. 
April 3.—Southeast rata all day. Kingfisher made its 
first appearance. 
April 6th.—Iu early morning noticed a solitary blue 
heron (/late herodias) flying northward over the fog- 
enveloped bushes of a swamp; saw the first yellow-bellied 
woodpecker (Hfthyrapicua oarius) since January 33d. 
April 7lh.—Field sparrow (Spizella pusilla) first seen. 
April 9th,—Thermometer 37”, the lowest point reached 
this month; northwest wind. Flushed an English snipe, 
\(GaUimgo Wilsoni); golden crested kinglets (Regulus satrapa) 
abundant for the first time since la^t fall; have only 
noticed them once or twice during the winter. “Dutch¬ 
man’s breeches.” (Gorydalis cuaukvria) in bloom. 
April 11th.—Yellow-ramped warbler (Dendrmca coronata) 
seen. 
April 13th.—Warm south wind. Fish hawk has arrived; 
golden-winged woodpecker seen for the first time since 
March 13 th. 
April 13th.—Purple fineh (Carpodacus purpureus) seen ; 
none of these birds were observed here the past winter. 
April 14th.—Very foggy in the morning; cloudy all day, 
with warm south wind; saw several hermit thrushes {Tar¬ 
dus Pdllast) and ruby-crowned kinglets (Regulus calendula); 
also yellow red poll warbler (Dendrmca palmaram), and 
chewiuk, (Pipilo erythroph(halnvus). Started two night 
herons (Nyetiardea grisea) in a swamp, and noticed, two 
white-bellied swallows ( Tachycineta, bicolor) flying north. 
Robin first seen building. 
April 15th.—The wannest night of the month; the tem¬ 
perature did not fall below 47-'. Chipping sparrow first 
seen; for four years I have observed this bird arrive exactly 
eight days after the field sparrow; there is a remarkable 
regularity among several other birds in their relative ar¬ 
rival, hut I have observed no instance as marked as this. 
Swamp sparrow (Mdospiza palustris) seen. Plioebe-bird has 
begun building. 
April 16th.—Dandelions and dog-toothed violets (Ery- 
Ihroniwn americanwm) in bloom. 
April 17lh.—Saw several yellow-winged sparrows (Pas- 
■sereuhi*mmma). Two brown thrashers loudly proclaimed 
their arrival this morning from the bushes by the roadside. 
April l!)lh.—Cold northwest winds; flurry of snow, 
Vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gmmiaeus) first observed. Wild 
violet out. 
April 33d.—Saw one solitary vireo (Vireo solitarim), 
which was very common last fall; it arrives in the spring 
earlier, and departs in the fall later than any of the other 
vireos. 
April 33d.—Water snake seen; this is the first snake that 
I have seen this spring. Several anemones ( Anemone 
nemorosa) and marsh marigolds (C’allha palustris) found 
blooming hi the swamps. 
April 34lh.—Barn swallow.? (ITinindo horreorum)‘have ar¬ 
rived. Two green herons (Arden nirescens) seeu. 
April 3511).—Procured a specimen of the rough-winged 
swallow, (Slelgidoplery-v serripcnniis), the first that I have 
ever seen here. Several of them were noticed at the pond; 
they appeared to light on the frees and bushes oftener lhau 
the other swallows and were very tame and unsuspicious. 
April 37tll.—Currant bushes in blossom, and a few cherry 
blossoms out. House wren singing aronnd the house in the 
morning. 
April 201,h.—Noticed a purple martin Hying north; this 
species is very uncommon here at all times; also observed 
a chimney swift (G/uetura pelasgia) and cliff swallow (Pe- 
troehelidon kmfrons). While-throated sparrow abundant; 
a few remained with us through the winter, but have not 
been common till to-day. Wild strawberry blossom out, 
and Potentm sarmentosa in bloom; Japan quince (Pyrvs 
aponied) in ffower. 
April 30th.—Raining in the morning; clearing with south 
wind all day. Black-and-white creeper (Muwtttta Daria); 
blue yellow-backed warbler (Parula americana)-, black- 
throated green warbler (Dendrmca virens); redstart (Seto- 
phaga ruiicUla), and whippoorwill all made their first ap¬ 
pearance to-day. Saw one English snipe, and a snow-bird, 
(Junco hyemalis). Robin's nest almost completed. Colum- 
biue (Aquilegia canadensis) in bloom. Noticed the begin¬ 
ning of a caterpillar’s nest on an apple t ree. 
E. P. Bicknell. 
Riverdale-on-Hudmi, May lsf. 
BIRDS OF CENTRAL NEW YORK, 
(Continued from, Page 180.) 
■Eremophila alpestris. Shore lark. Resident and toler¬ 
ably common in winter. A few bleed. 
Mniolilta mria. Black and white creeper. Rare; ar¬ 
rives the first week in May, and departs in September. 
Parula. americana. Blue yellow backed warbler. Not 
very common during the migration; reaches here the third 
week in May. 
Dendrmca msliva. Summer warbler. With us from the 
last week in April to September. It breeds, nesting in 
trees and bushes. 
Uendrceea virens. Black throated green warbler. Arrives 
the last week in April. Abundant iu the spring. 
Dendrmca cmrulescens. Black-throaied blue warbler. 
Abundant in the spring after the first week in May, but 
passes north to breed. 
Dendrmca coronata. Yellow-rumpcd warbler. Very 
abuudaut with the preceding for about two weeks. None 
breed. 
Denaxlrca Blaekburnia. Blakcburnian warbler. Arrives 
the second week in May, and goes north to breed. 
'Dendrmca striata. Blaek-poll warbler. A very rare mi¬ 
grant. 
Dendrmca maculosa. Black and yellow warbler. Arrives 
the third week in May. It is a common spring and autumn 
migrant. 
Dendrmca pirns. Pine creeping warbler. Migrant; 
very rare. 
Sciurus noveboracensis. Water thrush. Not common, 
but breeds. First seen early in May, and leaves during 
October. 
Geothlypis trichas. Maryland yellow throat. Rare spring 
and auturuu migrant. 
Setophaga ruiicilla, Redstart. Arrives the second week 
in May, and departs in September. It is not abundant, but 
breeds. II. G. Fowlicr. 
Notes mom our Correspondents. —E. O. Sage (Ro¬ 
chester) says that while hunting for snipe, one started up, 
and after circling overhead and “drumming" alighted on a 
tall black ash tree, where it remained for some lime. He 
had seen snipe-alight on stumps, but never on trees, which 
is, no doubt, an unusual occurrence_T. D. lngersoll 
(Erie, Pa.,) writes that the chimney swallows made their 
first appearance there on May 6lh, perching upon steeples 
in a high wind. The last seen of them last year was late 
in autumn, at nightfall of a very cold day, hovering by 
hundreds over an old house, and diving into the great 
square chimney. He remarks also upon the strength of 
this bird, considering its diminutive size. Take one in the 
hand and feel his struggles... .A perfectly white pocket 
gopher (Thomomys bulbiwrm) is reported by Dr. D. C. Estes, 
ot Lake City, Minn. It is very large and beautiful, seems 
to thrive well in confinement, and will easily be tamed. It 
eats potatoes. 
- 
Early Nidhtcatxon op Ruffed Grouse.— A corres¬ 
pondent writes from Greene county, Pa., under date of 
May 8th :— 
“A young friend of mine, Mr. George Rinehart, while 
iu the woods a short distance from this place Saturday, 
April 29th, walked up a grouse with a brood of youug. is 
not litis very early for grouse to hatch?” 
This is the earliest instance of the hatching of ruffed 
grouse o£ which we have heard. Many young woodcock 
have been already seen in various parts of New Jerse y. 
—Prof. G. Brown Goode’s Catalogue of the Fishes of 
Bermuda, of which we printed a full synopsis in Forest 
and Stream for March 16th, has been published by the 
Department of the Interior as No. 5 of the Bulletins of the 
National Museum at the.Smithsonian Institution. It con¬ 
stitutes a pam phlet of 90 pages. 
CIRCULAR. 
International Exhibition, ) 
United States Centennial Commission, > 
Bureau op Agriculture, Philadelphia, May 1st, 1876. ) 
Smi— 
To properly illustrate the exent or the fisheries of the United States, 
both in fresh and salt water aquaria, it -will be necessary to have one or 
more specimens of ail fish, used for food, oil, fertilizers. Isinglass, leath¬ 
er, Haiti ami other purposes, in the arts or industries. 
Naturalists will also be interested in many of those forms which, al¬ 
though quite plentiful in certain localities, arc seldom seen in market, 
on account of not being nsed as food, aud as many private individuals 
are desirous of making donations to this department of the Interna¬ 
tional Exhibition, a list of species most desirable is herein enumerated. 
The Fish Commissions of such States as cIioobb to make an exhibit in 
the Centennial Aqnaria will of course Bend such species as they may 
deem most rare. The exhibition tanks furnished by the Centennial 
Commission comprise thirty-five vessels of various sizes, and about 
equally divided in the fresh and salt water sections, each division having 
in circulation about ten thousand gallons of waLer, which will be prop¬ 
erly filtered, circulated* and when necessary, refrigerated. The largest 
fresh water lank is ten feet long by seven wide and four deep. This 
will accommodate any fish found in our fresh water. The great salt wa¬ 
ter tank is twenty feet long by seven by four, aud will hold an eight foot 
fish. In the fresh water tanks we especially desire sturgeons (not O', er 
six feet), salmon, the two great lake trout, the two pikes (pickerel and 
musealonge), whiteflsh and ciscoes, the sawyer, all the bass aud peich 
family, the great catfish of the Mississippi, 10fl pounds or more, as well 
as the smaller varieties, such as suckers, gars; or bill fish, and all waler 
reptiles, invertebrates, mollusks, Crustacea, and aquatic larv® upon 
which fish feed at acme period of their growth. Specimens of plants 
npon which the cnietncea live, and which are suitable for introduction 
into fish ponds, will also be acceptable. In the salt water tanks almost 
any fish (hat will live therein is requested: Sharks, skates, and idya, 
the angler or fishing frog, porcupine fish, file-fish, pipe-fish, sea-horso, 
halibut, soles, flounders, eels, congers, sword and lace-flsh, lump-fish, 
flying-fish, sculpins, sea-robins, rcdflah, tautog, striped bass or rock-fish 
o? sixty pounds or upwards, mocrckei, bonito, horse mackerel, dolphins, 
bhiefiah, or salt water tronr, drum, sheephead, red snipper, perch, an¬ 
gelfish, hogflsh, devil-fish, lobsters, crabs, oysters, clams, suii-jellies, 
octopus, snails, conchs, shrimps, anemones, madrepore, and many 
others. All exhibitors, or patties trending any specimens to the aquaria, 
will receive full credit for the same, either upon the labels, or iu the cat¬ 
alogue and reports, or in both. Additions to tho stock will be received 
at any time, though it is necessary full contributions should Immediate¬ 
ly be forwarded. Fish oulturlsts are invited to send models of hatuhiug 
apparatus and alt appliances ased by them In propagatiug und transport¬ 
ing fish, also eggs of such fishes ns may he in season. Implements used 
in the capture of fish are also requested, that the full ex tun I. of the fish¬ 
ing interest may be properly displayed. 
Further information may be had by addressing the Bureau of Agricul¬ 
ture, International Exhibition, Philadelphia, Pa. 
Fred Mather, Burnet Landketh, 
Supt. or Aquaria. Chief of Bureau of Agriculture. 
SHAD AS SHRIMP EATERS. 
W Tenaflt, N. J.,MayBth^ 1870. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I scud herewith the stomach of a femalu shad, containing several hun¬ 
dred youug shrimps, some whole aud some partly digested, showing that 
they had been eateu only a short time before the fish was caught. I 
have never seen it mentioned that shad were shnmp-eaters. This fish 
was one of fifteen, and the stomachs of all contained more or less 
ahrimps*, but by far the greatest number were fonnd iu the females, 
sometimes only a dozen or two in the males. The fish were caught in 
the North River, near Fort Loo, N. J,,ou May 5th. I have examined 
some of the shrimps under a microscope, and find them to he the ordi¬ 
nary bait shrimp, about half an im h long, and l runs parent. The ab¬ 
sence of large shrimps in the stomach almost leads one to think that the 
shad Teed on the small fry only. Perhaps some of your correspondents 
have an opportunity of trying shrimp bait on a hook untl line, und will 
report their success. I. would advise them to use the smallest they can 
get. I expect to have a few more shad before the seasou clone*, aud 
will examine them and report. A. J. IIuylbb. 
[Although, a very noteworthy incident, it is not surpris¬ 
ing to find that the sluid which ascend our rivers como to 
us with their stomachs full of shrimps, for our correspond¬ 
ent seems to he right iu his determination. It is wje'lt 
known that all the members of the order to which the her¬ 
rings, anchovies, aud shad belong, feed largely upon Crus¬ 
tacea; and if it has never been detected before iu the stom¬ 
ach, of a Hudson lliver shad, it must be from lack of ob¬ 
servation or record.— Ed.] 
LETTERS FROM ORNITHOLOGISTS. 
Darversport, Mass,, May loth, 1876. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
The yellow-rumped warbler (Dsndroica coronata) is an extremely 
abundant spring and autumn migrant here in Essex county. Dr. Elliott 
CoueB, in his List of the Birds of New England, says: “A few probably 
winter in more southern section?.” Two instances of their capture hi 
the winter have come to my notice. Raymond L. Newcomb took a spec¬ 
imen January 2d, 1871, and another February 2otk, 1571, ar, Salem, Mass. 
As a few undoubtedly remain during the winter in sheltered localities, 
and instances of its breeding in Massachusetts are already recorded, 
should it not be termed a resident? Arthur F. Grat. 
Montdelier, Yfc. t May 1st, 18?6. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I have noticed the arrival of a fefV birds as follows:— 
March 31—First robin seen. April 8th-Song sparrow plenty. April 
10th—First flock of crow blackbirds. April, 16ih-.Purple finches iu sev¬ 
eral -flocks. April 30th—Heard the first white-throated sparrow. Blue¬ 
birds are very scarce. I have seen but a few for the past two years. 
Yellow birds, cedar-buds, king-birds, bobolinks, and moat of thewar- 
blvrs have uot yet made their appearance, seldom doing .so before the 
middle of May. I should be much pleased to hear reports from other 
parts or the State, os the season appears to me to bn much later hero 
than iu noma places farther north. W. A. Biugos. 
Peotone, III., April 30th, 1876. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I tend you a few notes concerning the birds I have noticed in this vi¬ 
cinity lately, and will try and send you fnrther items from inline to time. 
Robins are plentiful in summer, and have already begun nesting. 
Chipping, field and “ground” sparrows ate abundant. Bartram’s aund- 
piper is common and breeds, as also do the Idlldeer, Wilson’s snipe aud 
the quail, which last remains through the winter. The pinnated grouse 
(Cupidorda cupidv) is also common in winter und summer, nesting about 
May'1st. The barn and cave swallows are abundant, and the yellow 
warbler of tho guldens {Bmdnwa Wi>hva). There are plenty or Canada, 
geese In spring and fall, but they do not breed. Red-winged and crow* 
blackbirds are common. Hawks are few. As there are no pieces or 
woods near here of any &ize, rafiny forest-loviug birds arc never ftmnd 
in this part of the State. ~ D. H. Eaton. 
Machias, Me., April sad, 1870. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
My post office address is as above written, but i live on Rogue Island, 
in Englishman's Bay. This island contains about MOO acres. We have 
an auuudunce of gamu, except during two or ihree months iusnininer. 
At this writing we have black ducks, shelldrakes, Canada ceuao and 
brant, water witches, herons, fish hawks, eagles, etc. In summer we 
have sandpipers iu large flocks. Spiace partridges arc tolerably plenty, 
with some woodcocks, and two years ago I put in some ruffed grouse, 
which arc increasing. As there is a law prohibiting any one gunning on 
I he island, 1 hope io be ?vblc to protect them UUlil they become plenty. 
Occasionally we have a flock of wild pigeons visit us. Of late years ho 
much shooting 1ms been done about the inland that a part of the birds 
fly outside in pleasant weather; but when llioru is a strong out wioul 
am Lold that they ure as plenty as ever. There are several nests of tho 
bald eagle on the island, also ravens and fish-hawks. If any one should 
want the young of either I can get them. Occasionally a. young seal Is 
caught. Tho old ones are plenty at Limes. * 
Gilbert Longfellow. 
Regent Arrivals at the Philadelphia Zoological Garden.—Two 
youug alligators, AUi(/alo/‘ mUsimppiensis, presented by J)r. S.Weie 
Mitchell, Philadelphia; live, water snakes, If&odia fascUUn; one garter 
snake, Evtainia MlaiU, presented by Joseph Rl. Wilson, Washington, 
D. CL; one great horned owl, Bobo yirr/ltiianvn, presented by J. Bailey, 
Philadelphia; two Hying squirrels. Pteroniys volucelfu , presented by Miss 
Mary Jl. Morris, Overhrook, Pa ; one homed toa tX, P/irynomna cornu- 
turn, prosented by Henry Opeusham, Maimyunk, Pa.; one loon, Oolywr 
bus ton/uatu#, presented by John Krider, Philadelphia; two Fourniers, 
capromys, Capromys pilorule^ presented by George W. Boyd, Fhiludel- 
phiiu There were six prairie wolyes, Ounis iatranay born, instead of 
three, as previously recorded, 
