160 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



it. The careful draining oil after this 1 have retained, be- 

 cause I fear that with the continued suction of the eggs per- 

 chance, motionless might be carried along into the egg, and 

 a disturbance hereby be produced. Whether my apprehen- 

 sion lie with foundation, I have not hitherto teen able to 

 ■ ■, ■ 

 1 crave your indulgence if I have been somewhat explicit, 

 liui jusrt la:' impregnation appeared to mo to be so im- 

 portant as the fundamental part of the so-called artifioal 

 that it could scarcely be treated of exhaustively 

 enough/ I BID firmly convinced' that every one who once 

 tries the method of impregnation taken by myself, willnever 

 again apply any other. 



VI. 



OK XHE SITTING AND BATCHING OT COREGONTJS BOGS. 



Already during the Trench administration or management, 

 attempts were made almost every year with the setting and 

 hatching of Voregonus fera, with so little success, how- 

 ever, that of late the hatching of these eggs was entirely given 

 Up, and they were simply despatched impregnated. Theat- 

 tetapts undertaken by myself also produced almost always a 

 negative result, at least the arrangements never stood in a 

 right proportion to the expenses thereby incurred. As I 

 had, however, nearly finished in this year the transformation 

 of our local institution from a mere hatching-place for Car- 

 > a breeding-place for almost all fresh-woter fishes 

 of Middle Europe, and therefore had more leiauro to closer 

 observations and experiments, I undertook (being instigated 

 to do so by an inquiry of the meritorious President of the 

 German Fisheries Society') this experiment once more. 

 Hitherto people had proceeded with the setting of the 

 oa, especially of Coregonux and Wilrimama fera always 

 m similar manner as with the salmon tribe, there- 

 fore salmon and trout, namely, in rather strongly running 

 water. 



As, however, with the nn Ml eggs of the Oaregorms, the 

 most dangerous enemy of the eggs, the byssus, appears 

 much more vigorously than with the eggs of salmon and 

 trout; the spoilt eggs," however, owing to their small Bize be- 

 ing much more difficult to remove, the whole brood was 

 almost always lost, most likely principally caused by the 

 confervoid "germ moving in with rapidly flowing water, 

 aud setting themselves on the eggs not yet impregnated, and 

 infecting them. I now tried to carry on the setting in 

 almost quite sttmding*water. The change of water wiib bo 

 slight that any real current was scarcely perceptible, and 

 the success was a surprising one. Notwithstanding the 

 circumstance that very many of the eggs used for this pur- 

 pose were spoilt on their arrival (the eggs had st«pd 

 for about 36 hours in a heated Custom House office), I suc- 

 ceeded by means of small pincers, especially made for thiB 

 purpose, in removing the damaged egga, a formation of 

 fungus in such quantities did not take place in the almost 

 standing-water, at least it was not so great that it could not 

 be removed without difficulty. After the eggs were once set, 

 a real actual loss did not occur, so that almost without 

 1 have hatched 80,000 yevung. 



This experiment with the eggs of Coregonus has an 

 importance not to be underrated, as the opportunity is 

 afforded here to transplant valuable Cortgonus in such 

 lakes is appear adapted for it, and us the arrangements for 

 hatching- I: >j:l] everywhere without entailing con- 

 Bi^erab^eipeuse 



The eggs of (bregmas and Wxvtimanni fera are to be had 

 in almost unlimited quantities. Our local institution will, it 

 is expected, be able to supply the set eggs at 2 marks the 1,000 

 during the next hatching season, later on perhapB cheaper. 

 What -with the trilling consumption of water, the proprietor 

 lakes SB already contain Corcgmaii, or appear suited 

 for them, and which do not command a water-course with 

 sul. cieut fall, can construct a hatching-place for Con-gottas, 

 without serious cost of maintenance. A simple hand-pump, 

 set going morning and evening for a half hour each time, 

 ■ .• i v nough to feed ft small reservoir (the cheapest 

 il well-cleaned petroleum casks joined by 

 iriics amply for twelve hours, as the consump- 

 i ratershould.be so light. Then again, as the little em- 

 bryos immedjal ely on slipping out are very movable, and swim 

 about merrily, they may be placed already a few days after 

 slipping out without any fear that too large a number of them 

 perish. The struggle, for existence of course is not spared 

 also to these little fish, nevertheless a stock of them may at 

 imy rate soon lie established. As in many lakes, the 0.»r- 



r '.'. must be caught during spawning time, as they cannot 

 be taken at other times of the year. The transfer (also as 

 i se valuable fishes, what with their considerable 

 prolific qualities especially) from one lake to another may 

 be undertaken in the most productive manner, and without 

 heavy expense and much trouble. 



Bertm, JrUrmry 23, 1877. 



Fish COKCTOE xn North Cabolina.— The Legislature of 

 North Carolina has passed an act constituting a "Depart- 



. : .;ri culture, Immigration and Statistics," to be under 



the supervision of a Board comprising the Governor, State 

 Geologist and others, one of whose duties will be to increase 

 of the State. It is especially interested 

 with "the supervision of all measures for the. protection, prop- 

 ai,t culture of iish in the rivers and other inland 

 - his State, and to this end they shall at once pre- 

 stocking all available waters of the State with the 

 , ipro i i brei - Dffiaues, and shall avail themselves 

 of such aid as the Fish Commission of the United States 

 iduccd to extend, .and they shall inquire into and 



. practicability of constructing fish-ways oyer. 



dams and other obstructions in the waters of the State, and 

 Jar practicable the en operation of mill-owners; 

 proper locations for the hatching and care 

 oithc young iish, and shall provide the necessary hatching 

 ho uses' and such appliances as may be needed, and employ 

 ,., , latau a; a a, y be necessary to this end, and they may 

 a a agents at such convenient points to aid them in the 

 distribution and hatching and protection of the ova and 

 young Iish, provided such agents shall receive no com- 

 pensation. 



: m to the General Assembly at each 



port of the operations of the said department, 



. i jgustions of such legislation us may be 



. | of the Board to prosecute 



■ aas.L the laws Which laa/a I. a 

 i a 1 1 . and they shall endeavor to secure the 

 ei, operation of adjoining States to remove obstruct ions in 



ftsh ill those rivers or streams which are 

 partly in this State and partly in such adjoining StateB." 



Quintal ^jistorg. 



SOMETHING ABOUT BIRDS OF CEN- 

 TRAL NEW YORK. 



BY J. P. HUTCHINS. , 



NOW that spring is at hand, let lovers of birds be on the 

 watch for the numerous migrating warblers that will 

 Boon pass us. It is only for a few days in early spring, when 

 nature begins to wake from her long, cold slumber, that we 

 can see these little messengers of warmth. They flit by us 

 like phantoms, as it were, and while we seem to catch but a 

 gleam of their bright plumage as it sparkles in our tardy 

 sunlight, they are gone, leaving only the sound of their 

 sweet warble ringing in our ears, like the distant chime of 

 some tiny bells. Watch, therefore, lest these flitting joys 

 escape you. 



These migrants pass in May. Small and sprightly they 

 skip among the tree-tops and thick evergreen foliage, feed- 

 ing on the early insects as they go. Those who would see 

 them should extend their morning walks to the nearest 

 grove or wood, and spend an hour each warm day in watch- 

 ing and listening. 



Birds seem not to take very kindly to our Central New 

 York climate, especially the smaller forest birds. Nearly all 

 of the warblers leave ns in— well, not altogether our glory, 

 if our peculiar weather be reckoned in— and go further east, 

 or north even, to spend the summer and rear their young. 

 Long, cold rains, are destructive to the nests and eggs of 

 small birds. In June I noticed a Goldfinch (Chryscmilri* 

 trislbs) building her neat in a maple on the lawn. A cold 

 wind and storm came, which continued for a week, and blew 

 away this partly finishednest entirely ; but when the sun came 

 out and nature smiled again, the absent toiler came back, 

 and my faith grew apace, to see how stoutly the little crea- 

 ture set about building a new nest in the same place where 

 the first one was destroyed. This time it reared its young, 

 while its mate whispered his sweet refrain to every passer- 

 by, during the many warm summer days that followed. I 

 noticed in this case 'that the male bird did not assist in the 

 building of this nest. 



There are several kinds of birds which, though seldom or 

 never seeii in our Oneida Creek Valley, are common in the 

 hills that range along each side of it. We might infer from 

 this fact that these birds generally resort to the hills in pref- 

 erence to the valleys, if it were not that the same birds, in 

 kind, are found about the shores of Oneida Lake, which lies 

 a little north, and still lower than our valley. However 

 this may be, when I would collect certain specimens and 

 hear our finest songsters, I get away to the hills and into 

 the heart of some bit of primeval forest, still spared from the 

 woodman's axe. So there, in the middle of May, the Rose- 

 breasted Grosbeak {Uouiaphm ludovicmvi) wdll perch above 

 my path, and deliver himself most wonderfully; the saucy 

 fellow seems to know that I don't, care to "collect" him, so 

 continues to wako the slumbering echoes of the old wood 

 with his liquid song as long as I will listen to him. But he 

 is a charming, noisy bird, so I soon get away from him to 

 another part of the' forest, where, if not beset by another of 

 his kind, I can hear the delicate warble of the Sylvimlida:, 

 other little migrants of which I am in search. A few 

 day's later, when the Grosbeak has ceased to sing, the 

 Scarlet Tanager (Pyranga rubra) begins his melodious dis- 

 course from the arm of some giant elm. The manner of his 

 song is a kind of imitation of that of the former, but not so 

 strong and pure.. Then follows the Wood Thrush (Tardus 

 mustilittti&y, tee sweetest songster of the forest. Indeed, the 

 quality of this bird's song is hardly equalled in bird melody. 

 Its tender notes seem to wake the spirit of the wood; the 

 young leaves are stirred by asolian strains, wafted from sylvan 

 depths, that appeal more" to the soul than to the ear of the 

 listener. In May, this bird sometimes visits our valley for a 

 short time, and has even been heard in the orchards, but I 

 have found only one nest here in twenty-five years; its home 

 is on the hills, and it requires the deep,_ resonant f 

 der the full charm of its 



Tin 



it to 

 Grosbeak and 



Tanager, above, mentioned, 

 where 1 have never found th 



Mv late friend, Dr. Latrc, 

 played a musical instrument 

 was" also a keen lover of " 

 of nature. He would t 

 strains from some bird tha 



[pressed less enth 



dy seen in the valley, 

 est of either. 



1 a keen lover of music. He 



ith a masterly hand. But he 



pie melodies and harmonies 



el on foot for miles to eatch a few 



ihed to hear. Indeed, he 



cal performance by 01 



Bull that we onee witnessed together, than I have some- 

 times heard him at the simple song of the Thrush. Oh, his 

 was a rare soul for nature, and the mighty Creator of it ! 



Below is a list of birds taken on their passage in 1876. 

 They are all non-resident in this locality, ob far as my ob- 



rv&tii 



1 the 



nds. 



The 



*e take: 



euai 



ying" dates denote the 



Ked-bellied woodpeekcr 

 en but two here, both of 



1'ellow-bellied wood- 



time 

 November 7.'— Gsnturus eoroli) 



—a fine, large bird. Have ne^ 

 which were taken on the hills. 



October 10.— S/ili/m/.''™ a-aaa-a 

 pecker. Have taken only two here. 



May 16. — pendroeoa eaervlescens. Black-throated blue 

 warbler; quite rare. Very few are seen during the migra- 

 tion seasons. 



May 23.- JDtndraica Mackburniw. Thin beautiful little 

 warbler is also very raTe. 



May 18.— Panda Americana. Blue yellow-backed warbler; 

 quite common when migrating. 



May 24. — Dcudraim cus/aneu, —Bay-breasted warbler; rare. 

 Have taken but one. 



May 2H.—MyiodU)des mnadutsis. Canadian fly-catcher; not 

 common. 



May -3.— Paulas satr't]ia. Golden-crowned kinglit; very 

 almndant while migrating. _, _ 



PinicJa enwAajtor. -Hne grosbeak; taken in winter. V ery 



May 12.— SUtn miuulensis. Red-bellied nut-hatch; a rare 

 little straggler. Taken in the forest, scrambling among the 



pine colics. 

 Hay y. ■ ■■■■ : is. Black-throated green warbler; 

 lainon. 



November 0. -V ■"■ Tree sparrow; common 



in winter. .. 



boreaUs. Great northern shrike; seen frequently 

 in fall. 



May 23. Ikndntra striata. Black-polled warbler; aeoinruoii 

 migrant. 



May 23. — i MnioliUa varia. Black and white creeper; rare. 

 I 'inn flabi/rons. Yellow-throated verio. Taken in May, 



May9. — uendraecu coronata. Yellow-rumpod warbler. Our 

 most common migrant. 



September 26.— Anorthura troglodytes. Winter wren; com- 

 mon in fall 



' \riliia familiaris. Brown creeper; common in fall. 



May lti.—Itendroru miruha. Cceruliun warbler; very rare: 

 Was taken on the hills. 



How Eagles and Fish-Hawks Feed the Pooe in Florida.— 

 A correspondent sayH: 



"Passing the cabin of an old negro on the Spruce Creeks 

 we we're hailed by his daughter, who asked us for fish. It 

 so happened that having none in the boat we were obliged to 

 refuse; but just then an osprey was seen passing by with a 

 large fish in his talons, pursued by an eagle. The fish- 

 hawk was so closely pressed by his pursuer that he had to 

 drop his prey, which fell close by the cabin, and was gladly 

 picked Up by the -woman. Thus, although the birds lost 

 their supper, the hungry negroes gained one, and as the 

 man happened to be a preacher, he doubtless compared 

 himself to the prophet who was fed by ravens." 



—We have received from our friend Mr. Shclton, of Rail- 

 way, N. J., a beautiful specimen of an albino robin, which is 

 an interesting addition to our collection. The bird is not 

 completely white, having a black cap and a number of dark 

 feathers in each wing and in the tail. One or two feathers 

 of the throat are tinged with rust color, but with the above 

 exceptions the specimen is pure white. The donor has our 

 thanks for his kindness in sending us a specimen of so much 

 interest. 



A DOMESTICATED PENGUIN. 



Editor Forest asi> Stream. 



It somotiinas happens that an individual from tho families of aquatlo 

 birds, distinguished for nothing but their open-throated voracity and 

 their fear of the hnman species, rises above its nature and gives 

 some evidences of civilization and the higher glimmerings of what 

 may be called an intellectual InstlDct The following remarkablo cir- 

 cling tance. never before published, is in proof of this. It isstrlctlys 

 fact within the knowledge of several living witnesses. 



The whalo-ship Uubbaraton, of New Bedford (this may not have beou 

 the name of the ship, but that is immaterial;, was cruising on the Brazil 

 banks in 1847. The morning of May 20th had been a tediously laborious 

 but successful one—it bad brought a whale to his "death-flurry." The 

 captured monarch of tho deep had struggled bravely— lashed the sea 

 into foam, which was stained with the crimson tide that flowed from 

 the spear wounds; bnt it was death with which it grappled, aud the 

 monster, like a huge Bpoil of war, was towed alongside, and secured 

 by the fluke chains to the ship. Grog was served, as customary on 

 those triumphant occasions, and a part of the crew retired below 

 to partake of the two delicacies of a whaleman's larder— bread aud salt- 

 juni. A person looking overboard saw a ponguin (Ceiiina;, 

 commonly called by tho aallora a "Woggin," between the body or the 

 whale and the ship. The water was so discolored by the blood of tho 

 ■whale that nctbiDg could he seen bnt tho head and flippers ol the now 

 visitant. He was evidently attempting to get ipOD tho « L Kit s'a back. Ono 

 of the crew leaped upon the whale, and the Woggin came fearlessly to 

 his hand and was taken on board. Oi. b ildiog :: i insulation it was 

 determined to kill the strange bird aud make a purse of hie akin ; but 

 one of the number, more humane than the rest, proposed thai ho should 

 be esst overboard, which was done, and all hands were called to com- 

 mence cutting up the whale. In » short time the tame peuguiu made 

 his appearance, aud by its actions expressed ad'.flii'e tolls taken on 

 board. It was accordingly done by thec-nmiand of the nipt a lei 

 the woggin, in a stately manner, walked ait, and showed signs of inteuse 

 satisfaction and contentment. He was perfectly tame, would suffer tho 

 approach of any one of the crew, and, uj a lew days so far learned his 

 duty as a seaman that when in Cain) weather he was put overboard to 



collect his tnod, which consisted of small fish, he would. BBS 



meal was ended, return to the ship to be taken on board. II 

 general favorite with tho crew, and roeoived the u ami -of "Jack Woggin," 

 with which he seemed much pleased, and would respond to s (all with 

 an nradi alacrity as a flog, It was singular to notice Ills lush 

 attachment lo the crew of that ship. When lying by on the cruising 

 ground for a "jam" (the whalemen's term for a visiting party), Jack 

 Woggin would sometimes, wheu in the water, approach tho boats of 

 other whale ships, but ail tha attempts of their crews to get him on 

 board proved ineffectual; he would dive and avoid them, bnt when- 

 ever the boats of the Hubliardston came near him, he would hasten to 

 be taken on board. Oue day, when a perfect calm prevailed on the 

 B ea, Jack had been put overb iar.1 for food and exeroiss, aud, in com- 

 pany or soino of hia own species had proceeded at i 

 the ship, a squall suddenly rose, aud the snip was driven three or four 

 miles from its station. All waa buatle aud confusion when it was 

 ascertained that Jack Woggin had been loft behind. The men alolt were 

 ordered tokeepa sharp lookout for this ' a. in about 



two hours the joyful cry was heard from the masthead, "Jack Wogglil 

 is in sight!" With much difficulty, panting from the severity ol hia 

 exertions, lie approached the ship and was taken on board. Ho had 

 been swimming tor dear life through tho turbulent seas to regain his 

 post of duty. , 



For three mouths Jack Woggin strutted with a sort of official 

 dignity across tho after part of the deck, feeling himself much above 

 going before the mast, lie had cot an enemy on board! aad had he 



been permitted to see the end of the vOysge It is possibl Ill 



have come in tor a share of the profits. When ho wanted aeythiug to 

 eat, he generally walked up to the man at the helm and looked him 

 Bteadily and wistfully in the face, continuing to do so until his request 

 was graded. He eat beef cut iuto small slices and freshened, so that 

 it had but little tasto ol salt, and bread-then would walk to the water- 

 cask for hia drink. 



But we must approach the catastrophe. One day "Jack Woggm" was 

 asking for his dinner, and the captain, unable to find any freshened 

 meat for him, gave h.m some slices of salt-junk, and in two hour, mil 

 jewel of a seaman was a dead woggin. It was something amusingly 

 solemn, almoBt like a mock tragedy, lo witness the lengthened visages 

 and noiseless step of the crew as they gathered around tho lifeless 

 body of Jjck Woggin, laid out in duo form, ami prepared for his last 

 launch They looked upon him as they would upon a brother, sailor 

 under similar clrcumstauces, or as they mtgtrt have gaged upon a 

 hivniite ship stranded upon u rock, "Whose prow shall never port the 

 billows more." 



KKCliA. 



B V, E 



Arrivals at rat; Pmr.ADELi'HiA Zoological Garden t 

 ISO APRIL IKB.-One Lamprey eel, i ' 



ISfiurut ear.l.'.«o.«i|. pr. sehted; i - ■<!"""'"■ pMWWdj 



one small Alligator {Mligaltr miautiwenri,), presented. 



Aniaua E. Skow*. tieueral 3upt, 



