FOREST AXD STREAM. 



165 



IMPORTED BIRDS FOR OUR WOODS 

 AND PARKS. 



THE following latter, from one of the most prominent 

 citizens Of Canada, contains suggestions of great value, 

 based uponahnowledge gathered from study and experience. 

 It will command the attention of commissioners of public 

 parks, farmers, bird fanciers and philanthropists : 

 Editor Fokest axd Siheam. 



It is vera- inl cresting to me— Mr. Willicott's description 

 Of the way the English skylarks have been destroyed at 

 Brooklyn, 'as JtBboWB there is nothing in the climate of 

 America which necessarily makes a dearth of birds, and, as 

 a conseqe : , ease of insoets. 



It will be difficult to establish larks, because they arc 

 valuable a< songsters, for sale, and as an article of food; their 

 method of singing will attract any gunner, and the bird is 

 easily shot, bul why should a partial success be given up? 

 The great difficulty has been overcome, namely, that of 

 climate. I would advise, as inhabitants of such splendid 

 parks as there are in and about Brooklyn, the importation of 

 blackbirds and starlings; these are. local birds. The former 

 will breed in the evergreen trees, and the latter among the 

 Incuses, in chimneys, sparrow bones, water-spouts, etc. The 

 bird we want is one which will work all the year and remove 

 from the ground the nests of insects injurious to agriculture, 



I have tried blackbirds at Quebec; they did very well, but 

 the birds gradually got into cages and were sold, and as this 

 was done by gentlemen, I was disgusted. J do not, however, 

 see why the importation of birds should be given up. 



As an encouragement to importers of birds, I claim to 

 have imported sparrows into America at Portland, Maine, in 

 1854, and I had to import them three times at Quebec, before 

 they took root. The two first importations were secret; to 

 the latter 1 gave the utmost publicity, and the last coiirSi 

 was the successful one. The principle to adopt is to select a 

 bird that can take care of himself in such a crowd as there 

 is in the old world, and who will bo on the ground for the 

 whole year, working after insects for his food and oar bene- 

 fit, and singing to make our hearts feel happy. Surely such 

 an object is worth paying for ! and it is the only way t know 

 of to meet the ravage's of luseets injurious to agriculture. 



I imagine no live Yankee would wish to be now without 

 the life and animation of the house sparrow in his great 

 cities. They are like gas in a town — a sign of progress. I 

 admit the bird is a tittle hlackguard, fond of low society, and 

 full of fight, stealing, and love-making: but he is death on 

 insects, fond of citizen life, and in every way suitable to be 

 an inhabitant of the new world. He certainly is a great 

 attraction to an American city in the eyes of a traveller, as he 

 shows there must be some kind hearts somewhere, or else the 

 poor sparrow would not be so pert and happy. 



Blackbirds lead better be brought by the nestfull, so as to 

 get cocks and hens. Starlings can be caught in the spring 

 bv using bird limo. Yours, W. Rhodes. 



Qtiebec, Owute, April 7, 1877. 



A Gigantic St.vk Pish. — Bibbey's Oyster Bay in Pulton Street 

 is as well known to the respectable down -town business men of 

 New York as any similar refectory. The quiet, unassuming 

 manner of the proprietor — always obliging but never demon- 

 strative—has won for him an honorable esteem and worthy 

 patronage, which wo trust has long since provided for him an 

 easy and comfortable journey down the decline of life. Those 

 who enter the refectory are always served with the best 

 selected chops, shell-fish and oysters, while there is always 

 a goodly display of baskets and barrels of the luscious 

 bivalves at the portals outside. Last Christmas time Mr. 

 Libbey commemorated the holidays in the usual way by 

 making his place attractive with evergreens; and it so hap- 

 pens that he has permitted a five-fingered star, some two feet 

 in diameter, such as is fabricated from the "running pine," 

 to bang outside ever since, conspicuously among the oysters, 

 clams, lobsters and soft-shell crabs. The point of our ap- 

 proach is this once bright particular star, though now faded 

 to a pale indefinite green, much like the color of the sea- 

 l clings to an old spile, or, as the poem has it, 

 "like the sea-weed on a clam." The other day a rural 

 visitor who had already passed some interesting hours at the 

 aquarium up town, chanced to pass the hostelry in Pulton 

 Street, and saw this time-worn relic hanging as has been 

 described. Among other marine, cariosities at the aquarium 

 he had been particularly interested in the tank of star-fish, or 

 "five fingers," which ho had been told were very destructive 

 to oysters; and wlten he saw this star of Lib-bey's stretching 

 its hugh proportions before him, he paused in amazement. 

 "Gosh! what a whopper!" he exclaimed. "Why, that 

 beats any of them up to that aquarium clear out of sight!" 

 And then he sauntered on, musing thoughtfully. A person 

 who overheard him had to tell the joke, and that is how we 

 came to know it all. Mr. Libbey himself recognizes the re- 

 semblance, and admits that it is certainly the biggest star- 

 fish he ever saw. 



Death of Thaddecs Nonius, Esq.— ThaddeusNorris is dead. 

 "Uncle Tbad" has gone to his last fishing ground. Poor 

 Yorick ! we knew him well. A column of obituary notice 

 would not suffice to hint at his worth, nor a column of gran- 

 ite lift its head sufficiently high to do him honor. Ho was 

 a valuable contributor to Purest and Stream from the begin- 

 ning. The Philadelphia Inquirer says: 



"Thaddens Norris. Sr., a well known resident and retired 

 merchant of this city, died suddenly, at half-pas! on i o'cJ u 

 yesterday morning, at his residence. 208 West Logan 8 08 

 Por about a year prior to bis death he had been Buffering 

 from paralysis of the brain, superinduced by exposure while 

 pursuing his favorite pastime and study of angling and 

 fish, but no immediate danger was at any time apprehended 

 from hifl disease— not even a few hours before his sudden 



He was horn August 15, 1811, at Warr leived a 



common-school e tucatic 



when quite young, and open.- 1 .-■■• l ■..■ ■;■■;:■ iise 



Hie continued a sum ssfnl I ismess there and in In 

 houses a h w I eansi ad M aphis until the , -, 

 civil v > , a i ah :■■■ ; n .1 i ad e and 1 ai ner] his a, hole at- 



tention to the siil.j I tol fii a -i heir nature, habits, culture and 

 capture— which had been the delight of his boyhood and of 



leisure hour-: during Ms long mercantile life. Liu was the 

 author of \ o ia n Angler." first published about 

 !-v i- j - : . _- Q ,a,| of "American Pish Culture," which ap- 

 peal-! 3 Is) a Both ib tsti- rorks an : '■ ' '/""" 



regarded as standard authorities oh the Bubjects i hid 

 ■a : frequent oon) i i I 



serial articles upon his favorite, themes to suoh magazines as 

 Harper's and Soribner's. and a valuable member of the 

 ioademyof Natural Sciences. Being a good amateur me- 

 chanic, he manufactured all hte fishing apparatus, and so 

 great was the virtue attached to a roil, reel or net made by 

 ■Thad' Nona , that : .. h. an knows to offer many 



times its value in order bo p 38eBB it. Mr Norris always 

 ,,,,,]; pleasure it imparting piscatorial knowledge to friend 

 01 a! \ if he found him apt and desirous of promoting 



h - of fish. Ho made a specialty of trout, and was the 



Brat to ha mens of that, fish 'hatched in this city. 



No) n) is! • Ifi bis penchant for fishing and fish, tie ah- 



la>rr,h h, ■■.„■. of ieu . , ...a.; , M portal W, in the 



pigeoiwjhootmg and kindred ■spo never a fish 



preserve in any part of the country was visited by Thaddeus 

 Norris. the owner thereof took good care to advertise the fact 

 as widely as possible." 



%w ^nblicutions 



GAME PROTECTION. 



Naw HAltrpsmiiE. — The annual meeting of the Fish and 

 Game league of New Hampshire, was held in Manchester on 

 the 3d inst. The following officers were elected: -Tolm B, 

 Clark, President; W. W. Colburu, Secretary; Frederick Smyth, 

 Treasurer; Marcellus Eldridge, Portsmouth; Luther C. Criteh- 

 olt, Strafford: G. V. Pickering, Laconia; William C. Fox, 

 Woolf borough; Eldridge P. Perkins, Wilton; Hunts W. 

 Pittee, Enfield; Nathan K. Perkins, Jefferson; W. W. Fletcher, 

 Concord; ,11*11 Clement, Troy, William Jarvis, Claremout, 

 V ee-Prosidenfs. 



The committee on fisheries reported that the new fishery at 

 Lawrence would answer the purpose for which it was de- 

 signed, although a test was yet to be made. A committee 

 of tire wis appointed to consider what changes may be neees- 

 siry in the game laws, and to secure them from the Legisla- 

 ture. Mr. B oekett, Fish Commissioner of Massachusetts, de- 

 livered au interesting discourse on the subject of fish culture, 

 giving some account of what had been done in that State. 

 Gen. John Mcasiel of Muichester'foUowed with some remarks 

 corroborative of Mr. Brockett's statements. In the afternoon 

 Dr. Edward Spaulding of Nashua delivered an address on 

 tbesubject of restocking the Merrimack Biver with imimgratory 

 fish. 



— "The Halloek Sportsman's Association has just been or- 

 ganized at Glen's Falls with the following officers: Presi- 

 dent, A. N. Cheny; First Vice-President, Walter McDonald; 

 Second Vice-President, P. E. Banger; Secretary, Chas. H. 

 Fennel; Treasurer, Geo. B. Harris; Counsel, H. A. Howard, 

 Esq.; Board of Managers, D. P. Smith, A. H. Fennel, A. B. 

 Abbott, 3. R. Burnham, John W. Knight, Geo. W. Conkey, 

 M. R. Peek. 



We feel much honored by this evidence of the fra- 

 ternal esteem so often extended to the Managing Editor 

 of Fokest axd Stream, and shall take an especial and lasting 

 interest in the prosperity and well-doing of this club. 



— The Sportsmen's Association, of Danville, N. Y., is doing 

 considerable good in stocking the streams of the vicinity 

 with trout, and putting out grouse for breeding. 



—Alabama has a new game law which prohibits the killing 

 of any kind of game between April 14 and October 1. The 

 kilUng of wild ducks at night, or with the aid of floats, 

 blinds, or other devices, at any season of the year, is pro- 

 hibited. 



A most excellent law — brief, and sufficiently to the point ! 



M.tiiLBOHO, N. J., April 11, 1877. 

 Kutfim Forest and Stbeam. 



Received box or Florida ,(uail to-day from Mr. Chas. P. Price of Mew 

 Jerk city, containing one hundred birds, sevimty-five of which were 

 dead. Mr. Price lias been wintering in the South for tho benefit of his 

 health enjoying hinrsolf with the rod and guu. The coop was about, 

 four feet long by three wide, and one foot high. There were no parti- 

 tions to keep tho birds from massing and thereby trampling each other 

 underfoot. WTany of them were injured about the head, ia.i 1 rap. 

 pose by tho box being too high, giving them room to fly up and bruise 

 their heads. The feed, which was oats, was placed in a flat hex in one 

 corner, and it soon became in such a filthy condition that the birds 

 would not eat it, and I think many of them were starved to death. 1 

 gave the surviving ones v.haait and <>ater, and they ate and drank freely. 

 Will turn out upon my plantation in pairs, male and female, in- h oal rm 

 possible. I think you have frequently given iustruetions through your 

 paper for tho shipment and boxing care on transit of quail, etc., fur 

 resto -king purposes, and yet it appears to me tliey will bare repetition, 

 as few seem to understand it, thereby causing an unnecessary leas au J 

 expense. These quail were sent up on one of the Charleston steamers, 

 and if a proper place had been arranged for feeding aud watering them, 

 a a- 4 a very few of them would have perished. I have my 

 doubts whether Southern quail will do as woll North as Western birds. 

 I am inclined to think they 1 will not, yet I believe those turned nut by 

 theWest Jersey Society, from North Carolina, have done very well. 



Wm. J. Conoveb. 



Fokest Ftebs.— In Ulster County and other localities in 

 this State the annual forest fires arc raging south of the 

 snow line, much damage having already been done to build- 

 ings as well as cut and standing timber. Fires have broken 

 out at half a dozen places on Long Island, between South 

 Oyster Bay and Patehogue. The long continued drouth 

 has made everything very dry, and fires take easily from 

 slightest causes. 



Flof.ipa Items.— Rattlesnakes are unusually numerous 

 around St. Augustine this spring. 



The Micklers who bunt venison for the tallies of Hie St. 

 Augustine iFla ) hotels were still at their business on April 



[ring 8 ft. Ci in. in length, was killed 



by Cap*. Pratt, from off the Battery, opposite the Fort, It 



earn : within the Fort, much to the amusement of the 



awing to a close, and our Northern 

 . a 1 a : are lfla\ ing in large numbers. 



Little Johnny is quite sure the picture of u Spitz dog he 

 drew on the parlor wall was good, because it made his father 

 mad. 



Tut; Tivo Americas. By Sir Rose Lambert Price, Bart. 



Philadelphia; J. B. Lippihcptt A < o. 



Prom England \:in Madeira and St. Vincent to Brazil; 

 thence down the coast, through the straits, aud up die West- 

 ern 1 "astnf California; thence across the continent and homu 

 again; on the sea a guest of the commander of one of il. M. 's 

 ships, and on the land feasted by all the clubs from Rio Ja- 

 nei'in to New York. This was a trip fit for an English lord or 

 king. Such was the route taken by Lord Price and di scribed 

 in his book. Some of the more entertaining of its pages are 

 those describing the game and fish which v ere met on the 

 way. lire author fished at Madeira and St. Vincent, stalked 

 gnanaco in Patagonia, shot ducks in the Straits of Magellan, 

 tortalila in Chili, partridges in Pern, wild fowl in Mexico, 

 and fished for salmon in the McLeod River. An interest tne 

 feature, too, is the insight afforded into the parlance of an 

 Euglish lord. By this we must confess we were at first puz- 

 zled. Only by adopting the method o! a well-known college 

 professor, famous for explaining the text by the context, did 

 we discover that when the author's "screw" was ''pumped,'' 

 we wore to understand that his horae was Kred out. Lord 

 Prieealso made some interestfng discoveries of a like nature 

 among us. He says: "I found that several English words in 

 America had rather peculiar signification; sportsman, t'orin- 

 slance, means black-leg." 



The Great West and tux Pacific Coast. By Gen. James 



F. Busling. New York: Sheldon & Co. 



This book is the record of a tour of inspection made by 

 the author some years ago among the military posts of the 

 West. Gen. Brisling's mission took him over "a wide terri- 

 tory, much of it relnaYed from the ordinary lines of travel, 

 and his official position gave him unuauAl opportuuilieijfoi 

 observation. The trip also possesses additional inL rest as 

 one of the last ever made in the old-t me way of stage coaches 

 and ambulances, Of the 15,000 miles traveled, over 2,000 

 were by stage coach and 3 000 by ambulance or on horse- 

 back. The author's pictures of persons, places and things 

 are always lively and interesting, told in language admirably 

 adapted to tbe subject, and with a refreshing absence of that 

 first personal pronoun whose Obtrusive presence has marred 

 so many books of travel. The Indians, Chinese and Mor- 

 mons have each their chapter, the last valuable as containing 

 the views of ouo well qualified to give an opinion upon 

 the subject. Down in Arizona Gen. Busling enme across 

 a veritable sleeping town, of which he gives a charming de- 

 scription, and a tew miles further on is 'the famous church of 

 San Xavier Del Bac, whose frescoes and Spanish chimes, long 

 since deserted by the Jesuits, are new guarded by the super- 

 stition of a septtdid tribe of Indians. "This church, by the 

 way, is hut one link in a loug chain of ruins extending" from 

 Florida to California, all elocpient in their story of Spanish 

 conquest and subsequent desertion. Here is an excellent 

 field for some of our young writers, which will amply repay 

 research, aud which wc hope to see developed. 



"The Practical Kennel Goide.'' By Gordon Stable?, M. 



D. C. M. R. N. Cassell, Petter & Galpin, London, Parts, and New 



York. 



Those or our readers who receive the Fancier, Gazette will be familiar 

 with Ihe writings of Dr. Stables, a gentleman whom we take to be an 

 uulhorily across the water 011 all subjects pertaining to the dog, as well 

 as other domestic animals. His preseut work is unique in one respect, 

 inthathegoes Into details connected wltbdogs la a manner different from 

 ikntof any other publ-cat'on on a similar topic. Far insianco, we are 

 taken, as it were, inside of the judging rin^r aud instructed upon the 

 general management of show dogs: how to get them into health ard 

 condition, aud prepare them for Ihe ordeal. < e are also taught all [he 

 terms used by fanciers, and the tricks re-orud [O to deceive judges. 

 The book contains abo the Bench Show points fpr every variety of dog, 

 and the why and wherefore of these points. We cam recommend 

 the book as a most valuable and intorestini one to the breeder and ex- 

 hibitor. 



A -..- l-.ki.-- •■ n fARTRTnon ANB Pheasant Shooting. By Frank 



Melil. -y. Baughraan BroH , Frederic!;, jfd. 



v, ranst Erive in lit to Mr. Schley, mainly for not leaving undertaken 

 to cover too much ground in bis book. The idea of taking one or two 

 families of name birds, and gaing thoroughly Into la, air habits, etc., is 

 an excellent one. In the main the book is a. Compilation from "Baird, 



"American Kennel and Sporting Field." Mr. Schley will Bud hut tew 

 aa H : dogl is what 



sto. 



nit Mr. 



prrso 



tilled to tho like respect. In Ihe main, however, the bonk la carpet, 

 and will uudoubtedly, as admitting of ready reference, be a valuable 

 a Idition to the sportsman's library. 



'•How to Camp Out." By John M. Gould'. Scribuer, 



Arrnstrons & Co., New York. 



We are in one respect indebted to Mr. Gould for bis interettint' little 

 book, font will, or should, save us the trouble of replying to iunumera- 

 ble questions. The young camper out will here llud all the information 

 he wants as to detail of properly preparing a camp, as well as excellent 

 advice as to walking, etc. A chapter from re. 1 !iines T iS "Field Ornithol- 

 ogy" supplies some ••apital hygienic notes, which are very well placed In 

 a book ot this description. 



Imtoktant Work to 





rsMEN.— H 





dinar, and T. 



J". Boso are now ongagwl 









phij il 



atlas of the coast of Nov ,1 









a„, ■ it) R( 



ing inland ten mites. It \ 



ill bee 



F great Bene 



tit t:J sour 



" "'■ 1 " 



every bar, marsh, inlet, ai 



d bay, 



with their 



' 



a per 1 a; 



and gunning; also means 



11 aooes 



3 aud accuni 



uodationB 













CoNsvtMi'TtoN Crura) —An old physician rfcinred from active practice 

 having had placed in his hands hy an East Indian mlsetonarj the for- 

 mula of a simple vegetable remedy for Ihe speedy and permanent cure 

 or Consumption, Bronchitis, Catarrh, Aathnia, an 1 al! Ttreat and 

 Lung affections, also 3 positive and radical cure for Nervous Debility 

 and aU nervous complaints, after having thoroughly test! 

 dorful curative powers ia tkotiaanda ofcases, t Bla ilee duty to make it 

 known to Ms suffering lellows. Actuated by this inoHl a. and aaonscimi- 

 tions desire to relieve human suffering, ha v.aL S8nd,frei 

 all who desire it, this recipe, with full directlona tor piepi.ru 

 cessfully using. Sent by return mail by uddrBBStnu, With stamp, nun,. 

 ing this paper, Dr. J. 0. Stosk, 32 Norili Filth Street, Philadelphia, 

 Pa— Ado. 



Savak>-ab, St. Aiiut.wiiNE and N'.i-sau. Murray ' 



C'o.'s enterprise of running a steann r from Savanna 



sail, via St Au»usnne, lias prevail SHC05BSJ5nl ana 



and conneeli.aa' a. tl pt [15 . -a season. 



been less difficulty in crosstng the St. Augustine bar than 

 was anticipated. 



