FOREST AM) STREAM. 



177 



Dendr&ca aiUiva. Summer yollowbird. This bird arrives May 17th 

 aad remains until September 17th. Is found in largo numbers ; breeds 

 bere. 



Hirnndo horreorum. Barn swallow. Is found in small nnmbere 

 from May 26th uotil September 19tb ; breeds hero. 



Pelrochtlidim Itotifrons. Cliff ewallow. Appears May 4th and takes itB 

 departure about August 9th. Very abundant; breedBfaere. 



Cotyle. riparia. Bank swallow. Appears May 18th In considerable 

 numbers; breeds here and disappears July 20th. 



Frame purpurea, purple martin. Arrives Juno 7th in email numbers 

 aud remains uutil September 8th: breodahere. 



I'lexiropluvws luppunicut. Lapland longspur. Appears April 10th to 

 remain until May 25th; is moderately abundant. 



Piectroplmnts pictus. Painted lark bunting. Is found from April 20th 

 to Mav 25th, in large flocks (from twenty-five to one hundred). 



Pltttfophana ornatus. Chestnut-collared bunting. Is found hers 

 during the same time as the last species, and is large numbers. 



Palicradut iavanna. Savanna iparrow. la seen from Juno 10th uutil 

 June 17th. probably passing North. Kot abundant. 



Poocc'Ja pramineus Var. am/mis. Western grass finch. Arrives 

 about April 17th and remains until October 18th. Is one of the most 

 numerous of our birds, and is found all over the prairie; breeds here. 



Mdospiza, melodia. Song-sparrow. Is seeu for four or five days from 

 Juno lOtUin small numbers. 



Junto hyemalii. Snowbird. Is a regular winter resident; arrives 

 about November 14th and disappears about April ICth, with stragglers 

 seeu until May 8th; ia quito numorons. 



RpizcLla. monticola. Tree sparrow. Appears April Kith and remains 

 until the end of October; very numerous, aud breeds hare. 



Cataiuaspiza. bicolor. White-winged blackbird. Appears on the 

 prairie about July 14th in large docks aud remains until July 24tb. 



Euapha americana. Black-throated bunting. Ia found here from 

 June 9th to July 26th in considerable numbers. 

 To be Continued]. 



Amiivals at the Philadelphia Zoological Garden fob Wekk end- 

 ino Apkil 17th.— Two llousette Bnta iPlcropus onefi'iM), purchased; two 

 Horned Toads (Phrynosoma cornutal, presented; two young Panthers 

 (Felis concolor), purchased; one small Alligator [Alligator, nussissippiensii; 

 presented. AETHun E. Bbown. General Supt. 



Asimals Beceived at Cenitial P.uik Menagerie iron Week ending 

 Apuil 31 si,— Two California quail (Ortyx califm-manus). presented by 

 Mr. S. Davis. New York city ; one Asia deer [Axis vantlata). born in the 

 menagerie; one striped byrona [Uyrena striata): two adjutants {Leptnpli- 

 lus^rinneni/erus), W. A, CoNKLiN, Director. 



FAUNA OF MICHIGAN. 



BY AECBEB. 



CLASS 



Fapertilic JYoMboracensis. Linn. Now York bat. I r . fmais P. de B. 

 Black bat. V. subulattu. Say. Brown bat. V. phaiops. Tenon. V. 

 Caroli. Tomm. 



Blarinatalpoides. Gray. Mole shrew. Sorrx talpoiaes. Kich. North- 

 ern shrew; iscoullued to a few districts of the Upper Peninsula, hut 

 even there Is rare. Marina angasliceps. Bd. Short-tailed shrew. 



Sealeps aquaticus. Cuv. Common mole. 5. argentatus, Aud. & Ed. 

 Bach. Silvery mole. Condylura cristata. Dearn. Star-nosed mole. 

 Is rarely seen within the limits of the State, I believe; having seen but 

 one specimen, aud heard of but two more. 



tfrsax A 



I. Pallas. Black bear. Procyon. lotor. Storr. Eae- 



Lynx Canadensis. Geoff. Canada lynx— Loup Cervier. /.. rufus. 

 Guld. Bay lynx. Wild cat. Fetis concolar. Linn. Cougar. Panther. 



Ca}iu Occidentalis Var. griseo albus. Bich. Gray wolf; also known as 

 C. variabilis. Max. Cam's Utirans. Say. Prairie wolf. Is now supposed 

 to be extinct in Michigan. 



Tulpes faleus. Deem. Ked fox. V. dcnatsatus. Groff . Gross fox. 

 V. Virginianux. De Kay. Urocyon r. Baird. Gray fox. V. argmtalus. 

 Bd. Silver fox. 



FAMILY MUSTELTID.E — StjB-FAMILT 



Lutra. Canadensis. Sab, Otter. 



Mephtas mephUica. Baird. Skunk. Mcles Lahradoria. Cuv. Taxidea 

 Ame.rir.ana, Bd. Badger. 



SOB-FAMILY JIAUTINU. 



MuHela Canadensis Sch.re.0u, M. Penantii. Erxt. Fisher. M . Am,ri. 

 tOna, Tattoo. Pino marten. Both these are rare; an occasional 

 skin, however, fiuds its way to market. Puiorius pusillus. Aud. &. 

 Bach. P. ciwgnanii. Bd. Brown weasel. Kove>>oraceneis. De Kay. 

 White- weasel; is but a variety of the former. Puioriui vison, Bioh. 

 Brown mink. /". nigrescent. And. & Bach. Black mink. Variety of 

 former. Gulf, Lascos Linn. Wolverine. Glutton. The last known in 

 the Lower Peuinsula was killed near the mouth of Elk Creek, Sanitcoe 

 County, October 17th, 1878, by "Archer." 



Didelphys Virginiana. Shaw. Opossum. Is confined to tbe southern 

 tiers of counties, although occasional specimens have been captured 

 in the centre of the State. 



DOMESTICATION OF THE CANADA 

 GOOSE. 



Benson Gbove, Iowa, March 14, 1877. 

 Editor Forest and Stream. 



There seem to be but few who have ever reported their experience 

 In the domestication of the wild, or Canada goose (Bcrnicla canadensis), 

 in Urn columns of your valuable paper, which I receive through the 

 kindness of a friend. Having had some experience in this line, I wish 

 to present it to your readers, hoping that they may be thus further en- 

 lightened as to domestication of thiaspecleB. 



Iu the year 1860 I found a wild goose nest shortly after incubation 

 had commenced, and allowed the eggs to remaiu in the nest for two 

 weeks, after which I transferred them to the nest of a setting hen, 

 where after one week they were brought out, the young exhibiting no 

 sign of disconteatin following their foster parent. After they were 

 two weeks old I clipped the first joint of one wing on each gosling, and 

 then gave them the barnyard, which contains several acres, to roam in, 

 and besides this they were occasionally turned out of the yard. They soon 

 became as tame as kittens, aud grew to be good-sized fowls. But, alas! 

 in the fall they thought it prudeut to change their abode, and having 

 found ihe river, which was about sixty rods from the yard, set sail for 

 a more congenial clime, thus ending my first experience. 



My next was three years later, whau I datormiued to make auuther 

 effort. I found u nest containing nine eggs, which were brought out in 

 the same way as the first These were giv,-u tiieir lull freedom and 

 free access to the door-yard, whero I bad a large trough of water fixed 

 for them. They became very tame, aad when fledged were permitted to 



fly around They exhibited no signs of discontent, but on the other 

 baud aeemed to be perfectly satisfied with their home, goftag 

 and returning at pleasure. 



There are two methods used in determining the sex of tbe wild goose. 

 First, by the female being smaller. Second, by the voice of the female; 

 His not so harsh and coarse aa that of the male. I now had a desire 

 to know how long it would lake them to mature, and after four years' 

 patient waiting my curiosity was gratified by one of them making a 

 nest on the top of an old, dilapidated shed, which was covereil with 

 straw, and which was elevated tbofit ten feet above the ground, where 

 she laid five eggs, but did not briug out any young. The cause, as I 

 have since learned, was. that the eggs were kept too dry, necessarily 

 requiring moisture to insure their successful incubation. The next 

 year I threw up a pile of compost in the' shape of a mnskrat house, on 

 which the goose built a nest, and this time Bhe brought out five gos- 

 lings, which were reared. I have another goose which did not breed 

 until she was six years old. My geese make good decoys, often bring- 

 ing the wild ones wit'i in a few rods of the house Last spring one of 

 the tame geese mated with a wild gander and brought him home, 

 where, in a few days, he became quite tame, and in one week was as 

 tameasany of the geese. The tamo geese would ereep through the 

 fence; this he would never do, he would alwaya.fly over, but would pass 

 through any narrow passage. H. H. 



■*•» 



New York, March 30, 1877. 

 Editor Forest and Stream. 



1 send the following note, thinking that it, may be interesting to the 

 foxhunting readers of your valuable paper: 



Silo, Oatand Theodore Morrell, all old fox biiHtcrs of Mianus, Conn., 

 started on a fox-hunt last week. Two miles north of Mianus. at what 

 hi known a-* the Pine Hills, they started a fox, and so close were the doss 

 on him that he climbed a large pine tree, aud when the Morrells came 

 up they found the dogs barking at. the foot of the tree. On lookins up 

 tbey spied the fox lying close to a limb some thirty feet from the 

 ground. Silo pulled up and let, him have it, and down he came, a hand- 

 some specime i or a silver and red fox; he weighed twelve pounds. It is 

 very seldom that a silver-cross fox is killed In that neighborhood. Three 

 years ago Capt. Oat Morrell's dog Rat caught a silver and red fox at 

 "York Meadow," a mile norih from the place where this one was killed, 

 Yours trnly. F. (i. 



[We presume that the animal in question was a gray fox 

 (Urocyon virginittmts), a Southern species not nearly so fleet 

 as our common red fox, and which not unfrcquently climbs 

 a tree when hard pressed by the dogs. — Ed]. 



DO MINK CLIMB TREES? 



FamedctncookLake, March 27, 1877. 

 Editor Forest and Stk"eam. 



While fishing upon Debsceneak Lake a few days ago, I saw what 

 looked like a sable run along the shore. Starting on the run, I 

 chafed it a short distance, and when nearinj it, it ran up a cedar Uve 

 about twenty feet high. To my surprise, it was a mink. Shouting to 

 my companion, who was fishing a short distance from me, to bi ing me a 

 rifle that we had wilh us, I soon dispatched his "highness," putting a 

 bullet through, from ear to ear. Now is this an uncomnon oc.cnrrence, 

 or do mink climb trees? Cbas. E. Woods. 



tf ***" 



The Salt-Water Pike? — Some time since, as will be 

 seen by the date of writing, we received tbe following interest- 

 ing letter of inquiry. The fish in question being unknown 

 to us, and the subject involving the question whether there 

 was really a species of the JEaox family inhabiting salt water, 

 we have made extensive researches, not only of scientific 

 works, but among intelligent persons in Virginia, whom we 

 thought might be well informed. Wo regret to say that we 

 have met with indifferent success. In the hope of eliciting 

 more positive information we will no longer defer the publi- 

 cation of the letter. We trust our readers will give the sub- 

 ject their attention ; 



Baltimore, March 11, 1877. 

 Editor Forest and Stream. 



I am anxious to know if the common pike or the Chesapeake Bay 

 and its salt, water tributaries is identical with the pickerel of the north- 

 ern lakes. To the uneducated, the two lcsembic each other. Will the 

 pike common to our salt waters rise to the fly? I have frequently 

 noticed them slowly swimming in the grass near shore, .n water from 

 one to three feel m depth, and quite near the surface. They ate often 

 speared, and sometime^ killed with thot-guns; are exceeding shy, aud 

 very sudden and rapid iu their movements. 1 have never seen one 

 caught with hook hy means of such bait as is used in our salt waters, 

 namely, sort crab or small fish. Tiiev are very plentiful in our waters and 

 arc certainly very game, and will afford good sport if they will take ihe 

 fly. Onr waters now abound in white pcich. Do they take the fly? 

 Any aflirmutive information on this subject would he highly appreciated 

 by j our many readers in Maryland. Very respectfully, 



Oao. P. Beale, Jr., Attorney at Law. 

 Mechanic^' Bank Building, Baltimore. 



The writer, it will be perceived, speaks of this fish as be- 

 ing ■•very plentiful," and "common in the Chesakeake 13ay 

 and its salt water tributaries;" it is "often speared, and some- 

 times killed with shot-guns." There can be no doubt, there- 

 fore, that such a fish exist, though it does not seem to have 

 attracted the attention of ichthyologists. It is not mentioned 

 in any work that we have examined. All the additional in- 

 formation that we have been enabled to gather, is comprised 

 Cthe following brief note : 

 Norfolk, Va., March 21. 

 jitor Forest and Stream. 



The salt-water pike Is a rare fish hcie; saw two or three fine speci- 

 mens last slimmer that were caught at the fisheries off Lynuhaveu, a few 

 miles inside of the Cape. Have never heard of tboir being caught by 

 line. Those I saw were bright, clear, solid fish, Irlm-built, were much 

 more solid than the fresh-water fish, the color was nearly while, and 

 the scales clear and bright (devoid of me slime in ihe river fish). Those 

 I saw weighed about three and a hair pounds. The salt-wil'er cat-fish 

 has the tame difference as regards color, compactness, etc. 



Yours truly, W. II SeabUBY. 



Staked Geese Eeathees. —There was a yellowish tinge 

 about the breast feathers of nearly all the five dozen of 

 Canada geese which our friend G. Dubois Wagstuff shot at 

 Atlanticville the other day, which, not having been observed 

 before, led him to suppose that possibly he had discovered a 

 new variety. The fact was, that the feathers were merely 

 stained at the tips hy iron or something else in the water 

 where the birds have been feeding. We have often observed 

 the same thing in mallards and sprigtails. 



^aodlmd, jflnrm nnd §nrden. 



COMMON INSECTS OF APRIL. 



THE injurious insects in the Northern States have hardly 

 begun their devastations by this time, as the buds 

 have not yet unfolded. In April, however, the gardener 

 should scrape and wash thcroughly all his fruit tre< 

 to rub off the eggs of the bark lice, which hatch out early in 

 May. Many injurious caterpillars and insects of all kindB 

 winter under loose pieces of bark, or under straw, etc., a! 

 the foot of trees. The eggs of the canker worm nnd tent 

 caterpillar, which last are laid in bunches half an inch long 

 on the ends of the twigs of our fruit trees, should also be 

 searched after. Their destruction will effect a great saving. 

 The apple-tree borer should be looked for at the base of tho 

 tree, and under dark places in the bark where the grub is at 

 work, and its ravages arrested. Cylindrical baik Ijotpts, 

 which include various species of little round black weevils, 

 and weevil-like beetles, often causing the "fire-blight" in 

 pears, etc., are now flying about fruit trees to lay their eggs; 

 also certain boring beetles that infest the pines. This is the 

 best time of the year to destroy these pests, and also the best 

 time to seek varieties for the cabinet. 



The housewife must now guard against the intrusion of 

 clothes moths, for the warm days bring them into the 

 houses, and in the orchard myriads of these and other in- 

 sects are flying about among the opening buds, fulfilling 

 their own plans very well, no doubt, but working mischief 

 to the agriculturist. The common clothes moth or Tinea is 

 of a light, lustrous buff color, the hind wings and abdomen 

 being a little paler. The head is thickly tufted with hairs, 

 and is somewhat tawny in color. The moth begins to fly 

 about our apartments in May, laying its eggs in woolen and 

 sometimes in soft cotton goods. Early in June the flattened, 

 cylindrical cases of the pupaj may be found, but not easily, 

 for they are concealed by the circumstance that the cater- 

 pillars become of the color of the objects they feed upon, 

 and are thus not readily discerned. The body of the chrysalis 

 is curved, with the head smooth and rounded, and spims 

 along the back. When about to transform, the skin splits 

 open on the back and is rapidly moulted. Of all the pre- 

 ventives used, none are more efficacious than benzine or a 

 weak solution of carbolic acid, but each of these leaves a dis- 

 agreeable odor. All furs and woolens should be closely ex- 

 amined early in June. The carpet moth, another Tinea, is 

 blackish at the base of the fore-wings, the remainder being 

 yellowish-white, while the hind wings are dark gray and the 

 head white. Another obnoxious Tinm. is the grain moth, 

 which is found flying in granaries in summer. The female 

 lays thirty or more minute eggs, one or two on each grain of 

 wheat. The larva hatches in a few days, eats its way into the 

 wheat, and after it has devoured the interior of one grain, 

 unites others in succession to it, until it hinds together a 

 number of them. To prevent its attacks, whitewash your 

 granaries, or wash with oil. A good way to kill the moths 

 when numerous is to attract them to suicide in the flames 

 of a bright light. The grain should also be shoveled over to 

 disturb the larvaj at work, for here, as before, it is the young 

 which do the mischief. 



On the other hand, there begin to be seen beneficial as 

 well as injurious insects in these early spring days. Such 

 are the citrctbit.i beetles which prey on those insects largely 

 hurtful to crops. They are. dark colored, with metallic hues, 

 and run in the grass or hide under stones, whence at night 

 they sally forth to hunt for the vegetable eaters, that at that 

 time are most active. The larva; of some of these ascend 

 trees to eat the caterpillars lodged in the branches, aud some 

 of these beetles dig pits, at the bottom of which they lie in 

 wait for their victims, tearing to pieces with carnivorous 

 ferocity those bugs unfortunate enough to fall into their 

 grasp. 



It is now that the ants awake from their sleep, and throw 

 up their hillocks in our garden paths, while the. "thriving 

 pismires" issue from their vaulted galleries, nnd swarm over 

 the decaying logs and stumps which have furnished them 

 shelter during the winter. 



THE VERBENA DISEASE. 



—English sparrows, which have been domostioated in 

 New York, have been introduced into Nora Scotia, where 

 their services are neodod to exterwintae the worms. 



FOR. a number of years past it has been a question of 

 anxious inquiry among growers of the verbena as to 

 the cause of the disease to which it has been subjected, nnd 

 instead of any abatement, there seems still a growing inter- 

 est in the subject, which may he taken as a sign that at no 

 distant clay it shall be finally and satisfactorily settled. But 

 whether on the side of those who have espoused the insect 

 theory, or those who believe it the work of a fungus, yot re- 

 mains to be seen. On this, as on all similar subjects, pre- 

 dilections should have no place, but rather a patient looking 

 at the facts as they present themselves over the whole field, 

 so that in the end a complete diagnosis might be written, 

 from which to glean measures of prevention, or at least 

 some method by which to mitigate the evil. From the ob- 

 scurity of the subject, and a want of means to carry on 

 exhaustive research, some of the views which have been 

 taken seem to rest , upon no aolid foundation. Of those 

 views only two ore worthy of consideration, and somehow 

 neither the one nor the other has yet been stated in such a 

 way as to be entirely satisfactory. 



Those who have supported the insect theory do not seem 

 agreed as to the particular; species which does the mischief. 

 Some believe it is the larva of that fly (callipteris'i which 

 frequents verbena beds in tho fall to deposit its eggs. But 

 there must be a mistake here, as the larva of that, insect 

 seems the one which burrows in the cuttings and young 

 plants through the early part of winter, and is one or more 



