.Ttrare 38, 1888.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



423 



sflly enough to believe that he could find coot! shooting and 

 fishW iu the streets and gutters of cities, towns and villages. 



"DnJynius" admits Hiut hi' "wandered in an unsatisfac- 

 tory way nearly all over the State;" and there are aueh 

 wanderers ta be found everywhere. From his own state- 

 ments, ho evidently confined Iris observations to main lines 

 of travel, where "pot-hunting and sot (timtti "sportsmen'' 

 have been footing ftl even- living thing clothed with 

 feathers for the last eighteen years. It is evident that he is 

 nut a sportsman or a competent judge, for he slates that lie 

 ''actually shol six times at three wriggling snipe before he 

 got t.lii'iii in his pocket." He refers to" fishing at Oenla, and 

 unless he fished in a rain-water barrel for wieglcrs, he could 

 not lind fishing within six miles of that place. He refers to 

 the astonishing fact that when a "sportsman" (?) reaeb.es 

 Oeala, "he doesn't find turkeys gobbling at him from every 

 brush." Such a statement, is, to say the least, silly, if it 

 did not, COftVey the idea that such statement had been pub- 

 lished by some interested party. Every winter, samples of 

 "sportsmen" like "D." visit, the State, and are disappointed, 

 and misrepresent it beeanse they cannot shoot deer, quail 

 and turkeys in the public streets", and capture fish in every 

 mud hole. Game and tish exist in endless quantities in 

 certain portions of Florida, but sportsmen must visit the 

 localities w here they exist. 



From the tenor of "D.'s" communication it is evident 

 that he is interested in a "hotel" enterprise in St. Augustiue, 

 or has "land" to sell near the "Fort," and used yon r col- 

 umns to advertise his Wares. .The whole communication 

 "smells of the shop." "D." asserts "that fishing and shoot- 

 ing (in the neighborhood of St. Augustine) is far better than 

 in any place [ have ever been," This statement is evidence 

 that he has not visited the best "shooting and fishing places" 

 in the State, and that lie is ignorant. Any person residing 

 in St. Augustine would have informed "I*),*' that Matanzas, 

 Halifax, and Indian lilver inlets, far exceed the neighbor- 

 hood of St. Augustine for fishing. If he had inquired of 

 any sportsman where he should go to ruake a bag or kill a 

 deer, he would have been directed to Diego plains. He 

 grumbles about sportsmen (sic.) being prevented from shoot- 

 ing in the neighborhood of St. Augustine. This is a wise 

 provision, for sonic "sportsmen" cannot distinguish the dif- 

 ference between a tame duck and a mallard, 01 an old hen 

 from a pheasant, and some of them are so careless with the 

 us.- of firearms, that to protect the lives of residents protee 

 tive laws are a necessity. 



To me, it is evident that, "D." has uot visited the "unsur- 

 passed" "shooting and fishing" parts of Florida, and that, he 

 has used your columns to benefit a hotel hi fntii.n,, If "I>.," 

 like Dr. Ferher, Dr. Heushall. or Ward, of Grayling, Mich., 

 will follow in my tracks, cut loose from hotels, "hog and 

 hominy," and leave his "fastidiousness" in a first '-class 

 hOtel, he will tell a different story, and apologize to your 

 readers loroecupyiug valuable space with mere twaddle,' and 

 a puff regarding a hotel in embryo, and lots to sell near the 

 "Fort." Ax Fresco. 



Jacksonville, Fla.. Jane 11, 1883. 



$triw[at 



writ. 



Editor ffiWflS/ and Stream: 



Please allow me a word in defense of what I said about 

 the local laws of St. Augustine. This question, like most 

 others, has two sides, and I find it necessary to be a little 



i ' explicit in my statements. The prohibitory law which 



you commend, if I understand it, has nothing' to do with 

 the "extermination" that you speak of "when' the rush of 

 Northern visitors first set iu," but was a very recent enact 

 merit, and instigated by a man brimful of bitter prejudices, 

 who is affected bv the sight of a gun as a mad dog is by 

 water. This same man enjoys himself "to the topof hi's 

 biiil" with "a stick arid a string with a worm at one end and 

 a—" etc., but he will not iuleriere with your enjoyment if 

 it happens to be something that he approves of. If the pro- 

 hibitory law had been sensibly framed it would meet even 

 rev approval, but, as it stands, it certainly does not. 



To prohibit shooting within a radius "of half a mile from 

 IheCily Hall would be very well, out the city limits arc 

 close to the city proper on one side, while on the other they 

 include the marshes nearly to the ocean, and extend a grea'l 

 distance above the city. On these vast tracts of marsh 

 laud,, there are a great many birds, but as it is dillicult to 

 get, at them there is no danger of exteiminalion. That idea 

 came from the fact that, while there was no law to prevent 

 it, every boy who could carry again was constantly popping 

 at the birds on the flats almost within a stone's throw of the 

 City Hall, until they found it too hot for them and 

 left for unmolested feeding grounds; they were uot ex- 

 terminated. 



That the privilege of shooting plover on the marshes 

 a mile or more above the city can do anything more in the 

 way of extermination than the same privilege would in any 

 other place I fail to sec. Consideration for- the birds had 

 nothing to do with the euaelmenl of this law. If the "city 

 father's" care anything for the birds why is there not a law 

 to prevent the iuf.niou.s business of robbing birds' nests? 

 This wholesale "slaughter of the innocents" is universal here, 

 uot the slightest effort is made to stop it. A rnoeki tig-bin ; 

 is lucky if she can find a place for her nest that these impu 

 dent, annoying little rascals cannot reach. But the siirgiug 

 birds are not the only sufferers, for the depredations of 

 these little devils extend out into the marshes. One, 

 at, least, of the rail tribe (a large bird) breeds here in great 

 numbers. 



A few weeks ago a man surprised a small gang of these 

 exterminators near his feuce; one was carrying an old bird 

 which they had killed with a stick while on the nest, and 

 another had the eggs iu his hat. They roam and steal wh 

 ever they choose, and the only law they have to fear is an 

 dog. DiDYvrr 



New York, Juue 15. 



[Our correspondents appear to have taken too seriously 

 somethings which "Didymus'' wrote in jocular mood. He is 

 in 'I a greenhorn, nor, as one writer unkindly suggests U 

 "dude:" but a gentleman who has traveled extensively, and 

 as a sportsman can probably hold his gun as "dead on" as 

 the next man. If his praises of old St. Augustine appear loo 

 lavish, they are at least pardonable, and it is not necessary 

 to ascribe them to any sordid motives. It is one of the most 

 marked characteristics of Florida citizens to exalt some 

 particular point in the State, and in comparison with it to 

 decry all other localities as in some respect or another 

 inferior'. The State has been sufficiently vindicated by 

 those who have replied to "Didymus," anil this discussion 



catried as far as can be useful To prolong it would proh- 

 ublv not affect next Winter's Florida travel. When "Didy- 

 mus" knows more about St. Augustine he will agree with 

 us about, the wisdom of I he liny referred to.] 



MORNING IN COUNTRY AND CITY. 



/"\H, the beauties and delights of rural surroundings. The 

 \-S cheerful awakening from sound, healthful slumber. 

 For instance, the lime is about ■! A. M.. or a little before. 

 Dick, tin- ffame-cock, having cone to roost at sundown, sud- 

 denly awakens to a sense of his responsibility as boss of the 

 eii.ire premises, and sends out a clarion note that may he 

 heard one mile away. Nine female geese and one old gan- 

 der at once respond, with outstretched necks and voices 

 shrill and deep. Three guinea hens, with their Brigham, 

 : up the cry. The old peacock gets on his wings, sails 

 up to the pcali of the barn, aud lets go to the bottom of his 

 lungs, A Hock of ducks start, up suddenly and waddle off 

 to the creek, with much noisy quacking. " Four mild-eyed, 

 deer faced Aldeiney cows commence a musical bellowing 

 from .the paddock "on the flat by the creek; four fawn-like 

 calves answer with responsive bleating from the calf-pasture 

 above. 



It is not yet 5 A. At., and the thrush, the robin, the song 

 sparrow, the Phonic-bird, the catbird, the peewee, the 

 chewink, tin- bluejay and the vireo are making the whole 

 business very musical. 



How about the awakening of a summer morning iu New 

 York? I am not so certain. 1 have fried both sides. I 

 prefer the donkey engine to the guinea hen; the steam 

 whistle to the peacock. The rattle and roar of the wakening 

 city is hardly more disturbing to nerves than the racket of a 

 farmyard. 1 know something better. 



"1 know a spot Where plumy pines 



O'erhang the verdaut banks o£ Otter, 

 Where wood-ducks build araoug- the vines. 



That bend above the crystal water-. 

 'Tis there the bluejay makes her nest, 

 In thickest shade of water beeches; 

 Theflsh-lnnvk, statuesque i" rest, 

 Keeps guard o'er glassy pools and reaches." 

 Well, 1 am "going through the Wilderness." The Snirey 

 Gamp meets me at Boone ville the first week in July. The 

 SaiTey weighs 10A pounds. I noticed since I Commenced 

 writing light canoes in Forest and Stream, several makers 

 have discovered that, a t()-pound canoe will carry a light 

 canoeist and his duffle. Have they ever seen it done? Have 

 they placed a few 10-pound canoes in the hands of skilled 

 canoeists for lone, independent cruises in the North AVoods 

 ami other glorious lake-dotted forests? Am T to meet one of 

 them here and there, go into camp with him, divide the last 

 ounce of provisions, anil then paddle in company with him 

 over the blessed clear waters, and over the inlets, outlets, 

 etc.? I gneSS not. There is no 10, 1 I or 12 pound cedar 

 canoe afloat this season with a live man in her. I think a 

 16-pound canoe would be safer aud more comfortable. All 

 the same, she is bound to go through. Maybe she will do 

 better than her maker thinks. Possibly lie has builded 

 better than he knew. There is a possibility that I may turn 

 out to be an old gray headed expert in light canoeing. 

 Maybe I have been there. Perhaps I have paddled a kyal; 

 the most ticklish boat that ever floated a man. And I may 

 gel drowned. I shall certainly take in some duckings. 



Nkssmuk. 



EDIBLE CRABS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



rN an interesting, though brief, article in the catalogue of 

 marine invert ebral a sent to the London Fisheries Ex- 

 hibition, Mr. Richard Hathbun, of the U. S. National Mil 

 scum, gives a list of the principal edible crabs of the United 

 States, "and the methods by which they are taken. He says 



Over twenty species of crabs belonging to the coasts of the 

 United States are now regarded as of greater or less j radi- 

 cal importance to mankind. The most valuable of these are 

 the blue crab (('ullhiicta iHtittiluit), lady crab (Flatyonidiu* 

 uctUaln*), stone crab (Me.nijipe. mereenariux). and rook oralis 

 (Cancer irnnuifm and homilix), of the East coast, and the 

 common crab, rock crab, and red crab (Cancer mai/Uter, aa- 

 tehnariw, pmdiutusX of the Pacific coast. The remaining 

 species are utilized simply as bait, or to a slight extent only 

 as food. 



The blue crab is the common edible crab of the Atlantic 

 coast, and ranges from Massachusetts Bay to the. Gulf of 

 Mexico. The season for its fishery is of variable duration on 

 different parts of the coast. At New York it lasts from May 

 to October, while in Florida it begins as early as March and 

 continues until December, or, if the weather be mild, 

 through the entire winter. This crab is eaten in both the 

 hard and soft shell condition, but is greatly preferred, and 

 commands a much higher price, when in the latter state. 

 This is contrary to what holds true with all of the other 

 species of crabs upon our coast, as well as the lobster, which 

 are only eaten -when hard-shell, However, soft -shell crabs 

 are seldom taken in marketable quantities except on the 

 New Jersey coast, whence New York derives the greater 

 part of its 'supplies. The crab fishery for New Jersey alone 

 amounted tO over $160,W0 in 1830. The blue crab also 

 forms an excellent bait. 



Several different appliances arc used in the capture of blue 

 crabs, the most common being the ordinary scoop or dip- 

 net, also called crab net. For attracting "the crabs from 

 depths uot easily reached by means of the dip net, the fish- 

 ermen resort to baited lines, without hooks, which are used 

 singly or made up into trawls. From a small boat, each 

 fisherman is to handle several single lines, which are 

 hauled up at short intervals, the crabs being secured in a 

 dip net as they approach the surface. The crab-trawl, or 

 trot-line, measures 250 to 700 feet in length, aud has small 

 lateral lines arranged at short distances apart. There are 

 several methods of setting it. One is to anchor each end by 

 means of weights, and another to attach the ends to long 

 poles, which are thrust down into the bottom A man iu a 

 skiff row -, continuously from end to end, hauling in the lat- 

 eral lines aud taking the crabs as in the first instance. On 

 the fJouisana coast, the frot-lincs ate stretched along the 

 benches, the lateral lines being thrown out into the water 

 and hauled iu at regular intervals. Seines, hoop-nets, baited 

 with meat, and clam tongs are also occasionally employed 

 tor catching crabs. As the soft crabs remain in a seinidor- 

 mant condition, aud will not take the bait, they are secured 

 almost entirely by means of scoop-nets from the beaches, or 

 in the hands.' Floating ears are extensively employed in 

 some localities for keeping the hard crabs unlil they shall 

 have cast their shells and become soft. Crabs are 

 generally shipped to market in boxes, baskets or 

 barrels, with or without packing. Some boxes are 

 mainly preferred for the soft crabs, which are packed in 



very snugly in order that they may stand transportation 

 without injury, and so that the moisture will not, run too 

 freely from the gills. The crab catchers consist largely of 

 women and children, especially in the Southern States. 



In 1880, there were three crab canneries in the United 

 States, two being located at Hampton, Virginia, aud one at 

 Oxford, Maryland. Only hard crabs are canned, the sup- 

 plies coming mainly from the neighborhood of the canneries. 

 Phc process of canning crabs is somewhat similar to that 

 for lobsters, as practiced on the New Kngland coast. The 

 crabs are boiled or Steamed, after which the meats are re- 

 moved from the hard parts and packed in one and two 

 pound tins, the shells or carapaces being cleaned and sold 

 with the. meals, to serve as holders in making deviled crabs. 

 The refuse is used as a manure. 



The crab fisheries of the eastern coast of the United 

 Slates, in 1880, amounted to $828,000 (fishermen's prices), 

 of which the greater part, belonged to New Jersey, Dclu 

 ware, Maryland and Virginia. South of Virginia," on the 

 Atlantic coast, the crab fishery is of hut, slight importance 

 at, present; on the Gulf coast It amounts to about $10,000 

 annually, and is mainly confined to Louisiana. 



The rock and Jonah crabs (Cancer hroralun aud barealis) 

 are eaten only to a slight extent, probably for the reason 

 that their range is co-ex tensive with that, of the lobster, 

 which is much more favorably regarded as an article of 

 food < ;•■*, •/'/■ irnir.iiiix is caught at the mouth of Boston 

 Tlarhor iu small quantities, to supply the Boston markets, 

 and both species are taken for the Newport market, in Nar- 

 ragansett Bay. They are also both used as bait for several 

 species of fish. 



The stone crab (Afenippe fr^rrcenaTiUs) is very much es- 

 teemed for eating, but nowhere occurs in sufficient abund- 

 ance to supply more than a limited demand. The shell of 

 this crab is thick and heavy, and the claws proportionately 

 large, furnishing a generous supply of meat. The stone 

 crab lives iu holes in the mud. which it excavates, and in 

 cracks between rocks, and is, therefore, somewhat difficult 

 to capture. In taking them from their boles, which arc 

 sometimes two feel, deep, the crabber thrusts down his arm, 

 and seizing the occupant by the elbow of the nearest claw, 

 draws him quickly out, allowing him to fall upon the 

 ground, where he is better aide to secure him without injury 

 to himself. The crab offers stout resistance, aud is some- 

 times taken out piecemeal. The crabber occasionally re- 

 sorts m digging out his prey. This species is rarely shipped 

 away from the seaport towns where it is taken, and is, 

 therefore, seldom seen in the larger markets, excepting at 

 Charleston, S. O, in the vicinity of which place it is abund- 

 ant. On some parts of the Florida coast it, furnishes the in- 

 habitants with a considerable share of their food at certain 

 seasons. 



The lady crab {Platyaiiirhas 0C«U(t,tu») is occasionally taken 

 for food on the Atlantic coa I, in the same manner as the 

 blue crab, but is rarely seen in the markets. In the Gulf 

 of Mexico, aud especially on the Louisiana coast, it is an im- 

 portant article of fishery, and large quantities arc shipped to 

 New Orleans every season. On the New England coast it 

 is used as bail. 



***** 



Six species of crabs are regarded as edible on the Pacific 

 coast of the United States— the common market crjib (Can- 

 cer min/ishr), rock crab ( Cancer unti nnariux), red crab (Citn- 

 cer pradaetus), kelp crab tgptaUtta prodtastus), yellow shore 

 crab (Uderoiiraptm onaonenxix), and purple shore crab (77. 

 nudim). Only the Cane.r mttg&h T is now extensively used 



as food, although the other two species of the same genus 



are said to be equally good as regards flavor. The miajisler 

 is, however, the most abundant species in those localities 

 and depths which arc most frequented by. the fishermen, 

 and also averages somewhat larger iu size. It is captured 

 mainly on the sandy beaches of San Francisco Bay, by 

 means' of seines aud crab nets, baited with fish" and 

 offal. The principal market is San Francisco. 

 The season continues more or less throughout the 

 year, but the summer catch is much larger' than the 

 winter. The red aud rock crabs are most abundant, on the 

 rocky shores of the northern side of the Golden Gate, where 

 but little fishing is done. The GtrWVt are not, apparently, 

 caught elsewhere for food on the Pacific coast. The yellow 

 and "purple shore crabs are eaten by the Chinese, who spit 

 them upon wires and cook them ove'r open fins. The kelp 



large "red rock" crab'' (l->lii,liu,r, rox xetiina/n/s), livingaboul, 

 the Farallone Island-, off San Francisco, is occasionally 

 brought to the markets of that, city as a curiosity, and some- 

 times brings as high a price as ten dollars each. * 8pecieS of 

 Ohionecetes and Lffltoiles are eaten by the natives of Alaska. 



Albino Robins.— About half a mile from this place there 

 keeps a white robin, the bird is entirely white with the ex- 

 ception of a, few wing feathers and one or two feathers in 

 the tail. That, this bird is a robin is certain, its flight and 

 ''chirrup" proves that. It is very tame, allowing a person 

 to advance within a few feet of it. This is its second ap- 

 pearance in this locality, last year there were more dark 

 feathers in its plumage't ban now. It is evidently a male. 

 Another instance. Early this spring I noticed a robin with 

 more than its usual allowance of white in its plumage. I 

 shot the bird, and found the tail to be entirely white, the 

 breast was also nearly while, there were divers "other white 

 spots on the wings, back and head. This bird was also a 

 male. In this case, aud iu the preceding one, other robins 

 were making war upon their unnatural brothers. Now, 

 was this a freak of nature, or were these birds hybrids? The 

 white bird can be seen almost any time, aud the* one 1 shot, I 

 have mounted.— 11. 15. (Glnsco. N. Y. June 18). 



A.MATF.ctt PnoToou \ru Exchange. — Sherbrooke, Quebec, 

 Canada.— Editor Forest amd Stream: One of the most valued 

 items of my camp kit, during the past three years has been a 

 photographic outfit. I have been thinking that an exchange 

 of camp scenes with other amateurs would be mutually 

 agreeable. 1 have a dozen or mote that I think would be o"f 

 Interest to lovers of the wildwood, and which I wotdd be 

 glad tosenil to any of your readers who have copies of their 

 own work to spare. — ,fos. G. Walton. 



A Laugh Cat.— A wildcat weighing thirty-five pounds 

 was recently caught aud brought into Nashville by Reuben 

 Cain, of Chatham county. It was a superb epeclmen off the 

 species, and should have been secured for one of the zoo- 

 logical collections in Ihc North. Ueuhen said: "He was 

 reg'lar hell iu harness, and most er got off, but for Nanny, 

 my wife. She's more uor any ten cats in Tennessee."— J. 



d. n. 



