162 



FOREST AND STREAM 



rifles or shot guns, and we took our stations on the upper 

 deck. As we stood near the wheel-house an old negro, 

 who was steering, exclaimed, "See, dar's one!* at the 

 same time pointing towards a large object . His words were 

 followed by the sharp crack of half a dozen rifles, and as 

 many voices excitedly shouted, "I have killed him." But 

 the loud laugh from some of the experienced hunters and 

 a broad grin on the black face of the pilot, told these ama- 

 teurs that they had been sold. Their bullets had merely 

 set free the gases contained in the carcass of a dead alli- 

 gator. 



A short distance beyond this point we saw a flock of 

 about twenty wild turkeys on the river bank. They were 

 beneath some orange trees and were very tame. As we 

 came in sight of them there was a simultaneous discharge ' 

 of fire-arms; but in. the excitement of the moment it was 

 entirely without effect. The turkeys scattered right and 

 left, and were soon lost in the thick underbrush. 



Soon after this the alligators became quite numerous, 

 and the deck -~i the steamer presented an animated scene, 

 resounding with the sharp crack of rifles. The hideous rep- 

 tiles were in all positions; some were sleeping on the banks, 

 others half in the water, and some were swimming swiftly 

 about with only their ugly snouts and repulsive looking 

 eyes visible. 



Sometimes one would roll over in his death agony, after 

 receiving a single shot, Then the attention of the whole 

 party would be turned to one individual, and he would es- 

 cape beneath the water pierced with a dozen balls. 



They would die in all positions; some would turnover 

 upon their backs, but oftener they would lie as they had 

 been shot. The most fatal place for a ball to strike ap- 

 peared to be in the head. The report that a rifle bullet will 

 glance from the back of an alligator is entirely unfounded. 

 I have seen them shot in every part of the bodj', and have 

 'yet to meet, with a single instance of the kind. The 

 ball ahvays penetrates easily if thrown with ordinary force. 

 Many of these reptiles are destroyed by the passengers of 

 every steamboat which passes up and down the river, yet 

 their numbers are scarcely diminished. 



The alligator grows to a large size, some measuring sev- 

 enteen feet in length. The large ones are cpiite dangerous, 

 but a closely allied species — the caymen, of South America, 

 which is occasionally found in Florida — is particularly no- 

 ticable for its fierceness. I have met with it but once. 



Three of us were crossing the country which lies between 

 Lake Harney and Indian river, on foot, when w r e came to a 

 dense swamp. As we were passing through it we discov- 

 ered a huge reptile, which resembled an alligator, lying in 

 a stream just to the right of our path. He was apparently 

 asleep. We approached cautiously within ten rods of him 

 and fired two rifle shots in quick succession. The balls 

 took effect just before his fore leg, and striking within two 

 inches of each other, passed entirely through his body. As 

 soon as he felt the w r ounds he struggled violently, twisting 

 and writhing, but finally became quiet, 'We waded in and 

 approached him, as he lay on a bed of green aquatic plants 

 with his head towards us. It was resting on the mud, and 

 one of the party was about to place his foot upon it, when 

 a lively look in the animal's eyes deterred him. Stooping 

 down, he picked up a floating branch and lightly threw it 

 in the reptile's face. The result was somewhat surprising. 

 The huge jaws opened instantly, and the formidable tail 

 came round sweeping the branch into his mouth, where it 

 was crushed and ground to atoms by the rows of sharp 

 teeth. 



His eyes flashed tire and he rapidly glided forward. 

 Never did magician of Arabian tale conjure up a fiercer 

 looking demon by wave of his wand, than had been raised 

 to life by amotion of the branch. For a moment we were 

 loo astonished to move. The huge monster seemed bent on 

 revenge, and in another instant would be upon vs. We 

 then saw our danger, and quicker than a flash of light, 

 thought and action came. The next moment the gigantic 

 saurian was made to struggle on his back, with a bullet in 

 his brain. It had entered his right eye and had been aimed 

 so nicely as not to cut the lids. To make sure of him this 

 time we severed his jugular vein. 



While performing this not very delicate operation, he 

 thrust out two singular-looking glands from slits in his 

 throat. They were round and resembled a sea-urchin, be- 

 ing covered with minute projections. They were about 

 the size of a nutmeg, and gave out a strong musky odor. 

 We then took his dimensions, and found that he was over 

 ten feet in length, wfiile his body w r as larger round than a 

 flour barrel. The immense jaws were three feet long, and 

 when stretched open, would readily take, in the body of a 

 man. They were armed with rows of sharp white teeth. 

 The tusks of the lower one when it was closed projected 

 out through two holes in the upper, which fact proved to 

 us that it w r as not a common alligator, but a true crocodile. 

 ( (JrococUlus acurus.) This is the second instance on record 

 of the capture of this reptile in the United States. 



C. J. MavnaFvD. 



/THE ANGORA GOATS OF GUADALUPE. 



TJ. 8. Patent Office, 

 Washington, D. C, Oct. 18th, 1873. 

 Editor Foeest and Stkkam-.— 



I have read»and smiled over your pleasant editorial, in 

 Forest and Stream of October 9th, touching the Guadalupe 

 Island (California) enterprise, notwithstanding your humor 

 is indulged at the expense of a company in which I am in- 

 terested, whose project I have closely watched from its in- 

 cipiency, and about which I may fairly claim to know 

 something. But as you are manifestly in error regarding 

 the enterprise, and the statements and calculations of its 

 managers, which you have greatly misapprehended in your 

 article, thereby unconsciously doing both much injustice, 

 I make no apology for this effort to set you right, having 

 confidence that your journal will in the end prove as fair 

 and just as it is high-toned and excellent. 



Your article says "a company propose purchasing Guad- 

 alupe," &e. The fact is, the purchase was consummated 

 nearly one year ago. The Guadalupe Island Company was 

 incorporated under the laws of California, January 25th, 

 18?;}, and at onee commenced active operations by putting 

 on improvements and shipping to the island a band of fine 

 Augora bucks to be used with the native ewes already there 

 in breeding up future generations to a fleece-bearing stan- 

 dard. 



You have entirely omitted to mention the important fact 

 stated in the prospectus to which you refer, that the num- 

 ber of common goats on the island at the time of its pur- 

 chase was approximately, twenty thousand. (There were 

 some 32f000 slaughtered on the island for their skins and tal- 

 low alone during the five years preceding its purchase by 

 its present American owners.) One half of this twenty 

 thousand being males, are to be slaughtered in order to stop 

 the propagation of this non-fleece-breeding race, while the 

 remaining ten thousand, being females, are not to be killed 

 off, but utilized as breeders by crossing them with pure and 

 high-grade Angora bucks. The offspring of the third cross 

 (seven-eighths Angora) is a fleece-bearing animal. So that 

 wiien you speak of the directors "commencing with one 

 hundred bucks," and counting that in ten years they will 

 have in goats and fleece a capital representing the neat 

 amount of $2,270,990.40, omiting altogether as you do, to 

 give the number of breeding ewes, you lead your readers 

 entirety estray and justify them in drawing your own too 

 hasty conclusion, viz., that the company's estimates, are ex- 

 aggerated. The fact is, as I have just shown you, that in- 

 stead of the above aggregate being claimed as the result of 

 ten years' breeding with a few hundred ewes, it is the result 

 of a careful calculation, based upon twenty-five per cent, 

 less than the known ratio of natural increase of the goat in 

 California, showing the yield in numbers, fleece and value 

 of five thousand ewes and a proportionate number of Angora 

 bucks in that length of time. To these five thousand native 

 ewes (being only one-half the entire number now T on Guada- 

 lupe Island) have already been added more than one thous- 

 and pure and high-grade Angora ewes. A large number of 

 Angora bucks have also been sent on since the first ship- 

 ment last spring. 



It will thus be seen that this enterprise is organized upon 

 no narrow or unsafe basis. Commencing on such a broad 

 foundation, having a vast range, comprising more than 

 16(5,000 acres of rich grazing grounds, affording ample natu- 

 ral food for at least seventy-five thousand goats, and pro- 

 ducing the most prolific, hardy, cheaply-raised and profita- 

 ble of all fleece-bearing animals, the projectors and man- 

 agers of the Guadalupe Island Company are not willing to 

 admit that their enterprise is specious in its character, chim- 

 erical, visionary, impracticable, or that their estimates are 

 exaggerated. 



Finally, the enterprise is no experiment, You say truly 

 "that the Angora Goat can be profitably raised in Califor- 

 nia, admits of no doubt." There is no room for doubt on 

 this point, wiien the manager of El Rancho Guadalupe 

 himself, (Mr. Landrum,) has successfully raised them in 

 that State for twelve years past. He being the pioneer 

 Angora breeder on the Pacific Coast, may be presumed to 

 know r whereof he affirms in regard to the wonderful prolific- 

 ness and healthfulness and profitableness of this animal in 

 that latitude and a favoring climate. And of his integrity, 

 good judgment, and fair mindedness there can be no doubt, 



I think I have now given you enough facts to show the 

 true state of the case with regard to this great paradise in 

 the Pacific. I doubt not your article was written upon a 

 hasty and insufficient reading of the Company's prospectus, 

 and that you will cheerfully correct the wrong impression 

 you have made. . I am Sir, Yours Respectfully, 



Harrison Gray Otis. 

 , — -♦♦<*- — — 



j PROPAGATION OF SALMON. 



^ A rib of a fossil whale has been found in Anne Arundel 

 Countv, Md., imbedded 200 feet below the average level of 

 the surrounding country. This curiosity has been secured 

 bv Dr John F King of Baltimore, who gives the following 

 theory of the "why and the wherefore" of it happening 

 there • This skeleton was deposited when the continent 

 was submerged, at a period when the Alleghany Mountains 

 were hidden by the sea, and ages before the Eastern Shore 

 of Maryland became dry land ; in fact, when the Atlantic 

 and Pacific Oceans mingled their waters and rolled uninter- 

 ruptedly across the American Continent, It was deposited 

 there Ion"- before any quadrupedal animal or man appeared 

 upon tbeWth— ages before Adam lived.— Tritmnt. 



DURING the past season the first attempt to obtain the 

 eggs of the sea going Salrtu) Solar within the limits 

 of the United States was made at Orland, on the Penobscot 

 river ; and as this w T as also the first authenticated experi- 

 ment for confining salmon for breeding purposes during 

 the summer and fall, it deserves some mention. It was 

 necessary to buy the salmon from the fishermen near 

 Bucksport in the early "part of the, summer, because later 

 in the season they are scattered over the headwaters in the 

 wilderness. It was found that in common brook, river or 

 pond water, of sufficient depth and flow, the salmon would 

 remain in perfect health from June to November. A pond 

 specially prepared for them in a clear, cold brook proved 

 unsuitable, and every salmon there died. The seventeen 

 fish that remained in hand at th* beginning of the spawn- 



ing season were confined in a pond built of stakes and nets on 

 the margin of a large pond. The area enclosed was some 

 fifteen or twenty square rods, and the depth of water about 

 six feet at the deepest point. Confinement in this limited 

 space does not seem to have hindered in the Uiast the devel- 

 opment of the spawn or milt, Ten out of the seventeen 

 proved to be females and nine of them yielded e«gs freely, 

 The method of fecundation differed from that commonly 

 employed, in that the eggs and milt were carefully kept 

 from the water till they had come in contact. This method 

 is of Russian origin. It was in this case remarkably suc- 

 cessful. About ninety-six per cent.- of the esrgs were 

 fecundated. They w r ere taken between the 2d and 10th of 

 November, and on December 18th they were packed up to 

 the number of seventy thousand five hundred, and distrib- 

 uted in nearly equal proportions to the three States of Maine, 

 Massachusetts and Connecticut. The conditions under 

 wiiich the seventeen salmon were kept, preclude the idea 

 that they could obtain any considerable amount of food, 

 and there is no good reason for thinking that they ate any- 

 thing at all after they were brought from the salt water in 

 which they were caught. They slowly fell away in flesh, 

 and at the spawning season were very gaunt compared with 

 their condition in June. More noteworthy was their change 

 in color and shape. In color they were darker, with 

 clusters of red spots on their sides, and a general reddish 

 tinge covered the low^er part of the body in nearly all 

 cases. These colors and markings were dull and indistinct 

 in the females but were very bright in most of the males. 

 In shape the females had undergone some change about 

 the head, out it was not remarkable. In the males, how- 

 ever, the alteration Was very marked. The sides were flat 

 and broad, the back arched high, the head seemed dispro- 

 portionately large, the jaws w r ere long and curved. At the 

 extremity of the lower jaw was a large curved process that 

 shut into a cavity in the roof of the mouth. There was, 

 indeed, as great a difference between the two sexes, as be- 

 tween the males and females of our domestic fowls. Yet in 

 June there was so little difference that only a practised eye 

 could distinguish the male from the female salmon. The 

 fishermen who had been handling them all their lives had 

 never observed the difference. 



During the process of spawning and after its completion 

 both sexes continue to fall away in flesh, and the colors 

 begin to fade. At the end of a month the process on the 

 lower jaw is found to have decreased in size. Two females 

 and one male taken from the water on the 23d November, 

 thirteen days after the completion of the spawning, were 

 forwarded to the Peabody Academy of Science. To the 

 same institution' was sent another specimen, a male, that 

 was put early in July into a pond of one or two hundred 

 acres in Bucksport, and running into a brook in November, 

 was taken thence after ten days. This was the finest speci- 

 men seen, a strong, stout-built fish, thirty-four inches, long 

 and weighing eleven and a half pounds. His colors were 

 unusually deep, perhaps in consequence of the deep, red- 

 dish color of the water, through which nothing could be 

 seen at the depth of three feet. C. G. A. 



EXPERIENCE WITpTa YOUNG SETTER. 

 Jackson, Miss., October 11, 1878. 



EOITOK FOIIKST AND STREAM: — 



It was on a cloudy afternoon during our late commercial 

 panic that, having nothing to do, I took my gun and, ac- 

 companied by a pointer dog named Don, belonging to a 

 friend of mine, and Dash, a pointer pup four and a half 

 months old, started out after partridges, (quails). A 

 walk of about half a mile brought Don— a slow but very 

 staunch dog — to a point. An old bird out of the covey for 

 the right, and a miss on a young bird for the left barrel, 

 and the covey has gone to thick cover. During this I kept, 

 an eye on the pup as much as possible; he was accustomed 

 to the report of my gun, I having taken him out when 

 testing my breechloader. As soon as I could notice Dash, 

 after the birds got up, I found him coolly sniffing the dead 

 bird. A quarter of a mile further on brings Don down on 

 a covey near a tall Osage orange hedge. There they go, 

 with a whirr as startling as if you'd set a cotton mill going 

 in the streets of Jackson! One barrel only at them, for 

 they go like bullets! A clean miss for me— Dash quite- 

 happy, but Don very much excited. The next field brings 

 the old dog to a stand with the birds between him and my- 

 self. Dash is trudging along at my heels, and as I approach 

 the covey near enough the thought strikes me to let Dash 

 go in and flush the birds, for Don would not flush if you 

 kicked him. Whoever hunts over him must do that part 

 of the business (the flushing, not the kicking) himself. 

 This is not very satisfactory in heavy cover, especially 

 when you can't reach the bird; but on the whole it makes 

 a safe dog— one that will "freeze" to a bird. This m pas- 

 sant. 



When I think myself as close to the birds as prudence 

 will allow- 1 stop, and the youngster trots on as unconcern- 

 edly as if there w T as not a bird within miles of him. All 

 at once he stops and slightly crouches with his right fore- 

 foot raised; it goes down again, and now for a rush into 

 the covey ! No; he raises his left hind foot, which is in- 

 stantly put down again and the first position resumed, when 

 he settles down to as steady a point as any bird hunter 

 wishes to see. A perfect picture— immovable, but quiver- 

 ing with excitement. Now, Mr. Editor, I acknowledge to 

 a quick pulse and a shorter breath when waiting for a co- 

 vey to rise; what then must have passed through the brain 

 of the youngster ? Oh, some say, it was the instinct of a 

 finely bred dog. Yes, it was the instinct that made the 

 puppy point, but was it instinct alone, or reasoning, wita 



