FOREST AND STREAM'- 



205 



thoughts, and an aquarium proper should not have. These 

 aquaria, however, are situated in the midst of other attractions 

 and require an additional fee from the visitor, the first-named 

 being in the Winter Garden, the second in the Crystal Palace, 

 and the third within the Zoological Garden. 



I have long hoped to see an aquarium built, in America 

 which would be conducted upon correct scientific principles, 

 i.nd in which men of science could become interested. Such 

 an institution would not only be valuable to the public as an 

 educational medium, but also to fish culturists and scientists 

 as a place for experiment. 



The Beiastoma Qbahmsl— St. Elie, P. Q., April 1.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream : In your issue of March 20 I notice 

 the paper read before the American Fish Cultural Association 

 by Mr. H. D. McGovern, of Brooklyn, in regard to the "Bear 

 Bug," which, from the description, I nm inclined to believe 

 exists in waters of the St. Maurice Territory, Some four 

 years since, while fishing in a lake in this parish and meeting 

 with great success, I proposed to the friend who was sharing 

 the sport with me to have some of the trout we were taking 

 carried over to a small lake near the one we were fishing in, 

 and where, for some unaccountable reason, uo fish were to be 

 found. We accordingly caught a number of small-sized fish, 

 put. them in a tin-pail and started off for the lake. On de- 

 positing; them in the water one of the largest was pounced 

 bug answering the description and plate of the 

 .. who grasped the poor fish by the side of 

 the head and soon disappeared from sight. On exploring the 

 shores of the lake we found a number of the queer-looking 

 bugs. I came to the conclusion that no fish could live long in 

 era with such enemies to encounter. I noticed this 

 bug some years ago on a large lake of the west branch of the 

 Kiviere du Loup, and can now account for the absence of all 

 fish in those waters. The cast branch of the same river is 

 one of the best trout streams in the Laurentides. 



Wm. H. Pabkeb. 



— Seth Green still insists in a letter to the Rochester Herald 

 that he does not know how eels breed. They tried to show 

 him at Fulton Market, but he "couldn't see it." 



LIST OF THE BIRDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 

 —Land Birds. 



By J. Matthew Jokes. 



^Continued.'] 



WE presume that some of our ornithological readers hav e 

 felt considerable surprise at certain statements made 

 ia the installments of the present list already published, and 

 will bo glad to have further information on some of the points 

 brought out in it. The announcement that Tardus mustelinus, 

 Silta pusilla, and tiiunis motacilla occur in Nova Scotia, were 

 so startling that we felt. that the statements regarding these 

 species ought to be backed up by the most positive evidence. 

 In order to obtain this, we wrote to Mr. Jones with regard to 

 these and some other points in the list, and now print his 

 reply. With regard to Sitta pus ilia he says : 



In the year 1850 I passed through the press {Naturalist, 

 England, Vol. VI., Groombridge), for my friend, Lieut, (now 

 Colonel) bland, R. E, "A List of the Birds of Nova Scotia." 

 In the preparation of this list Col. Bland was assisted by Mr. 

 Andrew Downs and Lieut. Blakiston, R. A. The list was 

 made out with especial care as regards identification of species. 

 In this list is given " brown-headed nuthatch (8. pusilla), very 

 rare. Knowing how careful Colonel B. was in preparing this 

 list, I inserted tho species in mine. As Col. B. is now quar- 

 i England, I write to him to make further inquiries re- 

 garding the species." Mr. Jones further says: •' Turdus 

 mmtetinus rests on the authority of Mr. Winton, of Stewiache 

 — a close observer of birds for many years— who promises to 

 set the matter at rest by procuring next June (the time he ob- 

 serves the species during nidification about his residence, in 

 tho backwoods of Colchester Co.) specimens for conclusive 

 identification." 



Mr. Jones tells us that Siurus motacUla (Seiurusjudovicianus), 

 should not have been included in the list, its appearance there 

 being due to a mistake. He also says : 



I have omitted one species, viz.: Melospiza Lincolnii (Aud.) 

 Bd., which Mr. Downs informs me was identified for him by 

 Mr. Lawrence, of New York, a few years ago. Aimrwdromm 

 tnaritimus was inserted on my own authority. I shot a single 

 Ammodrirmus about the middle of April, 1877, on the open 

 shore by the Lawrencetown sand-hills among the bent grass. 

 I carefully compared it with Coues, and came to the con- 

 clusion that it was maritimus rather than caudacutus. I shall 

 send it to Washington for identification. 



The author's remarks on some other species in the list will 

 be found in their places below. He says, however, in regard 

 to stragglers, which may be found in Nova Scotia, that it 

 must be borne in mind, when considering the question of 

 extreme limit of range of North American birds, the position 

 of our province, which, being placed far out East of the 

 Northern States, ia frequently, during Tiolent southerly re- 

 volving gales, visited by Southern forms, rarely, itVever, ob- 

 served in New England. Witness Tachypetes aouilus and 

 Phat7ion flamrostri, and others, so you must not be surprised 

 to see some species of land birds in our list of equal rarity. 

 Recollect these are very rare, or merely stragglers. 



•;ii. -" L. ., Bd., indigo Bird.— Very rare. 



77. Can. ■' ift«s (Brisson), Bp., Cardinal Red 



Bird.— Only one instance on record of its occurrence in the 

 province, and, singular to relate, it was in winter time. On 

 the 3lst of January, 1871, a female was shot in the open woods 

 at Point Pleasant, "near Halifax, the male bird being with her. 

 The specimen was in perfect plumage, and nothing in its ap- 

 pearance denoted the probability of its having escaped from 

 confine i 



78, .Dolkhonyx pryavorus (L.), Sw., Bobolink, Ricebird.— 

 This bird is very abundant during the summer months in the 

 interior of the province, especially in the alluvial valleys of 

 Windsor and Annapolis, where numbers breed in the large 

 grain field? and dyke-lands. 



79. MeMhrux pecaris (Gin.), Sw., Cow Bird.— Rare. 



80. Affela ij.)', V., Red-winged Blackbird. — 

 Mr. Eagan has received specimens of adult and young birds, 

 but it must be considered a rare bird. 



81. SeoleeopJiagus ferrvginaa (Gtt».)i Bw., Rusty Grackle. 

 —Common ; arriving from the North about the last week in 

 March. 



82'. Qiriscali.is major, Viell., Boat-tailed Grackle.— Very rare. 

 This species is mentioned in Col. Bland's list, above referred 

 to, and is introduced here for that reason. 



88. Q. purpureus (Bart.), Licht., Purple Grackle.— Rare ; 

 only a few having been observed. 



8i. Oorwis coram, L , Raven.— This cannot be considered a 

 common bird in the province, for it is only occasionally that 

 we have an opportunity of seeing it, at least on the sea- coast. 

 It is known to breed here, however, and remains the whole 

 year. Mr. Egan informs me that it is far more common in 

 parts of tho interior covered by dense forest. 



85. C'orvus a-mertcaitws, Aud., Crow. — Very common, es- 

 pecially on the sea-coast, where it gains its food by deligently 

 hunting along the sandy beaches for shell fish, crustaceans, or 

 any stray edible waifs the sea casts up. In winter when the 

 beacli ia all covered by a dense mass of ice, it has a hard time 

 of it and has to resort to the heaps of rotted seaweed piled up 

 by the farmers for manure, in which it bores boles with its 

 beak in search of maggots. Sometimes the sportsman affords 

 him, unknowingly, a welcome meal, for a wounded sea duck 

 Cast upon the ice barrier which skirts the shore is soon per- 

 ceived by the keen eye of the crow, aud quickly torn to pieces; 

 and should a poor wounded eider be cast high and dry upon 

 the strand by the flowing tide, tho crow soon has his eye 

 upon him and has not even the decency to allow the debt of 

 nature to be paid before the work of carnage begins. 



86. Oyanyrw cristatw (L.), Sw., Biue Jay. — Common in 

 the interior of the province, but not often seen on the coast. 

 It seems to prefer the localities where the larger timber trees 

 grow. 



87. Peritoreus canadensis (L.), Bp., Canada Jay. — This bird 

 is not as common about Halifax as it was some years ago, and 

 some seasons it disappears mysteriously from the spots it usual- 

 ly frequents, as if a partial migration took place at suchjperiods. 

 On a cold autumnal morning in the forest, just before break- 

 fast time, when the camp frying-pan is giving out its pleasant 

 odors, several of these birds will come provokingly near, evi- 

 dently on the look-out for a treat. 



88. Tyrannm carolinensis (L.), Bd., King Bird. — Rare on 

 the coast, hut very common inland, especially in the more 

 cultivated parts. Near Windsor, in Hants Co., I have seen 

 half-fledged young ones in the nest, the first week in July. 

 I have observed that this bird generally lays an egg on alter- 

 nate days. They aTe partial to apple trees as a nesting-place. 



89. Uontopmiirens (L.), Cab., Wood Pewee. — Common in 

 the cultivated districts of the interior. 



90. Empidonax acadicus (Gin.), Bd., Green-crested Fly- 

 catcher. — Rather rare. 



9L E. minimus, Bd., Least Fly-catcher. — Very rare. 



92. Antrostomm vociferus (Wils.), Bp., Whippoorwill.— 

 Rare of late years, although formerly it was considered as 

 not uncommon. One or two pairs bred regularly until within 

 a few years close to the town, in a secluded spot near the 

 Northwest Arm, in the open woods. Mr. Downs has had a 

 specimeu in his hands, procured from the same locality. 



93. Clwrdeiles virginianus (LOriss.), Bp, Night Hawk.— 

 Very common, arriving from the South about the middle of 

 May. 



94. Chmtura pelagica, (L.), Steph,, Chimney Swift.— Very 

 common. In the interior, about the larger lakes, far away 

 from the settlements, these birds breed in their natural state 

 In holes of trees, and seem to choose a site near the water's 

 edge, where a portion of the larger forest trees, having been 

 burned, still stand withered ana bleached by the hand of 

 time. Here, high up on their smooth trunks, in some cavi- 

 ties made by the decay of the larger branches, these birds 

 make their nest and rear their young without fear of moles - 

 tation. 



95. Trocliilm cvlubns, L., Ruby-throat Humming Bird. 

 — Common, arriving from the South about the last week in 

 May, and leaves about the middle of September. A very 

 pretty specimen of its nest may be seen in the Halifax Muse- 

 um, attached to a branch of the black birch (Betula nigra), 

 which was procured near the N. W. Arm. The young from 

 this nest were hatched about the 23d of June. 



90. Ceryle alcyon (L.j, Boie, Belted Kingfisher. — Very com- 

 mon about the lakes and rivers. The earliest date of its ar- 

 rival I have recorded in my journal ia May 2. It departs 

 South about the middle of September. 



97. Coccyzus erythrophthalmus, (Wils,), Bd., Black -billed 

 Cuckoo. — Common. 



98. C. americanus (L.), Bp., Yellow-billed Cuckoo. — Rare. 



99. Hylotomm pileatus (L.), Bd., Pileated Woodpecker.— 

 Not uncommon in the more densely wooded districts of the 

 interior. 



100. PieiM viUosus, L , Hairy Woodpecker. — Very common 

 all the year. In the spring 1 have frequently observed it 

 busily employed searching at the bass of the alder trunks in 

 swamps, hammering away to get at the larva of insects, 

 which I found, on examination, had eaten the heart of 

 many of the trees completely away. Some few years ago, a 

 neighbor of mine, who attracted numbers of the smaller 

 birds about his premises by feeding them regularly with seed, 

 bread, and even cake ! informed me that a hairy woodpecker 

 frequented his back yard for food. It was very fond of the 

 cake, but refused both the seed and the bread. At first it 

 would take a piece of cake in its bill and fly off- to the trunk 

 of a tree, on which it would rest in its usual perpendicular 

 position; but finding that the caiie fell to the ground when 

 placed against the tree, it at last resorted to the more satisfac- 

 tory plan of placing the cake in a cleft of the trunk, and so 

 secured it as to be able to pec!: away until the whole was con- 

 sumed. Was this instinct or reason ? 



(To be continued.) 



Skcwk Bvnc.—Kaltfax Tnlit, K. Florida, March 28.— Edi- 

 tor Forest and Stream: Old hunters in this region tell me 

 tbat they have never heard of any dangerous results from 

 skunk bites, either on man or dog. There are two species of 

 the animal here, one not larger than a gray squirrel, and they 

 are both essence peddlers. S. C C. 



HABITS OF THE WOODCOCK. 



Mokbokton, Pa., Jan. 27, 1819. 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



Seeing in your ISBue of Jan. 23 a question as to the habits of wood- 

 cock.Iam prompted by a desire to repay, in a small part, the many pleas- 

 ant hours I have spent In the perusal of the entertaining and Instructive 

 articles always to be found In Fobkst and Stbeam,k> give you a little of 

 the result of my own observations on the habits of that king of all game 

 birds. Residing In thenorthern part of Pennsylvania, and in a locality 

 lu which, until recently, the woodcock and ruffed grcuso were the only 

 game birds we had, liaa led me to watch closely their habits. I have 

 stood for hours in the spring of the year, from early twilight until late In 

 the night, listening to the hollow.rlngtng "Zisb, zisb," of the woodcock, 

 which he repeats at Intervals of about twenty seconds for four or five 

 minutes ; then for a moment all will he still. Next is heard the Bharp 

 whirr of his wings as he takes flight, swinging around and upward la a 

 spiral, rising, as they tell us the English lark does, high In the air, until 

 the sound of his wings Is almost lost. When the bird begins to descend, 

 the sound of the wings Is wholly changed, seeming almost like the 

 twittering aong of the canary bird, until the bird reaches to within 

 about one hundred feet of the place from which he started, when he 

 sets his wings like a parachute, and drops ellently and swiftly to the 

 ground, to repeat the performance again and again. I have lain on the 

 ground in moonlight nUh's, aud watched him come out of his cover. 

 strutting about touch aa an old gobbler does at times, and uttering hla 

 peculiar cry, which would be answered by other birds in hearing. 

 Whether both sexes participate In the dance I am unable to say, never 

 having shot one of them during the performance. I have shot wood- 

 cock at all times of the day, from earliest daylight until It was too dark 

 to see the barrels of a gun, and have fonnd fresh worms between their 

 bills, which they had not had lime to swa'low ; and I have seen theia 

 boring and feeding at all hours of the night. I think the bird sleeps 

 and feeds alternately, at short intervals, during the entire twenty-four 

 hours, except, perhaps, during the moulting season, when they feed 

 during the night. Our best month for woodcock shooting Is July, for 

 then the old birds and full-grown young ones are in the cover along 

 the streams and bottom lands. In August you can hardly And one 

 there, although you will And fresh boring every morning. They are 

 then away on the sleep side hills and mountains, moulting, and" feed 

 less than usual, coming down to the feeding-grounds only in the night, 

 and returning before daylight to their mountain fastnesses. In g ep l 

 tember they begin to work in the cornfields wherever there is a damp 

 soft soil, and remain in the cover of the corn during the day. Then it 

 is grand sport to get Into the corn, with a stool tall enough to raise you 

 above the corn tops and a merry little cocker flying about to flush the 

 birds, and bang away at them. What If your gun does kick you off the 

 stool occasionally ; there la soft ground to fall on—" up and at them 

 again." As soon as hard frost comes the birds start for a more genial 

 climate ; and I have noticed that, with us, they follow the streams 

 toward the coast, stoppiDg occasionally to feed, which they do in the 

 soft ground close to the water's edge, rarely going more than a few 

 feet from the stream ; and upon looking along m these places one will 

 be surprised at the great amount of boring, compared with the number 

 of birds, which he will and. An Incident came under my observation 

 which Illustrates the rapidity of their flignt : I was standing on a slight 

 elevation overlooking a cornfield on the bottom land, and was watching 

 the manoeuvres of a chicken hawk which was sailing about In small 

 circles. Suddenly he poised himself tor an instant, then darted almost 

 perpendicularly into the corn. About the time he reached the tops of 

 the corn, I heard the whirr of a woodcock, aad saw him emerge from 

 the corn with the hawk in cloae pursuit. Away he darted, at the same 

 time seeming to look back to seo if his adversary was coming. I soon 

 saw he was In no danger, for he could handicap that Haws one rod in 

 ten, and then beat him. After flying fifty or sixty rods lie darted into 

 a dense cover, and the hawk gave up the chase lu disgust, several rods 

 behind. I hope to learn atill further of the habits and customs of 

 Philohela minor. Oarrx V. 



New Yobk, Jan. 29. isrs 

 .Editor Forest and Stream : ' " - *"• """• 



I read with great interest the letter of " Portsa" In a recent number 

 and having once had a very similar experience with woodcock, I can 

 add my teatlmony to his as regards both their " singing " and appear- 

 ance at night. Two years ago I spent a week In camp upon Greenwood 

 Lake, N. Y-, and one evening, as we were sitting around our Are uf tc r 

 the day's shoot, my attention was called to a bird which fluted past tho 

 fire, and alighted at a short distance, Immediately commencing its 

 peculiar cry, which, having heard it in the spring of the year, I recog- 

 nized as that of a woodcock. It was a bright moonlight night, and my 

 companion and myself, going out into an adjacent Held covered with 

 small undergrowth, were enabled to shoot three of our nocturnal visi- 

 tors. Having never heard of such a thing being done before, when the 

 letter from " Portsa " met my eye I immediately recognized an experi- 

 ence similar to my own, and write this, hoping that somebody may 

 take interest enough in the subject to give a little information concern- 

 ing the nocturnal habits of Scalopax minor. \y. p. 



Germantown, Pa., Jan. 26, isto. 

 Epitob Forest and Stream : 



In the article headed " Are Woodcock Nocturnal?" there is oertainly 

 a mistake aB regards time. About mating season, which takes place In 

 early spring, the woodcock is In tho habit of soaring, and often ascends 

 to the height of two or three hundred feet, and come6 down nearly in 

 the same spot. His habit Is to feed at dusk and early in the morning, 

 before day, and also through the day, although not as industriously in the 

 day time. If these woodcock did soar in the middle of Bummer, they 

 must have made a mistake as to the time of the year ; if he did not soar 

 In the summer, your correspondent has made a mistake in the time. 

 The mistake lies between the woodcock and the man, but as far as my 

 experience goes, the woodcock has the inside track. 



Constant Header, 

 ■». . 1 



Ha tu on Deers' Hoens. — In response to the note of a cor- 

 respondent in our issue of the 3d instant, regarding a caribou's 

 horns, which was covered with a growth of hair, Dr. J. W. 

 Trader, of Sedalia, sends us the following note, accompanied 

 by a bit of the hair s 



"I have in my office a large pair of antlers of our common 

 deer, that has a heavy coat of hair from base to tip. I thought 

 when I first procured the specimen that it was rare, but some 

 old hunters tell me that this is quite common.'' 



Coekeotios.— Ia the very interesting notice of the " Nest- 

 ing of the Great Northern and Loggerhead Shrikes in Maine," 

 which appeared in our issue of April 3, the date at which the 

 nest was taken was given ag May simply, when it should have 

 been May 20. 



Arrivals at the Philadelphia Zoological Garden for the Week 

 Ending April 12.— Two herring gulls, Larue argentatus ; one crow, 

 nmeriep/mu ; one weeper capuelilD, Cebua e ipueinut ; onewood- 

 ■ ■:■■■ ?ia.r , nine small alligators, Alligator munisiijipten- 

 He ; two White rats, Mm rattae ; one t -ed-shouldered hawk, Buteolinea- 

 tv* ; one red-headed clack, Ayihya amtriama ; two rabbits, Lnpu» ctmi- 

 ouha ; t«D bald eagles, Balicetitu ImuoimpKalus : one Indigo bird, Cty- 

 aiuyspiza eganta ; one nonparlel, C. arts ; one weaver bird ; one 

 pouohed rat, Garmyt aunariiu— ail presented. One coatl, Saxua narica ; 

 twenty-seven undulated, grasa parrakeets, Sretopeittacue nndulaius ; 



