100 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



fyimnl ^istorg. 



The Testimony op Birds. — We copy the following 

 very interesting letter from the London Times of Aug. 17: — 



gi r: — is there a warm zone at the North Pole? Most 

 probably there is. The last American expedition saw a 

 vast expanse of open water in that direction, but were un- 

 able to reach it. The brent geese and the knot also an- 

 swer in the affirmative, but especially the former. A few 

 nests of the latter have been found as far south as the 

 Hudson's Bay territory, &c. But it may be interesting to 

 many Of your readers to know that only one nest of the 

 brent goose has ever been found, either in its wild or do- 

 mesticated state, and that was found at Melville Island, 

 and it contained three young ones. All who have visited 

 Holland, the Baltic, or our own eastern coast during a 

 severe Winter, or even Tobay, must know this bird; it is 

 at times sold in large quantities in Leadenhall Market, for 

 a mere trifle, its delicious flavor being unknown here, it 

 having the name of being fishy, which is a mistake, as it 

 never dives, unless wounded, and is a vegetarian. It 

 leaves our coasts in the early Spring, and appears in the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence and the coast of Labrador, where I 

 have seen it in millions, directly the ice breaks up (about 

 the middle or end of April), where it is highly prized by 

 epicures, and is now shot in a novel manner in vast quan- 

 tities, with decoys, out of a punt sunk in the middle of an 

 eight-foot raft (below the water line), and sent to the 

 United States, where it is highly prized. 



Long after the wild geese and ducks have gone to Labra- 

 dor or the Hudson's Bay territory to breed, the brent 

 goose is seen in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, finally disap- 

 pearing early in June, probably just in time for the Arctic 

 Summer. It generally makes it flight on a moonlight night, 

 and they are constantly seen in their progress northwards. 

 If there is open water and land at the North Pole, we 

 may fairly presume the brent geese breed there, as they 

 have been seen at Melville Island-, nor can it be extremely 

 cold there, otherwise the eggs would be addled ; and there 

 must be land uncovered with snow, otherwise, being a 

 vegetarian, it could not live there. 



Several brent geese have recently been sent out to the 

 Australian Colonies by our ever active superintendent at 

 the Zoological Gardens, to see if they will breed there. I 

 only trust our Arctic voyagers may find them in the vast 

 quantities that I have seen them in during their flights 

 northwards; then, indeed, they will have a delightful 

 change from their potted meats, &c- 



I am, Sir, yours obediently, 



Frederick Swabey. 



Cory ton Park, Axminster, Aug. 13 . 



«*-♦+■ 



Albino Fishes. — Two interesting cases of albinism in 

 fishes have recently fallen within my observation. The 

 first was a specimen of the common haddock (Melanogram- 

 mus ceglefinus), taken off Barnegat, N. J. This fish, which 

 was thirty-one inches long, was normal in every particu- 

 lar except in color. Its general hue was pinkish-white, 

 with a pearly lustre, instead of the usual brownish-gray. 

 The back and top of the head were slightly darker, ap- 

 proximating a very light salmon color. The black stripe 

 which usually marks the lateral and the blackish-brown 

 "blotch, behind and above the pectorals — the traditional 

 mark of the thumb of the disciple Peter — were entirely 

 absent. The fins throughout were yellowish-white with a 

 tinge of red, except the ventrals which were a shade darker. 

 The slightest trace of the normal ashy tint of the' belly 

 might be discovered just below the origin of the pectorals. 



The second instance is a specimen of the common eel 

 {Anguilla Bostoniensis) taken in salt water at Noank, Conn., 

 in December. In this the color is a dull, pale yellow 

 above, becoming nearly white beneath. 



According to M. Dareste albinism is not uncommon 

 among European eels. It appears, however, to be very 

 exceptional in our waters. I have never seen or heard of 

 an instance besides the one just cited. True albinism is 

 especially uncommon among the members of the family 

 to which the haddock belongs. »The ground -color of the 

 cod and haddock varies much with the bottom on which 

 they are taken, but I have never known of a case in which 

 the spots and other markings were obliterated. A familiar 

 instance of the influence of the color of the bottom is 

 found in the rosy "rock-cod" of the coast of Maine, which 

 is usually taken in the neighborhood of ledges covered 

 with the bright red algae such as Ptilota sesrata and Delea- 

 seria sinuosa. In a similar manner the "butter-fish" [En- 

 neacentrus ouatalibi) and the "grouper" (Epineplidus fascia- 

 tus) are influenced by the white coral-sand bottoms about 

 the Bermuda Islands but though they assume a very pal- 

 lid hue, the character of their markings is quite unchanged. 

 — C Brown Good, in American Naturalist. 

 — ■»»»■ • 



—The Cincinnati Zoological Garden was opened on the 



18th inst. with appropriate ceremonies. The garden, 



which comprises some sixty acres of ground, has a number 



of lakes, fountains, etc., and is laid out in walks and drives. 



The collection of animals, birds, etc., is one of the largest 



in the country, and the buildings appropriated for their 



reception arranged in "the most convenient and perfect 



manner. 



^«» . 



BRIEF NOTICE OF SOME FISHES OF 

 CALIFORNIA IN OCEAN, BAY AND 



RIVERS. 



■ ♦ ■ 



^_ San Francisco, Sept., 1875. 



Editor Forest and Stream:— 



Names of fishes are used in this State with so little precision that no 

 dependence can be placed on such evidence. He who should infer that 

 anything resembling pike was taken in the Sacramento River or the San 

 Joaquin, would be much deceived; yet I have caught these, and have 

 seen continually in the markets and sold in abundance fishes bearing 

 that name. In our markets, also, there are fish constantly offered for 

 sale in great numbers under the name of rock fish and rock cod. I have 

 taken plenty of them at different times with a rod and line and a variety 

 of baits, the hooks used being rather large in proportion to the size of 

 their mouths. They are captured in rocky localities along the coast and 

 in the bay, and the title rock fish applies to them very well. One more 

 inappropriate, on the contrary, than that of rock cod could scarcely 

 have been selected, inasmuch as they are widely removed from the fam- 

 ily in which the cod fishes are classed. Twelve distinct species of them 

 at least have been alieady detected here, all belonging to the Sebastes. 

 Of this genus Jwas not previously aware of more than one species— S. 



Novoegieus.Cnv.- -in the United States; it is the Hemdurgun of the 

 Massachusetts Bay fishermen . Three of our species are very closely al- 

 lied. The one most nearly typical here is the S. ?wbulosus. Their aver- 

 age weight is two pounds and a half, and they are about thirteen 

 inches in length. In color this fish is finely mottled with dusky yellow 

 and dark brown. One of this kind of fishes is a bright red, and is the 

 most important commercially, and is consumed in large quantities daily, 

 and it is, like the others, an excellent fish. Then we have a fish very 

 common in our markets, sold under the name of perch, and in this case 

 it is a correct one. It is a viviparous fish, as are some o&iers in our wa- 

 ters. It is brought from the rivers Sacramento and San Joaquin, and is- 

 often caught in all parts of our bay, but chiefly on the Oakland and other 

 wharves. This is one of our most esteemed common fishes. I have 

 often caught many of them. Its average length is nine inches and weight 

 from half a pound to four pounds. Its scientific name is Centrarchus 

 muculosus. Its color is a dark grayish brown on the upper parts, becom- 

 ing lighter beneath, with large, irregular dark blotches on the sides. 

 This fish is the representative ' in our Pacific regio.i of ceneus in the 

 Eastern. 



The torn cods (Morrhun Californicus), which have been taken in such 

 great numbers in our bay for the last three years, is without doubt closely 

 allied to Morrhua Pruinosa (Mitch.) the torn cod and frost fish of the 

 Atlantic coast, and may be deemed its representive here. Tt differs 

 from it, however, in form, in the relative proportions of the head and the 

 position and size of the fins, etc. 



Another good fish that we have, and which sometimes affords us good 

 sport, is what is called by the fishermen sea trout, probably because of 

 its elegant form and the red spots on its sides. Others do not distin- 

 guish it from the species of Sebastes, before mentioned, in company with 

 which it is caught, and call it rock fish. It has, however, little resem- 

 blance to either; while its true position may be deemed somewhat doubt- 

 ful, it may be judged better for the present to arrange it with the genus 

 grystes. It is not very abundant in our bay. Its length is about twelve 

 inches and common weight from half a pound to three pounds. 



The sturgeon is the largest fish on our stalls. They commonly weigh 

 from twenty-five to fifty pounds, though those from 150 to 200 pounds are 

 by no means uncommon; but they have been offered for sale here weigh- 

 ing more than 300 pounds. They are taken at all seasons of the year 

 with large hooks and very strong lines, small fi.-h and meat being used 

 as bait. 



Smelts were, a year or two back, the most plentiful fish in our bay, but 

 they have lately become more scarce. The torn cod now are exceeding 

 them in number. Next Winter we expect to have finer sport with the 

 young salmon or grilse than we had this year, owing to our again close 

 season this year, and to one million of fish having been hatched out and 

 placed in the McCloud River by Commissioner Stone. Our lakes— Mer- 

 ced and San Andreas, near this city— also promise always good sport to 

 anglers in the future, as they have done this year. 



E. J. Hooper. 



A WHITE CROW. 



Charlestown, Mass., Sept. 15th, 1875. 



Editor Forest and Stream:— 



* A Boston gentlemen (Mr. Marston) has recently shot at Centre ville, 



Mass., a fine specimen of a pure white crow. It is now being stuffed 



by Mr. C. J. Goodale, taxidermist, and can be seen at his store, No. 93 



Sudbury street, Boston. This bird has been seen for several years, and 



efforts were made by numerous parties to effect its capture, but without 



success, until Mr. Marston became the fortunate, possessor. 



Sportsman. 

 ■ •+•+• ■ 



CENTRAL PARK MENAGERIE. 



Department op Public Parks, { 

 New York, Sept. 19, 1875. J 

 Animals received at Central Park Menagerie for the week ending 

 Sept. 18th, 1875:— 



One brown Capuchin Monkey, Gebus capucinus. Presented by Dr. J. 

 K. Cheeseman. 

 Two Bonnet Monkeys, Macacus radiatus. 



One brown Capuchin Monkey. Cebus capucinus. Presenred' by Mr. 

 William Jayne. 

 One Seal, Fhocavilulina. W. A. Conklin, Director. 

 -#^*- ■ 



THE ESSEX INSTITUTE. 



Danversport, Mass., September .20, 1875. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



About a year ago the Essex Institute received from Mr. C. H. Foster a 

 valuable collection of skins, including mammals, birds, etc., collected in 

 Australia. The mammals have just been received from Prof. Henry A. 

 Ward, who has mounted them in life-like attitudes. They embrace the 

 following species, viz.: — 



One Kangaroo, Macropus major; one Wallabee, Ilalmaturus walaba- 

 tus, another representative of the kangaroo family unmarked; one Wom- 

 bat, Pliascolomys vrsinus; two Duck-billed Platypus, male and female, 

 Platypus anatinus; two Koalas or Native Bears, male and female, Phas- 

 colarctos cinereus; one Kangaroo Rat, Hypsiprymnus minus; two Re- 

 poona Roos, Petaurus australis; one Sugar Squirrel, Petaurus sciureus; 

 one Tasmanian Devil, Diabolis uf sinus; one Dingo or Native Dog, Cards 

 dingo . 



Besides these there is a gigantic lizard six or seven feet in length, 

 which is also unmarked. These may be seen in the Institute collection 

 at the Peabody Academy of Science at Salem. A. 3J. Gray. 



r aodhnd, Mntxn m& %m&m. 



Cattle Diseases. — County papers in the Eastern and 

 Middle States chronicle the re-appearance of various cattle 

 diseases. These maladies are rarely absent from portions 

 of the West, but their visits to the East are only occasional, 

 and they disappear as suddenly and mysteriously as they 

 come. Caledonia, Livingston county, and Rhinebeck, 

 Dutchess county, are mentioned as the places in this State 

 where a very malignant disease has developed itself among 

 the cattle. It is vaguely described as a kind of murrain, 

 and is supposed to have been caught from Western cattle. 

 The West and Southwest have generally, but not always, 

 been the source of cattle diseases. At different times Eng- 

 lish and Dutch cattle have brought over a malignant dis- 

 temper, commonly known as the Russian cattle plague, to 

 this country. New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts 

 have, in former years, suffered somewhat from this most 

 unwelcome importation. But of late it has not appeared 

 on this side of the Atlantic, the introduction of cattle from 

 England and the Continent being now a very rare occur- 

 rence. This form of disease had the property of being 

 portable in the clothing of persons touching or driving the 

 infected cattle; and it could be spread in that way to herds 

 without the actual presence of the diseased animal among 

 them. Cars and boats in which these cattle were trans- 

 ported became seed beds of this fatal variety of murrain, 

 and it was not safe to allow healthy animals to graze in the 

 pastures where the sick ones had fed. The most preval- 

 ent cattle disease of the present day is of a different charac- 

 ter, and not as much dreaded as the older form. It is pop- 

 ularly known as the Texas cattle fever, and, as the name 

 implies, is believed to be primarily derived from the herds 

 sent northward from Texas, It remains to be seen whether 



the type of disease which has broken out in several coiin 

 ties of New York is the Texas fever or not, If so, it can 

 be made to yield to a rigid quarantine system, and need ex- 

 cite no great alarm. In several towns of Massachusetts" 

 where the people are familiar, by costly experience, with 

 the Texas disease, they are again lamenting its manifesto 

 tion among the herds. There is no doubting the origin of 

 the trouble in their case, as a herd of Texas cattle were 

 driven through the section infected only two weeks a^o 

 The fever showed itself among the Massachusetts cattle 

 immediately after the _ strangers had left. Massachusetts 

 fortunately, has a Board of Cattle Commissioners, and 

 those officers have been summoned to use their power in 

 staying the spread of the disease. They will at once lake 

 the high-handed measures which the law enables them to 

 enforce, and the disease will doubtless vanish from Mas 

 sachusetts as speedily as it has vanished in other years. 

 In this State, town and county authorities assume the work 

 which is performed in Massachusetts and other New Eqo-. 

 land States by commissioners acting for the Common- 

 wealth. It would be better for New York if she had a 

 commission of men skilled in cattle diseases, to do for the 

 whole State what is now left to the limited knowledge of. 

 County Supervisors, each set acting independently of 

 others!! — N. Y. Journal of Commerce. 



Canning Fruit.— The following description of methods 

 is taken from a prominent agricultural paper.-— 



"As to cans, the simplest are the best. Those of glass 

 with glass covers, a rubber band and a screw ring, are as 

 easily sealed as they are unsealed, and can be managed by 

 any intelligent child of twelve or thirteen. The porcelain- 

 lined caps are also good. A tin funnel, just fitting into 

 the neck of these, can be made for twenty cents, and with 

 this the cans may be filled very rapidly and without spill- 

 ing. As to fruit, it should be perfectly fresh and sound, 

 and carefully picked over, so that no ill flavor injures its 

 quality when it comes on the i able. The time of boiling 

 the fruit should vary somewhat with the kind, ranging 

 from five to thirty minutes, as follows: Cherries, 5; rasp- 

 berries, 6; blackberries, 6; plums, 10; whortleberries, 5; 

 peaches, whole, 15; peaches, halved, 8; pears, whole, 30; 

 pears, halved, 20; pineapples, sliced, 15; ripe currants, G; 

 grapes, 10; tomatoes, 30; gooseberries, 8; quinces, sliced, 

 15. The fruit keeps just as well without sugar as with it, 

 and many prefer it without. Sugar always rises in price 

 during the preserving season, and we can wait till Winter 

 and then add sugar as well as to put it in now. In canning 

 peaches, if two or three are put in without removing the 

 pits a bitter almond flavor will pervade the whole can. As 

 to the process: place a very wet cloth in the dish-pan; set 

 the jar in this, having previously rinsed it by rolling in hot 

 water; place in it a silver spoon; put in the funnel a cup- 

 ful of syrup first tnen fill with fruit to the top. Remove 

 the spoon, and set the jar where no draft of air can strike 

 it. The fruit should be covered with syrup. In ten min- 

 utes the jar will have cooled and settled some, and they 

 will be ready to seal up. Fill them to the top with syrup 

 or hot water; put on the rubber, the glass cover, and 

 screw ring. When the jars are cool, the covers should be 

 tightened again, and then set away in a cool, dark place." 

 ■ ■*♦*- • 



Spurious Pedigrees.— The Kentucky Live Stock Journal 

 sa y S: — "We have noticed with amazement the series of sales 

 held during this Spring and Summer at leading horse 

 markets in New York, at which large numbers have been 

 sold as Kentucky horses with high-sounding pedigrees at- 

 tached, not one of which ever saw Kentucky. We can 

 assure the public that they are not only fictitious and spuri- 

 ous pedigrees, but totally unreliable. We ask our New 

 York contemporaries, to whom Eastern readers and pur- 

 chasers look for correct information on pedigrees, to reject 

 such advertisements and expose with unsparing hands 

 these attempts to foist bogus pedigrees on the New York 

 public. 



. «»»»■ : ■ 



— New varieties of potatoes sometimes come in strange 

 ways. Timothy Wheeler, a farmer of Waterbury Centre, 

 Vermont, tells one of the agricultural papers how he pro- 

 cured some forest dirt or soil way back at the foot of a 

 mountain, for flower boxes; in about ten days a slim stalk 

 was noticed coming up, and it grew to about six or eight 

 inches in height, when one leaf appeared on its end, which 

 indicated its nature to be a potato. It was then taken up, 

 the root examined, and no signs of a potato to be seen; it 

 was then set out in the open field. 



—The Belmont Driving Park of Philadelphia is rapidly 

 approaching completion. The appointments of grand 

 stands, club houses, stables, &c, &c, are on a large and 

 liberal scale, and the track is considered one of the best m 

 this country, being of capacious width, with an unequaled 

 road-bed. The proprietors are making extensive prepara- 

 tion for a grand display during the Centennial. 



A New Horse Disease.— Our city is again afflicted 

 with a disease which during the past week has attacked a 

 large number of horses, but which fortunately is not a8 

 serious in its effects as the epizoot which was so fata 

 three years since. The symptoms are a mild cough, ac- 

 companied at times by infiamation of the throat, freque 

 sneezing and occasionally a discharge at the nose. I 

 said that nearly every horse in the city has been attache 

 with it, but it quickly passes away, seldom leaving beim 

 it anything more serious than extreme debility. 



Carbolic Aero and Poultry.— A wrtterin the Loudon 

 Field recommends the rise of carbolic acid in V l »f°^ x 

 poultry houses for destroying parasitic insects, it ne ^ 

 injures the birds nor drives them from their nes 1 s - e 

 dissolves two ounces of common carbolic acid in . ff 

 quarts of water, and applies once a week with wa o 

 pot to all parts of the poultry house. It destroy^ tnc , 

 and acari in the building, and acts also as a dl8inI ^ g f 

 For the purpose of expelling the lice from the W ^ Q \\ C 

 the fowls or pigeons, he mixes one part of liquid ca^ a 

 acid in thirty parts of water, first mixing the acid ■ 

 little glycerine, and shaking well bef ore using . & oQ 

 plies this with a small brush to the roots of the ieau«* 



