FOREST AND STREAM. 



m 



FISH CULTURE IN -PRUSSIA. 



A correspondent of Land and Water has been visiting 

 Mr. Max v. d. Borne, at the extensive fish hatching estab- 

 lishment of that gentleman at Berneuchen, Prussia, and 

 gives the following as the result of his observations: — 



"The breeding of trout in natural waters is much easier 

 and more certain than keeping and feeding them in a con- 

 fined space, as in the former they seek their own food, 

 particularly if the breek contains various acquatic plants 

 aud insects. Trout thrive in ponds as well as in running, 

 streams if the bottom is suitable. 



Trout fry love shallow biooks with pebbly bottoms. 

 They avoid holes, as there lie the larger fish ready to prey 

 on them. They also prefer a change from the sun's rays 

 to the shady resorts under the overhanging branches, 

 shrubs, and water plants where their food abounds. Mr. 

 v. d. Dome's brook is arranged as follows: The water is 

 taken from the Mietzel, a tributary of the Qder, a stream 

 in which there are no trout, but plenty of pike, perch, 

 pike-perch, burbot, eels, and the usual whitetish. The 

 water flows in a lively manner over sandy and partly 

 clayey ground, in which there are many weeds aud insects. 

 The water is led from above a. mill belonging to Mr. v. d. 

 B., from whence there is a fall of twelve feet. The brook 

 is 800 feet in length, and has a gradual fall of twelve feet. 

 It is also provided with a number of miniature waterfalls 

 made with boards, in which three-cornered holes are cut 

 out to allow the trout to pass and repass. The bottom of . 

 the brook is partly lined with drain tiles, and in some 

 places boards placed on end-stones, which are kept. in their 

 places by weights above, below which small pools are 

 created for the use of the fish. The wire-netting at each 

 end is closely woven, so as to prevent oilier fish entering, 

 or the departure of the trout. Notwithstanding these pre- 

 cautions, small pike fry, burbot. .and the large destructive 

 water beetle (Dytiscus margin alts) do enter. But by an ar- 

 rangement above the entrance a key is turned which 

 stops the flow of water, and partly empties the brook. 



I was present when this was done, aud we caught sev- 

 eral small burbot {Lota ■vulgaris), monster frogs, and beetles. 

 Late in the Autumn the outlet of the water is raised two 

 and a half feet, so as to form a m mature lake and good 

 Winter quarters. Both sides are planted with irees^and 

 shrubs, serving as a protection to the fish as well as a sup- 

 ply or* insects which fall from the branches. ' The fish 

 hatching house itself is built partly under ground, as the 

 aquarium at Hamburg is. The interior of the largest room 

 is 40x40 feet; the other, 20x20 feet. Vv^ithout^detailing 

 all the appliances within, I will merely mention that there 

 arc twenty-six stone troughs to accommodate 1,000 fry in 

 each. It certainly is the most extensive establishment of 

 the kind I have seen, and must have cost this enterprising 

 gentleman considerably over a thousand pounds The re- 

 sult is that the Oder now contains salmon, which a few 

 years since was not the case. One of twelve pounds was 

 eauglit, and sent to Mr. v. d. B. during my stay at his hos- 

 pitable mansion, and ate as nice as any of those which find 

 their way to London. 



The enemies he has to contend with are otters, herons, 

 kingfishers, sea-eagles, etc.; for instance, from a pond con- 

 taining 400 large carp, 852 were killed by otiers in six 

 weeks. To prevent this destruction, some traps were pro- 

 cured from Henry Lane, Wedneslield, England, which 

 admirably answered their purpose. In the years 1871-74, 

 the following were trapped:— 45 otters (including 1$ tin- 

 bo n), 2 fish eagles, 187 herons, 120 kingfishers, 40 clivers; 

 178 vaiious ducks, 47 carrion crows and other birds of 

 prey, 4 foxes, and other animals. The otter traps are 

 placed three inches under water at places where the animal 

 enters and leaves the water. When trapped he descends 

 to deep water and there drowns. In Canada they are 

 usually trapped in the paths they make to slide down to 

 the water, the localities of these otter slides -being well 

 kuown to the trappers there. In one heron's stomach, 

 Mr. v. d. Borne's keeper found twelve hand-long carp. 

 Henry Lane's trap for these birds is excellent. A fish is 

 placed on a kind of fork under waler, which, when the 

 heron seizes, calehes him by the beak. The kingfisher's 

 traps are arranged thus: a narrow board is placed across 

 Ike brook, and on the centre a square pf.ee of wood, which 

 contains the trap. The lungrlshers naturally seat them- 

 selves on the trap to look for the small trout and are 

 caught." 



Mr. v. d, Borne has recently published a small work on 

 udi-hatching and is now engaged in collecting information 

 from all pars of Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hun- 

 gary, preparatory to issuing a book which will be a guide 

 to the fishing tourist in each of these countries, telling 

 them where to fish and the varieties to be caught in eaeli 

 place. 



Fish Culture in Virginia.— The Richmond Whig says: 

 'We understand that the Fish Commissioners have, dur- 

 jag the past few weeks, been engaged in distributing black 

 gjps-, caught in the Shenandoah, in various streams on this 

 side of the mountain. Beginning with the tributaries of 

 the Oecoquan, they have deposited some in the Rappahan- 



i V Uld lU triD utaries, the tributaries of the Pamunkey, 

 m North and South Anna, and then the Rivanua, the 

 ttockfish, and the Tye Rivers. They have also deposited 

 auoutiony in the James at this point, aud about the same 

 'lumber in the North River at Lexington. They propose, 

 ourtn«rii le present week, to stock toe Aupomattox, the 

 jWk water, the Nottoway, and the Meherriuand New Riv- 

 tk\r - le y desire, also, as soon as they can, to put some in 

 lJ ie Maiaponi and iu Jackson's River, at Clifton Forge. 

 p . 4 i llle u PPer Roanoke the black bass has been for sev- 

 eral years, but the stream being small, they were almost ex- 



eimiuated by seines and traps. A law forbidding the use 



traps and seines was in force for two years, and both 



1,,? i • anci r cd-eye began rapidly to multiply; but the 



'-w_ bemg very unwisely repealed, the seines and traps 

 egjttn appeared, and the result was that the Commissioners 

 ,°uuinot rind enough bass in the stream to stock the neigh- 

 stream— New River. Seines and traps'in small 



toT\ msare tatai to any permanent increase of fish, and 

 l^opie must make up their minds to that result." 



la addition to the waters mentioned above, Mr. John N. 

 *wse, of Lynchburg, in the employ of the Fish Commis- 

 «oa of th« State, recently left Eivertoa with 800 young 



black bass in cans, furnished by Prof. Baird, which it was 

 his intention to place in the Rivenna, Tye, and James Riv- 

 ers. The Virginia Commissioners are taking active steps 

 in restocking the waters of the State, and at the recent 

 State Fair held at Richmond they were in attendance to 

 receive suggestions and consult with gentlemen interested 

 in the subject. 



Frsn Culture in Tennessee. — Prominent men in Tenn- 

 essee are encouraging all in their power the growing interest 

 now taken in fish culture. Hon. Joseph N. Fowler, of 

 Nashville, has written a letter to the Columbia Herald on 

 the subject, in which he says: 



"Since the first settlement of the country, great changes 

 have taken place in our streams. The removal of timber 

 and the* cultivation of the land, have affected the waters 

 and also the fish. Some of our finest food fishes, as the 

 black bass, spawn about the time our Spring freshets bring 

 down from the plowed lands large quantities of earthy 

 matter, which settles on the young spawn in quantities 

 greater than the parent fish can "clear off, burying the fish 

 entirely. Animals of kinds which flourish in a state of 

 nature meet with many difficulties in a state of civiliza- 

 tion. ^ Our intelligence and care must provide against such 

 injurious consequences as follow changes introduced by us. 

 The people will also sustain a prudent, efficient and judi- 

 cious system for the propagation of fish. 



There are but few States in the Union that enjoy greater 

 advantages, so far as fresh water is considered. The Ten- 

 nessee is fed from a vast extent of surface by numerous 

 streams furnishing a body of water that would cover 

 hundreds of square miles of land abounding in nourish- 

 ment for our own fish. To care for this domain and have 

 it devoted to useful purposes is at once -the duty of the 

 State. I trust, then, that the next Legislature will make 

 such provisions as the experience of the times and the 

 practice of other States warrant. The results of intelli- 

 gent care fcr fish have proved so satisfactory in many of 

 our States that there can be no doubt as its advantage." 



mtorQ. 



THE AUTUMNAL MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



r^OINGr home from my office just before daybreak, 

 ^—* these calm October mornings, I sometimes hear 

 overhead faint little calls, so tender and far away that if 

 the ear was not trained to observe them they would never 

 be -noticed. These small cries are the notes of delicate 

 birds flying south. It is delightfully mysterious! "Where 

 have they come from? and where are they going thus by 

 night, and straight over forest and farm, and city and sea? 

 If we go into the woods we shall find them peopled by a 

 different, folk than crowded their arches six months or 

 three months ago. The thrushes, which have made melo- 

 dy all Summer long, have unstrung their harps, and are si- 

 lently taking their leave. The dainty, satin-slippered 

 ground warblers and wag-tails have left their fern coverts. 

 The- scarlet tanagers, that used to glow among the trees 

 like firebrands, have kindled the maples and flown away, 

 taking with them titled orioles and crazy chee-winks. In 

 their place are strangers— fox, and white-throated, and 

 gray-crowned, and tree sparrows'; the northern pee-wee; 

 the liny kinglets and little groups of warblers chattering 

 gaily in subdued tones among themselves. There is a 

 quiet, serene satisfaction expressed in the demeanor of 

 these Autumn visitors altogether different from the exulta- 

 tion and riotous singing of the full-plumaged hosts which 

 return to us in Spring. Yet they are — all except the young 

 birds of the year — the same that we saw when the crisp 

 oak leaves under our feet were unfolding from juicy buds. 

 But in some cases birds which were common in Spring are 

 very rare now, and vice-versa; this has come to be a rule 

 with some species that we can count upon, since we have 

 learned that in the Spring they always migrate northward 

 by a route west of the Aileghanies, and return along the 

 coast, or just the opposite. 



If you ask why they go north at all, I must tell you that 

 these sparrows and warblers only differ from all other birds 

 in going farther. Every bird moves more or less with the 

 seasons. Crows, for example, are here pretty much all 

 Winter, but not the same individuals; those who built their 

 nests in our woods are now in Virginia, and the ones we see 

 to-day are visitors from Canada. Our Autumn birds went 

 north to find suitable places iu which to raise their young. 

 A bird cannot live anywhere, although we have come to 

 think it as free as air. Even the eagle and the frigate bird, 

 roaming over continents and oceans, must have a home 

 wherein to liatch their eggs. The choice of this by any 

 bird depends on several things, but upon one consideration 

 in particular — the chance of getting suitable food for its 

 young. For whatever be the chosen diet of the parents, 

 the chicks must have their tender worms and flies— and an 

 astonishing quantity, too — until they are strong enough to 

 gather their own subsistence and gradually adopt the 

 rougher fare of their parents. If the birds cannot find the 

 necessities of their home life here, and only about one bird 

 in three does, they must go on to the high Catskilis or the 

 higher Adirondacks, to the plains about Quebec, or to the 

 wilds of Labrador, to those mysterious mountains south of 

 Hudson's Bay, even to the reedy shores of lakes close un- 

 der the Arctic circle, that have scarcely time to get free 

 from ice before another Winter freezes them again. No 

 explorer has been to s'u( h high latitudes that he has not 

 found birds yet nearer the pole iu the Summer time. But 

 the Arctic Summer is a short one, and the adventurous 

 water fowl that have been consorting with the polar bears 

 are easily chased out by Jack Frost. Then two or three 

 families join together for the journey, and some bright 

 morning whirl away from the ice-clad shores buoyed up by 

 a favoring wind. Soon they come upon Qther friends and 



warn them, and that strange longing to travel seizes upon 

 all as this increasing army of messengers sweeps by, and 

 "Up and Away!" is the cry as every wing is stretched to- 

 ward the south. After a time they move more leisurely, 

 and the hardier Winter birds who don't care for cold 

 weather so long as the tall grasses are not snowed under 

 linger behind, while the old males of all kinds gradually 

 outstrip the females and weaker young, and reach us a lit- 

 tle ahead of the rest. Thus the fugitives keep just in ad- 

 vance of Winter, as he also marches southward, flying 

 mostly by night, and by day picking up a bountiful harvest 

 of berries, ripened seeds, larvae and eggs of spiders and 

 beetles and flies, and such insects as they can capture. 



By the last of October about all the small, short-winged 

 birds are gone from our woods— some no farther than Cape 

 May, some to the rice fields of Louisiana, some even to the 

 West Indies and Honduras. Then the tardy robins collect 

 in noisy flocks and depart as though they had clone us a 

 great favor in staying so long; the few last Spring birds 

 revive their notes for a day, and at night reluctantly drift 

 away, twittering gentle farewells as they go; cawing crows, 

 like huge crayons, draw black lines across the sky; a soli- 

 tary hawk wheels majestically athwart the lurid November 

 sunset; and we are alone with the snow-birds and the 

 gathering storm. — Ernest Ingersoll, in The Christian Union. 

 • «©-♦;*■ ■ 



— One would hardly think of looking in the composing, 

 or even the editorial rooms, of a New York daily paper for 

 living birds; yet during the last month several birds, mi- 

 grating at night, have flown iu at the wiudows of The Tri- 

 bune rooms on the top floors of their new building about 

 midnight, and their names have been taken. Thus came a 

 ruby-crowned kinglet (Regitim calendula)\ a golden- crested 

 kinglet (&<gulus patrapa); a piue-creeping warbler {Dtndro- 

 eca pimis)) a white-eyed vireo {Vireo novelmraGmsis))\ 

 two white-throated sparrows {Fohotrichiaalbioleis); a snow 

 bird {Juneo hyemalis); and last, Wilson's black-cap (Myio- 

 dioetes imsUmis). 



— <-«-»*» — 



—The facility with which canary birds and linnets have 

 been taught to execute tricks is well known. In India the 

 barga, a species of weaver bird, noted for the skill with 

 which it constructs its retort-shaped nests, so as to escape 

 the depredations of the monkeys, are also taught wonder- 

 ful feats. On given signals it is said that the birds will 

 feed every lady spectator with a bit of sweetmeat or candy, 

 thus showing a ready discrimination between the sexes. A 

 miniature cannon is also loaded by the birds with coarse 

 grains of gunpowder one by one; the ramrod is skillfully 

 used, and they then take lighted matches procured for 

 them, and apply them to the touch-hole. It is substantia- 

 ted that a bird has been known to apply the match 

 five or six times on the failure of the cannon to explode, 

 and to remain perched on the gun apparently quite elated 

 by the performance, when the piece finally went off. 



-*♦«>- 



Eagles. — A number of eaglei have recently been shot 

 in various parts of Pennsylvania. One shot by John Had- 

 man, in North Coventry, Chester county, had carried off 

 bodily a large lamb and returned the following day after 

 another. When his wing was broken by a shot he fell and 

 was seized by a dog, but he forced his talons entirely 

 around one of the dog's ribs, causing him to howl terribly. 

 The eagle was then killed with clubs. Another, a bald 

 eagle, was killed near Landis Valley, Lancaster county, 

 which measured seven feet three inches from tip to tip of 

 wings. When eagles take to carrying off lambs and young 

 babies, they must of course be killed; but in a few years 

 the typical American bird will be as extinct as the great 

 auk or the dodo. 



Chinese Telescope Fish and Hairy Tortoise. —Mr. 

 Henry Lee, writing to Land and Water ^ says that severai 

 notable living curiosities have recently been brought to the 

 Brighton Aquarium. Chief among them were ten individ- 

 uals of the "telescope fish," just arrived from China, and 

 which are so called from their prominent eyes protruding 

 considerably from each side of the head. The Chinese 

 name of this fish is "Lonir-tsing-ya," Bloch makes of it 

 a distiiict species, which he calls Cyprinus macropthalmMs, 

 but it is merely a "monstrosity — though a very remarkable 

 one— of the common gold carp (Oarmsim auratus,) and has 

 been cultivated by continuous selection by the Chinese, 

 with the wonderful art they display in breeding these elo'- 

 mesticated pets, until the progeny is" so disguised that the 

 original form is almost lost, Regarded from the front, it 

 appears to have a broad forehead, large and projecting 

 eyes, and compressed under lip; a countenance, in facf^ 

 which reminds one at once of a half strangled pug dog. 

 Mr. Bartlett, of the Zoological Gardens, who many years 

 since had some of them in his possession, compares the 

 skill of the Chinese in breeding and perpetuating these de- 

 formities in fish with that of the Chinese in producing, by 

 similar selection, pet dogs with very short noses and large 

 projecting eyes. Goldfish were first reared in China,. in 

 A. D. 9G0. In the year 1129 they abounded, aud since 1548 

 there has been produced at Kang--chow a variety called the 

 "fire fish," from its intensely real color. It is universally 

 admired, and there is not a household where it is not culti- 

 vated, in rivalry as to its color, and as a source of profit. 

 Several artificially produced varieties of the goldfish are 

 preserved in the British Museum. Some have the vertebral 

 column deformed, and are humpbacked; in others the 

 dorsal fin is reduced in size, or to a serrated ray, or is en- 

 tirely absent. Others again have the caudal fin tri-lobed 

 or four-lobed. Iu the specimens just received at Brio-hton 

 the caudal fin has three lobes, and is elongated iu an extra- 



the young of the ordinary goldfish. They average about 

 three inches in length. 

 Mr. John Mesney, of tk« Imperial Customs, Hankow, 



