228 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



Mr. Anderson that such an end has come to the undertak- 

 ing, but neither is to blame, and both alike attribute the 

 result to the sad loss of the great naturalist, which ended 

 the hopes both entertained regarding the establishment of 

 what was to be a national school. 



But, as the Tribune has well said, "Though the dormito- 

 ries are torn down and the aquariums are sold, and the sea- 

 gulls have again taken possession of Penekese, the work 

 that was done there has not been thrown away. The im- 

 pulse that was there given to the study of natural history 

 by the method of direct investigation has produced already 

 a marked effect throughout the country. * * * No 

 portion of Mr. Anderson's liberality or of the gratuitous 

 labors of men eminent in science expended on that now 

 desolate island are lost. Measured only by present results, 

 that which they have done for science and for the youth of 

 America is worthy even of the high hopes which Prof. 

 Agassiz indulged." 



i — -.» — _- ~~~ 



Sea Island Sheep. — A curious race of sheep exists on a 

 small island in Englishmen's Bay, on the coast of Maine. 

 The island is about two miles square, is open on the east to 

 the full ocean, and about half of it is heavily wooded. 

 The sheep are mixed breed, showing traces of the merino, 

 Southdown, and long wooled breeds. They are nearly as 

 wild as dear, and before the great storm of October, 1869, 

 blew down so many trees, they had paths where they always 

 ran, so that it was not difficult to drive them into a carrol 

 when they were wanted for shearing, but now it is next to 

 impossible to get them at all. Consequently the bucks and 

 ewes are always together, and the latter begin lambing 

 inJVlarch and get through by May 1 . The early lambs 

 are hardier than the late ones, and stand the Winter better. 

 Few of the sheep, apparently, die from disease, and many 

 seem to live out their full allotted time. If not caught 

 every year they usually wear their fleeces until sheared, 

 so that three fleeces are sometimes found, one on top of 

 another. 



In Winter they are divided into flocks of from fifteen to 

 twenty -live, and live near a place where they can get to the 

 shore for sea- weed and into the woods for shelter. Their 

 principal living in Winter is some of the varieties of sea- 

 weed, principally dulse. They also eat the branches of 

 nearly ail the trees that grow on the island. They like fir 

 better than spruce, are very fond of mountain ash, eating 

 branches as large as your finger, and also the bark elder 

 and raspberry; also the moss from the old stumps and logs. 

 In the Spring, when the tide runs out very low, they go 

 out on the rocks as far a3 they can get, and sometimes the 

 tide will come up all round them. When this is the case 

 they will not wade through water a few inches in depth, 

 but will stick to the ledge till the tide takes them off. By 

 that time their fleeces are so full of water and heavy that, 

 although they can swim ashore, they cannot get out read- 

 ily, bat c r awl out a little way, and ihen wait for the water 

 to drain off, and crawl a little farther. If there is any sea 

 going it washes them back again, and they drown. 

 •*.«*. 



— Mr. RM. Stivers' eldest son found a live woodcock last 

 Monday in the area of his house in East Thirty-first street, 

 and had him in a small cage feeding him on mocking bird 

 food. This bird no doubt struck a telegraph wire, which 

 crippled him so that he was unable to fly. We understand 

 that he died Monday night. Mr. S. will have him set up. 

 We have before this noticed instances of woodcock having 

 been caught alive in this city and Boston, and of the at- 

 tempt to rear them by hand, It seems evident, however, 

 that these birds will not thrive in confinement. As the 

 flight of woodcock is comparatively low-, and generally 

 made by night, it is not singular that the birds frequently 

 strike the innumerable obstructions that traverse and fill 

 our aerial world above the chimney pots. 



— It is almost impossible to raise any apples in New 

 Zealand and neighboring islands on account of the plant 

 lice {Aphides,) which ruin the fruit in the bud. The Auck- 

 land Acclimatization Society are concerting measures for 

 the introduction of the various species of GoccinellcB (lady 

 bugs, etc.,) which prey upon the plant lice, and thus put a 

 stop to their ravages. 



•+++. ' 



Humble Bees for New Zealand. — Mr. Frank Buck- 

 land lias just succeeded in getting a colony of humble bees 

 started to New Zealand, where none exist, and w T here they 

 are urgently needed to fertilize the clover, there being no 

 insect native to that island having a sufficiently long pro- 

 boscis to penetrate the clover flowers. Mr. Buckland, for 

 a long time alter he decided upon the experiment of their 

 transportation, was unable to procure any live bees, but at 

 last got a colony, which were sent to him in a box about 

 eighteen inches square with one division. They were well 

 and.lively. The nest— earth and all— had been sent just as 

 it was dug, and the young bees were hatching out daily. 

 In just this condition the bees were intrusted to a Mr. Hall 

 who was going out to New Zealand, and who promised to 

 care for them. In order to feed them during the voyage 

 thirty pounds of honey were packed up, which will be fed 

 to the bees in little bird cage tins through holes in the box. 

 They will also require water to drink. If any more nests 

 of live bees can be obtained another exportation will be 

 made. 



—John McDonald, keeper of the lower lighthouse in 

 Newark Bay, picked up three woodcock and four small 

 birds last Sunday morning which had flown against the 

 light and killed themselves. He says it is no unusual thing 

 to find dead birds lying on the roof of the house next to 

 the light in the Jfall, and in several instances he has found 

 dilck. Last March there were three geese killed at this 

 lijght." 



The Cake op Canary Birds. — Says a writer on cana- 

 ries: — "Inthiswayl answer the question of 'how I had 

 such luck with birds.' Simply by allowing the birds to 

 attend to their own affairs, and by letting them understand 

 that their master would never harm them. Also by accus- 

 toming them to plenty of light and air and company, 

 rather than, as recommended in books, keeping the cage 

 in a dark room for fear of frightening the birds. Make 

 just half the fuss directed in bird books over the matter, 

 and you will have double the success in raising birds. 

 Never give them sugar, but all the red pepper they will 

 eat; it is the best thing for them. And if your bird feels 

 hoarse at any time put a piece of fat salt pork in the cage, 

 and see how the little fellow will enjoy it, and listen for 

 the result. Give him flaxseed once in a while, and if he 

 appears dumpy occasionally give him a diet of bread and 

 water, with red pepper sprinkled in. Open the cage door 

 and give your pels the freedom of the room. Soon they 

 will come at your call, and fly to meet you whenever your 

 voice is heard. I had one who came regularly to my desk 

 as I sat writing each day, and disputed, with fluttering 

 wings and open beak, my humble right to the inkstand . 

 And when I reasoned him out ot his mistaken notion he 

 would perch himself on my penhandle (no very comfort- 

 able proceeding for me), and watch me gravely as I wrote. 

 I have many a time, also, discovered him in the act of eat- 

 ing off the corners of my paper, even to the title of my 

 article. Another thought nothing of trotting about on my 

 head and shoulders, and even hopped under my throat to 

 nestle against my chin. He would take his bath as I held 

 the cup in my hand, and coolly dry himself on my head. 

 Another would fly up or down stairs whenever I called 

 him, and many a time when I have been out he has wel- 

 comed my return by flying down the stairs and singing at 

 the top of his voice all the while, until at last, perched on 

 my shoulder, he would accompany me to my room." 



It is said that if left a day and a night without rood, ca- 

 naries will make an attempt upon each other's life, and 

 those that are killed will be eaten by the survivors. The 

 professional gentleman above referred to had a dozen birds 

 in a cage, and while out of town on business five of them 

 were killed in this way, after the water and food were all 

 used up. Rape and canary seed is the standard food for 

 canaries. 



During the present "corner" in canary seed, the eco- 

 nomical will give their pets a mixture of rape and millet 

 seed. A half peck of rape costs seventy-five cents, and 

 an equal quantity of millet thirty-one; this is nearly equal 

 to mixed canary seed, and costs a small fraction over thir- 

 teen cents a quart. A half peck of canary seed, costing 

 $1 25, may be added, making a mixed food equal to what 

 retails for forty cents, and which will cost less than twenty 



cents a quart. 



+++. 



The Capture op Hyenas. — The following mode of tying 

 hyenas in their dens, as practiced in Afghanistan, is given 

 by Arthur Connolly in his "Overland Journey," in the 

 words of an Afghan chief, the Shikaree Syud Daoud: — 

 "When you have tracked the beast to his den you take a 

 rope with two slip-knots upon it in your right hand, and 

 with your left holding a felt cloak before you, j^ou go 

 boldly but quietly in. The animal does not know the na- 

 ture of the danger, and therefore retires to the back of his 

 den, but you may always tell where his head is by the glare 

 of his eyes. You keep moving on gradually toward him 

 on your knees, and when you are within distance, throw 

 the cloak over his head, close with him, and take care he 

 does not free himself. The beast is so frightened that he 

 cowers back, and though he may bite the felt, he cannot 

 turn his neck round to hurt you, so you quietly feel for his 

 fore legs, slip the knots over them, and then, with one 

 strong pull, draw them tight up to the back of his neck, 

 and tie them there. The beast is now your own, and you 

 can do what you like with him. We generally take those 

 we catch home to the krail, and hunt them on the plain 

 with bridles in their mouths, that our dogs may be taught 

 not to fear the brutes when they meet them wild." 



Hyenas are also taken alive by the Arabs by a very simi- 

 lar method, except that a wooden gag is used instead of a 

 felt cloak. The similarity in the mode of capture in two 

 such distant countries as Algeria and Afghanistan, and by 

 two races so different, is remarkable. From the fact that 

 the Afghans consider that the feat requires great presence 

 of mind, and an instance being given of a man having died 

 of a bite received in a clumsy attempt; we may infer that 

 the Afghan hyena is more powerful or more ferocious than 



his African congener. 



■ •*♦♦■ 



— Sir R. Christison, in a communication to the Royal 

 Society of Great Britain, has given the results of a chemi- 

 cal analysis of clean salmon ({. e. y those in good condition,) 

 and of the same species where exhausted or "foul." A 

 mean of several trials gave, for clean salmon, oil, 18.53 per 

 cent.; nitrogenous matter, 19.70 per cent.; saline matter, 

 0,88 per cent. ; water, 60.89 per cent. : for the foul salmon, 

 oil, 1.25 per cent.; nitrogenuous matter, 17.07 percent.; 

 saline matter, 0.88 per cent. ; water, 80.80 per cent. 



•**-»» 



—The red corpuscles of the blood of the salmon family 

 are the largest in size of those of any of the bony fishes, 

 and consequently are the best for novices in microscopy 

 who desire to study the blood of fishes to begin on. Those 

 of Balmo fontinalis have a mean length of 1-1455 of an inch. 

 . , •«.««> 



— At Geelong, Australia, the remains of an immense 

 kangaroo, of a species now extinct, were found recently at 

 a depth of fifteen feet. A shaft was sunk forty-three feet, 

 but no bones were found at a greater depth. 

 _ ^»»» 



CENTRAL- PARK MENAGERIE. 



« 



Department op Public Parks, I 

 New York. Nov. 17th, 1875. J 



Animals received at Central Park Menagerie for the week ending 

 November 13th. 1875:— 



One Bald Eagle, Hcdiaetus cencocephalus. Presented by Mr. Abel Whit- 

 lock. 



One Mocking Bird, Minus pollygloVus. Presented by Dr. Stephen 

 Kelly. 



Two gray Squirrels, Sciurus Carolinensis. Presented by Master Fran- 

 cis P. Magoun. 



Three Axis Deer, Axis maculata. Bab. India. 



Three Tigers, Felts tigris, one year old. Bred in the Antwerp Gar- 

 dens; raised on a dog. 



Two Nylghans, Fortax plcta. Hob India. Bred Lin the Acclimatiza- 

 tion Garden, Bois du Boulogne, Paris, W. A. Conkuh, Director. 



r oodfand t ^ntm and %ardm. 



♦ 

 IMPROVED FLOWERS. 



The Qermanlown Telegraph thus discourses on the results 

 of the propagation of new varieties of favorite old plants 

 by our florists: — 



When we were boys and girls our gardens teemed with 

 cabbage roses, with hundred ]eaved roses, white damask 

 and provence roses, and roses with the York and Lancaster 

 stripes. It was "a joy forever" to walk through the gar- 

 den then. Most of us can smell the fragrance of those 

 rose-bedecked gardens yet; and then the rose leaves were 

 gathered and preserved, and even, materially speaking, the 

 rose oder was ever with us. 



But the modern florist came and laughed at us. Those 

 old fashioned things were of no account. We should have 

 the double roses, China, tea, and barbon roses — roses that 

 bloomed all the time. We took his advice, and now what 

 we have for roses are as much like real roses as coffee is 

 like beans. Many, indeed, who have gardens hardly know 

 what a real rose is. It is fortunate that old Tom Moore 

 lived in the last generation, or our sympathetic young la- 

 dies would not be able to quote, with a sigh, 



"Yon may break, you may scatter the vase as you will, 

 The odor of ro«es will ciing to it still, 



for our roses would never have suggested anything of that 

 kind. 



JSTot only has the genuine good old rose been improved 

 to death, but it is so with other fine old flowers. Every 

 good garden had gay hollyhocks, but the improver got 

 hold of them. They figured for awhile at exhibitions as 

 double dahlias, but they are now gone, single and double 

 alike. Nobody sees scarcely a hollyhock nowadays, nor 

 sweet Williams, polyanthuses, daisies, carnations, pinks, 

 pansiea, and so on. Where are they all now? We have 

 pansies, it is true, but we have to get them from the flor- 

 ists every Spring. The good old hardy pansy, which came 

 into use so late as our own generation, has been improved 

 so much that it will hardly grow at all any more. A. good 

 set of verbenas is among the rarest sights in the gardens of 

 the present day, yet scarcely a dozen years ago we depend- 

 ed so much on them that it was not unusual for one florist 

 to ask another, "Wonder what they did for garden towers 

 before they had verbenas?" 



At this season of the year we miss particularly the good 

 old chrysanthemums, of which we have two kinds — a large 

 blushing white and a golden yellow. It was no trouble to 

 grow them. They were set out in the flower borders, and 

 came up as regularly every year as an ox-eye daisy. Oc- 

 tober was quite gay with the garden chrysanthemums. 

 But the improvers introduced a new set with small flowers 

 — pompon es and matricarias — getting the flowers reduced 

 down to the smallest possible size, and the plants to mere 

 dwarfs, that we grew ashamed of our old friends and took 

 to the new, and now we have none. 



Improvement is all very well, but we may keep on point- 

 ing our peg till we whittle it all away. 



<*»-». . 



Wintering Bees. — A correspondent of the Practical 

 Farmer, referring to the care of bees in Winter, says "the 

 Winter of 1869 was disastrous to bees in this State, many 

 losing their entire stock. My bees were sheltered in a cave 

 built in the side of a dry hill; all came out in good order, 

 while other apiarians in this section lost nearly all. There 

 is nothing on the farm that seems to give life to all around 

 as a well cared for stock of bees. The question is often 

 asked, 'What makes your bees so smart and make such lots 

 of honey? We don't get honey from our bees. 1 If the 

 bees are allowed to nearly all die through the Winter it 

 will take nearly all Summer to recuperate, and then be 

 weak. The plan I take is to keep my bees strong in num- 

 bers, remove the honey board, put straw mattings over the 

 comb frames, see that they are well ventilated at the bot- 

 tom, place them in Winter quarters before hard freezing, 

 let them remain quiet until it becomes warm and pleasant 

 in Spring, and not get them out too early. The longest 

 time or latest period of bees being kept in cave was till the 

 4th of July. They were then taken out, and have done 

 finely. This goes to show that bees will live a long time 

 if kept qui^t and still in a dark place. I consider noise or 

 occasional light disastrous to bees in Winter quarters. They 

 will eat double the honey and bee bread, and dirty up every 

 part of the hive. I doubt whether bees can be wintered 

 successfully where there is a great amount of noise. Build 

 a place for your bees; it is money well laid out. 



^♦^s. 



New Food for Horses and Sheep.— A favorite and 

 rather new kind of mash for horses is coming into use, 

 composed of two quarts of oats, one of bran, and half a 

 pint of flaxseed. The oats aie first placed in the stable 

 bucket, over which is placed the linseed; add boiling 

 water, then the bran, covering the mixture with an old rug 

 and allowing it to thus rest for five hours; then stir the 

 mass up. The bran absorbs while retaining the vapor, and 

 the linseed binds the oats and bran together. A greater 

 quantity of flaxseed would make the preparation too oily 

 and less relished. One feed per day is sufficient. It is 

 easily digestible, and is specially adapted to young animals, 

 adding to their volume rather than to their height— giving 

 substance to the frame. Prof. Sanson reminds us not to 

 overlook the food in the nourishment question in connec- 

 tion with the amelioration of live stock. He considers 

 oats, as so generally given lo sheep, as objectionable and 

 approaching the unprofitable. Rams generally receive one 

 pound of oats daily, ewes half that quantity. Oats, form- 

 ing an exciting food, are especially suited for rams, but for 

 hastening the development of young sheep they only build 

 up the bones, not the flesh. 



_ ■<♦ » » — ■ 



— With suitable preparation and management, not only 

 does a healthy horse suffer no distress from trotting a mod- 

 erate distance at the top of his speed, but enjoys it as highly 

 as his driver. The match trot.er is peculiarly gifted with 

 powers of locomotion, and his wonderful mechanism can 

 only be appreciated when in full operation. To most per- 

 sons a closely contested trot is a beautiful and attractive 

 spectacle, and experience proves that nothing aflords a 

 more delightful or harmless amusement for the people pro- 

 vided the superintendence and associations are ot tne 

 proper kind. 



