FOREST AND STREAM 



377 



minute forms of marine life for observation. Just now 

 the eggs of the octopus, or devil fish, may be seen in the 

 various stages of incubation. And I may say here that 

 the octopus is now one of the -leading attractions, or 

 "star performers" of the aquarium. The specimens here 

 were taken off the coast of Jersey, and, therefore, may be 

 supposed to be the little brothers of that giant devil fish 

 which figures so largely in Yictor Hugo's * 'Toilers of the 

 Sea." In fact, Victor Hugo made the fortune of the oc- 

 topus. But for him this marine curiosity might have 

 dwelt in obscurity until now. The keeper kindly fed some 

 of them for my benefit. Small crabs were dropped into 

 the tank, and the little victims came tripping down through 

 the water in their sidelong fashion, dancing to their horrid 

 doom. As soon as the devil fish espied the crab he un- 

 folded and stretched out his horrible arms, drew it under 

 his body, and sucked out its life. It was a sickening sight. 

 The specimens here are not very large, their bodies being 

 about the size of a man's fist, and their arms would stretch 

 perhaps two feet across. One of these devil fish, placed in 

 one of the octagonal vases for better inspection, sometimes 

 escapes at night through the meshes of the wire netting 

 over the top, a space only two inches wide. This would 

 seem- to be impossible, but the fact that these fish have only 

 one bone in their bodies— it is in the head— and that one 

 about the size of a nickle, explains how it may happen. 

 The night watchman in his midnight rounds stumbles 

 over something on the floor, stoops and picks up— a devil 

 fish! The sea water is pumped by a steam engine directly 

 from the sea into reservoirs constructed under the floor of 

 the building, and thence conveyed to the tanks through 

 pottery pipes by the same means. These reservoirs are 

 capable of holding 500,000 gallons of water, which quan- 

 tity can be pumped from the sea in about ten hours. The 

 water in the tanks is constantly aerated and kept in motion 

 by a stream of compressed air, supplied to the bottom of 

 tanks through glass or rubber tubes. The circulation thus af- 

 forded is found to be preferable to the more costly system 

 of pumping adopted by other aquaria, as it allows each 

 tank to be heated independently of its neighbors. The 

 whole of the. tanks, forty-one in number, are numbered 

 consecutively, and at the side is given the popular names 

 of the fish, plants and zoophytes which each contains. 



I cannot attempt to enumerate here all the various fish 

 and marine plants that this great aquarium contains. 

 Some large tanks are given up to the zoophytes, anemones, 

 jelly fish, corals, sponges, and the like, of which there are 

 most beautifui specimens. I saw a lovely tree coral from 

 the Red Sea, and some of the beds of anemones look like 

 a rich pasture of flowers . 



And here were coral-bowers, 

 And grots of madrepores, 

 And banks of sponge, as soft and fair to eye 

 As e'er was moss-y bed 

 Whereon the wood-nymphs lie 

 With languid limbs in summer's sultry hours. 

 Here too were living flowers, 

 Whicb, like a bud compacted, 

 Their purple cups contracted, 

 And now, in open blossom spread, 

 Stretched, like green anthers, many a seekirig head. 



Ana arborets of jointed stoue were there, 

 And plants of fibres fine as silkworm's thread; 

 Yea, beautiful as mermaid's golden hair 



Upon the waves dispread. 

 Others mat, like the broad banana growing, 

 Raised their long wrinkled leaves of purple hue, 



Like streamers wide outflowing.— Kehama, xvi., 5. 



The most attractive and popular feature to the aquarium 

 just now is the sea lions from California. They are two 

 young ones, and were received about a month ago, two 

 others having died on the journey. They are about half- 

 grown animals, and now seem to be very healthy. Excur- 

 sion trains run down from London, bringing large crowds 

 to see them. They are quite docile, even affectionate, 

 towards their keeper when he enters their cage, uttering 

 a sort of dog's bark of delight whenever he approaches 

 them. They are fed upon herring several times each day. 

 The department of crustacse, lobsters, prawn, shrimp, 

 barnacles is very well represented, and the gentle ascidian, 

 which, according to the evolutionists, was our early an- 

 cestor, is here to be seen' struggling up— or down— into a 

 member of Congress. The present curator of the aquarium, 

 Mr. John Parnaby, formerly of the Trentdale fisheries in 

 Cumberland County, is quite well known among our own 

 fish culturists, having visited our country several years 

 ago. I avail myself of this occasion to acknowledge his 

 courtesy to me on my visit to the aquarium. He accom- 

 panied me throughout, showing me all its varied mechan- 

 ism, and allowed some of the fish to be fed for my amuse- 

 ment. Mr. Parnaby is one of the best practical fish cul- 

 turists in England. One of the most important facts con- 

 nected with this enterprise is, that, as an investment of 

 capital, it has proved a "good thing." Mark this, ye men 

 of Wall street, it pays splendidly. The Brighton Aquarium 

 was chartered by a special act of Parliament in 1868, and, 

 therefore, does not require the inevitable word "limited" 

 to be tacked to its title— with a capital of half a million 

 dollars. It has paid ten per cent, to its stockholders, and 

 the stock now stands at fifty per cent, premium in the mar- 

 ket. The success of this one— the first in this country- 

 has been so great that others are springing up, notably the 

 Westminster^ Aquarium in London, near the Abbey of 

 that name, which is to be on a very magnificent scale. 

 * When it can be demonstrated that aquariums pay so hand- 

 somely as a financial scheme it is probable we shall soon 

 see one in Central Park or Boston Common. The Brighton 

 Company is enlarging and improving its property in many 

 ways. The roof of the aquarium has hitherto been laid 



out into a beautiful garden, replete with flowers and plants 

 of every description, admitted to be the most delightful 

 marine promenade on this coar t, it being in full view of the 

 sea; it is new undei going a change. A large portion is to be 

 converted into a skating rink, not of real ice, but of as- 

 phalt, to be used with the parlor skates, a kind of amuse- 

 ment that is very fashionable in England just now. A 

 large cafe is to be fitted up on a portion of the roof for 

 summer use. These extensive improvements involve a 

 large outlay, and new stock has been issued to raise the 

 money. This has been taken by the old stockholders, so 

 that there is no question that such shows pay well in this 

 country. The admission fee is one shilling. Shall we not 

 soon see an aquarium like this in America? Druid. 



The Ruffed Grouse on Her Nest.— The current num- 

 ber of the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News publishes 

 an excellent cut of a ruffed grouse on her nest, the origi- 

 nal of which we had the pleasure of forwarding to our 

 contemporary for its use. We believe that this is the first 

 instance on record of a game bird having been photo- 

 graphed from life during the process of incubation, and it 

 is to the patience of the photographers — Messrs. A. C. Mc- 

 Intyre&Co., of Alexandria Bay, River St. Lawrence— that 

 we are indebted for this interesting study. 



While on this subject we should like to say a word 

 commendatory of the enterprise of our contemporary, the 

 Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, Putting the 

 "dramatic" on one side as being a department upon which 

 we do not feel ourselves qualified to judge, the rest of their 

 paper corresponds exactly with our ideas of what a gentle- 

 man's sporting paper should be. We trust that, with the 

 abundant patronage which is to be found in Great Britain, 

 and from her widely-scattered sons, our contemporary is 

 meeting with that meed of success which is due to honest 

 enterprise and well-directed talents. 



-»*♦- — 



Art Studies for Sportsmen. — We had the pleasure, 

 a few days ago, of a visit to the studio of Wakeman Hol- 

 berton, the animal painter. Mr. Holberton, who is a 

 sportsman, as well as an artist, devotes his time principally 

 to painting game, fish, and dogs. His studies of black 

 bass and brook trout are very faithfully rendered, and as 

 life-like as a painter can make them. His last picture of 

 dead game, now at the Union League Club, is remarkable 

 for its round and feathery appearance, as well as being a 

 charming bit of color. He also showed us several bright 

 and sparkling water colors, which are to go to the coming 

 Water Color Exhibition at the Academy of Design. Mr. 

 Holberton complains that he receives very little encourage- 

 ment from the wealthy sportsmen of the city, a class for 

 whom his pictures are specially adapted. Abroad, animal 

 painting rates very high; but here it seems to be little ap- 

 preciated, and its difficulties little understood. It is to be 

 hoped that some of our rich sportsmen will remember Mr. 

 Holberton, and at least take the trouble to pay him a visit 

 at his studio, 1193 Broadway, and see his work. 



—Initiatory steps have been taken in Boston for the for- 

 mation of an Alpine Club, whose central field of labor 

 will be the White Mountains. Among the benefits to be 

 derived from organized effort, it was suggested that much 

 might be done in determining the altitudes and positions of 

 various mountains, ascertaining facts relating to the ani- 

 mals and fauna of the high regions, in tracing glacial ac- 

 tion, in arriving at some definite results in regard to the 

 nomenclature of mountains where the same eminences 

 were known by different names, or one or more mountains 

 by the same name, in making unfrequented peaks more 

 accessible, in preserving sketches and profiles of the moun- 

 tains as seen from different points, in collecting maps and 

 oilier data, and eventually in publishing important results 



which might be reached. 



. -*♦-*► 



—Mr. Gardiner G, Hubbard, in his paper on the "Daily 

 Press," read before the Social Science Association at Bos- 

 ton last week, shows how easy it is to start a journal in this 

 country, and how difficult it is to keep it alive. The very 

 few that succeed deserve all the creait that success com- 

 mands. He says that, in 1840, there were in New York 

 eighteen daily papers; since then, 113 new dailies have 

 been started, but, after struggling for a while, most of 

 them have ceased publication, leaving the same number of 

 dailies in the English language now as in 1840. In Lon- 

 don there are seven morning dailies, but only four of these 

 have a substantial hold upon the public. 



— Captain Paul Boyton, who has returned to his native 

 waters, after his foreign exploits, has been experimenting 

 in the East River, in presence of large crowds. The other 

 day, when he jumped into the water off the Battery, he 

 struck a current which must have reminded him of Cape 

 Gris-Nez. Before he could reach the Brooklyn shore he 

 was carried down the bay, and finally was picked up and 

 carried to land by a row-boat. 



. — ■«•»» — — — — 



—On January 14th the ice-boats Fly-Away and Snow- 

 Bird, of the Capitoline Club, had a race for the clu b pen- 

 nant on the Capitoline Lake, the Fly -A way winning the 

 pennant. It is to be raced for again this week, morning 

 being the time the ice-boats are sailed at the lake, as then 



the skaters are very few. 



««,»■ . 



—Skating was largely enjoyed at the Capitoline Lake 

 and Union Pond, Brooklyn, on January 15th, the weather 

 being very specially auspicious for the eager sport on that 

 day. 



GAME PROTECTION. 



International Association for Protecting Game 

 and Fish.— The investigating committees of this import- 

 ant Association are making satisfactory and substantial 

 progress. The Committee on Nomenclature is composed of 

 Dr. Elliott Coues, chairman; Alexander Agassiz, Dr. J. L. 

 LeConte, Profs. Theo. Gill and E. D. Cope, G. Brown 

 Goode, and A. B. Lamberton. Their report is nearly com- 

 plete, and when finished, will constitute one of the most 

 valuable additions to the scientific knowledge of Amer- 

 ica. It will afford the long-needed formula for designating 

 our species, so that the same shall be known and uniformly 

 recognized in all States alike, and intelligent legislation be 

 thus secured for their protection. 



The Committee on the Habits and Distribution of Species 

 is aided by auxilliary committees, among whom the work of 

 examination is divided. These auxilliary committees com- 

 prise some one hundred and fifty competent observers res- 

 ident in all sections of the United States and Canada, and 

 are assigned to an examination of the following classes 

 and species: Fish— Salmoides, Percoids, and other North- 

 ern fish not of the salmo family; Southern and coast 

 fishes. Large mammals; small game animals. Birds— 

 Gallinaceous; ducks and wild fowl; woodcock and migra- 

 tory birds. In order to facilitate labor, the chairman of 

 the Standing Committee has issued the following circular, 

 which has been distributed. Any information that per- 

 sons, not members of the Association, may desire to com- 

 municate, will be most thankfully received by Dr. Ellzey. 

 The work sought to be accomplished is for the benefit of 

 all, and all should take an active interest in it:— 



Office of Chairman of Committee J 



on Harjts of Species, Va. Agric'l College, j- 



Blacksburg, Montgomery Co., Va., Jan. 1, 1876. ) 



Sir:— 



The Committee hope to secure your active cooperation 

 in furthering the objects of the Association. 



The special duty of the Committee on Habits is to pro- 

 cure full information respecting certain points in the econ- 

 omy of each species, upon which to base intelligent, com- 

 prehensive, and effectual legislation for the protection of 

 game quadrupeds, birds, and fishes. 



Points upon which information is specially desirable are 

 the following, among others: — 



1. Character of the species, whether a resident, a Summer 

 or Winter visitor, or a migrant; with dates of arrival and 

 departure of such as are non-resident. 



2. Time of pairing, laying, incubating, and rearing 

 young. 



3. Time when in proper condition to afford legitimate 

 sport. 



4. Principal or usual food of each species at different 

 seasons. 



5. Principal or usual resorts of each species at different 

 seasons. 



6. Peculiar or characteristic habits'of each species at dif- 

 ferent seasons. 



7. Comparative abundance of different species, now and 

 formerly, with causes which have led to their increase or 

 decrease in numbers. 



8 . List of the principal or usual game animals in each 

 locality. 



9. Any special points affecting the game interests of par- 

 ticular localities. M. G. Ellzey, M. D., Chairman. 



—Speaking of the use of giant powder in California for 

 killing fish, the Santa Rosa Democrat says: — 



"Just now the salmon trout is on its travels to a spawn- 

 ing ground, which but few will reach. We are informed 

 by an eye-witness that, after a single discharge of giant 

 powder in Russian River, be counted twenty-seven large 

 salmon with their bellies upward on the surface of the 

 water, and a great number of larger fish of other varieties 

 and innumerable smaller ones, which were left to rot along 

 the bank. Austin Creek was once the finest stream in the 

 State for trout. Giant powder has been exploded in its 

 waters until the fish have been killed. In tiie Lagoon giant 

 powder has been used, also in Mark West, and in the 

 streams throughout the country. The destruction of fish 

 has reached such an extent tnat it is absolutely necessary, 

 to save any at all, that prompt and decided action be taken 

 by the law-making power." 



— The St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer-Press prints a letter from 

 Mr. R. Warner, President of the St. Paul Sportsman's 

 Club, which corrects its statement that Judge Wilkin had 

 declared the game law of that State unconstitutional, in 

 that it took private properly for public use without com- 

 pensation, when it confiscated birds unlawfully shot and 

 handed them over to charitable institutions. The writer 

 says: "The suit has not been decided, nor has the law 

 been declared unconstitutional, but the case will be tried 

 at the next term of the District Court." 



— The West Jersey Game Protective Society is now dis- 

 tributing game throughout the southern part of the State 

 and stocking the streams with black bass and other 

 game fish. To fish with a net in the streams so stocked 

 for three years, renders the violator of the law subject to 

 heavy penalties. The society has its agents, and intends 

 to enforce the law. 



Tallahassee, Ma., January 7th, 1876. 

 Editor Forest and Stream :— 



I notice in a recent issue of your paper some apprehension expressed 

 in reference to the new game law in this State. It is feared that it wUl 

 operate to the prejudice and cause annoyance to the true sportsman 

 among the visitors who annually pour into our State, as well as to the 

 taxidermist or aviarist in search of specimens of our native birds for 

 private or public museums. 



A reasonable construction and enforcement of the law in question 

 will not bring about the result you fear. Let me give you a summary of 

 its provisions for the information of your readers: — 



Section one provides that from and after the 1st of June, 18." 5, it shall 

 be unlawful for any non-retident to hunt for game of any kind, for the 

 purpose of conveying it, alive or dead, beyond the State's limits^ without 

 first obtaining a license from the clerk of the county in which he pro- 

 poses to hunt. The license costs $25; but six persons mayhem; undes 

 one license by paying five dollars additional each. 



