"Who Can Explain’ This ?— The following account is 
taken from the San Francisco Chronicle, and was given to 
a reporter of that journal by Mr. B. B. Redding, a San 
Francisco naturalist, a member of the Academy of Sci¬ 
ences, one of the State Fish Commissioners and otherwise 
well known to our readers by his contributions to the 
Forest and Stream. The easiest way to explain it is to 
6ay that it is gammon. The authorship of the story pre¬ 
cludes such a disposal of it. We give it to our natural his¬ 
tory students and fishermen to ponder oyer: 
In Siskiyou county there is a caravansary kept by 
George Campbell, and known as the Upper Soda Springs 
Hotel, which is situated on a semi-circle of land formed 
by a bend in the Sacramento river. Wishing to have a 
supply of fresh trout close at hand, Mr. Campbell had a 
supply of water conducted through a board flume from 
the river to a natural depression in the ground, thereby 
creating an excellent fish pond of about half an acre in 
extent, which he supplied with full-grown trout caught 
in the river. The supply flume is, for some distance, 
raised about four feet above the ground. About 400 feet 
from the pond a small rivulet, which is an outlet for irri¬ 
gating water, flows under the flume, crossing it at right 
angles and about four feet below it, and empties into the 
river. 
The fall of water from the end of the flume to the sur¬ 
face of the pond is two feet, the water in the flume flow¬ 
ing with a velocity of three miles an hour. The pond has 
an outlet, which is screened to prevent the escape of the 
trout. Shortly after the pond was established, the dis¬ 
covery was made that numbers of fish were missing from 
it. Mr. Campbell instituted an investigation, which re¬ 
sulted in discovering that the fish, dissatisfied with their 
new quarters, had leaped through the waterfall two 
feet into the flumo, and swimming against the strong cur¬ 
rent until they reached where the stream crosses un¬ 
der the flume, they had leaped out of the latter to the 
stream four feet beneath. Upon discovering the method 
Of flight adopted by his finny acrobats, Mr. Campbell pre¬ 
vented further escape by placing a screen at the mouth of 
the flume. Up to last accounts the dissatisfied flsh 
had discovered no other method of getting into then - fav¬ 
orite Sacramento. The questions immediately suggest 
themselves : How could the fish know that a stream flowed 
under the flume, the sides of which were considerably 
above the surface of the water, and if they possessed that 
knowledge how were they to know that they were imme¬ 
diately over it? Mr, Redding examined the ground care¬ 
fully along the flume, and could not discover a single 
instance of a trout having- jumped out at any other 
place. 
Ponds 'Working —Some of our readers have asked what 
was meant by a“ pond working,” or what process of nature 
is in progress at the time. At our request, Mr. Seth Green 
has answered the inquiry in a very intelligent manner, 
and thereby contributed information which is known to 
hut few. Last year we saw Lake Winnebago, in Wiscon¬ 
sin, work. The water which is ordinarily very clear, was 
so cloudy that it looked like sea water. A microscopic 
examination of a glassfull showed the vegetable seeds 
plainly. The hints as to the proper time to flsh will no 
doubt be acted upon hereafter by all who read this letter 
of Mr. Green’s:— 
. Rochester, N. Y., Sept. sa. 
'K Nearly all lakes and ponds, “work,” or what is generally 
colled, “blossom,” some waters once, and some twice during 
the summer months. It Is a vegetable substance that grows on 
the bottom, and at some time during the summer the seedjor 
bloom breaks loose from the bottom and floats in the water. The 
leaves of the blossoms are of the same weight as the water, so 
that some kinds do not Come to the top and float but float about 
In the water, giving the water a thick or oily appearance. 
Von can catch but few flsh when the water is in blossom. But 
as soon as the water is done blossoming tbo fish will bite. Irou- 
doquoit Bay went in blossom this year on July 1st and cleared 
up August 20th; and during that time there were but few flsh 
taken. But since August 20th a market basketful could be taken 
in a sboi-t time. AU pleasure seokors, I mean parties going on 
tlshlng tours, should find out tf the water they intend to visit is 
In blossom, and if it is, do not go until it clears up. Get there as 
soon as it clears, and you will ha ve good Ashing. Seth Queen. 
Trout Parasites— Yaphank, L. I . — I send you a notice 
of a new flsh parasite from a Western paper. Something 
like this has been found on the flsh in the ponds of the 
South Side Club and has been sent to Mr. Perkins for 
identification. Wa quote: ‘’Seth Perkins has found a 
new flsh parasite which preys upon brook trout and 
suckers, eating holes in then- sides. It looks like a bat¬ 
shaped drop of jelly and would naturally bo taken for a 
little swelling under the skin,” R, Winslow. 
Remarks. — Your parasite is not new. See Livingston 
Stone's “Domesticated Trout," pages 183-4. The only 
remedy he recommends is to take out the affected ones 
and throw them, away. Then ohange all the others to a 
new place where you can depend on the water (water not 
liable to contamination by the parasites floating down 
from other waters connecting therewith), and lose no 
time in doing so.—[E d. 
New York. —The State Fish Commissioners have 
placed in the Hudson tills season more than 6,500,000 
shad fry. Other work of the Commission has been with 
lake and brook trout, salmon, black bass, perch, and 
L whitefish, 
—Carp ai - e now said to be rather numerous in the Shen¬ 
andoah, Va. An old Philadelphia angler who annually 
visits this stream on account of the fine black bass fishing 
to be enjoyed there, tells us that he has taken the carp 
on many occasions weighing from four to live pounds 
each. He found the interior of the flsh lined with fat 
and considers it one of the most palatable species he lias 
ever eaten. Years ago, it is asserted, a few specimens 
were put in this river, hence the present supply. 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
Virginia Progress in Fish Culture.— W. F, Page, Esq., 
of the Virginia Fish Commission, is now putting up a 
trout hatchery at Wytheville, to have a capacity of 1,350, - 
000 salmon. He has 3,000 gallons of water delivered at 
45 feet elevation, 538 F. 
r^ntimd ffsterp. 
Drumming op Spruce Partridge.— The Canada grouse 
is commonly known in Canada as the “spruce partridge." 
It is a beautiful bird, especially the cock, and is naturally 
quite tame and easily domesticated. It is altogether dif¬ 
ferent in this last respect from the ruffed grouse, or “ birch 
partridge.” The drumming of the ruffed grouse has at 
various times served as a subject of animated discussion 
in these columns, but we do not remember to have seen 
the drumming of the Canadian grouse referred to, except 
on one occasion by our correspondent, “ Penobscot.” One 
of our New Brunswick correspondents who is a profes¬ 
sional trapper, says the Bound is produced by the cock 
bird flying almost perpendicularly in the air against some 
spruce bush. He says: “I have often heard and seen 
them, though the noise can hardly be called drumming. 
It is thus the sound is produced which calls the bird of 
the other sex,” 
Raccoons also.—W e find the folowing paragraph adrift 
without any credit. It is interesting, if true :— 
Some time last winter a gentleman in the northern 
part of Smith County, Texas, on the Sabina River, was 
riding a pony, and as he was approaching the river a rac¬ 
coon ran out and bit the horse on the leg. The raccoon 
repeated or continued its attack until the gentleman put 
the pony into a gallop and ran off. A few days ago the 
gentleman was leading the pony out of a pasture. While 
he wa 3 letting down the fence the pony suddenly com¬ 
menced biting the rails furiously, had a fit, fell down, and 
ixi a few moments was dead. 
A Field for Naturalists.—C orpus Chrisli, Texas.— 
Mr. Editor :—This is a good game country. If I knew 
the correct names of the flsh and game to be found here 
I would make out a list, but I only know the local names, 
and they are generally incorrect. Roseate spoonbills are 
called flamingoes ; avocets are called tilters ; cormorants 
are water turkeys; coots are poule cFeaus, etc,, etc, In 
the winter there are myriads of water fowl from the north, 
ranging from teal duck to swan in size, andfrom the jack 
snipe to the trumpeter crane. We have no end to the va¬ 
rieties of fish, of which I know the names of only the 
common kinds, suoh as red fish, sheepshead, flounder, 
ompano, trout (weak fish), Spanish mackerel, perch, 
rums, grand ecaille, jew fish (for which I would like to 
know the proper name), string ray, croaker, sharks, gars, 
saw flsh, porpoises, etc. 
We have a new fish for these waters called a pike. It 
is similar in shape and appearance to the alligator gar, 
but has soft scales and the under jaw projects beyond the 
upper at least half an inch. It grows to about four feet 
long and looks very similar to the pickerel of the western 
rivers. I would think it of the same species, but it is a 
salt water fish entirely. I never before heard of a salt 
water pike. 
If you could get one of your scientific correspondents to 
visit this section of the country, 1 would be glad to assist 
liim in procuring curiosities. Sam. M. Johnson. 
A FEW QUESTIONS DISCUSSED. 
A RE robins topers ? Are crows thieves, or our bene¬ 
factors? When do deer feed? 
I have been much interested, Mr. Editor, by the arti¬ 
cles in your issue of August 14th signed “ N. A. T. ” and 
“Forked Deer "upon these subjects respectively, I do 
not remember “ St. Clair’s ” letter, published May 1, and 
cannot lay my hands upon the back numbers containing 
it; but, writing for this latitude and longitude, neither 
of your contributors would be correct, if judged by the 
light of my experience. As a sportsman, my observation 
has been entirely confined to South Carolina, and chiefly 
to one of the Sea Islands near [Charleston. True, I have 
shot a good deal in several counties of both Up and Low 
Country: and let me tell you, the partridge shooting 
(folks your way call them quail) in the middle and upper 
counties is not to be despised. The birds are perhaps as 
numerous in the Low Country, hut dense thickets and 
swamps here render their escape from the gun far easier 
than in the comparatively open country above. In York, 
I myself, a very ordinary and unsteady shot, have in a 
morning bagged forty-five birds to my own gun, and 
with one dog only, though she mis a good one; and I 
know as a fact, well authenticated by a competent wit¬ 
ness, of Mr. A. B. killing in Sumter County in one day’s 
shoot seventy partridges in seventy-two Bhots. He, how¬ 
ever, is accounted one of the' “Cracks of the State," 
uses ail the best means and appliances, and besides hunts 
his game on horseback, and lias a servant along mounted, 
too, to pull and replace the fences in his route, which, 
thus with ease to himself, may cover twenty miles in the 
day. 
But this is all digression. “ Let us return to our mut¬ 
ton." Do robins get drunk? No I Do they sometimes 
fall from the tree to the ground apparently drunk ? Yes 1 
As a hoy I was familiar with the negro theories well 
dwelt upon by “N. A. T,” Many a time I have watched 
robins feeding upon, not only the China berries, but those 
of the wild orange ; and these last they seem greatly to 
prefer ; and more than once 1 have seen them fall and 
picked them up, not drunk, but choked by a berry of un¬ 
usual size. The removal of it from the gullet left them 
as well and lively as ever. No; our cheerful little friend 
is no toper; but'like, alas ! too many of us, he sometimes 
takes more than is good for him. Query. Are the gour¬ 
mand and the glutton less guilty than the drunkard ? 
Are crows thieves or benefactors V In my experience 
both. In April no more persistent foe to our Indian corn 
crop exists than Mr, “ Coitus.” We tar the seed, and this 
625 
helps; but, despite the precaution, “ Corn Minders " and 
" Scare Crows ” as well are employed, and even these 
often prove unavailing’in abridging his ravages. Upon 
the whole, however, he is a friend rather than an enemy 
to our farmers. I am quite convinced that his destruc¬ 
tion of bugs and worms, hurtful to our crops, far more 
than compensates for his inroads upon our planted grain 
in one month of the year. Formulated, according to my 
way of thinking, the good he does is to the evil wrought 
by him as 11 to 1. 
When do deer feed ? When they are hungry, as a mat¬ 
ter of course. But when are they hungry ? ’ Just when 
the conformation of their eyes fit them best to find the 
"food they like best. When docs the woodcock feed? 
At twilight, mom, and eve, and at night sometimes when 
the moon gives a light approximating to twilight. Occa¬ 
sionally, but not often, I have seen a woodcock boring 
in broad day when clouds were dark and skies were low¬ 
ering. Ordinarily with ns they lie closely in dense cov¬ 
erts at that time, and are only found by the sportsman 
stumbling upon them, or by tile unerring nose of our 
faithful pointers and setters. Cockers are. I believe, 
practically unknown here. Deer are hunted in our lo¬ 
cality, and, I think, generally in the Low Country, al¬ 
most exclusively with dogs. I cannot, and do not, boast 
of a large experience in this direction, for my avoca¬ 
tions since our civil war have consigned me to a very 
sedentary life. But I am not without the opportunities 
of annual observation. I have hunted Cariucus virg- 
■ianus again and again, and have been at him, for my 
chances, quite a successful shot: and have to see or hear 
of his feeding by day proper. Let the scaffolds standing 
in our pea fields with their beacons aloft to “ shine their 
eyes,” and the darkey with his musket speak. Lot the 
experienced hunters of our Southern land say what they 
know ! What influence the rising of the moon by day 
may have upon the habits of deer in California, or else¬ 
where, I know not, but I never heard of such a theory 
here, 
I have owned and bred both pointers anti setters, and 
in our climate will back the former against the latter 
every time for general usefulness and average healthful¬ 
ness. I think they have a higher oilier of brain, too ; 
hut this may he fancy; though I could quote “Btone-- 
henge,” than whom there truly is no higher authority in 
my favor. For endurance and persistent, never-flagging, 
all ambitious work, whether it be in thorny thickets or re¬ 
trieving by land or water, commend me to the pointers I 
have hunted, against the setters I have owned and seen 
shot over by others. 
But don’t be alarmed ! I never proposed when I com¬ 
menced to write to go into this vexed question of pointer 
versus setter, and I don't mean to do so, at further length, 
either now or henceforth. It never can be settled; so 
let me suggest this possible solution: I have seen and 
hunted over a half dozen good pointers to one really 
good setter, and make up my judgment accordingly. 
Ate. “ Jones’” experience teaches him just the reverse. 
May not both be right? W. B. 
Charleston, S, C., Aug. 25th. 
—The great importance which ostrich farming has ac¬ 
quired in Southern Africa may be seen from an ostrich 
auction recently held at Middleburg, Cape Land. The 
lowest price paid for one pair of these birds was £180, 
and several pairs fetched £2$o. A few years ago os¬ 
triches were obtained by hunting only, and’at that time a 
good bird could he bought for a menagerie or a zoologi¬ 
cal garden at a moderate price. But since their domes¬ 
tication and the development of ostrich farming as an 
industry their price has risen enormously. At present 
the Zoological Garden in London owns not one living 
ostrich. From the Capo of Good Hope 2,397 pounds of 
ostrich feathers were exported in 186U at a value£19,201. 
but in 1873 the exportation had risen to 31,581 pounds at 
a value of £159,679, and recently a hunch of picked bloods 
were sold at Fort Elizabeth for £67 15s. a pound, that is 
about 15s. a feather. 
Animals Received at Central Park Menagerie for the 
Week Ending September 6th.— Ono elk, Cermts canadensis ; 
born in the menagerie j one rail, Forzana Carolina; presented by 
Mr. Patrick McAleor; flow In tlie house through an open window 
during a storm ; two jackals, Cants aureus ; Hal) I ndia; one brown 
eoati, Nasua nastca; fourteen painted terrapins, Ctemniys pi Icla; 
presented by Master J. Levy, Now York City; ono mocking bird, 
Minus polyQlottus ; presented by Mrs. S. L. Paton, New York City; 
one oommon boa, Poa constrictor; one scarlot ibis, This rubra; and 
two naked-throat bill birds, Chctstnorhynchus nudicotlis; all pre¬ 
sented by Master Mario de Mendonca, New York City. The bill 
bird is a native of Brazil, and is ealled the blacksmith bird by the 
natives, because its note resembles the sound of an anvil struck 
by a hammer. W. A. Conklin, Director. 
TVild Rick. — A 'WestStoekbridge, Mass,, correspondent 
writes :— The wild rice I got of our Wisconsin friend last 
spring does not flourish very well here. Either the seed 
was not good or I did not sow it properly. I can’t find 
more than twenty stalks that have come from the seed. 
I should like to hear from some of your correspondents 
about growing wiLd rice here iu the East: whether they 
think it will call duck here and get them into a habit 
of stopping and breeding hero in the spring. Ishouldlike 
to hear from the parties who shipped quite a quantity nf 
wild rice up to Brown’s Tract, N. Y., a few years ago; 
I think the rice was shipped via Boonville to Forge House 
to be sown on the chain of lakes. G, N. B, 
—Peter Johnson, of Rochester, left his wife without ffiv- 
wood, and so she took an axo and started for the v. nod- 
pile to get a supply for herself. Selecting a, proper piece 
of wood, she struck at it several times without bitting it. 
and at last cleft it partly in two. Thinking she could 
easily part it with her hands, she inserted her fingeis n; 
the crack and tried to spread it apart. Ont dropped in.' 
axe, which unto this time had remained in the wo< 4, him 
the stick springing together, imprisoned her finger- .i- ,.i 
arise. After struggling awhile Bhe picked up ill■■ 
with her free hand, but in striking at the cJefi Hmow 
missed and cut off one of her fingers. -Sin- li.-m wire it 
up, and, with her fingers still held hi tin- - 1 . man¬ 
aged to goto a neighbor’s house, where 4-recalfod as¬ 
sistance, 
