r«4 
FOREST AND STREAM 
islands, and a stranger should not attempt to follow it 
without a pilot or very explicit directions, for it is much 
more difficult to navigate than Indian River Narrows. 
There are current legends of unfortunate boa tmen who 
have been lost, wandering about for days in the perplex¬ 
ing maze of the many islets and intricate passages. • 
tu lieu of a topsail,'1 hoisted the peak as high as possi¬ 
ble in order to catch the breeze over the mangroves, but 
even then we often had to resort to the setting poles to 
aid us in getting through. This is the most picturesque 
portion of Indian River. Being sheltered from the winds, 
the water is quite still and smooth, and reflects the dense 
green walls of the mangroves like a mirror; while small 
side channels lead off through the islands like streaks of 
planished silver. The trunks of the mangroves stand sev¬ 
eral feet above the water, supported by numerous arch¬ 
ing roots, and from the branches depend innumerable 
other roots, long, smooth, and flexible, in the nature of 
a banyan tree. Groups of palmettoes are occasionally 
seen, around whose dark trunks are curiously interlaced 
the climbing stems of the India rubber tree, forming a 
rustic lattice-work of rare beauty, whose meshes are often 
Idled with graceful air ferns and epiphytes with plumes 
ot crimson bloom. 
We stopped for a few minutes at a small hammock on 
our right called Indian Camp, where we procured some 
good water from a spring. This spot, about midway of 
the Narrows, and Pock’s Landing are the only camping 
sites in Jupiter Narrows. Wc finally emerged from the 
narrow passage into Hobe Sound, as the balance of the 
river is called, extending from the Narrows to Jupiter, 
some teu miles in length and averaging about a fourth of 
a mile in width. The west shore is a range of high bar¬ 
ren sand hdls, with a number of long points projecting 
into the Sound, wbde the east shore is a continuous nar¬ 
row hammock of great richness, standing wed above the 
water and underlaid by a ledge of coralline rock. Tins 
hammock is known as the “ Gomez Grant,” being oneof 
the old Spanish grants that have been so detrimental to 
the settlement of East Florida. (Were these grants ren¬ 
dered available to settlers by Government or otherwise, 
they would become rapidly developed ; Merritt’s Island 
being a case in point.) The channel runs close to the 
east shore, and in beating, one must give the points on 
the west side a wide berth. With the exception of an 
U g|y oyster reef at the mouth of the Narrows, the navi¬ 
gation of Hobe Sound is quite easy for a distance, of dve 
miles, when Conch Bar is reached, from which point to 
Jupiter River the navigation is quite difficult in conse¬ 
quence of the many shoals and oyster beds. The channel 
is very crooked and narrow, and one must "drop the 
peak " and sail with slackened sheets unless he is well 
acquainted with its serpentine course. 
Trolling for erevalle iu Hobe Sound with the wind 
abeam istine sport. There are several varieties ( Carangus 
hipposi Pari 1 1 ractusp isgnehis, etc.), called in the vernac¬ 
ular of Florida, jack, yellow jack, amber jack, crevallG, 
etc. They will take any thing in the shape of a troll, spoon, 
squid, or even a bit of white rag on a hook. The boys 
were soon hauling them in by dozens, averaging about 
three pounds, most of which were thrown back again as 
soon as caught. The erevalle is a veiy active and hand¬ 
some fish with predominating tints of amber and silver. 
It is not above mediocrity as a table fish when fresh, but 
dried and smoked it is quite toothsome. 
From Conch Bar we saw the tall brick tower of Jupiter 
Liriit which we reached during the afternoon. It is a 
first-class, revolving light, made in France, and show&4 
succession of flashes, followed by a somewhat prolafigc-d, 
steady light. The towel-, a hundred, feeflngK,“stands on 
a bluff fifty feet above.the water, at the confluence of 
Indian and Locqi&tchee rivers, where theyunite and flow 
as Jupiter giver for a mile to the eastward, and over Jupi- 
.'j-jvv'into the sea. From the balcony surrounding the 
' Jantem, the view is at once grand and comprehensive. 
First we see Indian River stretching away for miles 
toward the north, where, in the distance we obtain but 
furi live glimpses of it between the intervening hills and 
clumps of foliage, " like orient pearls at random strung,” 
Then the Locohatchee, winding along through,the savan¬ 
nahs'with many a devious turn, like a huge serpent glid- 
work of small streams glinting m the sunlight like a 
filigree of silver ; while far beyond lies Lake Worth, a 
burnished shield on a velvet sward. Turning at last to¬ 
ward the east we behold grand old ocean, “ dark, deeply, 
beautifully blue,” stretching away to the vast horizon 
where the blue above meets the blue below. 
J. A. IIEnshall. 
A DEER HUNT IN MEXICO 
I AM sorry for the unfortunate readers of Forest and 
Stream who like good hunting but can’t get any. I 
know how it is myself. I Uved " oyer in Jersey’’for 
Rfivon years, and used to Bhoot “chippie birds” with the 
best of them, for lack of better game. This morning I 
came down from the plaza on the gallop, and as I reined 
up in the patio I saw my brother sitting with a “ Ballard 
lone range ” across his knee, 1 ‘ Do you want venison tor 
dinnerThere are. two deer on the cordon under the 
Palo Blanco ”-a place some 200 yards above us on the 
mountain side (it’s all mountain down here). Why don t 
you go for ’em?” “ Is’s too essentially hot. ‘ Bring me 
mv rifle and cartridge-belt and bowie-knife, quick! I 
veiled at the mozo. He grinned and did so. • It I don t 
nail those deer inside of ten minutes 111 sell my horse for 
a cold tortillaand then I started up the cordon, while 
Gus, my brother, nerved by my example, started lor the 
gulch above to head them off. .... 
When I got to the Palo Blanco there was nothing in 
Bight but Gus In the gulch below me, slowly wending his 
wav up, and some fresh tracks. 
I went up the cordon a little further, lost sight of Gus, 
and as I was looking for a way to climb still higher I saw 
the chap I was looking for, watching me apparently from 
across the gulch, about twenty rods away. I remem¬ 
bered Mr. Van Dyke's advice—for though no chicken, I 
allow Mr Van Dyke can leave me clear out of sight as a 
deer-hunter—ami drew it fine on his shoulder. He ran 
•ibout twenty feet and then tumbled and rolled through 
the brash about thirty yards plumb to the creek. When 
I cut lum up I found the heart knocked into four pieces. 
Gus yelled to me to “look out for the little one,” and 
then I saw him right below me, with his rifle at a 
“ready.” Just then the “little one” came out of the 
brash a.ud ran to where I had shot the other, and Gus 
turned loose on her, and she came down also, rolling al¬ 
most on top of the old buck, who had nine points, by the 
way. When we compared notes I found 1 rather had 
the laugh on Gus, as he was actually drawing a head on 
the buck when I dropped it. He had a vernier back sight 
on his rifle that he had been doing some fancy shooting- 
yesterday with, and as he took aim it was displaced by 
his hat-brhn, and before he could replace it the deer was 
“kilt.” 
Notwithstanding that particular gentleman who some, 
time since objected to correspondents cracking up their 
list guns, 1 can’t refrain from giving my rifle a puff. It 
is a “ Ballard Pacific,” and the best gun for tlie money 
that I ever owned or saw. It carries the 44.77 Berdan 
shell. 1 have shot more, missed more, and killed more 
with it than with any other one rifle, although I’ve owned 
rifles by most of the standard American makers, and 
used them, I’ve had it since the spring of ’77, and hunted 
with it from Puget Sound down to here, and it is as good 
as ever, although it has a rather “chawed up” look, in¬ 
cident to all travellers. I forgot to mention that we killed 
our deer inside the city limits of a town of 1,500 people 
where shooting after sunset is followed by a fine of §5, 
Can any of your correspondents beat this for hunting- 
grounds easy of access ? 
If any readers of Forest and Stream should happen 
down here, they will have a hearty welcome and beshown 
perfect deer-hunting by El Americano. 
San Dimas, Durango, Mexico, Ang. 23d. 
# 4 (fjtl lure. 
The Moosehead Lake Hatching HoUse — According 
to the Bangor Whig, the suggestion of the State Fishery 
Commissioners in their Report, of 1878, has been prompt¬ 
ly acted upon by the proprietors of the Kineo House at 
Moosehead Lake. A hatching house thirty feet by six¬ 
teen, containing eight troughs, eighteen feet in length by 
sixteen inches in width capable of accommodating one- 
half million of trout eggs, has been built under the super- 
intendance of Mr. U. O. Stanley, of Dixfield. There is 
room not only to add to the number of troughs, hut also 
by the addition of wire bottomed trays, such as are used 
by Mr. Atkins at the United States works at Grand Lake 
Stream, to double the capacity of the house, Mr. Dennen, 
whom everybody knows and respects as the proprietor of 
the Kineo House, is having a comfortable house built 
for the man in charge during the winter. The surrounding 
grounds are also to be improved, as it has already become 
a favorite resort for the sight-seers at the lake. Nothing 
so popularizes fish culture as to afford the people an op¬ 
portunity to familiarize themselves with its simple details, 
and realize that it requires only the plain common sense 
and judgment needed to tend ,4 stock of poultry, or 
milk a cow. Moosehead Lake \4dll now not only hive 
half a million trout eggs yearly hatched and turned into 
her waters, but will also addjaliaon- to re-stock the ex¬ 
hausted waters o£4he Ktuiaebee. Twenty thousand land¬ 
locked salmon from Grand Lake Stream, -were this year 
- contributed to her stock by the commissioners, as a future 
a ^attraction to her anglers. If it pleases our legislative law- 
■ffj makers, the commissioners will continue to add to her 
piscatorial wealth, and gladden the hearts of her fisher¬ 
men, from the mouth of the Kennebec to Brassau waters, 
with both landlocked and sea salmon. While by the es¬ 
tablishing of hatching houses at the sources of our great 
rivers, as at Rangeley and Moosehead, much expense is 
saved to the State in the wearisome and anxious work of 
transporting the young fry over a rough and new country, 
and even a more valued result is attained, in ability to 
plant the anadromous fishes at river sources, to which 
they will always again, by the dictates of instinct, seek to 
return. Above all, it imparts a knowledge of the laws of 
pisciculture, and its importance, upon the ground and 
among the people who most require its teachings. Who 
shall we now look to to givens hatching houses at Penob¬ 
scot River sources? 
^ Do Black Snakes Eat Fish ?— New Haven. Conn,, 
Sept. With.— In the issue of Forest and Stream for Sept. 
25th, you informed a correspondent that both the water 
snake and black snake prey upon fish. Are you not mis¬ 
taken in regard to the latter ? I am very well acquainted 
with all of our species of serpents, and have noted the con¬ 
tents of stomachs of the two i n question at least fifty times, 
never even expecting to find fish in the stomach of the 
black snake, on account of his habits in general, 
The water snake (Tropidonotus sipedon) lives almost 
exclusively upon fish, frogs, newts, etc. The black snake 
(Baseanium constrictor) and pilot ( Scotophis ulleghan- 
iensis) both prey upon mice, squirrels, young birds and 
eggs, frogs, toads, smaller snakes, and any such small 
animals as they are liable to find on either high or low 
ground; and I am almost positive that the two last named 
species would ne ver attempt to catch a fish. 
Robt, T. Morris. 
Our correspondent’s point is well taken, for there is no 
experience so valuable as that which comes from careful 
observation. Nevertheless, we fail to find among our 
best authorities any positive evidence that black snakes do 
not eat fish. Both Profs. Baird and Good have replied 
to our personal inquiry regarding this trait, that they 
have no doubt that “black snakes would eat fish if they 
had a chance,” hut that they have never known of an in¬ 
stance of a black snake going into the water. Our own 
most direct evidence rests on the fact that a friend in 
Pennsylvania,. (Moses C. Westbrook, Esq.,) lost many 
big trout which were taken out of his spring-head by 
snakes of some sort, Most of these were undoubtedly 
water snakes, for their odious presence was manifested 
daily : hut several black snakes were ki lled in the imme¬ 
diate vicinity of the spring-head (an octagonal tank twenty 
feet in diameter,) and it was assumed by many persons 
that they joined the water snake in their depredations, 
though occular evidence of such fact was afforded. 
It was not at all necessary for the snakes to go into the 
water. They could lie quietly at their leisure on the grass 
just where the outflow poured oven' the screen, and were 
often detected there. The immediate vicinity was high 
land. Bandy and rocky, as is the general character of the 
whole country. Rattlesnakes are numerous there, and 
these are known to occur where black snakes inhabit, 
although they are by no means good friends. A cat does 
not like water, but we think that both cats and black 
snakes would he attracted by a basin of fish placed con¬ 
veniently in their way. We are not obstinate, however, 
in the position we take, aud would like to leave the ques¬ 
tion open to discussion. 
Fish Ponds and Artesian Wells.— A Rochester (N. 
Y.) correspondent notes the successful trial in California 
of a project suggested by himself in this journal, some 
years since, namely, the supplying to fish ponds, water 
brought up by artesian wells. Tins plan may be adopted 
in localities where there is no natural supply, and- the 
value of the fish which may be thus bred wifi more than 
balance the cost of the well. The method is worthy of 
further trial, _ 
Natural Jfhforg, 
Canary Birds, —Messrs. Reiche & Bro., 54 Chatham 
street, dispose of about 2,000 canary birds, so called, each 
week from August until May. Mr. Reiche states in a 
communication to the Sun that they are not genuine 
canary birds, but German birds. The native canary does 
not sing. It was when the canary was crossed with the 
linnet and the lark and the other song birds of Europe 
that the little musician which we know as the canary, 
came to exist. These birds are all bred in Germany. 
The inhabitants of the Harz Mountains supply the civil¬ 
ized world. There is not a cottage in all the region about 
Andreasberg aud the Brocken that is not full of them. 
Some of the peasants raise as many as 300 in a year, but 
the average is perhaps twenty to a house. As much as 
$300,000 goes to the inhabitants of the Harz Mountains 
for their canary birds every year. They have bred them 
for generations, and fairs are held and prizes are offered 
to stimulate the breeders. 
The wicker cages of soft white wood are made by the . 
peasants who breed the birds. The canary that comes to 
America is confined to his cage for a space of about three 
weeks. Mr. Reiche sends an order for several thousand 
birds to his brother in Germany. He directs a number 
of agents to collect in the Harz enough birds to fill the 
order. The peasant has no general place of sale. The 
agents go from cottage to cottage, buying in one 500 birds, 
and in another 700, and so on. Instructions are given to 
send these birds to the port of shipment, to be there on 
Friday. On Saturday the ship sails. Men go with the 
birds to feed them and care for them. One man can take 
care of 1,250 birds. 
They axe two weeks coming from the Harz Mountains 
to New York, and they are never more than two weeks, 
and generally not one week in the shop, so their period of 
close confinement is not very long. They cannot be 
kept in such quarters, and whenever by any accident 
many are left ou hand, they are at once sent out and sold 
by auction. ^ 
Newspaper Natural History. —That member of the 
daily or weekly newspaper staff who is detailed to write 
up the game market reports frequently finds himself sad¬ 
ly in the woods; or to fit the figure to the fish market, 
away Out of his depth. We have occasionally shown up 
the rare natural history attainments of the market re¬ 
porter, an d just now there comes to us from a Missis¬ 
sippi correspondent a clipping from what appears to us 
to be one of the patent outside papers, of a disquisition 
upon our grouse family. The item is credited to the 
Hartford (Conn,) Times, and if our surmise is correct that 
it has found its way into the cooperative lists of news¬ 
papers, who can estimate the amount of know-nothing 
knowledge that has been disseminated in country villages ? 
As our Mississippi friend suggests, one single copy of the 
Forest and Stream would let Bueh a flood of light into 
that game reporter’s soul as would shine forth for a 
year to come in his market reports. We are copied and 
“hashedover” week after week and month after month, 
but we never begrudge this uncredited use of our matter, 
for we feel a satisfaction in knowing that we are doing 
some good in the world by teaching people a few truths 
about the common things around them. We should he 
much more pleased to see our own natural history papers 
transferred bodily and without credit to the market re¬ 
port departments of the press than to see such displays of 
ignorance a3 are constantly appearing. 
Northern Range of the Black Skimmer. —In our 
issue of Octobor 3d we published an account of the taking 
of a specimen of Rhynehopnigra at Point Pleasant, New 
Jersey, and this week wo are able to announce the cap¬ 
ture of another on the shore of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. 
Previous to this paragraph, the only record of the occur¬ 
rence of this species in New England was that given by 
Linsley in his catalogue of the birds of Connecticut, pub-' 
lished in the American Journal of Science and Arts in 
1843, but the fact that the bird had never been observed 
