[Sect 38, 1882, 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



168 



rid of, as the lien went unlaying an ejjg every day until there 

 wore nine, when she commenced Bfttine about August 26th. 

 Every morning the lien comes of! To feed, and take a dust 

 baih, iiiiii returns in a few minute-; not to leave again until 

 the next day, The cock 13 lit* n< ( i ; cd, most of his time 

 near the cages of my mocking bird and robin, seemingly 

 lakiug no interest in bis own household, hut the moment one 

 enters the room he uttoi'S a low warning note that Is answered 

 i> i ti ten showing that like many married people, they 

 understand enoliother better than others give them credit for. 

 He does not seem to enjoy his present "companions, or the 

 fdospett of his becoming ''daddy for nine," but Site quietly 

 most of the time on one foot, with ruffled feathers waiting 

 like "patience ou a inonuniem (not) smiling at grief,' but 

 simply passing the time Unit must necessarily intervene be- 

 fore his hopes can be realized. Having read* Darwin, who 

 can s:iv that Mr, Quail's, mind is not occupied at this time 

 wil.li liie same hopes and fears towl.ich we human beings are 



subject under ihe same chcumatan a 



Communication* in Four.sT and Stream on this subject 

 always fntoresl me. and while 1 get many "points" there- 

 from to guide me iii my operations, i could in several inata'n.- 

 ees have made practical suggestions, that would possibly 

 have made complete success Where there was but partial 

 success recorded. But an active business man, however 

 much interested, finds little time to indulge in hobbies, and 

 less to write criticisms of others' communications. 



THE GASPER-GOU. 

 Editor Fbresi and &nvtm: 

 My old friend, Mr. I). B. "Wier, of Crockett's Bluff- Ark., 



w rites u.e concerning the gasper- 

 through the columns of FoREB/n 



se is lish from Southern wai 



not say fiom ocr-ona! observati 

 been correctly determined r- the 

 and the Great Lakes, i/,< 

 understand that the fish has beer 

 of the L. S. National Museum, a 

 this identification, 1 have no 

 sheenshead and ga?p.?r-gou Brest 

 peculiarities of the Southc 



d asks me to reply 

 o. waters, and consequently can- 



SrvatJOB whether or not 'it lias 

 :is the sheepshead of the Illinois 

 ■ id t>\ w .jnroritow, Baf s > As I 

 s been submitted to Prof, Goode 

 ■tun, and returned by him with 

 6 no doubt whatever that the 

 are specifically the same. Such 

 . ii foim as have been mentioned, 

 meld be reasonably attributed to climate, local conditions, 

 peculiarities of food, and so ou. Until within the last four 

 ' i Illinois, as far as 

 ugnt by seine fish- 

 he banks. Lately, 



or five rears this fish h 



is not been eatr 



I know, but the large r. 



umbers of then 



ermeu have alwavs bet 



u left to die up. 



however, a demand foi 



the i ; 1 1 1 . i - - 1 1 



generally offered for .«: 





the Illinois and Missis,- 





the, name of "white oei 



eh " \t All.i.l 



this summer dressing o 



nlv the small.-,- 



ing those over a foot in 



length, it Pi 



so-called white pcivi- 



ebieii nee laig 



dressing, arc- regularly shipped and marketed, 



The food of this species in the Illinois River, as deter- 

 mined by a careful study of the contents of twenty -five 

 stomachs from fishes, ranging from an inch in length up to 

 the full grown adult, consists chiefly of insects and crus- 

 taceans until the species is about half grown, while the old 

 fish lives almost entirely ou niollusks, including the thlck- 

 shellcd varieties which* other moilusk-eating Ashes cannot 

 master. 8. A. FcfcuBe. 



State Laboratory or NathiiAi. HlSTOSy Normal, HI 



A FINE DISPLAY IN AQUARIA. 

 4 T Hi,- 



A Cin 



the d 



Commercial, of that ( it 

 The display in this i 

 the south area which » 

 south wing. The tanlt 

 cade in Floral Hall, 

 former exhibit. These aquu 



I Industrial Exhibit ion now in progress 

 i a good exhibit ,.f agnatic life 

 of aquaria which is thus described bv 



llle 



cpariinent is located in 

 main building from the 

 •d along facing the cas- 

 eds the display of any 

 under the auspices of the 

 Naiural lli.-lorv Depat I meet , ot which Mr. \V. A. Col lord 

 is Chairman and Prof. F. W. Clarke and E. A. Kcbler are 

 .-. Charles Dury is manager. 

 It is the purpose of this article to give a brief account of 

 ll.e niiiia- interesiiug specie-, on exhibition. The first tank 

 on the West end contains a group of (if teen "fringe or double- 

 tailed carp" [Cgpriaiu avmtus), Nothing in nature can ex- 

 eel the beauty and grace of this group, as' they float slowly 

 Shout through, the clear water of the tank. The; a 



dnil\ on bread and worms. These lish an- from Messrs. 

 Mi H*h and Eckardt, of Mt. Healthy, and an ,, mi year and 

 four months cin. The second tank aontains gold fish (Cy- 

 hrlniU auratiiK) of selected varieties, which an- !e>s than 

 four mouths old. They are also from the Mt. Heabhv lish 

 ponds. 



Tank 3 has in it two of the Bavarian goldorfe (Irlux mi-.litn- 

 oiiu). This is a newly introduced and beautiful lish. very 

 hardy, and especially adapted for ponds and ornamental 

 waici-. These specimens were imported by Messrs. Miitn 

 •and Eckhardt, and were shipped in the patent transporting 



tub invented by K. Eckardt. of l.'ubhi 



Germany. Out of iw 

 Bremen, uinef.-o'.i ai 

 uoi i hanged during 

 Rlbe. I al-:. - 



ntv that slartei 

 i-di 



. ■ 



li.sher.'.i, ,. Ita-ia 



fall- : i,r t!i<jhand*oi the Li 

 the interview in a pulverize 

 Bttttts of the tank (the perch 

 give some sport to the angler 

 presented by D. T Howe! 

 hatchery al Toledo. 



Tank*") contains ihe "tdui 

 mansUua). This i-- the fami 



Tank (J contains the "p 



e Ii -h< 



uboo, 



r Elbe from 



icrch (Pan 

 i red.-emin 

 mice to Dli 

 s, When 



s fl-'i 



condition. The othc 



ire an excellent pan fish, and 



These specimens were kindly 



Superintendent of the State 



■potted sunii>h" (0/twnobretlv8 

 u'pond lish. 



loi.in <fvd" 'J'omoli.f dunlin*) a 

 v, the 



Beautiful Sua lish from the lake. Ii is in bad compa 

 "long-nosed gar" (I^pidatou* naseus) only surpassed 

 crul wurlhles-nc-s by thedogfish. Those "gars w, re | ■ -. 



b v Mr. Henry Douglas, of the Sandusky hatchery Tie 

 "pumpkin seed" are from Mr. Howell. 



In tank T ftrcblaok bass, (Sfieeroptiim w//«»«Mlbcgainest 

 Of North American fishes, ami of great value as a food fish, 

 presented also by Mr. Howell. 



Tank 8 contains eels, {AnffiriUa rrxtr«ta\. The-.- speci- 

 mens are from Troy, on the llud-on Kiver, N. Y.', they 

 travel up the river at night and keep close to the shore to 



avoid swift currents and hungry enemies. The eel-catcher 

 takes advantage of this habit, and sets his traps, which con- 

 sist of bunches of willow switches tied together at one end, 

 Into this the little eels squeeze themselves 'in fancied security 

 to rest, When the fisherman makes his rounds he rudelV 

 disluii-.s them by slipping his wire under the bunch, and 

 they are caught. Il is in this wav the thousands are taken 

 to stock river- ail over the country. The transportation is 

 safely effected by using a box Hi inches long, !) inches 

 wide and 5 i.e-he, deep: this will carry two thousand eels. 

 It is lined on the bottom with canton flannel and tilled full 

 to the top; the lid is then nailed on, and through a small 

 hole in the lop ice water is allowed to drip. In this way 

 they can be transported without losing a single one. Thi's 

 year, eel-ladders, to enable eels to ascend rivers obstructed 

 by mill dams, have been introduced in Germany. Mr. 1). 

 T, ilovvellluis planted many thousands of this valuable 

 fish in the waters of this Slate. He kimllv presented these 

 specimens. 



It) tauk !) are the peerless brook trout (Salmo Kiihclhi.un 

 fouMmln), from the Casl alia Springs, Uric county, Ohio. 

 These springs belong to .-. fishing clufi, and the fishing privi- 

 lege is confined to its members. It swarms with beautiful 

 fish, some of which weigh as high as four pounds. These 

 specimens were received through the kindness or Messrs. 

 Post, Ferris and Douglass, of Sandusky. In tank 111 are 

 fringe-tailed carp, four months old, from the breeding 

 ponds at Mt. Healthy. Tank 11 contains small bass from 

 the large lot recent ly distributed bv the Cuvier Club from 

 the Sandusky hatchery. 



Tank 19 contains leather carp ((ii/primr.* mtrtlts) 



No, 18 contains mirro* carp {Cyprinw n ■ tggrtuonml 



No. 1 I contains the common carp (Ci,,,,;,,,,* ,;i, v i„). These 



hcing'lnrgcly introduced in'lhis oomVlry. ' Atmo-i a'nv'ponds 

 are suitable' for them. Thev htow w'ilh a rapidity almosl 

 beyond belief. The fish spawned on Ma\ !l in Messrs. Mull. 

 <& Eckhardt's ponds are now from foui to eight inches long 

 They grow oven more rapidly when fully fed. 



Mr. Watkins, superintendent of the fisheries of Minnesota, 

 mentions in Forest and Stream of six-year-old carp that 

 weighed twenty pounds. In the same paper of January 37 

 1881, is an article on the growth of the carp in America, bv 

 Mr. Mather, the celebrated expert on fishculture. He quote's 

 a Idler from Baron Von Behr, President of the German 

 Fi-.hery Society, giving some interesting facts in regard to 

 Ihe growth of the carp. Mr. Mather shows that the carp 

 grow ! taster in America than in its native country. 



iportation 

 s become 

 irp is des- 

 arcat and 

 ag ponds, 

 f Messrs. 

 jnes were 

 is fishing 

 with the 

 lily, and 



bcller I ban the other two, for where tin 

 knocked Off the fish is liable to fungus. Raj 

 fined l,o become in this country, as in Eur< 

 profitable industry for the farmers and othei 

 The writer was invited to ;ro carp fishing i: 

 Muth & Eckhardt's carp ponds. Several vei 

 taken, wtighing from three to ten pouue 

 came to an end by a very large fish getting 



fishing line, hook, bob and sinker. "They 1 



come out of the muddy water shining' like a mirror! In 

 these poncls arc also the blue carp. 



Iu tank 15 are some Cyprinus auridu* of the same age as 

 those iu tanks 2 and 10, but retarded in their growth from 

 overcrowding in the pond, there being more fish than food. 

 K is the intention to keep adding choice specimens to the 

 display, 



.\i the ea-i end oi the aquarium is an alligator case, in 

 which are three line little specimens, exhibited by II C 

 Stewart, Of the Vienna bakery In the same a-e.a Mr Klcp. 



iiamcnlal a,|u.ai iuni^ for private liousi- decoration. Mr. 

 Klepper exhibits a number of fishes bc.-t adapted for such 

 aquariums. In his collection are specimens of the spoil, d 

 Trhoi\ (Dii Dii/rli/ns lin'i/,.-;; !>■■<) and the large darter or log 



erch. Perdna atvprades, not represented in the other oof- 



ection. 



OPOSSDMS LN- Ft.onr.DA.— Kites.— Seeing several items 

 in late numbers of the Forest asd Stream relating to 

 opossums I will add my mite. I spent July an. 1 August at 

 my place, near Mosquito Inlet, and while" there we were 

 troubled by opossums eating our scuppernoug grapes and 

 pineapples. 1 set a box trap'and caught fourteen opossums 

 and a skunk within a month. Hen is how ii was done 

 The first night a female opoasumwas caught. Sometime 

 alter killing her 1 noticed movements around the •■pond. 



is what I call a rare occurrence. How many more she car- 

 ried away with her I don't know. She tried hard to get 

 them out, after getting out herself and missing them. A Etel' 

 this four old ones were caught, the largest weighing about 

 ten pounds. Opossums are smaller here than those further 

 north. This is the case with almost all animals in Florida 

 "W. A. M.," ..i Tampa. Fla., seems to entertain an idea 

 thai the kite, Or swallow-tailed falcon hawk, ia a rare bird 

 iu this State. They are- seen on the east coast, where T be- 

 lieve thev also breed. Tins i- th. naost graceful Of a)] birds 



in its flight. In fad. its soaring*, circles, da, I, and auToJU 

 Blighl well beealhal "the j.OetlA of moliou." It ., ] -j ., -., I ., c 

 lly so Qftsy, Without .any ili'ort and scarcely a mov.-mcnl of 

 tin- wings, w-t if t- as -will a* an arrow I have noticed 

 that il cos il, r.jud - -consisting principally of snakes -while 

 on the wing.— C. II C. obe-k.-onville, Fla.) 



IburiuMi of iJi-Ait..— Fishkill-on-the-Hudsoii. Sept, 10. 

 —Eilitur l'hrr.,-1 inn/ St,-,, mi: "J. E. S," iii his arliclc re- 

 garding Iowa game, in I-'ouest ami STREAM of August 31, 

 is undoubtedly right about an occasional brood of quail be- 

 iusr scarcely able to lly in October, although "Che-. A. 

 IVake'- thinks it altogether improbable. A friend and I 

 were out after woodcock on tie seventh of the present 

 month, and we came across a brood of quail thai had jusl 

 hit tie- iio.-i. .-,v some of them had pieces of the shell afiijk- 

 in.g to their back..; and as quail are not able lo llv under the 

 most favorable circumstances, such a.- mild (in weather, an 

 abundance o f f.-od, etc., in from three lo four weeks, il. is 

 noi piol.al.li- ihal so laic a brood as Ibis will take wing be- 

 fore lb.- middle of 1 ), i,,!,,,-, and ccriainlv will not be lit to 

 shoot before quite lb.- last of Nuvemb'e. Il is not an 1111 

 common cunt to find quail onlv lwo-ihird« '_iown iu No- 

 vember, and v. I I saw ., covev of these birds a week or 11, on- 

 ag.. thai wen- quite mature. This. 1 think, is 11 good indi- 

 cation that they 111i.se more than one brood in some locali- 

 ties when the. eeasou is favorable. — Geo. F. Aldbn. 



Imtfe §ng atfd 



Opem Seasons.— .Siy tnbk of open aeanvn* vn- yatr .-■■/ i,.-» 

 iv mm. of July 20, 



THE RANGE OF THE SHOTGUN, 



Editor Por,:.--t <n».l Strain,: 



For heaven's sake do not turn loose upon vour unoffend- 

 ing readers the "long fangC llotgUS liar. ' Hoopsnake and 

 trout liars are harmless enoligli, but the former .-lass are 



vicious aud wholly incoi-ri-.dbli- \l least if ibey are to have 

 a hearing, make each one set up a soft pine board at the ex- 

 act range at which He bird is claimed to lire- been killed, 



five charges, such as were used to kill the bird, am! then report, 

 the result "upon honor," and whether or not any of the 

 shot, if they struck the shape of Ihebivd maikedout, '"stuck" 

 iu the board. 



I remember a, test once applied to one of these fiends. He 

 claimed, and w as ready 10 make oath, that he had killed 

 one of the birds :u he br.g-a qu.-<il— at some fabulous :je- 

 tance, I do not remember cvielly what; but a betwasat once 

 made of a wine supper for the party, that he could not take 

 one of his birds, pluck il, set it up -it the . 6:imi , .li-i,,, , ,, 

 which he claimed to have killed his bird, and in tan shot?, 

 bit this target, or if he did, that the shot would stick in the 

 bird, he to use the same charges he had been using all day. 

 etc.. some of which he yet had. The bird was tVee hit, 

 but neither time did the shot pass through the skin, and ho 

 paid for the supper, and he has never since killed birds at 

 extreme ranges. My dear sir, I did not pay for that supper, 



I am well aware of flic fact that mauv birds are killed at 

 exliemc ranges for a sliotgun, have often seen it done, and 

 have made such shois myself, but never at auch ranges as I 

 "" of. 



oper target will soon teach almosl any 

 power of a gun is with a given charge, 

 far il will kill every time, provided 



r of shooters know to within very nar- 

 1 gun is capable of doing. One of this 

 s one of these astonishing long shots. 

 r of gunners know little or nothing of 

 heir guns, aud the less they know very 

 r they can and do (':) kill game, the 

 tun lo the contrary notwithstanding. 

 as a 1 tile is never correct in such cases. 



A few shots at a pi 

 man what the killing 

 and just about how 

 alwavs it be properly 



The smaller numla 

 row limits just what 

 number never make 

 But the larger numbe 

 the actual powers of i 

 naturally the furtlie 

 actual powers of the ; 



Estimated distance 



It seems that "Hell," of Sank Center. Minn., is not a. be- 

 liever in the "twenty-rod gun." He is right. No one who 

 has ever lested his gun at "patterns" will assr-rl and prove 

 that it will kill "every time" at above fifty yards. In fact 

 the best of them often "miss" at less distances, and to kill 

 '•every time" is practically impossible. If a man asserts 

 ownership of such a wonder put him down as a "Saxon. 1 

 for they, it is confidently asserted, "will kill anythingat 

 any distance." J, E. S. 



Oscaloosa, la. 



4 H 



A WILD GOOSE CHASE. 



ERBERT'S a brick" 

 itionasi laid d 



paper containing a report of an iH-.-tan-d "Turkey Hum iii 

 Missouri," my pointer slumbering on, a mat at my -a... arid 

 my pipe smoked out by eiiei-getic puffing occasioned by the 



•"Yes, Herbert's a brick, lb-'- ashamed to acknowl- 

 edge that he has had days when he came, homo w ill. an 

 empty game-bag. Lei your Nhnrods and your A'cbeons and 

 your dapper fellows who swear by Di.01.1 and gporl breech- 

 loaders laugh Who care$y' ' 



Perhaps ihe reader may, if he be a person of suspicious 

 habits, begin 0.1 ^tepect thai Ihe above ebullition proceeds 

 directly from a fellow feeling. I am free to say that il doe.-. 

 But apart from this I quit..- agreewith Herbe'ttin the m-h- 

 linicnts wilh which he clons hi- led. r. He-a\s: "Who 

 is the next one to rclaie Ihe incidents ot au unsuccessful 

 day: BBSS him along. Il n,.-,-, bean agreeable change. 

 We have been surfeited with the right and lef ters of the un 

 erring sboty and the plethoric bags which ihc\ always 

 empiy before us. I..-, M i,,v- the other sale for a while- 

 just for variety." Those Words have a true ring, and have 

 given Die courage enough 10 -land being laughed at for re- 

 lating a ludicrous experient 1 my own which occurred 



some years since, and which 1 jealously .guarded as aaeertf 

 from my most inlimatc friends. The story is not c\aoih of 

 an unsuccessful da\ - shooting, but rather the unsatisfactory 

 termination of a very successful one 



It was a biighi October morning, crisp and keen, and ihe 

 village, as view cd from ihe old bridge which crossed "the 

 lake," as the people called il, never looked more bright and 

 cheery. Th.- -moke curling in faint columns from ihe 

 chimnev-ot thcl'.-om house- proclaimed the j. reparation id' 



the morning meal, as with m\ old friend Charley "VV , 



I stepped into the boat for our long-talked of duck huni. 

 The boat was about ten feet long, aud was covered v.ilh 

 hooks, from which hung huge n... ..,| ,,,„,. 



plctely covering il. Al I II,- bottom was an !, ..provided 



propulsi 



e three 



, when. 

 sharp. 



a warning from mv friend admonished me to 



L-J big flat for -one- ten minuti - « i) had drawn 



the -iion that the danger. of running aground was in. mi. 



Wc could see the dm k- -wimuiing wound not three 

 hundred yard.-.. il. 



Our progress was slow, painfully slow. Vet, w.- w. re 

 getting nearer; we were i-.n-eioi;s that tin- appearance of 

 the boat resembled a huge patch of lloating weed, and were 

 satisfied U would never alarm the ducks, Nearer we M)< 

 proauhed, Th-y had not, as yet, notice/j W. The time 

 had come "Pick your birds." whispers Charley. Thev 

 wen- gulling suspicion... A large drake gave a'start and 



elatcdi ii was mv tn-.-i dm-k And tell me of the sportsman 

 irgei his iir-i cluck -the wild, ecstatic thrill ii 

 gives him- It- memorj is as perennial as "love's youlig 

 dream." From dillid.-ni. I became boastful, ami I f.-at will, 

 an undue display of asperity, declared duck-shooliug to by 



