FO KJfiST AKD STREAM, 



I** 



■ ring the uppe 



,-. Neat I be base of Lhe Mjocene,ui the Brontotherlmn beds, we 

 find a third closely allied genus, Meaojuppus, which is about 

 as large as a sheep, and one stage nearer the horse. There are 

 only three toes and a rudimentary splint bone on the fore feet, 

 and three toes behind. Two of the premolar teeth are quite 

 like the molars. The ulna is no longer distinct, or the fibula 

 entire, and other characters show clearly that the transition is 

 advancing. In the upper Miocene, Mtnohippua is not found, 

 but in its place a fourth form, MwMppus, continues the line. 

 This genus is near the AncMteri/um of Europe, but presents 

 several important differences. The three toes in each foot are 

 more nearly of a size, and a rudiment of the fifth metacarpal 

 bone is retained. All the known species of this genus are 

 larger than those of Mesohippus, and none pass above the 

 Miocene. 



The genus Protohippus of the lower Pliocene, is yet more 

 equine, and in some of its species equaled the ass in size. 

 There are still three toes on each foot, but only the middle 

 one, corresponding to the single toe of the horse, comes to the 

 ground. This genus resembles most nearly the Hippwrion of 

 Europe. In the Pliocene, we have the last" stage of the series 

 before reaching the horse, in the genus Pliohippms, which has 

 lost the small hooflets, and in other respects is very equine. 

 Only in the upper Pliocene, does the true Equus appear, and 

 complete the genealogy of the Horse, which in the Post-Ter- 

 tiary roamed over the whole of North and South America, and 

 soon after became extinct. This occurred long before the dis- 

 covery of the Continent by Europeans, and no stisfactory 

 reason for the extinction has yet been given. Besides the 

 characters I have mentioned, there are many others, in the 

 skeleton, skull, teeth, and brain of the forty or more inter- 

 mediate species, which show that the transition from the 

 Eocene Eohippus to the modern Equus, has taken place in the 

 order indicated, and I believe the specimens now at New Haven 

 will demonstrate the fact to any anatomist. They certainly 

 carried prompt conviction to the first of anatomists, who was 

 the honored guest of the Association a year ago, whose genius 

 had already indicated the later genealogy of the horse in Europe, 

 and whose own researches so well qualified him to appreciate 

 the evidence here laid before him. Did time permit* I might 

 give you at least a probable explanation of this marvelous 

 change, but justice to the comrades of the horse in his long 

 struggle for existence demands that some notice of their eff cuts 

 should be placed on record. 



Besides the Horse and his congeners, the only existing Peris- 

 sodactyles are the Rhinoceros and the Tapir. The last is the 

 oldest type, but the Rhinoceros had near allies throughout the 

 Tertiary ; and, in view of the continuity of the equine line, it 

 is well worth while to attempt to trace his pedigree. At the 

 bottom of the Eocene, in our Western lake-basins, the tapiroid 

 genus Helaletes is found, represented by numerous small mam- 

 mals hardly larger than the diminutive horses of that day. In 

 the following epoch of the Eocene, the closely allied Hyrachyus 

 waa one of the most abundant animals. This genus was nearly 

 related to the Lophiodon of Europe, and in its teeth and skele- 

 ton strongly resembled the Jiving Tapir ; whose ancestry, to 

 this point, seems to coincide with that of the Rhinoceros we 

 are considering. Strangely enough, the Rhinoceros line, be- 

 fore it becomes distinct, separates into two branches. In the 

 upper part of the Dinoceras Beds, we have the genus Colono- 

 ceras, which is really a Hyrachyus with a transverse pair of 

 very rudimentary horn-cores on the nasal bones. In the lower 

 Miocene west of the Rocky Mountains, this line seems to 

 pass on through the genus Diceratherium, and in the Higher 

 Miocene this genus is well represented. Some of the species 

 nearly equaled in size the existing Rhinoceros, which Dice- 

 ratherium strongly resembled. The main difference between 

 them is a most interesting one. The rudimentary horn-cores 

 on the nasals, seen in Oolonoceras, are in Diceratlierium de- 

 veloped into strong bony supports for horns, which were 

 placed transversely, as in the Ruminants, and not on the 

 median line, as in all existing forms of Rhinoceros. In the 

 Pliocene of the Pacific Coast, a large Rhinoceros has been dis- 

 covered, which may be a descendant of Diceratkerium, but as 

 the nasal bones have not been found, we must wait for further 

 evidence on this point. Returning now to the other branch of 

 the Rhinoceros group, which left their remains mainly East of 

 the Rocky Mountains, we find that all the known forms are 

 hornless. The upper Eocene genus Amynodon is the oldest 

 known Rhinoceros, and by far the most generalized of the 

 family. The premolars arc all unlike the molars, the four 

 canines are of large size, but the inner incisor in each jaw is 

 lost in the fully adult animal The nasals were without horns. 

 There were four toes in front, and three behind. The genus 

 Hyracodon, of the Miocene, which is essentially a Rhinoceros, 

 has a full set of incisor and canine teeth j and the molars are 

 so nearly like those of its predecessor Hyrachyus, that no one 

 will question the transformation of the older into the newer 

 type. Hyracodon, however, appears to be off the true line, 

 for it has but three toes in front. In the higher Miocene beds, 

 and possibly with Hyracodon, occurs a larger Rhinoceros! 

 which has been referred to the genus Aceratherium. This 

 form has lost the canine and one incisor above, and two in- 

 cisors below. In the Pliocene are several species closely re- 

 lated, and of large size. Above the Pliocene in America, no 

 vestiges of the Rhinoceros have been found, and our American 

 forms doubtless became extinct at the close of this period. 



The Tapir is clearly an old American type, and we have 

 Been that, in the Eocene, the genera Helaletes and Hyrachyus 

 were so strongly tapiroid in their principal characters, that 

 the main line of descent probably passed through them. It is 

 remarkable that the Miocene of the West, so greatly developed 

 as it is on both sides of the Rocky Mountains, should have 

 yielded but a few fragments of tapiroid mammals, and the 

 same is true of the Pliocene of that region. In the Miocene 

 of the Atlantic Coast, too, only a few imperfect specimens 

 have been found. These forms all apparently belong to the 

 genus Tapirarus, although most of them have been referred 

 to Lophiodon, a lower Eocene type. In the Post-Tertiary, a 

 true Tapirue was abundant, and its remains have been found 

 in various parts of North America. The line of descent, al- 

 though indistinct through the middle and upper Tertiary, 

 was doubtless continuous in America, and several species' 

 exist at present, from Mexico southward. It is worthy of 

 notice that the species North of the Isthmus of Panama ap- 

 pear all to be generically distinct from those of South America. 

 In addition to these three Perissodactyle types which, as the 

 fittest, have alone survived, and whose lineage I have endeav- 

 ored to trace, there were many others in early Tertiary times. 

 Some of these disappeared with the close of the Eocene, while 

 others continued, and assumed strange specialized shapes in 

 the Miocene, before their decline and extinction. One series 

 of the latter deserves especial mention, as it includes one of 

 the most interesting families of our extinct animals. Among 

 the large mammals in the lower Eocene is Limnohyus, a true 



caught in the Richelieu River, I immediately instituted in- 

 quiries into the matter, and succeeded in eliciting the follow- 

 ing information: Twelve young salmon were caught this 



dactyle, but only known here from fragments 



skeleton. In the next higher beds, this genus is well repre- 



»iid with it, is found a nearly allied form, PuUeosyops. - 



In the upper Eocene, both have left the field, and the genus I summer in set traps opposite the town of St. John. Eight of 



these were liberated alive, the other four were wounded. 

 They weighed about a half a pound each. At the same lime 

 and at the same place a young salmon two years old was 

 caught in a seme and liberated. No salmon were seen in the 

 neighborhood after the 18th of July. Trusting the above 

 might prove of interest, I have directed our fishery officer to 

 keep a sharp lookout and let us know any further informati-m 

 they might ascertain. These fish, I presume, are the fry 

 placed in Lake Champlain by the Vermont Fish Commis- 

 sioners. Yours very truly, S. P. Banset. 

 Pbof. S. P. Baibd. 



Diplacodon, a very near relative, holds the supremacy. The 

 line seems clear through these three genera, but on crossing 

 the break into the Miocene, we have, apparently, as next of 

 kin, the huge Brontotheridce. These strange beasts show in 

 their dentition and some other characters the same transition 

 steps beyond Diplaoodon, which that genus had made beyond 

 Palwosyops. The Brontalhcrida- were nearlv as large as the 

 Elephant, but had much shorter limbs. The skull was elon- 

 gated, and had a transverse pair of large horn-cores on the 

 mamillaries, in front of the orbits, like the middle pair in 

 J'moceras. There were four toes in front, and three behind, 

 and the feet were similar to those of the Rhinoceros. There 

 are four genera in this group, Brontotherium : Diconodon ; 

 Menodus ( 'Titanotherium) ; and Megacerops, which have been 

 found only in the lowest Miocene, east of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains. 



In the higher Miocene beds of Oregon, an allied genus, 

 CMlicothermm, makes its appearance. It is one stage further 

 on in the transition, and perhaps a descendant of the Bronto- 

 theridm ; but here, so far as now known, the line disappears. 



It is a suggestive fact, that this genus has now been found 

 in Western America, China, India, Greece, Germany and 

 France, indicating thus, as I believe, the path by 'which 

 many of our ancient mammals helped to people the so-cal ed 

 Old World. 



(To be continued.) 



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HABITS 



For Forest and Stream cmd Bad and Gun. 

 OF THE RUFFED GROUSE. 



FISH CULTURE IN MINNESOTA. 



SINCE the $5,000 appropriation by the Legislature, a step 

 forward has been taken in this State. A most judicious 

 selection of capable men was made in chosing Dr. Robt. 0. 

 Sweeny and Wm. Golcher, Esq., as Fish Commissioners. 

 The first named gentleman is a scientist of no mean attain- 

 ments, and a close student in all departments of natural his- 

 tory. Mr. Golcher is well known in England and America 

 as a gun maker whose mechanical abilities have been in- 

 herited through many generations. But his proclivities are 

 also fishwise, and having retired from a life of active and 

 profitable business, he enters into his new labors with ardor. 

 Just at present they are utilizing a portion of the State appro- 

 priation in constructing hatching houses and ponds near St 

 Paul. A few days ago Mr. Hallock, the editor of this journal, 

 who was then in Minnesota, took occasion to inspect the works 

 in their rudimentary state, and expressed himself gratified 

 with the choice of location and the plan of the works, in 

 which much progress has already been made. The water is of 

 a temperature of 50 degrees, issuing in dozens of little rivulets 

 from the base of a. bluff of sand at least 70 feet high, pure and 

 thoroughly filtered. These little rivulets are gathered into a 

 stone reservoir already constructed, and their aggregate makes 

 a head of water sufficient for mill purposes. The works 

 occupy a terrace at the foot of the bluff, and the natural for- 

 mation of the adjacent ground makes the work of construct- 

 ing ponds and races very easy and inexpensive. The outlook 

 is over a broad meadow flanked by wooded hills, while the 

 contiguous country is broken and rocky. The commissioners 

 are now laying out drives through the premises so as to make 

 the hatching house grounds attractive as a park, the principal 

 features of which will be a defile, a cave, and some curious 

 rocks shaped like toadstools overhanging the road. 



The hatching house is forty feet square ; the overseer's 

 house 40x18, two stories, rustic, with verandas, etc., both 

 nearly completed. Altogether the establishment is one of the 

 most romantic we have seen, and promises to blossom out in 

 a useful and satisfactory work. Minnesota is a natural fish 

 producing country, but its trout, bass and pike are disappear- 

 ing rapidly, and need to be replenished at once. To do this 

 we look toward the hatching house and the competent State 

 Fish Commissioners. 



Massachusetts.— The Chairman of the Lynn Board of Fish 

 Commissioners has received a communication from the Fish 

 Commissioners of the town of Wakefield stating that the 

 stocking of Saugus River with alewives was now an assured 

 success, and that the young fish were at present rapidly work- 

 ing down from the pond in Wakefield to the sea. 



New Yobk— Catskill is to have a fish hatchery. The 

 necessary grounds and springs have been leased of John 

 Goodwin, and a house 20x25 ft. is to be erected. 



^ Salmon in the Richelieu.— Halifax, JVova Scotia. Any. 

 27.— Editor Forest and Stream— I subjoin copy of a letter 

 just received from the Fisheries Department, at Ottawa, 

 Canada, which will be interesting, as showing the amount of 

 success in the direction of the labors of the U. S. Fish Com- 

 mission in stocking Lake Champlain and its tributaries with 

 salmon. 

 Yours truly, Sfenoek F. Baiud, 



Canada, Ottawa, Aug. 22.— Dear Sir— It having come to 

 the knowledge of this department that salmon had been 



T READ, doubtless in common with thousands of your read- 

 -L ers, Mr. Whitehead's article on Grouse, in Soribner's, and 

 noticed the inaccuracy of his statement that they strut up and 

 down a log and beat it with their wings. Bat it strikes me 

 that Mr. Murdock, in his strictures on the article, commits 

 far greater errors than those he seeks to correct It is true 

 that the bird does not always select a hollow log, but that he 

 frequently does so I can testify. I have found them on pines 

 four feet in diameter, and as hollow as a barrel. I have also 

 seen them drum on the root of a standing tree, and once shot 

 one off a huge granite boulder. But these are exceptions. 

 Ninety-nine out of every hundred select a fallen tree, and 

 almost always a pine, even where hemlock and other down 

 trees are more numerous. As for the statement that the 

 grouse will drain "wherever he happens to be," nothing 

 could well be more at variance with the facts. When wholly 

 undisturbed in his native woods, the grouse returns to the 

 same log year after year ; and in the wilds of Maine, where 

 brood after brood is reared without ever seeing ihe face of 

 man, I have seen dr umm ing logs which bore the appearance 

 of having been used for that purpose for a quarter of a cen- 

 tury. But the bird has a wonderful faculty of adapting itself 

 to the changes which are necessary for self-preservation in the 

 vicinity of civilization ; and near villages, where scarcely a 

 day passed without their being hunted by troops of boys, I 

 have known one of these birds to have half a dozen drumming 

 logs, running or flying from one to the other, and never 

 drumming twice successively on the same log. This very 

 precaution might prove its destruction, as it would only be 

 necessary to wait at one of the logs till he visited it in turn • 

 but, fortunately for the bird's preservation, the average 

 American boy is not a very, close observer in natural history, 

 and does not discover the trick. In regard to its drumming 

 not being a love call, I have only to say that in more than a 

 score of instances I have seen the female fly directly to the 

 log to join the male, besides witnessing two desperate fights 

 between the drummer and an intruder, the female, mean- 

 while, sitting placidly by within twenty feet of the combat- 

 ants. I also have shot two females while drumming. From 

 one of these logs I had shot the male two mornings before, 

 and from the other the same thing had been done by a com- 

 panion, as I afterward learned. Although I have repeatedly 

 known them to do the same thing since, 1 never repeated the 

 blunder, as I speedily learned to distinguish their drumming 

 from that of the male, it being performed with much less pre^ 

 cision ; rather a sort of fluttering several times repeated. As 

 for this autumn drumming, I have shot scores— I might 

 almost say hundreds — of them while thus engaged, and have 

 always found the birds shot to be young males. The expla- 

 nation has always seemed to me very simple : The bird has 

 reached maturity, its sexual instincts are awakened, and it 

 drums, before learning the proper season, which goes to prove 

 it a "love note" instead of operating against it, else they 

 would drum at all seasons. In regard to their night drum- 

 ming, I have observed that it takes place either in very dark, 

 foggy or drizzly nights, or in the brightest moonlight, as when 

 the glorious harvest moon of October floods the forest glades 

 with a radiance almost equal to the fight of day. In the 

 former instance I have always supposed that the bird was be- 

 lated, and unable to reach its roosting ground, owing to the 

 sudden approach of darkness, and in the latter was deceived 

 by the brightness of the moon. 



I now wish to notice a remarkable habit indulged in by cer- 

 tain males of this species at rare intervals, and which has 

 never to my knowledge been noticed by any naturalist. Once 

 whUe partridge hunting when a mere boy I descried at some 

 distance ahead of me, in an old "logging road," a strange 

 looking bird, apparently without head or tail, and almost 

 perfectly round in appearance. To shoot it was the work of 

 an instant, and running to get it I was almost petrified with 

 astonishment to pick up an ordinary cock partridge 



I was acquainted with an old hunter, a close observer of the 

 habits of all kinds of game, and to him I went with my story. 

 He informed me that what I had seen and shot was a "King 

 Partridge ;" that in forty years of hunting he had only seen 

 three or four, and that years would probably elapse before I 

 would see another. It was quite true ; it was at least ten 

 years ; and in the meantime I had grown to man's estate and 

 had discarded my shot gun for a rifle and was deer hunting 

 " on the leaves" one October when I next saw the "King 

 Partridge." This time, you may be sure, I did not fire at it, 

 but crept cautiously as near as I thought prudent without alarm- 

 ing the bird. The more I looked at it the greater became my 

 curiosity, and I determined to see what effect my appearance 

 would have on it. I therefore stepped out in plain sight. As 

 it paid not the slightest attention to me I walked within twenty 

 twenty feet of it and examined it at my leisure. Every feather 

 was perfectly erect, pointing if anything, forward of a perpen- 

 dicular. The tail was spread out to its utmost extent, and 

 laid forward almost flat on its back. Its neck waa drawn in, 

 so that when the bird was viewed, en profile, its head was en- 

 tirely invisible, its ruff extending far beyond it. Its wings 

 were slightly extended and drooping, so that the points just 

 touched the leaves, and about every half minute it made a 

 little dart forward about two feet, exactly like an old gobbler 

 except that it hopped with both feet like a robin, and during 



