266 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[May i, 1883. 



thirty-four dollars a ton for hay, a dollar a bushel for com, 

 seventy-five cents for oats, and two dollars for Irish potatoss. 

 Farewell unexcelled sweet potatoes and watermelons. And 

 its, 1 the tough beef of Old Florida. What apologies for 

 cattle! An exaggerated sunfish on legs gives a good idea of 

 their shape. Goodbye Italy of America. Farewell Florida. 

 We! Tak! Vale! ' S. 



St. Johns River, Florida, April, 18&3. 



Vennoe Confesses That He Don't Know the true date 

 of "Ground Hog Day." Is any one wiser than Vennor in 

 this day and generation? 



turpi W^ or U* 



BUZZARDS AGAIN. 



THE notes in your issue of April 20 on the buzzard has re- 

 minded me of two singular habits of this species in 

 feeding, which I have never seen in print, and which I have 

 verified by careful observation. These are, first, their cus- 

 tom when alighting on or near the body of a dead animal, of 

 deliberately raising and spreading their wings to their full 

 extent, at the same time bowing the head, which custom 

 has given rise to the statement in the south that the buzzard 

 always says grace before eating ; second, the very first act 

 of this bird is to take out the eyes of the animal. I have 

 many times speculated as to why and wherefore of these acts, 

 and as to the last-named whether the eyes were a choice tit- 

 bit, or whether they had an idea that the organ of sight 

 should be plucked out to render their operations unob- 

 served. 



I do not think facts will sustain your correspondent in his 

 field mouse theory, as the buzzard will not attack a living 

 creature, his propensities are for carrion only; so my experi- 

 ence has taught me in the many thousands I have observed 

 feeding. 



The young buzzard is covered with a pure white downy 

 coat until nearly full grown. Observer. 



Pittsburg, Pa., April 21. 



[We incline to the belief that the eyes are attacked first 

 because they are the softest and most vulnerable part, and 

 can be plucked out with less effort than a hole can be torn 

 through the though skin. We think that the observations of 

 naturalists have clearly shown that the buzzard does fre- 

 quently attack living creatures. See standard works on 

 North American birds.] 



SPRING NOTES. 



NOVA SCOTIA, April 18.— Just one month has elapsed 

 since my last notes, and we have assuredly had a 

 month of unusually wintry weather for the season. My note 

 book gives the following: March 18, northeast snowstorm 

 with heavy gale. March 23, 7 A. M. , thermometer 4deg. 

 March 24, 7 A. M., thermometer 12deg., wind west. March 

 25, 7 A. M., Sdeg., wind northwest. March 26, 7 A. M., 

 12deg., wind northwest. March 28, cloudy, with rain show- 

 ers, thermometer at 8 A. M., 28deg. ; at noon it rose to 48deg. 

 Boys catch small trout in the river with hook and line ; bait, 

 a piece of pork. This day has been our first sign of spring. 

 March 30, three robins (T. migratorius) fly past the house. 

 March 31, thermometer at 7:30 A. M., 15deg, wind west- 

 northwest, very cold. A flock of finches pass over. Several 

 robins about. Saw a song-sparrow (Melospiza melodia) for the 

 first time this year. April 1, song-sparrow sings first time. 

 Thermometer at 6 A. M. 6deg., very cold, with northwest 

 breeze. April 2, fall of snow, wind east. April 4, ther- 

 mometer at A. M., 18deg. ; strong gale from west. Several 

 bluebirds (Junco hyemalu) about. At 4 P. M. a distinct peal 

 of thunder. April 5, the first wild geese (A. canadensis) I 

 have observed this season passed over about 6 :10 P. M. , 

 about a quarter of an hour before sunset. Odd enough, in- 

 stead of going east as all geese do over this province on their 

 spring migration, this flock, numbering thirty-five, were 

 going west in the direction of Annapolis Basin. April 7, 

 put up four black duck (A. obscura) on the river. Robins 

 hopping about the meadows. April 8, purple grackle (Q. 

 purpu-reus) first seen. A flock of fifteen wild geese lit down 

 in a neighoring farmyard among some domestic geese, and 

 strayed about a quarter of an hour. Several ducks flying up 

 the river at sunset. April 9, two woodcock fly past the 

 house at sunset. April 14, robin sings first time in early 

 morning, 6 A. M. Ducks flying up the river at evening. 

 April 15, a charming day, bright, hot sun. Flies and a but- 

 terfly ( V. antiopa) about. Buds of the dwarf osier (Salix) 

 called "pussies," just beginning to show white. April 16, 

 a very large flock of ducks, about fifty or more, passed over, 

 going east, at sunset. April 18, first croak of frog (B. fonti- 

 nalis) heard at 5 :30 P. M. , in an adjoining swamp. J.M.J. 

 Fbrn Lodge, Waterville, Kings Co. 



Taunton, Mass., April 23, 1882.— The following are some 

 notes of the arrival of spring birds at Taunton for 1882: 

 Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) arrived February 20, were not abun- 

 dant until March 20; robins (Turdus migratorius) arrived 

 February 23, were not abundant until March 20; song-spar- 

 rows (Melospiza femfata) arrived February 24, were not 

 abundant until March 25; field larks (Sturnella magna) ar- 

 rived March 1; golden-winged woodpeckers (Golaples uura- 

 tus) arrived March 2 ; purple grosbeaks ( Ca rpodacus purpumus) 

 arrived March 15; red-winged blackbirds (Agekieus pJtami- 

 ceus) arrived March 16; purple grackles (Quisculuspu-rpureus) 

 arrived March 19; woodcock (Philohdu minor) arrived 

 March 26; red-tailed hawk (Buteo borealis) arrived March 36 ; 

 white-bellied swallows (Iridoprocne bieolor) arrived March 28; 

 chipping sparrows (Spmlla domestica) arrived March 29; 

 brown thrush (Ilarporhynchus rafus) arrived March 29; grass 

 finch (Poeeetes grauiineux) arrived March 29; snipe (Gallinago 

 wih-ouii) arrived March 29; barn swallows (Hirundo erythro- 

 gastra horreorum) arrived April 2; rusty grackles (Seolwo- 

 phagus ferrugineus) arrived April 6; yelidw-rumped warbler 

 (Dtntlrcea coronata) arrived April 6; cooper's hawk (Aceipiter 

 cooper ii) arrived April 6; kingfisher (Geryk alcyon) arrived 

 April 9; sparrow hawk {Tiiuiuiuruiux spanermis) arrived 

 April 16; purple martins (Progne sulm) arrived April 23. — 

 J. G. Oahoon. 



Deering, Maine, April 22.— I give you below a list of early 

 spring arrivals, with the dates at which the first specimens were 

 observed. The crow (G. anterimnun) was with us all win- 

 ter. March 5. bluebird' darch 6, robins (T. mi- 

 gratorius) March; 1, song-sparrows (M. melodia); March 12, 

 swamp-sparrows \M. palustris); March 28, red-winged black- 

 bird (A, ph'xnkeus); March 31, Cooper's hawk {A, coop&ri); 



March 31, red-tailed hawk (JS. borealis); April 2, immense 

 flocks of snowbirds (J. hyemalis); April 4, American bittern 

 (A. minor); April 5, heard frogs in the marsh: April 9, fox- 

 sparrows (P. iliaea); April 11, swallows (II. bieolor); April 

 14, great blue heron (A. herodui*); butterflies and honey- 

 bees; April 16, red poll (A. liuaria), male and female; 

 bluebirds and song-sparrows mating; found May flow- 

 ers, arbutus (Epigea ripens); rusty grackle (8. ferru- 

 ginous); cow birds (M. pecoris); April 17, pigeon hawk (H. 

 coin mbarius); April 18, pewee (S. fuscus); April 19, immense 

 flocks of wild geese going north, several hundred through the 

 day; April 21, golden-winged woodpecker (C. amrtaus). — 

 J. E. M. 



THE LINNEAN SOCIETY. 



AT the annual meeting of the Linnean Society of New 

 York, held at the rooms of the American Geographical 

 Society, on March 11, 1882, the election of officers for the 

 ensuing year resulted as follows : President, Mi - . Eugene P. 

 Bicknell of Riverdalc-on-Hudson, New York city, who was 

 re-elected; Vice-President, Mr. H. B. Bailey of Orange, N. J. ; 

 Recording Secretary, Mr. L. S. Foster of New York city; 

 Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. Newbold P. 

 Lawrence of New York city, who was re-elected. 



The society has been active during the winter, and a num- 

 ber of intere'sting papers have been read and discussions en- 

 faged in. At the opening meeting, on November 19, 1881, 

 [t. L. S. Foster read a paper calling attention to the very 

 singular and absurd notions anciently entertained of the 

 economy, properties, and uses of many familiar objects 

 of natural history. Quotations were given of prescrip- 

 tions for a long category of human ailments which 

 were utterly ridiculous, the remedial agents usuaUy 

 being produced, as averred, by some peculiar treat- 

 ment of special portions of the anatomy of differ- 

 ent animal forms. In some quotations touching the names 

 of birds the origin of some now familiar names was hinted 

 at. On December 10, 1881, Mr. H. B. Bailey read a partial 

 list of the birds of Nova Scotia, which forcibly presented 

 the interesting faunal peculiarities of the region. Mr. Bick- 

 nell exhibited a specimen each of the hoary and New York 

 bats (Atalaphei cinerius, Cs., and A. noveboriwenMs, Cs.)from 

 Riverdale, New York city. The specimens, though from 

 the same locality, were so entirely dissimilar, both in colora- 

 tion and proportions, that it seemed very ualikely that they 

 could be forms of a single species, as some have thought 

 probable. On this occasion Dr. A. K. Fisher made some in- 

 teresting remarks on our species of Vespertilionidce. On 

 January 14, 1882, Dr. C. Hart Merriam react the introduction 

 to a paper on the birds of the Adirondacks, which was of 

 some length and of marked interest, showing an exhaustive 

 study of the subject. Mr. Merriam also made some remarks 

 on his progressing work on the birds of the State. Mr. 

 Bicknell alluded to the catalogue he has had in view of the 

 birds in the vicinity of New York city and Long Island, and 

 solicited from those of the members who had not already 

 offered their co-operation all possible data bearing on the sub- 

 ject. Mr. Dutcher read a paper on the fish-crow (Corvus ossi- 

 fragus), in which it was shown by a compilation of the re- 

 cords of the occurrence of this bird' toward the northern lim- 

 its of its range, that it is there a winter as well as a summer 

 resident. A paper was read by Mr. Charles Earle on Janu- 

 ary 23, entitled, "Some of the Hydroids of Cape Ann, Mass." 

 In this were reviewed various points in the anatomy and 

 physiology of these animals, the life histories of certain spe- 

 cies being given with some detail, and their subjects illus- 

 trated by alcoholic specimens. Mr. R. T. Moms mentioned 

 having found a specimen of a South American moth (Erebus 

 odora) at New Haven, Conn. , in the last week of September, 

 1881. Mr. Morris also read a paper on the "Entozoa of Man," 

 tracing the life cycles of these parasites and alluding to many 

 interesting facts of their relationships with their hosts. At 

 the same meeting (February 11) Mr. Bicknell read the intro- 

 duction to a paper on some of the summer birds of the 

 Catskill Mountains, consisting of a consideration of the gen- 

 eral physical, faunal, and floral characteristics of the region. 

 This paper was continued at a subsequent meeting and the 

 summer birds of the section reviewed in some detail. 



Mr. L. S. Foster presented some notes on birds seen at 

 Moriches Bay, Long Island, on February 22, 1882, noting 

 the presence of Agekieus phwnieeus. Much interesting matter 

 has also been brought out by verbal communications and dis- 

 cussions. 



The society has been active in introducing into the pro- 

 posed amendment to the Game laws now before the Legisla- 

 ture a provision for the prevention of illegitimate destruction 

 of small birds and the issuance of permits by properly au- 

 thorized institutions for the. necessary collection of the same 

 in pursuit of scientific study. 



Meetings will be resumed in the fall. 



A Good Word for the Shrike.— Livonia, N. Y., April 

 80. —If all sportsmen should follow "Jeree's" advice in a 

 recent issue of Forest and Stream, I think that they would 

 not only do themselves much harm, but would greatly injure 

 the farmer to whom they are indebted to a great extent for 

 their pleasure. I do not deny that: shrikes may kill young 

 quail, but I do most emphatically dispute the statement that 

 it does no good. The shrike is on the increase around Lere 

 and I am glad of it, because, as the following statements will 

 show, it does much for which both the sportsman and the 

 farmer ought to be thankful. I have seen the. shrike kdl 

 sparrows in great numbers, going among a flock and destroy- 

 ing as many as five at one time. " I have also seen them kill 

 many field mice, and, one day last summer, while going 

 through a field, I saw a shrike dart down from a tree near 

 by, and seize a small snake which was robbing a quail of 

 her young, as I could tell from her frantic actions. If this 

 is not proof enough to the reasoning mind that the shrike, 

 which your correspondent would have us believe is nothing 

 but a Curse to the interests of sportsmen, then go forth with 

 your shotguns and kill them wherever you can find them, as 

 you would a wolf among a flock of sheep. F. E. 8. 



About an Owl's Nest. — Saratoga Springs, N. Y., April 

 22, 1882.— Editor Fond and Streuni: While out after buds' 

 eggs one day last week, I found the nest of a great horned 

 owl which contained two young ones. The nest was in an 

 ash tree about sixty-five feet high, and was about forty feet 

 from the ground. The owls were the tenants of an old nest, 

 which, by my own observation, was occupied in the spring 

 of 1881 by a crow, in the spring of 18S0 by a red-shouldered 

 hawk, and 1879 by a red-tailed hawk. The owl had added 

 no new lining to the nest The young were, I should think, 

 between two and three weeks old, just commencing to fledge 

 out, the wings quite well feathered We brought one of the 



young ones home, but it died on the way. It was very 

 large, and when lying down would cover a space eight 

 inches in diameter. The legs were feathered finely. I have 

 found a great many owls' nests, having found them in old 

 stumps, and I have taken three different species of eggs from 

 the nest from which I took the young owl, and am only 

 sorry I could not have said I have taken four different kinds 

 of eggs from one nest. I think it would have "capped the 

 climax, " The nest was near Victory Mills, about eight miles 

 from Saratoga., The nest was somewhat enlarged on the 

 outside with dead limbs, and the inside shape was somewhat 

 modified to fit the shape of the sitting bird. Two years ago 

 I found owls' eggs when the snow was two feet deep in the 

 swamp. The interesting feature of tins nest, however, was 

 that besides the young it contained a number of birds and 

 mammals which had been captured by the old ones, a list of 

 which I give you: One mouse, one young muskrat, two 

 eels, four bullheads, one woodcock, four ruffed grouse, one 

 rabbit, eleven rats. The things taken out of the nest 

 weighed almost eighteen pounds. A curious fact connected 

 with these captives was that the heads were eaten off, the 

 bodies being untouched. Do not owls usually eat the bodies 

 of their prey ? — Hawkeye. 



Caught Napping— While out in the woods last week I 

 was fortunate enough to capture a screech owl (Scops asio) in 

 the red plumage. He was fast asleep in a hole at the top of 

 an old dead elm tree, which stood in afield near a small marsh. 

 I carried him home and put nim in a cage, and he is now 

 quite tame. I have fed him on wild pigeon, mice, and small 

 buds. The pigeon was about as large as the owl, but this 

 made very little difference to the latter, for in one night he 

 devoured nearly the whole of the pigeon.— J. C. Cahoon, 

 (Taunton, Mass., April 27). 



Caged Albino Robin.— At one of the New York bird 

 stores on Sixth avenue, above Twenty -third street, your cor- 

 respondent saw a week ago a true albino robin. The bird is 

 caged, perfectly white, and has the pink eyes of all true 

 albinos.— Homo. 



The Black Tail Deer Hunters of Hill's Hole want to 

 know all about "Ground Hog Day." Can any one help 

 them? 



\mt\t fjzg mfd 



***** Scaipe ! scaipe ! 



In what beautiful shape the pointer does his work, 



While the setter wild, like a wayward child, 



To heel brings up the rear. 



The wind is high, the longbills shy, 



A devious path they fly. 



Finger and brain in their liveliest mood 



Must work with "deliberate promptitude," 



Or the bag hangs light to-day. 



With the gale in our teeth, glimpses brief 



Of the king of brown birds, as he leaves the heath; 



No laggard now, with his slothful swing, 



Our longbill clean to the grass can bring. 



Scaipe! scaipe! in what beautiful shape 



The pointer does his work, 



While the setter wild— a wayward child — 



To heel brings up the rear. C. 



NEW JERSEY GAME LAW. 



THE last Legislature of this State made no ckaages in the 

 game laws, merely amending the fish laws so as to 

 allow of the taking of black bass from June 1st instead of 

 July 1st, as formerly. A bill had been carefully prepared 

 and introduced into ' the Senate under the auspices of ' 'The 

 New Jersey Game and Fish Protective Society," which was 

 a consolidation of all the game laws under the head of one 

 act. An egregious typographical error existing in the rab- 

 bit law was corrected, and other good features introduced. 

 The bill passed the Senate, not, however, before some wise (?) 

 Solon had amended it so as to prohibit ruffed grouse shoot- 

 ing in the State for live years. This amendment was objected 

 to in the House, and the bill "hung fire" there until near the 

 close of the Legislature. It was then found that in conse- 

 quence of the great furore created in the House by the at- 

 tempted passage of obnoxious railroad bills, the game bill, 

 together with a large number of other important measures, 

 must "he over," the Legislature adjourning before it could 

 be brought up for final passage. The game laws therefore 

 remain the same as last year. "The New Jersey Game and 

 Fish Protective Society," whose headquarters are at Plain- 

 field, have issued a card of the "open seasons" and penalties 

 prescribed for infringement of same. 



The officers of the society are: President, James S. Vos- 

 seller; Secretary, W. L. Force, Plainfleld, N. J; Treasurer, 

 Wm. E. Jones; Vice-Presidents, Geo. P. Suydam, Jno. I. 

 Holly, Percy C. Old; Counsel, Wm. B. Maxon, Plainfield. 



The open game seasons are : Ruffed grouse, Nov. 1 to 

 Jan. 1 ; quail, Nov. 1 to Jan. 1 ; woodcock, July 1 to Aug. 1 

 and Oct. 1 to Dec. 16; rail bud, mouths of Sept., Oct. and 

 Nov. ; reed bird or marsh hen, Aug. 25 to Dec. 1. ; prairie 

 chicken, Oct. 15 to Dec 1; upland plover, Aug. 1 to Jan. 1; 

 summer duck, Sept. 1 to Jan. 1 ; gray squirrel, Sept. 1 to 

 Jan. 1; black squirrel, Sept. 1 to\Jan. 1 ; fox squirrel, Sept. 1 

 to Jan. 1; rabbit, Nov. 1 to Jan. 1; deer, close season for 

 three years from 1881, then only between Oct. 31 and Dec. 1. 



The penalty for killing any insectivorous bird, or taking 

 or destroying* the eggs of such birds is ten dollars for each 

 offense. 



The penalty for trapping or snaring any game bird at any 

 time or place, either on one's own property or that of another, 

 is fifteen dollars for each and every offense. 



Non-residents not complying with the by-laws of the game 

 protective societies of tins State are prohibited from shooting 

 in its limits under a penalty of fifty dollars, or imprisonment 

 untU the fine is paid. Secretary's address, W. L. Force, 

 Plainfield. N. J. Membership fee, two dollars. Con. 



Wild Pigeons. — Wild pigeons are nesting on the head of 

 the west branch of Pine Creek and its tributaries, in Potter 

 county, Pa. , about nineteen miles from Ulysses. The nest- 

 ing is reported to be about four miles long, and extending 

 westward daily. A new body of birds came in Sunday 

 morning, and if they are not driven out it bids fair to be a 

 large nesting. The" number of men in the nesting section 

 cannot fall far short of 600— some estimate the number at 

 1,000.— E. W. B., WellsviUe, N. Y., April 29. 



