204 
*PODGERS’S” INLAND CRUISE, 
11,—A FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THE PARADISE. 
FTER an excellent dinner, cooked in good, old-tash- 
_ioned, country style. so grateful tothe palate after a 
surfeit of city semi-French messes, a seat in a comfortable, 
toomy arm-chair of the style of our daddies on the platform 
in the rear of the house overlooking the lake, and a good 
cigar, a spirit of perfect contentment and Christian-like 
feeling toward all man and womankind steals over one. 
Before me was a wide expanse of clear, placid water, with 
a gentle breeze just ruffling the surface, with here and there 
a fisherman rowing lazily, trolling for bass; a few miles dis- 
tant the spires of Kingston stood boldly up against the sky. 
The tiny waves rippled against the plattorm forming the 
back yard of the house, producing a sense of drowsiness, 
from which I was aroused by the bump of a boat against 
the platform and the Janding of a party of three fishermen 
that had been out since breakfast time trolling and casting 
for bass. “‘What luck?” ‘Oh, not much to-day. Sunday; 
fish don’t bite well on Sunday up this way.” Nevertheless 
they tossed out a dozen fine black bass, the result of the 
day’s catch, Two other boats occupied by the guests of 
the house came in later with about the same number, the 
fishermen complaining that the day had been too hot and 
still for sood fishing. 
From these gentlemen, who had been spending several 
weeks at the house, I learned that the fishing thereabouts 
was better than at any point on the river for bass, while perch 
were so plentiful as fo be a nuisance and were thrown back. 
But one muscalonge had been taken. This fish is becoming 
very ‘scarce in the St. Lawrence, and very few had heen 
taken by the fishermen below. It is given out that fisher- 
men always catch numbers of these magnificent fish about 
Alexandria Bay, whereas to catch one nowadaysis an excep- 
tion and not the rule, The greenhorn arriving at Alex- 
andria Bay eagerly prepares his tackle the morning after his 
afrival, and, engaging a boat and an experienced man, starts 
out with visions of forty-pounders in his mind, and after 
trolling for miles and miles comes in with a black bass or 
two and a dozen perch, but nary a muscalonge. Occasion- 
ally one is caught, which is exhibited to the guests of the 
hotels that crowd down on the Janding to look at him, and 
is utilized to fire the ambition of the discouraged tenderfoot 
whose enthusiasm is on the wane. After a big fishis caught, 
business with the boatmen revives for a day or two. 
After tea, obserying the gentlemen strolling over across 
the street toward a brick building and disappear through a 
side door, Il asked mine host Hitchcock what he had over 
there. ‘Oh, we go over to the billiard room to smoke and 
tell fish stories; some people call it ‘the liars’ retreat.’” 
Strolling over, 1 found a large bar and billiard room, with 
plenty of old-fashioned rocking chairs and the fishermen all 
comfortably seated, smoking, while a sprinkling of villagers 
and boaimen stood around, leaning against the har on their 
elbows, listening to the talk and occasionally chipping in. 
They seemed to be utilized to confirm any rather dubious 
boasts of the exploits of the narrator, ‘‘Isn’t that so, Jim; 
didn’t I catch twenty 10-pounders that day?” To which Jim, 
after expectorating, deliberately shooting at a distant spit- 
toon and missing if, would say, ‘‘You did, Cap.” It was 
observable that Jim’s evidence was not particularly convinc- 
ing. Probably he had been doing duty as a reference all 
summer, and his testimony had become a little stale by repe- 
tition, 
From fish stories they got to telling stories on each other, 
and some hilherto mysteries were brought to light, some ot 
them rather damaging to the reputations of the character of 
the sportsmen present. Our host proved to be a jolly nag 
and fond of a joke, not behind in telling a good-story an 
with a hearty infectious laugh. One of his stories is good 
enough to repeat: Some chap about the village bought a 
large pickerel which he was taking home tor his Sunday 
finner, wrapped up in a newspaper, but being struck with 
a tremendous thirst he stopped in at a grocery with the usual 
back room, laying his fish down on a barrel. The chap who 
kept the store being blessed with an inquisitive turn of mind 
unrolled the parcel and looked at the fish. His wide ex- 
tended jaws suggested a joke on the owner. Probably he 
had read Mark Twain’s story of the jumping frog of Cala- 
yveras, for he scooped up a handful of beans out of a barrel 
hard by, and poured them down the throat of the pickerel 
until he was full, and then with the end of a broom handle 
packed them down. Presently the owner came out, wiping 
off his chin, and picking up his fish went home, 
The next morning he came rushing into the grocery in a 
high state of excitement and declared he had made a won- 
derful discovery, ‘What?’ ‘Did you ever hear that pick- 
erel would eat beans?” ‘‘Beans! What about _ beans?” 
“Why, do you know when I dressed that pickerel this morn- 
ing that I had here last night I found about a pint of beans 
in him.” ‘‘You did?” ‘‘Yes.” ‘‘Well, what is there so 
strange about that? Didn’t you know that pickerel were 
very fond of beans, and that they are the best bait you could 
use? I thought every fool knew that. Why, when I was 
a boy our garden ran down to the edge of the lake, and the 
old man, about the time the beans were ripe, used to make 
me and my brother Jim take turns watching the bean pateh 
to keep the pickerel out. The critters would come on moon- 
light nights and get under the fence at the edge of the water 
and flop up into the patch, and Jim and I would spear ‘em 
with the pitchfork, and we had pickerel to feed to the hogs.” 
The next day the credulous victim was discovered out in a 
boat fishing away with a whole row of beans strung on his 
hook, anxiously waiting for a bite. Yarns of fishing and 
shooting whiled away the evening until bedtime, when all 
adjourned over to the stone house and turned in. 
‘To the sportsman jn quest of a quiet summer home, with 
the finest water privilege in the world, good fishing, sailing, 
good liying, and what is important, at moderate cost, there 
is no place so near, so easily reached af small cost, as this 
little stone hotel of our host Hitchcock, By taking the even- 
ing train by the New York Central or West Shore (if the 
latter has arranged its connections), via Schenectady, Utica, 
Rome, etc,, you reach Cape Vincent early next day (about 
10 o’clock) at a cost of $8.50 for fare, sleeper extra, of course. 
On arriving at. Vincent, go on board the little steamer Maud, 
which goes through an old canal, saving going entirely 
around Wolf Island. She will land you at Marysville, dis- 
tant from Vincent by this route six or seyen miles (fare, $1), 
and five minutes’ walk from Hitchcock’s. You wil] find him 
on the wharf, with a boat ready io take you, with your bag- 
gage, and land you on the platform constituting his back 
ard. The house accommodates about fifteen or twenty 
guests. The rooms are ncatly and comfortably furnished, 
beds good and table excellent. Itis free and easy; that is to 
say, one can lonnge around in old clothes, smoke a pipe, 
* 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
row, tish, sleep, or do neither; can sit out over the water in 
an old-fashioned rocker, read, doze, and take solid comfort. 
The ladies can sil on the back porch (or front), sew, chat, 
tell their experiences, compare notes, in calico dresses and 
Mother Hubbards, relieved of the discomfort of being dressed 
up in mashing costumes. 
There are several nice boats on the platferm ready to be 
launched for a vow, and bhoatmen to row them if wanted, 
with comfortable arm-chairs for seats, and many beautiful 
shady, wooded points near or further away for pic-nics; 
always shade, always good fishing. The charges are but $7 
or 48 per week for all this comfort, 
In October the shooting is good. Black ducks are to be 
found in the marshes bordering on the old canal; also snipe, 
and cn the land there is abont this time great flights of yel- 
low-legs and pigeon plover. An old farmer told us that if 
we would come to his house (situated on the east side of the 
island about midway) any time during October he would 
promise us fine duck shooting and the finest plover shooting 
possible to be found anywhere. By way of variety excur- 
sions can be made in almost any direction, Kingston is but 
two or three miles distant, reached by the steamboats several 
times a day. The St. Lawrence, a fine new boat, makes 
daily trips to Alexandria and returning. From Kingston, a 
steamer runs to Toronto, 
Ne more delightful trip can be made: than that by steamer 
from Kingston to Montreal, taking in the beautiful scenery 
of the river and giving one a sensation in running the rapids 
about which so much has been written, very exciting and 
With just enough of the element of danger to make it inter- 
esting. Only a good staunch boat, well handled, can run 
these rapids safely, but it is no great trick to go from Cape 
Vincent to Montreal in a good new boat, such as those in 
general use all along the river. A cool head and a steady 
hand at the oars, and by keeping close inshore, the rapids 
can be run with comparative safety. A paddle is better than 
oars On account of being able to see where you are going. 
You don’t need much propelling power, all that is required 
is to keep your boat straight anil let her go and she will go 
fast enough to suit anybody. Nothing could be more excit- 
ing and delightful than such a trip to the skillful boatman. 
The wonder is that yachtsmen do not strike out for these 
waters, for no more delightful excursion or summer trip can 
be imagined than to ascend the St, Lawrence to Lake Ontario, 
thence through the Welland Canal into Lake Erie, and so on 
to the westerly end of Superior, The canals around the 
rapids have sufficient depth to enable a yacht of any reason- 
able draft to pass through, and when in the river the current 
is no obstacle to good progress with an ordinary breeze, and 
the navigation is simple and easy. There are safe harbors 
anywhere, and good anchorage under the lee of the innum- 
erable islands. If would be particularly delightful in a steam 
yacht, as you are independent of wind and current. Steam 
may be excused under certain circumstances eyen by a 
yachtsman. 
The gentlemen that had been out fishing from the Stone 
House recorded tour hundred bass as their cateh—for how 
many days I did not learn, but inferred the fishing did not 
extend over a very long period. None ever seemed to come 
in empty-handed; they all had fish. 
The writer proposes to try it on next season, and (D. VY.) be- 
come one of Hitchcock’s family, aud to stay until the dogs 
are set on him, PODGERS. 
Batuyal History. 
AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS’ 
REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS. 
apse second congress of the American Ornithologists’ 
Union met in the American Museum of Natural 
History, in New York city, Sept. 80, 1884, the session lasting 
three days. 
The meeting wag called to order at 11:30 A. M., on Tues- 
day, Sept. 80, 1884, by the President, Mr. J. A. Allen, 
The members present during the session were: J. A. 
‘Allen, H. B. Bailey, Chas. F. Batchelder, Eugene P. Bick- 
nell, William Brewster, Montague Chamberlain, Dr. Elliott 
Coues, D. G. Elliot, Dr. A. K. Fisher, Colonel N. 8. Goss, 
Dr, J. B. Holder, Dr. C, Hart Merriam, Robert Ridgway, 
Thomas S. Roberts, John H. Sage, Geo, B. Sennett, Dr. 
Leonhard. Stejneger. . 
Dr. Coues called attention to the presence of the eminent 
British ornithologists, Dr, Philip Lutley Sclater and Mr. 
Howard Saunders; and the President, Mr. Allen, expressed 
the gratification of the Union at the high compliment thus 
paid it, and extended to these gentlemen, and also to Mr. 
William Sclater and the Rev. E. P. Knubley (of the British 
Ornithologists’ Union), a cordial and earnest invitation to 
take part in the deliberations of the Union. 
The associate members present were Mr, William Dutcher, 
Mr, Fred T. Jencks, and Dr. Howard Jones, Mr. Napoleon 
A. Comeau, one of the Union’s most valuable observers of 
bird migration, was also present, having come all the way 
from his home on Godbout River—at the entrance of the 
Gulf of St. Lawrence on fhe vorth shore—a distance of 
about a thousand miles. f 
The Secretary (Dr. Merriam), in presenting his report, 
gave the following summary of the present status of mem- 
bership (as derived from official acceptances In the several 
classes): Active 44, foreign 20, corresponding 16, associate 
63. The Secretary spoke of the very cordial manner in 
which the distinguished ‘foreign members had responded to 
the notifications of their election, and the kind expressions 
in which they had predicted for the Union a Jong and use- 
ful career. He also called attention to the loss sustained by 
the Union in the death of Dr. Hermann Schlegel, Director 
of the Royal Museum of Leyden, Holland, one of its most 
honored foreign members, and of two Associates, Edgar A. 
Small, of Hagerstown, Maryland, and H,. G. Vennor, of 
Montreal. 
The Council recommended for active membership Dr, 
Leonhard Stejneger, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, 
D. C.; Mr, Otto Widmann, St. Louis, Missouri; Prof. W. 
W. Cooke, Indian Territory; Capt. Thos. W. Blakiston, late 
of Japan, and a member of the British Ornithologists’ Union, 
now a4 resident of the United States. 
The Council recommended that the Union confer the 
honor of foreign membership—the highest gift within its 
power—upon the following ornithologists of world-wide re- 
nown: Heinrich Gitke, Heligoland; Dr. W. Taczanowski, 
Russia; Henry Seebohm, England; Howard Saunders, Eng- 
land; Dr. H, Burmeister, Brazil. : 
The Council recommended for corresponding member- 
ship: Dr. J. G. Cooper, Califarnia; W. E, D, Scott, Ari- 
UNION. 
i i i 
' 
(Oov. 9, 1884, 
zona; Dr, C, Aljum, Germany; Dr. John Anderson, F.R.5., 
India; U. Bachofen von Echt, Austria; W, T. Blanford, 
E.R 8., London; Dr. Louis Bureau, France; Major HE. A. 
Butler, Ireland; Dr. Edouard Baldamus, Germany; Dr. R, 
Blasius, Germany; Dr. Wilhelm Blasius, Germany; Dr, Bog- 
danow, Russia; John Cordeaux, England; Dr. Alphonse 
Dubois, Belgium; Major H, W.. Feilden, London; Dr. Victor 
Fatio, Switzerland: Dr. A, Girtanncr, Switzerland; Dr. 
Hans Gadow, England; Col. A. H. Godwin-Austin, london; 
Edward Hargitt, London; Dr. Julius yon Haast, New Zea- 
land; Dr, E. Holub, Austria; Dr. C. F. Homeyer, Germany; 
Dr. G, F. W. Krukenberg, Germany; Dr. Theobald J, Kru- 
per, Greece; BH, L. Layard, New Caledonia; Graf A. F. Mar- 
schall, Austria; Dr. A, B. Meyer, Germany; Dr. Julius von 
Madarasz, Budapest; Dr. M, Menzbier, Russia; Dr. A. von 
Mojsiscovics, Gratz; Dr. A. J. Malmgren, Finland; Dr. A. 
von Middendorff, Russia; E. W. Oates, London; Col, N. ° 
Prejevalsky, Russia; Dr. R. Philippi, Chili; Dr. Gustay 
Radde, Russia; Dr. Leopold von Schrenck, Russia; E.. P. 
Ramsay, Australia; Dr, Anton Reichenow, Germany; Capt. 
G. Ii. Shelly, London; Baron Edmund De Selys-Longehamps, 
Belgium; Dr, Herman Shalow, Germany; Dr, W. Severtzow, 
Russia; Rey. Canon H. B. Tristram, England; Count Victor 
von Tschusi, Hungary; Prof. A. Duges, Mexico; Sr. Don 
José Zelédon, Costa Rica; Dr. Hjalmar Theel, Sweden; 
Henry Stevenson, England; Francis Nicholson, England, 
It was then stated that in view of asuggested amendment 
to the Constitution (presently to be announced) the Council 
did not deem it expedient to elect a large number of associ- 
ate members at the present session. The following nomina- 
tions only were presented: Hdward A. Bangs, Cambridge, 
Mass, ; Outram Bangs, Cambridge, Mass.; Dr. Abbott Frazar, 
Cambridge, Mass.; Lloyd McKim Garrison, New York; 
George B. Greenway, Syracuse, N. Y.; Gurdon Trumbull, 
Hartford, Conn,; Dr. Rawlins Young. The Secretary then 
presented, in behalf of the Council, five proposed amend- 
ments to the Constitution, 
Hlection of members being in order, it was moved by Dr, 
Coues and unanimously carried that the Secretary be in- 
structed to cast the affirmative ballot of the Union for the 
names recommended by the Council for the several classes — 
of membership, They were so elected. The President next 
ealled for the 
REPORT OF COMMITTER ON PROVISION OF NOMBPNCLATURE 
AND OLASSIFIGATION OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 
Dr. Elliott Coues, chairman of the committee, stated that 
the committee had held a number of meetings and-had pre- 
pared au elaborate report, which he was about toread. The 
work had been divided by the formation of the fwo sub-com- 
mittecs, one (consisting of Messrs. Ridgway, Brewster, and 
Henshaw) to determine the status of species and sub-species; 
the other (consisting of Mr. Allen and Dr, Cones) to formu- 
Jate the canous of nomenclature and classification adopted by 
the committee. He also expressed the indebtedness of the 
committee to Dr. Leonhard Stejneger for determining many 
points in synonomy, and for other aid, 
Dr, Coues then read 77 evtenso the report of the sub-com- 
mittee on codification of canons of nomenclature and classifi- 
cation, as adopted by the full committee. The reading occu- 
pied about an hour and a half. Mr, Ridgway continued the 
report by reading the list of species prepared by the sub- 
committee on the status of species and sub-species, and 
adopted by the full committee, 
REPORT OF THE COMMITTER ON THE ELIGIBILITY OR IN- 
BLIGIBILITY OF THH HUROPHAN HOUSH SPAR- 
ROW ON AMERICA. 
Dr. J. B, Holder, chairman of the committee, presented a 
very full and interesting report, stating that a circular of in- 
quiry had been printed, and about 1,000 copies circulated in 
Canada and the United States. Particular pains had been 
taken to secure evidence from those who advocated the 
cause of the sparrow. A large number of the retuins had 
been received and the evidence for and against the natural- 
ized exotic had been carefully sifted and summarized. The 
result overwhelmingly demonstrated that the sum of its in- 
jurious qualities far-exceeds and cancels the sum of its bene- 
ficial qualities. In other words, it was the verdict of the 
committee that the European house sparrow is not an eligible 
bird in North America. 'The Union sustained the decision 
of the committee. 
Mr. Chamberlain said that the house sparrow had only 
recently invaded New Brunswick, where it was not known 
a year ago. He said that abouta thousand of ihem sud- 
denly appeared at Fredrickton about six weeks ago, and im- 
mediately broke up into small flocks, distributing themselves 
over all parts of the town. 
REPORT OF COMMITTER ON FAUNAL AREAS. 
Mr. J, A. Allen, chairman of the committee, presented a 
report of progress, stating that North America had been 
divided into several districts, each of which had been placed ° 
in charge of a member of the committee, as follows: Arctic 
and British America and the northern tier of States border- 
ing the Great Lakes, from New York to Minnesota inchu-ive, 
were being worked by Dr. O, Hart Merriam; Canada, south 
of the St. Lawrence, and New England; by Mr, Arthur P. 
Chadbourne; the Eastern and Middle States, from New Jer- 
sey to Florida, and west to the Mississippi River, hy Dr. A. 
K. Fisher; the Rocky Mountain region by Dr. Edgar A. 
Mearns, and the Pacific region by L Belding. It was the 
plan of the committee, first, to collate and tabulate the 
required data from all published sources; second, to avail 
itself in like manner of the material contained in. the returns 
of the observers of bird migration (this privilege having been 
sranted by the Committee on Bird Migrasion); third, to illus- 
trate the facts thus obtained by colored maps showing the 
summer and winter range of each species; and, fourth, to 
generalize the final results and place thesame bifore the 
Union, accompanied by colored charts showing, with as 
much precision and detail as possible, the exact limits of the 
several faunal areas in North America. 
The chair stated that we were honored by one of the 
world’s most distinguished students of the geographical dis- — 
tribution of animals, and hoped Dr. Sclater would favor the 
Union with a few remarks. Dr. Sclater said he was very 
clad to know that North America, which he knew as the 
Nearctic Region, was being worked in so thorough a manner 
by so competent a committee. He said that the study of 
the distribution of animals was certainly not the least im- 
portant of the various departments of scientific research, 
and that the results of the Jabors of this committee could _ 
not fail to be of great interest and value. ’ 
On motion of Dr, Merriam the name of this committee 
was changed from a “Committee on Faunal Areas” to a 
“QGommittee on the Geographical Distribution of North ~ 
American Birds.” 
It was moved by Mr. 
Brewster and unanimously carried 
=—_— > 
