24 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. 4, 3886. 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Publish- 

 ing Co, 



"THE STANDARD NATURAL HISTORY." 



THE bringing out of a general work on natural history is 

 an undertaking at which, it might be thought, any 

 pulbisher would hesitate. The enormous amount of ground 

 to be covered by such a work renders it imperative that it 

 shall be the product of a great number of writers, and the 

 absolute necessity of numerous illustrations makes the 

 expense appalling. Besides this, literary difficulties of no 

 little magnitude must be met and overcome. A standard 

 work is for the use of the general public, but also, in a 

 measure, for that of scientific men; and it must, therefore, 

 on the one hand, steer clear of abstruse technicalities, and 

 on the other, must be concise and accurate. 



That the field to be covered is a broad one appears when 

 we consider that of vertebrates alone there are estimated to 

 be about twenty thousand species, that there are over half a 

 million different and distinct forms of insect life, and that 

 the total number of species induced in the whole animal 

 kingdom is not far from one million. With this million of 

 species the present work has to do. 



it is clear enough that no one man can be the author of 

 such a work. In the present state of science, a single group, 

 or fragment of a group, of animals is often too much for one 

 indivi.lual to master, and when the specialist leaves his 

 chosen field and attempts to write of forms to which he has 

 directed no particular attention, he is quite as likely to go 

 wrong as any one else. The publishers have taken the right 

 method to make the work under consideration what it 

 purpoits to be — a standard natural history. As editor-in- 

 chief they have selected Mr. J. 8. Kingsley, and have 

 secured the assistance of a number of the foremost American 

 specialists to furnish the material for the work. 



Thus the lower invertebrates from the Protozoa up to the 

 Starfishes and Sea urchins are treated by Prof. W K 

 Brooks, Prof. S. P. Clark, Dr. J. W. Fewkes, Mr. A F 

 Gray, Prof. C E. Hamlin, Dr. Alpheus Hyatt, Prof. R 

 Hitcbcock, Prof. D. 8. Kellicott, Dr. C. 8. Minot and 

 Prof. A. 8. Packard. Among those who have contrib- 

 uted material for the volume on the Arthropods are 

 Professors Birge, Comstock, Fernald, Kingsley and Riley, 

 Drs. Dimmock, Horn, Packard, Williston aud Uhler, and 

 Messrs. Harry Edwards and J. H. Emerton. The matter 

 for the volume on fi-bes, amphibians and reptiles comes from 

 Professors Cope and Van Vleck and from Drs. Gill, Garman, 

 Jordan and Yarrow. The bird volume is the production of 

 Messrs. D. G. Elliott, C. B. Cory and Dr. Stejueger, while 

 the mammals, except man, are handled by Drs. Coues, Gill, 

 Macloskie and Lockwood, Prof. R, Wright and Messrs! 

 Lockington and Scoit. The volume on the races of man 

 completes the work, and among the contributors to it are 

 Messrs. F. W. Putnam, W. H. Dall, L. Carr aud Dr C C 

 Abbott, ' ' 



Tue list of contributors to the volumes includes iu some 

 groups the very best scientific talent which America has pro- 

 duced, while in others the names of our foremost specialists 

 do not appear. Still, with such a corps of contributors, we 

 should expect to find the work fully up to date, and fairly 

 representative of the present state of our knowledge. On 

 the other hand, it must be remembered that the earlier fasci- 

 cles of the work were issued five years ago, and that within 

 the last rive years great advances have been made in our ac- 

 quaintance with certain groups of animals. 



The "Standard Natural History," which has just been 

 issued from the press of S. E. Cassino, of Boston, has 

 appeared in sixty parts of forty-eight pages each, and now, 

 as completed, makes six large imperial octavo volumes. The 

 mechanical execution of the work is excellent, and in typog- 

 raphy, paper, presswork and general excellence of the illus- 

 trations there in little to be desired. The very large number 

 of engravings by which the work is adorned will render it 

 especially attractive to the general reader, to most of whom 

 these illustrations will be new. It is attempted in the 

 present work to give a fairly complete sketch of each group 

 of animals by some naturalist who has made it a special btudy. 

 A general account is given of the structure and habits, 

 together with an outline of its classification. The principal 

 species are enumerated and the more important facts given 

 about them. A feature of the work which will, no doubt, 

 commend it especially to many of our readers is that Ameri- 

 can forms are made prominent throughout the work. 



The limits of this notice preclude the possibility of critic- 

 ally reviewiug the several volumes of this work. The gen- 

 eral impression conveyed by the work is that, on the whole, 

 it has been well done, though from the very nature of the 

 case the work is very unequal. The plan of the work has, 

 however, been very well carried out, and the volumes will 

 be in many respects of great convenience. Among the 

 vertebrate-, the volume on the birds appears to be the most 

 satisfactory; that on the mammals the least so. Taking, for 

 example, the North American ruminants, our large game, 

 we find that they are treated in a manner which is not satis- 

 factory. It seems a pity that we should be obliged to have 

 served up to us again with regard to certain species well worn 

 quotations from Richardson, as if nothing bad been learned 

 with regard to them since his day. The range of the buffalo 

 is given as it was ten years ago, not as it is to-day nor 

 as it was six years since, and no adequate mention is made 

 of its enormously rapid decrease since the year 1872. It is 

 on such poiuts as these, points which are especially interest- 

 ing to the general reader, that the work fails to satisfy. 



As has been said, the volume on the birds appears to be the 

 most satisfactory, and the chapters devoted to tbe truly game 

 birds are very happdy treated. So also tbe portion of tbe 

 volume which has to do with the Passerets, the work of Dr. 

 L. Stejueger, which is especially good. 



In tue fishes the text is excellent, far better than the illus- 

 trations. The description of the Salmonidw is far ahead of 

 that of any popular work which we have seen. The author 

 regards tbe charr as the highest form of salmonoid, and con- 

 demns the somewhat general idea that this term is one of 

 contempt. His remarks about the grayling are not clear. 

 The account of the Elasmobranchs, skates, rays, sharks, etc., 

 is excellently done, and the same may be said of much of the 

 work on tbe reptiles. 



It is unnecessary to say much as to the illustrations. Most 

 of them are very beautiful and faithful, but now and. then 

 we see some widen are so bad as to be a blot on the work 

 The so-called portrait of the mule deer, p. 303, is a veritable 

 horror, and it is difficult to comprehend how it could have 

 found a place in the volume. The cut of the pike (E. hmtis), 



p. 169, is only to be identified by the title which appears 

 under it. 



It was inevitable that in a work planned and carried out 

 on so large a scale, errors should occur, and perhaps as 

 few as could have been expected are to be found in the pres- 

 ent work. The plan of having each author sign his contribu- 

 tion, thus making him personally responsible for the material 

 which he has furnished, is a guarantee of the care and accu- 

 racy with which the work has been done. 



"The Standard Natural History" will prove a useful work 

 and will do much toward popularizing science in America. 



TWO YEARS IN THE JUNGLE.* 



WHEN" Professor Ward, of Rochester, selected Wm. F. 

 Hornaday as a collector of wild animals in India, for 

 his museum, he made a happy choice. Few men are to be 

 found who so well unite the qualifications of hunter, collector, 

 taxidermist and naturalist, and to collect successfully for a 

 great museum, a man should be all these. Besides these, 

 courage, physical strength and endurance, and patient skill 

 in managing wild men and savages are all required. As a 

 hunter Mr. Hornaday attacked the tiger in the jungle, the 

 wild elephant and bison in their native forests in India, and 

 this on foot, with his life entirely depending on his accuracy 

 of aim, and the certainty of his weapon. Besides these lords 

 of the forests Mr. Hornaday brought to bag the bear, tbe 

 wild boar, crocodiles, and many species of deer and monkeys 

 in the forests of Bensal. 



In Ceylon he collected many of the peculiar fishes of that 

 island, with other curious marine forms of life. The jump- 

 ing fish, which comes ashore and feeds on the rocks; holo- 

 thurians, resembling brown sausages six inches long, cover- 

 ing- the beach, and much prized in China under the name of 

 beche de mer. Aho skates and rays in great numbers and 

 variety, though none were seen as large as the great devil fish 

 (Mania) of our southern coast. Specimens, however, of this 

 gigantic ray are not wanting in these seas, for the writer saw 

 one in the Iudian Ocean which would have mea-ured at 

 least twenty-five feet from tip to tip of tbe bat-like wings 

 Our traveler also procured a specimen of the titrer-shark 

 (Stegostoma) six feet long, tawny in color and spotted with 

 black. This species grows to an enormous size in tropical 

 seas. One played about our ship when becalmed in the 

 Indian Ocean, which was longer than our ship's beam (26 

 feet) and as large round as our long boat, a formidable look- 

 ing creature, and perhaps the largest of fishes — as most 

 people now know that the whale is not a fish. Another rare 

 fi*h collected by Mr. Hornaday was a shark -ray (Ramphdba- 

 iis) seven feet long, which has a spin crest like a sturgeon. 

 Flying foxes, a large specks of bat, were so abundant that 

 forty-four were killed in five shots, as they hung in clusters 

 like pears from a tree top. In Ceylon the crocodile is 

 abundant, and unlike their relatives, the gavials, are often 

 dangerous. The largest specimen was twelve feet long, 

 though many larger ones were heard of. So in Florida we 

 hear of sixteen-foot alligators, but they seldom measure more 

 than ten feet when killed. 



The most interesting part of the book is that treating of 

 Borneo. Many tourists and sportsmen visit British India 

 and Ceylon, but the interior of the great island of Borneo is 

 almost a terra incognita. The principal object of Mr. Horn- 

 aday's visit was to procure specimens of the orang-utan 

 (Simia), an animal little known, but of which strange tales 

 nave been told by romancing travelers. Its home is in 

 Borneo, about which, even in Singapore, a meeting place of 

 all races of men, the grossest ignorance prevails, as we are 

 told by Mr. Hornaday, and as Borneo is 850 miles long, and 

 625 wide, there is a large field for exploration. 



The orang utan is arboreal in habits, and rarely comes to 

 the ground, where it is weak and slow, but it is at home in 

 the lofty treetops, where it builds a sort of nest of branches. 

 These forests are swampy and not easily traversed, either on 

 foot or in a boat, yet this indefatigable American hunter col- 

 lected forty-three specimens of both sexes, and of all ages, 

 seven of which exceeded the maximum size of orangs as 

 given by Wallace, the well known English naturalist. Mr. 

 Hornaday's largest specimen measured four feet six inches 

 from head to feet, and almost eight feet in extent of out- 

 stretched arms, and his weight was estimated at 185 pounds. 

 It was the largest that the native hunters had ever seen, and 

 •they called him the "Rajah." Mr. Hornaday says he felt as 

 if he had killed some terrible wood demon, or satyr. It was 

 shot from a boat in a submerged forest, and two shots from 

 a Maynard rifle brought the great ape down from his tree. 

 Three baby orangs were captured, two of which refused to 

 live in captivity, but the third was a mild and tractable in 

 faut, which became a tame and affectionate pet, and was Mr. 

 Hornaday's constant companion as long as be remained in 

 Borneo. It had many human traits, one of which was that 

 like human infants, it could not swim, but sunk helplessly 

 when put in the water. The full grown orang is enormously 

 muscular and active, and would probably easily overpower 

 any unarmed man. "The Rijih" may be seen in a glass 

 case in the National Museum at Washington. 



Another anthropoid ape peculiar to these great islands, 

 the gibbon (Hi/Mates) was procured by Mr. Hornaday, 

 though with much difficulty, on account of its great activity. 

 It flies through the treetops with immense leaps faster than 

 a man can run on the ground. In a collection of animals in 

 Macao, China, many years ago, the writer saw a tame 

 specimen of the gibbon. It was about four feet high, with 

 arms reaching the ground as the ape stood upright on short 

 and rather weak legs. It was covered with long silver-gray 

 hair, and seemed made of India rubber, bounding five or six 

 feet from the floor of the room, more like a bird than a 

 quadruped, and its feats among the ropes stretched along 

 tue ceiling would have astonished the most skillful gymnast 

 or acrobat. Another rare monkey peculiar to Borneo, of 

 which Mr.Hornady gives a portrait, is the proboscis monkey 

 (Nasalis), which with its immense nose, side whiskers anu 

 grave expression of face, much resembles certain old mer- 

 chants to be seen any day on Wall street. 



Perhaps to many readers the account of the Sea Dyaks, a 

 race inhabiting the north coast of Bormo. will be tue most 

 interesting part of the work. They are represented as being 

 a brave, vigorous race of savages. Perfectly honest, they 

 neither lie nor steal, and always pay their debts. They are 

 hospitable and kind, have neither priests, creeds nor religious 

 observances, but believe in a supreme being. The position of 

 their women is equal to that of the men, and their advice is 

 asked in important affairs. They are very fond of their 

 children, and are moral and chaste in their lives. These 

 virtues are shown by the fact that in a Dyak village all live 

 together in an immense apartment house, with separate rooms 



*IWo Yeabs m the Jcngle. By William T. Hornaday. New York: 

 Charles Scribner's Sons, ltW§. Price, $t. 



for fifty families, all of whom meet together in a common 

 hall on amicable terms — conditions often difficult to be can ied 

 out in the most civilized society. 



Says Mr. Hornaday: "In hospitality, human sympathy 

 and charity the Dyaks are not outranked by any people liv- 

 ing, so far as I know; and their morals are as much superior 

 to ours as our intelligence is beyond theirs. If happiness is 

 the eroal of human existence, they are much nearer it than 

 we." 



< Less than fifty years ago these amiable people were a fero- 

 cious race of pirates, wlio infested all these seas, slave hunt- 

 ers and head hunters; but by the Arm, judicious and benev- 

 olent government of two Englishmen, Sir James Brooke and 

 his son and successor, Charles Brooke, nothing now remains 

 oi this piracy, rapine and bloodshed, except a few heads of 

 slain enemies hanging up in the houses of some of the chiefs. 

 All this Mr. Hornaday acknowledges, which goes to show 

 that civilization does not always bring misfortune in its 

 traiu. 



The book is furnished with suggestive and graphic if not 

 highly finished illustrations, and is, in our opinion, an orig- 

 inal and valuable addition to the library of the naturalist 

 and sportsman. 8. C. C. 



Notes from Maine.— Smyra, Me.— In your issue of 

 Dec. 31, "H. R." gives an account of a supposed otter chas- 

 ing a hare. My experience in trapping and of observations 

 of the habits of the otter are that it lives entirely on fish. 

 I think that "H. R.'s" otter must have been a fisher, as his 

 description of its quick, clean jumps would indicate, and at 

 the distance from liim to one not familiar might easily make 

 a mistake. Having caught many of the latter I have bad a 

 chance to study their habits. Your correspondent, "J. G R ," 

 in Jan. 14, explains it very well I think the hare is not the 

 fisher's favorite repast, but tbe Canada porcupine is its best 

 dish. I have found the quills repeatedly in its skin and body ; 

 and the porcupine makes the best bait for the fisher of any- 

 thing I ever tried. Tbere are many crews of lumbermen in 

 the woods here, and when a crust comes, woe to the deer 

 and moose. The loggers are mostly Canucks, who do not 

 care for the game laws, but kill everything they can to supply 

 the camps with meat. But if some poor native kills anything 

 out of season to keep his starviug family in meat, then the 

 valiant game wardens will pounce on him if they can get 

 any information. It is right that the law should be enforced, 

 but let the Canuck lumberman suffer as he deserves. Last 

 spring one team carried out two moose hides on top of the 

 load, through the county seat, across the line to their home 

 in the Province, and not a word said. The same has hap- 

 pened in a great many places on the border. — Spring Pole. 



Report op the New York Forestry Commission.— The 

 first annual report of the Forestry Commission details the 

 action taken as to organizing the Commission, the amount of 

 salaries paid, etc , and show that the amount expended on 

 Jan. 1, 1886. was $586.89, leaving unexpended an available 

 balance of $14, 413 11- It has not been possible for the Com- 

 mission to do more than familiarize themselves with their 

 duties, and to acquire knowledge as to the wants and dangers 

 of the forests through the intelligent exertions of special 

 agents under their direction. The Commission asks time to 

 prepare and present a further report, and in connection there- 

 with recommend certain amendments to existing laws, such 

 as the prevention of forest fires, trespassing on forest lupds 

 of the State, and the removal of timber, the injury of forests 

 through the operation of railroads, and a provision for the 

 conveyance of certain lands now forming part— but it is be- 

 lieved by the Commission erroneously— of the forest preserve. 

 The Commission consists of Townsend Cox, President; 

 Sherman W. Knevals and Theodore B. Basselin. 



Elk in the Adirondacks.— Chauucey Hathorn, in a 

 letter to Mr. E. R. Wallace, dated at bis forest home in the 

 solitudes of the North Woods (Raquette Lake), give the fol- 

 lowing items of information: "I am enjoying myself greatly 

 in my 'winter palace;' although mercury has sometimes 

 fallen forty degrees below zero. D oer are very plentiful 

 here now — much more so than they were five years ago. 

 And what is very surprising, the elk has again made its ap- 

 pearauce in this section. A large one was' recently killed at 

 Long Lake, It is a mystery to us all, where this mammoth 

 creature— so long a stranger in this region — hails from." 

 Mr. Hathorn doubtless refers to the American stag (Elapkus 

 canadensis), an animal which, says Mr. Wallace, 1 believe 

 has not been seen in the Adirondacks since 1836, when Mr. 

 Beach — an intelligent hunter then located on Raquette Lake 

 — shot at one near Rainbow Lake. — Syracuse Journal. [The 

 presence of an elk in the Adirondacks would be a ''mystery," 

 but it is important that the identity of the animal should be 

 established on sometbing better than hearsay.] 



Hand-Booe of the National Museum.— We have re- 

 ceived a Hand-book of the National Museum, which gives 

 a brief history of the origin and progress of this offshoot of 

 the Smithsonian Institution from its inception to the present 

 time, and a somewhat sketchy account of the vast mass of 

 material gathered here for exhibition. The little pamphlet 

 of 110 pp. contains a good deal that is interesting and useful, 

 and the cuts with which it is illustrated add to its utility. 

 The pamphlet is not a guide to the Museum, as its title might 

 imply, but is rather a bo jk to be read previous to a visit to 

 tbe collections. As such it is not without a certain value. 

 We uuderstaud that it is for sale at tbe National Museum 

 and at Brentano's, in this city. The pamphlet is by Mr. E. 

 Ingersoil and tbe cuts chiefly by F. H. Taylor. 



Cardinal Bird in New York in Winter.— Is it not 

 unusual to see a cardinal bird in this part of the country at 

 this season? I saw a fine specimen ou three occasions in the 

 Central Park last winter, aud last weeti on a very cold morn- 

 ing 1 heard and saw my old friend again near the lower lake. 

 It makes a pretty sight to watch this active and beautiful 

 bird iu a country white with snow. — C. P. (New York, Jan. 

 15). [Occasionally we see cardinal birds here in winter, and 

 there are a numbtr of recorded instances of their appearance 

 on Manhattan Island at this season of the year. J 



Sporting Exhibition.— An international sporting exhi- 

 bition will open at Rouen on Feb 18. The exhibits will in- 

 clude horse and dog specimens from England, Spain, and 

 Switzerland, There will also be a good show of hunting 

 equipments, and a musical competition of hunting horns. 

 Tne organizers also promise a l -rato-puage," or rat-destroying 

 department. The miscellaneous part of the exhibition will 

 be made up of velocipedes, rowiog boats, fishing implements, 

 balloons, etc. The exhibition will last until the end of 

 February. 



