408 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Dec. 16, 1886, 



first, as each came forth from the cocoon we placed it in 

 a cage about 3ft. square, made by nailing strips of lath 

 together and covering tliis frame with a lace or mosquito 

 netting. 



When the moth first emerges from the cocoon it seeks 

 to crawl upward until it can rest with its body nearly 

 horizontal and its wings perpendicular. At fii'st the 

 wings will be less than the length of the body, giving it 

 the appearance of a deformed insect, but they develop 

 rapidly, and if undisturbed within an hour will attain 

 then- fuU size, the insect meantime remaining motionless 

 except for the gradual expansion of the ^vings. It has 

 been said that the moths hatch only between the hours 

 of 2 and 5 P. M. , but although this is usually the time it 

 is not the positive limit, for we have many times known 

 them to hatch earlier in day, in fact almost any tune dur- 

 ing the daylight. 



The cecropia while in the cocoon seems only passive 

 and cannot be readily aroused: but the polephemns is 

 much more restless and will move perceptibly in response 

 to any sUght shake or a change to a warmer temperature. 



The cecropia seldom gives warning before emerging, 

 but suddenly creeps forth througli tlie small loose end of 

 cocoon, leaving it apparently in tiie same condition as 

 before, no change except in the weight of the cocooti. 

 The pole%>lieinns appears to have a hard struggle to learli 

 the outside world, beating against its tough little c-ase 

 for days, patiently, persistently crowding until at last it 

 hursts open the en(l and slowly works its way out, ami 

 seeks to crawl upward after the manner of the ceeropia. 



Both moths are extremely beautiful and of great size 

 compared with the useful Bornhyx rnoi'i. The usual size 

 of the cecrojjia and jjo/ej:)7te??rt<s is 5Jin. across the wings 

 and the body l|in. long. Tlie prevailing col<5r of tlie 

 cecropia moth is a ciimamon brown with brilliant s]>ots. 

 The polephemus is a delicate fawn color with equally 

 hajidsome markings and shadings. It is not easy tn 

 describe these various blendings and ehan.sies of Lolor, so 

 I will not attempt it. Tliose interested will find cuts and 

 descriptions of each in the American Naiaralisi, pub- 

 lished at Salem, Mass., No. 8, March, April and May, 1867; 

 in "Our Common Insects." by A. S. Packard, and in Vol. 

 XVIII. of Scribblers Monthh}. 



As before stated, we had great difficulty in obtaining a 

 pair of either moths, owing to theh not coming forth 

 from their cocoons at the same time. The moths, as I 

 have said elsewhere, commenced to appear April .2], the 

 males coming forth first, the cocoons were noli all 

 "hatched out'" until some time in July. The male moth 

 will live for a number of days, possibly two weeks, but if 

 confined flutters all the night against the sides of the 

 cage, and so in time becomes sadly frayed and worn. 

 The female moth lives a few days, then lays her eggs, 

 whether fertile or not, and soon after dies. As you prob- 

 ably know, during its existence the moth takes no suste- 

 nance but the air it breathes. 



Should you be able to obtain a pair of cecropia moths, 

 there is no trouble in regard to then mating, but in ova- 

 experience the polephemus will not mate unless out nf 

 doors; with either moth there is a necessity for plenty of 

 fresh air and a fair amount of room. It is an advantage 

 for several reasons to place only one pair in a cage. When 

 the cages are placed outside tlie house the female moths 

 will attract the wild moths. Four polepheraus moths 

 were found clinging to the outside of one cage in a night. 

 In a section where the moths are numerous there proba- 

 bly need be no trouble in calling in plenty of moths. Bo 

 far as we can learn the moths are generally distributed 

 throughout the temperate portion of our country. The 

 cecropia seems more abundant in Ohio, Kentucky. New 

 Jersey and States of about that climate, and revels in 

 swampy gi-owths. A correspondent wi'ites to us that "It 

 flourishes in swamj)s carrying water from two to three 

 feet deep, and where so dense is the growth that a 'ma- 

 chete' is requu-ed to clear a jjath. Feeding and spinning 

 on the 'button bush' or 'water sycamore,' I have seen, 

 while sitting in my boat, twenty-seven almost within 

 reach. Wlien you consider this was in a patch of bushes 

 covering fifty acres or more, you may know there were 

 many cocoons being spun there at that time. As long as 

 there are marshes in the West covered with the 'button 

 bush' and inhabited by the great caterpillar, it would 

 hardly be worth while to make a plajitation for them 

 after the mulbeny and modern silkworm mode of culture. 

 This is the way 'Dr. Garlick and myself looked at the 

 matter; we certainly jjut a good deal of thought and time 

 in it. The general impression was that they spun twice 

 each season, the last cocoons remaining over winter for 

 the continuation of the crop." 



This same coiTespondent gives his ideas of proceeding 

 to obtain the cocoons and raise the woi-ms in these marshes 

 in a semi-^vild state, but they Avere not practicable for us, 

 although undoubtedly wise suggestions for any one in 

 that section of country. We were high and thy at the 

 foot of a Vermont mountain and only found the cecropia 

 cocoons ujion our apple trees, although we heard of them 

 as being on the bushes along tlie streams in the valley. 

 Lumbermen and river drivers told us that they had fre- 

 quently seen both cocoons and moths while at their work 

 in early spring. But to continue with om- own experi- 

 ments and what we learned we must leave these state- 

 ments from others. 



The cecropia lays a round, slightly flattened egg of a 

 deep cream color, with a small depression in the middle 

 of colfee color; tliese eggs will be deposited in rows or 

 clusters usually of seven, but sometimes more, occasion- 

 ally less; they adliere to whatever they are deposited 

 upon, but not so tightly but that they can easily be 

 removed. One moth will lay about two hundred "and 

 fifty eggs. 



The jJoZep/ie?/i (ts moth lays a tiny Mdney-shaped egg, 

 not so often in clusters, but scafctered one or two or 

 three in a place. Neithei- does the jjoZe/j/fev/ras seem quite 

 as productive as the cecropna. 



The eggs are expected to hatch in twelve days after 

 being laid, but as the moth is usualh'^ four, six or even 

 more days laying her eggs, the hatching of the sanxe is in 

 successive stages, therefore requires constant watching 

 after the twelve days to remove the larvas as it hatches 

 out and place it upon food. I sa}' Jipon food. W e found 

 tliis a necessity, for to simply place the food near the eggs 

 ©r laivte was not sufficient, fur although when first 

 hatched tiiey uiuve rajjidly and easily, vet their instinct 

 does not seem to lead them in tlie dii-ection of the food; 

 this adds greatly to the care^ for they must not only be 

 placedoipcu. the' leaves but they be vaatched until 



they 'attain some size to see fh&t they stay Siefe, for if 



they fall from the food they will not seek it again, unless 

 returned they will shrivel and die. 



The larvae of the cecropia when first hatched are about 

 iin. long, are black and fuzzy, covered with short hairs 

 like a caterpillar — these hairs "they afterward lose. 



They are slow to attack the food, and slow in growth 

 for about two weeks. They can be fed in the house on 

 fresh apple leaves for a time or placed on the trees out of 

 doors. They do not seem to thrive until about two weeks 

 old or until they commence to change color. M. Trou- 

 velot and others describe this change or the moulting as 

 of five degrees and clearly defined, and of marked pro- 

 gi'ession. With the uKjst careful observation we did not 

 find this to be so; the change seemed gradual and almost 

 imperceptible; the casting of the skins or moulting was 

 manifested in only a few instances, the tmly skin or part 

 of a skin which I ever obtained from tliis j)rocess was the 

 head of one bisect, and I assm-e you this v^ as from no 

 lack of watchfulness. The cecropia slowly changes from 

 black to a yellow tint, which brightens in hue until it be- 

 bocomes a deep gold color, the black hairs do not disap- 

 pear until they begin again to change color, losing the 

 golden shade for a green, this green is most peculiar, 

 being more of a bright robin's egg blue, deeiiening at tlie 

 sides. On the head are tour tubei'cles of intense red, the 

 most Ijfilliaiit y<_>u can iruagine. with black hau's protrud- 

 ing arranged in tlie foim of a star. The whole coloring 

 of the ci'ero'fia is \\^onderful and beautiful. 



AYe found by continued experiments that they only 

 thrive on apple leaves (we were not alile to procm-e 

 the leaves of the buttonvvood) and in the open ah. We, 

 tlierefore, inclosed low branches of the apple trees in a 

 wood frniue, and over tliib fiame :-tretched' a netting to 

 prevent the "worms irom getting out ;!nd the birds from 

 gettiiib; in. Underneath ^vas stretched a white cloth of 

 cotton to catch airy worms \\'hich miglit fall. Should the 

 weatlier he continually dry. it is beneficial to sprinkle this 

 clotli witli water to gi\H' the worms some moisture. We 

 also bialt a sliiehl of boards tieside each tree to break the 

 wind from the worjjis. At one time we lutd more than a 

 thousand worms feeding and growing hneiy. 



The 2^<J^<j)lieinns were raised ent irely within the house. 

 They ^^ (:)uld eat several varieties of food, but none as 

 heartily as the oak. We made boxes about three feet 

 long, OIK' !:'oot wide paid the same in depth. These w ere 

 filled witli wet sand, leaving a little space between it and 

 the tO[) of the liox, which we covered vrith manilla pajier. 

 Through this pajier into the wet sand A\-e thi'ust the ends 

 of the branches from the oak trees, and then placed the 

 larva? upon the leaves. Arranged in this way, the leaves 

 Avill remain fresh for one or iv^ o days. To prevent the 

 worms from creeping an-ay we jilaced over the lioxes. 

 branches and all, the cages whicli we had used for the 

 moths. 



The larvte of the polepliemus are nearly white when 

 first hatched and of the same size as the cecropia. They 

 are moi'e acti\ e. eat more readily and grow much more 

 rapidly. When tliey get to he about an inch long their 

 a|)|ietite increases and they feed eagerly and greedily. 

 They do not show the great changes of color wliich the 

 cecropia does, but attain soon a pale sea-green color, which 

 they retain throughout the time of their existence. 



We fomid it a great trouble AV'hen the worms were small 

 to change them to the fresh leaves, as each v.orm or 

 cluster had to be moved cai'efuUy on to ;inotLi(rr leaf. 

 When they were nearly grown they would move of their 

 o-wn accord to the fresh food. Aside from tins trouble 

 the worms are easy to raise, do not seem delicate, and 

 grow well in the house, always being careful to give them 

 plenty of fresh air and food. I think if for any purjiose 

 it should be desirable to raise two broods in a season there 

 would be no diinculty in doing so. Our moths in the 

 cocoons of the polepheums began to hatch in ample time 

 to have raised a second brood of worms and secure the 

 perfected cocoons. I add here a list which has been gi^•en 

 me as the result of experiments in feeding both the 

 cecropia and the polepliemus. The trees are mentioned 

 in order of their value : 



Cecropia. — Apple, maple, wUd cherry, alder, i)oplar, 

 willow, basswood, currant, ash, plum, oak and elm. 



Polephemas. — Oak, cherry, maple, elm, basswood, 

 poplar, wiUow, beech. 



The polcpliemuH matured in less time than the cecropia, 

 but the latter reached a greater size, some of them grow- 

 ing to be 4iin. long and |in. in diameter, and of varying 

 but remarkable weight. 



We drew many strands from both varieties, each ^^•orm 

 giving two stands, i, e., one from each sac. Before draw- 

 ing we put the worms in a dilute solution of acetic acid, 

 or of weak vinegar, which seems to render it more ten- 

 acious; after leaving them for a few hours they were 

 taken out and drawn to their greatest length, as related 

 in regard to the Chinese worm. The lengfh was all that 

 could be desii'ed, for we olitaiiied from the ceci o/iia strands 

 over 3yds. (9ft. ) long, and from the polcplicni iis strands 

 neaiiy as kmg: and the color was pe)-fcction. /. c, deli- 

 cately tinted either green or iiale brown, accoi ciirig to the 

 variety. But alas, oui- hopes were \ ain. foi- tJie next day 

 when titey had dried we found that they liad lint liltle 

 strengrh compared with the pi-oduct of the Chinese worm. 

 It could hardly have been in the drawing, for we had 

 previously di'awn gut from the Chinese worm, proceeding 

 in the same manner, and it was hard and strong. We 

 drew many sti-ands, but all Avith no better success. 



Now the questions arise: Vv ill these worms feed on any 

 other imtried food, the mulbei'ry or "butt 'in v\'ood" 

 especially, and perhaps yiroduce stronger gntV Was ttierf' 

 any fault in ray experiments which was the cause of the 

 weakness in these strands? If we could o\-ercome this 

 defect there is great profit and gratitude for the man who 

 does. Our supply from Sjiaiu of the gut from the Clunese 

 worm is hmited and unsatisCactory. and to obtain the 

 casting lines of pro]ier length for the fisherman's use in- 

 volves careful labor in sorting and knotting together the 

 shoi-t lengths. All this labor could be dispensed with if 

 the silk of the American silkworm could be strengihened. 

 Dr. Garlick assures us that the worms he raised gave 

 "strands of unusual strength and greai length." Iliave 

 in my possession a roimd, perfect strand of gut which is 

 now "six feet long and a piece has been broken from it; it 

 is large and stTong. It was given to a friend of mine by 

 an old fisherman of New York citj, Peter ^IcMartin, who 

 told us at the time that "it was drawn from some big 

 silkwomis, by a man in New Jersey." This vs as years 

 ago, more than twenty, before I had thought of investi- 

 gatijig for myself. Mr. McMartin has been dead a mun- 

 ber of yeai*s; there is no way of learning more of this 



perfect strand, whose liistory, coidd we know it, might 

 help us very much. This may faU under tlie notice of 

 some one who can give information regarding their own 

 or other people's experience. I shall be glad if they will 

 write to me, for I am anxious that some one shall succeed 

 in this, for the worms seem hardy, prolific, are native to 

 this country, can be cared for by uneducated people, and 

 it seems a pity that they shoidd not be made a source of 

 great revenue and release us from our dependence upon 

 the supply from Spain. I hope some one may yet suc- 

 ceed. Ch.JlELES F.' Okvis. 

 Manchester, Vt., Xov. 80, 1880. 



NUMBERING OF HOOKS. 



Ecliior Forest and Stream : 



WUl you kindly aUow us a little space in yotu- valuable 

 columns to reply to youi* article on "Numbering Fish 



Hooks"? 



In Eedditch we mrDiber from 1 to 20. the size becoming 

 smaller the liigher the number, in the same wav that the 

 whe is numbered. This is logical, for the finer the wii-e 

 the more freciuently must it be drawn through the plates 

 to reduce it. Ttie sizes larger than No, 1 we number 0, 

 00, 000, etc. This system has worked well for centuries, 

 all writei's on fishijig have adopted tivib nnniliering, all 

 anglers and fislnng tackle dealers undoi'statid it, we have 

 spent tliousa.nds of pounds on catalogue:, and labels bear- 

 ing these numbers, llie stocks r-,o nnniViered in the liands 

 of dealers amounts to hundreds of Liiou-^ands of pounds, 

 we ha^'e between .i.OOO and I), 000 liands enijtioyed in the 

 trade wImi arc all used lo tljis numbering, and any change 

 in nunibei ing \vould entail great loss to the manufactm-- 

 ers and dealers, would create great confusion and cause 

 imuimerable errors. 



Now. however, a manufacturer employing a very few 

 hands chooses to number his hooks backwai-'d. 30 lieing a 

 large size and 1 a smaller size; those smaller than No. 1 

 he calls 0. 0(j, 000, etc, and Mr. Pennell has written a 

 book in which he adopts this numbering, but the only 

 reason given for tliis new system is that "it is sufiiciently 

 clastic, allowing of extension either way.'" 



AVe fail to see that this system is more elastic than om-s. 

 It is like saving that a inece of India rxd:iber, held by one 

 end in each liand. is more elastic if pulled with the left 

 liand than it is if pulled with tlie riglit. In fact, it appears 

 to us a left-handed system altogether. 



The liest thing that coidd lie done in this matter would 

 be that tins small manufactmer shoidd conform to the 

 Redditch nimibering and that Mr. Pennell should correct 

 t he next edition of his book in the same way; but if they 

 sliould not do so. we have no doubt that the generality of 

 anglers wil] contmue to enjoy their sport without suffer- 

 ing much from the confusion which has thus been intro- 

 duced into "hook numbering." S. Allcock & Co. 



REDiirrcH, Eng., Nov. 29. 



ALASKAN TROUT AND THE FLY. 



Editor Forest and Streaia: 



Since the time when Capt. Beardslee exercised sover- 

 eign jurisdiction over Alaska — he being the law's sole 

 representative in those days— a change has taken place in 

 the country. It lias grown into a summer resort. By 

 ti-aveling "'overland on the North Pacific Railroad, a 

 thousand miles of ocean travel may be enjoyed without 

 any of the discomforts of the sea. For one man who 

 then visited it hundreds now go there. Every two weeks 

 excursion steamers leave' the ports of Puget Sound carry- 

 ing passengers to their fidl capacity. Those people come 

 from the s(')uth, east and west; and among them are many 

 who indulge in the pastime of fishing. The usual anchor- 

 ing phices of oiii vessel hav^e been in the thoroughfare of 

 these slr aniers, i:n<l we have frequently been a]ipealed to 

 by the excursionists for information in sporting matters. 

 On the Last steamer we met this year was a gentleman 

 fi-om Nesv York who sought knowledge of tlais kind, it 

 being his intention to retinn next year with a party of 

 friends in a vessel under their own control for the sole 

 purpose of enjojdng the himting and fishing of the 

 country . Therefore, I think, it may make a difference to 

 the angling fraternity whether the trout of Alaska will 

 or will not take the fly. 



My fisliiug t!xperience has already been fully related in 

 the columns of this journal over my initials', "T. H. S." 

 in the issues of July 8, Aug. 2(;, Sept. 30 and Oct. 14 of 

 the present year. I especially refer the Captain to the 

 two first mentioned dates for the identification of the 

 species. 



The bulk of my fish were not 8. spectahilin. I took a 

 very few of this species, probably not more than a dozen, 

 with the lly, and the largest weighed only -\\h. My ex- 

 perience has been similar to the Captain's in regard to 

 this fish. It is exceptional that tliey will take the fly 

 when 1V)!lov\'ing a run of salmon. Those I caught in this 

 manner ^vere taken in the riffles and rapids of the streams. 

 But to take them in quantities and of large size one must, 

 as he say s, use bait, and the salmon roe is the bait jjar ex- 

 celleuce^ This fish I have seldom seen before the middle 

 of July, August is the best month for them. My experi- 

 ence does not extend later in the season, asit has beenoiu- 

 custom to go south in Septeuiber, 



The fish that furnished niv favorite sport was the genu 

 ine brook and lake tnait of Ahuska, and the fislnng was 

 always best fa I removed from the salmon and salmon 

 trout I ha \ e been in the habit of calling this fish the 

 Si-hno pnrpnriiiis. the rainlxiw trout, although tlie color 

 ujarkuigs are identical with tliose given by Captain 

 Beardslee for S. clarMi. Concerning the vaidations in 

 the markings of this fish I refer him to the commtmica- 

 tions ui the FoEEST AOT) Stream of July 8 and Aug. 26 

 over my initials. 



In the matter of the food of these trout. One evening- 

 last year while fishing a sti-ea m on Prince of Wales Island 

 I saw large numbers of a small gray, or dun-colored, 

 moih fluttering over tlic \vatcr, and the trout ro^c- greedily 

 to mv artdlcial flies at the same time. It was not uncom- 

 mon "to see insect life of a similar kind aliout the .streams 

 of tlie other islands, but I don't remember having seen 

 them so numerous as on that occasion. One evening 

 this year as I stood upon the shore of a lake at the south- 

 ern end of Etolin Island, I saw the tiout rising every 

 where to the surface, sending wavelet after wavelet in 

 receding chcles to the shore. I imagined them to be 

 rising to the smaU insect life on the water. Unfortunately 

 I was not able to get at thenr on accomit of the wide 

 stretch of hly pads which fringed tlie shore. I have 

 opened the stomachs of trout caught in Wrangell Lake 



