288 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Oct. 7, 1899. 
the valve of the oyster, and by the exercise of a wonder- 
ful muscular power it simply crushes the shell to pieces. 
Fancy a snail strong enough to smash the hard valves 
of an oyster! 
So we can see that the oyster has pretty hard times; 
it is surrounded by enemies at all stages of its existence, 
and were it less prolific that it is the race would soon 
be exterminated. Fortunately its reproductive powers are 
very great, the yield of eggs of a single good-sized one 
being, according to the estimate of scientists, upward 
of 60,000,000. With such a prodigious yield as that one 
would imagine that there is no danger of the depletion 
of the waters, but only a small proportion of the eggs 
become mature oysters. After they are floated out by 
the female, and later become the "fry" or larval oyster, 
they are constantly preyed upon by various fishes and 
mollusks. If ihey escape these numerous foes they are 
carried here and there by the currents of the water and 
by their own movements, for they have in that stage of 
existence the power of swimming in a slight degree until 
they assume the so-called "spat" form, when the shape 
and character of their valvular covering change. They 
then affix themselves to some object, and there remain 
during the remainder of their lives. 
The growth of the little oyster is now very rapid, speci- 
mens ten days old measuring l4'm.; those forty-eight 
days measuring about an inch, and when eighty-two days 
old they are about two inches in length. Subsequently the 
growth continues Avith greater or less rapidity, according 
to the abundance of food, but generally a marketable 
size is attained in about three years. The table qualities 
of the oyster depend on the abundance of certain kinds 
of food, and that which is obtained in certain localities 
give special flavors and degrees of excellence. As all 
our oysters on the Eastern coast are of the same species, 
the Saddle Rocks, Shrewsburys, Providence Rivers, etc., 
would, if bedded in any given locality, be gastronomically 
alike; but it is the special food that is furnished in certain 
localities which give special varieties their degrees of 
excellence. 
In this connection a brief sketch of the anatomv of the 
oyster will be of interest here. 
As every one knows, the succulent mass of flesh is en- 
cased in two shells called valves. The deep or concave 
valve is ordinarily the under one when the oyster is in 
Its natural element, and it is called the left valve, while 
the other or flat one is called the right valve. These are 
bound together by an exceedingly strong muscle, called 
the adductor muscle, and it is at the hinge end of the 
shell that the mouth is located. Now, if we lay an oyster 
on its left side and thrust a sharp knife between the 
valves, carrying it back carefully, so that the flesh will 
not be torn nor crushed, until the adductor muscle is 
reached, and cut, we find, on lifting the flat valve, that 
the soft body reposes motionless in the deep shell. On 
examining this, we discover a thin mantle or membrane, 
which covers the surface of the body and hangs over its 
edges. Lifting this mantle and cutting it entirely away 
with a pair of scissors we expose to view the oyster's 
gills, which are four in number, and which extend nearly 
around the body. These are covered with cilia, or hairs, 
arranged in rows, and these are constantly in motion, 
sweeping a current of water with its contents of food, 
etc., through the gills and water tubes into the mouth. 
The gills are also the organs by which the blood of 
the oyster is aerated. Between the gills and the hinges 
are four flaps, called the lips; these are arranged, two on 
the right and two on the left side of the body, and between 
them, near the hinge, is the mouth. Now, if the delicate 
membranes which cover the internal organs are cut still 
further away the digestive appartaus— heart, etc. — may be 
examined, and the pulsations of the latter noted; these 
are not rapid, but they may be plainly seen. 
The food of the oyster consists of infusoria and dia- 
toms, and other minute form? of vegetable life: these are 
diffused through the water more or less plentifully, and 
they are, as I before stated, swept by the vibrations of 
the cilia of the gills into the mouth and thence to the 
digestive organs. 
It is by transplanting the bivalves into Waters whicli 
teem with the greatest abundance of this microscopic 
food that culturists are enabled to produce the most 
'merchantable oysters. There is a period, however, when, 
no matter how abundant the food mav be. they are not in 
proper condition for the table. At the times of spawning 
and immediately after it the body of the ovster becomes 
thin and transparent, while the reproductive organs in- 
crease in size and become developed to a correspondins- 
degree; this occurs in the summer months. Unlike the 
European species, which is a hermaphrodite, the Ameri- 
can oyster is of the two sexes. 
In closing this brief sketch of the oyster and its 
enemies I must not fail to mention that destructive little 
creature called the "boring sponge." When young it 
attaches itself to the shell of the oyster or mussel and 
soon penetrates the outer coating; it then gradually forms 
a series of burrows or galleries, which in course of time 
completely honeycomb the shell, and finally cause the 
death of the victim. It is a common species on our 
coast from Cape Cod to South Carolina, and it some- 
times increases in size until it attains a diameter of 6 or 
-Bin and a foot in length. One can form some idea of 
its burrowing capacity, when I state that pieces of sub- 
merged marble have been riddled by it. 
This sponge is not merchantable— in fact, but few 
species on our coast are of much value,, and those are 
found only around Florida. The most valuable varieties 
come from the Mediterranean, and there are over 300 
species known to science. Some of these are of ex- 
quisite form, such as the "feather" sponge, the trumpet 
peacock's tail, Neptune's .glove and Venus' flower basket! 
Although they are generally attached to rocks at the bot- 
tom of the sea, they often affix themselves' to marine 
plants, and even to various kinds of mollusks. 
If we examine a sponge with a magnifying glass we 
find that it is a mass of fine flexible fibers, in which there 
are numerous orifices and pores, which communicate with 
each other by canals of various sizes or diameters. This tis- 
sue js filled with little spicules or spines, which are of a great 
variety of form, and which are often very beautiful as 
microscopic objects. The fibrous skeleton 'is surrounded 
by_ mucous matter, which is furnished with numerous 
cilia, by the agency of which a current of Avater which 
contains the food of the, sponge is continually bf;iq.^ car- 
ried through the canals in every direction. The water 
seems to be drawn in through the smaller orifices called 
pores," and is expelled in continuous jets through the 
larger ones, termed "o?cules." Edward A. Samuels. 
Crime in Brutes* 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I have read with deep interest what your correspondents 
have recently had to say regarding the mental capacity of 
brutes, and concede that the evidence advanced amounts to 
a demonstration. At the same time, I think I can detect a 
selfish motive in the writing which would seek to involve 
these creatures in that moral responsibility bv which 
mankind is held accountable for his "original sin," ac- 
cording-to the theologians. There can be no doubt of the 
innate cruelty of the brutes in nearly all classes and orders 
of quadrupeds, birds, fishes and insects; and cruelty 
implies crime. Crime presupposes plan and premeditation. 
Inadvertence is not penalized, under the law. Our word 
"brutal" is synonymous with vice, wickedness and cruelty, 
and no more opprobious epithet can be applied to a man 
than to call him brutal. It is easy, therefore, to see how 
men and brutes stand relatively. The latter suffer much 
1)y comparison in the general arraignment; the animals 
have the greater obloquy. Indeed, a learned English 
biologist of the past generation named H. G. Torre, has 
incriminated them far beyond the scope of the decalogue: 
for he convicts them of no less than eighteen distinct 
crimes. The enumeration is interesting. They are, as 
stated : 
Murder.— Practiced and inculcated by all creatures 
classed as carnivorous. 
Parricide.— Young buffaloes destroying the old bulls; 
redbreasts destroying the old birds, etc. 
Fatricide.- Cuckoos killfug their brothers and sisters 
as soon as they are strong enough. Collies killing their 
cognates of the same litter. 
Suicide.— Scorpions, snakes and lizafds stinging them- 
selves to death. 
Theft. — Cats, dogs, magpies, ravens' arid trows steal 
and hide stolen goods. 
Kidnapping. — Rooks and jays steal eggs and young 
from nests. 
Highway Robbery.— Big do,gs take food from small 
ones. Eagles rob ospreys of fish. 
Cruelty. — Cats playing with mice, etc. 
Drunkenness. — Instanced in dogs, hogs aitd monkeys. 
Deceit and Simultation.— Hedgehogs, opossums, foxes, 
beetles, spiders, toads, etc.. pretend to ,be dead. Partridges 
and other birds feign to be wounded. 
Idleness. — Cuckoos, which will not make nests, nor 
provide for their offspring. 
Polygamy and Incest. — All creatures which do not pair 
together. 
Glutton}-. — Hogs, buzzards and vultures, ct al. 
Selfishness. — Animals refuse to share with each other. 
Dog in manger, etc. 
War and Fighting. — Constant among all animals. 
Oppression and Ill-Treatment.— Stbrks, dogs, stags 
and other crieatures which mistreat and kill the siciv, 
feeble and wounded. 
The foregoing enumerated traits and practices are 
sufficient in themselves to show that the brutes have a 
sense higher than mere instinct, and if they are not ac- 
countable with men for crimes which they have in com- 
mon, it would seem as if they ought to be. If not, why 
not? Charles Hallock. 
Man, Snake and Toad» 
While indulging in one of my frequent spells of medi- 
tation evidences of man's fallacy crowded upon my 
mind. One was of the way people determine right and 
wrong in dumb animals. 
Many, no doubt, will criticise my assertion, but upon 
considering the following reminiscence, they— perhaps — 
Avill call to mind many inci.iiiices of a like character 
wherein they appeared magnanimous, but in reality were 
they so? On a country road one day I heard a very 
peculiar sound, which directed my attention to a slight 
movement in the grass. I found a large garter snake 
liolding fast to a strugglging toad, which was very slowr 
ly, but surely, disappearing into the snake's widely ex- 
panded mouth. Now, as it was, that snake was only 
partaking of an honestly earned, straight, legitimate 
meal; but against him my ire was aroused, and rny 
sympathy was for the toad, which needed assistance then 
if ever. As a preserver, I struck the snake in twain, 
allowing the toad to go free, while the severed parts of 
the snake were writhing at my feet, beaten out of its 
meal, also out of its life; beaten out of what nature 
destined it should live on. 
The poetry of my rescue of the distressed was lost 
when within a week I shot partridges and ate of them, 
thus doing just what I had killed the snake for doing.' 
There are comparatively few people who have never 
taken a life for a reason much similar to that narrated 
above, and have then dined on animal flesh the same day, 
Surely it is hard for us to constrain ourselves to 
unconcernedly witness the stronger prey upon the weaker, 
but our trained emotion is not stirred when we are the 
aggressors; thus we appear in a false light to ourselves. 
Nature is wonderful and pleasing to study, for some- 
thing new is coinstantly presented for consideration. 
Chas. H. Smodell. 
STtLI,W.\TKR, N. Y. 
Creatttres that Eat the Tortoise. 
Lake Nebagomain, Wis.—Editor Forest and Stream- 
In reply to one of the paragraphs of J. P. T. in your is- 
sue of Sept 23, I will say that the raccoon eats both the 
painted and the spotted tortoises, the little "skillypots" 
which live in the ponds and streams of the eastern United 
States. Where Coony is frequent and these pond turtles 
abound he will find many empty shells with the meat 
taken out in a clever manner with little or no injury to 
the shell. The scattering of the bones of neck, tail'and 
legs and the tracks in the mud are evidence that Ole 
Mister Coop did the work, for if the tortoise had died 
and flesh flies, scavenger beetles and ants had emptied 
the shell the bones would not be scattered, partly 
chewed nor missing, and th« "tenderloin," epicures^ 
call those strips of flesh which lie between the ribs aflc 
the shell. Avould not be present, fresh and intact, as ' 
have found them. No, "the destructive small boy" doe^ 
not do all the killing of these two species ot shellbacks 
and It IS possible that other animals prey upon them. 
I have taken small ones, the size of a quarter of a dol 
lar, from the stomachs of black bass, and even of brooll 
trout. Their shells are very soft then, merely cartilage; 
and can be digested by a" fish. I have found empty sheila 
of the box tortoise, but all the bones were inside thd 
shell, denoting that the animal had died and nature', 
scavengers had taken care of the flesh. 
The question of J. C. T. brings up others in this litW 
Does any animal eat the smallest of our turtles the littl.' 
■stmk-pot" or "musk turtle." ^, odoratusf Then then 
are larger fresh water species than those named— thi 
various "sliders," as those more southern red and yel 
low-bellied terrapins are called, which grow to be 8 O' 
lom. long and are sent to Northern markets, where thi 
fish dealer sells them to the honest caterer, who mingle 
their flesh with that of the diamond-back terrapin fo 
which he has paid $60 to $100 per dozen, and whil. 
coons- may look alike, the slider takes on a terrapii 
flavor which only an expert may distinguish, and when i. 
reaches New York, Baltimore or Philadelphia marketi 
it- IS safe from the coon. This is the apotheosis of th« 
slider. f 
For years I have wondered if there is now or has been 
on this continent before the advent of the white mai 
any animal except man that can kill a snapping turth 
after it gets to be Sin. long. I have seen brave dogs es 
say it, but they always lowered their colors and retiree 
before an enemy so formidablv entrenched and so pow 
erfully amed. Fred Mather: 
The Unnaean Society of New York. 
Regular meetings of the Society will be held in th^ 
American Museum of Natural History, on Tuesday even, 
mgs. Oct. 10 and 24, at S o'clock. 
Oct. 10.— Frank M. Chapman, "Bird Studies with 
Camera." Illustrated with numerous lantern slides. 
Informal discussion of notes made V members during 
the past summer. 
Oct. 24— Jonathan Dvtighti Jr., "Canadian Birds o' 
Au.gust. 
Walter W. GtiAkgeu, Sec' v. 
American, Museum of Natural History. 
The Minnesota Congressional Ex 
pedit 
ion. 
St. Paul. Minn., Sept. ,29.— The movement for thi 
Minnesota National Park, whicli was begun early las 
spring, and whose progress during the summer has beei 
reported m these columns, reached its critical stage yes 
terd^iy at Chicago. The enemies of the project wer( 
hoping tliat it would prove a fiasco. The friends of th( 
enterprise hoped that it would be a success'. By ( 
0 clock of yesterday morning it was seen that the friendi 
had won. The enterprise at this writing may be called at 
unqualified success in respect of all its" definite purposes 
It was never the intention of the Minnesota National Pari 
and Forestry Association to attempt to dictate either to thi 
people of Minnesota or to the Congress of the Untie( 
States what should be done in regard to setting apar 
from settlement a larger body of land in Minnesota. T 
has been all along the avowed intention of this Associa 
tion merely to take out into the region in question ar 
adequate representation of Congress and of public men 
After that, the duty of the Association was in its con- 
ception done. Further action was to be left to the mem- 
bers of Congress themselves. Yesterday morning at <• 
o'clock it was proved beyond peradventure that this ad' 
equate representation was secured. Col. Cooper re- 
ceived and deserved the congratulations of his friends 
Personally, he said, "I fought through the civil war, anc 
1 have been in many battles, and I have been glad tf. 
get out alive, and with success. I have had to do witl ' 
some private affairs in which I was glad to be successful, 
But I want to tell you that never in all iny life have I 
felt so relieved, so glad and so proud as I do to-day." 
This enterprise needed some such enthusiast as CoL 
Cooper to plan, to hope and to dare for it. It is very 
likely that he himself did not know how big a matter he 
had undertaken. It is very likely that there has not beei> 
at any time in recent years so' large a number of Con- 
gressmen assembled in any part of the country upon an 
unofficial occasion, unless it may be at the Dewey cele- 
bration in New York this week. Col. Cooper has con--, 
ducted a successful competition with Admiral Dewey, and 
that is saying a great deal, as every American citizen^ 
knows. 'Well nigh two dozen members of Congress met; 
at the Chicago Athletic Club in Chicago yestekday, and 
the number and character of this representation set the 
seal of approval upon the enterprise. 
During the day the gentlemen of the party were en- 
tertained by the Chicago Athletic Association, and spent 
their time in the pleasant rooms of that club or in making 
purchases at the sporting goods stores. It was early 
apparent that the sportsman instinct of the average Amer- 
ican extends also to the men highest in American affairs. 
" There is hardly a gentleman along who is not a shooter 
or a fisher. We have men who were in the West in the. 
buffa;lo days; men who followed the Sioux trail acrossJ 
Dakota when the Sioux had no reverence for persons; 
men who shoot quail iri the South, or fish for trout in 
good old New England. The great North American, 
Congressman himself, as viewed from the standpoint of' 
this expedition, is not a solemn, august and forbidding 
personage, but simply a splendid, human fellow, like to 
us all and equal to us all in his liking for the outdoor 
air. These men who are going up into Minnesota are 
raen who will love and understand that which they see. 
The forest reserve project is safe in their hands, whether' 
they decide for or against it. They will see for them- 
selves, and tell their associate? in Congress of that whic,\-| 
^hey have seen. 
