Jan. 4, 1902.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
13 
An Alligator on 'Change. 
There are bulls and bears in every board of trade, but 
the New Orleans board is, perhaps, the only institution 
of its kind in the world in which a full-grown alligator 
has entree to the trading floor. Marc Antony has been a 
sort of honorary member of the New Orleans Board of 
Trade for fourteen years. He was a tiny chap, a mere 
baby, when he came into the possession of Henry H. 
Smith, secretary of the board. He was only eight inches 
long then, and was turned loose in the secretary's office 
and given the run of the building, where he spent most 
of his time dozing in cosy corners, whence he would 
frequently dart out and scare some nervous visitor to the 
verge of delirium. 
His environment seemed to agree with him* and he 
grew like a country boy, until he is now over six feet long, 
and as grave and sedate as any member of the board. As 
Marc was born in captivity and never knew the joys of 
freedom, or of association with his kind in the boundless 
bayous and lagoons, he has few of the traits of the alli- 
gator in its native state. His countenance has acquired 
a grave cast, like that of a grain speculator on the wrong 
side of the market. 
As Marc grew large he was placed in a cemented and 
inclosed area in the rear of the secretary's offijee, but 
as the door was frequently left open he would get lone- 
some and a yearning to mingle in the excitement on the 
trading floor would come to him, and he would crawl into 
the room. Even now, if the door is not kept closed, he 
will wander into the big chamber and appear to be look- 
ing at the market quotations on the blackboards. After a 
while, apparently satisfied with the condition of the 
markets, he will go back to his legitimate apartment and 
attempt to turn on the water faucet with his tail. 
Some time ago there was a negro porter employed at the 
building who was very proud of the alligator, and was 
always anxious to put Marc through his paces for the 
edification of visitors, especially those from the North, 
where alligators are seldom seen. One warm day last 
summer two men from Boston drifted breezily into the 
Board of Trade. The porter saw an opportunity to ex- 
hibit his pet to an appreciative audience, and with all 
the dignity he could assume ushered the visitors back 
where Marc was dozing in the sun. After admiring the 
alligator's classic, saurian beauty, one of the men noticed 
there was no water for him to get into and remarked to 
the porter: 
"I had an impression, you know, that alligators are 
amphibious." 
"Amfibulous," said the negro, "w'y, boss,_ dat 'gator's 
as amfibulous as he kin be. He'd eat a man in a minnit." 
Back in the alligator's private apartments there is a 
water pipe. When the water is turned on he will lie with 
every indication of being at peace with all the world. 
But unless the aperture of the drain pipe is closed the 
water runs off as rapidly as it falls. Marc learned long 
ago that to retain water enough in the gutter to get any 
sort of satisfactory bath this drain pipe must be closed. 
He evidently reasoned the matter out, and now when the 
water is turned on he closes the drain pipe with his tail 
and keeps the water in the gutter until he has taken his 
bath. If the water is not turned on when he thinks it 
should be, he tried to climb up to the faucet to turn it on. 
He hibernates in the winter, and as soon as the northern 
winds begin to chill the air he crawls under the building 
and is seen no more until the balmy air of the Southern 
springtime lures him from his retreat. [ While he is doing 
the hermit act he neither eats nor drinks. But with the 
warm, lazy days of spring he emerges from his hermitage 
and takes up the old routine of life where he had left off 
months before. What the bluebird is to the Northern 
farmer, Marc Antony is to the members of the Board of 
Trade. When he appears in the spring they know that 
they may pawn their overcoats with perfect safety, for 
winter is gone. — New Orleans Times-Democrat. 
The Salt "Water League Bills. 
The League of Salt Water Fishermen of New York 
will have introduced in Albany this winter two amend- 
ments of the fish laws, as follows: 
Section 69. It shall be unlawful for any person or persons, 
corporation or corporations, to erect or to maintain any pound 
net or pound nets in any of the tide waters within the jurisdic- 
tion of this State, including the waters of the Atlantic Ocean 
within three nautical miles of the coast line of this State, the 
leader of which shall begin at a point less than one thousand feet 
from the shore at low water mark; said leader shall not have a 
mesh in size less than five and a half inches and the pocket of said 
pound net shall have a mesh not less than, three inches. 
Section 70. All persons and corporations owning, leasing or 
controlling any pound nets shall raise the pockets thereof on 
Saturday before the hour of noon, weather permitting, and said 
pockets shall remain so raised as to render them incapable of 
retaining any fish until the hour of midnight between Sunday and 
Monday. 
Section 67. No person or persons, corporation or corporations, 
shall willfully take with purse or shirred nets in the manner in 
which menhaden are taken, any porgies, bluefish, weakfish, or any 
other kind of food fish in any of the tidewaters within the juris- 
diction of this State, including the waters of the Atlantic Ocean 
within three nautical miles of the coast line of this State, either 
on his or their own account and benefit or on account or the 
benefit of his or their employer or employers; provided that 
nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit the taking of 
such food fish as may be useful for food for the men employed 
in the operation of such purse or shirred nets. 
Section 68. No person or persons, corporation or corporations, 
shall either on his or their own account and benefit or the account 
and benefit of his or their employer or employers render for oil 
or convert into any kind of fertilizing material any food fish so 
unlawfully taken. 
Cousin Trout (Lettcisci pulchelli). 
Do you know the "Chivin" which is mentioned by 
Thoreau in his "Maine- Woods" (1857) as associated with 
the brook trout of the upper west branch of the Penob- 
scot? On page 53 of his book he speaks of a "shoal of 
white chivin (Leucisci pulchelli), silvery roaches, cousin 
trout, or what not." They had several local names, it 
seems. In another place he says: "Anon their cousins, 
the true trout, took their turn, and alternately the speckled 
trout and the silvery roaches swallowed the bait as fast 
as thrown in." He instances individuals of both kinds 
which weighed 3 pounds. In the course of his narrative 
he speaks of having met with various species of leucisci. 
Will you tell me if these fish, so seldom referred to and 
so little known, are not a sub-species of Coregonust I 
am not familiar with them, but assume that they have the 
adipose dorsal fin, which would relate them to the trout. 
Or, are they cyprinoids, of the variety known in Con- 
necticut streams as dace? The nomenclature of that 
early period cannot always be depended upon to identify 
specimens. As they grow heavy and take bait, it is well 
enough for anglers to become. acquainted with them, and I 
hope you will look up recent ichthyology and establish 
their status. Chuck-a-luck. 
r nchting. 
he Mennel 
Fixtures. 
BENCH SHOWS. 
Feb. 4-6.— Providence, R. I.— Rhode Island Kennel Club's annual 
show. George D. Miller, Sec'y. 
FIELD TRIALS. 
Jan. 20.— Grand Junction, Tenn— United States Field Trial 
Club's thirteenth annual trials. W. B. Stafford, Sec'y. 
Feb. 10.— Grand Junction, Tenn.— Continental Field Trial Club's 
trials. Theo, Sturges, Sec'y. 
Self-Hunting Delights. 
Colony, Okla., Nov. 29. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
A little incident of the prairie seen here recently seems 
worth telling of. A few days ago I was driving up the 
valley of Cobb Creek and saw a big red setter dog 
come over the hill and range the ground before him, and 
a little after a black setter came along the hillside below 
him. Both were hunting, and I expected to see a gunner 
following, but instead of this there came in sight a big 
black pup, which was working busily in the grass. In a 
short time it was apparent that the dogs were self-hunting. 
After they had worked along for some little distance 
the red dog in the grass began to make game, while the 
black dog was ranging through a cornfield in the strearn 
bottom, and much nearer the road. The pup was potter- 
ing along after the red dog. Suddenly the rod dog made 
game violently, then pointed and an instant later started a 
rabbit, which he chased down toward the road — and the 
black dog — while the pup raced after, yelling with ex- 
citement. The black dog at once saw what was going on 
and raced across, endeavoring to cut the rabbit off, but as 
he could not see it on account of the corn stalks, he missed 
it — only by a little, however. 
The rabbit, going at good speed, dodged along under a 
wire fence, which somewhat delayed the dogs, and crossed 
the road behind my wagon full thirty yards ahead of 
them. It disappeared in a thick patch of timber, with 
the dogs in hot pursuit, and the pup uttering despairing 
yells a long way in the rear. 
While it lasted it was quite an exciting race. 
Kansas Farmer. 
Dogs and Property. 
The following, taken from the Atlanta Constitution, 
sums up the result of a suit at Jackson, Miss., for the 
value of a dog as follows : 
The second case on record in the Supreme Court of 
Mississippi wherein the railroad company is sued for the 
value of a dog was reversed and remanded yesterday, and 
the owner of the canine failed to get damages. The case 
was that of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad vs. W. R. Holli- 
day, and in his opinion Justice Calhoun stated that a dog 
has no right to block a highway of commerce when it 
has an opportunity to get out of the way. The evidence 
showed that the canine in question had strayed away 
from home, met a train going in the same direction, took 
possession of the middle of the track and held it for a 
distance of about 500 yards in advance of the locomotive, 
being finally run down and killed. It was further shown 
that the engineer did not know the dog was on the track. 
In a previous decision the Supreme Court made the 
celebrated ruling that "dogs are property," but Justice 
Calhoun now rules that there can be no presumption of 
value, and that the overwhelming majority of canines have 
no pecuniary worth, especially when they stray about. 
Brunswick Fur Clubi 
The Brunswick Fur Club will hold its thirteenth annual 
winter hunt at Barre, Mass., Jan. 6-1 1, 1902. 
The club will make its headquarters at Hotel Barre, 
where the rates will be $1.50 and $2.00 per day, the latter 
price being charged for single rooms. The hounds will 
be comfortably kenneled close by the hotel, and fed at the 
expense of the club. 
The annual meeting of the club for the election of 
officers and the transaction of other business, will be held 
on Wednesday evening, Jan. 8. 
The week will be passed in fox hunting, and every lover 
of the chase will be heartily welcomed. All who come are 
urged to bring their hounds and aid in making this hunt 
one of the best ever held in New England. 
Bradford S. Turpin, Secretary. 
Roxbdrv, Mass. 
All communications intended for Forest and Stream should 
always be addressed to the Forest and Stream Publishing Co., and 
not to any individual connected with the paper. 
DON'T SHOOT 
Until you see your game, and 
see that it /s game and 
not a man. 
Designing Competition. 
In view of the continued and increasing interest in 
yachting, a designing competition will be opened in the 
columns of Forest and Stream. In America the yacht- 
ing season is comparatively a short one, and such a com- 
petition as has been determined upon will serve to stimu- 
late the interest in the subject during the winter months. 
The competition is open to both amateur and professional 
designers. Three prizes will be given for the best de- 
signs of a yacht conforming to the following conditions : 
I. A pole mast sloop. 
IT. 25ft. load waterline 
III. Not over 4ft. draft (with centerboard hoisted). 
IV. At least 50 per cent, of ballast outside on keel. 
V. 5ft. headroom under cabin carlins. 
All abnormal features must be studiously avoided in 
the design; and the construction, sail and cabin plans 
should be of the simplest character. It was our idea in 
laying out the conditions of the competition to make them 
simple as possible, so as not to hamper in any way 
the designer, and yet convey to all that we wished to 
produce a safe, comfortable cruiser on which two or 
three amateurs could live with comfort for a period of 
two or three months and cruise along our eastern sea- 
board from New York to Halifax with safety. A center- 
board boat of moderate draft was decided upon, as so 
many more harbors would be accessible to a boat of that 
type. 
drawings required. 
I. Sheer plan, scale iin. = ift— showing center of 
buoyancy and lateral resistance. 
II. Half breadth, scale iin. = ift. 
III. Body plan, scale iin = ift. 
IV. Cabin plan, scale iin. = ift. 
V. Sail plan, %in. = ift. showing center of effort. 
The sails should consist of a jib, mainsail, sp:n- 
naker and balloon jib. No topsail will be carried. 
A table of offsets and an outline specification must 
accompany each design. The drawings should be care- 
fully drawn and lettered. All drawings should be made 
on white paper or tracing cloth in black ink (no colored 
inks or pigments should be used). The designs must 
bear a nom-de-plume only and no indication must be 
given of the author. In a sealed envelope, however, the 
designer should inclose his own name and address, to- 
gether with his nom-de-plume. All designs must be re- 
ceived at the office of the Forest and Stream Publish'ng 
Company, 346 Broadway, New York City, not later than 
Feb. 28, 1902. All drawings will be returned, but postage 
should accompany each. 
The Forest and Stream reserves the right to publish 
any or all the designs. 
The prizes offered are as follows: 1st prize, $25.00; 
2d prize, $15.00; 3d prize, $10.00. Mr. Theodore C. Zerega 
offers an additional prize of $10.00 for the best cabin plan. 
Honorable mention will also be made of meritorious 
designs. 
Mr. Clinton H. Crane, of the firm of Messrs. Tarns. 
Lemoine & Crane, has kindly consented to judge the 
designs and make the awards. Mr. Crane's professional 
standing is so high that he needs no introduction, and 
every confidence will be put in his ability and fairness. 
With the Night Coast Patrol. 
The life station at North Scituate Beach, says the Bos- 
ton Transcript, nestles snugly behind the "breakwater 
and a re-enforcing ridge of beach stones which the tide 
has thrown up. Yet in the sixty-mile gale from the east 
it shuddered and seemed to crouch to earth as if fearing 
the awful uproar of the sea. The Thor-hammer blows 
of the breakers thundered almost on its walls, and the 
spoondrift, torn in driving sheets of spray from the wave 
crests, spun itself into wool that fled shuddering inland 
and beat with imploring touch on the windows, as if 
seeking shelter. Foam-frothed green waves rolled high 
over the breakwater and gullied the ground to right and 
left of the station with cumbrous foam, but Capt. Brown. 
60 years old, straight and strong, gray haired but keen 
eyed, faced the tempest without and watched the mist- 
blotted sea for what he hoped not to find, a vessel in 
distress. 
He welcomed me, storm-driven and drenched, as he 
might have a shipwrecked mariner. "Most craft have 
had warning of the gale and run for shelter," he said. 
"You're the only wreck we've had so far. Come in. The 
boys are at supper." 
' Sturdy, square-shouldered, heavy-limbed men are these 
of the life-saving service. Picked for strength and cour- 
age, subjected each year, before going to their station, 
to a searching physical examination, they come to their 
work fit m every sense of the word. He who works well 
eats well. The Government "finds" the coast guard in 
shelter, fuel, light, raiment and appliances for their 
work, but they have to provide their own food, and right 
well do they do it. A royal dinner I shared with the six 
surfmen, a jovial crew. Two were just in from the beach 
patrol to the north and south, two more to go out after 
supper for a six-mile struggle with the surf and the roar- 
ing gale, while the other two went in their places at 8 
and 12 and 4 the next morning. Yet little recked 
they of danger and discomfort past or. to come. Before 
them was the table, loaded with steaming viands, and 
they made the most of it. 
After dinner, Dick and I, rubber-booted, clad in oil- 
skins and sou'westers, stepped from the station door 
into the pulse of the gale, Dick to make the usual sunset 
patrol trip north to the box at the Glades Point, I to 
go with him as far as I could. It was already dusk, and 
the mist of the storm shut off all but a brief view of the 
sea. It was time for low tide, but the great shoulders of 
the hurricane pressed the water high upon the beach, 
and toppling combers rode over the sea wall and with 
the foam sent sand and salt spray singing inland and 
cutting our faces. We struggled northward, a little back 
from the crest of the beach where the high-running surf 
made travel difficult as well as dangerous. Rows of beach 
cottages gave us parti?! shelter, and we paused behind. 
