FOREST AND STREAM. 
anatomists, warrants us in believing] that the teeth referred to 
the bird are fish teeth* which were accidentally deposited in 
the same slab with the bird bones. Prof. Owen, too, has de- 
scribed a toothed bird from the Sheppoy Eocene, hut, in this 
case, the “teeth” were merely protuberances of the bone of the 
jaw, and were in no sense true teeth, but were like those irreg- 
Flguro 8- 
1 3 2 
HESPBP0KNI8 regalis. — Marsh. 
1 k * Top omi slue view of \pft lower Jaw, half natural size ; 3*4. 
Front and side view of dorsal vertebra, natural size ; 6. Tooth, four 
times natural size. 
ularities in the bene, sometimes seen in the bills of sr<me of 
our lamelliro3lral biids. All the known specimens of the 
Odontomi'Jics arc in the.Peabody Museum at New Haven; and 
it stems strange that, while Prof. Marsh has secured so many 
and perfect specimens, representing 6uch divers* forms, none 
of the exploring parties which, during the past ten years, have 
bo thoroughly explored the West, should have secured a 
BiDgle specimen. 
In Ichlht,on s, then, we have a gull or tern-like bird, about 
the size of a pigeon, possessed of great powers of flight, no 
doubt a swimm -r and capable of wandering at will over the 
Cretaceous OceaD, which once spread far and wide over what 
are now the great plains of the West ; in HisperornU, a bird 
fitted admirably for life upon the water, but probably almost 
helpless on land, and certainly incapable of flight. Both 
species, no doubt, lived upon the fish with which this ancient 
sea was eo abundantly supplied, and both, very likely, bred 
upon the numerous islets which then first faintly foreshad- 
owed the Rocky Mountains of to-day. 
Btrange creatures— were they not ?— and fit contemporaries 
of the wonderful forms which swarmed in and about the 
waters of that period. What wonder that in the constant strug- 
gle for existence that must have been going on between huge 
Mosasaure, Plesiosaurs, Turtles, Sharks and Pterodactyls, al- 
most all the forms perished so completely that our present 
seas contain but a few genera representative of this epoch of 
the distant past. 
SQUIRRELS AND EMASCULATION. 
Nashua, ., Jan., 1818. 
EDITOR FOREST AMD STREAM AND ROD AND GUN : 
Having tor the last tew years devoted torm ten days to a fortnight's 
time to hunting squirrels both In the East aud West, I have naturally 
beeo Interested in the discussion In the columns of the Forest and 
Stream and Rod and Gun In regard to the cause of the absence of 
testicles in a large proportion of the males of the gray and black squir- 
rels. From my own observation and from that of others who have 
had equal or even better opportunities, and who have noticed the same 
peculiarity In a large proportion of the malea which they had shot, I 
am convinced that the loss of the organs Is not In the majority of casee, 
though It may be In a few, attributable to the Oistrus enxasculator. 
I have found the grub In the backs of perhaps half a dozen squirrels, 
though never In the testicles of over Dve hundred which I have brought 
v> bag during the last ten years. Out of that number it is safe to state 
-that not one In twenty malea have been found entire. I have shot 
more or less red squirrels wlthlu the Fame time, but never n diced that 
that branch of the squirrel family was devoid of any of its reproductive 
organs. In many sections It Is found In abundance, while the gray 
and black are very scarce, or not found at all. Why Is not the red squir- 
rel equally Bubjectto the attacks of this Epicurean emasculaior. 
The gray squirrel Is not wanting In pluck, for I have frequently wit- 
nessed combats between the males In the rnttlDg season that proved 
that they are hard lighters; ou the other hand I have seen fhe diminu- 
tive red chase a gray squirrel out of sight. On one occasion 1 wit- 
nessed a red squirrel drive a gTay oil a dead tree by the river side 
ylump Into the stream 
Now, for one, I don't bellevo that tho black or gray squirrel runs 
from the red from lack of courage, but that they Instinctively know 
that In tho contest they would be castrated, and— well, who wouldn’t 
rnn ? Tho theory that the old males castrate tho young 1 don't believe 
Id, for It Is against the uatnral law of reproduction of species. 
Webb. 
Mebiord, Mass., Jan. 20, ISIS. 
Editor Fobist and Stream : 
In yonr lost issue of Forest and Stream In regard to squirrels and 
emasculation, Chill soys, " I never saw a g-ay or red so allHcted, nor 
ever heard of It, though they live la the same wood," I was much sur- 
prised, for here I urn positive it Is quite different. This last fall I had 
fair luck In shooting grays, and of all that I have ever shot or have seen 
that were killed In tills neighborhood only two were devoid of testicles, 
while with the red precisely the reverse was true. While in the woods 
May IS, 1S76, I discovered two nests of tho Uudtonius, from which I 
captured eight young ones. They were two-thirds grown, aud lively, 
and when placed in confinement were well able to take care of them- 
selves. Of the eight six were males and without those necessary ap- 
pendages. During the following summer six others were caught by 
different persons, and of^he lot only two had escaped castration. 
May 14, 1S7T.— I found a nest of the Uudsoniux In an old apple tree In 
the thickest part of the wood. It contained six young ones, about a 
day or two old. With the aid of a pocket lens I came to the conclusion 
that the males were perfect. 1 visited the nost six days later expect- 
ing to find that the old male had performed the operation, but, to my 
disappointment, they had disappeared, probably removed by tho old 
ones on account of my former visit. Memoir. 
LlLBSVILLE, N. C., Jan. 28, 1878, 
Ernron Forest and Stream : 
While I have no new theory to offer, or now doctrines to promulgate, 
I have a fact or two bearing upon the subject which may not be amiss. 
Tho Idea of one species, genus or color of squirrel performing cas- 
tration upon those of another won’t do. Nobody In this section of 
eoontry ever saw a “red" squirrel, unlees In some menagerie or 
“show.” The black, or "fox" squirrel, though In years long ago plen- 
tiful, has hereabouts almost entirely disappeared. Of the gray we 
always had, and yet have, an abundance, and of them I have killed, 
and yet Mil, many npon wbloh castration has been performed. Tho 
belief has always been that It was done by the older ones upon the 
yonDg, for "reasons satisfactory to themselves." Certain It Is, as 
before said, it la not her t at least, the result of enmity or warfare be- 
tween one kind and another, for we only have one kind. As lo the 
worm, "wolf," gxub or Insect theory— having never before seen or 
heard of It— I have no opinion to advance. I know this though : 
Scars, especially on tho eunuchs of not over a year old, are plainly to 
be seen, as any of our hunters will testify. A worm, or Insect, would 
hardly leave such. 
And another thing I know; aye, all of u9 do, that those squirrels 
which ace left, as Baba threatened t> "leave " Don Juan, are invariably 
falter, more delicate and toothsome than all others, E. R. L. 
Mofflintown, January 28, 1878. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
It Is my opinion, based upon ocular demoastratlon, that the testicles 
of the gray and black squirrels are not developed until the second year. 
I can pafely say I have shot hundreds of squirrels that were apparently 
without theac organs, and In every case they were young squirrels, but 
I fonnd upon skinning them that the testlcleB were underneath the 
skin, and abont the size of a small soup bean. 
I have no doubt that you have observed the same thing. Now, might 
It not be possible that the "emasculaior," when properly Investigated, 
is slmp'y the age of the squirrel. I should be pleased to hear from 
some of your readers what has boen their experience In this matter. 
Very IFuly, yours, J. E. H. 
Berlin Heights, O., Jan. 20, 1878. 
Editor Forest and Stream and Rod and Gun: 
Regarding ihe castration of tho gray aud black by the red equlrrel, I 
am an unbeliever In the whole thing. I believe them, however, as lia- 
ble to castrate as to bite off an ear or two, or bite them on any part of 
the body, and no more so. Young squirrels, and old onea out of the 
rutting season, may and do carry those organs within the abdominal 
cavity, as the human foetus Is known to until a certain stage of devel- 
opment. Tls a well-known fact to zoologists that the squirrel is not 
the only animal which lacks at certain seasons a development of 
those organs, though I believe the squirrel stands A No. 1 for 
Inordinate development for an animal of his size. I believe I 
si and lone In this view of the case, and ask only for fair investiga- 
tion. Take snch specimens as yon consider castrated to your M. D., 
and let him examine for yeu. They may be very small when found, 
but nevertheless I believe yon will find them. Tonic. 
1 
Cleveland, Jan 29, 1878. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
I send to you by express a box of squirrels we found here on the 
market. Labels are attached as follows: "Male and Female; Fox 
Squirrel.” This 6qulrrel Is often found emasculated. They Inhabits 
country where the "Chickaree" is a perfect stranger, and the " bot 
fly ” Is not known. The pair of black squirrels (male and female) are 
good specimens of tbelr kind. It Is rare In this locality that you find 
the black squirrels emasculated. This variety of the squirrel Is now 
becoming scarce. Years ago they outnumbered the gray. The female 
specimen of the gray squirrel Is perfect ; so are the two males ; one nn 
old fellow, the other a yearling. Bat n<^w I would call your attention 
to the pair of eniasculatsd (?) gray squirrels, and, If you have good 
practical anatomist on hand, I would like to have him carefully dissect 
and search for their generative organs. My impression Is he will find 
them wanting; not as the result of the handiwork of the " Chlckoree" 
or the grabbing work of the " bot fly,” but the result of a natural law 
that has caused an arrest of development. The result of numerous 
dissections of the male squirrel, with testlolcs aud without, has led me 
to the conclusion that this anomaly Is entirely owing to the non-descent 
of the giant] or Its Imperfect development in utero. Again, I ask for a 
careful dissection of the two emasculated (7) gray squirrels. As this 
matter of tho male squirrel being olten found without testicles has 
been a disputed question for many years, suppose through the medium 
of the Forest and Stream we now sett le the question. 
Yonrs truly, Dr. E. Steeling. 
Biddefokd, Mo., Feb. 16, 1879. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
I have been always told by experienced gunners that a considerable 
portion of the male grays were Uiub maltreated and abused by tho little 
reds, but, up to the present time, und during a careful observation of 
several years and Inspection of a largo number of gray squirrels that 
have been shot by myself and others, I never have found a male squir- 
rel In whlob the testicles were not to be found. Tho specimens were 
numerous In which they appeared to be absent, but upon careful exam- 
ination, I have always fonnd the apparently mlsslDg organs In the cavity 
of the abdomen ; and this condition seems lo be quite common In squir- 
rels under one year of ago, and occasionally In old specimens. I have 
found theso organ* In a similar position, and In almost all, they can be 
easily pressed through tho lngulual canals Into tho abdomen. 
The little red squirrels In tills region are much moro numerous than 
the gray. During the past season 1 shot os much as three or four busii- 
els of them, and have examined many shot by others, and results aro 
ns in former years, as previously stated. I think Ihe prevalent Idea In 
this matter must be a lulstake-ln the main at least. So far qb I know, 
ova, such oa have been described lu this connection, deposited In the 
Integument of animals, do not go deeper than the cellular tissue 
beneath the skin during any period of their devclopement ; therefore, 
they cannot become a destructive agent to these organs. 
And again, the organs are protected by a distinct and strong envelope 
of their own (the Tunica vaginalis), which Is In no way connected with 
the scrotum, and is freely moveable within it. Without any doubt these 
organs are sometimes destroyed by disease and accident in squirrels as 
in all other animals, but I do not believe this theory of castration that 
is lu vogue. I have often Been the red drive the gray, uud watched them 
all through the performance. * Observer. 
[We 1'ave received a great number of communications on 
this subject, from which we have selected the foregoing; and, 
since it has been so fully discussed in our columns, it seems 
proper that we should advance a few suggestions in the mat- 
ter and state, at least, the results of our own experience. 
The evidence which has been presented by a number of our 
correspondents at once negatives the idea that this absence of 
generative organs is confined to any particular species of 
squirrel, aud the only testimony in favor of the idea that the 
act of castration is performed by one squirrel on another iB 
that adduced by “ Jacohstoll ” in a recent communication, 
where he states that he killed a red and a gray while the oper- 
ation was being performed. Everything else on this point is 
mere hearsay: “It is said," “We are told,” and “It is the 
general opinion” that the old castrate the young — the red the 
grays, or the grays tho fox squirrels, etc. Under these cir- 
cumstances, we think that in the case which came under the 
observation of “ Jacobstaff” the castration must be regarded 
as a mere accident of the combat which be interrupted. Now 
we venture to say, and careful observation will bear out the 
statement, that of all the squirrels supposed to be without 
testes not one in ten really lacks these organs. The rodents 
are peculiar in many points, and this is one of them, that their 
testes are contained in the abdominal cavity, and thus, in the 
young at all times, and in the old usually, they are not to be 
found by mere inspection. Often it is necessary to dissect a 
specimen before these organs can be seen. This point is 
brought out well by J. E. H. and Tonic, and is hinted at by 
Dr. Sterling. In support of this position we quote from two 
of the most eminent living anatomists, Owen and Huxley. 
Owen says of this order (Com. Anat. Vol. III., p. 049) : “The 
testes undergo a periodical increase of size and change of po- 
sition, passing from the abdomen into a sessile scrotum, and 
being again retracted after the rut (except, perhaps, in Lepo- 
rida ) within the abdomen.” Huxley, in speaking of the 
group, 8ay6 (Anat. Vert. Animals, p. 43G): “The testes do 
not leave the abdomen, but come down into the groin in tho 
breeding season.” This is the view which wo have held all 
along in the discussion, but we have preferred to wait un- 
til it should be clearly brought out by some correspondent be- 
fore alluding lo it. Now as to the specimens 6ent us by Dr 
Sterling, which, when they came to hand, were unfortunately 
a good deal decayed, but which (so far as it was possible to 
determine) only serve to strengthen our belief that this is the 
correct light in which to put the matter. There were six males 
in the lot, viz.: one fox squirrel, one black and four grays ; 
and of these, the two first mentioned and the oldest gray, 
showed at once that they were entire, the testes being very 
prominent. An examination showed that the three animals 
were quite old, their teeth being considerably worn down. 
The second gray, labeled “young male, testicles intact," was 
dissected, and proved to be as labeled, although we could see 
nothing of the organs until a knife had laid them bare. The 
last two grays were labeled “ Emasculated (?)," and we exam- 
ined them with a good deal of curiosity. They proved, how- 
ever, to have apparently complete testicle, although they were 
small and withdrawn into tho abdomen. They were both young 
animals. We would suggest, then, that the announcement of 
the absence of the generative organs in squirrels be delayed 
hereafter until they have been carefully looked for with the 
knife, for we feel confident that much of the present discus- 
sion has arisen from careless observation. 
All this.however.does not help us out on the question of (Es- 
trus emasculaior. That there exists such a parasite we cannot 
doubt, for it is vouched for by too many eminent scientific men. 
We acknowledge, however, that we have never ec«n it.— Ed.) 
A QUAIL AT SEA. 
Wajrkham, Mass., Jbd. 10, 167S. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
A mystery Is solved after the lapse of forty yearts. In 1837 I « ns n 
sailor boy on board a brig cruising on the coast of Africa, on the t. .1 
of November in the former year, when eleven (legreos north of th<* 
equator and between eight and nine degrees from tho coast, while ut 
the wheel between the hours of three and four o’clock p. m„ starbnnfd 
tacks aboard close hauled on the wind, under fail sail, with light breeze 
and smooth sea, making a Southeasterly course, I sighted a bird from 
the direction of the coast crossing the ship’s bows some one hundred 
yards distant, and at an elevation of twenty to thirty yards from the 
water's surface. At once 1 recognized him as a stranger In that locality 
und when he attained the bearing of four or five points off our weather 
bows, he set his wings and, so to speak, scaled toward the ship, aud, as 
though acquainted with marine etiquette, boarded the ship in tho 
weather watst and fluttered down to the lee scuppers. I told our cap- 
tain, who was at my side at the time, that a quail hnd hoarded us and 
now lay on the lee scuppsrs. Said he Fudge ! A quail i his distance 
from the land! Notfnuoh, Bat," said h*, "go fetch him." 1 darted 
