156 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
A Curiosity. — We have received from Air. W. Kolierman, 
of Aberdeen, Miss., an account of a curiosity in the shape of 
a deer’s foot encircled by a ring of wood. A slip, cut from 
the Aberdeen Evaminer, inclosed by our[correspondent, will 
give our readers an idea of this odd combinations : 
“ We were shown on Friday by Mr. Kellermau, the noted 
gunsmith of our city, a curiosity in the shape of a deer's 
hoof encircled by a pine knot, which, fitting around it like a 
ring, appears to have been worn for many years. The deer 
was killed by Mr. James Gillispie, formerly of this county 
P o nt i? , woc * 3 ? ne * r Winchester Station, on the 
. * , , • Iasl fod" and the general impression is that the 
animal must have thrust his foot through the knot when quite 
a small fawn, and worn the strange appendage through all 
the succeedmg years, rubbing it down to the ring that now 
encircles the bone. 
Curiods Malformation. -Mr. Eugene Thorne, of Thorn©- 
dale, Dutchess County, N. has shown us the skull of a 
common woodchuck, whose incisors have been bent and 
lengthened as shown in the accompanying cut. Naturalists 
fat and in as good condition as he was found to be when it was 
headed off from his burrow and pounced upon by Mr. 
Thorne’s foxhounds. 
Red Trout or Rbdfish of Oregon and Idaho. — A fish 
under this name, found in various localities in Oregon and 
Idaho, appears likely to prove, from what we can learn, an 
undescribed species of the Salmonida, as the characteristics 
of habit, color and other conditions are such as to exclude it 
from any reference to a known species ; indeed, it is not im- 
possible that it may constitute a special section of the family. 
Captain Charles Bendire, U. S. A., writes, under date of 
March 7, as follows : 
“I heard about the red trout first in 1809, when stationed 
at Fort Lapwai, and saw specimens there salted down with 
heads and tails cut off. They form now an article of com- 
merce in the mining camps of Florence and Warrens of Idaho, 
and parties visit the lake (Fayette) every summer and put up 
large quantities. The small streams running into the lake are 
said to be literally filled with them during the month of Aug- 
ust and part of September. They are also found in Wallowa 
Lake, and I believe the fishing in that locality was the first 
cause of trouble between the Nez Perces and the whites. 
“ There would be no difficulty in getting specimens if I 
could only get away about that time. Perhaps you have cor- 
reipondents in Grand Ronde Valley, Oregon ; this is in the 
vicinity of Wallowa Lake, and they might be procured 
through some one there.” 
[We would call the attention of our correspondents in the 
West to this matter, with the suggestion that if specimens be 
secured they be sent to the Smithsonian for identification and 
for introduction into the monograph of the American Salmoni- 
da, which Prof. Gill and Prof. Jordan have now in prepara- 
tion. They can be best preserved In alcohol, but the larger 
ones might be skinned and the skins properly dressed with 
arsenic or other preservative. 
Birds Towering.— F aff, Iowa, Feb. 23, 1878.— My experi- 
ence regarding the towering of birds after being shot is simi- 
lar to that of “ T. S. 8.,” in Forest and Stream of Feb. 14 
1 have occasionally shot prairie chickens, but more frequently 
pigeons, that would tower to a height of nearly 100 feet, each 
circle growing smaller as they ascended until they would sud- 
denly drop dead. Also on several occasions I have shot 
prairie chickens that, instead of flying in a circle, would fly 
nearly straight up to a considerable height and then drop dead 
l pon examining these birds I found they were usually shot 
in the eye or across the top of the head. E. B. B. 
Cormorants in Central New York.— Some time since we 
called attention to the fact that a cormorant ( Oraculus dilo- 
phiu) had been captured by Mr. J. B. Gilbert, of Penn Yan, 
New York, and we have recently learned of the taking of an- 
other bird of this genus near Rochester, N. Y., the specimen 
being now in the possession of Mr. E. H. 0. Griffin of that 
city. 
’ — -V — * 
Spanish Maokebel.— With regard to the strange fish 
caught at Bayport, Florida, by a correspondent, to which re- 
ference was made in our issue of the 14th, we are informed 
by a note from Professor Gill that it. was undoubtedly a 
Cybium matnlaluns, or Spanish mackerel. 
* 
Prof. Marsh, of Yale College, last week purchased from the 
Messrs. Lamson Brothers, of Maiden Lane, this city, a large 
and valuable collection of relics of an extinct race— pottery, 
stoneware, etc.— from graves in Chiriqui, Isthmus of Pana- 
ma, received by a recent steamer. Prof. Baird, of the Smith- 
sonian Institution, Prof. Tarry, of the Assay Office; W. 0. 
Prime, Esq., R. L. Stuart, and others well known, had pre- 
viously examined them with interest. 
A Cardinal Grosbeak in Central Park.— a CGrtGi- 
ponoeni, - j_._ 31., Vriies that while walking in "the Park 
on Sunday, March IT, he observed a number of early spring 
arrivals, amoDg them the purple and rusty grakles, robins 
bluebirds, warblers and soDg-sparrows ; and a friend of un- 
questionab'e veracity saw a Baltimore oriole and catbirds in 
the Park last week. The most noteworthy observation of our 
correspondent was what his naturalist’s eyes assured him was 
a cardinal grosbeak. He adds : “ Now, is not this a very un- 
usual occurrence ? If the cardinal bird ever migrates as far 
north as this, was it ever known to be here in March ?” 
[Very unusual, no doubt, but not unparalleled, for Mr. E. 
P. Bicknell has, if we are not mistaken, captured this species 
in November and December at Riverdale-on-the-Hudson, and 
the writer once killed one in February on Manhattan Island 
about two miles above the Central Park. The occurrence of 
Icterus baltimore so early is quite as surprising.— Ed.] 
Arrivals at the Philadelphia Zoological Garden, Fairmoont 
Park, March 26, 1876,-One common seal, Phoca viCulina, purctiased ; 
one plg-talled macaque, SI. nemUtrlnus, born In tbe garden ; one alli- 
gator, A. miMtssippiewis, presented ; one herring gull, Larus argtmta- 
tus; four sirens, S. lacertina, presented. 
Arthur E. Brown, Gen’l Supt. 
badland, ^arm and (garden. 
THIS DEPARTMENT is EDITED BY W. J. DAVIDSON, 8BO. 
Horticultural society. 
PEARS. 
N. Y. 
Spring Notes -At Portland, Conn , woodcock, February 
2.), crow black birds, March 2; red-winged do., March 3- 
Melotptza melodia and Passer ella ilica, March 5 ; Sayomuw 
w rch r ,The a ^, 0V ,? are re P° rted by Mr. J. R Sage. 
At hew Havc-n, Conn., GalUnago wilsonii, March 16; Harno- 
rhynehvs rufus, March 20; this last about six weeks in S- 
vance of its usual time. At Hornellsville, N. Y., blue birds 
February 28 ; red-winged blackbirds, March 2 ; Spizella 
d | f t r K k ^°, n ' March 3 : these reported by “John.” 
March ~0, blue birds, downy woodpeckers and Sayornis fuscus 
beginning to build ; March 15, eggs of Bubo virginianus taken 
at East Hampton, Conn., by Mr. W. W. Coe. * 
Feb ^ fri i e R7 d ft 8 fF St> John ’ N - B - ^er date of 
18 ‘ 8 ’ fbe following note, which says: “Our winter 
has been unprecedentedly mild ; continual raft weather and 
Sr k'S.i A ? ? e ?£ nce ° f lhe mi,dne88 S SI wffiter a 
Si" Kl “ bi ? 11 ’ of G [ and Bay, near the city, while chopping in 
the woods last week, found a nest in the stump of anold tree 
Stive y0a ° e Cr0S8 - bnl8 “ “ged, alive and 
Habits of Ruffed Grouse-Id Connecticut my exneri 
ence has been that, where ruffed grouse were hunted excess^ 
ively and very often missed, they are much more inclined to 
tree; also, where foxes are plenty and disturb the birds very 
much, in all cases they will tree in pines or hemlocks if there 
are any about: very seldom in any other, except when 
young-September and August birds-which we do not hunt 
in Ibis State. w H 1 
Lakeville, Conn., March 15, • . vv . 
-A Menomonie, Wis., 
Another Owl on the Rampage. 
correspondent writes : 
“ M was walking through the woods, his black pup ac- 
acoompanying when a large owl swooped at the dog three 
lines. When M turned to defend the dog, the ow5 made 
h? B 5 “? : u but by , a we l greeted blow from the right shoulder 
his owlship was knocked into a cocked hat. ” 
HT' HE season for transplanting fruit trees is now with us, 
-L and indeed this operation, from the extreme mildness 
of the winter, could have been performed at any time during 
the last two months. The Pear is, without doubt, the favorite 
fruit of modern cultivators, aad is a very different morsel for 
the palate than that which obtained two or three hundred 
years ago. It likes a good, deep, strong loam of a somewhat 
cool character and dry subsoil ; and it must always be borne in 
mind that, in planting fruit trees (or, indeed, anything else 
for permanency) you are not planting a stake or fence-post, 
but^should take out holes at least three feet in diameter, to 
enable you to spread the roots carefully, thus permitting the 
tree to develop itself to the best advantage. Give it a good 
chance for the first few years ; if it grows too luxuriantly it 
is easy to curb its growth and throw it into fruit-bearing by 
judicious root-pruning. A muloliing of salt hay or manure 
will be found of great service, especially during the first sea- 
son, preventing evaporation, and keeping the ground moist 
and cool. Within the last thirty years the variety of pears 
has become almost endless, and a selection from the follow- 
ing may be of use to those who intend planting or addiDg to 
their collection of varieties : 
Varieties Ripening in August and September . — Brandywine 
—A delicious variety of good size, vinous and full of sugary 
juice, grows well and fruits freely. Boston— This variety 
comes nearer the old White Doyenne than any we know of ; 
an enormous bearer every other year. Bloodgood— A pear 
of decided character and of fine flavor. The tree is a slow 
grower, but online habits and a heavy bearer. Clapp’s Favo- 
rite— A variety combining the qualities of the Bartlett and 
Flemish Beauty; tree very vigorous and a good bearer. An- 
drews -An old but thoroughly good pear, with oily skin, rich 
juice and delicate aroma. It is sometimes called the “ Water 
Lily Pear, the skin having the delicious fragrance of our 
Nymph iea. Adams— A* fit companion to the well-known 
Bartlett, but of regular and handsome form, and a fine rosy 
cheek. It has a rich, vinous flavor, very melting, and keeps 
a long time. These may be considered the choicest of our 
summer pears, but the following are also good : Dearborn's 
Seedling, Tyson Hanners, Moore’s, Cushing, Cabot, Collins, 
Buffum, Bartlett, Ontario, etc., etc. 
October is our month, rich in fruits, and the grower must 
be very careful in his selection, unless he has plenty of space. 
In fact, it is hard to reject any, so fine are the sorts : Sheldon 
—This pear has a rich Bergamot flavor, rich Juice, and is one 
of the pears with which you never get satiated. It is of 
large size, a good keeper ; and the tree is productive and 
beautiful, probably our best October pear. Pratt— This ranks 
nearly as high, but is of altogether different form from the 
preceding. But its excellence consists in its melting, sugary 
quality and juiciness rather than in its flavor. It is a very 
free grower and an abundant fruiter. Hull-Another enor- 
mously productive variety and very fine fruit, melting, sugary 
and rich, like the Doyenne. The tree is spreading, slightly 
pendulous, and of vigorous growth. Seckel— This variety 
like the Bartlett, is too well known to need any description 
Menain— One of the most popular, though not one of the finest 
pears. If gathered in time it comes very near a first-class 
pear for excellence as well as every other quality. The tree 
is very vigorous and spreading. Other October sorts of good 
quality and general excellence are : Washington, Svva,.-« 
Orange, Mount Vernon, Kirtland, Admirable, Oswego Buerre 
Huntington, etc. For November, December and later Kino-’ 
sessing takes the lead in earliness. It is a large, handsome 
pear, something like a medium Duchesse, with a yellow skin 
and red cheek, keeping a long time, and is of excellent quality 
Abbott is a good pear, with a strongly pronounced almond 
flavor. It is a very beautiful sort, with waxy yellow skin and 
red cheek, of medium sizoand of a peculiarly upright growth 
Howell— This is a fine pear, full of brisk sub-acid juice re- 
freshing, rich, and a really pretty fruit. The tree assumes a 
somewhat open irregular shape, and the branches when 
loaded with fruit, nearly touch the ground. Fulton-This £ 
one of our oldest American pears, but not yet extensively cul 
trvated. The fruit i8 roundish, flattened, has a deep ruSet 
skin, like Beurre Bose, and is nearly or quite equal to that 
variety in quality. Lawrence — A most melting, rich, sugarv 
pear, of good size and clear lemon color at maturity 8 ton 
sweet, indeed for some pear lovers. The tree grows freely 
and when well established produces heavy crops. Columhm 
This is a strong grower, of spreading habit, and a good bearer 
The fruit is large, in shape and appearance like a lemon with 
?ii °p?h ’ “ d ' 8 , vei 7 J u ‘cy and refreshing, keeping well 
tiU February and March. Dana’s Hovey— What the green 
gage is among plums, and the muscat among grapes 
n H ,r y x l ? m0Dg otber P eare - 11 58 oot much larger 
than the seckel, and when gathered in October has 8 a 
dull, greenish, quite uninviting look, but as It matures 
it changes to russet, and then to a rich golden hue really 
charming to look at. They are more like huge drerJ 
of confectionary than pears, the mere cutting of one setting 
free the delicious aroma and perfuming the air Th» ■ 
strong and stocky, a free fruiter, and the fruit ripening w. 
December, continuing well into January. Other vLitief if 
excellence will be familiar to our readers, fl8 Duchws? 
Beurre Bose, Easter Beuire. Winter Nells, Beurre Langelie? 
Glou Morceau, etc., which in succession run into tha 
months with us, if properly kept. Itisacunous fact howeve 8 
that with one or two exceptions, scarcely anv of tim^I®^ 
mentioned will grow on the Quince stock. 7 Some w, 11 gSw 
for a few years and then stop, others will not budge i fEZ? 
therefore they must all be grown on the pear stock. r00t ’ 
CALIFORNIA RAISINS. 
Riverside, S. B. Co., CaL, March 14 1R7« 
Editor Forest and Stream : 1878 - 
* yoU T ' da r B mail 8am P lefi of raisins-white 
cat of Alexandria— taken from a twenty-pound box- 
seventy-bv. produced last fall from not qffite thWouPL 
of an acre. They readily brought *2 per box taken 
vineyard. The vines planted in Riverside are flve yeara^m 6 
and have been in bearing three years. The amount of^w d ’ 
produced hereafter will increase rapidly from year to^elf 8 
Through ignorance as to the method of curing lif™ year ' 
the first in which the above satisfactory result! wSi nhZ 
?Z p]ea 1 send you ' like many others sent 
which have excited considerable wonder, are n fair**!’ and 
sentation in size and quality of the crop m quee£ 
method of curing adopted last year was as follows %« w Tbc 
platforms, three feet square (easily and cheanlv or 
lmd on the ground between the rows, and covered^ /T® 
depth of a single cluster. The proper time for pickimr lbe 
certained when the grape has taken on a pafe amiLl^ 
After lying exposed to the aun on the tray 8 P for n^aHv^ e ' 
weeks, in the meantime changing to a beautifni Z , y tWo 
b oom showing like the dust on a^oth’s wing 1 a snared®’ tb<J 
placed over the first in the row, and, pressing thern firm! 87 . 18 
gether, the whole is reversed, leaving the raiste? ^g 3 ?, 0 ' 
top tray is taken off-with the uncuredsides exposed teJi b ® 
The tray just spoken of is used to turn the 
row laden with fruit, and thus the whole proSioS nf f® 
vineyard is turned in a very short time by K ' " n ° f th ? 
saving of time expense and preservation of bloom 
fruit over the old way of turning by hand D1 oom on the 
The characteristics of this section of Southern rw - 
which produce such favorable results in raisin nr^lL, f n,a ’ 
an extremely dry electric atmosphere, S so^nH ?’ ^ 
constant sunshine. But many sections in the lower oo^T® 1 
rich m the above, are rendered almost worthless hP? 01 ? 1 - 168 
that fourth and most important element, viz water 
however, the “Riverside Land and ImVatin^ S' •• T bl8 ’ 
secured by an elaborate system of irrigation^SfnP^’ have 
over $250,000, but making available 20 OOn P / e , 8ent 
which, formerly worthless, now r^dUyS Vr rom° f 4 ^ nd 
$50 per acre Although the orange i wSpSd ^Sf 0 ^ 
in tho futu? ® th ® ^ b f D " air ^ 
[The samples of raisins sent and received are marfelo^sly 
fine ; the bunches remarkably large, the fruit large and uni 
form u size the flavor equal to any imported grapes we have 
ever eaten, though a trifle less sweet. Upon the whole Z 
prefer the California grape, and, so long as the product is up 
-Ed ] P ’ ® nC0urage home ind “ 8 try all that we can 
A Mr 
courawd hv uk ER ^ Association of Tennessee— En- 
in F?hn?fl£j tbe llber al patronage of their first show, held here 
one Association have determined to hold another 
° ® 1 ‘ m ® ' n December, and as an inducement to breeders 
outdistance they intend giving larger prizes than at the first 
