FOREST AND STREAM. 
tb at they steer clear lor a wooded r.dge some distance off and 
moves bis bait-box toward it, keeping as near the bee lwe as 
possible. Back come tbe bees again; tbe box is movednearc 
the ridge. Tbe flour besprinkled bees mnke short tnps 00 ^ 
Tbe bait-box just buzzes with the busy bee. 1 be hunter 
is in raptures, moves closer aud closer to the ridge, and. watch- 
inzHkea hawk, sees the bees enter a tree generally high up 
the trunk, lie goes nearer to fully satisfy himself und to 
iudge ofthe 9 ize of the swarm, cuts bis name or mark on the 
tree (the* law of the woods makes it his), and at some con- 
venient opportunity returns for the honey, which he gets, if 
Master Bruin, who bos a very sweet tooth, lias nOtbeen there 
first in which case he finds nothing but a tree pretty well 
torn to pieces, and pieces ol comb and dirty houey strewn 
^Mark Twain says the average bull-whacker is, in the matter 
of profanity, “ gifted" beyond the sons of men, but in a case 
like this, and I have listened to artists in this particular, it s a 
‘‘stand-off” between the bull-whacker aud the bee Junjer. 
Our friend Joe speaks of all such methods of bee hunt mg 
as I have attempted to describe with scorn, and, trusting 
solely to his Indued senses, meets with good success. 
“Come, now,” said he, “don't keep me waiting ; my mouth 
fairlv waters for a taste of the sweetnin, and, taking the trail 
down the river, we crossed the rapids and followed him to the 
tree. 
For For at and Stream and Rod and Gun. 
THE U. S. FISH COMMISSION IN GLOU- 
CESTER. 
The swarm was in a large bass-wood, high up from the 
ground, among the great limbs, aud, to our unpracticed eyes, 
invisible. Joe, however knew he was right ; but, remember 
ing Josh Billings' advice as to fooliug with the • business end 
of a wasp,” and knowing, from sad experience, _ that a bee is 
fullv as vicious when he makes his mind up for attack, fie 
made preparation for the fight. Putting on his heavy rcoa he 
tied itsnuglv about the neck and wrists, drew his boots over 
his buckskin leggings, wrapped his head and face up with a 
thick veil, put on his leather gloves, then taking his axe com- 
began cracking joke, on the 
entire company. Mose found some dry leaves, bark and 
chips, and set them oa fire, making a smudge 1 ° stupefy the 
bees who would swarm out by the hundred when the tree fell. 
joe in the meautime had, with many an energetic blow, 
backed the tree nearly through ; tbe bees began to be alarmed, 
their leafy home to sway and tremble, which, with a crash, 
cime thundering to the ground. 
Quick, Mose, give me the 'smudge, saul Joe, running 
up and placing the smoking pile of chips directly under the 
hole from which the bees were issuing. 
The effect of tbe smoke was apparent at once. The bees, 
in pouring out, passed through the smoke and blaze, and 
numbers of them with scorched wiugs aud dizzy heads fell to 
^Ji^ mounted the log and began to make a cut a foot or two 
bevond the hole. The bees that were uninjured were flying 
about him ; but used to such work, he continued chopping, 
heedless of their presence, till suddenly lie dropped Ins axe, 
sprang from the log, tore his coat off, and with a yell of pain 
^claimed, - Heavens! boys, I'm bit; ^cre s a whole bee- 
hive down my back ! ” add charging around wild through the 
under-brush, he made us all laugh so we could hardly render 
him any assistance. Finally, however, we secured the one 
bee thaf had made all this tumult, and putting on his armor 
aSn, he proceeded with his chopping. Making two cuts half 
through the tree on each side of the hole, 8 P l!t the 
out, and there, neatly stowed away, was the lODg roll of 
b °-Toung swarm,” observed Joe. as he broke off the c^ear 
rich flakes of corah and laid them carefully in the pails, see 
^w^did^ee Furthermore we tasted the honey and found it 
sunerb differing slightly in taste from the honey made in the 
settlements from garden flowers and clover ; but to us just 
then the difference was in favor of the wild article 
“ Condemn the little sharp -p rated rascals ; 1 11 take my re- 
venge now for the nip they gi’ me,' quoth Joe, taking a seat 
with a flake of honey in one hand and a hunk of bread in 
the other. “ ’Tain't bad to take, is it, boys ? 
The good old fellow presented a highly satisfied, as well as 
ludicrous, picture, as he sat perched, bare-headed, on a log, 
the honey streaming down his thick beard and Ins little black 
eves twinkling with good humor. 
Phil who is a rcatlc-as mortal, and never so happy as when 
playing practical jokes, determined to put a ship to Joe s 
feast, ana, stealing 60 ftly up behind him, gave him a sharp 
prick with a pin. Dropping his bread with a yell, Joe sprang 
from his perch, amid a roar of laughter, and wildly blaming 
Phil for his fright (tor be supposed another “ bee-hive was 
down his back ”), he threw his honey at him with his usual 
good aim and struck him fairly in the mouth. Phil had not 
bargained for any such return, and made a rush for him, hut 
.me snatching up two handfuls of honey, threatened to 
anoint him from head to foot if he came any nearer. Reck- 
less Phil, who never yet stopped to calculate chances, closed 
with him at once, getting the second installment of honey 
where he did the first, aud a friendly rough-and-tumble muss 
came off there and then, Joe getting his antagonist under in a 
few seconds, when he “gave it to him” at his leisure, smear- 
ing his face and head with the “ sweetnin ' till he could 
scarcely cry enough. When the affair was over two more 
dirty men it were hard to find. Smeared all over with honey, 
dirt leaves and moss sticking to them as they stood panting 
and’" jawing” each other, a “douse” in the brook near by 
made them a little more like their natural selves, and, filling 
our pails, we all took a bee-line for the village. 
1 Haviland. 
a LTHOUGH the Speedwell has not yet entered upon the 
A work of dredging and trawling, some valuable additions 
have already been made to the National Museum collections. 
These are due mainly to the goodwill of Gloucester fisher- 
men who deserve credit for their zeal and efficiency in ad- 
vancing our knowledge of the creatures of the sea More 
than one museum possesses choice specimens which wi 1 prove 
a lasting tribute to the Gloucestermen who presented them. 
The famous Alepidosaurus and the new Chimatra (C. pluihbca, 
GUI) are a portion of such treasures, and we now have to re- 
cord some equally interesting captures. Inasmuch as the first 
arrival was not fish, but fowl, we will begin with 
Tnu Skca or Jaeger, Slercorarius skua. 
This bird, which was about to soar beyond the pale of 
American ornithology, returns to establish the veracity of 
early writers. A Gloucester fisherman— Capt. Daniel Carroll 
-captured it on Georges Bank early in July by means of a 
fish hook. Its wings wcie clipped, and it was kept on board 
a schooner for eight days. For a time it could not stand 
erect but gradually it “got its sea legs on” and stalked the deck 
S a mighty jaeger of old might have trod the forest. After safe- 
lv reaching the port of Gloucester, this unfortunate captive hud 
to run the gauntlet of a meb of unappreciative small boys, 
who finally realized their fondest hopes in his death and con- 
signment to the element from which he cauie. As if to make 
the most of himself even in his cadaverous condition, he float- 
ed under the wharf assigned to the Fish Commission, whence 
he was quickly taken aud prepared for the National Museum 
collection, in which he will undoubtedly acquire the title and 
PC Kte cbtaS' to tbe catalogue— 
CJdmara plumbea, Gill. 
This individual was presented by Capt. Jos. W. Collins, 
schooner Marion , of Gloucester. It is an adult female. 
There is a short caudal filament. The color is not uniform- 
ly plumbeous," as in the type specimen. The ground color is 
a ournlish brown, and there are mottlmgs of red, white, blue 
and brown. Capt. Collins states that the annual was caught 
on a trawl line, at a depth of 275 fathoms, thirty miles south- 
east by south of the eastern light of Sable Island. Three 
specimens of the species are now recorded m museums-one 
male in the Boston Society of Natural History and two fe- 
males in the U. S. National Museum. Capt. Collins brought 
in also a Qrenad1EB) 3 facrurus mputri e, Bloch. 
The readers of Fobest and Stream have already learned 
through its columns of the occurrence of this species floating 
at sea near Gravesend, Long Island Mr. J. F. Whiteaves 
collected the same species in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 
Ours is, therefore, one of three known specimens The 
Gravesend specimen was presented to the National Museum 
bv Mr E G. Blackford. Fishermen state that the grenadier 
is common and is often taken on the trawl lines. The dum»- 
ra is seen occasionally, according to the same authority. 
The National Museum is indebted also to Mr. Philip Mer- 
chant, of the schooner already leferred to, for some very 
choice „ 
Corals 
belonging to the genera Mopsia and Isis, the names giving no 
clue to their gracefulness and beauty, to say nothing of their 
rU The Commission has good prospects of making valuable 
collections during the summer. Siuce the above was written 
a male Chimara plumbea has been received, and a specimen of 
AUputovunuf'M, bah panted by Mr Jbomo. Burns, 
of Gloucester. Iarleton u. bean. 
the caudal base, the mass partaking of the character of fluc- 
C The dorsal commences 3in. 8^ lines from frontal extreme, 
and has its first ray longest, 8 lines ; last ray shortest, 4j 
lines. Basal extent, G? lines. . . . , . _ 
Pectoral fins fiabellitorm, commencing immediately behind 
the lower angle of the opercles, 0 lines beneath the dorsal 
rklge Basaf extent, 4* fines ; twelfth ray longest, 8J lines; 
Ventral s* commence in a line with the dorsal ; the sixth ray 
longest, 8j lines ; basal extent, 3j lines ; expanse, 10 lines. 
The anal commences in a line midway between the dorsal 
and adipose fins, having its fifth ray longest, 5* lines. Basal 
^Caudal* forked ; lobes equal, 9$ lines extent ; cleft, 3) lines ; 
CS Adipose ^"commences 9 : } lines behind dorsal. Basal ex- 
tC Color —Whole upper part (including head) from the region 
of the lateral line, olive green, fading into silvery pearl be- 
neath ; the opercles dotted with dark spots, and the whole 
body under the lens more or less covered with dark specks. 
The* whole fish shines with metallic lustre. Cheeks and gill 
covers silvery ; fins transparent. J. Matthew Jones. 
Halifax, H. S., July 15, 1878. 
Artificial Hatching of the Conner,— We thaok the 
Secretary of the Smithsonian for the following interesting 
letter in regard to the hatching of the eggs of the cunner, 
which has been accomplished by Mr. C. G. Atkins. The let- 
ter is written from Bucksport, Me., July 20, and is addressed 
to Prof. S. F. Bail’d, U. S. Commissioner of Fish and 
Fisheries: 
While at Georgetown I came upon a pair of spawning 
dinners ( Tautogolobrus ), and hatched out 0 few dozen of their 
eggs.- 1 find that the eggs are about one-half millimeter in di- 
ameter. having increased very slightly, if any. after coming 
from the fish ; are exceedingly transparent, perfectly free, ad- 
hering neither to each other nor to auy other object at any 
time; they are slightly buoyant in sea water, and slowly rise 
to the surface, where, if in still water, they remain suspended 
until hatched. Both impregnated aud unimpregnated eggs 
rise at first, hut after the lapse of a few hours the ummpreg- 
nuted lose their buoyancy aud sink to the bottom. The yollc 
is more buoyant than the outer shell aud rises to the upper 
side of the latter, which it very readily fills. The embryonic 
disk forms on the lower side of the yolk. I kept my eggs in 
vials in my tent, renewing the water from time to time, and 
think the average temperature maintained was GO deg- Fahrcn- 
heat ; possibly a little higher. Under these circumstauces the 
eggs hatched in three days. In the natural place of deposit 
the water is undoubtedly considerably colder, possibly 10 deg., 
and the eggs would then be four or five days iu hatching. 
Charles G. Atkins. 
THE CAPELIN MOVING SOUTH. 
Movements of Eels. — Salem, Mass., July 23. — Mr. Editor: 
I am three weeks behind in reading your interesting journal, 
having been absent. Have just returned from salmon fishing 
the Nepisiquit. Your correspondents on eels call to mind what 
I saw while fishing one of the pools at Pavonean Falls. My 
guide called my attention to the vast numbers of small eels 
trying to mount the rapids at the head of the pool, some ac- 
tually clmgiug to, others wriggling up tbe perpendicular face 
of the rock. The advance guard would slime the dry rock as 
far as their material would last, then wail for the rear to pass, 
and so on until it was smooth going, and then a grand rush. 
Tbe whole movement was an entire success, and if they were 
not trying to reach the headwaters, I think they were taking 
a great deal of pains to no purpose. I doubt if they were 
merely trying the experiment to sec what they could do or 
playing follow master. C T. J. 
“ Spout and the Drama." — It is significant that we have 
journals devoted to “ sport and the drama," where we may 
find the points of Clara Morris discussed in one paragraph, 
while the next waxeB eloquent over the charms of Lady Suf- 
folk, or whatever else the crack mare of the day may be 
called. Edwin Booth and Budd Doble are mentioned in the 
8ame breath. It is very much like hanging Titian's “ Ascen- 
sion ” beside the latest sensational wood-cut in the 1 ulxee 
Heui. So prominent has this feature of the drama become 
that many of our best people have considered it a sign of vul- 
garity to show an interest in dramatic affairs .— A tlanltc 
Monthly. 
Mr Editor: A very curious incident of the change of 
range in marine fishes is that of the capelin (Mallotus villosus, 
Cuv and Val.) making its appearance this summer in some 
abundance in the harbor of Halifax, and various parts of the 
neighboring coast. For many years not a specimen has been 
observed south of Cape Breton, and for scientific purposes 
we have always had to procure examples from Newfound- 
land As this fish is considered an arctic form, loving the 
colder waters of the boreal regions, it would be interesting to 
know the cause of its sudden and unusual appearance so far 
south of its accustomed limits. One fact is worthy of men- 
tion as it may throw some light upon the question— viz., the 
abnormal condition of our shore waters at the present time, 
which are remarkable for coldness at a season when we usu- 
ally find a high temperature, showing evidence of the divul- 
oence westwardly of the cold northern current which passes 
our coast, flowing south. Singular to relate, the ealraon ap- 
pears to feed upon the capelin, for I am assured by a friend, 
who is a very accurate observer, that he procured two last 
week from the stomach ol a salmon caught off the harbor. 
As the capelin may not be generally known to the readers 
of Forest and Stream, I append a brief description of an 
example from Newfoundland, submitted to me for examina- 
tion some few years ago, should you think it worth inserting: 
D. 13— A. 22— P. 18— V. 8. 
Body elongate, compressed; extent, 7 inches. Scales 
small • lateral line straightened to the region of the annal, 
where it bends upward to the caudal bone. Eyes large, di- 
ameter, 31 lines. Nostrils double, horizontal, having the pos- 
terior cavity l^ lines from the ocular margin. Mouth small ; 
vertical gape, 5 lines ; horizontal gape, 3 lines ; the 
lower jaw longest ; width above eyes, across occiput, 3 
lines- depth immediately in front of anal, 10 lines; at cau- 
dal base 4 lines ; width of body immediately in advance 
of dorsal, 6 lines; extent from point of lower jaw to pos- 
terior margin of opercles, 1 inch 4 lines ; from frontal 
extreme to base of occipital cleft, 10 lines. Upper aud lower 
jaws armed with sharp, conical teeth, bending inwards, ex- 
tending on the former to the base of the maxillaries. A row 
of similar teeth on either side of the palate. Head com- 
pressed, attenuate ; facial outline, declivous ; at upper angle 
of operculum arises a filamentous, fin like process, which 
runs parallel with and immediately above the lateral line to 
Restocking Lake George.— A meeting was held at Black 
Mountain Point, on Lake George, last Saturday, to organize 
an association for the purpose of stocking Lake George with 
fish, and improving the lake and its surroundings generally. 
Dr. J. W. Dowling, of New York City, acted as chairman, 
and Cyrus Butler as secretary. Speeches were made by th& 
Rev. Drs. Gillette, Tuttle, Butler and Huntington, anil 
Messrs. RociBle, Crosby, Hayden, Vcrplanck, Colvin and Cy- 
rus Butler. Tbe lake will be stocked without delay under 
the auspices of Seth Green. 
^jfaifnrnl %}isforg< 
A MOLLUSK ON ITS TRAVELS. 
T HE problem of the distribution of fresh-water fishes and 
Bhells is one of the most intricate of those to which the 
zoologist has to give his attention, aud the evidence which 
bears on this point is as yet somewhat unsatisfactory. Mr. 
A. R. Wallace, in his great work on “ The Geographical Dis- 
tribution of Animals,” has discussed this subject at some 
length and with his usual ability ; but he acknowledges that, 
so far os observations go, we are not furnished with many 
facts from which to draw definite conclusions. 
The fact that the same species of fresh-water fish are fre- 
quently found in rivers and lukes which have absolutely no 
connection with each other proves conclusively that they have 
some means of dispersal over the land, and Mr. Wallace re- 
gards waterspouts, whirlwinds, etc., which often carry up 
into the air considerable quantities of water, and which 
might easily take up small fish also, as one of these means. 
This view is confirmed by the many trustworthy accounts 
which we have of Bhowers of fish falling in heavy rains. 
Another method may be by means of volcanic explosions. 
Humboldt states that, iu South America, the fish inhabiting 
subterranean streams are sometimes thrown up during these 
outbursts. But fish may also bo distributed by means of their 
eggs being transported from place to place through the agency 
of other animals. Ducks and geese feed largely on the eggs 
of fish, when they can obtain them, and it is stated by Gnaelui 
that some of these eggs pass through their bodies .with .heir 
vitality unimpaired. If these birds were migrating/ftt t e 
time it is evident that such eggs might serve to stoclR bod lt3 
