FOREST AND STRF AM 
117 
Big Sprinas, ten nitons. 58° F • clear 
Laramie River. 50 gallons, 62* F.; clear 
Evanslown (spring water), ten gallons 57”; clear 
Ogden (Weber River), fifty callous. 60’ F.: roily. 
Humboldt Station (sprine water), fifty gallons, 65' F ; clear. 
Alto, twenty eallons, W)° F ; clear. 
Sacramento, twenty gallons, warm; muddy. 
The temperature of the water iu the cans was as fol- 
lows: — 
Hudson River water— TO 0 F. 
Albany to Chlgngo— ‘ 70°. 74°. 
Chicago to Omana— 74°, 68°. 73°. 
Oinuhji to Laramie—' 73®, 70°, 69°, 67°. 
Lar train to Ogden — 67°, 85°. 67°. 66°. 
Ogden to numholdt — 08®, 62°. 66°. 70°. 
Humboldt to Sncniinento — 70° 68 ", 66°. 67 
Sacramento to Tehama— 67*. 70”. 
Sacramento River water at Tehama -74°. 
I will close this account of tlm overland journey with 
the shad, by saying that considering all the liabilities 
to accident and delay which are incident to railway travel, 
especially encumbered, as we were, with a dozen cans and 
pails weighing in the aggregate half a ton, I think we 
were surprisingly fortunate in getting along as well us we 
did. We made numerous changes of cars and transfers of 
our freight, from one train to another, often in the greatest 
confusion and hurry, with trunks flying about our heads 
and feet, and railroad employees pushing and thrusting us 
ond our cans out of their way. We were often ordered 
away by baggage masters and express agents, though we 
could not with safety leave our charge for a moment, and 
at limes, especially at the junctions of the great lines of 
railways, where we were hardly left a place to stand, and 
where, at the same time iu all the confusion and crowding, 
wc fell obliged to take on water, and even to change the 
water in the cans, it seemed as if some disaster must cer- 
tainly come; either that the fish would bo injured, or that 
the cans would be upset or left behind, or that some of us 
would be left, or enter the wrong traiu, or something of the 
sort happen. 
Yet, though it seems almost incredible, not an accident 
or delay, or drawback of any kind happened. We did not 
lose a fish from any contingencies of any sort, nor meet 
with a moment’s delay, but entered Sacramento City with 
all our fish alive, just on the moment that we were due to 
reach it by the 11:30 P. M. train we took from Albany on 
Wednesday the week before. Livingston Stone. 
DISTRIBUTION OF FRY. 
Rochester, March 27, 1875. 
Editor Forest and stream:— 
Wc hove distributed about four hundred thousand salmon tront per 
week for the Inst three weeks, und shull probably close up next week. 
We have in New York Slate C47 inland lakes; 200 are suitable for salmon 
trout. Last Summer I heard of many being caught, and next Summer 
you will hear of u great many being caught in lakes that wc put them Iu 
three and four years Hgo. I consider it a perfect success. We hear a 
good report from a great many lakes and rivers that we have stocked 
with bass. There are a few mlslakes made in patting fish In waters not 
suitable for them. But there is no need of it, if the parties will read our 
circular carefully. It gives a description of the different kinds of waters 
Hdnpted to different kinds of Osh, and one of the circulars is sent to 
every applicant for fish. It is impossible for ns to know every water in 
the State, and if paties will read the circular carefully there is no need of 
any mistakes. Wc have distributed a great many buss of all kinds tills 
Winter. Oar report will bo out next week for 1875, and any parlies 
wishing will be sent one by addressing the undersigned at Rochester. 
Yours, Seth Green. 
The circular referred to was printed in Forest and 
Stream a few weeks since.— E d. 
TROUT BREEDING. 
Oakland, N. J., March, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I do not expect to present anything new to practical fish caltariets, but 
will give my experience und belief in the theory of Improving the breed 
of our brook trout, or, ns Livingston Stone says, our "domesticated 
trout," tlie true Salma fonllnalU. 1 believe it possible that we can en- 
large the size, lighten or darken the color, and perhaps improve the fla- 
vor of cultivated trout. It is well known that in brooks that empty into 
the same river and run parallel through the same goological formation, 
and where they produce the same food, the same kind of water plants, 
und have about the same fall— in fact as near alike as possible, yet you 
And the trout in them different In size, color aud shape . No species of 
fish vary so much, that I am aware of, as the Salmo fontlnalU, hence no 
species of fish are so susceptible of improvement. Two years ago this 
Spring, while in the State of Maine, I had shown to me a few thousand 
sinull fry from the celebrated Ruogelcy Lake trout, which, according to 
their age, were much larger than I had seen at any other flsh culturist's 
establishment iu six or seven different States. The Rangeley Lake trout 
are no doubt the largest in size of any found east of the Mississippi 
River, and pronounced by the late Prof. Agassiz as the true Salmo forUi- 
nallf. A little more than a year ago I ordered several thousand spawn 
of the Rangclcy Lake trout, which were plncod in my hatching house at 
the Crystal Spring Fish Farm, Oakland, Bergen county, N. J., and 
hntclud out In water at 52°. When first hntihed they were the same 
size ns my Jersey tront, but before the sac was fully n'isorbed they were 
nearly one-third longer, and continued to outgrow them, although treated 
and fed in the same manner. Up to the present they have continaed to 
take the lead, aud are the largest trout of their uge that I ever saw. One 
year from the time they were hatched many measured seven and a half 
inches In length. This Winter I obtained more of the same eggs, and 
there is the same difference in the size of the Rangelcy and Jersey fry, 
and any one who will take the trouble to visit my hatching house and 
ponds can sec for themselves. Another Beason 1 shall be able to breed 
from those I have raised, which will decide whether they retain the 
same qualities or not. 1 am fully satisfied that it is best to breed from 
trout that come from streams where they grow to a large size, whether 
from Rungeley trout or any o'Jier, and I believe that the day is not far 
distant when trout breeders will raise their thoroughbreds, which will 
bring a higher price in market, on account of size, color and flavor. 
Should rhis fall under the eye of any flsh cullurist who has tried the 
same experiment, or any other experiment, with the same view, let us 
hear from him. B. B. Porter. 
— A correspondent writes: — 
The Mohawk Anglers’ Association, at Little Falls, N. Y., of which 
Hon. Wm. J. Skinner is President, and Walts T. Loomis Secretary, was 
formed for the purpose of protecting, multiplying and introducing flsh 
into the Mohawk and us tributaries. This club has commenced several 
suits for penalties, hut have been unable to enforce but one. Witnesses 
became suddenly forgetful and could not remember on Ibe stand what 
they easily did before We have Introduced into the Mobawk the 
California salmon two seasons; this past Winter 50,000; lust year 20,000, 
I believe, and a few salmon trout, but fear we ahull not receive much 
benefit from the salmon as they cannot pass Cohoes Falls on their returu 
from the sea. We design, however, to continue until we learn of • 
surety that it is a failure. We are endeavoring this Winter to pass a law 
prohibiting netting in the canals, a point heretofore untouched by any 
Jaw, as our Justices of the Peace interpret it, 
ftwpectfuJIy, W. T. 8, 
Natural gjistorn. 
THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 
BY RKCAPPER. 
W IIAT sportsmnu of much experience docs not know 
of this fine game bird? Docs not the very name 
of the bird call to mind recollections of glorious moments 
when first we heard the welcome warning, “mark cock;" 
and do wc not remember how quickly we turned from the 
scattered covey iu yonder woodside, that wc were just pro- 
posing to follow up, to bag the rare and much more highly 
prized bird? What io us was the squeak of the stiipc or 
the boom of the ruffed grouse, then? The time has been, 
alas, that is no more, when in almost every state ot the 
Union* woodcock wore to be found in nbundnnce; but now, 
except in a few very isolated localities, anything like a 
large bag of these glorious game birds is not often to bo 
made. Some of the reasons of this change for the worse 
are in a measure unavoidable, aud of these the clearing up 
of our wide woodlands and deep bogs is the principal; but 
there are yet, aud will be for years to conto, large tracts of 
forest and swamp not available for agricultural purposes, 
where the woodcock, if properly protected during the 
breeding season, would multiply to an extent scarce ever 
dreamed of. 
As is well known, this bird winters in the Southern 
Slates, passing to the Middle and Eastern States to breed, 
then Northward to moult, returning in Autumn over the 
same route, aud stopping according to the state of the 
ground and the mildness of the weather for a longer or 
shorter period. 
Those who are in favor of shooting this bird while with 
us in the Summer, argue “that if we do not shoot them 
then, the chances are largely against our shooting them at 
all." That this is a graud mistake is to me very plain, for 
I have shot the woodcock in Autumn in sections of the 
country where they were never disturbed during the Sum- 
mer, and have found the birds quite plenty. 
The woodcock is not by any means so stupid a bird as 
some would have us believe. He is very ready to learn 
wisdom by experience, and also. I believe, to transmit that 
wisdom to his future generations. 
Within three miles of the room in which I am now writ- 
ing, there is an extent of what was formerly one of the 
best pieces of woodcock ground in the State; but it is so 
no longer, though the character of the ground is in nowise 
changed. Every Spring the woodcock coinc there to 
breed, though not in such numbers as in former years; but 
they seem to have learned that it is no longer safe to tarry 
there after the young are able to make any extended Sights, 
aud the consequence is that iustcad of staying there, as 
formerly, till moulting time comes round, they pass on at 
once to the Northward. A few birds are of course to be 
found on that ground through July, but 1 believe them to, 
be only the later broods. 
Two years since, in the month of June, and about the 
middle of the month, myself and a friend, while on u visit 
of inspection to those grounds, started in one meadow alone 
over thirty cock in about one hour’s walking. On the 5th 
of July following wc went to that same ground and found 
only three cock, yet the ground was as good, the feed, to 
all appearance, as plenty as it had been two weeks previ- 
ously, and no one had been there to pouch upon the birds. 
So notorious is the fact of this early departure of the birds, 
that very few — even of the market shooters — think it worth 
their while to look for woodcock there after the middle of 
June. Before that time they are still, in favorable seasons, 
killed in respectable numbers by these fellows. 
It may be asked if we have no game laws in New Jersey? 
Certainly wc have, and there is now a new law, awaiting 
the action of our legislature, which, if passed, will mukc 
it an offense to kill woodcock except between the 1st of 
October and the 1st of January, aud the fine to be $50 for 
each and every offense. Now this is just as it should bo, 
and I have no doubt the law will pass, and there the matter 
will end, at least to: this neighborhood. There Is no one 
here who will interest himself in seeing the luw en- 
forced; and even those who would be willing to do so fear 
to do it, having burned barns and injured stock in their 
minds. Others, who are possessed with no such fears, have 
not the time to devote to watching the grounds and the 
markets and bringing offenders to trial. Several attempts 
have been made in past years to form clubs for the protection 
of game, but they have till fallen to the ground from lack 
of anything like a cordial support, and the result is that 
woodcock shooting here is a lliing of the past. 
I am perfectly well satisfied that if the shooting over the 
grounds I speak of could be put a complete stop to during 
the Bummer months, and for the next fi e or ten years, that 
the woodcock would soon find they were safe in remaining 
there till moultiug lime, and, that over, would stop there 
again on their return from the North, and tarry with us 
till the snows of Winter drove them South. Bo favorite a 
stopping place has it always been with them that even now 
an occasional high couraged bird will stop there till Christ- 
mas. 
Just what has taken place in the above locality has taken 
place in many similar ones throughout the country, and 
there is now neither Summer or Autumn cock shooting 
there, while in more secluded and favored localities cock 
still abound in Autumn. By all means, then, let us put a 
stop to the killing of this bird in Summer, for unless this 
is done, und that, too, right speedily, there will be others 
who will complain as loudly as myself 
Nineteen out of twenty sportsmen shoot woodcock over 
sellers and pointers, and althougli (with dogs that are un- 
der perfect command) they show great sport, I cannot think 
them fully calculated for this work, and I uin glad to sec 
that the sporting papers are now speaking favorably of the 
spaniel no! only for cock shooting, hut for covert work. 
Although I have never shot over one of these dogs, I be 
lieve, troin what I have heard, that they will become very 
popular here. 
Woodcock, though a covert loving bird, do not, even in 
Autumn, always stay there; and although far the most part 
feeding in moist grounds, they are at time* found quite far 
from any water. In Monmouth county. New Jersey, I 
have found them in Autumn on the very" tops of the high- 
est hills in heavy limber, and, where there was no under- 
brush, feeding upon the larva* of Insects secreted in Hie 
rotten stumps of fallen trees. On examination, the holes 
made by their hills in the crumbling wood could be plainly 
seen, though of course In the softest places only. Whether 
this is merely a local habit or not I am not prepared to say. 
I have also killed woodcock In open bog meadows In Au- 
tumn, though most writers tell us that they never go thero 
at that season of the voar. 
Although this bird is, in general, very well able to direct 
his course through the thickest of corn safely, I have some- 
times seen them, when suddenly flushed, flv foul of the 
corn, and in one or two instances get completely tangled 
nnd come to the ground, and once 1 knew n woodcock to 
kill itself by flying against the house In which l then lived. 
Strangely enough, this happened nt night, when those birds 
are supposed to see best, and when most of their traveling 
is done. 
Taken altogether, the woodcock is n very eccentric bird, 
and I think it is this very eccentricity that makes them so 
much admired a« an object nf pm oni hy the p.irtsmHh 
That they have been plenty In times past wo all know, nnd 
that they would bo plenty in time to come, if protected as 
they should he, is equally certain How best to attain to 
that most desirable end la now the problem for spoilsmen 
to solve. I wait for older and wiser ones to speak. 
There are many theories as to what becomes of this bird 
nt moulting time, and each of these has its advocate? I 
ain inclined to think, with Herbert, that on th<- breaking 
up of the floods in August each bird betakes himself to tho 
lulls ami mountains, and secreting himself iu some se- 
cluded thicket not too far front some spring or mountain 
runnel, there awaits the coming of his new plumage. 
I have occasionally shot tills bird in New Jersey lute In 
August, when well in tho moult, and at such time* have 
found them quite as often on open l og meadows a* In the 
cover. It would almost seem that this bird can tell when 
the trigger is about to be drawn on him. Often have 1 seen 
them Hushed within a few yuids of the gun, when In tho 
open, and though the gun was planted squared v upon them 
they would, Just at the critical moment of drawing the 
trigger, give a sudden twist up or down, and if the shot 
was a close one, escape thereby. As the spoilsman cannot, 
of course, foresee tins occurrence, he is very likely to mUs 
his bird. 1 know not if it he fancy on my purl, 1ml it al- 
ways seemed to mo that at such times the cock skims off 
through the air with a peculiarly exulting look iu ilnit ri nnd 
black eye of his, mid with a jniintiness of manner that 
seems to say to the discomfited shooter, “wiped your eye 
that time, old man." 
Certainly, cock shooting is fine eport where the birds 
abound, and as it possesses peculiar charms for some sporis- 
men, and as they are nt the licud of the list of game birds 
for edible qualities, it is well worth lliu while of our Ameri- 
can sportsmen to see that they are not entirely eMerinl- 
Dated. Titos. C. ABBOTT. 
Trenton , New Jersey, March l.VA, 1875. 
POMPANO AND NURSE. 
I N Forest and Stream for January 98th Mr. R. 0. 
Clarke remarks of pompano ( B-tthrolamu* pompanxu ) 
nnd the cuvalli, or crevallc (Carnux defenxor), flint fills own 
words] “the two species much resemble each oilier, nnd 
nre even confounded. Evensonccuruien wilier us Holbro « 
does so. When, however, [wc] rend of pompano# being 
taken with the hook in great numbers, and of their Jump- 
ing into boats, and their occurrence a* far north us Holmes’ 
Hole, I think the cuvalli is indicated." 
Inasmuch ns the fishermen of the North, who bad taken 
pompnnos, did not know what they were, and the Identifi- 
cation was made by nnturulists of tho llsli commission, mid 
as this determination bad been published hy them, und sev- 
eral accounts have been bused on that determination, it was 
presumed by myself, as well ns several others, I lint Mr. 
Clarke repudiated these Identifications, and Unis reflected 
upon our ubility to determine the fishes, although lie men- 
tioned no names. In this belief, I wrote *my letter pub- 
lished in your paper of February lltli. 
As Mr. Clarke denies having lutlcctcd upon us, nnd ap- 
pears to have been unaware of our determination, I will at 
once confess that, under such circumstances, ilmre may 
have been unnecessary acerbity iu my criticisms, and I 
offer an apology therefor. Mr. Clarke, however, docs not 
correctly represent the state of the question, and I will 
therefore give in parallel columns the definitions of Hol- 
brook, who, bo it remarked, even uses the same names that 
Mr. Clarke himself does, and I therefore am unable to un 
derslund how be could have made the miss statements ho 
lid:- 
notlirolo'imu pompnnu* -Holbrook, 
|>. HI. |>l II. fl« 2 
C'avolll, or Cravulo — Volgo. 
Body elevated compressed; 
neither carlna nor crest at the tall; 
dorsal nnd anal fins, with threo or 
four of their anterior rnv- pro- 
longed, and [one dorsal fin] prece- 
ded by free «/il rie . ; 
branchial rays .even 
Neither maxillary. Intermaxillary, 
palatine, nor vomerine teeth; pha- 
ryngeal bones large nnd mn-slve, 
wlih numerous pits, like sockets, 
but without teeth. 
c<>ritux defensor -Holbrook, p. S3, 
|il .2, fig i 
IIor*e crovnlle, or cavalll -vulgo. 
Body compressed, covered with 
inlnui" scale-; those on Us no-tenor 
half have eucn an olovutvd eirlua. 
terminating Inn point behind, nod 
thus making a cunilnuou- rldec [and 
no free «|iine«) ; (wo dor-ai fins; Iroa 
iplnes before the anal fin; 
branchial ray* seven. 
The upper Jaw I* armed with a •" 
irli-s of moderately large ion r d. and 
E Mated teeth; iho»e In front »r« 
irgesl ; behind lhc»e nre ihrvc or 
four row# of minoie, > ard lik-- i-vib; 
tin- lower Jaw Inis buia -lo.le row 
of teeth, aud Hive are Ion -nr than 
lliose of ilia upper, e-p, dally two or 
three of Ilia aulerlor 
Mr. Clarke explains:— “I had been hearing Stories nil 
tlong the Florida coast, from Jacksonville to the Indian 
Itiver, about pompnnos being taken in great numbers with 
1y und spoon, of their jumping into boats lik<- living ll-li 
,nd of their being taken as far north ns Holmes Hole, and 
icing assured by resident fishermen Unit the pompano per* 
formed no such antics, I came to doubt all the*.- »lorle«." 
Did Mr. Clarke's informant call die fish “pompano" or 
•crevalle?" On this hinges the point of in* story. But it 
must still be remembered Hint with the confusion of names 
night have been transferred the coufusiuu of habit# ut- 
limited. 
A# to the nomniotus being found in Florida, that is out of 
ho question. Mr. Clarke fays— "Now the negative toll 
nony of even a professor can hardly avail against the posa[- 
