FOREST AND STREAM 
167 
finally managed to reach the shore, within twenty steps of 
where my friend sat, apparently perfectly exhausted, and 
the object he carried across that river was a little live 
lamb, and unhurt. When the eagle dropped upon the 
shore my friend shot him, picked up the lamb and carried 
it home, raised it upon milk and it finally became the 
mother, or the nucleus, about which gathered quite a large 
flock of sheep.” J. E. W RBT. 
Newborn, N. C April 10,1875. 
Artifices of thk Woodcock.— D id any one of our 
sportsmen ever see a woodcock before ho rose? A corre- 
spondent says: — 
“As quietly as possible I placed myself about twenty 
yards below a' boggy spot where I expected to find a bird. 
From this spot there was a small stream running towards 
n\e down the goyle, and in several places I could see the 
fresh droppings of a cock. Every now and then I looked 
up this stream and into the marshy spot beyond, and won- 
dered, if a cock were there, how it was I could not see it. 
I had for years tried to see a woodcopk before it rose, and, 
although that happened frequently almost under my feet, 
Btill I had never succeeded in doing so. However, on this 
occasion I had a better chance, .for I knew the bird must be 
in the stream or the boggy spot, and there was little covert 
for the bird to hide in. 
“The dogs were now getting closer, when all of a sud- 
den I saw something standing where the stream ran from 
the marshy spot. I looked at it carefully, when I saw it 
was a woodcock. The bird did not see me, and came wad- 
dling down the little stream towards ir.e, little thinking I 
was so near; his walk was something like that of a duck. 
The bird had evidently heard the unusual sounds of the 
dogs, and was walking away. The (logs approached; the 
bird came waddling on till he was within ten yards, when 
he saw me; and I shall never forget his big eyes and look 
of surprise. He was down and almost invisible in an in- 
stant, and I can now well understand how it. is I had never 
seen a woodcock before. Immediately afterwards I shot 
the bird, and a finer one I never saw.” 
[In Gould’s “Birds of Great Britain" an interesting acj 
count is given of a woodcock which was seen to alight, 
crouch, and with the aid of its bill cover itself with dead 
leaves to effect concealment.]— E d. 
The “New Light."— A correspondent ask us to identify 
the fish known by the local name of tho New Light. We 
are indebted to Prof. Theo. Gill, of the Smithsonian for 
the information that follows. We should be pleased to 
have any further correspondence on this subject pass 
through our paper, that our readers may havo the benefit 
of it:— 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I have rend carefully your correspondent's letter, asking about the so- 
culled “New Light. " No characters are mentioned in it by which the 
species in question can be determined. I have heard of the name be- 
fore, but am not suro what tho species is. It Is possible that it Is 
Pomoxy.1 hexncantkus, or HapUAdonotm. If any definite Information is 
given to me respecting fins, number of rays, and color, I can at once toll 
what the species Is, But popular names aro given with such extreme 
looseness, and so promiscuously, that I dislike to form any conjectures, 
except with certain data before mo. Yours very truly, Theo. Oat. 
INSTINCT OF TURTLES. 
Washington. D. C., April 5th, 1S75. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I thought when I wound up the sayings and doings at Noank last Fall 
that. I had exhnusted nil of the subject which would not be likely to ap- 
pear, properly gurnished with strange words, snitable for a spelling match 
to wrestle with, in the various learned reports with which the pens of 
Baird, Leidy, Verrill, Hyatt, and Goode would sooner or later enrich tho 
stock of the world's knowledge. But there is one peculiar point about a 
Summer's experience with the Fish Commission: things that nre really 
curious occur so commonly that at tho timo they cease to be noticed. In 
altei conversations such little matters furnish items of considerable in- 
terest. 
For instance. I was discussing yesterday with friends as to how far the 
actions of animals may be attributed to instinct, aud where a line could 
be drawn beyond which we must admit that a reasoning power comes 
into play, and related an anecdote concerning a turtle that was thought 
; almost incredible. As nearly half of our corps of scientific men were 
present in the laboratory at the time of the occurrence, I will record it 
for Forest and Stream, knowing that in its columns It will meet their 
eye. 
Some one had captured a small sea turtle, weighing perhaps two or 
three pounds. For nearly a week it had been kept prisoner in an empty 
bucket near one of the tables ut the end of the room farthest from tbo 
door. The laboratory was on tho second floor of r building whose front 
was toward the street and its rear nearly over the sen. I believe that at 
high tide the sea came up to the building. The door was at the seaward 
end, and opened on to a platform, from which a flight of stuirs led to the 
ground . During the entire imprisonment of the turtle it was engaged lu 
unremitting efforts to get out, standing on Its hind feet and digging with 
its fore feet, which just reached tho edge of the bucket. Night and day 
It was ulwnys trying, unmindful of occasional topplco backward One 
day I took hold of its fore paw and clasped its claws around the Utile 
iron ear to which the handle of the bucket was hooked; then, assisting 
it a trifle, it gained the edge and went over head first on the floor. Gath- 
ering Itself it raised its head, looked around, and after one false essay at 
an open window near by struck out with rapid strides (for a turtle) to- 
ward the door, stopping, however, undet each window where a breath of 
sea air came ia— overpowering the various perfumes which our “speci- 
mens" generated— for a moment, then hurrying onjtill the door was 
reached. There Its progress was arrested, and it was recaptured and re- 
turned to the bucket. In two minutes that reptilo was seen half way to 
the door. Its owner growled, mid “who took him out" was the question. 
He was returned and watched, and just what I tanglit him an hour before 
he pat into practice as if he had knowu it all of his life. He hooked 
his claws around the ear, and while with three f-:et he dug and scratched 
with that one he never let go till he got up. Wc let him then go to the 
door out on the platform, supposing that he had sense enough to atop 
there; but, to our surprise, the twenty feet drop to the rocks below bad 
no terrors for him, and over ho went, lighting on the rocks with n fearful 
thump. He was not seriously injured, and soon had his head and legs 
out, and although ho was in a depression, from where the water could 
not be seen, bis instinct came Into play, and he crawlodout andnsstrulght 
to the sea as the rocks would permit. I wish I could say thut he lived to 
enjoy the liberty he had so bravely won; but a kind hearted man— but 
hard hearted Professor— scooped him up as his feet touched water and 
confined him in a deeper box, eventually consigning him to that resting 
place for specimens, a Lank of alcohol . 
Another Instance of a turtle— or, rather, a tortoise— acquiring knowl- 
edge. has come under my nolice. At Johanna, one of the Comoro island), 
a group in the northern mouth of tho Mosambiqne Channel, the Sultan 
presented mo with a number of Madagascar tortoises. Some of them we 
ate, but one, qnlte handremcly marked, we kept a long timo as a pet 
His home was on the quarter deck, where he would crawl about In the 
sun. sleeping generally nnder a gun. This antrnnl got acquainted with a 
number of men belonging to the after guard, and was ev idently attached 
to one youngster of a messenger boy, who frequently used him a« a seat 
Ho would come out from under tho gun at this boy 's call and eat cabbage 
from bis hand. He evidently could distmgnUh persons, for he would 
not com.- at any one clre's call. Wo carried him a great while, and bis 
end was a happy one. A Japanese meichaut fell m lovo with him. aud 
at Nagasaki it may be that he still exists in tho beautiful little artificial 
cave and grotto built for him by this gentleman, whose religion held him 
sacred and whoso lasto held him valuable. Fiasco. 
A WHITE CATFISH 
_ „ Alton, ni.. April 19, 1875, 
Editor Forest and Stream: — 
Did you ever see a white catfish? I saw one taken from Otter Creek 
in Jersey county, this State, last week. Tho tail, and for a short distance 
np the back, had the usual color, growing lighter as yon approached the 
dosral fin. From there to the head It was as w hile as It could be. The 
cat weighed aboot twenty-five pounds. Yonrs truly. Geo. B. 
A QUEER ANSER. 
Portland, Me., April 19, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream: — 
A few days since I shot a goose, Atuer Canadensis, that had nineteen 
tail feathers (llsctrtus). I havo also obtained a specimen of the some 
species having the crown and back part of the head profusely blotched 
with white, liav o auy Tenders of Forest and Stream seen a bird of 
this species, of similar variety of plumage? Anseb. 
THE PURPLE GALLINULE. 
Rock port, Mass., April is. 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
A flue specimen of the Purple Gallluule was shot near Ilcnry's Pond, 
on April ISth, hv Robert Wcndel and presented to me. It can bo Been 
at C. 1. Good tile's Natural History store, 03 Stidbnry street, Boston. Is 
it not a rare bird to obtain In this latitude? Yours truly, 
. G. P- Whitman. 
Quite rare in this section. We believe ibat one was 
taken by Geo. A. Boardman, of Calais, Me., some years 
“S° in that vicinity, but wo arc not aware of any other 
specimen being captured north of Virginia.— E d. 
AN AMERICAN TRUE CROCODILE. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
1 have received front a correspondent in Florida the following Inter- 
esting bit of information:— 
Lake North. Fla.. March S9, 1875. 
"Mr. Ober: Sir- 1 have captured u crocodile 19 feet 9 iuche* in 
length, in Lake North. Have preserved both skin and skeleton in flue 
order. I usk §310 for him. It Is the true crocodile, the same aa tlioso 
that are now living upon tho banks of the Nllo. and as much a god us 
the Sacred Crocodile of tho Madagascar#. It adds s chapter to tbo Nat- 
ural History of Florida. Yonrs, Wm. Butler." 
I think Mr. Buller perfectly competent to Judge of tho identity or this 
crocodile. Fred a. Odbr. 
CENTRAL PARK MENAGERIE. 
Department or Podlio Parks, i 
New York. April 18, 1875. ( 
Anlranls received at Ceutra' Park Menagerie for tho woek ending 
April 17th, 1875:— 
One Homed Owl, Bubo 
Auchoncloss. 
Ouo Red-lallcd Hawk, Butto borealis. 
lory, Franklintou, N. C. 
One Wildcat. Lynx rufus Presented by Mr. Harry Hill. 
Sixteen Goldeu Pheasants, ThaumaUa picta. 
One Csssoway, Casaurius galeatus. 
One Striped Hyienn, Hyaena striata. 
Two Bubule Antelopes, AUelaphus bubalis. Hob. North Africa. 
Two Harnessed Autelopes, I'ragtlaphus serlptus. Uab. West Africa. 
Two Indian Antelopes, AnHIojM cervlcapra. 
W. A. Conklin, Director. 
Vtrginlatius. Presented by Mr. Hugh D. 
Presented by Mr, W. S. Msl- 
r oodhind, effjnrm and (garden. 
MORE ABOUT THE VIOLET. 
T HE Miityland violet ia a very beautiful velvety plant; 
the upper petals are of a rich purple coloring, and 
much like velvet in texture. This violet is very fragrant, 
and whenever we find one nearly allied to its color or hab- 
its we very carefully transplant it to a botuo within our 
fernery grounds. The common pansy is often found in 
situations, of diminutive forms, and with other character- 
istics, which lead us to believe that to the violets, to a cer- 
tain extent, may belong some of the bcuutirul among our 
prized pansies. I once found a remarkable violet, ns I sup- 
posed from its rare markings. I removed it to a place bet- 
ter adapted for examination and study. The first year it 
grew in .size remarkably. I took layers from it and in- 
creased the slock. The second year after its removal I 
obtained seed from it, from which seed, among many fine 
plants grown, I obtained six very fine plants, which very 
nearly approached the pansy. The colors of my best flow- 
ers were: deep purple all over, deep purple and distinctly 
marked yellow bottoms, deep yellow, purple and white, 
aud one which was of a deep purple body, the flower of a 
curious shape, and with a well defined pure white edge, 
much resembling the old cocked hats of the continentals. 
This flower, from its peculiarity, I gave the name of the 
"Knickerbocker,” and of the many persons who saw it 
almost every one was desirous of procuring a specimen. 
As an encouragement to my many floral friends, lady 
renders, and patrons of Forest and Stream, I would 
note for their encouragement that by collecting and plant- 
ing the seeds of the violet and the pansy they can with 
certainty rely upon u competent reward lor two years' pa- 
tient labor. If your plant appears small the first year, and 
has not a good blossom, do not fear; it will come our the 
next, and you may have a fine bloom of the violet or pansy. 
My experiments lead me to think ouc of two theories 
correct in relation to the pansy and violet. If they nre 
rcully two distinct species, then tho birds are the planters 
of the pansy seeds or violet seeds from which 1 obtained 
my splendid pansies or violets. 1 have found the pansy in 
many situations and under such forms dial I uni much in- 
clined io the belief that it may he a native. Experiments 
with the uativo violet give me ^reat encouragement to per- 
severe in ray investigations, 
Pleasant sights of my May afternoon rambles 
as a naif dozen little girls seated upon a mnwy bank mak- 
n «*;L 0,et wr >‘ a , Ul They had some six different cob red 
, hftd woven themselves crowns of viol eta, 
tm> T. grcen k ‘ RVC * M'cpcd out in flno relief from 
Tt v flow , e ; s , wi,, ‘ which they were Intermingled. 
n ti „ e hT 5ru \ ftnd Sialic combined. 8 
Wo aro OR , 1 W0 h , nvc Uid down nearly forty species. 
r* r ° m ° f Vn l y Torv distinctly marked ones; 
haren li*. °f OUO a P ec,us '* «»» chocolate colored, per- 
h on ° Ur '"“"-v oders. Some variolic; also 
bloom w tie each year; t.ne is a variety easily cultivated 
the .Hwoolnta, which blossoms in November. We should 
JJJJ? |jf° ll .\ . luu : c ,n ; in -V nf our violets made the ob- 
ject of special cultivation; It would pay. All wo have thus 
far expert, uen.etl with have more than repaid otVpaln! 
Violets twill improve wnndei fully by cultivation They 
increase in size, and tho flowers become perfect. For out- 
ff C| aS a , bordor plant, the purple violet has a 
ftU<1 ° n ? " mst hehoJd tho flno nppenranco 
l £ l Ct , r 7 8 ? f lhe > t lIo ' v ' ,hu Purple, and the 
white violet to judge how much real beauty may be ob- 
tained by the combination of so simple a flower. 
All the violets above named can easily ho transplanted 
and a mote beautiful sight seldom can ho scon. They will’ 
it wen attended to, scatter their thousands of seeds to ro- 
planish and muk»still moro beauliful tho entire surround- 
ing* of your gar den. Olupod Quill. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Miller, Scltuate, Mass —From considerable •tudy, and 
years of careful observation, wo have not the exalted opin- 
tou in relation to tho cultivation of tobacco that you seem 
to entertain. Its powers of absorbency, in tho first place 
aro very exhaustive; its capacity for robbing tho soil aro 
greater than those of auy other plant known. The great 
amount of its mineral constituent* can readily he seen by 
carefully examining tho ash as it accumulates upon the end 
of a lighted cigar. All these mineral constituents nre ear- 
ned off or removed from the earth in the growth of this 
great commercial narcotic. In noticing tho ash, it ofion re 
mains after (he orgunic portion of the tobacco is removed 
making very apparent the full size and entire outline ol l ho 
rolled leaves, and a» wc look attentively ut this ash end it 
has lo the eye apparently lost nothing by combustion. This 
point needs to he studied carefully as a fact of much value 
to the cultivators of the tobacco plant. For instance, it 
the wood burned in our stoves was ns rich iu soil and con- 
stituents it would employ tin extra amount of physical la- 
bor to carry away the ashes. Every hundred pounds of 
dried tobacco leaves the soil produces takes directly from 
the earth at least eighteen lo twenty pounds of its most 
valuable mineral atoms or fertilizers. This any one will 
grant who is at all acquainted with the science of agricul- 
tural chemistry. Well attested facts go to prove Hint tho 
exhaustive effects of tobacco upou soils is but little known 
to a very large portion of the community. From fourteen 
tons of wheal, fifteen tons of corn, or twelve tons of oats, 
you have removed no moro of the fertilizing principle than 
by one ton of tobacco. 
Ellen Willard, Topsfleld Mass.— Tho treatment of the 
gladiolus, to have a complete aucce a, ia very simple, care 
only being necessary to give you a finely developed flower 
or a Hueecsion of flower* up, n the stalk, which will last 
quite a long season. Our method has been to plant the 
bulbs upon carefully prepared, well spaded, well manured 
ground as soon after say from the Gilt lo the 10th of April 
as we can, and at the planting to drivo neat stakes of half 
an inch in diameter at the side of eacli bulb. They may 
bo painted green, and to these you urc to tie the stulks of 
the gladiolus. Set six inches apart in a hedge or plat 
they m ike a very splendid show at a low cost. The adonis 
is one of the best color* you can use, hut the mixed variety 
arc beautiful. 
A Header, Beverly, Mass.— “How shall I make a good 
walk, and kill t ho weeds ou it?" As your walk is already 
solid and good, by vour own showing, you will use In pro- 
portion one peek or salt to one pound chloride of calcium. 
Add together, uud pour on sutlicient water to completely 
dissolve tho same. Water added to these salts easily dis- 
solves them, when you can add us much water as you please. 
The effect of the application of this solution upon any hard 
road or path will be to harden the surface to such a degree 
that after it is dry dust is not readily formed upou it. This 
will completely kill ull kinds of vegetation, and if used 
once a week tho roads or walks last much longer thau with- 
out it. 
Thomas J. S., Nyack, N. Y.— Tho larger ferns should 
not find a rcstiug place in a small garden fernery. If you 
wish for the plan s you name, such ns tho Lastrea ftliemas, 
Frlixfomina , and Osnttnda rtgalit, place them ou the out- 
side of the rockery; here they will give character to tho 
whole. In the course of next month wo ahull give an ar- 
ticle on the fern as a specialty, in which you will find all 
the information you ask. 
EARLY SPRING FLOWERS. 
Palatine Bntoec, April 10, 1875. 
Editor Forwt and Stream:— 
Iu your lust Ismc, OllIjioJ (julll, diseourehig of v'olata, sayr, that In 
early April limy may lie found lu tlie St. Lawrence wood*, No v I koo.v 
not how this may be, but if It Is so, then the St. Lawrence wood* aro 
more favored tbuu the Mohawk wood*, for you rnoy search tho country 
aide over ever so well and not finds tingle violet till the very ln*t of 
April, and that, too, lu tue mom favorable reasons. The violet*— altho' 
we have tbem lu great profusion nnd of many varieties— are not our 
curliest flower*. It Is seldom that we have any flowers before- (lie ISlli 
of April. The flrst that we I . ok for under tho leo of somo reeky 
ledge Is the Bloo 1 root (Sangunarla Canadensis), and It 1* very abund- 
ant hero. Ilsptici triloba muy be fouud about the same time, and theu 
the rock saxifrage (Hanfruga Virglnlnsls) The tiafil.-ig utbulua will 
no doubt be found lu blossom about a* early ns tbo blood root, but l 
don’t rp-nk from experience, never having found It growing In the val- 
ley, nutil with a friend I accidentally ciimo upon It lunt Fill . We havo 
Always considered il u stranger in thin region, and no one dreamed of 
finding It growing herein nil It* beauty. So yoa can Imuglue how de- 
lighted wc were ut tho discovery. 
Our valley la particularly rich In ferns Tn tilling two fom c:i c* last 
Full. I found about twenty varl-iln*. snd .ha', too, without any special 
search. Tbo walking fern lu very abundant, In two l.e*l;!e» 
covering the rocks lu dans - pit:b>). Too milden’u hair (Adlan- 
turn), the atplenlum tbenewssn, aud the bountiful botryclum*. ouo t*» 
found In all our wax?*. Yoon «wly, B. L. Fmr. 
