15 
The jYatitralists’ Coniijanion. 
feathers which lined the nest, except 
the small ones on the bottom, were stuck 
quill ends in the cement, and the tops 
or feather ends curved inward, so as to 
nearly conceal the eggs. The Robin 
and Sparrow had been setting side by 
side on their respedfive eggs. 
It may be mentioned that these birds 
are usually enemies. —The Oolochst. 
Do Flying-Fish Fly? 
The question ^‘Do Flying-Fish Fly?” 
seems to me should have long since been 
settled in the affirmative. Many years 
ago the writer was engaged in trading 
voyages in the South Pacific ocean, 
where the flying-fish were to be seen 
daily. They would generally rise in 
shoals, which flutter from wave to wave 
from fifty to one hundred yards before 
settling in the sea. Again individual 
fish would rise, flying comparatively 
higher, their flights sometimes being 
from one hundred and fifty to two hund¬ 
red yards long. The school fish were the 
smallest in size, and would bury in the 
crests of the waves in crossing them, 
while the individual fish would, at most, 
simply touch the spray of some of the- 
waves in passing. These last fish seem¬ 
ed to range from fifteen to twenty inch¬ 
es in length, were quite thick, had a 
reddish color about the head and shoul¬ 
ders, and in flying often made curves 
from a straight line, as if avoiding the 
vessel or some danger in the sea. 
There could be no spring or jump in 
the matter, except to emerge from the 
water when starting, the flight being 
caused by the wings, which vibrate as 
quickly and like those of the humming¬ 
bird. Further than all this, it is only 
necessary to examine the wings of a 
flying-fish and it will be seen they are 
too long, yielding and fragile to admit 
of using in so dense a fluid as sea 
water. My theory is, that the flying- 
fish used their tails and small fins to 
raise themselves out of the water, and 
made their flight by the large fin wings 
while in the air; further, that they touch 
the waves simply in passing as a rest, 
the larger fish being stionger making 
longer flights, toward the end of which 
they seemed to sail with wings extended 
until they drop into the sea.— American 
Angler. 
To Remove Grease from Bird 
Skins. 
It is accomplished by the following 
method : When the inside of the skin 
is greasy sprinkle liberally with plaster 
of Paris, and scrape with a blunt knife, 
removing the plaster from time to time 
until the grease is thoroughly absorbed. 
White birds are very liable to be greasy; 
if it be the feathers, wash the greasy 
ones with turpentine, sprinkling with a 
thick coat of plaster, which should be 
removed as soon as it becomes saturated 
with turpentine, and more applied. 
The leathers must be moved and brush¬ 
ed about to permit the jrlaster to pene¬ 
trate. Firfish by shaking, or blowing 
until all the plaster is removed. This 
is a slow method, but the results amply 
repay one for the time spent. —FIoosier 
Naturalist. 
It has long been a question of doubt 
as to how far beneath the surface the 
roll of the ocean could be felt. A diver 
at work on the Oregon at a depth of 
120 feet found it so heavy that he could 
not keep his position while making first 
to a trunk which was to be hoisted 
up. 
