118 FOREST AND STREAM. 
your bed with an old coverlid or bit of sail cloth. The bed Aatural Histary. 
may now be dressed, or fertilized, with the usual dressings, 
and the flowers will soon make their appearance. 
THE PAPER NAUTILUS, OR ARGONAUT. 
pe TA 
NA eee upon Natural History, from the earliest 







WHISKEY vs. CROTOLINE.—In the Germantown Telegraph 
there is an interesting letter from a Mr. N. R. Morley, of 
Cimarron, New Mexico, in regard to rattlesnakes, and the 
methods of curing persons bitten by them. Some one, we 
think, very foolishly has started the temperance question, 
in this connection, to which the New Mexico gentleman 
replies most comprehensively : 
‘“ My own experience has been with whiskey as a remedy, 
and, while I do not dispute the efficacy of other stimulants, 
at the same time I did not advocate them. I have known 
persons to die from snake bites, but they were invariabiy 
cases where the wound was given near some of the larger 
veins, and where whiskey could not be obtained in reason 
able time. 
Animals bitten about the head are apt to die in a very 
short time ; but bitten in a fleshy part not so, and in many 
cases get well without remedy. I think the effect of this 
poison is in some way to change the nature of the blood‘ 




But few, if any insects trouble these bulbs in the spring, 
times, including Cuvier, represented the Argonaut 
and if so, they quit possession after one application of a 
weak solution cf warm soap and water. 
as having the power of propelling itself upon the surface of 
a smooth sea, by means of its tentacles, which it used for 
oars, and certain expanded membranes for sails; and the le- 
gendran that the ancients learned navigation from this 
mollusk. So the poet says :— 
“Learn of the little Nautilus to sail 
Spread the thin oar, and catch the driving gale.” 
Modern writers, however, declare this to be afable. Now 
this is not a matter to be decided by theories, but by evidence, 
The early writers, Pliny, Aristotle, Alian, and others, who 
lived near the Mediterannean, where the animal is common, 
certainly had a better Opportunity of studying its habits 
than closet naturalists in England and the United States, 
who never saw the creature alive, 
Having myself seen the Argonaut sailing on the surface 
in a calm, in the Indian ocean, and that so near to the 
ship that there could be no doubt of the fact, I was induced 
to ask an old ship master who had sailed these tropical seas 
all his life, if he had ever seen it, at the same time showing 
him the shell of the creature. “Fifty times,” was his re- 
ply. But there is better evidence than this, 
Some forty years ago, Madame Power, in Messina, where 
the Nautilus is numerous, made a series of observations 
upon the habits of these animals, which she kept in cages 
sunk in the sea. Her object was to determine whether the 
shell was secreted by the animal, or whether it Was a para- 
site Occupying the shell of another species, as believed by 
Some naturalists. In 1839, Madame Porrer sent to Profes- 
sor Owen, of London, the results of her observations, and 
the Professor gave it as his opinion before the Zoological 
Society, that Madame Power had established the fact that 
the Argonaut was the maker of the shell. 
Madame Power states also, as the result of her observa- 
tions, that the Argonaut uses two of its arms as masts, on 
which it spreads out membranes which act as sails. These 
sails, she Says, are so large that when turned backwards, 
and pressed against. the shell they can entirely cover and 
protect it. Thus, she concludes that the true office of the 
sails is keeping themselves applied to the shell at all times 
in reserve for the moment when the animal, coming to the 
surface of the Water, raises them as sails. She also says 
that the Argonaut uses the long funnel or proboscis as a 
helm to steer its course, and projects it from the stern or 
wide part of the shell for that purpose. 
Now, as we find the statements of the early writers con- 
firmed by the authority of Baron Cuvier, and this accurate 
and systematic observer Madame Power, as well as by voy- 
agers, who profess to have witnessed these sailor-like hab- 
its on the ocean, it seems time that they are to be believed, 
rather than the theorists, however numerous, who, because 
they have not seen these things, deny their existence. 
S. C. CLarKE, 
0 
DO SNASKES SWALLOW THEIR YOUNG? 

OLLIPOD QuILL. 


<)> oe 
ORNAMENTAL AND FOREST TREES 
FOR FARMS. 
MB 
HERE is much said in the agricultural papers of the 
FP day concerning the planting of ornamental and shade 
trees at the West. Various States have set apart’ ‘‘ arbor 
days,” when every man and boy shall feel it his duty to trans- 
plant one or more trees, and some States are SO Wise as to 
offer a reward te the person who shall set out the largest 
number of forest trees on that day. Now there is ag great 
a scarcity of shade trees upon many farms at the East as at 
the West, and the purpose of this article is to call attention 
to the fact, and pcorsuade youthful farmers to supply the 
deficiency, and to transplant the maple, oak, elm, and 
other trees this season, which will afford a grateful shade 
for years to cone. 
I heartily commend those farmers who plant new or- 
chards of apples, pears, cherries, plums, and peaches. The 
fruit is delicious, highly appreciated at home and abroad, 
and will bring in plenty of ‘material aid” in the shape of 
greenbacks. But fruit trees are not desirable about the 
house, aud can never take the place of forest trees for 
ado-ninent, timber or fuel; nor are they as desirable for a 
“cool, umbrageous shade.” 
Cattle seek grateful shelter from the noon-day sun, and 
it is as essential for their comfort to Obtain it as itis for 
man’s—as needful for their health. But do not plant the 
trees too close to your dwelling-houses and barns; give 
the air a free circulation about such buildings. Oaks, ma- 
ples, and elms should not droop their branches over the 
roof-tops, but be planted at least thirty or forty feet dis- 
tant, 
in selecting trees to plant around the home farm, it is al- 
ways well to choose those which are usefu} as well as orna- 
mental. The sugar maples are quite as handsome as oaks 
and elms, while from thirty or forty good-sized trees, sev- 
eral pounds of delicious syrup can be obtained. I know a 
man who planted in his yard ten Sugar maples, some twen- 
ty or thirty years ago, and now obtains about three gallons 
of maple syrup every spring. Thus we can combine utility 
and beauty. The American weeping elm is as perfect a 
tree as grows, and the oak ig always majestic, while the 
white and black ash and silver maple are also much ad- 
mired. 
While Iam on this subject, let me beg your readars to 
plant trees outside of lawns and front yards, as well as 
within the fences, and have the pleasure of providing a 
shady highway and sidewalk for every passer-by. There 
is nothing which adds more beauty to a street than rows of 
forest trees. Evergreens are most desirable for windbreaks, 
screens, and ornamental purposes upon a lawn, but are not 
so well adapted to the front door yards. They are excel- 
lent shields from the north wind, however, and in single 
trees or in clusters, are especially beautiful on large lawns. 
Almost all farmers can go into the forests and obtain as 
many trees as they require, merely for the cost of digging 
and transplanting them. If they choose maples, elms, oaks 
or ash, they will be surer of success if they select those 
that are from eight to ten feet high; their top branches 
should be shortened, and many of them cut entirely away, 
leaving the stems nearly bare, but taking care to lift i 
large ball of earth and all the little rootlets possible. 
In planting them prepare a hole larger than the base of 
the tree, and deeper than the roots; pour one or two pails 
of water into the hole, and set the tree in firmly and 
straight. Stamp down the soil around the roots closely, 
and then turn the uplifted sods, bottom upwards around 
the base of the tree. 
To transplant chestnut, hickory, and white oak, select 
small trees, not over five or six feet high, and leave the 
poles nearly bare of branches or leaves; also cut the main 
stem in for half a foot. This severe pruning has the effect 
of producing more root growth, and saves the life of many 
trees. 4 
When new trees are planted, it is well to mulch them 
about the roots and stems with coarse stable litter or hay; 
and if planted where cattle will be liable to rub against 
them, a strong stake will afford much protection.— Country 
Gentleman. 






















poison was secreted, the construction of the fangs, how 
the venom wag ejected, was the production of a Philadel 
phia physician, published some fifteen years ago by the 
Smithsonian Institute. The advice we have to give is to 
use whiskey invariably, and in good strong doses, and to 
apply a ligature. 










SS oe 
A Dvr. Berween Humuine Brrps.—A gentleman of 
Kingston, in this State, recently witnessed a novel battle 
ina garden of that place. Two green-backed humming 
birds were the combattants, and the fray lasted seventeen 
minutes. The tiny antagonists would dart on cach other 
most viciously; would soar twe nty feet or more in the air, 
and then return to the flowers in the beds for a moment, 
where the warfare raged most. bitterly. Occasionally the 
larger would pin the smaller to the ground, when the latter 
would strike vigorously at the throat of its foe. Finally 
the larger bird apparently became very much enraged and 
made an energetic spurt. The other fellto the ground, its 
wings fluttered, the body quivered, one quick gasp, and 
the ruby-throated littl. one was dead. The victor flew to a 
dead twig on a neighboring shrub, smoothed its ruffled plu- 
mage as a dove would, and twisted its neck from side to 
side, then for a moment hovering over the lifeless body of 
its enemy, as if to be certain life was extinct, it Hew 
swiftly away. 





















—<>- 0 
Fevine Aciuity.—Burt G. Wilder sends to the American 
Naturalist the following statement of the distance leaped 
by a cat, which he received from the Sanford Brothers, of 
Ithaca, N. Y., whom he styles accurate observers of the 
animals. They write: “When our cat was about a year 
old, he was seen on several days to take position upon a 
show case four. feet high, and to watch acanary bird in a 
cage hanging from the ceiling, eight feet from the case; the 
ceiling was eleven feet from the floor, and the cage an or- 
diflary cylindrical one. One day, as we were observing him 
thus engaged, he suddenly sprang at the cage and caught 
his claws upon it; his weight swung the cage up against the 
ceiling, spilling all the vessels and terrifying the canary. 
After swinging to and fro several times, the cat dropped 
to the floor uninjured. We measured the distance from 
the top of the case to the cage and found it to be ten feet; 
so that the cat made an ascent of six feet in eight, or upon 
an incline of nearly thirty-five degress.” 


















Pig ae 
Musrum, WrEsLEYAN UNrversiry, September 19th, 
EpItor oF Forest AnD STREAM — 
Affirmative evidence on this question is rapidly accu- 
mulating. Twenty-two additional cases have been brought 
to my notice since the meeting of the American Ag- 
sociation for the Advancement of Science, making 
in allone hundred and sixteen. M. Palisot de Beauvois, 
an eminent French naturalist, saw seven young rattle- 
snakes, each as thick as a goose quill, run down the 
parent’s throat: he hid behind a tree and soon saw them 
reappear; he advanced, when they a second time disap- 
peared, and the parent escaped with the precious burden 
among the underbrush. This statement, published in 1802, 
seems to have been overlooked by those who have written 
on the subject. It is very desirable to ascertain whether 
the male snake ever protects the young in this way, also 
to determine whether the ordinary black snake ever swal- 
lows its young, Iam inclined to believe that all the sup- 
posed cases relate to the mountain blacksnake, (Coluber al- 
leghaniensis), which has a prominent ridge along the mid- 
dle of each scale, while the ordinary biacksnake, (Bascanion 
constrictor) has scales round and smooth. 
G. Brown Goopr, 


—The London Zimes sharply controverts the assertion 
made by Dr, Edward Smith to the British Association that 
fish is rather a relish than food, and contains little more 
nutriment than water. Ags opposed to this statement, the 
investigations of M, Payen are cited, who proves that the 
flesh of fish on the average does not contain more water 
than fresh beef, and has as much solid substance as the 
latter. For instance the flesh of salmon contains 75.70 
per cent. of water, and 24.296 per cent. solid substances, 
while beef (muscle) contains 75,88 per cent. water, and 
24.12 per cent. solid substances. The flesh of herring con- 
tains still less water than that of salmon, and even the fish 
are as rich in nitrogenous substances ag the best wheaten 
flour, weight for weight, 



















INTEMPERATE BEEs.—Much cate is needed on the part of 
those who handle lavender, against being stung by bees 
which remain attached to the flowers. The temperance, 
industry, and providence of these insects are proverbial; 
yet their behavior in lavender-fields, especially towards 
the end of the season, when the flowers are fully devel- 
oped, cannot be too severely reprobated. So caréless are 
they of the good reputation they have earned, that the 
refuse to leave their lucious feast even when it islaid on the 
trimming bench; and hundreds are thrown into the still, not- 
withstanding the efforts to dislodge them, in a state of help- 
less intoxication.— Chambers Journal. 



<2 
Estimates or Trmppr.—A tract of 2,400 acres of pine 
land, located in Lapeer county, was sold by parties in the 
Saginaw Valley, two years ago, for $72,000, estimated to 
contain 40,000,000 feet of logs. The purchasers erected a 
till on the tract and commenced cutting. After makin 
very careful estimates they found it would yield 80,000, - 
000 feet, and have sold the undivided one-half’ of the tract 
for $72,000, the price paid originally for the whole. A 
Saginaw party also sold about two years ago, a tract of 640 
acres, located on the line of the J. L. and 8. R. R.R., for 
$2,800, which was said to contain 3,000,000 feet of logs. 
The purchasers looked over the tract carefully and found 
thatit would produce 5,500,000 feet, and one year after 
sold it for $9,600. The present owners claim it will yield 
8,000,000 feet, and its actual value they fix at $20,000. — 
Lumberman’s Gazette, 














Tue LAPLANDER.—The proverbial low stature attribu- 
ted to the Laplander is a mist ake. Some of them may be 
found under-sized, and frightfully ugly, but a Laplander 
only four feet high is a rarity. Quite to the contrary, the 
nomadic Laplander is most frequently found six feet tall, 
Animals donated to Central Park during the month of 
September :-— 
One Marmoset—Mrs. V. B. Wetmore, Fordham, N. Y. 
Ten painted Turtles—Richard E. Kunze, M.D., 606 Third 
avenue. 








: Ppl Two Horned Toads—E. P. De Mott, 29 W. 29th st. 
‘ 2 ‘ ai aeetaiak : Two Canada Geese, One Chinese Goose—Steinway & 
Oup f “H VINEYARDS.—Old charters, the bygone » plereing in character, their Son, 52d st. and 4th avenue. 

names of na. ‘orgotten vineyards belonging to monastic 
houses, prove thai the cultivation of the grape, even up to 
the Roan wall and the banks of Tweed, was once by far 
more frequent an i! now is. England was probably the 
most nurthery of those runtries in which vines were grow- 
ing at the ‘me of the great millenary jubilee, and that they 
flourishe:: at all, is a proof how resolute were the monks 
to drink what the difficulties of land transport debarred 
to those who lived too Temote from the coast. London 
and sr:stol, Boston and Norwich, could pick and choose 
betw ea the amber Rhenish and the crimson nectar from 
Garonne, but a long stretch of dry land was a serious im- 
pedinient to the carriage of so bulky an article of com- 
merce.—Ali wie Year Round. 
——EeEIEE 
—Why are sheep the most unfortunate of animals? Be- 
cause they gambol in their youth, frequent the turf, are 
oftca black-iegs, and are universally fleeced. 
hair is not always black, as I have often seen flaxen haired 
individuals among them. Their complexion is invariably 
dark, and they have prominent cheek bones, small nose, 
One Pea Fowl—George Bing, Rochester, N. Y. 
One small Alligator—Mrs, Hazard, 120 W. 45th st. 
Two Green Herons—Master Ed. W. Davis, 226 E. 81st st. 
One Blue and Yellow Macaw—David H. Flork, 244 w. 
11th street. 
One Vervet Monkey—C. BE. Hunter, 400 Bowery. 
One Mexican Squirrel—Master D. ‘Cj Wylie, 110 E. 39thst. 
No animals have been purchased. 
S. H. Wass, President. 
———£ 
—A will of the late Mrs. Ben. Holladay, of White Plains, 
dated in 1871, has just been presented for probate in the 
Surrogate’s office, by 8. L. M. Barlow. Surrogate Coffin 
has received notice that there is another will, and that there 
will be a contest. Mrs. Holladay’s estate is immense, She 
owned 12,000 acres of land near White Plains, Twenty 
buffaloes, several antelopes, numerous wolves, elks, deer, 
and other zoological curiosities are among her personal 
effects. : : 





men are mostly thin and spare, the women, however, in- 
cline to corpulency. Formerly brandy was the bane of the 
Laplander, but the Sweedish Government have curtailed 
its use among them. They are tremendous tobacco smokers, 
and with a pipe in their mouths, will drink strong coffee 




—_ 
—The Moniteuwr de 0 Algerie states that, in 1871, the coral 
fishery employed 131 boats. In 1872, there were 80 more 
boats. Improved methods of fishing have, however, given 
equally good results, when compared with those of former 
years; in fact, there has been an increase in quantity of 
coral put on the market. New beds of coral have been 
found near Sardinia, which have drawn many of the Alger- 
ian fishermen to the Northern Mediterranean. 








