250 
MORE ABOUT THE NEW YORK AQUA- 
RIUM. 
ee 
N exceedingly interesting letter has been received by 
the Messrs Appleton from Mr. W. Saville Kent, of 
Brighton, England, in regard to the proposed aquarium at 
Central Park, which is published in the last number of 
Appleton’s Journal. 
Mr. Kent speaks of the advantages likely to accrue in an 
educational and recreative point of view by the establish- 
ment of a grand aquarium in New York City. Once in 
working order, Mr. Kent anticipates remarkable results 
from the stocking of the tanks with the wonderful marine 
fauna of the West Indies and with species from the Florida 
reefs, and even from the more remote Pacific. The system 
of transporting living fish in the United States—the aqua- 
rium cars—already pursued by the American Fisheries 
Commission, Mr. Kent thinks is of wonderful importance 
as a means of transit, and Mr. Kent predicts that the time 
may not be far distant when a well appointed aquarium, 
representing all the fauna of a marine world will illustrate 
this portion of Natural History quite as thoroughly as does 
to-day a menagerie stocked with animals. 
In speaking of the Brighton Aquarium, the largest in the 
world, and the porpoises in the monster tank, Mr. Kent 
thinks there ig no reason why the beluga, or white whale, 
some 15 to 16 feet Jong, which abound in the St. Lawrence, 
should not be captured and placed in our tanks. Some 
exceedingly curious fishes, as the bony pike (Lepidosteus) 
and the paddle-fish (Polyodon), remarkable examples of ex- 
tinct races, and only found in the United States, would, if 
captured and put in the aquarium, lead to new fields of 
research. ‘Another zoological problem,” says Mr. Kent, 
“of the greatest consequence yet undetermined is associa- 
ted with the embryology of the king-crabs, the only exist- 
ing group of their class throwing light on the ancient pale- 
ozoic eurypteride, and forming a connecting link between 
the spider tribe and true crustacea, One species (Limulus 
polyphemus) is a native of America, and it may yet be left 
to the aquarium of the Central Park, New York, to furnish 
through this species the details deciding this important 
question.” 
The whole letter is a most excellent one, showing the 
practical and scientific knowledge of the writer, and 
we sincerely trust that before six months are over, the 
constructing of an aquarium in Central Park will be under 
the supervision of Mr. Kent. 
Se 
—Since the English Palestine Exploration, under the 
patronage of Lady Burdett Coutts has been so successful, we 
are glad to learn that the American Expedition, under 
charge of Lieutenant Steever, has been most fruitful in its 
results. Some five months’ ago Lieutenant Steever arrived 
at Beirut, after five months’ of exploration, with many re- 
markable Archzological and Geographical discoveries. 
Some 600 square miles of the land of Moab have been trian- 
gulated, and elaborate studies have been made of Nebo and 
Pisgah, and quite a number of rivers and streams unknown 
to travelers have been found. At an early day the Geo- 
graphical Society will hold a special meeting, when Lieu- 
tenant Steever will lay before the Society some of the re- 
sults of his five months’ explorations. We are pleased to 
state that numerous additional subscriptions to the fund of 
the Palestine Exploration have been received, and that 
many new discoveries are to be expected. 
2 
—Poor David Livingstone! There is now no chance for 
this ubiquitous explorer, for no less than two expeditions 
are after him. On the west coast Lieutenant Grandy, R.N., 
left on June 16th from San Salvador in search of Dr. 
Livingstone, and on the east coast Lieutenant Cameron is 
trying to head the missionary traveler off. At late accounts 
Lieutenant Cameron was near the Lake Region with a fair 
chance of reaching a distant country where he would be 
likely to obtain information about Livingstone. There will 
be a wonderful discovery made some day. Whether geo- 
graphical or not, we are scarcely at present prepared to say, 
but certainly a mystery will be unravelled. 
a. 
—Itis stated that a line of steamers established between 
Pensacola and Havana would enable a traveler to go from 
Louisville to Havana and return within six days. —Louwisville 
Courier-Journal. 
Yes; it is all very well to say ‘‘return,” but how about 
the passengers of the Virginius? 





























- oH OS “ 
—Cuban bonds are being purchased freely in Philadelphia 
at twenty-five cents on a Collar. 
—A horse at Murfreesboro, Tenn., is fond of meat diet 
and eats bacon and game with great custo. 
OS oo 
—Cattle men say that in no previous season has the grass 
on the plains ‘‘cured down” so finely as the present fall. 
to 
—The Patrons of Husbandry now have ““Granges” in 
every State, except Maine, Rhode Island and Connecticut. 
a 
—The cultivation of oranges in East Florida has had the 
effect of enhancing the value of real estate on all the navi- 
gable streams. 
So 
—Farmers of Tazewell Co., IIL, complain of wolves kil- 
ling sheep, the wolves coming right up to the barn lots 
after them. 
_— 
. —A bundle of shingles fell from a wagon on the ferry. 
boat the other day and struck fairly ce the head of a 
colored woman, who said, ‘ Y’oughter b’ shame to muss a 
cullud wom'n’s har dat away. I wish de shingles fell ova- 
board.” i S 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
Sporting Zlews from Abroad. 
“Listening how the hounds and horn, 
Cheerily rouse the slumbering morn, 
From the side of some hoar hill, 
Thro’ the high wood echoing shrill.” 
So sang the grand John Milton, more than two hundred 
years ago, and long before him, Twice in his rhymed 
‘“{reatise on the Craft of Hunting,” says:— 
“And for to sette young hunterys in the way 
To venery, I cast me fyrst to go; 
Of which four bestes he, that is to say 
The hare, the herte, the wulf, and the wild boar, 
But there ben other bestes, five of the chase, 
The buck the first, the second is the do’. 
So undoubtedly may have thought that elegant assem- 
blage of ladies and gentlemen and fine horses who collected 
at a railroad station in the West end of London, Padding- 
ton by name, one day early in this month to follow her 
Majesty’s hounds from Salt Hill after the stag. We find no 
notice of the stag or the hounds having been brought up 
from Londonin the same special train, which might have 
been ever so much more convenient. At Bayles’ court the 
stag was found (in his box) all ready waiting, and was 
turned out, and with some difficulty having extricated him- 
self from the mob, off bolted the quarry, with some hun- 
dred horsemen and dogs at his heels. The poor Baron (for 
so the stag is called) ran along wire fences, through plowed 
ficlds, over the London highroad, across a brickyard, and 
at last was taken in the garden of Mr. Drew’s cottage. It 
sounds a little bit tame when put in this way. A stag is 
brought on the ground like a show beast ina menagerie 
van, is let loose and then caught in the midst of a gravel 
walk, perhapsin the immediate vicinity of a greenhouse. 
Of the many who started, some thirty huntsmen are repre- 
sented to have been in at the death, and some nice falls 
came to the lot of many of the huntsmen. It is kind of a 
put up hunt of course, adapted to the period, a little bit 
theatrical, but it is all right we suppose, though it cannot 
have the full flavor of real hunting, as expressed by Twice 
or Chaucer. Though on a grand scale, it has the least smack 
of barbarity about it, and when some future Leckie will 
discant on hunting morals, he will tell of the time when 
the last hunt of this nature was held in England. 
—Some time ago Punch had a most clever picture in re- 
gard to driving partridges, which represented several kid 
glove gentlemen seated on easy chairs knocking over par- 
tridges, the birds being sent to them through the process 
called partridge driving. One of most able foreign con- 
temporaries takes umbrage at this; and declares that it is 
no easy sport, and describes the process. From our owr 
experience of driving partridge in England we must per- 
fectly agree with the Field that it is no easy sport, though 
in our time no horses or flags were in use; these are more 
modern complications. The birds flew almost as swift as 
black ducks on the wind, and we are not ashamed to say 
that of seven which passed over us during a whole morn- 
ing we killed only two, and then to our surprise were con- 
gratulated at being ‘‘quite a decent shot.” We cannot say 
that the sport was an amusing one, on the contrary, it was 
stupid to a degree. To-day partridge driving, we believe, 
is becoming more and more in vogue in kngland. The 
poor bird are scared up by heaters, while men on horseback 
with fluttering flags keep the birds going in one line, and 
srom hedges the concealed guns let them have it. We think 
it an abnormal sport, and to use a French maxim, ‘‘le jeu 
ne vaut pas la chandelle.” All ultra refinements of sport are 
unnatural, 
—The subject of refreshing the moors is now being agi- 
tated in England. Some are of opinion that all the old 
cock and hen grouse should be exterminated; others are in 
favor of very careful shooting for the year to come. Ques- 
tions of the introduction of new birds from other sections 
of the country are spoken about, and there is a dispute 
whether it is better to produce fresher breeds by the eggs 
or by placing young birds on the moors. 



—A, piece of red pepper, the size of your finger-nail, put 
into meat or vegetables when first beginning to cook, will 
aid greatly in killing the unpleasant odor arising therefrom. 
Remember this for boiled cabbage, green beans, onions, 
chickens, mutton, etc.. 
>_<» _____ 
—The amount of timber cut on the head waters of the 
Mississippi River and its tributaries, the past year, was 
equal to 1,579,000,000 feet. This quantity, estimating the 
yield of pine iand at 10,000 feet per acre, would require the 
denudation of 155,000 acres, or nearly 250 square miles of 
land. 
a 
—“Do black bass take a fly?” This is a question of 
a pinion. 
————< 
—The Brooklyn Hagle says:— 
Some days ago a match was made between two horse- 
shoers of South Brooklyn, each man betting $100 that he 
could make more horse-shoes than the other within a speci- 
fied time. The names of the men are John Burns and 
George Boyle and as both have the ‘Teputation of bein 
adepts in the art of horse-shoeing the contest excited a ydbd 
deal of interest. The match came off yesterday, and was 
attended by large numbers of horse-shoers and sporting men 
from New York, New Jersey, and even the neighborin 
States of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. The men worked 
eight hours, during which Boyle turned out 11,010 shoes, 
while Burns manufactured but 11,000, thus losing the 
match, As an exhibition of endurance’ and skill, the feat . 
anything in the | 
was a most remarkable one, and surpassed 
horse-shoeing line ever accomplished in America. Some 
thousands of dollars changed hands on the result. 
Che Horse and the Course. 
VALUE IN HORSEFLESH. 
—_~-——— 
yak CORRESPONDENT of the New England Farmer has 
written an exceedingly sound letter on the horse, and 
what constitutes a good horse, from which letter we lake 
the following: 
We have objections to the statement by Mr. Murray that 
speed and flight are the standards of appreciation.and value. 
We believe that utility is the standard of value, and that 
the race horse, whether the runner or the trotter, is almost 
valueless unless we make his availability as a gambling in- 
strument a standard of value; and it does seem tous that 
this is the position the reverend gentleman virtually as- 
sumes; and we are not alone in this view, as expressed by 
others. 
To a certain extent, however, the stallion may be an ex- 
ception; its value may depend upon its ability to improve 
stock. Value in this respect might be real, but the value 
of the gelding is entirely fictitious. 
Now I believe a good road horse is useful, and valuable 
because he is useful. When I was a boy I remember driv- 
ing a mare fourteen miles inside the hour, accompanied by 
a lady, in an English gig, a vehicle with two wheels, which 
would weigh about 850 pounds, the lady and myself 250 
pounds, making 600 pounds. This mare had had no train- 
ing, no particular care, and was worked more or less every 
day, in a regular way. Mr. Murray’s 2:40 horse on the 
course has been trained for months; his whole work has 
been to get ready to trot a mile at his best speed; the sulky 
he draws weighs 60 pounds, the driver about 140 pounds, 
making together 200 pounds. The mare I drove never 
broke in the whole fourteen miles; her pace was ane steady 
trot, with neither skip nor break. Now when the pains 
taken to get a mile in 2:40 is compared with the achieve- 
ment of this mare, under the circumstances, it seems to 
me the 2:40 performance dwindles to an insignificant affair. 
I own a mare to-day which I keep to plow, harrow, draw 
out manure, and drive. She brought myself and wife from 
South Framingham depot to my house, a* distance of ten 
miles, in fifty-five minutes. She trotted steady the whole 
way; was harnessed to a common sized top-buggy, drawing 
about 700 pounds., This was done without the use of whip, 
without any training, and on only common feed. The 
sume mare harnessed to a double-seated beach wagon has 
carried four persons from Boston to my house, a distance 
of twelve miles, in one hour and twenty minutes. I call 
this mare a horse of value, because a horse of utility; in 
which are combined speed, strength and endurance. Yet 
she was never trained, has no pedigree, and is not a perfect 
horse. I have never driven her so fast that she could not 
eat as soon as she entered the stable—something a 2:40 
cannot do when he has trotted a mile in his best time; but 
must then have the best of care—two or three men to rub 
him dry, and everything possible must be done to restore 
his exhausted energies. This nursing cannot be given to 
our common business horses. If after a few miles shar 
driving they have a blanket thrown over them it is all, and 
many times even this is omitted. Mr. Murray says that old 
Topgallant trotted his sixteen miles in forty-five minutes 
and forty-four seconds. Compare this with the time of the 
two mares to which I have referred, and it appears insig- 
nificant indecd. But when we consider that he had been 
in training for weeks for this purpose; that everything had 
been done which art could accomplish to perfect him in 
this work; then remember that he did not trot these sixteen 
miles consecutively, but in four mile heats; that at the end 
ofeach heat he was rubbed dry, allowed to breathe and 
rest, and brought almost fresh to the succeeding heat; that 
it took much longer time to rub him dry between the heats 
than it took to trot them, so that we shall find the time oc- 
cupied in accomplishing these sixteen miles was over two 
hours, with at least two grooms to assist, and that he did 
not draw over 200 or 220 pounds, and that over ground 
made the most favorable to the effort—it appears to us that 
after all it was no very great achievement; that there was 
really nothing of a useful character, but was simply a gam- 
bling operation that made its owner rich, and many others 
poor. If all the breeders in the country should follow the 
advice of Mr. M., and produce three minute and 2:40 horses 
how profitable would this kind of horse breeding be? Sup: 
ply and demand regulate prices. In this case what would 
be the price of a fast horse since every one would be fast? 
Then let it be understood that although you breed from the 
fastest horse and the fieetest mare, some of your colts may 
prove fast, and if not fast they would be worthless, because 
good for nothing else. But let the farmer ask this ques- 
tion— What kind of horses are most in demand? Common 
observation, aided by a little common sense, would answer, 
every.day horses; good road horses; horses with good 
stylish gait; horses that can make from seven to eight miles 
an hour; horses that have strength to draw our hackuey 
coaches, our omnibuses and our horse cars, We want 
good stout twelve to thirteen hundred pound horses for our 
farms, and we want the heavy dray horse of from fifteen 
to twenty hundred pounds for the cities. These horses have 
a commercial value, and a degree of utility which the coun- 
try never fairly realized until last fall, when that fearful 
malady swept over the country and kept the horse from our 
streets—suspending commerce throughout the whole coun- 
try. Now if all the fast horsesin the world had been thus 
afflicted, and our common drudges had been spared, we 
should have realized no inconvenience. ; 
—_—_————3 
TROTTING ON THE Ick —There is every reason to believe 
that during the present winter there will be more public 
trotting contests than ever before. All over the country 
the trotting men are bestiring themselves and promising to 
bring on an issue soon after the snow commences to fly 
The following are likely to be the leading events of the 
season, and we advise the different Associations to give 
timely warning of their intentions. Last year several meet- 
ing were poorly patronized, simply because the managers 
did not give sutticient publicity to their Togrammes. Horse 
pangs ike to be posted in time. Toronto Brantford 
Hamilton, Barrie, Orillia, Port Hope, Cobourg Grafton, 
Picton, Brockville, Ottawa and Montreal. In addition to 
these there wlll be numerous re-unions in the province of 
Quebec.—Toronto Sporting Times. 
_ Anoint the inside of a horse’s ears with a drop or tw 
knile de cade, so says a Frefich horseman, (an Bily guid 
obtained from the wood of Juniperus oxycedrus), and it will 
save the animal from annoyance by flies. The oil need not 
We applied more than once a week, and it is perfectly harm- 
088. : 


