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THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



nessee. Mr. Davis was at work about 

 the apiary nearly every day, yet this 

 picture shows how familiarly the quail 

 would come about our homes if they 

 were encouraged to do so. We for- 

 merly had a fine covey of these birds 

 which came into our dooryard and fed 

 about the barn lot with the hens. Un- 

 fortunately there are hunters here who 

 have little regard for friendly birds, 

 and our last quail has fallen a victim. 

 Cordially yours, 



Frank C. Pellett. 



A Pet Blue Jay. 



Atlantic, Iowa. 

 To the Editor : 



I enclose a picture of Miss Austa 

 Durkee, a primary teacher in this city, 

 and a pet blue jay which I think will 

 interest you. The bird was so tame 



HER PET BLUE JAY. 



that it would come at call, and would 

 without fear alight on the head or hand 

 of any visitor. Miss Durkee has done 

 much to interest the children of her 

 school in the study of nature and to 

 make them friendlv toward the birds. 

 Very truly yours, 



Frank C. Pellett. 



Mr. Samuel Alexander, an old-time 

 amateur botanist, lately dead at the 

 age of eighty, was one of the first per- 

 sons in this country to advocate and 

 assist in systematic tree planting and 

 conservation. His active study of 

 plants continued to the end of his life. 



Dr. Pomeroy and Mr. Walton. 



Stamford, Connecticut. 

 To the Editor : 



The Guide to Nature is always full 

 of interest, but of especial interest to 

 me was the article on Mr. Mason A. 

 Walton in the August number. I had 

 the pleasure of knowing Mr. Walton 

 intimately, and of spending many hap- 

 py hours in his charming company- 

 His knowledge of the little wild creat- 

 ures of the woods was equalled only 

 by his love of them, which might also 

 be said of the flowers that he cultivated 

 in the garden near his cabin. Though 

 wonderfully interesting in conversa- 

 tion, there was always a reticence in 

 his manner. I felt that there had been 

 a shadow in his life, though he never 

 referred to the past, and however 

 black the shadow, the sunshine of his 

 simple life and his genial, kindly nature 

 radiated from him and was reflected 

 on all who came into his presence. 



Of the many things that might be 

 said to illustrate the courtesy as well 

 as the kindness of heart that character- 

 ized him, I will relate a single incident. 



In company with several young men 

 and a brace of fine hunting dogs, the 

 writer started out one night to hunt 

 the wily raccoon. Intending to keep as 

 far as possible from the "Hermit's 

 Woods," we drove several miles north 

 toward Essex, turning our dogs loose 

 at a point that we considered remote 

 from any creature which Mr. Walton 

 might know and love. But the ways 

 of raccoons and dogs may not always.be 

 predicted. Wearily we tramped until 

 midnight with no sign of a raccoon- 

 Then suddenly the dogs were off on a 

 scent. There followed an hour or more 

 of working up an 'old trail' then 

 away to the south, the baying of the 

 dogs faintly audible. Hastening on, 

 we came at length to a ledge on which 

 stood two huge trees. In one of them 

 the dogs had the coon. While we were 

 debating our next move, we heard 

 footsteps, and presently the hermit ap- 

 peared on the scene. He greeted us 

 quietly, without a trace of excitement 

 and asked if we had a coon up the tree 

 I replied, Yankee fashion, by asking if 

 we were near his cabin. He informed 

 us that we were, but very considerate- 

 lv asked where we started the coon 



