688 



above given, or r.util 1893. After 1893 bounties were 

 not paid in McKean count? for any animals until 

 1897, when Judge A. G. Olmsted ruled "That a bounty of 

 $2.00 be paid on each Wildcat." Wildcats and Foxes 

 are numerous in this county and they do much damage 

 to game and small wild birds. During first six months 

 of 1886 McKean county paid for 17 Wildcats; 137 

 Foxes; 115 Minks; 120 Hawks; SI Owls, and 22 Wea- 

 sels. 



MERCER COUNTY. 



No bounty records ha^e been received from Mercer, 

 which, in the first few months of the act of 1883, was 

 one of the banner counties in paying premiums, as indi- 

 cated by an outlay of $2,319.70. This is one of the 

 disti-icts in I'ennsylvania where the clover- loving and 

 burrowing Woodchuck gives the fanners so much trou- 

 ble, and at nearly every session of the Legislature the 

 representatives from this county make an effort to have 

 a bounty placed on Ihis ti'oublesome animal. A letter 

 received from Mercer county commissioners in June, 

 1886, contains this information: 



"Our people did not become apprised of the passage of tlie 

 act to which you refer until some time after its approval, and 

 as a result we did not have any certificates presented until 

 after the first of December. 1SS5. Since that time we have paid 

 out $1,300, and of this, amount fully $1,000 has been for Hawks 

 and Owls; mostly Owls. Have not paid tor more than ten or 

 12 Foxes." 



MIFFLIN COUNTY. 



No bounty records received from this county. In the 

 first eight months that act of 18,85 became generally 

 known, Jlifflin paid $357.60 in bounties. This is a num- 



