American Game 225 



being killed each year ; in Fulton a few deer are killed 

 annually; Tioga has a special law protecting deer for 

 three years ; the last deer reported killed in York 

 county was in 1873; in Diamond valley, Huntingdon 

 county, eleven were killed in 1896 eight years ago 

 about seventy were taken in this valley. 



Black bear are by no means rare; about 150 are 

 killed annually. The bay lynx or wildcat is common 

 in many counties ; in fact, these destructive animals are 

 increasing in some sections. According to the records, 

 as many as one hundred are annually taken by hunters 

 in some of the counties. Raccoon are common, and 

 they are reported to do considerable damage in the 

 corn-fields in some sections; they are also said to de- 

 stroy multitudes of brook trout when the streams are 

 low. Opossum are very numerous in some of the 

 southern counties. Otter are rare ; probably not over 

 twenty-five are taken annually. Mink are numerous 

 about the water-courses ; they are very destructive to 

 fish and poultry. Muskrat are common, and in some 

 sections do great damage in corn-fields. Ground-hog 

 or woodchuck are abundant in many places, and are the 

 cause of much annoyance. Gray and black squirrel 

 are found everywhere. The fox-squirrel is rare, and 

 is restricted to a few localities, being found chiefly in 

 Cumberland, Juniata, Dauphin, and Mifflin counties. 



The feathered game consists of wild turkey, grouse, 

 woodcock, quail, snipe, and plover of several varieties. 

 Water-fowl of nearly all the migratory kinds are found. 

 Rail shooting is good, and marsh-birds are plentiful. 

 Earnest efforts to restock depleted covers with quail 

 have not met with deserved success ; the severe winters 



