HUNTING AND FISHING GROUNDS AND PLEASURE RESORTS. 95 
birds of the basin are eagles, hawks, 
ravens, ospreys, prairie chickens, and 
grouse. Of animals, I saw several spe- 
cies of squirrels and weasels, which do 
not appear in the books. Weg saw no 
snakes of any kind in the basin. 
‘“‘ Crossing the river we moved down 
to a central point of the valley, and 
camped in a little grove of pine timber 
near the margin of a small marshy lake, 
around which were to be seen numerous 
fresh signs of buffalo, driven out by the 
noise of our hasty intrusion.” 
It will thus be seen that the abun- 
dance and variety of game is not exceed- 
ed in any other part of the country, and 
from its being undisturbdd by Indians 
is comparatively tame, so that no diffi- 
culty would be found in ‘making a 
large bag.” 
Lieut, Doane made the entire trip 
from Fort Ellis and return in thirty-four 
days, and part of that time was unable 
to travel on account of a severe ‘ whit- 
low.” He adds: ‘“ The difficulties of the 
journey amount to but little after the 
various routes have been laid down cor- 
rectly. From the 1st of June to the Ist 
of October, the climate is very mild con- 
sidering the location. Both the climate 
and vegetable growths of the Great 
Basin are stikingly different from those 
of the surrounding country. The Sum- 
mer, though short, is quite warm, not- 
withstanding the elevation of the dis- 
trict. Rains are frequent in the Spring 
months, and the atmosphere is compara- 
tively moist. All the grasses grow rank, 
and are not of the seeded varieties com- 
mon to the country, being green and 
luxuriant when the lower valleys are 
parched by the sun, Ferns, whortle- 
berries, thimbleberries, and other pro- 
ducts of a damp climate abound, all be- 
ing of diminutive growth. It is a minia- 
ture Oregon in vegetable productions, 
the pines being about the height of those 
on the East Virginia shore, and other 
growths lessened in proportion. Mos- 
quitoes and gnats are said to be numer- 
ous in the early Summer, but we saw 
none at all. The snows of Winter are 
very heavy, but the cold is not severe for 
such an altitude. Doubtless the intense 
heat and immense amount of hot vapor 
evolved, exert a powerful agency in mod- 
erating the rigor of the climate. The 
basin would not be a desirable place for 
Winter residence. As a country for 
sight seers and sportsmen, it is without a 
parallel; as a field for scientific research 
it promises great results; in the branches 
of geology, mineralogy, botany, zoology, 
and ornithology, it is probably the great- 
est laboratory that Nature furnishes on 
the surface of the globe.” 
All of the above is corroborated by 
Hayden and others, who have since vis- 
ited the valleys and classified its flora 
and fauna. What a magnificent field 
for the sportsman. 
IN WESTERN NEW YORK. 
Although game of all kinds in this 
State is scarce in comparison with that 
found in Western and Southern States, 
there is still very fair shooting to be had 
on game in its season for the sportsman 
who knows the habits and favorite 
haunts of that which he seeks. There 
are probably one hundred deer killed an- 
nually near the Pennsylvania border, in 
Steuben and other counties, while foxes, 
the white and gray hare, black and gray 
squirrels, raccoon, mink, and muskrat 
are found in abundance, particularly in 
the half mountainous section through 
which the Erie Railroad and its branches 
pass. Ruffed grouse are widely distri- 
buted, being found in small numbers in 
