THE ORNITHOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



27 



A COLLECTING ADVENTURE. 



BY liETSON BALLIET. 



On the morning of April 17, 1892; a friend 

 called for me to go "eggin" near Colfax, Iowa. 

 This suited me '^eggs-actly" so we started on a 

 train that left Des Moines at 7.10 A. M. On the 

 way to the depot we met another oologically in 

 clined friend; on his way to almost exactly the 

 same field. We each had a pair of climbers, all 

 new this season except mine Which I had made 

 last season. 



Both my friends had what Mr. Lattin calls his 

 No 1 climbers and mine were what he calls his 

 No 2. I made my own climbers, or rather had 

 them made to order, and I knew I could trust 

 them at any height. Both my friends had 

 bought theirs of an eastern dealer for l|)2.50 and 

 they placed as much confidence in them as I did 

 in mine, but theirs was a misplaced confidence 

 as will be seen later. 



When we arrived at Colfax we made a " bee 

 line'' for the river. We were almost there, when 

 Harry, looking up, saw a large, Red tailed hawk 

 leave her nest in a tall, slim oak tree. The nest 

 was fully 60 feet from the ground and Hal buck- 

 led on his climbers and went up, and by the use 

 of a ball of twine and his handkerchief he low- 

 ered four fire, fresh eggs to the ground, and 

 then commenced to come down. He appeared 

 below the lowest limbs driving his spuris deep 

 into the wood, but the minute he let loose of 

 the limb he fell. One of his spurs had gone in- 

 to the tree far enough to sustain his entire 

 weight but it turned in the socket, for it had 

 been rivited in, and there he hung head dawn- 

 ward with his back to the tree. In the mean- 

 time my other friend had gOne off scouting 

 alone and I had just buckled on my cliuibers to 

 look for some nest in the vicinity. When Harry 

 screamed, I ran toward the tree and commen- 

 to climb and Frank came running up to see 

 what was the matter, I went up about 20 feet, 

 drove one spur as deep into the tree as I could 

 and hooked my other leg around the tree to 

 keep from going over backward, and using both 

 hands 1 turned Harry right end up, and let him 

 get on my back and I climed down with 168 

 pounds, of pork I was going to say, on my back, 

 It was about all I could do, but my climbers 

 never felt the change in the weight upon them. 

 Frank's climbers proved true that day but a 

 week later he came to me for a pair like mine, 

 and said one of his spurs came loose and broke 

 and he didn't want to be hung up by his heels. 



We found many nests that day and I honestly 

 believe if the trees I climed that day had been 

 placed one on top of the other I would have 

 climed half a mile. Not all were as fruitful as 

 the first nest but none were accompanied by 

 such a scene as the first. It is not my intention 

 to turn this into an adveritsement for I have 

 sold out my right to sell those climbers to the 

 0. and B. Pnblishiag and Supply Co. and I am 

 told they will offer them for 50c per pair this 

 month. Let me insist on your getting a good 

 pair of climbers, for not only does your collect- 

 ion depend upon it but even your life. For my 

 part I think the No 2 climber is the safest and 

 also the easiest to use and if the straps are 'wide 

 it is no harder on the leg. It is made out of 



one piece of steel and there is no liability of its 

 turning or breaking. I do not wish to condemn 

 the No I'climber for if properly made it is a 

 verygood instriment; but there is less chance to 

 cheat the purchaser in the No 2 climbers. 



Expensive Necessities and Convenien- 

 ces for Naturalists and Sportemen. 



It has been almost impossible for the young col- 

 lector of limited means, if not on a still shorter al- 

 lowance, to obtain the necessities of his chosen 

 science, without even considering the convenien- 

 ces. "But where there's a will there's a way." 



1. A naturalist or sportsman without a gun is 

 quite as useless as a three headed baby; yet if the 

 elephant has stepped on his pocket-book there is 

 no way for hitn to procure the much needed gun. 

 Now we have made arrangements with one of the 

 largest fire arms houses in the west whereby we 

 can procure such guns as retail at $20 up at such 

 low rat<'s that we can oft'er one for each club of 

 90 subscribers at 20 cents per year in aiivauce. 

 This is an excellent chance for you to get a good 

 gun. If you happen to have one what better 

 trading stock could you get This is not all. 



2. We have made Mrranginents with the same 

 firm tor .S.<fe W. model revolvers; double action, 

 nickle plated, that refciilfor ifl2 everywhere, aud 

 can give one of those flue revolvers for every club 

 of 6ll subscribers. 



3. If yo : live where big game is plenty yo« 

 ought to have a repeating rifle, not only for the 

 s:\ke of killing more game, but where your life 

 may depend upon your having an extra shot ready. 

 A fine $2.5 Winchester rifle, 32 or 38 cal., will be 

 given for each club of 12.5 yearly subscribers. 



4. Every taxidermist, natuarlist, sportsraaa 

 and poultry man needs a small rifle. We know 

 that minks, wea>els and rats aie the poultrymeu's 

 greatest eucniies, and with one of these rifles he 

 can readily make his ptmltry yard a sate place for 

 eve. 1 his youngest chickens. The naturalist can 

 use them for rat killing and English sparrow ex- 

 termination, while with the taxidermist and sports- 

 man this sm:ill sized rifle is often found conven- 

 ient if not a neces-sity. 



.5. We will give a fine $7.00 22 caliber rifle for 

 every club of forty yearly subscribers. 



6. We have one World Typewriter— $20.00 

 which we will give for a club of thirtv yearly .sub- 

 .seribers. 



7. We have one fine guitar and one old violin 

 either one of which we will give for a club of 2.5 

 yearly subscribers. 



8. A small printing press size 2} by 3-1 inches 

 for printing cards, envelopes, letter heads,'small cir- 

 culars, etc., will be given for every club of 23 sub- 

 scribers. 



9. A new JiToda/c will be given for every club 

 of 100 yearly subscribers. This is something tli;it 

 all uaturabists, taxidermists, sportsmen, travelers 

 and advertisers Uneed. The advertiser can takv 

 the picture and send it to his engraver and h;ive 

 the engraving made without paying Irom $.5.00 to 

 ' ' 00 for having the picture taken by a photogra- 

 pher. 



10. A fine fountain pen for a club of three 

 yearly subscribers. 



WfT 



