Apbil 7, 1881.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



189 



by the farmers. I have made inquiry of all the farmers 

 and gunners in this vicinity and lrom my own knowl- 

 edge I believe this report to be correct. 

 Combehland County.— Millc.iUe. — The winter has been 

 unusually severe on the quail. Many have perished— fully 

 ninety per cent. The same is true of rabbits Along the 

 sea-coast only about sixty per cent were destroyed. 



Crreemn'ch. — Many birds and other game were killed by 



the severe weather during the winter. The farmers and 



residents did feed the birds, but many were found frozen. 



Oouldtoicn. — The severe cold weather, attended With 



continued snow, has had the greatest effect to destroy 



the game ever known. The birds have been nearly all 



killed. I have not seen one since the snow. I think the 



iiawks got nearly all or quite what was. left. Pheasants 



and rabbits are very scarce. 



Finley gtaUon,.— There arc scarcely any birds left in 



this section. I think nine out of every ten quail have 



perished this winter and there were a "great many birds 



in this section. The farmers fed them. 



Port Elizabeth.— The birds have not suffered very much in 



our section this winter. They have been well protected 



by the swamps. 



Cams May County.— Gape. May Court Home.— Game in 



this part of the county has perished with powder and shot, 



and the cold weather has about wound up the winter game. 



If the game society don't restock this spring the shooting is 



about finished. There are some English snipe (March 81). 



Petersburgh. — The loss in this section has been principally 



in quails. At least one-half have been frozen to death. 



Quail took to the hard timber i racks and could not be 



fed by the farmers. 



SPRING SNIPE NOTES PROM DELAWARE. 



THE latest reports from the State of Delaware indicate 

 that the birds have not yet come on in any great num- 

 bers. As soon, however, as the present cold snap is over, 

 and we have either a southerly rain storm or a few days of 

 warm weather, we shall expect to hear of the arrival of a 

 flight. The moon is right and the birds may be looked for 

 at any time. Through the kindness of our ruiny corres- 

 pondents we shall continue to furnish the latest information 

 on this subject. The foltowiug notes will be read with in- 

 terest by those who intend to travel the meadows and 

 marshes this spring. 



SUSSEX COUNTY. 



Ellendale, March 30. — There have been a few snipe ; they 

 came last week. 



Ellendale. March 30. — Very few snipe here. 



(fumuorovgli, April?.— Not many snipe yet. 



Lewes, March 30. — Duck-shooting is not a success. Snipe 

 have made their appearance; 



Lewes, March 31. — Duck-shooting fair at this time. No 

 snipe as yet ; about the middle of" April we expect them. 

 Plentj- of geese going northward. 



Leices, March 31 — The snipe have come. The first dozen 

 were killed yesterday on the Great Marsh by the best gunner 

 in 'his vicinity. 



Milton, April 5.— There are very few snipe this spring. 



.fes'iif, March 30.— The snipe have just begun to come. 

 Very good shouting. 



Ucan. View, March 2!).— The meadows are in order for 

 snipe. 



i;».vr,ia, March 28.— It is lime for snipe here early in April. 

 No birds have been killed yet. 



KENT COUNTY. 



Camden, March 28. — I have heard of some snipe being 

 killed, but not enough to make it worth while going out for, 

 but I think they will be on by the second week m April if the 

 weather will only get, warm by that time. I find in raj- trav- 

 els an unusually large quantity of woodcock, apparently get- 

 ting ready to lay. 



Canterbury, April 4..— We do not have any snipe here, as 

 we are some distance from the water. There are plenty 

 around the water courses, some eight or ten miles from here, 

 if the cold has not driven them back. 



Harrington, March 31. — The snipe meadows are a little 

 too wet as yet, although there are some snipe on now. 



Hadeltville, April %.■ — Wc already hear of the snipe below. 



HodetVcillc, April 3. — No snipe have been killed as jrot, 



LeipSe, March 31.— Our snipe meadows are in good condi- 

 tion this spring. There arc plenty of snipe. 



Magnolia, April 2. — Snipe have come on our marshes; 

 not yet very plentiful. 



Milford, March Si i.— Snipe-shooting has just fairly com- 

 menced. Quite a few have been killed. Your scribe killed 

 sixteen yesterday, with the wind to the south'ard. Should 

 it hold for a few days we would have plenty of them. Our 

 sportsmen are making great preparations for them. I sup- 

 pose in this vicinity, last week, there was killed by our 

 sportsmen upward of a hundred snipe. Ducks are quite 

 plenty on our marshes and considerable are killed daily and 

 shipped to Northern markets. 



Vernon, April 4. — We have no snipe. 



NEWCASTLE COUNTY. 



Delaware City, April 4. — The wretched weather continues, 

 and we have had but few snipe. 



Forest, March 30. — A few snipe have been killed. 



Forest, March 28. — It is time for the snipe now. 



Port Penn. March 30.— Snipe are bowling along rapidly 

 now, and the shooting will continue good tor several weeks 

 yet. 



New York— Cortland t, March 20— A flock of wild geese, 

 thirteen in number, Imve been in our immediate vicinity for 

 over a week. Tiny have in the meantime been hunted 

 by boys and full-grown sportsmen both day and by night, 

 with the use of lanterns. J cannot ascertain that any have 

 been killed up to this time. They have never before been 

 known to remain with us for so long a time.— Eugene 

 Powehs. 



New Yokk — Hayfs Corners. — Raw first robin on the 10th 

 inst., bluebirds and chippies quite numerous here now. Have 

 seen no wild geese yet. Snow most all gone: not a quail 

 have I heard since January last. We have had a severe cold 

 winter and I fear there will be no quail the coming season 

 here. I trust there will be a move made by our best sports- 

 men here to purchase some to replace those which have been 

 frozen. — L. E. W. 



Scene in CotriiT. — Judge : Why dp you plead for you 

 husband when be h:is just given you such" a ' leafing ': Wif 8 I 

 Because the beating has made me lender. 



THE STORY OF A WILD GOOSE. 



Philadelphia, Miss. 



SUNDA 1 , October 24, we had one of the largest flights of 

 geese that has ever been known iu this section, com- 

 mencing about the middle of the day on Sunday and con- 

 tinuing through the greater portion of Sunday night. I went 

 out of the house very often between dark and'bed time to 

 listen to the honking of the different flocks, and it w never 

 the case but what plenty of them were within hearing. The 

 geese were going southwest aud none of them stopped with 

 us. Some preachers reported, seeing one flock that had five 

 or six white geese with them, which was rather unusual for 

 tliis countr}', as the Canada geese are the only ones that, ever 

 visit us, and they nearly always pass over without stopping. 

 It is only occasionally during protracted cold spells that a 

 tloek will spend a few days or a week in some wheal field, 

 but upon being shot at once or twice they go to other parts. 



This migratory instinct which will enable migratory fowls 

 to start tor a certain point thousands of miles away, and go 

 with unerring certainty to that desired point, unless frustrated 

 by fire lights or other causes, is rather strange to man who has 

 the higher order of intellect and will often get badly lost 

 within a few miles of his owu home. That geese can and do 

 start for a certain point aud make their way with unerring 

 certainty the following circumstance will go far toward 

 proving. It was many years ago when oneinorning one of 

 my father's workmen came to the house and told my father 

 that lie saw a flock of geese alight in the wheat field. As 

 they were out in the open field of young wheat it was useless 

 to attempt to get near enough to them to get a shot with a 

 shot-gun, so my father took a trusty old rifle aud succeeded iu 

 getting a shot with it, but he had to shoot a long distance, 

 and only wing tipped the goose he shot at. He brought it to 

 the house, and as it was only slightly hurt some of the fami- 

 ly concluded to try to tame it, and it was put into the garden 

 aud its wound dressed. 



It wasvery wild at first, and the children on the place gave 

 it the name of Wily. Soon, however, Wily began to show 

 less fear, and before ids wound was entirely healed he bo- 

 came so lame that he was allowed to stroll about the yard, 

 aud afterward to be placed with the tame geese and to go 

 where, be pleased during Hie day, but he and the other geese 

 were confined in the yard at night. Wily soon seemed to be 

 perfectly contented with his new home and companions, and 

 showed no disposition to wander away. He remained 'with 

 us I believe through the next summer and winter, and durino- 

 tin? time seemed to regain the full use of his wounded wing! 

 although from some misplaced feathers, or other cause, there 

 was a constant creaking sound produced by his wounded 

 wing while flying. 



During the second winter that Wiley was with us there 

 was a school opened within a few hundred yards of my 

 father's house, and the children would often conic down dur- 

 ing recess and after school to see Wily, and they would often, 

 by clapping their hands, screaming anil running after him, 

 cause him to take wing and fly for a considerable time. This 

 became so constant that Wily would often leave the place 

 and be gone during the day, but was sure to come home at 

 night. As spring began to approach Wily seemed to prow 

 restless under the treatment received froin the school chil- 

 dren, aud one morning he did not wait as usual to be startled 

 by them, but took wing very early, and after rising high in 

 the. air, and circling around the place many times, as if to 

 take a farewell v ew of his Die home, then with a few 

 ■'bonks/' as if bidding those farewell who had loved and 

 cared for him while with us, he turned his head northward 

 and was soon lost to sight. Nor did he put in iw appear- 

 ance that night as we had hoped he would do. Days, weeks 

 and months passed away, and still he did not return, aud no 

 hopes of ever seeing him again were entert lined. 



One day, after the next winter had fairly set in, a flock of 

 geese were seen circling around the place, and the children 

 ran out into the yard to look at them. They came nearer and 

 nearer, and at last directly into the yard, and the leader of 

 the flock alighted within a few yards of the dwelling-house 

 door, aud from the familiar creaking of his wing he was rec- 

 ognized as our Wily. The other geese in the flock not being 

 accustomed to the noise and sight of the children would not 

 alight, but after hovering over their leader a few seconds 

 started away toward the wheat field. 



Upon seeing their movements Wily arose, and after cir- 

 cling with them for a while took his place in front, and aaain 

 headed for the yard. This he did several limes, but upon be- 

 iug convinced that his family would not share his old homo 

 with him he carried them to the wheat field, but he did not 

 fail to make repeated (rials for a number of days to act them 

 to take up their winter quarters in the yard. 



My father and brothers commenced shooting the geese 

 from the flock as wc would need them for the table, auddur- 

 ing the week they remained arouud the place killed seven of 

 thenumber. The shooting was done with the rifle, and while 

 the geese were iu some portion of the field, and only as one 

 was wanted for the table that the flock might not be scared 

 awa}- from the place. Up to the time that the seventh noose 

 was killed Wily did not fail to make several attempts each 

 day to bring his followers into the yard nor did he seem the 

 least afraid of the noise or sight of anything on the place. 

 It is supposed that the seventh goose was Wily himself as 

 the balance of the flock suddenly left aud never returned. 



We have had several flights of ducks since the one men- 

 tioned above, and many of the ducks have stopped with us, 

 but they are. only to be found along the sloughs and marshy 

 places in the river swnrap. Deer are sometimes plentiful 

 hero, aud turkeys are often to be found in abuudauco. Wo 

 bave a tolerable supply of <|itail, but there are so many briars 

 and so much brush that there is not so much sport shooting 

 them here as there is iu more open couutries. Squirrels were 

 quite plentiful during the summer and fall, and it would 

 have been an easy matter for a good shot to have killed from 

 fifty to seventy-five during a clay's hunt 3Iany could be 

 killed in the swamps now, but they are not quite so numer- 

 ous as they were two or three months ago. Farmers often 

 have to guard their fields here to prevent them froni destroy- 

 ing their crops, and it is a great blessing to the farmer that 

 the game law does not protect the squirrel. They often af- 

 ford good summer shooting, and when the game law pro- 

 tects otacr game the gunner takes revenge on the squirrel. 

 The bare ifl tolerable plentiful, and do so much damage in the 

 gardens and young orchards that it would be a. great blessing 

 to this section of the country if ihey were entirely exierini- 

 nated. Our game law does not protect the hare and should 

 nnt for we have plenty of better-game less mischievous. 



Our best sport, here in the way of fishing is iu May, and for 

 what is here called blue bream. We take many other fish 

 through the spring, summer and fall, many of which are very 

 tine, especial I}' what are here called trout (hqt what 1 suppose 



are really big-mouthed black bass), aud what are here called 

 blue cat, channel cat and forked tailed cat (all the same fish) 

 I would not like to give weight, of the largest of these bass, 

 without giving names as reference, but if your correspond- 

 ent who' a short time ago spoke of a full'-grown buss that 

 weighed 7 or 7+ lbs. will take the trouble to write to Gapt. 

 James S. Lewis or Mr. Jesse Fisher, Watkinsville, Neshoba 

 County, Miss,, ho will find that the trout (black bass) are 

 often caught in ^his county that weigh from !) to 13 lbs., and 

 BC-me extra large ones a little over 12 lbs. S. P. Nash. 



AN ALLEGED DEER HUNT AMONG TnE POOONO 



MOUNTAINS. 



ON Tuesday, October 26, 1880, at 8:45 a. m., three individ- 

 ual? might have been seen loaded down with hunting 

 gear steering for the depot of the Wind Gap Railroad. 



The individuals referred to were Dick, Doc and Jim, and 

 the two hitter were bound for the Pocono Mountains for a 

 few day's sport with the game in that vicinity. 



Just as we reached the station the train hove in sight, and 

 shortly after we parted with Dick, who waved us a farewell 

 as we rounded a curve and disappeared from his view. 



The weapons the two sportsmen carried were respectively 

 a Deane and a Parker both 12 bores. As we calculated to 

 spend some of our time in a deer country we took some buck 

 shot cartridges with us, all stowed away in places where they 

 could never be fouud in case of emergency. We regretted 

 then that wc could not take a rifle, but wc rejoiced afterward 

 that we had not done so. 



Well, the distance to the Wind Gap (twenty miles) was 

 passed over in the smoking car, where we made various sur- 

 mises as to what our success would be. 



We very foolishly left our dogs at home relying on our 

 friends in the mountains. In dueiiuie we arrived at Wind 

 Gap, a small village somewhat famous as a local summer re- 

 sort. Here we met a gentleman who was going our way as 

 far as Saylorsburg, and who promised to lake our traps while 

 we went through the woods in the hope of scaring up some 

 game. On the way wc flushed a bevy of quail from which 

 wc each got a bird, but as a slight rain was coming up and 

 our time there was limited we went on, reaching Saylorsburg 

 just in time for dinner. Our traps had gotten to the hotel 

 ahead of us and were all right. They consisted of about 250 

 cartridges, two blankets, two rubber coats, two overcoats, 

 camp, hatchet, tobacco, matches and a Colt .44. The latter 

 was intended for bears, which are by no means uncommon 

 in those parts. 



After an excellent dinner, which was well attended to, Doc 

 and I started out despite the rain to find something in the 

 shape of game. One grouse fell to Doc's gun, and that was 

 all we saw. Keturningto the inn w-e played "seven up " till 

 dusk, then came a good supper and a chat, with the landlord. 

 Doc bargained with him to 1 ake us as far as Effort (eleven 

 miles), and shortly after we turned iu. Next morning we 

 started out early, and walked to Lake Paupaunoming to look 

 for ducks. Saw none, but I had the good fortune to flush 

 and cut down a grouse. 



After breakfast we left for Effort where we arrived at 

 10:3'). Now we were only six miles from our Mecca, but we 

 decided to beat around the hills and swamps for such small 

 game as might fall in our way. Our " friends " had gone 

 Back on us, so wc had no dogs", and beating the brush is not 

 much fun, still we had fairsuccess and ate our luncheon with 

 the air of men who were having a good time, but we regret- 

 ted that Dick and sonic other club members were not with 

 Us. Next morning we pushed on for Pocono afoot leaving 

 the bulk of our baggage with mine host, Herr Eberle. Pass- 

 ing along this road the tourist or sportsman canuot help ad- 

 miring the picturesque beauty of the scenery on all sides of 

 him. Right ahead looms great Pocono, and just as we saw 

 it a dark cloud crowned its summit, and seemed to frown 

 down at us poor mortals for attempting to scale its sides. In. 

 the rear was the great Blue Mountain chain, distant and hazy, 

 Stretching around the country at our feet like a vast wall 

 whose only portal visible was the Wind Gap through which 

 we bad come. 



We reached the summit of old Pocono about 9:30 A. M. 

 nerc, contrary to our expectations, we found a small wayside 

 inn. Upon inquiry we found that the proprietor of the place, 

 Steve Hurst by name, was out deer hunting, but would re- 

 turn about noon, so we passed the rest of the forenoon look- 

 ing around for hares and grouse, in which pursuit we were 

 moderately successful. On the return of Steve we "put 

 away" a Substantial dinner and started out, Stevo and old 

 Joe. Ebriolt, both old deer hunters, leading the way. 



The top of Pocono resembles the upper surface of a trun- 

 cated cone, and is surmounted by a small mound known as 

 Temple Hill for the base of which westarted. When within a 

 quarter of a mile of it we stopped and consulted as to what our 

 best move would lie. It was decided that Steve should go 

 over the hill leaving us to watch the runways, so he gave us 

 our directions and left. We waited, but no deer came in 

 sight all that afternoon. 



When Steve returned he said he had started a doe and two 

 fawns, but they had gone to the north while we were care- 

 fully guarding the south. Next morning Doc proponxl try- 

 ing for deer again, but having strained my ankle the day be- 

 fore I decided to go off "on my own hook" and get "what 

 small game I could. 



Before 1 had gone far a very large hare started off, giviug 

 me a tine chance for a quartering shot, so 1 let drive at him 

 with the left never thinking of the fact that, I had loaded 

 that barrel with buck shot. But it hit him and ho died in- 

 stantly. When 1 held him by the hind legs at the height of 

 my waist his forelegs swept the ground, and 1 am a six-footer. 

 Shortly afterward I saw an eagle about 300 yards distant. I 

 commenced " crawling" for him, but he left when 1 was al- 

 most within range. 



About noon I returned, hoping to find Doc, but he had not 

 got back. I waited two hours for him and then took my 

 dinner Wtttt. Just as I was rising from the table he came 

 in, and with him were Joe and Steve, but no deer. They had 

 been outwitted the same as the day before. At 4 p. M. Doc 

 and I started back to Effort, which we reached without inci- 

 dent. We stayed there all night, aud the next morning our 

 man from Saylorsburg came for us with a wagou. ] le made, 

 much fun for the bystanders by his questions'coucerning our 

 deer. The rest of our trip was made iu a driving rain, and 

 was uninteresting in the extreme. 



We just caught the last traiu from Wind Cap to Bethle- 

 hem, and with a hurried farewell to our host were whirled 

 rapidly home. 



AS wc brought most of our game home we had a game 

 supper for the club at :i celebrated restaurateurs, at -which Doc 

 and I presided and were the lions of the evening. 



YlISOlNUNCfl OCCIDENTALIS, 



