406 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jotis S3, 1881- 



pelled on this question. The first year the spike appears, 

 the second year two, the third three, and then a full head of 

 horns follow. O. G. Gitri.ey. 



TUB SWIMMING POWERS OF SERPENTS. 



EATTLESNATCES in Florida often cross extensive 

 waters. In May last while fishing in the Halifax 

 Hirer, Eastern Florida, which is a sound or bay of salt water 

 fi tun one to two miles wide I saw a rattlesnake swimming 

 from the mainland to the peninsula. My companion, who 

 had iost many clogs by snake bites, and was their enemv iu 

 consequence, pulled up the anchor to go and kill the snake. 

 It swam strongly and swiftly, but as it saw that we should 

 intercept it, it turned at bay, came toward us, and as we ap- 

 proached it threw itself into a coil to strike. It was, how- 

 ever, easily killed by a blow of our oar, and it measured 

 about five feet in length with a diameter of four inches — 

 small fur (he Florida species— which often grow to be seven 

 or eight feet long. 



A few days after, fishing in the same river, weBaw a racer, 

 or whip snake, crossing the river. Ilim we pursued also, 

 and he turned to fight although without poisonous fangs. It 

 was about eight or nine feet long, and as thick as a man's 

 arm. It swam boldly and well, with the head raised a foot 

 above the surface. Being a hannlesBor rather useful serpent 

 which kills man}' rattlesnakes and moccasins we allowed it 

 to go unmolested on its way. 



The rattlesnakes are of ten fouud on this peninsula between 

 the river and the ocean as well as on the mangrove islands 

 in the river. Their food seems to be small animals, such as 

 squirrels, rabbits and rats, the two latter of which are abund- 

 ant, also such birds as they can capture. S. 0. 0. 



w : 



THE LOON. 

 OREtT NORTHERN DIVER. 



INGED correlate of moose, hear, caribou, 



Mil. mm- in lli"lr lii'jiths I lie 1 

 Thou Uanl-st lum iroin afar 



As order; -.!!'■ ittught'T, a.. 

 Where falls the shadow or I 



On oovea o'- wild-wood mei 

 Wit h swan-like statt-llness n 



Startling with screams uni 



In n at 

 The 



; thou our-,'1 thy way 

 days decline, 

 .riuly twilight gray. 



and dived, 



•iirvlved, 

 ladowa cast, 



Sole live things or tin- world s. nmni'val st.it", 

 still si ii ring In I lie liiflu of sun and moon, 

 As fast .!.» > Musn.es I no forest gloom, 

 Wild creatures of its Snides must, nieel their doom. 



— B. W. Ihi.i, in Hurton Herald. 



Sttahob Hn.i., Delaware County, Pa,. June 9, 1881. 

 Editor Fm-e*t and Stream: 



While the loon subject is receiving attention in your col- 

 umns, 1 would like to add some of my own observations in 

 reference to this bird, I have frequently noticed them in 

 the lakes in the interior of Canada, but I never saw more 

 than two young loons accompanying the same parents, and 

 1 naturally conclude that they lay only two eggs. 



The young loons frequently sit upon the back of the parent 

 while swimming. I have oflen pursued the young loons in 

 a boat with the view of capturing one, but never succeeded, 

 as tbey arc expert divers, even when quite small. On such 

 occasions sometimes the old loon would rush toward me, 

 elevating its body out. of the water and flapping its wings 

 frantically, app irently endeavoring to inspire terror by its 

 actions. 1 have never seen a loon on shore, and I do not 

 think they go on land, except to their nest, which is said to 

 be only a few inches from the water. It is not uncommon 

 to see several families (old and young) swimming together. 

 When approached they all dive and separate from tach 

 other. 



Loons are quite abundant iu the Gulf of Mexico in winter 

 on the west coast, of Florida, but I have never seen them in 

 fresh water in that State. 



They are sometimes found napping on the water in the 

 daytime. A friend of mine lately sailed close to one while 

 asleep and shot it. I shot two loons on the west coast of 

 Florida lately. They each weighed six pounds. 



Joseph W. Willoox. 



THE PHILADELPHIA ZOO. 



LAST week the Philadelphia Zoological Society purchased 

 from a captain of a sailing vissel plying between this 

 port and South America eight especially fine specimens of 

 the boa constrictor, those formerly at the Garden having suc- 

 cumbed to the rigor of the past winter. The now boas ave- 

 rage about eight feet in length, are id good condition, aud 

 immediately began feeding on being put into their new quar- 

 ters. 



The pair of large Florida alligators which were lately sent 

 to the society died very soon after their arrival. Al flisl it 

 was thought the change of climate caused their death, but 

 dissection showed that one of them had a number of buck- 

 shot, in his head, and in the other a large bullet was found. 



'• Henry," the large baboon which is chained a short dis- 

 tance from the monkey house, has had given him a female 

 companion of his race, and the two appear to be on the best 

 of terms. " Henry" is ever ready to throw back the sticks 

 and stones with which the small boys pelt him. So expert 

 is he in retaliating with these missiles and with so much 

 power does he cast a stone that his keeper has dug up all the 

 stones that were in the ground within Henry's reach, to pre- 

 vent him from doing injury to the visitors. 



English sparrows have increased so rapidly in the Phila- 

 delphia Zoological Garden that they are being caught and 

 utilized as food for the suakes. Twenty or thirty are daily 

 snared, and yet ihe flock seems to be as "large as tver. 



The wild fowl in the Garden wintered well and are in pos- 

 session of their old quarters in the lake. 



The upper Delaware and Schuylkill rivers are still muddy, 

 so clouded as to render it impossible to fish for bass with any 



success. We hear of but few taken. Some of our anglers 

 have done well with the perch in Timber. Raccoon and Old- 

 mans creeks. Iain still hearing of more woodcock having 

 bred within the city and just beyond the city limits. Homo. 



The VmNNfiw Si-ahrows.— Iu a Paris exchauge, the 

 American Register, we find this hint which might profi'ably 

 lie acted. upon in. some of our American cities: " It would 

 socio ns though Ihe Vimnose sparrows were more Humorous 

 and more unruly than their kindred in other cities, nay, in 

 any other city" in ill- civilized i\orid. At nil events the 

 Viennese City Council has appointed u regular- spa-row-Viuu- 

 ler, who, by "virtu ■ of his ollic, is I, i geoto it that the spur- 

 rows id tlr- city park slop their incessant noise, no longer 

 soil th-fev tret a therein, and leave the singing-birds in 

 peine, which me too mo lost to cope "itk their iroubleso . e 

 neighbors, and in i nier to best and practically accomplish 

 this mission, to ri dure their numlxr by powder and slot. 

 Le>t the sparrows practice deceit at sight of the official 

 executioner, or the singing-birds take fright w the unwonted 

 detonations of the muidcrOUS hi-irumeiil the functionary 

 in question has been provided wilb an ar-guo and noielessly 

 brings down from forty to fifty martudcrs per diem, which, 

 tasiefulh strung, he scud- to the competent municipal father 

 as a token of his properly attending to his duty. If the spar- 

 rows do not quickly perceive that lliev are anything but wel- 

 come gui-sts in the Austrian capital they must be thick- 

 headed indeed." 



South Keene, N. H., June 14. — Editor Forest and 

 Stream: In your issue of June 2, Mergus. of Poccasset, 

 Mass., speaks of loons laying white eggs. 1 think Mergus is 

 mistaken, for I know the nesting places of both species, aud 

 have in my possession an eeg taken from the uest of the 

 larger one, and it is light brown or gray with dark spots. I 

 have taken their eggs for several years and have never found 

 but two. — Mart. 



Our correspondent, Mergus, only reported what was told 

 him, and not his own observations. The egg of (Mymbm 

 torquntiu is brownish drab in color, with dark spots. Its 

 color in fact is something like that of the woodcock's eggs, 

 but the shade is darker throughout. The egg of the sandhill 

 crane also resembles in color that of the loon 



Wuat Is It ? — Pine River, Wis — A gentleman friend has 

 caught what he calls a "Samson fox," a red fox with short 

 wool like a lamb. Is it a separate species or a "freak of na- 

 ture ?"— Mallakd. 



htTfe gag and §un< 



THE NEW JERSEY SOCIETY. 



THE prospect of July 

 is fair. Numbers 

 seen, and the recent wet 

 with us longer than as tin 

 quail are heard whistling 

 plenty. A fair number ( 

 on the sides of the tidjuci 

 It is the mention of m 

 section to rigidly enforce 

 shootiug as they dootl — 



mgh it bad i 



-•mriined 



drv. Dul few 



in this viei 



nity wL 



ile rabbits are 



if grouse are 



rcporte 



1 as beiug seen 



ntl 



of the game societies in this 

 le laws n garding woodcock 



g grime and fish laws, also the 



tbegi 



exist L a D . 



"non-resident" law of this State, wk..... 

 person or persons non-residents of this Slate shall kill, destroy, 

 hunt or trap any game whatever, at any time, in this State 

 without first complying with the by-law's of the game socie- 

 ties organized or to he organized under ihe laws of this State, 

 under a penalty of $50 for each offense. Members of socie- 

 ties for protection of game and fish arc empowered to make 

 arrests of persons violating the same." The Ne v Jersey 

 Game audFish Protective Society, whose headquarters are at 

 Plainfield, N. J., W. L, Force?, Secretary, are making many 

 members of "non-residents" from New York and Philadel- 

 phia woo sco the wisdom and justice of such a law. By the 

 payment of their annual dues of £2, which money goes to- 

 ward stocking sections with game and prosecution of viola- 

 tors of the game laws, they find when the time, set by law ar- 

 rives for shooting and fishing lhat their money has been well 

 invested. Since the organization of this society in 1879, 

 "pot-hunting" has rapidly decreased in this section, and 1 

 trust the time is not far distant when 1 can say it is entirely 

 eradicated, aud every miserable "pothunter" brought to 

 grief. 



The abovo society have established an agency at No. 2 

 Cortlandt street, with Mr. Fred Volckman an (honorable 

 Vice President of the same), who is authorized to receive 

 names of new "non-resident" members, and grant them a 

 certificate of liieinbeiship. Also an agency with Mr. J. p, 

 A Leateur. at Philadelphia, cor. Seventh aud Tiue streets. 



Fox. 



THE STATE SPORTSMEN'S CONVENTION. 



THE twenty-third annual convention of the New York 

 State Association for the Protection of Fish and Game 

 was convened on Monday, June 20. During the morning 

 large parties of delegates arrived from the northern and cen- 

 tral parts of the Sta e, aud at twelve o'clock a compliment- 

 ary chowder was served to those present. From then un- 

 til eight o'clock iu the. evening the time was passed by the 

 delegates in sight seeing. At. eight o'clock the delegates and 

 their friends all assembled in the spacious east ^dining-room 

 of the Hotel Brighton, the membt-rs being welcomed to the 

 hospitalities of Long Island by Mr. George A. Chappcil, the 

 President of the Long Island sportsmen's Association, Af- 

 ter this came some excellent ins rumental music by Ceiler's 

 Quartette, and then followed the 



ADDRESS OF I'lilislDENT ABEL OEOOK 



Gentlemen, Members of the New York State Association 

 for the Protection of Fish and Game : 



On behalf of the Long Island Sportsmen's Association, and 

 in the name of all our fellow Sportsmen and citizens of this 

 section of the State, I congratulate you upon your re-assem- 

 blage, and heartily bid you welcome. 



Two years ago thirteen representatives of the clubs of 

 Long Island participated, for the first time, in your Conven- 

 tion at Rochester. The consid. ration showu them is green 

 in their memory. Strangers in a strange laud, they found 

 friends, and returned to relate to willing listeners the story 



of their adventures, and to advocate the propriety of an at- 

 tempt to induce you to visit their home by the sea? 



Encouraged by the sympathy of our local clubs, the Long 

 Island Sportsmen's Association was organized, and in har- 

 mony and an honest wish to entertain the members of the 

 State Association, 55 delegates from this locality in Conven- 

 tion assembled at Sen ca Falls last year, extended to you a 

 cordial invitation to hold the Convention of 1881 at this place. 



The unanimity with which you responded was alike pleas- 

 ing to them and gratifying to their club assoeiaes. 



Appropriately they "were permitted, at. the muzzle of the 

 gun, if not at the point of the bayonet, to bring with them 

 for safe keeping the three State prizes. Prized indeed were 

 they, but overshadowed by the greater priz^ of your good- 

 will and confidence, as evidenced by Ihe manner in which 

 you met and treated them. 



They have faithfully endeavored to make your advent 

 among them pleasant to you and notable in the annals of your 

 meetings Energetic committees have labored day aud 

 night. Many varied and valuable prizes have been provided 

 to reward your skill in the proposed friendly competitions 

 with the rod and gun. Thousands of dollars have been ex- 

 pended in the many detail arrangements for your comfort 

 and pleasure, and the result is within your control. You 

 have congregated from the various cities, villages and ham- 

 lets of our great "Empire State," aud present an imposing 

 spectacle to those who are watching your deliberations. 



After an existence, of twenty-three years, the purposes aud 

 accomplishments of this Associaiion are scarcely known out- 

 side of the western and central portions of the State. Why 

 arc we assembled here ? Why have these beautiful trophies 

 been presented ? What has this organization accomplished ? 

 In what work is it engaged? What achievements await its 

 future? Is it beneficial or injurious to its members and to 

 the public? Is its existence a subject of congratulation or 

 regret ? These are pertinent questions which" are repeated 

 upon every side, aud should ever be borne in mind until a 

 conclusion shall have been satisfactorily reached. 



In 1859, at Geneva, under the style of " The Sportsmen's 

 Club of the State of New York," it sprang into existence, 

 and through its fostering care the first reasonably consistent 

 Game Law, of the year I860, was enacted and enforced. In 

 186-5, at Niagara Falls, its ranks having been increased by 

 the addition of other organizations, it adopted a Constitution 

 and By-Laws for the government of the aggregation of Clubs 

 under the new name of "The New York Sportsmen's 

 Association." Still later, in 1873, at Batavia, it adopted its 

 present style of " The New York Stale Association for the 

 Protection of Fish aud Game." The original title of "Club" 

 was suggestive of the soc ; al character of its deliberations. 

 The present name indicates its purposes without robbing it 

 of those elements which bind man to man in the strongest 

 lies — "friendship and brotherly love." To cultivate the 

 latter, contests are arranged, aud friendly emulation en- 

 couraged, aud skill with the rod and gun rewarded. 



The pastimes naturally attract more attention than the 

 business portion of the meetings, and tend "to excite unwar- 

 rantable criticisms. 



To this Association belongs the credit of initiating bench 

 shows of dogs in this country. They were held at Oswego, 

 in 1874, and a' Watertown, in 1875. 



By the assiduous efforts of Seth Green and his co-workers 

 and members, flshculture has been proved to be practicable j 

 and profitable, and many of our waters which had become 

 depleted of their tinny denizens have been re-stocked and I 

 furnish sport and livlih ood to many. 



The reckless devastation of the forests of the North 

 Wo d J , or Adirondacks, with the concurrent effect upon the 

 canals aud rivers, has been stayed, and the territory, with its 

 variety of game animals, birds and fish, largely guarded and 

 protected through the efforts of influential members Of this 

 organization. 



in number of clubs and of members: in wealth, in in- 

 fluence, this Association stands without a peer and can and 

 should afford an example for others. 



The protection aud preservation of fish and game involves 

 two methods of procedure. In the first place, suitable game 

 laws are required, to restrict and regulate the destruction in 

 order that the game may be afforded an opportunity for 

 natural reproduction. 



In the second place, artificial propagation, or re-stocking 

 may be beneficial. The latter has been proven practicable, 

 and some localities have thereby been rendered paradises for 

 sportsmen, and certaiu foreign specimens introduced which 

 have become acclimated and thrive 



Legislation will be useless unless sensible. At heart men 

 are more or less selfish, and our statute books evince the will- 

 ingness af local Solons to prohibit their neighbors from in- 

 dulging in the chase provided such restriction be not applica- 

 ble to the home industries. As a result, more ink aud paper 

 are consumed in specifying the exceptions to the rule than in 

 the statement of the rule itself. Perhaps this is based upon 

 the adage that "the exceptions prove the rule" 



Varying conditions of temperature and of climate, of soil 

 formations, of artificial improvements and of new industries, 

 must be considered in the preparation of a Game Law. This 

 is peculiarly within the province of this Association. How 

 shall it acquit itself? 



During the past year that grim tyrant, Death, has invaded 

 our ranks and removed from our midst a former Presideut, 

 Greene Smith, of Petersboro, and also James F. Williams, 

 of Dansville, a member of the Standing Committee on Game 

 Laws. Their many estimable qualities are known to you 

 aud they need no eulogy from me. 



To-night is devoted to the consideration of the business of 

 the Association. Friends are present to contribute to our 

 plea-we by offerings of ver-:e, prose, song aud instrumental 

 performance. A petiod of recrea' ton and sport will follow. 

 No oue should consider himself a stranger. All are invited 

 to participate freely. I sincerely trust that the preparations 

 will prove i qual to the occasion, and that nothing will oc- 

 cur to mar the ce'ebratiou of our re-union. 



When we part may it be with pleasant remembrances of 

 this event. Continue in the work which you have under- 

 taken. This organization may not directly accomplish great 

 things to be seen of men. Our individual clubs must per- 

 form. Let us unite in pledging ourselves and our clubs to 

 faithful co-operation, and ere long our forests and waters 

 will teem with the subjects of all sportsmen's desires, and 

 the silent places will again resound with the warbles of our 

 departed song birds. Then, indeed, will be the fruition of 

 our hopes, and we shall be recognized by all as justly styled 

 "The New York State Ass 'Ciation for the Protection of 

 Fish and Game." 



"The American Sportsmen's Song," written by one of the 

 members ef the Washington GunClub, Mr, Henry Alten- 



