FOREST AND STREAM. 



65 



my eariy breakfast without, a word of reproach, and her 



Stirling injunction to "be. sure and not shoot yourself." 

 Io, I was' suteTy awake and had probably edne mad, .or 

 .-it least was in a" fair way to become so. By this time the 

 object had got within fifty yards of me. My eyes, which 

 bad not for a single second swerved from the contempla- 

 tion of it, now caught sishl of a movement directly under 

 it. I glanced downward and distinctly saw two black 

 hoofs alternately rise and fall in and out of the snow. 

 Like a flash of lightning the mystery stood revealed. The 

 animal was while! white as the driven snow which formed 

 l lie background, as the hill rose behind him, and my con- 

 centrated gaze fixed on his head (which with his ears were 

 of the normal color) had failed to discern his body. The 

 revulsion of feeling was so instantaneous that I was trans- 

 formed at once from a statue to something very much re- 

 sembling a wet rag. The perspiration rolled down my face; 

 my limbs almost refused io support my weight, and my 

 trembling hands failed to lift the rifle from where it lay 

 the hollow of my left arm. 



If the animal had remained in my sight if is doubtful if 

 I could have recovered myself it time to have shot at, him, 

 but almost directlyin front of me, and not twenty feet 



away, gantic hemlook three feet in diameter. A. 



sudden turn io the track he was following brought him di- 

 rectly behind it. The instant he disappeared from view 

 the fear of losing him overcame every other feeling. 1 

 saw that the track led across the roots of the tree and 

 turned immediately behind it, consequently he would not 

 Come in sight till he got to the tree, and if he scented me 

 and bounded suddenly to ihe right or left, or rau back in 

 range of the tree, I should in all probability in my then 

 excited state lose him altogether. 



Steadying my nerves by a powerful effort of Will I 

 cocked my rifle and slowly swung it into position; an in- 

 stant of breathless suspense and the head appeared from 

 behind the tree, so near that I could actually see his eye- 

 lashes] At that instant my finger pressed the trigger, and 

 the beautiful animal bounded into the air and fell literally 

 at my feet; at the same Instant, scarcely conscious of what 

 I was about, 1 dropped my rifle into the snow and sprung 

 "ti to him only to receive a tremendous kick from bis bind 

 feet in his dying struggles, which doubled me up like a 

 jack-knife, ami for fifteen minutes white deer had no 

 charms for me. Recovering my breath 1 wended my way 

 home and returned with a "Tobogers," on which I dragged 

 him home in triumph, where he was the wonder of the 

 whole neighboahood. Nothing except snow itself could 

 equal the whiteness of his coat, on which was not a single- 

 colored hair to within four inches of hia ears where the 

 line was as distinctly aud evenly drawn around his neck 

 as if carefully painted with a brush. Some idea of its 

 whiteness can be gathered from the fact that a rabbit in 

 bis pure winter's coat was procured, and on being placed 

 beside the skin its hair actually exhibited a yellowish tinge. 

 But far more wonderful than all else was the enormous 

 quantity of fat with which this animal was covered It 

 wholly surpasses belief, and were it not susceptible of the 

 most convfnciug proof I should not dare to state it. He 

 Was completely covered with a layer of pure white fat 

 from half an inch to four indies in thickness, the greatest 

 thickness being for a short distance ou each side of the 

 spine just forward of the tail. As this statement will be 

 universally discredited among old hunters I have OltJy to 

 say that a piece was cut from this part and placed on a 

 shelf in an outhouse where it remained frozen from No- 

 vember tilt March, and was seen by more than a hundred 

 persons, and the writer can bring a score of witnesses to 

 corroborate his statement, his aged mother among the rest, 

 who, although in Iter eighty-first year, still remembers it as 

 distinctly as the narrator. 



1 should have staled that when I returned for my game 

 I followed the track over the summit of the ridge and found 

 it was the same one 1 was pursuing. He bad lain down 

 just beyond where 1 first caught, sight of him, and Was 

 doubtless reiruciug his steps with Ihe intention of getting 

 back to his feeding ground again at dark. His condition 

 and actions proved beyond doubt that he was incapable of 

 that eratic lury which possesses his normal mates at this 

 season of the year; although he appeared to be a perfect 

 animal in all respects, with a beaulifullv symmetrical pair 

 of antlers; but being very young at that time, and destitute 

 all anatomical knowledge, "my opinion as to his powers of 

 reproduction was of no value. I can only hope that the 

 account of his capture will be of sufficient interest to ex- 

 cuse its length. Penobscot. 

 »»♦ ■ 



Long Islam Historical Society. — Chas. Hallock, 

 Esq., recently presented this society with an interesting 

 collection of relics and curiosities which be had picked up 

 in tne course of his travels during the past twenty years. 

 Among them were: — 



Snow shoe* aud moccasins from Manitoba. 



A d\um and snow shoes from the Nuscaupie or Mountaineer Indiana 

 of interior Labrador. 



Au Esquimaux comb and scat skin tobacco pouch from Labrador. 



A large alligator's skull and cg«. 



.An Indian pipe from Lake Superior. 



A Sioux tobacco pouch elaborately worked with beads. 



Skull taken from a shell mound iu Florida. 



A Seminole Indian bow, from the Florida Everglades. 



A Coininanchc scalp with both ears on. 



A Chinese umbrella. 



By invitation Mr. Hallock addressed an audience of 

 about 200 ladies and gentlemen, giving a brief but inter- 

 esting history of some of the articles presented, and a sketch 

 of the people and places where they were obtained. 



A TrrREK-TnausAND Pound Fish.— There was on exhi- 

 bition at Newburyport, Massachusetts, a short time since, 

 a rasp-fish {Musiorfonte), so-called because its skin is tough 

 like a rasp, which weighed three thousand pounds. It was 

 taken by Captain Woodman, of the schooner Greyhound, 

 near the Isle of shoals, after a hard tussle of six hours, in 

 the course of which much damage was done to boats, 

 rigging, and vessel. The liver filled three barrels. The 

 stomach contained a codfish that weighed twenty-live 

 pounds, quantities of haddock and olher fish, and a whole 

 dog that weighed twenty five pounds. The local paper 

 says "the fishermen don't know what to call it, as they 

 have never seen anything like it before." It is evidently a 

 shark, though to what species or even genius it is to bo re- 

 ferred we cannot tell, as no description whatever is given. 



Perhaps it may have attracted the notice of some of our 

 correspondents, who can give us some definite information 

 concerning the monster. 



P. & — Since Writing, our wide-awake correspondent 

 "Teal," of Salem, Mass., informs us that some of the cu- 

 rators of the Peabody Academy of Science have named It 

 a "Nurse Shark"; said creature is about 15 feet long, of a 

 dull leaden color, having a skin very like a "dog-fish," but 

 coarser and rougher. It was taken wound up in a haddock 

 trawl. They are a deep sea creature, said to bo rare about 

 the New England coast, and a curiosity to see." 

 +++■ 



An Adirondack Panther— Verplanck Colvin, Esq., 

 who is engaged iu the prosecution of bis topographical 

 survey of the Adirondacks, shot a panther a foitnight ago, 

 southwest of the Raquette Bake region, which measured 

 seven feet in length and weighed 200 pounds. It was en- 

 gaged in feasting on a deer's carcase when discovered, and 

 the remnins of several other deer were discovered in his 

 vicinity. Mr. Colvin will present this specimen to the 

 State. 



—Mr. 0. T. Barker, of the Camp Lounge Company, has 

 very kindly presented us with the occiput of an antlcred 

 doe, properly mounted for hanging up in our editorial 

 sanctum, which we are very happy to receive and shall 

 take pleasure iu showing to our friends. It was obtained 

 of Mr. Jacohy, a frontiersman of the Muskoka district of 

 Canada, residing at Severn Bridge, who killed the horny- 

 headed doe in Lake Kosheshebogamog. It bears a close 

 resemblance to the description of a similar and quite un- 

 common deformity of the deer recently given by several 

 writers in the Forest and Stream. 



Mr. Barker reports that the last year has been a good one 

 for the Camp Lounge business, and says: "We take pleas- 

 ure in adding our testimony to that of your other patrons 

 as to the eminent value of your journal as an advertising 

 medium." 



CATCHrHG Seals with Fisn Hooks. — Our frequent cor- 

 respondent, "Teal," of Massachusetts, writes: "I lately 

 saw a seal which was caught by a hook in its oiovth, said 

 hook being one of several used on a "trawl." Tbesingular 

 fact to be noticed is, that this seal should have bitten at 

 the bait and been caught. They are taken in trawls by 

 getting foul, but fishermen say it is rare to find one that 

 gets caught by the mouth." 



—A South Boston correspondent, "Sawbones," says that 

 he has twice seen antlered does of G. Viryiniamis. He 

 inquires whether these masculine females are as fertile as 

 other does. 



♦»*■ ■ 



A Rare Duck. —A correspondent sends us from Syra- 

 cuse, N. Y., the following newspaper clipping which will 

 be of great interest to ornithologists: — 



"A few days since, while gunning along the Onondaga 

 Creek, between this city aud the lake, Master Fred. Hew- 

 lett, sou of Alfred A. Howlett, Esq., had the good luck to 

 bag a very rare specimen of the duck family, known as the 

 "King" duck, Fuitgula speetabilis. The specimen, being an 

 exceedingly fine male bird, was turned over to Mr. T. Bex, 

 taxidermist, who has set it up for Mr. Howlett, and for a 

 few days it can be seen in the show window of Messrs. S. 

 P. Pierce & Co., on Salina street. The fowl is a native of 

 the northern regions, and rarely advances southward of 45 

 degrees of latitude." 



Our correspondent says: — "As the paper states, it is a 

 King Duck, Fuligula speetttbilis. Thinking it might be of 

 inteiest to you that one had strayed so far south, 1 inclose 

 the clipping." X. Y. Z. 



Not only that it, bad strayed so far south, but that it trav- 

 eled so far inland. Ornithologists will please add this spe- 

 cies to the "Rare Birds of Western New York." — Ed. 



The Mohawk Kiyeu Bass.— "Dexter," of Albany, 

 writes: — "In answer to your correspondent, "Gleus Falls," 

 would say I have never noticed the Mohawk bass as re 

 gards the double curve of lateral fin, but will do so next 

 season. The lake bass all seem to have it." 



Scientific Publications. — Numbers 7 and 8 of Vol. 8 

 Bulletin of the Essex Institute are at hand and contain 

 much that is interesting and inst ructi ve. Number 7 relates 

 to the Field Meeting for August and the report gives brief 

 addresses made by the members on this occasion. Chiefly 

 noticeable are the remarks of Vice President F. W. Put- 

 nam on a human skull from Colorado, which closety re- 

 sembles the ordinary form of the Algonquin Indians, such 

 as are found in the Indian burial places in Massachusetts; 

 and those of Prof. Morse ou Drosera, aud on the manner in 

 which the grasshoppers make the peculiar chirping 

 noises and the notes they utter. Rev. James Freeman 

 Clarke gave a brief address touching on some points in 

 philology which was of much interest. 



Number 8 is devoted chiefly to reports of busiuess meet- 

 ings, but contaius also a list, by Mr. J. A. Allen, of Birds 

 collected by Mr. Chas. Linden, near Santarem, Brazil. 

 This list includes 128 species, of which one, Coceygu* Undent, 

 Allen, is now described for the first time. 



From JS'ature we learn that Prof. Desor, a recent mem- 

 ber of the Bulletin de la Sooietides Science Nalurellet, at Neu- 

 chalel gives a description of a burial place recently dis- 

 covered on the shores of Lake Neuchatel near Auvernier. 

 The remains of fifteen or twenty individuals were found 

 in this grave but in such a poor state of preservation that 

 but. few good skulls could be obtained. Some of the better 

 preserved, however, show a close resemblance to those 

 fouud in other lake dwellings and belong to the true Helve- 

 tic form differing from Ihe latter not in kind, but only in 

 degree. The implements fouud in the grave are of stone 

 and bone, and belong to the age of polished stone. With 

 these, however, were also found some bronze implements 

 which established the long missing link between the lake 

 dwellings of the stone age and those of the bronze age, 

 both of which have representatives at Auvernier. The im- 



portance of the Auvernier grave is thus very great, as it 

 gives new proof in support of the alleged unity and con- 

 tinuity of races of prehistoric man during the sfoneagc and 

 that of the bronze. Some bronze implements implying a 

 somewhat, higher degree of culture together with a bead of 

 yellow amber and a skull, were found in the neighborhood 

 of the grave on a somewhat higher level; they belong pro- 

 bably to a more recent period.' It is proposed by the Neu- 

 chalel Society to undertake further excavations in the same 

 locality. 



SKY LARKS. 



New York Press Clot, ) 

 No. 6 Centre street, New York. ) 

 Editor Forest and stream:— 



A few years ago attempts were made to introduce the Eng- 

 lish sky lark [Alanda arvensix) into this country, aud several 

 pairs were letlooso on Long Island, which I believe, nesttd. 

 But they soou disappeared. Later it was reported that sky 

 larks had beeu seen in Westchester county, but lately noth- 

 ing has been said concerning them, showing, apparently 

 that the former report was an error, or else that all have 

 been killed. It is recorded that sky larks have been seen 

 in the Bermudas and iu Greenland. 



I should be very glad to ascertain any further or more 

 definite facts from your readers with reference to this mat- 

 ter, (particularly as to dates, and the probability of any 

 sky larks now being in existence in this vicinity) either 

 thiough your columns or by addressing me personally. 

 Eknest Ingersoll. 



BASKING AND BONE SHARKS. 



New Bedford, Mass., Feb. 21st, 1877. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



In your last number, a writer in some remarks on the 

 "Basking" ami "Great Bone Sharks," seems to confound 

 twoor three distinct species and even genera. The "Bask- 

 ing" Shark of the New England coast, and Bone Shark of 

 the Pacific, are of entirely distinct species. Some very 

 good notes and al<o references to scientific authorities may 

 be found iu the number for January 25th, 1877, of Nature. 



Concha. 



Akhivals at the Philadelphia Zoological GAitnENS, Mai;. 3d.— 

 One red-shouldered hawk IJlu/to tinnitus), presented by Sergt. James 

 Spear of the Park Uuard: one Virginia deer {Cumin Virginia/Ill • 

 seated byFj Q. Thorn, Phila.; one great, horned owl (SubO Virginia- 

 km?), one red-shoo Idered haw K (Bu'.tn Unmlus) and oncrul-i 1 ,:, 

 (U. borealte), presented by Emanuel Spitz. Philadelphia; one Pse.iide- 

 mijsronciinui, presented by Tkeo. L. Harrison, Phila.; ihrec opossums 

 (Didelpliys virginiana), one presented by J. W. Sharp, Jr.. nuest-ville, 

 Pa., one by E. S. Power, Phila., and one oy Jesse L. Johnson, Edding- 

 ton, Pa. : two white rats (Mus rat/us), presented by Miss Jones Phila. - 

 one golden eagle (Aijuila i:/t.ryi»'tits), prcsculcd by Andrew Bateuiao, 

 Dover, Del.: four English rabbits (Lepus cvtitoului), two presented by 

 Edward K. McEwan, Phila., aud two by Mast Ed. Hacker, Gennantown | 

 one ring dove (Turturrisorius), presented by Miss Tryon, i bihi. ; one 

 red fox (Vulpm fulvous), presented by George Green. Phila.; one quail 

 {Oiiyxviryinianvs), presented by Edward S. Miles, Phila.; one pair 

 white rats and young (Slut rallus), presented by james 13. Thomas, 

 Phila.; one sparrow hawk (Falco /-parvenus), presented by Master Hen- 

 ry Sargent, Phila.; two white rats (,l/«s rat(us), presented; three Cana- 

 dian lynxes [Lynx canadensis), three Mmobrahckua maculatuf, aud one 

 turkey buzzard (Cattuuiis aula), purchased. 



MiTHi-R E. Buovra, Gen. Supt. 



ffaadfond, S Hrm mti S ar ^ en * 



O Proserpina I 

 For the flowers now, that frightened thou let'st fall, 

 From Dis's wagon! daffodils. 

 That come before the swallow dares, and take 

 The winds of March with beauty; Violets dun, 

 But sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes. 

 Or Cytuera's breath; pate primroses, 

 That die unmarried, ere they can behold 

 Bright Phoebns in his strength, a malady 

 Most incident io maids; bold oxlipB. aud 

 The crown imperial; lilies of all klndfl 

 The flower de luce being onel O, these I lack, 

 To rflnke you garlands of ;.and my sweot friend, 

 To strew him o'er and o'er 

 Flo. What! like a coisef 



Per. No, like a bank, for love to lie and play on; 

 Hot like a corse; or if— not to be buried 

 But quick, aud in mine arms. Come, take your flowers; 

 Melhiuks I play as I have seen them do 

 In Whitsnn's pastorals; sure, this robe of mine 

 Does change my disposition, 

 Flo. What you do 



Still betters what is done. When yon epeak, swoot, 

 I'd have you do it ever; when you sing 

 I'd have you buy and S'-lt so, so give alms, 

 Pray so, and for the ordering your affairs, 

 To sing them too. When you do dance I wish you 

 A wave o'er the sea, that you might evor do 

 Noihlnn bnt that: More still, still so. and own 

 No other function. Eaoh your doing 

 So singular in each particular, 

 Crowns what yon are doing in the present, deeds, 

 That all yo ur acts are queens.— Cymbtline, Iv. 3. 



The Fuchsia.— When we consider the facility with 

 which Fuchsias can be grown, and also the extreme beauty 

 aad profusion of their flowers, the wonder need not be so 

 much why they are so common, as that more attention is 

 not bestowed upon growing them into tine and attractive 

 specimens. It is true plants are to be met with now and 

 then which are all that, could be desired in this respect, but 

 taken in the aggregate, whether as seen in the establishments 

 of florists, or iu the conservatories of the wealthy, they are 

 all too often the most abject and neglected things imagin- 

 able upon whicli time and money have been bestowed. 

 This should not be; neither is it creditable to the enter- 

 prise and intelligence ot the age, seeing that it is one of 

 advancement in all matters appertaining to horticultural 

 pursuits, as well as other branches of human knowledge 

 and skill. The time caeuot come to soou, therefore, when 

 Ihose whose business it is to cultivate plants, either for 

 profit or for pleasure, shall of necessity reach a higher 

 standard of excellence in specimen growing than that 



