Feb. 2&, 1883.3 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



G7 



the year, unless it be in riecembcr, there is noiir which one 

 is daorelikely to me2t. Though in much smaller flocks, lie 

 up; as lYiMp.-iiiiy :<i..j_»_'nt- ia ihe Biiovrstorw as the snow- 



lii.nitu mil is much more common in the finer weutlicr of 

 mid winter (hen the goldfinch or the leaser redpoll. From 

 i'i frozen Ui-uiso, the Frost clad fence, he greets us will) 

 pis soug already in early ffebnuu weul n , - 



hear the soft waihleofthebUieliinlortheresoiri:. not Sdfti 



OW, toil sogives us the first bird song of the year. 

 When the car-Hl is soaked and the air Is chill from the thaws 

 of spring, he Is as marry and chipper, and full o£ song as 

 ever, lie is amid the happy throngs of May, traverses the 

 heated dust of Ihe highway in July and August, and in the 

 mild, hazy days of Indian summer, gives lot 111 u respectable 

 echo of his more vigorous song of the breeding season. 



Until very recently the breeding habitat, of this species 

 has been wholly consigned to the far north, but it is now 

 well understood that ifbrceds abundantly in the lake coun- 

 ties of Western New York, and in corresponding latitudes 

 westward, raising two liroods, the first of which is vcry 

 early. Rev. Win. Elgin, now of Indianapolis, lad;, a com- 

 petent observer, writes to me as follows: "On the 28th of 

 April, 1 *7.->, 1 discovered in the pari near the lake at Buf- 



:>f a pair of hoi 

 1 toot to be 

 jarenl birds in 



watching the! 



falo, th. 



birds, which 

 observed the 

 and had beer 

 convinced from their : 

 were nesting. 



But mv search was n 



When the parent birds 



but about the 10th, there 



lay on the ground severs 



-I are frequently fell f 



I lark 

 at least 



oils 



,vhe; 



eight day's old. 'f had 

 Jity early in the month, 

 lends ever since, being 

 first noticed that they 



Ot rewarded till the day above named. 



were first seen, the ground was bare, 



re fell several inches of snow, which 



lays, during which time the tcm- 



osl to zero. Under I he.se eircum- 



irvcl that any of the eggs hai died, 



ecu silting while the ground— 



■Bred with smrw. Yet, the nest 



father, being placed in a 



stances, ii seemed to me a 



since the bird inust have I 

 aud in fact herself — was coi 

 was admirably contrived fo 



small basin scooped out of the level ground, and carefully 

 line.lwit.fi Hue dried grass, the top being on a. level with the 

 surface. Such a ease of nidificatiorf certainly argues a 

 marked degree of hardihood in the spec\es. Another cir- 

 cumstance which fell under my observation, would also tend 

 to eonfirm this opinion. On the 7 th of April, 1818, near 

 the village of Wayne, in Steuben county, I observed a 

 female homed larkfeeding a pair of young inthe read; the 

 id, a; ' 



young being so far tnatu 

 road to the fence, a di 

 en.se, the nest, must have beeu 



These instances accord witl 

 near Racine, Wisconsin, whil 



On the 0th of April. 1880. a 

 few days after a snowfall of 

 female honied lark flew out ft 

 feet. Thrusfing my finge 

 I touched the eggs' stilt 



to be able to fly ffom the 

 of fully three rods. In th 

 icgan early in March. 

 the nest reported as found 

 the snow was on the ground. 

 1 was crossing a meadow a 

 hoc three or four inches, a 

 •in under the snow near my 

 efully through the cold covering 

 in; and picking out carefully the 



snow which had fallen into the nest as the bird left it, 1 

 found four eggs about half incubated. Who would not be 

 impressed with the fidelity of this bird to her charge, thus 

 allowing herself to be snowed over, and continuing to sit 

 as she no doubt would have done, till she thawed out. again. 

 The second set of eggs is laid in June. The full-fledged 



ttlecf.-r; 



olo 



The 



•allv a. fi- 

 lly four, 



talehlu 



,vith 



ike the first 

 ?st is made of stiib- 

 s, sometime having a little wool 

 t is well sunken into the ground 

 ' and inartistic structure. The 

 Sx.li'J, .are grayish white, thickly 

 nish brown, having a similar 

 plish-brown. They cannot be 

 r egg in this locality. Our only 

 aible in color is that, of the 

 ; very much finer than thai of 



young i 



plum a-r 



Me, roo 



or horsi 

 and is j> 



CggS.COJUUlO 



speckled all 



marking of _ 



easily mistaken for any 



bird's egg which they 



shrikes, and the marki 



these. 



Mr. James Booth, of Drummondville, Ontario, for over 

 thirty years a distinguished taxidermist, for Niagara Falls, 

 Buffalo and the region about, says that the homed larks did 

 not. breed here formerly; thai this southern extension of 

 their breeding habitat is a recent and noticeable change. 

 Audubon found the nests of this species common on the 

 moss-el.til coasts of Labrador; and Sir. James Fortiscuc, an 

 excellent correspondent of mine, who is chief factor of the 

 Hudson's Bay Company at York Factory, reports it as a 

 summer visitor about Hudson's Eav. building its nest "in 

 along the coast," The species is now known to breed 

 in Canada WeSt, and in the JNort.hwcslern States generally, 

 while one variety is known to breed in New Mexico. This 

 latter variety is said to be smaller and brighter-colored than 

 the common type, while that of the Noithwest is larger and 

 lighter in color. As one approaches the Atlantic Stales, the 

 horned lark is still only irregularly migratory in large fiocki 



this common type 

 ropean representative, 



Ordinarily the horned la 

 alighted it is most common 

 walking— it is a great wa! 

 ravity by a graceful dove-h* 

 _j it seen in a tree, nor at ai 

 aspire above the top rail of th 

 ever, strangely in contrast wim n 

 which ever greatly perplexed me. 

 in May, Hearing its song, 

 I strolled warily through the opei 

 nest. But whence' canie the song 

 the voice of a ventriloquist. Nov 

 and now on the left, and now 

 Presently I caught the way of th 

 was soaring high in air, 



aspect different from its Eu- 



; is strictly terrestrial. When 



seen resting on the ground or 



er, maintaining its center of 



te motion of the head. Never 



uy time when at rest does it 



"fence. It has one trick, how- 



s ordinary lowliness, and 



It was a sunny afternoon 



iow quite, familiar to me, 



field hoping to find its 



' It was as puzzbng as 



it seemed on the right. 



n some other direction. 



sound, and lo, its author 



thort curves up, up. 



But no, he has alighted in safety, and steps along with all 

 his wonted stateliness, dividing the time between his 

 luncheon and his song. Many a time since, and sometime 

 as early as the 1-isl days of February, I have witnessed the 

 Same inanoeuver. anil always with'rouowed pleasure. So 

 Bayard Taylor is not mistaken after all, when in his 

 "Spring Pastoral " he speaks of — 



"Larks responding aloft lo the mellow flute ot' the bluebird." 



And though the song of our bird can bear no comparison 

 to tin- astounding song flights of the skylark, their similar- 

 ity of manner indicates the relationship' of the two species. 



"But. in the distant Northwest we have a very wonderful 

 bird, the Missouri sky-lark, which in its lofty flight, and grettt 

 powers of song, seems scarcely if at all second to the 

 famous bird of the. Old W orld. 



The horned lark is 7 to 7i inches long, somewhat larger 

 than an ordiaary-sized sparrow, its shape being as peculiar 

 as its voice, The bill is rather long for a song bird, quite 

 pointed, and a little curved; oil the head of the male are 

 two tufts of erectile black feathers, from which he receives 

 pint, of bis common name. As in the case, of other larks, 

 But unlike the rest of the song birds, the scales of the leg 

 extend around behind, and its hind claw is very long and 

 straight. This lark is always in a squatting position' with 

 drooping tail when at rest. " With a long black patch on 

 each check, a somewhat triangular black spot on the upper 

 part of the breast, reddish light brown above and dull white 

 beneath, with yellow throat, long pointed wings tipped with 

 black and a tail of the same color, a peculiar undulating 

 flight often accompanied with a soft tseep or /.-■<, per* whether 

 sitting, walking, or flying, this bird readily appeals to the 

 eye of the observer. it was formerly placed with the 



h'i'iiii)ilkt(l<r fiimdy among tin' sparrows and their relations, 

 but, it now stands' with a lark family formed by later orni- 

 thologists. In the main it is a seed-eating species, but also 

 subsists largely on insects. 



Feeding tjle Pine Gkosbeaks. — Kennebec County, Me., 

 Feb. 12. — This is not a game county, but it, contains some 

 sportsmen, one of whom takes great pleasure in reading the 

 Fobest and Stream, and says amen to Ihe stand taken i . 

 relation to trout hogs, pot-hunters and park grabbers. This 

 being close season, the only game we have is fox, which are 

 quite plenty, but just now the snow is so light that it is hard 

 to follow them, even on snow shoes. Only yesterday two foxes 

 were seen from the village of C. This 'being an unusual 

 cold winter, our northern friends, the pine grosbeaks, arc 

 with us, and I find they can be easily tamed if, instead of 

 giving Oicm a charge of fine shot, a person will take the 

 trouble to throw out a little cracked corn or crumbs for 

 them. As I write, about a dozen of the birds are gathered 

 ou and aboul the window sill eating canary seed and cracker 

 crumbs, which are daily thrown out to them, to the delight 

 of two very small boys who stand within a fool, of the birds 

 as tljcy are. eating. — iS-OAUGE. 



singing for a few moments as he sailed with expanded 

 wings before each flitting curve upward, till he became a 

 more speck in the ethereal blue, and iinallyl could scarcely 

 tell whether 1 saw him or not. But I still heard the song, 

 one that never can be mistaken, so unlike is it to the voice 

 of any other bird. At first .you can scarcely consent to be 

 pleased with it, and are tempted to compare it to the creak- 

 ing of an ungreased wheelbarrow. -'Qui!, quit, quit your 

 silly riff and get aicay," it seemed to say, the first three or 

 four syllables being slowly and distinctly uttered, and the 

 rest somewhat hastily run together. However, like the 

 faces and voices of certain people, this ditty sweetens on 

 acquaintance, and finally becomes a real source of pleasure. 

 But I must not be diverting. I am still looking into the 

 deep blue, when the black speck unmistakably reappears, 

 and gradually enlarges its the bird approaches. Down, 

 down he comes, meteor like, with wings almost closed, un- 

 til one fears thai he will dash out his life on the earth, 



MiciHAToiiY Quail.— Dover, N. H., Feb, 1.— Thirteen 

 migratory quail were seen in the yard of the Cocheco Manu- 

 facturing Co. yesterday, by several persons, This yard is 

 in the center of the city. How came they there?— G. A. 

 W. [We should like "to have further information about 

 this matter,] ^^^ 



1mt{t j§ttg m\d 



To insure prum.pt ut'ention, tbm.mj' n icai om ,■ s.'/en '■/ lie ad 

 dressed to the Forest and Stream Publishing Co., and not to 

 individual,-: in whose absence from the office matters of im- 

 portance arc liable to delag. 



WHEN THIS OLD GUN WAS NEW. 



T7- HEN this old gun v 



W 1 



"Ewas in life's youthful tint 

 When flowins locks were golden-brown 



That now are white with time. 

 When skies were bright and meadows green, 



Days all too short, for play, 

 And preeous was each moment, 



Of the weekly holiday: 

 Ah, then when first the flush of dawn 



Lit up the eastern sky, 

 Now joyous from the garden gate, 



Out to the fields to fly! 

 Sometime with little slender rod 



With line of silken strand, 

 We'd seek the windiug river's marge, 



A gay, exultant band. 



Somctia 



Down 



Where v 



And e: 

 To 



e'fl seek the old mill-pond, 

 •re the trees leaned o'er, 

 r-lilies were, afloat, 



chub, or perch, or trout. 

 Or pike, or yellow bream. 

 And fill our wicker baskets 

 With treasures of the stream. 



But greater yet the Joy to lift. 



This old gnu from ihe wall, 

 And pass forth where the piuy-woods 



Rose shadowy and tall. 

 For there the blue wood-pigeous flow, 



There on wild berries fed, 

 And when this little gun outspoke 



How many were the dead I 



"Ewas but a simple flint-loek thing, 



Long ere the cap and eone, 

 But still its powers seem'd marvelous, 



And the gun was all our own ! 

 How precious seem'd our powder store, 



Precious as sands of gold, 

 Our shot-bag was a treasury 



Of leaden wealth untold ! 



Since then full many years have sped , 



We've hunted far and near, 

 But never was such sporting joy 



As iu that earliest year. 

 A costlier weapon we have swung, 



The smart breech-loader oorae, 

 But none so dcAr-bcloved as this, 



The child-gun, bruisd and worn! 



IN THE ST. LOUIS VALLEY. 



\ LAMOSA ia Situated nearly in the central part of the 

 1 V Sail Louis Valley, in the southern part of Colorado. 

 Here we met. Bell, as good 11, woodsman as tbcro was in Ihe. 



Iley, who was going out prospecting. lie. kindly Invited 

 us lo go with him/ assuring us we would have a good 

 time, 



On the 7th of July, the day after our arrival, we stalled 

 for the mountains, going to the southwest and turning our 

 backs on the snow-capped Siena. Blanca. 



There were four of us in the party, and the outfit con- 

 sisted of an extra solid platform spriug 

 learn, three saddle pouies as sure-footed as 

 and the requisite cooking utensils 



■itles, 



two 



shotg 

 luring 



wilu 



ts g 



lunt a 



mint. 



tits 



we ca 



of tilt 



Sat 



redH 



pally 



of a 



lobe 1, 



i fly rods. 

 passed thi 



Alte 

 pla; 



yagon. a good 

 goats, a 10x10 



four repeating 



a very pleasant 

 ot San Rafael 



Una-looking in- 

 h and GoriV' 



Conejos with its Ghi 



10th of which are constructed princi 



... Here we met its good-natured, accom- 



idaling sheriff. Joe Smith, who is ever willing lo render 

 the stranger any favor he m;tA r ask in regard to shooting and 

 fishing. 



After leaving Conejos, prairie dogs become very numer- 

 is; but the owl and rattlesnake found further north are 

 >re wanting. 



When we struck the Los Pinos Creek we left our wagon, 

 and after packing our outfit on "Rocky Mountain elevators" 

 (burros), started on. About five miles up we pitched our 

 tent in a clump of pines right by the creek. We were now 

 about two miles east of Toltec gorge and just over the line 

 in New Mexico, and in as pretty a country as one could 

 wish to see. 



The following day we went up into the mountains, and 

 before returning Bert shot a doe, and my friend Charley and 

 I flagged five grouse. After returning, just before sunset. 

 I jointed my rod and started out for trout, and before land- 

 ing a half a dozen 1 managed to break the tip of my pole on 

 account of my ignorance of the tuenner in which to land 

 them, It. however, did not take me long to learn a point, 

 or two, and in two hours I had fully ten pounds of fish. 

 Bert, however, had been more successful. 



That night we had a glorious supper of venison, grouse, 

 trout and the never-to-be-forgotten flapjacks; After a 

 smoke and some yarns we turned in. 



Between hunting, fishing and prospecting I passed seven 

 of the happiest weeks of' my life. On one occasion when 

 we happened to get out of venison, and were sick and tired 

 of trout, we invested in a goat from a Mexican herder that 

 happened to pass through the mountains with the herd. 

 Though the meat was not as delicate as some other, I was 

 surprised at its passable relish. 



In fly-fishing 1 found that any fly not highly colored was 

 good, although the "professor" and "dunghill" seemed to be 

 the best. 



During the seven weeks we were in the mountaius a cin 

 namon bear was shot, by Bert, and Charley and I shot three 

 deer. 1 leer seemed to be very plentiful, but at that season 

 they were in the aspen timber and very hard to shoot. Bert, 

 however, got two. 



One night we. were annoyed by a mountain lion, and at 

 one time thought lie was bothering our stock; but after an 

 inspection found everything all right. He had evidently 

 smelled the meat that was hanging up near our tent. 



The shooting on the prairie in the valley is very tine. 

 After saddling our ponies, and with a shotgun anil car- 

 tridges stuffed in every available pocket, we started out 

 duck or goose shooting. Riding along the Rio Grande, be- 

 ginning near AlamosaTwc swing along at an easv gallop, 

 and when a flock of ducks or geese are sighted we circle off 

 on the prairie. When opposite the ducks or geese, jump 

 from the ponies, and running up to the bank shoot the fowl 

 as they rise. Ihe river being considerably lower than the 

 banks, this can easily be done. 



The lakes in the valley also afford good shooting for fowl, 

 and lots of sport can be obtained. 



The three months I spent in the valley were the most 

 pleasant I can look back to, and should any wishing sport 

 go to Alamosa he will find it, certainly if he is lucky enough 

 to get into the company of Bert, QaS&M Pete. 



JersetCity. Feb. 15. 



—Isaac McLELia>-. 



THE DUSKY DUCK. 



rpWENTY-EIGHT years ago 1 shot my first dusky 

 JL duck. My father was a fine shol, and spent a great 

 deal of time in the woods and on the lakes of New England, 



He had four boys, all of whom were very fond of the 

 gun. We were not allowed to have a gun till we were four- 

 teen years of age, and as I was the youngest boy my turn 

 to have a gun did not come until all my brothers had left 

 home. I used to go with my father in the woods and on 

 the lakes long before 1 had a gun, and I knew how to set 

 the decoy ducks well. 



We lived on the shore of a small poud called Smith's 

 Pond, situated between Fresh and Spy ponds in the town 

 of West. Cambridge, Mass. It is now Belmont. This little 

 pond was quite a place for dusky ducks, teal, blucbills, coot, 

 etc. We always kept forty or fifty dark colored tame ducks 

 for decoys. Many of them were fine callers, and when a 

 dusky duck or tea"l came, to the pond, were sure to bring 

 them in. 



Very few duck are as shy as the dusky duck, but they are 

 very easy to decoy, if one' has tame ducks that are good 

 callers. When they come into the. decoys they will sit 

 motionless on the wider for fifteen or twenty minutes, then 

 if nothing disturbs them (if there are more 'than one) they 

 will swim together. But if they see the least motion they 

 are. off like the wind, and will seldom stop till they get to 

 some other lake or poud. 



Sandy Pond, in Lincoln, Mass.. was a fine place for black 

 or dusky ducks. They like the wooded shores of that 

 beautiful sheet of water. Seventeen years ago 1 canie to 

 Northwestern Iowa and since then have seen but three dusky- 

 ducks. One was killed ten miles north of this place by 

 Messrs. Eain, Foster and Howland, of New York; which 

 killed it I do not know; it was With a flock of mallards; all 

 of them shot and this duck came down. 11: was one of the 

 finest specimens I ever saw. Since then my brother shot 

 one at Buffalo Fork, a small stream twelve miles north of 

 town. 1 saw one three years ago with two mallards, on the 

 upper Des Moines, but did not kill it. 1 think they are 

 scarce in the West, as most ot the Western sportsmen have 

 never seen one. J- G. S. 



Aj,gona, Iowa. 



