April 19. 1888.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



225 



Tree sparrow (Spi-eHo navilii ■■' • 



Cat imou crow {Coreasfi-uyreoru.t). 



Hlur jay .CyaiaviHa rrhiata). 



Hairy woodpecker [Pkw viUoma) 



Downy woodpecker ( /'. pubma n .-■: 



Golden- winged woodpecker (Gdlaptes auratras). 



i_ivf.it honied owl (ifttSfl n'iyi'111'it n im). 



Screech owl (K-oj,x agio). 

 Barred owl(i$r& lalailosa). 

 8aW-whst owl (Nyetaia aatdicti), 

 Red-tailed buzzard hawk (BvteobomrilU), 

 Ruffed grouse (Bonnjft liniMhi). 

 Quail {Qrtjyx Virginia ma). 



THE SOCIETY OF TAXIDERMISTS. 



r piLE third annual exhibition of the National Society of 

 i Taxidermists, which opens in Lyric Hall, 723 Sixth 

 avenue, on May 1. to continue five days, will be of great in- 

 terest to all lovers of birds and beasts'. Sportsmen will bo 

 especially interested in the groups of game birds, medallions 

 and panels, and above all, the groups "of pointers and setters 

 "at work.' 1 Mr. ilornaday's striking group of an English 

 setter and cover of quail, entitled. ''Coming to the Point," 

 which attracted so much admiring attention at the Boston 

 exhibition, and later in the National Museum at Washing- 

 ton, will be well worth seeing, and there are several other 

 tine "bird dogs" entered to compete against it. 



The Aral exhibition of the society was held in Rochester 

 in 1880, and the second a year later in Boston. Both were 

 very highly praised by the press of their respective cities, 

 and" visited by admiring crowiis. The display in this city 

 will be larger than both the former one together, and the 

 variety of objects will also he much greater. The objects 

 Of the society are to develop and improve the art of taxi- 

 dermy until it shall rival those of painting and sculpture, 

 and also acquaint the public with taxidermy as a fine art. 

 Once a year the members meet to hold a competitive ex- 

 hibition to compare work and exchange ideas. Those who 

 know affirm that a vast improvement is already noticeable 

 in the work of the members. The society contains over 

 seventy active members and stands high in the estimation of 

 artists, scientific men and sportsmen. 



A very interesting feature of the coming exhibition will 

 be a taxidermist's workroom, complete in all its appoint- 

 ments, with the taxidermist himself at work. 



The opening reception will be held on the evening of 

 Aptil 30, to which admission will be by invitation only, but 

 from .May _ to 5 the display will be. open to the public, and 

 it will be several years before another will be held here. 



SOME SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BIRDS. 



THE mocking-bird (Minnis polygfottus Linn.) of this 

 vicinity is a bird somewhat larger than the Eastern 

 bird, having a tail much more graduated, and differing some- 

 what in color. Its habits are similar to those of the Eastern 

 mocking-bird, and it is very fond of staying around houses 

 if unmolested. They remain here all the year, but are not 

 so plentiful in winter as in the summer. They are generally 

 found in the vicinity of thickets of brush' or cactus, and 

 seem to prefer valleys". The fruit of the cactus furnishes 

 them the major part of their food. The nest is generally 

 built in a thick bush or cactus not far from the ground, anil 

 is composed of twigs, leaves and grass, and is lined with hair 

 when this can be obtained, and root fibres. The eggs are 

 four to six, pale green, with blotches of brown scattered 

 over them, mostly at: the large end. This bird is unequalled 

 as a songster, and its mimetic powers are very great. While 

 surging it, will often leap from the bush into the air and 

 then descend to the ground, and then rise again into the air. 

 imitating all the while numerous birds and some animals! 

 The mocking-bird is lO.t inehes in length, and 14 inches in 

 alar extent, wings. 4} and tail 5i. Its color above is ashy 

 brown, the center of the feathers being slightly darkened, 

 the under parts are white with a faint brownish tinge, and 

 the male has a shade of ash across the breast. The Wings 

 and tail on the upper side are black. The bill and legs are 

 black. h 



Tli.: sickle-billed thrush, which is a very good singer, is a 

 much larger bird than the mocking-bird and does not imitate 

 near so many birds, but many of its notes are much sweeter 

 than those of the mocking-bird. The sickle-bill, however, 

 lacks the life that the mocking-bird has. The mocking-bird 

 during nesting season sings very frequently at night; it 

 usually sings near the nest during "the day. In winter it is 

 very shy. 



The shyest bird that we have here, especially during nest- 

 ing season, is the California cactus wren (Cunipi/hiAi/in'/int 

 brunitrieapiUas Lwfr.). The male I have never 'been able to 

 see during the nesting season, and the female only twice. 

 The male is a very oeevish little bird, and seems always K 

 be quarreling. This species usually builds as high up a; 

 it can get on the branch of the cactus. The uest is large 

 from nine to twelve inches in length and four to six ineliei 

 wide. Most of them have thick walls, but in some the wall 

 are so thin that the thorns pass through them. The habits 

 resemble those of most wrens, and it subsists chiefly on in 

 sects, but eats some berries. It passes much of the time or 

 the ground. 



The most common little bird that we h: 



ve here is the 



; own also by 

 ark. During 

 rises into I hi 

 le, singing i 



horned lark {fiJramophih eortmta WiU 



the names ground lark, shore lark and sky 



the nesting season in May and June, the male 

 air, sometime out of sight, in a zig-zag cit 

 sweet and varied song. "The voice will graduall 

 and then as the bird commences to descend will gradually 

 grow louder; the bird alights in nearly the same place that 

 it start eu from. The nest is made in "a small depression of 

 the ground under a btuiehof grass or a small hush, composed 

 of grass and hair. The eggs are a slate white, with dark 

 spols sprinkled over them";' they number four to six. In the 

 fall they gather in large flocks. Their food consists of small 

 berries and insects. 1 haver seen one on a tree or bush. 



The most brightlv-colored bird that is found here is the 

 western oriole (IeUrus hnt!,v/.i, Sw.). The upper part of 

 the head and neck is shiny black, and a black line runs from 

 the base of the bill down onto the throat, the under part: 

 generally an orange yellow, and a broad hand on the wing 

 is white. They arrive here about the fust of March and re 

 sort to the orchards, wdiere they eat considerable fruit, bu 

 pay for that by destroying insects and singing their sweet 

 melody. Their nest, is very pretty, usually built in a tall 

 tree and out at the end of a branch. It is composed of 

 rags, straw, horsehair, twine and wool. If horsehair or 

 twine can be procured (hey are sure to use a, liberal quantity 

 and make it very strong. It is built in the form of a purse 



and is suspended near the forks of a brauch. The eggs, 

 numbering from four to eight, are a blueish while, with 

 winding streaks of black around the larger end, 



Another very common bird is the C'assiu's flycatcher Or 

 Cassin's kingbird (Tyraitna roriferrins Sw.). This is a. bird 

 worthy of examination. The liead and neck above and on 

 the side is rather dark bluish Hsh ; but if we slop and examine 

 the top of the head more closely, we find, by ruffling the 

 leathers, a spot of brilliant yellowish red. "The bird has 

 the power to throw open these colored feathers, and when 

 open the crest looks almost like a small flower, and during 

 the day you will see this sly creature sitting on a post near 

 lice hives with its head down, as if asleep; but when a bee 

 goes to light on this flower the bird is not asleep, for it 

 gives a sudden snap and almost invariably captures a bee. 

 The rest of the upper parts are olive green, tinged with 

 gray; the upper tail coverts nearly black, and under patt, 

 in general, bright sulphur yellow; the bill is black and the 

 Eeet grayish. During the early part of the year, for the 

 space of four months, this bird might serve as an alarm 

 clock for those who desire to rise at'daylight. It generally 

 sings from thetreetop, its notes bcin«- much more musical anil 

 louder than those, of the other flycatchers. This nest of 

 species is very firmly built, being 5.00x2.50 inehes 

 -rnally and '.1.35 across the cavity. The eggs are 

 white, with large scattered umber blotches, thickest at the 

 larger end. This bird is destructive to all insects. 

 James E, Wadham, 

 Yice-President San Diego Historical Society, 



Food op the Water Moccasin.— New York, April ().— 

 While floating down the Oklawaha River, in Florida, one 

 day during the winter of 1881-2, hunting water turkeys, I 

 noticed uumhersof moccasins lying on the logs and branches 

 of trees lining the shores and overhanging the water. When 

 approached they had an ugly habit of lying very still until 

 our boat was almost directly under them", when, with a great 

 commotion and a splash into the water (uncomfortably close 

 to us', they would disappear— the first notice we had of our 

 proximity to them. After a while, being on the lookout, I 

 secured three or four for their glossy brown skins, with the 

 assistance of my choke bore, generally taking their heads 

 off, being at close quarters. One, however, not, having 

 been badly hit, soon showed signs of returning life by mov- 

 ing around and cutting up antics, in anything but a pleasing 

 manner, in the bow of the boat, which caused much uneasi- 

 ness on the part of my sable attendant, who assured me 

 repeatedly while dodging around and jumping from seat to 

 seat in the boat: "Dey's pisiu, suah, boast to' dc Lord dey's 

 pisin, suah!" However, we soon gave him the quietus with 

 an oar. 'Twas then I noticed that this particular snake's 

 case demanded an unusual share of my attention, as his 

 "breadth of beam" was something astonishing. 1 resolved 

 to investigate his "bread basket," and upon returning to 

 the landing did so, when I found it contained a black i 

 (trout, South) of about ten ounces weight, intact. Whether 

 his snakeship took the fish alive or whether he found him 

 dead, floating on the surface of the river, I am unable to 

 say, though I incline to the latter belief. The bass was 

 larger in circumference by about two inches than the snake 

 (when removed from its stomach) and nearly a third as 

 long. — Black Prince. 



Coloeada Biiid Ahrivai,s. — Pueblo, Col., April 7, 1883, 

 —Editor Forest arid Stream: The spring is unusually back 

 ward here. I shot it male Eastern bluebird (Sl'/rUa sietlis) 

 yesterday — the first I have observed in Colorado. It was in 

 company with xVrctic bluebirds, S. airtira. The latter 

 species was first seen March 7. Saw first killdeer plover 

 March 27. Crimson-fronted finches and red-winged black- 

 birds have been common all winter. A great blue heron and 

 a sandhill crane were shot, last week at the "lake" on the 

 mesa. The magpies have built their nests, but have laid no 

 eggs yet. Have seen no meadow larks (.s 1 . negkefa) yet this 

 spring. Thev must occasionally winter here', as i Shot one 

 Jan. 3, 1878, duiingvery cold weather, and when the ground 

 was covered with snow. They were first observed last year, 

 Feb. 6.— H. W. N. 



success he had had, and he said: "Ycr see, Mars Henry 

 said we'se 'go in cahoot.' Well, we got fo' 'coons." "How 

 did you divide?" "Well. Mars Henry he takes two, and 



Mars Charlie he takes two, an " "What did you get ? " 



"Well, I don't know." scratching his head; then brightening 

 up, "T reckons 1 gets the 'cahoot.'"— Osio wo. 



Nick Bareo, of Crystal River. Florida, well known 

 throughout Hernando and Levy counties of that State as a 

 genial fellow, tells this one of himself. One afternoon, tak- 

 ing his double-barrel on his shoulder, lie started through a 

 piece of pine woods surrounding a small hamak to look for a 

 yoke of oxen, and as he, turned the point of the hamak, 

 front) the further side, two flue deer started out and cantered 

 off through the pines not twenty yards in front, or htm. He 

 Stopped still and watched iliein! saying to himself, "What a. 

 shot; if I had my gun I could get them both." As they dis- 

 appeared over the ridge, he remembered that he had his gun 

 on his shoulder, and then ran after them; but loo late, of 

 course. 



"That reminds me." 



JOHN is a rival of Andy's in the competition of catching 

 the biggest bass. Several years ago Andy caught a 

 three-pounder, and Jnhngrew correspondingly green with 

 envy, and staked the cigars that he would beat him before 

 the season was over. 



One day John, Andy and Jake were hard at it on the 

 hanks of "the beautiful Swatara, when John observed a big 

 bass jump from the water some distance from shore. Sev- 

 eral times the fish emerged, and then .lohu resolved logo 

 for him. Taking a boat, he rowed out and threw a live bait 

 for the bass, lie wouldn't strike, but continued to flon in 

 a singular fashion, and John cautiously rowed up to him, 

 placed both hands under him, and th.ew into the boat not 

 only a seventeen-inch bass but also a ten-inch catfish. 



John was exultant, and at onceclaimed that Andy's insig- 

 nificant three-pounder was cast into the shade by this double 

 haul. Ou examination, however, it was discovered that the 

 bass in endeavoring to swallow the catfish had been per- 

 forated as to his head by the spines or the catfish, one of 

 which protruded through his tight eve. Andy and Jake at 

 once claimed a foul, holding that John had' taken a base 

 advantage of the bass by approaching him on the blind side, 

 and refused to allow the cigars, though tin; double catch 

 may have slightly exceeded in weightAndy's bass. How- 

 ever, John's claim was for length, and the case is still in 

 statu quo. 



Here's another: Joe MeC. was fishing at the above place 

 with a live frog for bait. For more than an hour he waited 

 in vain for a bite. Pulling up to examine his bait he found 

 his line leading to the shore, whim to his extreme surprise 

 and pleasure (?) he found Mr. Frog sealed ealmly on a rock 

 by his side enjoying his otiwfl, cum, (%, Joe declares that 

 the batiachiau winked at him with the most consummate 

 Impudence. 



Some lime I'll give you my snapper story. Juvenis. 



%jm\e §uq ntftl 



_ GAME RESORTS.— ire arc always _}lad to receive for pub- 

 lication stick notes of desirable game resorts as may be of help 

 to the readers of Forest and Stream. Will not 'our 'car re- 

 spondents favor us Willi such advice? 



While out West I heard the following version of the 

 famous crow and turkey story. My friend said: I was 

 South a few years ago, and two of my friends, named 



Charlie and Henry , brothers, went 'out 'cooniug with 



a darkey. I saw the darkey afterward and asked him what, 



MY LAST DEER HUNT IN OHIO. 



BY D. W. 0. 



IN a few years there will be no more stories to tell of the. 

 capture of this noble game in the Middle States. Here 

 and there, in the inaccessible swamps and mountains a few 

 scattering deer may yet linger, but most of them have fled 

 before the ax of civilization, or have fallen at the crack of 

 the hunter's rifle. 



Forty-seven years ago, in company with Oliver H. Perry, 

 a cunning hunter and a generous friend, occurred "My First 

 Deer Hunt in Ohio," an account, of which was published in 

 Forest and Stream.* Then, in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New 

 York, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan the "woods were full 

 of them," and the sport of the still-hunter unbounded, but 

 now, except in the North Woods of New York, and in the 

 wilds of Michigan, the "sport" has become excessive labor 

 and their capture a lucky scratch. 



x\s an evidence and a record of what has been, for the en- 

 thusiastic boy of to-day to read in the Forest and Stream 

 and fire his heart or compose him to slumber, I will recount, 

 in truthful language, my last deer hunt in Ohio, twenty 

 years after my first: 



A light snow T was falling on one Friday in the latter part 

 of December, 1850, when meeting an old' hunter he said: 



"There are two or three deer iii Parma, near Lake Abram, 

 and if it were not for a confounded lawsuit my official duties 

 oblige me to try to-morrow, I would go for them. This 

 snow will make good tracking. You go. " 



"Can't you adjourn your case, or get a substitute to try it, 

 and go along with mev if we start early and. strike a trail while 

 they are feeding in the morning and undistuibed, we may 

 see "them first and get one." 



But nothing 1 could urge seemed to swerve him from wdiat 

 he conceived to be his duty to the State as prosecuting at- 

 torney, deeply as he seemed to regret the chance to try his 

 double-barreled revolving rifle of his own inveutiou. 



Parma township, in Cuyahoga county, and Lake. Abrani are 

 about twelve miles from the city of Cleveland, and at that 

 time the Columbus Railroad was running a construction 

 train through the west part of the town, and within two or 

 three miles of the lake, starting at the foot of Superior street, 

 at 5 o'clock A. M. 



Having got my traps together, or ready for a start at the 

 drop of the bat,, I concluded to take the 5 o'clock construc- 

 tion train and get off at Everett's Mills, but alas, "There is 

 many a slip between the pup and the lip." When I gotdown 

 there I could see, in the thick gloom, the tail end of the con- 

 struction train crossing the Cuyahoga bridge. There was 

 nothing left, but to go back home or go afoot. It was about 

 seven miles to Everett's Mills, the snow moist and the track- 

 ing splendid; by smart walking on the track of the railroad 

 I could turn into the woods a little after daylight— certainly 

 before sunrise. 



Away I went at a lively pace, and with a little running 

 where the ties were graveled I was able to turn to the left 

 into the thick woods northwest of Lake Abram when it: was 

 just light enough to see a track. Scarcely had I penetrated 

 the thick uudergrowth along the margin "of an old "slash- 

 ing,' - when 1 struck the trail of a deerwhose tracks, meander- 

 ing and close together and leading from bush to bush, indi- 

 cated, as every old hunter knows, that the deer was feeding 

 and unalarmc'd. Here was my chance, if properly taken, 

 to steal along cautiously and still, peering into every "thicket, 

 every old tree-top, among every jumble of old logs, sec. him 

 before lie could see uie,"and get one shot before starting. 

 Should I fail in this, a long chase before I could tire him 

 out would be inevitable. When the trailing is good, and 

 the deer started early in the morning, a good traveler can 

 run a deer clown so as to keep him in sight and get within 

 shooting distauce by four o'clock, provided no rest is given 

 him, and you run whin he runs, and ouly walk when he 

 walks. 



Following this plan of approach. I stealthily crawled 

 along, crouching behind logs and bushes, keeping behind 

 trees, and looking sharply everywhere. 



Presently, in the top of a beech tree which bad been felled 

 when the leaves were on and the main body carried away 

 for wood evidi ntly. 1 saw a slight motion. Instantly, but 

 so slowly that no movement, could be detected. 1 flattened 

 out and crawled to a tree for better antl more deliberate ob- 

 servation. Bringing the tree-top in view again, I could 

 plainly see the horns of a deer and the outlines of his body, 

 but the distance, about, twenty rods or one hundred .\ arris, 

 and the thick leaves and intervening trees and bushes, pre- 

 vented me from seeing just where to hit him fatally. To 

 get nearer appeared next to impossible; nothing remained 

 but to shoot at what, 1 could see, or await his moving out of 

 the cover and take the chance of his going out the other 

 side and be hidden from my sight, 1 wailed awhile and be- 

 gan to tremble with the "buck lever." That decided it. 

 My rille was sltwly run along the side of the tree, my teeth 

 set and my nerves braced up to repel the tendency to' shake, 

 and sighting at what, was visible the sharp crack of my rifle 

 resounded through the forest. I was not much surprised to 



♦Issue of February 33, 1888. 



