FOREST AND STREAM 



385 



Arrived at the lick, Sam carrying the gun, Uicy concealed 

 themselves behind an old blind, and waited some time, con- 

 fidently expecting a deer ; but instead of deer there came a 

 largo panther, and stopped not more than twelve rods distant 

 from the boys. Sam said afterwards that he knew it was a 

 painter, but" he had got a dead rest and he was bound to 

 onhich on 'em." Sam did unhitch, the panther fell and rolled 

 over, and so did Sam. The gun was so heavily charged 

 that the recoil sent Sam tumbling down the hill, and Joe said 

 " it, 'pcared like Sam didn't know nothing much till he got 'im 

 sittin* up and he sort o' come tew ; and then they went up to 

 the lick and the painter just lay thar deader nor a stuck pig." 

 ■ They succeeded in dragging the panther home, where they 

 arrived about dark, at which time Mr. W. and wife had re- 

 turned with two or three of the hunters. The skin was taken 

 off by torch-light ; the hody was found to be literally riddled 

 and the skin showed some ten or twelve bullet holes. The 

 nest morning one of the hunters took this same old gun and 

 filled the pan with powder, and after snapping nineteen times, 

 the twentieth time the powder burnt. Sam and Joe, if living 

 now, are old men, and perhaps may be relating some of their 

 exploits to their grand-children. Antlkr. 



Salmon in the Hudson.— The Troy Times of the 10th iust, 

 reports the capture of a 11^ lbs. salmon in the Hudson River, 

 at Bath-on-the-Hudson, a few miles above Albany. It will be 

 remembered that salmon were caught in the lower part of 

 the river two or three years ago ; but we have not before 

 heard of their appearance in the vicinity mentioned. Does 

 the man who reported this to be a salmon know a salmon 

 when he sees it? If the information is authentic it is en- 

 couraging to Seth Green. 



| S/llmon in West Virginia.— The following welcome in- 

 telligence comes to the United States Fish Commission from 

 West Virginia : 



Ro.vset, IlAj,trsnrnE Co., W. Va., June 12, 1879. 

 Prof. Spenceii F. Baird, U. 8. Coi/imimoiur of Fish and 

 Fish 1 1 ■■ 

 There are now within five miles of this place three schools 

 of salmon : one estimated at about 500, one at about 2,000, 

 and the other represented to be "a large number." They 

 have been seen by various persons, and a few have been 

 caught. The largest I have seen of those caught was about 

 ten or eleven inches long, and a California salmon. The 

 school of 500, from description of one caught, I take to be 

 Schoodic. I also hear of salmon being caught in oiher trib- 

 utaries of the Potomac in this county. 

 Respectfully, yours truly, C. S, White. 



New Hampshire. — Editor Forest, and Stream : Permit me 

 ta announce the capture of the first salmon of the season at 

 the hatching house at Plymouth, N- H., on Friday, 13th 

 inst. It was a female, estimated at about lOlbs., and was 

 safely transferred to the storage ponds. Several fish of about 

 this size have been seen in the fishway at Lawrence, Mass., 

 which we assume to be from the plant of 1875 ; and one larger 

 one, estimated at 201bs., probably from theplantof 1873. We 

 are very busy now distributing our land-locked salmon fry, 

 and when we get them all planted I will send you a full re- 

 port of our success in distribution. Let me add to the 

 much-varied discussion of the habits of trout in taking the 

 fly the fact that I took one by the tail in Sandwich Ponds 

 last week, and within five minutes of the occurrence my 

 companion, Mr. M., of Boston, took another hooked in pre- 

 cisely the same manner— just back of the ventral fin. The 

 fish were not biting freely, and we had many rises without 

 striking one, and they were, 1 think, playing with the flies, 

 and trying to drown them by the blow of the tail. 



Samuel Webber. 



Ojjice nf Fifh Com m issioners, Manchester, N. II., June 14. 



A LIST OF BIRDS TAKEN IN SOUTHERN 

 "WYOMING. 



By S. W. Williston. 



[Wltli Supplementary NoteB by the Natural History EOitor.] 

 (Concluded.) 



75. Reciirvirodra americana, Avocet.— First seen April 22. 

 Several pairs were seen later about the smaller ponds, where 

 they undoubtedly breed. May 17, a female was taken with 

 a perfectly formed egg in the oviduct. Like the spotted 

 sandpiper, they readily swim and dive when wounded. 



76. Steganopus wiUoni, Wilson's_Phalarope.— May 6. Ra- 

 ther common on the marsh, where they undoubtedly breed. 

 A female taken, June 9, with a perfect egg in the oviduct. 

 Eight or ten pairs were taken during June, and the males 

 differed, upon dissection, invariably from the females in 

 lacking the ashy crown, in having the cervical stripes but 

 faintly tinted with cinnamon, and the scapulars and inter- 

 scapulars with dark centres, lightening up at the edges. The 

 females were all of the typical plumage. The confiding man- 

 ner and graceful, pleasing beauty of these birds, both when 

 sitting so lightly upon the water or skimming smoothly 

 through the air, strikes the observer most forcibly. 1 know 

 of no other bird the destruction of which will cause 

 deeper regret even to the enthusiastic ornithologist. Very 

 unlike the next species, they prefer the quiet, unrippled 

 pools, and never venture out en turbulent water. 



77. Lobipes hyperboreus, Northern Phaiarope.— Two flocks, 

 of perhaps seventy-five each, made their appearance upon 

 the lake May 18, and remained about ten days. Their manner 

 of flight iu compact flocks, and their appearance upon the 

 water, is very like the foregoing ; but they prefer the larger 

 Jakes and deeper water, sailing with exceeding beauty away 



out on the turbulent waves, far beyond gun-shot range. 

 Their flight is very swift. One end of Lake Como reaches tq, 

 within a few rods of the railroad. While passing one day 1 

 observed what proved to be the wing of a phaiarope fastened 

 to the telegraph wire. Examining the ground I found three 

 dead phalaropcs, one of them with a wing smoothly severed 

 from its body, and scarcely a drop of blood upon its delicate 

 plumage. 



78. Qallinago wilsoni, Snipe.— One bird taken at dusk May 

 5, and another about two weeks later. I think they make 

 their appearance but rarely there. 



79. Macrorliamphus griseus scolopaceu-8, Ked-Breasted Snipe. 

 —Two taken May 5. Afterward common for three weeks or 

 more. 



80. Tringa minutilla, Least Sandpiper.— A single specimen 

 taken May 2. 



[81. Tringa bairdii, Baird's Sandpiper.— Rather common 

 on the lake early in September in scattering flocks.— G. B. G.J 



82. Calidris arenarea, Sanderling. —One taken with Wil- 

 Bon's snipe May 5. 



83. Totanus semipahnatus, Willet.— First taken May 2. 

 Rather common for about two weeks, 



84. T. melanoleucus, Greater Telltale.— One specimen se- 

 cured May 2. 



85. T. fl(ivipes,'Lessor Telltale. — One specimen taken May 5. 



86. Tringoides macularius, Spotted Sandpiper.— May 3. 

 Not common till about the 15th near the shores of the lake 

 and creek. 



87. AcUlurus bartrameus, Upland Snipe.— One specimen 

 May 5. 



88. Numenius hngirostris, Long-Billed Curlew.— Not seen 

 till the first week in June, but afterward several flocks upon 

 the upland. I have found this bird difficult to approach upon 

 the plains, but scarcely so when feeding in the smaller streams. 



89. Ardea herodias, Blue Crane. — One specimen. 



90. Botaurus minor, Stake Driver. 



91. Porzana Carolina, Carolina Rail. — Common. 



92. Fulica americana, Coot.— April 22, a single one seen. 

 Afterward very abundant, a few apparently staying all sum- 

 mer. 



93. Branta canadensis, Canada Goose.— Nest was found in 

 the marsh May 2, built up securely with reeds and sticks 

 about eighteen inches above the water. Eggs, seven, fresh. 



94. Anas boscluts, Mallard.— Abundant. Nest with ten 

 fresh eggs in a tuft of grass in the marsh, May 11. Another 

 nest with the same number of nearly hatched eggs, June 25. 



95. Dafila acuta, Pintail. — A. single male that had been 

 killed nearly three weeks previously and thrown into the 

 snow, was found upon my arrival, but none were seen after- 

 ward. [Very abundant, however, on the lake about Septem- 

 ber 1, and for two weeks thereafter. — G. B. G] 



96. Chaulelasmus streperus, Gad wall. — May 4. A nest with 

 eight fresh eggs was taken with the female, June 16. The 

 nest was built among wire grass, near a small brook. It was 

 neatly made of grass, and warmly lined with feathers. In 

 sweeping insects for two weeks previous, I had daily brushed 

 the grass immediately about her without disturbing her or 

 discovering the nest. Finally, when about to step on the 

 bird, she flew. She had evidently laid her full complement 

 of eggs, as none were added in nearly a week. 



97. Querquedula carolinensis, Green- Winged Teal. — 

 Through the earlier part of May this duck was the most 

 abundant of all. A very few remain during the summer. 

 [Numerous in September.] 



98. Q. discors, Blue-Winged Teal.— First seen April 24. 

 A few afterward during May and June, but not at all com- 

 mon. [Very abundant late in August,] 



99. Q. cyarwptera, Cinnamon-Breasted Tea], — Thi3 beauti- 

 ful duck was very abundant. Almost, if not quite, the last 

 to arrive, not an individual was seen, although looked for 

 eagerly, till May 5, when a male was shot. Two more were 

 taken during the following weeks, but by the first week in 

 June they were there by thousands. Their nests are con- 

 cealed among the thick marsh grass with the utmost care. 



100. Spatula clypeata, Shoveller. — Rather common on the 

 lake. The first specimen was taken May 1. A nest with 

 seven eggs was taken near inland pond. The nest consisted 

 of a few stems and leaves of the sage brush and feathers, and 

 was placed on a high bank among sage brush. The female 

 on leaving had covered the eggs with twigs and leaves of 

 sage, so that the nest was only observable from the few feath 

 ers scattered over it. 



101. Fuligula affinis, Lesser Scaup,— Rather common, and 

 remaining through the summer. 



102. F. ferina americana, Redhead.— May 3. Not uncom- 

 mon. A female of this species was caught in rather a singu- 

 lar manner. A companion while hunting raised his gun to 

 shoot at a pair flying over his head. His last cartridge missed 

 fire, and in hia disappointment at losing the shot, he yelled 

 loudly, whereupon the female, apparently bewildered, 

 dropped into the water and was easily caught by the retriever. 



[108. Bucephala (?) clangnla, Golden Eye. — A single fe 

 male was taken on the lake September 20. Unfortunately, 

 the skin was not preserved. It did not differ apparently from 

 the ordinary bird of the East, but it is possible that it may 

 have been B. islandica. — M. G.] 



104. Mergus merganser, Goosander.— Not seen till June, 



confining themselves wholly to the creek for a week or two, 



probably for the reason that the " Siredons " of the lake had 



not yet made their appearance and the largest of its other in- 



| habitants were small amphipod Crustacea (Oammarm), 



[105. Mergus serrator, Red-Breasted . Merganser. This 

 species was abundant on Rock Creek throughout September. 

 — M. G.] 



106. Laws deletmrensis, Ring- Billed Gull. Common in 

 early spring to middle of June. 



107. L. Philadelphia, Bonaparte's Gull. A dozen speci- 

 mens seen May 2 to 17. The rosy tint of the breast was 

 usually so faint that its detection depended mostly upon the 

 imagination. 



108. HydrocheUdon nigra, Short-Tailed Tern. One speci- 

 men taken on the marsh May 20. 



109. Podiceps auritus californicus, Eared Grebe. No bird 

 is so characteristic of the lake, and none so common as this. 

 A single individual was seen May 4, and in a week there 

 were thousands covering the lake for acres. I do not remem- 

 ber ever seeing one leave the water. They begau to lay their 

 eggs about the 2d or 3d of June. One can hardly speak of 

 their nests, for they have none. Out in the water, sometimes 

 where four feet in depth, a few reeds are broken down to 

 float upon the surface, thus forming a sort of a raft upon 

 which the eggs are laid, almost invariably five in number. 

 In more than a score of such precarious nests hardly one of 

 the eggs was dry, but lying more or less ia the water. I 

 never saw a female upon the eggs, nor, indeed, could I under- 

 stand how they were ever deposited upon so frail structures. 

 I was told that the year previously the agent had, in a few 

 hours one afternoon, gathered sixty dozen fresh eggs, which 

 were used for food 1 



MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



Notes ox Artuvae, Presence and Defartutie op 

 (Mostly) Watee Birds at and near Clark's Island, 

 Plymouth, Mass,, from May 1 to Dec. 36, 1852. 



By F, C. Browne. 



(Continued from page 185.) 



Sept. 10.— The least terns left very early ; all gone by Sept. 

 1, I think. 



Sept. 11.— Obtained one Hudsonian curlew (If. Eudsoni- 

 aus); rare here. 



One of the islanders shot a wader, which looked strange to 

 him, and brought it lo me. I soon identified it as the long- 

 legged sandpiper of Aud. (now stilt sandpiper, MUropahima 

 himantopus), the first I ever saw. Mr. W. says "he has 

 shot individuals occasionally; not so much of late years.'* 



Sept. 17.— Turnstone still here. First/red-backed sandpiper 

 (T. alpind) seen. 



Sept. 30.— Full arrival red-back sandpiper 



Oct. 1.— Jaegers seen. Early? Probably S. parasiticus, 

 but not identified. 



Oct. 3.— Surprised to see a large number of swallows— the 

 white-bellied (T. bicolor)— this morning. Is not such a flight 

 very unusual so late as October? 



Oct. 4.— Saw a few Bonaparte's sandpiper. Sanderling 

 still abundant, and by good management large numbers can 

 be obtained. I brought to bag 47 at a single rakin^ shot 

 Observed graybacks (T. canutm) last week, and two pectoral 

 S. (T. maculata) to day ; very late. I'ellow-legs (T. melana- 

 leucus) still about. No golden plover (V. mrginianus) seen 

 for a week past, aud piping plover (M. mtloda) been gone 

 several weeks. Ring plover (<M. semipalmata) still in con- 

 siderable numbers. 



Oct. 5.— Velvet and surf ducks passing South in a constant 

 succession of flocks; saw at least 1,000 go by the Gurnet 

 Nose in two hours. Seen no long-tails (H. glacialh) yet The 

 fowl have not yet begun to stop on the feeding-grounds. 

 (" muscle-bed " in the channel). Mr. W. says these first 

 comers are old birds, and never stop to feed here. Merlin 

 sers reported to-day. Dusky ducks about in small flocks - 

 feed near the island. G. shot an adult red-throated loon (O 

 septentrionalis) last week; seldom obtained. Black-back 

 gull (L. 7/iarinus) arrived from N. 



Oct. 0.— Saw a diver m immature plumage ; size inte 

 ate, between glacialis and septmtrionalis. Mr. W. says the 

 variety is well known to him, and he does not consider the 

 young very rare, but never saw the adult. Says the gunners 

 know it as the " grayback loon." It seems as if this must bet 

 aretitm, although not allowed by any authorities as a Massa- 

 chusetts-coast bird. 



Oct. 8.— Five or six hundred T. bicolor still hovering over 

 and darting about the island, and skimming the smooth 

 water between us and Saquish. First flock brant. 



Oct. 12.— Change of weather and northerly winds, catrdno 

 the swallows to leave us. 



Oct. 16.— A single wild pigeon visited the island 



Oct. 19.— Observed one black guillemot (XT. grylle) imma 

 tur3 plumage; rare here 



Oct. ,24. -A flock of golden plover alighted on the island. 

 Very late. Mr. yy. says there is almost every year a small 

 flight of black breasts (Scj. helvetica) as late as this Snow- 

 bird (J. hyemalu) and pipe finch (GhrysonUm» pinus) arrived 

 from N. 



Nov. 1.— Occasional flocks of geese. No troop "fowl (F 

 mania) or whistlers (B. c languid) seen yet, though due 



Nov. 10.— Both marila and clangula observed since last 



* This example calls lor more tlian a passing notice. It appears to 

 Have been Ms first of the speeiea obtained on the New England coast 

 It lay unnoticed in my cabinet for more than twenty years, I being mis'- 

 led as to the character of Us presence by the experience of Mr. W as 

 abovi given (he having been born on the Island and shot and fished in 

 its vicinity for fifty years), and I being so situated as not to be able to 

 keep posted in ornithological matters. In a review of Dr. Brew.r's 

 List id Jan., 187T, number mttaU Bulletin, by H. A. Purdie (foot-note 

 p. 17), this instance la recorded, which record Is apparently overlooked, 

 by Br. Brewer in writing me New England History of the species 

 under date of Oct. 3, 1977, published in Proc. Boston Soo. N, H., vol 

 six ; aa he there states that " without doubt the first specimen known* 

 to have been taken In any of the J). E. States " was shot la Swampscot 

 ini8a7ori853, * 



