226 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Oct, 18, 1883. 



Bad lii-- feet keeping time to the ''Arkansas Traveler," 

 ilftnoj Musk," ".Ionian's a Hard Road," and at last, for 



mi especial delectation. •■Dixie." Itistruethe bridge was 

 in hack wan I. and tliat to giro depth and lone to the instru- 

 ment. Pike had jail three snake rattles in it; the bow had 

 uoi more than a dozen hairs, but there was a sincerity and 

 into i it v of purpose which was a certain compensation. One 

 more story of Pike. He was out on a bear hum, and becom- 

 ing separated from the rest, suddenly found the bear at his 

 heels. He ran and climbed the first tree he reached, the 

 bear followed, Pike ran out on a limb, the bear ran out on 

 tin- same limb. By this time the other hunters were at the 

 loot of the tree, anil just in time to hear Pike wildly ex- 

 claim, waving his hand's at the frightened animal, "Go back! 



' back] you <l d fool, if yon don'! the limb'll break and 



kill us both:" 



Stephen Cunningham, guardian of the Big Tree forest, is 

 also a pioneer in this county, having traded with the Indians 

 hereabout thirty four years ago. In spite of his wild life lie 

 has lost nothing of the courtesy of manner and refinement of 

 language acquired in his youth. From him 1 learned Hie 

 following legends, which he. translated from the Indian 

 tongue, and which have been published, but in a garbled 

 form: 



"On one occasion all the fire went out iu the world, and 

 tin- animals held a convention to discuss the best means ot 

 once o ore gaininsr control of that necessary element, They 

 found I hat there was a flame far in the Sierras, guarded by 

 th,ree Wicked women, who, like the ©Mesa, had but one eye. 

 The chipmunk, beingtko smallest, animal, was selected as 

 b ing most likely lo evade the eye. and he accordingly was 

 sent to steal Ihe dame. This lie' succeeded in doing anil gave 

 'In- burning tuft of grass to the squirrel, who gave if to the 

 fox, he to the wolf, iie to the coyote: then it passed upward 

 to the California lion, each animal having distributed the Are 

 on his way. At length, however, they reached the Merced 

 River, and encountered the difficulty of carrying the tire 

 across. The beavers were called into requisition, leveled 

 their dam, and forming in a line, received the binning log 

 upon Iheir tails. It rolled so constantly asthev swam across 

 the water, that it burned all the hair" oft' their tails, since 

 which lime the naturalist finds thai beavers have no hair 

 growing upon that, portion of their bodies. 



Another and very poetic legend is of Tissaack, the God 

 fleas of the Valley, who was supposed to dwell upon the 

 South Dome in the Yo Semite. She is described as of won- 

 drous and radiant beauty. From her dimpled shoulders 

 grew cloud-like wings, over which fell her sunny hair, like 

 go den water falling over rocks; her little feet were like the 

 snow tufts on ihe pines iu winter, the instep arched like the 

 -living of a bow. and her voice had the sweet, sad tone of 

 the night bird in the woods. Tutoekanuulah (El Capitanj 

 dwelt at. Hie other end of the valley. He was one of a race 

 ol giants, and was endowed with the power of governing 

 lie- crops and was treated by the Indians with solemn rever- 

 ence, a silence falling upon the valley whenever he walked 

 through the meadows. But an evil season came, the rve 

 trrass refused Lo grow, the pools fell dry, the fish died in the 

 river, the "acorn trees" wilted, and I he people, hemmed in 

 in the valley by hostile Indians, were threatened with star- 

 vation. Tutoekanuulah descended from his cliff and was 

 met by taiinls and jeers. Discouraged and helpless, he lifted 

 his, arm-, toward Tissaack. appealing for aid. She flew down 

 to his assistance as lightly as the snow falls in winter, 

 anil that night, a frightful crash was heard; half of Ihe South 

 Dome flew off iu fragments, and through Ihe chasm the 

 Waters rushed down from Lake Tenaya, forming Mirror Lake. 

 The fish found Ihe cool waters, the lands were irrigated, 

 and happiness reigned. Tutoekanuulah stems to have had 

 a jealous disposition, and became so enraged against Hunta 

 (watching eye) who dwelt upon what is now called the 

 Washington Column, that he demanded assistance, captured 

 Tissaack, and secured her in his rocky home. She escaped 

 him, however, and as he rushed forward to pursue her, he 

 was suddenly transformed to stone, and to this day may be 

 seen upon The face of El Capitan. his mantle floating behind 

 him. and his upraised hand pointing toward the setting sun. 



Cunningham lives in solitude among the mammoth trees, 

 where he makes little ornaments of the wood and cones, to 

 sell to tourists. He had an odd visitor the other day; a phleg- 

 matic German who, hearing some one say of the Garfield 

 tree "How is (hat for high?" and perceiving that it, was a 

 joke, called a friend aside and inquired with beaming court 

 lenance. "How high you tink was dot tree?" 



Mi-. Snow, who keeps the hotel at Nevada Palls, is a per 

 feet Widow Bedott, Through all the season she entertains 

 the travelers each day with the same set of jokes, and her 

 conversation certainly tends to amuse one during the dinner 

 hour in her hotel. There is a certain advantage in antici- 

 pating what one is going to laugh at — there is never any 

 shock about it. She will walk quietly past vou and say, 

 ■Snow tails lightly." She will tell you I hero are eleven feet 

 of snow there, and explain that Mr. Snow is six and she is 

 live feet, and she will tell you that all the vegetables are 

 raised there— on mule back, and that no one need ever come 

 there to die as there is not enough ground to bury one in, 

 and she will quo!,' hymns with a beautiful fervor and assure 

 you that she lias a better home than any this earth can oifer. 

 Willi a degree of certainty which cannot fail to inspire one 

 with equal confidence. 



Calvin, the oldest hunter at the station, is a whole-souled 

 and genial child of ihe woods, and so full of quaint expres- 

 sions ami ideas, that we have all interlarded our conversa- 

 tion with phrases borrowed from his vocabulary. He is our 

 chosen friend, and wandering through the forests or sitting 

 around tUC camp-fire on one of the cold, starlit nights, thai 

 one rinds so refreshing in these mountains, one could not, ask 

 a more entertaining companion. Indeed, we look hack upon 

 Our stay here as Saving introduced us to so much in char- 

 acter study, in superb scenery, in shooting and fishing, and 

 in that delicious idleness that is unattainable ill the hurry of 

 city life or of a too crowded resort, that I rather wonder at 

 niv generosity in introducing so charming a spot to general 

 attention. We leave it with regret, and with the feeling 

 that we are parting with some cherished possession. Our 

 guns and rods steal back into their cases and become once 

 more inanimate, not to seem again endowed with a person- 

 ality until the call of the canvas-back is heard in the laud, 

 and" tiie grilse come slowly back into San Francisco Bay 

 from iheir explorations in the Pacific. 



With regard to trees, I passed part of ray youth in th« 

 shade of Burnham Beeches, and have now the, happiness of 

 living amid my own "green retreats " I am not surprised 

 i ,l,i' ancients worshipped trees. Lakes and mountains, 

 however glorious for a, tune, iu time weary. Sylvan seenery 

 aever paHa.-~Letterfrom Lord Bearrmsjidd, 



tntui[iil fi$tary. 



AN AMATEUR ANIMAL TRAINER. 



Edihr Forest, aid Stream: 



The following may be of interest lo your teal ers who all. 

 or at least the greater part of them, have at some period of 

 their lives been excited over the arrival of a circus, and have 

 gazed with delightful thrills at the man who entered the 

 lions' cage. Few know how these "kingsof the de - t" ire 

 tamed and made to obey man. 



The experiences I am about, to relate are not those of a 

 professional tamer (for such a trade exists), but of an ama- 

 teur. There are many amateurs in all professions, from tin- 

 rival of the Swiss guide whoseali/s tic- Matrerlioiii unaided, 

 to the bookbinder who disdains professional help with his 

 edition de luxe, but 1 think lam correct in saying that there 

 exists but one who from love of the art has made the taming 

 of wild beasts his hobby. Although a young man he is quite 

 appreciated by his professional "brethren." Mr. T. 8. W. 

 has been successful with some eight or ten lions, a leopard. 

 and four wolves, all of which animals he has more or less 

 domesticated. 



Regular rules for training cannot be laid down; each 

 trainer has his own theories on the subject and works accord- 

 ingly, adapting them lo Ihe disposition of Ids pupil. Of 

 course instant obedience is the very fir- 1 and foremost. This 

 cannot be brought about, as Some fondly believe, by kind- 

 ness and gentleness such as ladies practice with a favorite 

 horse. They would he utterly out of place iu a lion's cage. 

 Modern tamers have yet to learn Daniel's secret. The whip 

 is the train's nub- mecum— not an ordinary driving whip, 

 but a short, heavy weapon of lead and plaited leather, which 

 is securely fastened to the wrist. In his whip, in the fas- 

 cination of his stead v gaze and his nerve the trainer places 

 his faith. 



There is little or no dancer the first or second time of en- 

 tering a new pupil's cage; the animal is frightened and fre- 

 quently Iries to escape (of course 1 am speaking of lions born 

 in captivity), but idler these first visits Ihe danger is there. 

 depending more or less in degree on the impression Ihe 

 trainer may have caused. 



Training does not begin until the animal has attained his 

 full growth, i. e., from ten months to one vear. The lion 

 will after this age increase in breadth and weight, but nol iu 

 height. The cub loses iis teeth at nine months, and during 

 this process the greatest risk of death is run. 



Ten minutes is the average lesson for the first week, filter- 

 ward increased to half au hour and more. After havingbeen 

 put through their exercises, each lion is given about two 

 litres of warm milk, which has the effect of soothing and 

 quieting their nerves. 



One of the most difficult tricks to teach animals is to jump 

 through a burning hoop— the hoop being surrounded with 

 cotton soaked in spirits of wine and ignited. The plan 

 adopted is to run a partition across the cage. He- hoop form 

 ing the only opening. The animals are then driven with the 

 whip, and," finding no other means of escape, an forced 

 pass through the names. This is repeated several times a 

 day until they become accustomed to it. 



Short words of command and short names are the best— 

 "Cush"(lay down), "here," "up." and "over" are all that are 

 necessary — Minka, Rex, Venus, Pluto, etc., are favorite 

 names. 



Mr. T. S. W. lias bad several accidents, none of which. 

 however, have been serious. On oue occasion, wdiile pre- 

 paring to put his lions through the burning hoop, a drop of 

 burning spirit fell on the back of the largest lioness. .Mad- 

 dened with pain she instantly sprang on him, knocking him 

 against the end of the cage and striking her hind claws into 

 his thigh, and passing over his head' with the right paw. 

 Fortunately Mr. AT. still kept the whip in his hand, and 

 aiming a blow with the heavy handle under her jaw. 

 knocked her off, and with the vigorous use of the lash suc- 

 ceeded in backing out of the cage. On another occasion. 

 Mr. W. was mauled while taking the young of a lioness. 

 Men with red hot iron bars were stationed outside Ihe cage 

 to keep the infuriated beast off. she nevertheless succeeded 

 in giving him a severe scratching. 



However fascinating this subduing may be to Ihe fairsex, 

 I doubt the "dude" adopting il as a means of success. 

 Whatever the precautious may be. then' is always a certain 

 amount of danger and risk. ' An Eye Witness, 

 Copenhagen. 



OTAGO ACCLIMATIZATION SOCIETY. 



r piIE energetic efforts of this vigorous body lo introduce 

 i into New Zealand useful mammals, birds and (isles 

 still continue, though with certain species they have not hem 

 successful. From Ihe report of last year we take the follow- 

 ing notes iu regard to ihe birds and mammals: 



Black Game.— These valuable birds, of which four cocks 

 and six hens were liberated in Clvdevale by our manager in 

 April, 1879, have not been seen at all daring Ihe past vear, 

 It is to be feared that they have died or fieen shol by poachers; 

 at auy rate no practical result has come out of the experi- 

 ment. This is a matter for regret, as we found il wry diffi- 

 culf to gel permission to take the black-cock at all from pro- 

 prietors' lands in Scotland, and when we did gel, some eighty 

 together, Mr. Bills, who was collecting them for us only got 

 twenty on to the ship alive. They appear to be difficult lo 

 handle and rear iu confinement. 



Pheasants and Partridges.— The pheasants and partridges 

 also, we arc sorry to report, have become vevy scarce. Al 

 Waitahuua Tuapeka West, where five years ago the part- 

 ridges were observed in coveys, and these were many, there 

 is not a bird almost now to be seen. The same is true of 

 West Taieri and other parts— while the pheasants have eu- 

 tirely dissappeared from most of their old haunts and are 

 very hard to be seen anywhere, unless in a few very rough 

 and remote gorges. It is a very serious question for t tie 

 Society how it is, not merely that our few black-cock have 

 dissappeared, but that the pheasants and partridges, which 

 might be reckoned by hundreds at least, all over the coast 

 line of Otago. a few years ago. are becoming gradually exter- 

 minated. Considering the maiked success of the two latter 

 game birds for years subsequently to their introduction to 

 Otago, and that'now an odd one or two are only lo be met, 

 within remote mountain gorges or unfrequented places 

 where no one shoots, the conclusion is forced on your 

 Council that poaching must be the principal cause ot this. 



Quail and Grouse.— The California quail are doing fairly 

 well at Quecustowu, Goodwood and a few other li lities 

 Of mountain quail a second shipment of eighty came from 

 California in March, also leu pintail grouse. Of the former 



six died on the voyage and seven after landing, although 

 they were very fat; and of (he latter one died on thi 

 The survivors were liberated ai Ihe loot of the Hock and 

 Pillar Mountains by Mr. Deans, but have not since been 

 heard Of. 



Miuas. — The minas turned out at, Ooodwood are occasion- 

 ally seen there. 



Blackbirds and Thrashes.— These birds continue to ihiive. 

 and the latter are getting much more numerous than thej 



were, although there are few of them compared ti lac] 



birds. They appear to be more shy than they are athome. 

 We have distributed twenty-two blackbirds and twelve 

 thrushes during the year. 



Millings,— The starlings continue to Ibrive, and ha\e 

 spread themselves over many parts of the province. They 

 secin lo build in tall trees and in rocks and rocky gorges, such 

 as that of the Sutton stream. They are know n' to kill vast 

 numbers of catei pillars. One remarkable case of ll 

 these insects on Conical Hills station may be mentioned, where 

 the starlings came ten miles from their haunts and cleared off 

 the Whole Tot in a few days. We have distributed 313 of 

 these hlrds during the year, as particularized in the appen- 

 dix to tin- 

 Australian Plover. — These birds, which were liberated on 

 the Lauder slatiou in March, 1881. have not been heard of 

 during ihe past year. It is to be hoped, however, that they 

 have nol disappeared, as they were quite vigorous when 

 turned out. 



Other Insect Birds.— The Wellington Society got 32 of 

 those useful little insect eaters, the hedge sparrows, from us 

 during 1882. 



Shags. — The shags, which are perhaps the greatest eni my 

 we know of to our limit, have been outlawed bv us, and out- 

 shining a. head offered for them. Although we have had 

 special trips made by Ranger Burt to kill them, and private 

 individuals have shot a number of them, yet, owing no doubt 

 to their natural vigilance, we can only record 8456 as having 

 been destroyed during the year. 



Deer— The red, fallow and axis deer coutiune lo hold 

 their own. but we have not received much information lately 

 about them-. 



Hares. — ! These ore now so numerous that they might 

 safely be taken out of the game list, yet we deem it better 

 at present to retain the license in force for killing them. 



THE BIRDS OF PROSPECT PARK. 



HAVING been, for a number of years past, a constant 

 Observer of the various species of birds which frequent 

 Prospect Park, and of their habits, I feel called upon to offer 

 a word in their behalf. Few people who visit our beautiful 

 Park realize what a harbor it affords the birds. Then- t hey 

 are free from molestation and disturbance, for the "bogus" 

 collector, who. in rny opinion, is doing more harm lo Ihe 

 feathered songsters than ail the hawks and red squirrels, 

 cannot, carry on his work of extermination. The snakes jU 

 Ihe Park are very scarce and small, and Ihe hawks are not 

 numerous there to do any great amount of harm. The little 

 red rodent does not inhabit the Park, so that very few 

 enemies are left to destroy the birds and their nests.' The 

 gun throughout the country is making sad havoc among the 

 Inseasores or insectivorous birds, while in the hands of lawless 

 boys and men, who shoot them out of sheer cruelty. Tin- 

 birds are quick to see that in the Park they are under protec- 

 tion, aed consequently Mock to it from all quarters, and each 

 -in si i ding year the number of individuals and species have 

 increased. The bouufifulsupply of lurries and the extensive 

 lawns afford an ample supply of food, while a luxurious 

 growth of trees answers all the requisites for nesting pur- 

 poses. The small ponds contain fish, which are preyed upon 

 by Ihe belted kingfishers and gulls, and the miniature snipe 

 beds bordering on these Sheets Of water, are frequented by 

 great numbers of Ihe smaller variety of snipe, f have pre- 

 pared a list, giving the pames of the birds wdiich inhabit our 

 Park, and am certain us to their identity: 



American robin, Ki ul ■■'■■ atojria, 



Wilson's thrush, Uylockhlu fusa , 



Wood thrush, lljjUxiel la „','/,„,. 



Gray -cheeked thrush. BylocicKh alteim. 



Eusset backed thrush. HylocicMa ustulqta 



Hermit thrush, Hylwirlihi llMtUt«e<£ p&Uati. 



Olive-backed thrush. Uyfockhla ustulaUt smiinmiii. 



Mocking bird, MimiiH polyijlaltMiS. 



Cat fii I'd. Giileo.virples rrimliiu imiit. 



Brown thrasher, llarpnrhynrhiix rufns. 



Bluebird. Sialia wa 



Blue-gray guateatcher, PoUopi&a etendea 1 . 



Ruby-crowned kinglet, Hryuhix nitrndntn. 



Golden-crowned kinglet, licyulu* autrnpii. 



Black-crested til mouse, Ij-ptmph itnx iitrnrrintittiis. 



Slender-billed nuthatch, ®tta carolifii „nis. 



Brown creeper, OertJliafamttuuH* m,.rmiini. 



House wren. TnigfodyO.* mdou. 



Winter wren, Anort/tuni tr<)ijni<lyt.t* lii,ti,nili*. 



Black and white creeper. Mnintiltii airia, 



Blue-winged yellow warbler. Hdmirtthoplujiga ffilVUB. 



Golden-winged warbler. JTefanint/icp/taga cju ysoptera. 



Blue yellow-hack warbler. Papula a>iueriettn<i. 



Summer yellow bird, /kudnn-i, nvtirn. 



Black-throated blue warbler, Lkndnv,-,' ,, -■■<' 



Chestnut-sided warbler, lkmlm-ea piinixi/lriinirn. 



Black-poll warbler. Jkudnecn sh'Mta. 



Blackburuian warbler. Lkitdmn, htwlhumia. 



Golden-cheeked warbler. Dendrata ehrynoparkt. 



Pine-creeping warbler, Ikiidnrr<i 



Golden-crowned thrush, Siitrtt.s unrinipillin. 



Small-billed water thrush, 



.Mourning warbler. Vtvd/ilypix phi'lmhlphin. 



Maryland yellow-throat, Geethlypi» triehu 



Yellow-breasted chat, U-t, rin mmut. 



American redstart. Setop/uiffu rttthitln. 



Red-eyed vireo, ]'frr»*i/t'<iit nlinu; ,i. 



Warbling vireo, I r iretmlvia gilm. 



Cellar wax wing, Aiitpilin cedmrrim 



Bain swallow, IHntwh, ryt/i /■",;,, „< -, 



While-bellied swallow. '/'•"•hyri... 



Scarlet tanager, Pynnipn "."■.■■■ 



Purple finch. Citrpoditrnx pvrpvren*. 



American goldfinch. AMroi/nUitnr 



Titlark sparrow. Ptmtmulw nut/nun*. 



White crowned sparrow, ZuMtrichiu ft uwph-rya. 



While-throalcd sparrow. Zoimtrr 



Chipping sparrow, Spizdln domestica. 



Black snowbird, •/"urn /up/imhs. 

 Field sparrow . Spmlla jfasilla. 

 Song sparrow. Mulospizafascuila. 

 Chewiuk. Pipiln rrythruphtluduiiii. 



