244 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



| Oct. 25, 1883. 



hour or so occasion for a Hvely discharge from our 1 



guns. They were a ".wifie-awake" game, risii ith« 



and sailing away, often going over our heads bel 



iv.' ivt'iv aware of their passage: twenty-four brace w __ 

 bagged in six hours. This was doing splendidly, considering 

 we were billing two or three only at each. shot. 



The African hare is much similar to the European auitnal 

 of similar name. Tliey are swifter and are more cunning in 

 avoiding 'he hounds or the sportsman's gun, perhaps. It 

 was a cruel sight to see some of these little animals after 

 having both hind legs broken, run for a considerable di.-tauci 

 before tiring overtaken by the hounds ami killed. Thi, 

 arose from our had shooting. We had momentarily forgot 

 ten Si. Hubert's tules, and instead of shooting at" the head 

 as we should have done when the hare is "running open" or 

 away, we had aimed for the white feather, thus breaking 



tin legs in an unsportsmanlike manner. 



By the sun our guide (for be carried aq time-piece) re- 

 marked that it was twelve o'clock, and that we would do 

 well to rest and look into our lunch pouch. None of the 

 parly seemed in the least disinclined to the offer, and soon 

 we were all stretched upon the rocks eating our rations, I 

 was surprised to remark the indifference- of the natives at the 

 approach of u scorpion. They appeared in no way hostile 

 to them, and treated them as wc should our house hies. 

 These ugly insects would crawl up within a few feet, rais- 

 ing their tails in the most defiant rummer when a stick was 

 presented to them, yet accepting the crumbs which I threw 

 them with apparently marked satisfaction, carrying them to 

 their holes in Ihc rocks. The bite of the scorpion is not 

 deadly, but the poison seems lo act much more powerfully 

 upon some persons than in others: this is probably due. iu 

 part to i lie state of the blood at the time of the puncture. The 

 natives seem to think nothing of theii stings, and employ au 



luleof the most excellent kind. If bitten they immediately 



secure the iuseel which has done I he harm, cut: away the 

 tail, in which is contained the sting and poisonous venom. 

 crush the rest of the body between two stones, and apply to 

 the wounded pari. Inflammation cannot set in if the appli- 

 cation has been done iu time, aud the annoyance of the bite 

 iswithin an hour complelelj* dispelled. There is .(tl o an 

 herb which is said to ai I at an atrtidbte, but the one justde- 

 scrlbed is generally reported to. The most deadly aud dan- 

 gerous of scorpions an tl ibTack scorpions of Ceylon These 

 insects are really dangerous. The scorpions of Italy, though 

 they cau inflict a severe puncture, arc not as poisonous as 

 those Of Africa. There we have killed Ihem in our bedroom 

 on retiring at night, and the impression such a hunt leaves 

 with one is anything but an agreeable one to (bream upon. 



hi disposed of, we started upon our tramp home, 

 killing game on the way to our hearts' enjoyment. The next 

 morning, with donkeys' saddled, we continued our inward 

 journey , aud put up again for the. night. 



[TO BE COXTTNt'ED.] 



ula 



latitml WiMotti. 



NORTH AMERICAN CERVIDv^E. 



THE followiug extracts are taken from a chapter on this 

 subject by George Bird Griunell, Ph. D., in the forth- 

 coraing book, '"'Sport with Gkm and Rod:" 



Six unquestioned species of deer inhabit North America. 

 These are Hie moose [Ai& anurieona — 3ard.), the barren 



ground caribou (Btmyifi-r grn:jd<indi?its—BmT<i). the elk 

 : ' ; ■ , ,■.;,,, .!;,■. ..'"•. - li h hi ii.i, the mule deer (Cii.t-oic/.. .;.-,!■■ 

 • -■■< 'S ivi Gray ', the black-tail deer (Uintrns cohnii'<,i,, 

 (Rich.) Gravj. and the Virginia deer (Ctirinnm Tirgiittttmu 

 (Bodd.) Gray). Beside these, there are several geographical 

 races or varieties, the zoological status of some of which is, 

 however, doubtful. The woodland caribou is a distinct race of 

 the Arctic reindeer, and the California form of the mule deer 

 appears also to lie a good variety. In the several supposed 

 races of Cirriani.x eii-yiidu ti u.i, such as uiitxitintx, kiifurtia, 

 mexkanus and oouw, size appears to be the distinguishing 

 Varietal characteristic In the six species already mentioned, 

 we have every variety of size and form, from the gigantic 

 moose, which is taller than the largest horse, dowu to the 

 little dwarf deer of Arizona, which at the withers measures 

 sen i oily thirty-two inches in height. Not less is the differ- 

 ence in grace and beauty of form between the various North 

 American members of this family. On the one hand Stands 

 the Virginia deer, whose very name is symbolical of elegance 

 and beauty of motion; on the other, the moose, huge, 

 ungainly, and, in most of its movements, awkward. With 

 a head more hideous than that of a mule, a neck so short 

 that it cannot reach the ground, legs of immense length, and 

 huge horns shaped like coal shovels, it is as far as possible 

 from being graceful or attractive. But regard it with the 

 hunter's eye, as, when startled, ii dashes along with swing- 

 ing trot, crashing through the forest aud making the dead 

 Bti is snap and liv te its impetucas career tseingiatts 

 stride without any apparent effort the ureal, lalleu logs that 

 lie in iis course, and in a moment disappearing shadow^like 

 among the bare tree I rucks in the distance, and it, will be 

 acknowledged that, if not a graceful, it is at least a grand 

 animal. Most of the North American deer, however, are 

 beautiful and graceful 



Before speaking in delail of the various species of (Arpii/ir 

 found in North America, it is desirable to explain just what 

 a deer is. 



Roughly speaking, all hoofed animals are contained in 

 the owlet 'Unyitlutit. . . . The group is a very large one, 

 its families being the horses, tapirs, rhinoceroses, hippopo- 

 tami, hogs, camels, musk-deer, ticei. gii-alfc. aud the Bt<rM,i:, 

 in which stand the cattle, sheep ad intelopes. The order 



is divided into Prrrtxnodiirtyln arid Ar>w'/,iriyla, or odd and 

 even toed ungulates. The distinction between the living 

 representatives of these I wo groups is well marked, and the 

 division is a convenient one; but it is probable that the 

 future discovery of fossil forms of ungulates will show that 

 the artiodactylcsand perrissodactyles grade into one another, 

 so that il will be impossible accurately to define the terms. 

 Although these groups are loosely called odd-toed and even- 

 toed ungulates, "the fundamental difference between them 

 does not consist in the number of digits on the foot, but in 

 the fact that in the perrissodactyles the development of the 

 foot takes place in the Hue of the middle toe, which is un- 

 usually symmetrica) in itself, whereas intbe artiodactyJes 

 Hie I lord' and fourth digHsehare equally in this develop- 

 ment, and touetlic] form a symmetrical pair. 



To make this clear, it is perhaps necessary to go a little 

 further, ami, by explaining the manner of progression of 



two of the more familiar forms of the outer, to give an idea 

 of the construction of these two types' of ungulate foot, The 



i single 

 upot 



dsihle 



vliich 

 ity of 

 ng to the nail of the third or 

 middle finger in man. Comparing it with the human hand 

 and arm, it will be seen thai the fore leg of Ihc horse, from 

 the hoof to the fetlock joint, corresponds to the middle 

 finger, and the portion between the fetlock and what is 

 usually termed the knee, to the middle metacarpal— the 

 bone which lies between the knuckle of the third linger and 

 the wrist. Followiug the leg up toward the body, it ap- 

 pears that the "knee" of the horse is really its wrist ; that 

 the elbow is high up close to the body, whi'le the humerus 

 —the hone between the elbow and the shoulder— lies within 

 the body, and out of sight. In the hind leg a similar se- 

 ill be foimd, The animal walks on the tOe corres- 

 ponding to the third digit in the human foot, tin k ; 



the ankle, while the true knee is close to the body. The 

 horse, therefore, supports his weight on the third 'digit of 

 each foot. His thumb and little linger, and the first and 

 fifth digits of Ihc foot, have been wholly lost, but in I be 

 fore aud hind foot the metacarpals and metatarsals of the 

 second aud fourth digits still persist in the form of the 

 slender, sharp-pointed bones, called bv horsemen side-bones 

 or splints, which lie hidden beneath the skin, close to the 

 large' third digit, metacarpal or metatarsal 



Now the ox is an arliodactylc. His weight is supported 

 on the tips of two toes, which represent the third and fourth 

 digits of the human hand or foot, as Ihe ease mav be. The 

 first has been wholly lost, hut the second and fifth are rep- 

 resented by the two little suoplcmcularv hooflets behind 

 and above the main hoofs. The functional hoofs are sym- 

 metrical in paiis, the third and fourth digits being equally 

 developed, and faking an equal part in the constitution of 

 the foot and in performing its work. The metacarpals and 

 metatarsals of the third and fourth digits are equally devel- 



ichvlused togetl: 





oped, 1: 



a single lion 

 at their lov 

 The Qsntoc 



constructed 

 are also rut 



Artiothi-ty',. -vie! ,",,', 



I/Si (giraffe! and Bot ' 



All 'the Cereida a ,■ 

 distinguish this family 



Rut'irlii' are permanent t 

 bone of the skull, and 

 sheath, which is usually j 



' appear like 

 airfares 



ippmt th 

 the Artie 



that tl 

 distinct ar 



phalanges of the digit 



Ktyla, and their feel are 



9 those of the ox. They 



111 a sub-division of the 



vhich belong the (At utdapa r- 



e, sheep aud antelopes). 



nd these alone are enough to 

 riy other. The horns of the 

 mtgrowths from the frontal 

 losedin a horny epidermic 

 species — our 



prong-horn antelope — being the only exception to the rule. 

 These bony outgrowths, which form the core of the horn. 

 are usually permeated by large air sinuses, aud fiom this 

 fact the group have been called Oavkorpia ihollow-horned). 

 In the deer family, however, the horns are constructed on 

 quite a different plan. They are still outgrowths of bone 

 from the i'rontals, but the outer epidermic sheath incloses 

 them for a short time only, and as soon as their growth is 

 completed, is shed. The perfect horn is now mere dead 

 bone. It remains firmly attached to the skull for a few 

 mouths, and then drops off, to be renewed again the follow- 

 ing year. These horns are, in fact, true bones, and in their 

 constitution do not differ materially from the other bones of 

 the body. 



Their method of growth i- a! follows t From each of the 

 frontal bones tberc arisi short, 'out, process growing 



outward and upward, forming what is called the pedicel" 

 This pedicel is covered with "ordinary hairy skin, except 

 upon the upper flat circular surface" of its extremity, on 

 which the horn of the preceding year was supported. 

 Here the skin is uaked and black." lii the Spring, usuailv 

 about May 1, the time varying somewhat in different species* 

 and even 'in different individuals of ihe same species, this flat 

 surface becomes convex, gradually swells out ward, becomes 

 longer, unit soon takes the shape Of a short spike. At first it 

 is straight and swollen and shaped somewhat like a cucum 

 her. It is now little more than a mass of coagulated blood 

 inclosed in a sack of thin skin, which is covered by a coal 

 of line brown hair called "velvet," and during the first part 

 of its growth there is hut little trace of bony structure ap- 

 parent in it. The horn is soft to the touch, and may be 

 somewhat, compressed in the hand or bent a little in any 

 direction. It is hot and feverish, too, and the pulsation of 

 the arteries which supply it with blood maybe felt, [t is 

 also extremely sensitive and tender, aud the d'eeris extremely 

 careful to avoid striking it against the trees or undergrowth 

 near which he may pass. 



When the point is reached at which the first tine is to be 

 put oft', the extremity of that growing horn becomes some- 

 what flattened from side to side and then divides, the tine at 

 first being quite small, and increasing iu length much more 

 gradually than the beam. The same thing takes place with 

 each of the succeeding branches, so that the beam and all 

 ihe tines attain their full length at the same time. During 

 the whole period of their growth, the horns are abundantly 

 supplied With blood-vessels, three distinct BCts of arteries', 

 according to Oaton, passing up through and without the 

 pedicel. The horns grow with very great rapidity, usually 

 lining their hill size in about three monlhs. Huxley, in 

 iking of this uiarvelously rapid growth, reiers to a pair 

 f antlers, weighing seventy-two pounds, which were pro- 



duced in ten week-,. As 

 of such a mass of osseous tic 

 drain upon the animal's Si 

 males at this time become vi 

 growth of the horn a circi 

 makes its appearance at. the 

 pedicel. This "burr" servi 

 blond-vessels which pa 

 and these take the' 

 jeciious, and thei 



cak 



iththesk 



tin: production 



time is a levet 



ISt species the 

 During the 

 1 jagged ridge 

 l'i-i above the 

 to protect the 

 not' the pedicel. 

 el ween its pro- 

 e surface of the 

 which increases 



hi 

 .... Jong the channels in tl 

 horn beneath the periosteum — the membrane 

 the living bone. 



The horns reach their full size in August, and. from being 

 at first very soft and afterward spongy, have al length be- 

 come quite hard. They are, how i i . till covered with the 

 "velvet," aud beneath this the blood continues to circulate, 

 Ian la ,i more slowly than at any timfl Ml ce the horn began 

 to grow. The time at which the horn becomes fit for use as 

 a weapon of offense or defense varies slightly in ihc differ- 

 ent species of our deer, hut is usually about September 1. 

 The animal's head now appears 1o trouble him, and to be 



irritated like a healing wound, and he rubs bis horns vio- 

 lently in the bushes or against the branches and trunks of 

 trees". The tender "velvet" is thus torn of) ami hangs in 

 bleeding strips about his horns and head, but lie continues to 

 rub for several days, until at length the antlers are quite free 

 I'mi.i skin, their tips white aud polished, and the inequali- 

 ties about the burr filled with liueiy crushed In 



bark. He is then ready tor the rutting season, which imme- 

 diately ensues. 



The horn is now dead, and at its connection with th I ull 

 —the extremity of the pedicel— absorption begins to take 

 place, and in the course of four or five months the attach- 

 ment to th..- 1 1 t nts l i , skened that the horn drops off of 

 its own weight. The end of the pedicel m ,■. - a ii I at first, 

 but almost at once heals over, and until the following spring 

 is covered with the black skin already mentioned, 



As a rule, these weapons are borne only bv the male deer: 

 but the female caribou always has small horns, and in very 

 rare instances the female Virginia deer has been killed with 

 a single spike, or a pair of Straight, short, and scarcely 

 branched horns. The horns of all our North American 

 deer become fit for service in September, and they arc shed 

 at various limes from December to Maroi 



From what has already been said, it will be seen that, a 

 deer is an arliodactyle ruminating ungulate, with solid, de- 

 ciduous horns. 



'the arrangement of the teeth in this family is as follows: 

 incisors, Jj canines, ;-, {;. or wanting: molars, |"§, Canines 

 ai'esaiitc ;e sIwb/b wanting in the femela tutttisii iryno 

 means true of all species, for they are usually present in the 

 female of Cirrus Mnildoittin, and I have also detected small 



ones occasionally in Oariaeus Colwmbianvx. 



The keenness of the deer's olfactories lias become pro- 

 verbial, and the experienced hunter, when starting out. al- 

 ways first satisfies himself as to the direction of the wind: 

 for' a deer, when its nose has told it thai a man is in the 

 neighborhood, waits for no more definite information on the 

 ■■!ibj,-,.-t. iloes not seek to learn just where he is. nor how far 

 off, I . '-it makes the Lest of its way from the spot. All decl- 

 are alike in posessing this keen power of scent and in the 

 readiness with which they take to flight when warned by 

 this sense. 



From the very nature of the case, the eyes are less to be 

 relied on to warn the animal of danger. We are accustomed 

 to hear men say that the deer's vision is defective, aud even 

 so good an authority as Judge Caton makes this statement in 

 his excellent work on this group. There seems to be im 

 sufficient reason for supposing this to be the case. It is true 

 that deer will pass close by a man silling in the woods with- 

 out seeing him, provided only he remains perfectly 

 motionless, but this does not necessarily imply any 

 imperfection of vision. Other mammals and birds will 

 do precisely the same thing. The deer would not, 

 walk up to' a man standing or" sitting in the mill. II, 

 meadow, and where there were no surrounding objects, A 

 man, if motionless, in the woods, when clothed in hunter's 

 garb, very closely resembles a stump or a stick. The deer is 

 not especially familiar with the human form, aud does not 

 recognize iu it anything alarming, nor, since il is without 

 motion, does it distinguish il from any of the many other 

 quiescent objects over which its eye passes, and which il has 

 no especial reason tor closely examining. Its experience has 

 taught it that these quitsccni Objects are not, dangerous. 

 and it therefore pays no attention to them unless they 

 are markedly different in appearance from those to which 

 its eye is accustomed. \ White tent or a red shirt will. 

 however, at once catch a deer's eve. because th-se a re unusual 

 objects. Anything that moves - pjjscrvi 1 I ince, and 

 unless it is recognized as something commonly seen and not 

 dangerous, is avoided. The deer has no friends; the hand 

 of man and of the larger auimals is against him; and the 

 fact that an object moves, aud hence has life, is to him 

 jiri/iin jiu-if evidence that it is an enemy, and so, 00 the 

 slighttst hint, of danger, he lakes to his heels. Like other 

 wild creatures, Ihe deer seems to recoguize danger only in 

 life, and life only in motion. 



Interior OF Alaska. — Strange as il may seem there was 

 but one kind of fish to be found in all these lakes or the 

 rivers or creeks emptying therein. The mountaineer can 

 hardly realize that no trout, or salmon trout or the white lake 

 fish of the extreme Norlhweslerri coast was to be found in 

 these waters. The grayling was the only tish caught by the 

 party up to this time, 'and the reputed elk and moose ox 

 were nowhere to be seen. In fact this part of the country 

 seemed devoid of all animate 

 grouse or pheasant, lie who hi 

 expedition of 1833-'24 will reme'i 

 given of huge elks being drivi 

 there slaughtered bv the hun.l 

 supply the natives with their 

 had in his mind's eye conceh 



mountain trout would swim ashore and fasten themselves on 

 his hook, and the dreaded worm, so often used for bait, 

 would be dispensed with. The miner had believed it to be a 

 region abounding iu precious metals and was loth to give up 

 the ghost until he hail heard from the unknown region. But 

 this party found none of the poetry depicted iu the imagina- 

 tion of the above classes. Government provender and plenty 

 of manual labor was the regular routine of ihe day.— jfoWm 

 Report of Liiui. Sr/"cu//<<j'!< JSspt di ' 



At.btno Song Sparrow. — Taunton. Mass.. Oct. 22. — 

 While Out collecting on Thursday last, I saw a partially white 

 sparrow in company with other -parrows. After following 

 a short distance 1 succeeded in shouting it. On examina- 

 tion! found-it tObe * ' sparrow Its back, from the 

 lower part of the neck down to the lump, also the breast 



down to the vent, white. There were several spots of white 



on the tail feathers. The oluer parts were in Die common 

 plumage. — J. 0. C.viioox 



id Baron Von WrangeU's 



■ the thrilling descriptions 

 v natives into pens and 

 'in the fall of the year lo 

 ■r food, The fisherman 



I il hi l,e a paradise, where 



WHEN THE FROST IS ON THE PUNKIN. 



w 



HEX itie frost is on Hie punkfn and Hit 1 fodder's in tlie shock, 

 Aud jou ln-ar Hie lyouc-k and gobble of the struttm' iurkt 



Tbev's somepiu kind 0' heart like I tthe 



v, in ii he heat >■' Bummer's overand the < 



s tie- mora; 



■ ■ nice, but still 

 I erowedtofitt; 



per in Ihe shed: 



