22 



FOREST AND STREAM 



[AuOTfST 10, 1883. 



one way or the other he will tell the truth about it, and be not 

 ashamed so long as the grouse was killed in season and not 

 for the sole "sake of killing. Outwardly he may have the 

 rind of the chestnut or the bloom of the peach; prickly or 

 downy be the outer part, inside is there sweetness and savor. 

 Ho may be a Christian or a pagan, worship God or an idol; 

 whatever his religion, he worships Nature devoutly, though 

 perhaps silently, and belongs to (he great and goodly brother- 

 hood of true sportsmen. 



ADIRONDACK SURVEY XofEs. 



IV. — THE AJJWOAY-PrDDt.EY. 



ttXXTHAT bird is that just now making that singular 

 ' combination of six syllables and drawing them 

 down in a wearied cadi nee?" This was asked as we were 

 going down a lake and taking notes of all living things and 

 the sounds they made. Most of the notes of the birds were 

 familiar, but this one, while it had a flavor of familiarity, 

 had also a sort of dim, far-away memory of former acquaint- 

 anceship which would not be located. The guide rested on 

 his oars and listened for a moment until 1 nodded when the 

 same, song began again, aud then he said: 



That is a little wood sparrow, something like our song 

 spnrrowof the fields. We now call it the 'all-day piddley 

 bird'; and some say that it has changed its note within the 

 past ten years." 



' That's a queer name for a bird! What does it mean?" 

 ' 'The story goes that the bird had, in former years, a lively 

 noto instead of the heavy, dragging one with which lie now 

 ends his song; but since so many tourists ".ml no-account 

 idle fellows have taken to loafing in the woods all day and 

 doing nothing, in fact just piddling with wi'd flowers or 

 protruding to fish, the hird has, taken to scoffing at them. 

 Just listen to him and hear how he says 'all-day-piddley- 

 piddley-piddley.' with a rising inflection on the second 

 syllable and then falling in jerks," 



After this explanation one could not help putting the 

 words to the song every time, and even imagining that a 

 tone of discouragement was to he observed in the dropping 

 stac'itto of tin last syllables. My guide was a very observ- 

 ant man, and, like all of Lis clays, had hi opinions of the 

 P'ople whom lie met and look care of. for the woods is the 

 place to study character, when all the trammels of conven- 

 tionality are laid aside and the tnu inwardness of the man 

 stands revealed. He evidently looked upon tiro men who 

 came in the woods to dawdle away a life that was of little 

 use to them with no great amount of admiration, although 

 he did not say so. We held no further conversation on this 

 subject, but it Eerv.'d as food for reflection; aud this is how 

 one of us reflected: 



Here are plenty of young men who have every facility, 

 plenty of time and money, to do something which will be of 

 use to themselves and to mankind, but they are contented to 

 have a guide row them about lakes in an aimless sort of way 

 without an objective point, or if they have one they do 

 nothing when they get there. They are "killing time," and 

 the time of youth al that. Alas! this is the poorest and 

 most unprofitable of all occupations. A little boating, a 

 little lying under tiees, a dinner, and a little feeble gossip or 

 flirtation, and the day is done. A few weeks of such days 

 and the season is ended, and the young man has "done the 

 Adirondaeks. " Yes, but he knows nothing of them beyond 

 the names of lakes, hotels, guides and the carries. He 

 knows nothing of the geology, botany, zoology, the char;; 

 ter of the timber or the depth of the lakes. He goes to the 

 Adirondaeks because it is the fashion, and he is bored. 



These thoughts naturally suggested a contrast with the 

 character of ray own visit. Here 1 was with only a few 

 weeks' leave of absence to gather the fishes, and in that time 

 to try and get a few specimens of all that exist here. Every 

 day was worked to its greatest capacity, and each new spe- 

 cies bailed with delight. A few things were learned each, 

 day, and the entire trip was so full of enjoyment that the 

 time to leave was looked forward to with apprehension of 

 its coming before a complete collection could be obtained. 

 I met one of the. young men of whom the little bird sang, 

 in 1 he told me that lie had exhausted the Adirondaeks. Had 

 killed three deer last season aud no end of trout this year, 

 but he cared very little for it, and really there was nothing 

 to be seen in the woods. I thought of Sir Charles Cold- 

 stream aud mentally said: "Used up; you've found that the 

 world has nothing now for you at twenty-five. " And we 

 went our ways as the little bird sang: "AH — day — piddley — 

 piddley— piddley." 



Now, after the young man departed there was another 

 msntal Soliloquy, and this w-as about the style of it: "You 



other class of men, and here you are throwing them away." 

 Having thus given the young man a good lecture mentally, 

 I looked around to see if there was a chance of it doing him 

 any good, but a field-glass showed him flat on his back with 

 a novel, and imagination heard a little bird singing its 

 sorrowful notes above him. I hope he will read this, and 

 that it may give him a hint how to become a useful man 

 instead of being the butt, of ridicule for birds and guides. 

 The Adirondaeks are full of good things for one who knows 

 how to find them ; every mountain, lake, tree oi' focj£ is 

 teeming with them. And yet the collection of postage 

 stamps, of hotel cards, and kindred things occupies the 

 intellect of human beings! 1 believe if some one would 

 begin a collection of knot-holes the fever would be caught 

 by others, and "beautiful thing in hemlock," or "a most 

 unique poplar" would be shown with all the pride with 

 which a geologist would exhibit a cabinet of rare, .specimens. 



I have been much interested in talking with .Mr. Colvin, 

 the superintendent of the survey, and had no conception 

 that so much was to be learned about mountains and the 

 water systems which drain them. He has made a study of 

 their characters, and delights in getting bold of a new "nest" 

 of them. Facts concerning their elevation, shape, and their 

 position in regard to other mountains, are all noted down, so 

 that each mountain has an individuality of its own to him, 

 and he knows them as a herdsman knows the members of 

 his flock. I asked him if young men of the "all-day -pid- 

 dley" class ever had an ambition to go to the mountain-tops 

 to get views. He said: "Rarely. The labor is rather more 

 than they cure to perform, although it would richly repay 

 them in the breadth of view they would obtain of the wil- 

 derness which can be had in no other way." 



Ah, me! If those, who have time to kill could only give 

 some of it to those who have not time enough, the little 

 sparrow would no longer sing his depressing song of "all. 

 day-piddley-piddley-piddley." F. M. 



M.uKii Si'OKTSMBN's Association.— The Maine Sportsmen's 

 Association will hold their annual meeting and tournament 

 with the Norombego Sportsmen's Club, of Bangor, abnui the 



iddle of September, lasting four or six days. It is intended 

 by the management to make this the most, interesting and 

 representative meeting that this association has ever enjoyed. 

 The secretary is Mr. Chas. York. Bangor. Me, 



dens and door yards and equally as well along the creek b< 

 toras of the woods among the alders and rank-growing weec 

 where is the woodcock's chosen retreat, is upon the very ver; 

 of rejection because of growing familiarity. The Engli 

 sparrow has passed far beyond the boundary line and is in 

 voeably lost. No mind that appreciates Nature at her b( 

 can ever advocate the sparrow's cause. Her yawp is ever 

 the air rising from near and from far, and perchance a war 

 ler or finch visits our dooryard and essays a strain of tnelod 

 the song is drowned in the cry of thi's wide-mouthed ev 

 present nuisance. In the backwoods the blue jay is at horn 

 Surely he is a rollicking rowdy and his wife isVseold. Ho 

 tenaciously does the purple finch cling to his thread of sol 

 until seemingly he is ready to drop from his perchbreathlee 

 How clearly the white-throated sparrow's prolonged tone do 

 ring through the clearing! The mostattractive"song, as wf 

 as the most plentiful, methinks, is that of the metallic-voicr 

 thrush that rises and falls the scale on every varying key. 



The morning sun east flickering shadows of leafy branch 

 about us as we stepped forth into the shallow rippling strear 

 with adjusted tackle, to cast our bait for the wily trout. Tl 

 air i pon those highlands was fresh and pure and the brigb 

 ness of the scene was enchanting, causing the inspiration 

 the occasion to flow full upon us as we paused afewmomen 

 in contemplation. Here was now the height of our anticip 

 dons. The prize was within our grasp, and we thought r 

 more of office toil or the drudgeries of life. A new bond i 

 sympathy seemed adjusted between us and mother Natur 

 and our "ears were opened to the music of the stream, tlL 

 rustle of the trees, the songs of the birds, and our eyes reste 

 long upon the scene of blue sky, green foliage and steel bit 

 water flecked with sunlight* and foam. We know m 

 whether these feelings are characteristic of the "sportsman, 

 and whether weshould classify ourselves as such. We we: 

 not arrayed in special garb and had invested only a fe 

 paltry dollars in an outfit of rod, reel and line. Externally 

 am siire we were not, "sportsmen." On the other hand 

 feeling of greed and gain did possess us, and we felt the eagt 

 strike at the bait ami saw the rush of line with the keene 

 pleasure. We love a heavy catch, and yet the recollection i 

 our fishing days, as we bring them to remembrance, is mo 

 pleasant in these things that form the accompaniment, to 

 fishing trip. The freedom from care, the change of seem 

 the intimacy with bug and bird whom we love, form tit 

 chief attractions 



We were uol long in suspense as to the success or failui 



Kxpress Train Logic. — When delayed by it "hot box." 

 the most expeditious plan sometimes is, as they put it in 

 railroad parlance, to "jack up the car aud put in a new 

 brass." As many men conduct their lives on the express 

 tnun system, this hint may induce some of them lo go 

 a-fishin'. ^^^___________^____ 



%ht ^partstt(Hn §<ouri$L 



TO THE BACKWOODS. 



DOUBTLESS every one whose labors are strictly within 

 doors feels an uneasiness and longing for change, whin 

 the genial springtime has flowed along to its full. It " 



• bee 



irksome 



ually to II 



or help h; 



id lift 



only the first two. 



before you to do what 



ke up some study in the 



I and enjoy life. Take up 



adit will open a new life 



; discoveries which will 



I life will cease to be a 



have time, money and brains. Yi 

 With all three you have the yyorl 

 you will. If you could only t 

 woods you could make your marl 

 some branch of natural kirto: 

 io you. You will always be mak 



burden As an unpaid investigator you can do much toward 

 contributing to knowledge while gaining it. Your powers 

 of observation will develop, and you yvill become absorbed 

 in something which will make, life a pleasure. True, you 

 may not become a Darwin, a Lubbock, nor a Baird, but 

 then again you might; or, if not, you would have a new 

 world open to you that you don't know of now. There are 

 men who would esteem your chances beyond those of any 



so with us. Labor in th 

 seems a burden. Our eyes wander co 

 that rise in the distance and from wher 

 in days past. Soon the resolution is f o; 

 full day and two half days among the clearings thai lie be- 

 yond, and a companion is found and a horse engaged for the 

 journey. Our recreation season has never yet exceeded three 

 days in duration. We are not of the class that, has time un- 

 limited to spare for pleasure. Our fortune is not yet secure. 



As we pass over the bills, the afternoon is w 7 ell advanced 

 and the atmosphere charmingly fresh and cool. There is a 

 change within us already. The cigars that urvariftbly must 

 solace after the midday meal, within the confines of "the of- 

 fice walls, now lie unlit in the case shorn of their tempting 

 power. A distractor, mainly, is tobacco; and when one is 

 not plodding through daily routine, but passing through chang- 

 ing scenes and experiencing new pleasures, has no mission. 

 As we journey on, the farms, at first well-nurtured and attrac- 

 tive, give place gradually to uncultivated fields and stumpy 

 pastures. The small brooks, as we rumble oyer the bridge 

 that spans their rippbng waters, become suggestive of trout. 

 The primitive woods now stray to the wayside occasionally, 

 and the voices of throstle and catbird salute us as we pass. 

 Among some tall trees by the roadside wire a auufbei ■ 

 purple grackles, and as they flew from one tree to another we 

 noticed a peculiarity not observed in any other bird, which 

 was the using of the tail feathers a,s n vertical rudder. Is this 

 bird favored'with unusual facilities for steering a flight that 

 is comparatively weak and awkward? 



There are still further indications of changes in locality and 

 mode of life. As we pass the. rude unpainted buildings with 

 bunches of hand-made shingles piled about the doorways, 

 the forest line comes yet, nearer to the roadway, pressing it 

 closely upon either hand, and as the shades of everdnf 

 falling, darkening the margin of forest trees, the bridge that 

 crosses the "river" that is our goal is passed and 

 hands with the generous hearted backwoodsman tl 

 our host, 



An eariv morning start along a dim path th 

 and woods beyond, and that promises to lead 

 waters" above, gives us an opportunity to obf 

 the bird life that abounds in these favored i « |1 -. 

 birds there, are those that frequent the towns, oi'u 

 the farmer's fields, and others that, spurn both and take to the 

 backwood clearings, and these latter are in the vasi majori 

 It is not as though they shunned man altogether, i I 

 found in the dense forests unfrequented by man, but, us 

 though they had loved him and sought to be intimate, but 

 were yet mistrustful. 



I am sure birds make progress toward an intimacy, but 

 still I hope this may not advance to an unseemly extent, so 

 that contempt rather than regard will rightly express our 

 feelings. The omnipresent robin that is found in our gar- 



ough a 



shake 



all. 



ho 



the 



r. the natural meadows were reach 

 trout occasionally of .a pound in weight to lie had for th 

 asking, Our catch at lids point was full large enough, an 

 our baskets began to hang heavily upon the 



Below the meadows we passed through a tangle of aldci 

 of immense size and plentitmle of numbers, and it was hei 

 thai we experienced some of the grcatesl pleasures of tfc 

 day. The branches were lull of birds, that seeniingl; 

 sought intimate acquaintance. A Canadian flycatcher, wit 

 his bright yellow breast and black necklace, flitted allot 

 very near The Blackbumian warbler, with rich blendiu 

 of yellow and orange, the American redstart, spotted wai 

 bier, chestnut-sided warbler, and the summer yellow bi 

 were especially plentiful and intimate and several times wer 

 we tempted to reach for them that we might take the: 

 our hand. Above all their harmony arose the sweet voice 

 of rose-breasted grosbeaks that were in the trees above i 

 surprising numbers. At one place we paused and countei 

 the song of six of them in the immed'ate vicinity. 



Wild pigeons were everywhere about us, chiming thei 

 unmusicaf calls with the 'rest. "Disgrace shou'd reJ, upof 

 the man that would seek to kill these coveted bhds, her 

 vhi' re a shied stick or stone could easily reach them. Le 

 no man lake with him a aim to these favored retreats, thesi 

 sanctuaries where bird housekeeping is practiced, lest he h 

 tempted, aud the agonized call aud distressed song of th 

 ununited birds come lo him in his dreams to disturb hi! 

 slumbers. One feels his interest in the things pertaining V 

 the wilderness greatly intensifled by the presence of the wil 

 pigeon. The swift rustling flight is calculated to startl 

 one and bestir his blood. The sound of their call-not: 

 brings suddenly into prominence one's hunting instinct, I 

 fact the woods cannot be lonely and without intereest whel 



e, :,-• iii rd is present. Through the woods where w 

 ,, r: , , ,, '. as cut a straight road to a, distant point, whi6 

 - , 1 "., i n ever traversed by man or team. It was nearl 

 tilled with second growth "timber, but along the narrov 

 track v. e saw many small flocks of pigeons feeding. Thes 

 flocks would allow of near approach and then arise in uni 

 son in a dense bunch to the tree-tops above. We had n 

 otin and, therefore, no slaughter of these is to be charged t 

 us, but we did make an observation as to their habits tha 

 tended to confirm a theoiy we had heard previously ad 

 vanced. We traversed ibis road in the morning of the sec 

 ond day tor some distance and noticed all the pigeons tha 



edi 



The f ac 

 xm, then retur 

 the aft 



iacecameallto! 

 ,'endei 



The time for our return to our lodg: 

 soon, albeit we were both tired aud hui„ . 

 our way along a dim trail the bluejaye chattered and scolde 

 all al ".i n - , J •ve bad a realization of their woudrou 



, in:, : - occasion ally one would allow of near approact 

 !■'[-; , ,.■• - r-mll willing for New York, speaks of "bird 

 Hi at - de all the year around in our fields like the bluejay. 

 One surely understands ibis to mean that the jay lives i 

 I Ids in the immediate vicinity of man, wherea 

 we "nave never seen lum but in the largest forests 

 and as timid and wary of man as could well be the 

 It is even difficult to get within good shooting distal 

 this bird We cannot certify as to his living all the, yea 

 around in northern New fork. 



At om- entertainer's home, after a late and hearty ineai 

 we sat, outside the door in restful content. The shades o 

 evening were falling and we found about ourselves an eveD 

 i , , , ae, which we are disposed to try and picture. Be 

 fort u- was the grassy valley, extending far below am 

 i wldoli the river wound its Way. On either side o 



in- arose a darkened forest line of hemlock, beech and ash 

 Adown the valley a misty haze was taking form and low 

 ereti. white aud cloudlik'e. above the cooling earth, and cov 

 _, round over as with a downy mantle. The era 

 Ct»D.t of tl new moon hung iu the western sky. The atmos 

 phere was not, disturbed by the slightest trace of a breeze 

 but was still, heavy and misty. The few sounds that cam 

 to us seemed excee'ding fit accompaniment to the close of I 

 backwoods day. There was the voice of the nightbawk from 



