26 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[August 10, 1882. 



Thb Feathered Songsters.— Minneapolis, Minn., June 

 22, 1889.— Tfyi dated of thtJir arrival this year in Minnesota. 

 Some interesting data. Dr E. Lyman Hood lias now com- 

 pleted Ins list. Of the 740 species known to North America 

 about 200 have thus far been found within the limits of 

 Minnesota. The present season has been a peculiar one in 

 regard to the movements of birds, The first corners came 

 earlier than last year, although the birds on an average, 

 taking the entire migration, were a week later. For In- 

 stance, he noted in 1878 the arrival of the crow January 2fc); 

 ill 1S79, March 1; 1880, February 24; last year, March 10, 

 more than a mouth later than this Spring, In the latter part 

 of April cold north winds prevailed for two weeks, and the 

 iflgMa were cloudy, Nearly all the birds migrate at night. 

 Examining the list we Jiud that from April 10 to 24 not a 

 single species arrived, a very marked result. All nature 

 was backward. Progs were first heard March 31, aud moths 

 seen April I. Camberwell beauty, red admiral and daisy 

 were out earliest. Butterflies and insects were two weeks 

 late in coming out of winter quarters. Anemone, hepalica, 

 buttercup, blood root and yellow violet, are the first dowers 

 of spriug, generally appearing in the order named. The 

 date of the arrival of the different birds ho reports 

 to have been as follow*: February 10, Crow; 2 1st. ' red- 

 shouldered hawk. March 4, mallards; 11th, sparrow, 

 hawk; 16th, red-tailed hawk, teal; 26th, robin; 27th, 

 tree sparrow; 38th, bluebird, kildees; 2i)lh, meadow lark, 

 geese,- 30th, purple gr&Cfcle, April 1, red-wing blackird, 

 purple martin, rusty crackle, 2d. wood pewee; 3d, king- 

 fisher; 4th. yellow-shafted woodpecker, fox sparrow, 6th, 

 white-bellied swallow, Wilson's snipe, chewiuk; 8th, purple 

 finch, chimney swallow, yellow-rump warbler; 10th, dove, 

 loon; 34th. chipping sparrow, sand-hill crane, clitl or cave 

 swallow; 26th. night-hawk, loggerhead shrike. May 1, 

 white-throated sparrow; 2d, brown thrush; 5th, bog-winged 

 bunlins, golden-crowned thrush, kingbird, marsh tern, whip- 

 poorwill, bank swallow; 7th, house wren, Baltimore oriole, 

 bittern; 8th, black poll warbler, kinglet; Dili, catbird, red 

 start, orchard oriole, lOih, rose-breasted grosbeak, many 

 Species of warblers, red-eyed vireo. grebe or dadehiek; llth, 

 bobolink, turkey buzzard, black-billed cuckoo; 12th, Mary- 

 land yellow throat; 17th, humming bird, yellow bird; 18th, 

 vireos; 81st, great- crested flycatcher, scarlet tanager. — 

 John D O. Knapp. 



Roostbb ant. <_to.\li:,-us.— Johnson ia., July 39. — Ab I 

 get so many interesting items iu natural history from 

 Forest and Stueam, I will lay before its renders an in- 

 tauce that occurred on my own place here. A goose, after 

 hatching all the eggs but three, left her nest. These three 

 trtc put uuder a hen and in a few days two goslings 

 were hatched, the other egg being spoiled." She COOK care 

 of them for about a month, when she was accidentally 

 killed. A rooster then took charge of them, calling them 

 and scratching fur thein as if they were chickens, ami In- 

 takes them into the hen-house every night and goes about 

 with them ail day. Thev are nearly as large as he is, but he 

 still attends to them. -Old PoQY, 



That Florida Snake.— Washington, I). C, Aug. 4, 

 1882.— Etlit-r FotmI ami StrMlft: The curious snake "your 

 correspondent "S." writes about which he has seen in 

 Florida is Mint amfioridana. Could he not send some liv- 

 ing specimens to the National Museum, Washington, D. C. ? 

 —II. C. Vakrow, t'urator Department of Keptiles, National 

 Museum. 



BEVERAGES IN CAMP. 



Ed-tor Forest and S!i;n,„: 



I don't full}' believe the "Scribe'' is in mortal earnestness 

 in his little assault on Forest and Stream and the "King- 

 fisher," but 1 am satisfied for one that you will not heed his 

 "protest against your arbitrary rule of excluding from the 

 columns of your interesting journal all reference to the use 

 of beverages of an exhilarating nature in narrations of hunt- 

 ing 01 Sailing adventure." 



The rule is an excellent one; its influence is good. It com- 

 mends itself to .•very man who has had the misfortune to see 

 men. some at them not addicted to drink, get •'biliu' " drunk 

 in camp, forsooth because they were away from home and 

 under the influence of so-called jolly fellows. 



Among the few disagreeable recollections of my camp life 

 are. disasters and misadventures that have grown" out of the 

 use of "beverages of an exhilarating nature. " 1 do not deem 

 them necessary under any emnmsiances; at all eveuts they 

 do harm fifty times .■ bti ire I tl' v .-..aye a good purpose once. 

 I have spent six months at a time hunting and ashing in the 

 mountains of Colorado, sleeping on the ground, encounter- 

 ing storms, snow and ice, and never bad use for a drop of 

 exhilarating beverage And we had lots of fun, too, hilarious 

 times that will never be forgotten, days that were not marred 

 by a drunk, nor an accidtnt, nor a disturbance, not. even a 

 misunderstanding among ourselves or with the. various char- 

 acters we met. 



FouiisT and Stream is solid in the position, and ••Scribe" 

 is on the wrong side of Klrina, 



Let me add that "Kingfisher's adventures" arc admirably 

 told, and interesting from one to eight, and have had the 

 ' I ion, Babe will deem it, of being read aloud in at 

 least one household, and thoroughly enjoyed from the old 

 ones down to the enthusiastic angler at the foot. J. C. B. 



["The Scribe's" note should not be taken uoo seriously. It 

 was not intended as a criticism of the tfoRBBT and Stream, 

 so much as a good-humored 'joke" on "Kingfisher," which 

 "The Scribe" told us would he appreciated by "the rest of the 

 party. 'Bro. R.." "Sloan," "The .Editor," and "Kingfisher" 

 himself. The propriety or impropriety of the use of bever- 

 ages in the held i, not a question demanding discussion in 

 these columns. We may add that "Kingfisher's" delightful 

 letters have won many compliments from all around. — Ed.] 



'•The: 

 ptaia. 1 







books in II 

 book." But 

 or Disraeli v 



BOOKS KECLHvrcii. 

 uViiioisus,"- ByOliv 



r Thurston, Philadel- 



•ansylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware 

 isUuduieon inj ml form bj the Globe Print- 

 1 - • ils. The pomphlot also eon- 

 e Vi est Jersey Same ProtecttvaSoeiety. 



. , e© compUmanted Qaaea Vic- 

 .1 -aying: --There are only three 

 ia ;;n,li,, sa-i'.-esp-eu-o, and your Maj.r-ty'i:; 

 Wheels." fi.r !•■.<!, haduotthen been pn uliFiln'jil, 

 made it four instead of three. 

 I A Thachcr," comprising a complete manual 



'ill r; ,ii, I or...:-,, a ring lirilr, juiieirtr anil lh,h.-!F. 



bug .i" I ir.r.i.". . ' mi tl ii -liens for preserving 

 '—• and a number of valuable receipts, Bv 



Open Seasons.— See table of open seasons for game, and -fish 

 n issue of July 20. ' 



GAME IN SEASON IN AUGUST. 



Nova 



Alabama— Dovee. 



California— Deer, doves. 



Dakota— (Aug. 15, grouse, quail, 

 snipe, em-lew, plover). 



Delaware— Woodcock. 



District of Columbia— Woodcock, 

 ruffed grouse; (Aug. 15, deer). 



Georgia— Wild turkey, quail, deer. 



Idaho— Sharp-tail aud pinnated 

 grouse, door, mountain sheep 

 and goat, elk, antelope, buffalo. 



Illinois-Woodcock; (Aug. 15, wild- 

 fowl, pinnated grouse). 



Indiana- -Woodcock. 



Town -Woodcock; (Aug. 15, wild- 

 fowl, pinnated grouse). 



Keieueky -Woodcock. 



.On -:i ilj.'F- IS' iff' 



Maine— Plover. 



Maryland — Woodcock ; (Aug, 15, 



ruffed grouso). 

 JhisFiaehusrtts — Woodcock, doves. 

 Michigan-Woodcock. 



Ml ue-.,r,i Woodcock. 



Missouri — Woodcock, plover, mea- 

 dow lark, dove; (Aug. 15, pin- 

 nated grouse), 



Montana— Fool hen, grouse, ptar- 

 mlpran; (Aug. 10, buffalo, elk, 

 antelope, mountain sheep and 

 goat, mooso, wildfowl). 



XelFi-inkn- (Aug. ifl, grouse). 



Nevada — Elk, antelope, mountain 

 sheep and goat, sage grouse; 

 (Aug. 14, deer). 

 tW For exceptions, local laws, etc., see Fohest 



ule "B," issue of July 20, page 489. 



New Brunswick— Woodcock, wild- 

 fowl, sntpo. 



New Hampshire— Woodcock, plo- 

 ver, wildfowl, raft. 



New Jersey— (Aug. 25, reed birds). 



New York — Woodcock (except 

 Dutchess, Herkimer and Oneida 

 cos.), squirrels, deer. (Hounding 

 season opens Aug. 15; forbidden 



viMfovi. 



Ohio-Woodcock. 

 Oregon— Grouse, wildfowl. 

 Ontario — Woodcock; (Aug. 15, 

 wildfowl, snipe). 



I'rnil-,. Ir.'Uir.i lYVi.iil.virlF. jll.vn-r 



Rhode Island— Woodcock, plover. 



Texas— Deer, pinnated grouse. 



Utah— Elk, deer, antelope, moun- 

 tain sheep; (Aug. 15, grouse, 

 quail, wildfowl). 



Virginian-Huffed grouse,woodcock 



Washington Territory— (Aug. 15, 

 deer, elk, antelopa, mountain 

 sheep, grouse). 



Wisconsin -Woodcock; (Aug. 15, 

 grouse, quail). 



Wyoming - Buffalo, cite, antelope, 

 rui.uiiii.iin sheepand goat, deer, 

 ptariuig'iu; pinnated, sage and 

 sharp foil grouse-; (Aug. UV.ruffed 

 grouse, wildfowl, plover, curlew, 

 snipe). 



Stream Sched 



MOUNTAIN, HILL AND VALE. 



DOGS. ODNS AND VICTUALS. 



MY last letter was -written somewhat carelessly, I am 

 sorry to admit, from that, lovely summer land winch 

 lies west of the Blue Ridge of mountains, in the State of 

 North Carolina. 8o soon as the inhabitant of the regions 

 which have an altitude above tide water of not more than 

 six or seven hundred feet enters the section to which I refer. 

 he. feels that he ia breathing a purer and more invigorating 

 atmosphere, and after a sojourn of a few day* or weeks there 

 is an elasticity of body and mind which makes him almost 

 think himself young again. If a lover of Nature, he is en- 

 tranced with the grand scenery which is spread before him, 

 or the sparkling waters which* ripple gladly at his feet, and 

 in whose melody he finds repose for his wearied body. In 

 case he is a disciple of Izank Walton, and has the physical 

 endurance to gratify his desires, he can take his rod (hut no 

 reel), thread his way up the clear, cold streams which have 

 just buret forth from their birthplace in the rocks, and 

 in their crystal pools find abundance of those agile little 

 tishes which test the angler's skill, aud in whose flesh he 

 fluds "sweet solace after all his toils." And then, the 

 "cheerful supper done," the pipe tilled with choicest, moun- 

 tain tobacco, unadulterated with New England rum ortongua 

 beans, and its fragrant odors enjoyed, one can "wrap thc- 

 drapcry of his couch about him," supplemented with a pair 

 of good blankets, and "lie down to pleasant dreams," and a. 

 soft, refreshing sleep which cool air and a tired body only 

 can bring to the human frame. 



In my former letter liom that delightful country I 

 attempted to give a faint description of the majestic moun- 

 tains, lovely valleys and limpid streams which are its dis- 

 tinguishing characteristics. I feel that I am incapable of 

 doing justice to the subject, and that a full delineation of all 

 the attractive features requires a pen more graceful and 

 graphic than any which I can wield, it is, perhaps, best, 

 therefore, that I content myself with saying to the readers of 

 the Forest and Stream that, if they want mountain views 

 of surpassing grandeur, energizing* atmosphere, cool and 

 beautiful waters, or the joys of the fishing rod, there are 

 hundreds of places of easy" access in the counties of this 

 State lying west of the Blue Ridge which will afford them 

 all the gratification they may reasonably demand. In Sep- 

 tember, October and November, 1 am told by those whose 

 veracity I cannot question, a hardy sportsman, quick and 

 accurate as a "shot," can get as many ruffed grouse as he 

 wishes, and vary his enjoyment by filling his bag with quail. 

 Besides these pleasures he can, if expert in that line, hav< 

 roast wild turkey for dinner and delicious venison steak for 

 breakfast. If he can tolerate rougher sport he may succ 

 in enlarging his hill of fare by an occasional dish of broiled 

 bear, that animal being frequently found in the wild and 

 almost impenetrable balsam thickets which cover the sides 

 and tops of the highest mountains. It is my purpose to visit 

 that section again before many weeks, accompanied by a 

 few friends, and see if we cannot live upon the "fat of the 

 woods," gained by our own prowess, with our own breech- 

 loading shotguns. If 1 have that pleasure 1 will endeavor to 

 give your reader* a description of our success, striving to 

 avoid all extravagance of idea or expression, and td repre- 

 sent truly what took place. 



Just here I must be permitted to animadvert upon the 

 habit of some uien who claim to be sportsmen, and some, 

 too, who really are, to indulge in extravagance as to their 

 exploits. I cannot say that tne fraternity is more given to 

 hyperbole than any other class — for I should dislike, exceed- 

 ingly, to admit that all men who are fond of field or water 

 sports are in immediate danger of learning how to— err in 

 their narration of facts. One thing, however, is certain ; 

 now aud then one is to be found who, to say the least, is a 

 very poor judge of distance, aud is otherwise inexplicably 

 blinded. During my recent visit to the mountains I met a 

 well-dresaed man, the agent of an insurance company, who 

 had all the volubility of tongue which nncharitable individ- 

 uals say is essential to success in that, calling. According 

 to his own account of himself he had great experience in 

 shooting on the wing or on the run, and had brought down 

 i buck at long range with his trusty ten-bore. He had never 

 shot at glass balls or clay pigeons, so-called, but had been 

 so successful at quail and ducks that, he entertained no doubt, 

 of his ability to shiver them at nearly every shot. Inasmuch 

 as 1 was at the head of a "scrub" team and one of my uien 

 was likely to be absent that day, I was on the eve of inviting 

 the mutual insurer to give us a policy by joining us for the 

 occasion, and would have done so but for tie fact that his 

 tongue was so oleaginous it never stopped its ceaseless roll, 



and I could not make the tender. In the course of his in- 

 terminable talk he described the charges used by him for 

 different kinds of game, aud stated that lie used No. 12 shot 

 for quail all the season. No. 10 for ducks and No. 8 for 

 deer! 



Of course, after this, I had grave doubts whether the fellow 

 had ever shot at a duck or had the slightest idea of the size of 

 a shot or the calibre of a gun, aud was glad he had given mo 

 no opportunity to ask him to become a member of the team. 

 With the aid of a delicate punch in the side, I managed to 

 dam up his lingual stream sufficiently long to express the 

 doubt whether it was possible to send No. 8 shot with such 

 force as to make a buck simply drop his tail if over thirty- 

 live yards from the shooter. Now, Messrs. Editors, do you 

 wonder that after such extravagant and senseless talk 1 had 

 no confidence in the capacity of the insurance agent, either 

 as a marksman or as a man whose statements upon any sub- 

 ject was entitled to implicit belief? So, having none, I pre- 

 ferred to substitute anybody else in the place of the missing 

 miFin. The truth is, when any one alleges, in my presence, 

 that with shot from No. 7 to No. 10 in size, he kills game, 

 except accidentally, at from seventy yards and above, I am 

 compelled to entertain an apprehension that he is indulging 

 in gas, or has inaccurate ideas of distance. A very light 

 pellet cannot acquire by any propulsive force much mo- 

 mentum, or rather maintain it after it has passed the space 

 of fifty yards. So, therefore, when birds are fully grown 

 and Uy with rapidity, it is far safer to use shot not less in 

 size than No. 8, and he who expects to eat venison will 

 surely die of starvation if he depends upon shot smaller than 

 No. 3 buck. In one barrel I use eighteen No. 3, and in the 

 otner twelve No. 1, when I shoot a twelve-bore gun for deer. 

 These, with three drams of good gunpowder. No 3 grain, 

 will go hard enough to reach the vitals of the largest buck, 

 at any distance when there is a reasonable prospect of hitting 

 him in a mortal part of the body. So much for that. 



A few days ago, I had an invitation from H. G. Ewarl, 

 Esq., of Henlersonville, in this State, to attend a glass-ball 

 and pigeon shooting at that place, on the 15th, 16th and 17th 

 of August, given under the auspices of their club. The lo- 

 cation is one of the most pleasant summer spots on the con- 

 tinent, having an altitude of about 2,500 feet and is access- 

 ible by rail. Persons desiring to attend go by way of Spar- 

 tanburg, S. O, from which point there is a railroad crossing 

 the Blue Ridge at the Saluda Gap, aud at present completed 

 to Henderson ville, Asheville being the contemplated term- 

 inus. The grounds of the. club are very eligible, and I 

 doubt uot, all persona who choose to be present, will find 

 ample accommodations and have a pleasant time. Alter the 

 "tournament" is over, those who choose to remain p| easily 

 procure the kind offices of the local sportsmen, and indulge 

 m the pastime of taking the mountain trout in the head 

 waters of the French Broad, or have good sport after the 

 ruffed grouse, the young broods of which at that tine will 

 be large enough for pursuit. At all events, it will afford a 

 delightful retreat for ail who wish to renew their bodily 

 vigor, and restore the mind, enervated by the heat and dust 

 of crowded cities and lower elevations. Possibly, some of 

 the readers of the Fof.est and Stueam may choose to visit 

 what is to them an "unknown land;" and if so I can assure 

 them that, they will find a splendid climate, cool and pure 

 water, lovely mountain scenery, and a plain but worthy 

 people, whose good sense and gentlemanly courtesy will 

 make, valuable friends. Many a sportsman has had trouble 

 simply because he failed to exercise common prudence and 

 decent breeding, who would have had none if he had ob- 

 served these essential proprieties. The rights of any land- 

 holder, whatever the nature of his tenancy, must always be 

 respected, aud his permission obtained before going upon 

 his domain. It is rarely the case th§t this Is refused, if ihe 

 proper steps to obtavn it have been taken by the party desir- 

 mgit. 



Prom all I can learn, the prospect for abundance of small 

 game during the coming season is excellent. The Bmall 

 grain crops were generally very large, and the breadth de- 

 voted to the crop was unusually large in the central counties 

 of the State. Abundant rains after the harvesting have pro- 

 duced, aud will produce, a luxuriant growth of the ragweed 

 and grasses, which will afford cover and food for the birds. 

 It is my opinion, therefore, that the association, which is to 

 have its "trials" at and near High Point in November, will 

 experience no difficulty in findim: quail in sufficient num- 

 bers to let all dogs show the "stuff" of which they are made, 

 and give their owners an opportunity of demonstrating 

 whether their capacities are commensurate with those of 

 their trained canines. I beg to suggest that it is barely pos- 

 sible they might rind a few farmers iu the neighborhood of 

 that locality who, with a rickety old gun whose original cost 

 did not exceed thirty dollars, could go into the field with the 

 most expert visitor, and coae back with an equal number of 

 Bob Whites, and no greater use of powder and lead. In- 

 deed, 1 am not sure that they would not be overmatched. 

 The successful glass ball or trap shooter is not necessarily 

 superior when he comes down to game which flies from an 

 uulookod for spot and takes a Hue of flight not known to 

 the ordinary laws of motion. It is my purpose to try to see 

 the performance of the blooded dogs which will be there; 

 but as I am not a member of the association, of course I can 

 take no part in the exercises except as a "mere looker-on in 

 Venice. It may be that I can have the pleasure, after the 

 "field trials" are over, of inviting one or more of owners of 

 the best of the Laveracks or Llewcllins or red Irish or blue 

 beltons to join me in a genuine trial of skill, not many miles 

 from the locus of the exhibition, in which I and my compan- 

 ions will use not larger than twelve-bore guns, weighing seven 

 pounds, nor heavier charges than 2Jdrs. of gunpowder and 

 one ounce of No. 8 or 9 shot. 



In that event 1 think we should be able after our trials to 

 discuss in a friendly way a square meal of our trophies, 

 cooked with the entrails taken out— Iot, with all respect, I 

 have never been able to see what peculiar delicacy of flavor 

 could be imparted to the Jlesh of any animal bv the contents 

 Of its intestines. It may be that my taste is 'uneducated— 

 but I cannot envy that of any man, whether natural or ac- 

 quired, which leads him to prefer the flavor given by chyle, 

 or half digested or fully digested food, or last, but not least 

 decided, iu their odorous exhalations, the fceccs which fill the 

 lower intestinal canals. " He guslibus win at dmpukmiiwm-" 

 is a familiar maxim — but I speak for myself only, when I 

 sty that I want none of the odors of — in my pottage, and 

 earnestly desire that "Procul, O promt esk, prufuni" shall be 

 observed by my cook when he comes to prepare anything for 

 the delectation of my palate. To a certain extent 1 know the 

 food taken into the stomach affects the taste of the flesh of 

 the animal when slaughtered and cooked— but I confess that 

 the natural impartation is all which I desire, and I prefer to 

 avoid the additional quantity which is injected by the opera- 



