

Forest and stream. 



346 



not he obliged to eat "hcath-iiea" more (him twice a week— 

 preferring, probably, pork anil beans. 



irdthal fcb lust o) i is ii . i, ,.i ainnateff grouse Oil 

 the tri'alnland o\ Stsssnehus'etts wars killed about 1830, near 

 Morilnnnpton by a well-known sportsman of Boston, 



i thos&groitse weve'as plenty, as oneap^and 

 as little esteemed in Illinois as in the early days of New Eng- 

 land. 1 have bOugllt Ihem in Ohiea-u ai" ,ix"-ent.s eaelt, add 

 liave been invited be f-,rm- is i„ cotne out and kill the 

 ••chicken;-/' thai PPOTO da n : I "We will keep 



> < ■■ ai I, 'fri sgr i u \va% d ■ you mill stay." t 

 tavekillMlgwuse on ground wuieli is npwin the heart of 

 Bi ■ yithl T Btarea: but one would have 



i 6o apv? 100 mil i west ol the city to make a decent bag, 

 Mid 11 i he present rale of destruction <>f these birds in Illinois, 

 they may perhaps be found on Martha'* Vineyard after they 

 have disappeared from the Prairie ,,, g. (_'. C. 



THE BOSTON ANTI-SPARROW CRUSADE 



Wasrington, D. C, Nov. 84. 1882. 

 .' |j > ',': (ami S8« am; 



s you I o ffivethe wide publicity of Forest ant. Stkeam 

 to the inclosed eorrespondeuee between an old Bostouian and 

 Mr. WflSOO Flagg. These letters ought to be read and acted 

 upon in every part of the United Stales. It is now several 

 year- since I undertook the apparently thankless task of 

 iee. ire!- [be move against the sparrows, and time has shown 

 e. , dr. s,,, fthe position 1 have maintained. Since the 

 death of Dr. T. M. Brewer, the only person of any eouse- 

 TOt UCC fl bom 1 have known to defend the sparrows is Mr. 

 Henry IJergb, who once poured out the vials of his unneces- 

 sary wrath in a most amusing stream of personal vilifiea- 

 liiin. But having already once castigated thai gent k man, 

 and having no desire lo punish him twice for" the same 

 offense, of which he may perhaps have already repented, I 

 submit I he eorrespondeuee without further remark. 



Elliott Coukp. 



The letter below, writes Mr. Flagg. in the Boston Tmn- 

 xrfijit, of Nov. 18, was sent me a short time since, and, 

 deeply sympathizing with the regrets of mv correspondent,' 

 [forward il v ith nv replj . 



Boston. Nov fl IBS- 1 . -Mr Fl gg: M) Dear Sir-Tin; rapid 



q i ■eltng Is heard £roui«uni 



pay large sinus every year ts 

 pillars, eirtlie rives, etc. 



Bilttle- nii-ifliiei ,1, -,._,, not Bll 

 e ii ii.! i li.-ir habitations to the 



byi 



u-tli. 



ir't Are'"' Mi. ur," I iitrr' 

 i destroy cocoons and eutcr- 



i birds, a 



, a. '1 '• s.pani ■,r.i:i Lite a saying lo this effect -'-Beware ol* the 



devil, thu priest 1 ;. ill i lie sparrows. ' Hoping you will not scorn my 

 patili.Hi, Vanra lt-.-spear.lully-0l.» RESIDENT. 



In reply to my correspondent, I would say that if the 

 sparrows could be destroyed by curses they would have per- 

 ished long ago. The introduction of the' Norway rats was 

 less of a public misfortune, because they did but" take the 

 place of the Amcrieau black rals; they were only the sub- 

 stitution of a foreign nuisance for a native one not the less 

 offensive. The house sparrows are now the constant sub- 

 ject of com] ilaiut from all parts of (he country, and I be- 

 lieve if any practicable method should be devised for their 

 extermination it; would be universally adopted. 



In Europe the sparrows are as great a nuisance as they 

 are in this country; but their numbers are kept down by 

 petty gunners and trappers, who sell them in the market. 

 In that country they are neither protected by the game laws, 

 io o an- ihey generally provided with boxes, and as they move 

 in flocks, they are easily taken in considerable numbers at a 

 time, 



But our case is very different from that of the inhabitants 

 of Europe. The sparrows, being indigenous in that coun- 

 try, have not caused the extermination of other valuable 

 and interesting species, They have not been the cause of 

 those regrets which the lovers of nature in this country have 

 suffered from witnessing the. banishment or their former 

 musical friends of the feathered race from the garden and 

 Die wayside. Formerly the few bird bouses that were put 

 up in our towns and villages were occupied by wrens, blue- 

 birds, martins and swallows, whose melodious notes awoke 

 Us from our sleep in the morning with glad sounds that 

 made every sunrise seem an opening paradise, it the same 

 lime, the two vireos and the linnets were vocal in the tall, 

 over-arching elms in our pleasure grounds and our road- 

 sides. 



Now all the bird houses have been monopolized by the 

 sparrows. The bluebirds, the wren-., swallows and martins 

 are strangers in our land which otters them no homes, aud 

 the vireos have gone into voluntary exile because they could 

 not endure the presence of the sparrows. They have done 

 a.- we should do if our village was suddenly overwhelmed 

 by legions of Hottentots whom we could not expel. A lew 

 of our familiar birds still remain with us. The robin and 

 the oriole, being larger birds and different feeders, do not 

 iinue into conflict with the sparrows. The BBTOe may be 

 said of our little ground-builders, the song-sparrow and" the 

 vesper-bird, the latter being outside of the usurped domain, 



All is now changed. Instead of the delightful anthem of 

 uH.rn which came into our windows with the balmy breezes 

 of June and inspired every bean with gladness, we beat the 

 discordant chirping aud yawping aad chattering of hund- 

 reds of spat rows, without an intermingled sound that is 

 musical. If a solitary vireo still lingering in some beneficent 

 elm that stands ft little olT from this pandemonium should 

 utter a few cheerful notes, they are drowned in the horrible 

 discord of the English sparrows. As well might we Listen 

 to a sweet pari m Jing r at her harpsichord while a rattling 

 hailstorm is beating against the windows. 



How long. Uatillncl shall we allow these monsters to 

 abuse our patient v Some immediate action must be com- 

 menced for their universal extermination. As a preliminary 

 step in this tfuTj righteous crusade, a society must; be 

 formed, haying its headquarters iu Boston, with branches 

 ovlen ling overdh ! whule continent. Lei those persons in 

 this eily who are interested in the work call a meeting forth- 

 with and organiz-:', for the work should begin this coming 

 winter. I Should li - ivj. ■;, ■, I m engage acl iyely in this en- 



tcrprbe were it not for my physical incapacity. Younger 

 men and especially women to whom we look for the initia- 

 tion of all works of beneficence, must begin the work. In 

 behalf of the enterprise I offer Die following bints that may 

 serve as outlines for the constitution of the society: 



1 This association shall be called a society for the ex- 

 termination of the English sparrows and the protection of 

 our native hints. 



3. The officers shall lie a president, vice-presidents, a sec- 

 retary and treasurer, and directors. 



3; Persons of both sexes shall be equally eligible to the 

 offices of the society. 



•t. The admission fee shall be fl. 



o. Meetings shall be held monthly in such places as may 

 be designated by the secretary, until a permanent place of 

 meeting has been obtained. 



6. The duty of the directors shall be to take measures for 

 I he immediate organization of branch societies in all parts of 

 the country, and to devise means that may be prudently 

 used for the -destruction of the sparrows and for the repeal 

 of all laws which have been enacted for their protection. 

 Wilson Fxagg. 



DEATH OF MR. WILLIS'S QUAIL. 



Editor Fores! n»A Stream: 



My quail arc all dead but two young ones. The old ones 

 died' Saturday and yesterday, and t sendthem, together with 

 one of the young ones, hoping that an examination will en- 

 able you to find the cause of the trouble. The birds were 

 all well and growing finely until I brought the plants into the 

 couservaloiy. where I raised the quail." None of those that 

 died were sick over twenty-four hours. The old cock bird 

 was a wild one that 1 bought last fall, and the hen was of a 

 brood hatched under a bantam a year ago last spring. My 

 success, notwithstanding the. disastrous result of my first 

 experiment, encourages me to try again. John J. Willis, 



Weststkld, Sew Jersey, November 27. 



[Three of these birds, the old cock and hen and a young 

 male, were sent us for examination, aud we give below a 

 statement of their disease. The birds appeared to be in good 

 condition, were by no means emaciated, and their crops 

 and gizzards were filled with food. Death resulted from 

 some acute disease which had but a brief course. Follow- 

 ing is the result of our examination: 



No. 1. Oiij/.r rirgmumus, adult male. — Received Nov. 27.. 

 Autopsy same day. The organs of the specimen presented 

 a normal appearance, except as to the alimentary canal, 

 which was the seat of a more or less intense inflammation 

 throughout its whole length. This inflammation was most 

 marked throughout the stnall intestiues, or from the end of 

 the duodenum to the beginning of the colon. The mucous 

 and sub-mucous tissues were deeply injected, and upon the 

 serous membrane covering the intestine an effusion of 

 lymph had taken place, and some slight adhesions had 

 formed. At various points along the ileum were numerous 

 small hard facal masses which appeared to he adherent to 

 the mucous membrane. Death undoubtedly resulted from 

 this inflammation, which was probably due to the ingestion 

 of improper food, 



No. 3. Ortyx nrgiiumiua, jnv., male.— Condition pre- 

 cisely the same as in the preceding, except that the inflamma- 

 tion was less acute. 



No. 8. Ortg.r rirginianiM, adult female. — A much smaller 

 and less sturdy bird than the adult male. The inflammation 

 in this specimen extended over a larger tract than in No. 1, 

 the duodenum being deeply injected for its whole length, as 

 well as the ileum. In each specimen the colon was filled 

 with dark foecal matter. 



Iu all three, death appeared to have resulted from the same 

 cau-e, as above stated. The violent inflammation of the 

 bowels which, unhappily, terminated the existence of our 

 friend's pets, was, no loubt, caused by something which 

 they ate from the plants, which had just been moved back 

 into his conservatory. Whether this was the fruit, or leaves, 

 of some one of the plants, or some poison which had been 

 used to destroy insects, we could not tell without a detailed 

 examination aud analysis of the partially digested food con- 

 tained in the organs. 



We are glad ,o be assured that Mr. Willis intends to con- 

 tinue bis efforts to rear Bob White in confinement, and hope 

 for those now remaining alive a happier fate than that of 

 their relatives.] 



THE DOINGS OF KEEP. 



T?OR the benefit of those who are interested in the 'cute do- 

 _T ings aud wonderful knowledge possessed by some dogs. 

 1 1 jlate the following of Keep, in his prime a finely propor- 

 tioned aud beautiful field spaniel, valuable as an aid to 

 his master among the grouse ana woodcock, also as a re- 

 triever, bringing all birds, by whosoever shot, to his master's 

 feet. But alas I he was rewarded but too well for his many 

 brilliant achievements, and at eight years of age is able, with 

 great difficulty to mount a chair at command, and in propor- 

 tion much resembles a twenty-pound 'coon. 



Once, in his young and frisky days. Keep accompanied his 

 master and friend C. to a neighboring pond, whither they 

 went to catch pickerel through the ice. •Tip-ups" were set, 

 and business began. Two strangers were observed at . ! i - . i . 

 spot near the opposite shore. They used a twig set nearly 

 perpendicular in the ico with a red dag at the tip. When tho 

 Hag was bent low it gave evidence of a hooked tish. , As fast 

 as the fish wvr • thrown out Keep was on hand to "hook" thorn 

 over again, carrying them all, as fast as caught, to his master. 

 ii !. the cUVV One of the strangers saw the dog pulldown 



n i their twigs and scamper awav. Saying nothing he 

 awaited results. His companion on observing; the flag down 

 raa with great speed to be first to pull out tbu tish, but found 

 uothing on the hook but a lively bait. His partner came up 

 and told his story, and they both laughed heartily and the 

 dog laughed too '(don't dogs sometimes" laugh?). They finally 

 concluded that they would have to buy the dog or go home 

 Ushless, but the fish were returned to them. 



The next day was warmer, and friend O, with the bucket 

 of minnows, followed by the dog, proceeded to bait the hooks. 

 The iee was covered here and there with shallow puddles, 

 making it difficult walking in gum boots, and triend C. sat 

 down and the bait spread itself out likewise. Keep wy.fehe.il 

 C. pick up the minnows for a few minutes, when he proceeded 



to help liim In this way; He would place his paw on a fish, 

 take it up gently in his mouth and carry it to C, who would 

 return it to the bucket. Most of them were retrieved in this 

 manner without being injured. Before returning from this 

 trip the dog found, and brought to bis master, a pocketbootc 

 which bad been lost. 



On Keep's first visit to the seaside he was sent into the 

 water to retrieve a wounded gull. He swam straight for the 

 gull uut;il the bb'd presented its bill, when he payed out aud 

 swam in circles just out of reach to avoid any further pay- 

 ments on bis property. This w r as kept up for "some minutes, 

 but the bill was always in the way. Finally he made a rush 

 with mouth wide open, and shut on to the gull's head, and iu 

 this way tugged her to shore. His first introduction to a 

 crab was very amusing to the bystanders. He was nosing 

 over one. when his nose received an embrace that was any- 

 thing but loving. He tried to claw it off, but it was no go. 

 Finally, throwing up his head, the crab was tossed some ten 

 feet in the air, and when he alighted Keep had his foot on 

 bnu (he was very careful to put it in the. right place) aud 

 cleaned his crabship of claws iu about a minute, aud then left 

 liirn in disgust. 



Once upon a time an acquaintance and trader visited the 

 dog's master, and stated that a man bad oll'ered to trade paper 

 stock at eighteen cents for a horse he had. Thinking the 

 above rather too high a figure for the stock, he requested his 

 friend to find out what it was selling for, So the master - , fol- 

 lowed by the dog, started to interview a man whose son was 

 in ttie business. The man stated that stock was selling for 

 considerably less, and lie had a letter from his son to that 

 effect, but it had been mislaid. Master and dog returned to 

 the store. The acquaintance, observing something in the 

 dog's mouth, says, "Keep, what have you!" removing a letter 

 and reading, " taper stock quoted at ten." It proved to be 

 the letter from the. man's son. It is needless to say that there 

 was no trade, and that this was a very curious coincidence. 



One day Keep came into the store with a very proud look in 

 his face and something in his mouth. He carried it for soma 

 twenty minutes before anyone was curious enough to find out 

 what it was. It proved to be a one dollar greenback, wet 

 and dirty. The doe; seems to know the value of a dollar, and 

 the master well knows the worth of his dog. There are many 

 more curious incidents that mi^ht be rotated of this dog, but 

 I have already drawn this out longer than I intended, but 

 there is no inflation about it if I do sign myself Gas. 



TRAMP DOGS IN CENTRAL PARK.— TomDonohue, the 

 night watchman in Central Park, is an old man-of-war's gun- 

 ner. Among his many duties is that of shooting the tramp 

 dags, the vagrant cats, the rats that suck eggs and kill chick- 

 ens, and the screech owls and night hawks. The killing of 

 tho deer by the tramp dogs last w~eek was keenly felt by 

 Superintendent Conklin, and Tom Donohue's blood was 

 roused when he heard of it. The watchman was found by a 

 Sun, reporter on Saturday night oiling and burnishing up hi8 

 rifle, in a corner of the armory cellar lay the bodies of 

 three tramp dogs, two cats, and one fat screech owl. The 

 dogs, although dead, were frightful enough. One especially, 

 a big, lank brute, was tne ideal tramp dog. Ferocity, treach- 

 ery, and cunning were marked in his face. "Yes," said Tom 

 Donohue, "these tramp dogs infest the park at times, and 

 enough trouble they give me. 'Cute? Well, I should say so. 

 did you ever know anything, man or beast, that lived by its 

 wits, that wasn't 'cute"? It's many years since I fiist got at 

 tbem. At that time I carried only a stout stick. One night I 

 went on niy rounds, and fancied 1 heard the sharp yells of 

 dogs attacking something. I dodged around the trees and 

 bushes, and found a pack of them attacking the yak. When 

 I came up they ran away. I continued my rounds. Again I 

 heard the dogs. I went back and found they had the yak 

 down, and were tearing him. One big dog attacked me, but I 

 killed him with my stick. The yak was so badly torn that it 

 had to be killed. Superintendent Conklin got me this rifle, 

 and many a dog have I killed since. A few summers ago we 

 lost several swans. Night after night f watched, but could get 

 no trace of what killed them. One night t climbed a tree and 

 stayed there two hours, when I saw e ' : . . . i ; i ' ' ' .■■ i . ■ . . ..■ ■ 

 the border of the lake. The beast seemed to be watching 

 as if to discover danger. I did not stir, and at length it gave 

 a sharp bark, and half a dozen dogs came up. Five of them 

 juinpod into the water and swam toward the island where 

 the swans and ducks were. One remained on shore, as a guard. 

 When the dogs had nearly reached the Island I sighted the 

 guard on shore and shot him. You never heard such a howl- 

 ing in your like. The dogs in the water knew I had them. I 

 shot three of them, and since then the swans have not been 

 touched. 



fwip #r# m\d §nt\. 



THE TOLLESTON TEST CASE. 



TESTING TUB 1KDIASA NSN-EXVOKT LAW. 

 [From our Regular Chicago Correspondent.] 



NOT tor many years have the local sportsmen and gutl 

 clubs been so violently agitated over anything as they 

 an at present over the war between the Tolleston Gun Club 

 of (Jhicago and the natives of Tollestou, Lake couuty, hid. 

 Your correspondent has taken especial pains to investigate 

 the causes and effect, with the future course of both sides, 

 and desires that the Fokest and Stream shall present a 

 clear and impartial statement of this trouble, wluch seems 

 to create much interest, oven among outsiders, who do 

 not know the butt of a gun from the muzzle. The rash 

 statements afloat on all sides and freely ventured in gun 

 stores and at club bouses about this matter were not to be 

 taken for a moment. Your correspondent therefore went 

 direct to fountain heads on both sides and he can say that 

 the facts render the aspect of the case very much different 

 from that usually accepted. 



It has ucen universally believed that the war was a per- 

 sonal one, full of vituperation, bitterness, and with smould- 

 ering bate and malice for foundation on both sides. This is 

 not true. With the exception of a few ignorant pot-hunters, 

 wdio resented interference when they tried to roam at their 

 own sweet will over the grounds belonging to the club, and 

 were consequently arrested and fined for" trespass, the feel- 

 ing on the part of the natives and club members is of a very 

 pleasant nature, while at the same time both sides are hold- 

 ing out firmly for alleged rights. A great many more of the 

 generally accepted statements are Wrong. As the affair is 

 likely to be of national importance, and in its legal bearings 

 to be of interest to sportsmen everywhere, I send a rather 

 full statement of the case. None of the local alleged sport- 

 iug journals have had enterprise enough to publish anything 

 about the trouble. 



The Tolleston Gun Club was formed iu 1874 and incorpor* 

 ated. Lauds to the extent of sixty acres to start in with 

 were selected in Lake county, lud., near the town of Tolles- 

 ton on the Little Calumet River. A tidy club house was 

 built and with each succeeding year improvements were 

 made nnd more land leased and purchased until finally at 

 the commencement of the past season the club had 3,800 

 acres which they own outright. The club is composed of 



