384 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Due. 14, 1882. 



growing darker, and the mimiti s were getting tfl tp '' ' b 

 asio a slopped watch, when I heard Dick c3l from a point 

 along (he shore aliova me. The paddle was no longer 

 needed, so I pulleil oul the Oars ana getting tbera into the 

 lucks rowed as rapidl) as possi1.de Inward Dick, tte'hatl 

 tracked the* liuck to the water's edge and was just saying 

 thai we would findhlm mortally wounded Bjougthe shore 

 somewhere, when, with a greal Suappingof branchesantl 

 splashing of w:Uer, the old fellow sprung out of n windfall 

 into the lake and started to .swim for a little island near hy. 

 Dick jumped into the how, and 1 pulled the oars with a 

 vengeance, not daring to look around but guided hy the 

 hoarse breathing of the panting de.ei as he swam. Rapidly 

 We tuanil him" and just as Dick called oul "Right oar, 

 quick!" the boat gave a lurch and 1 knew that he had our 

 game by the tail. At that moment the handles of the oars 

 came against my abdomen with a jerk and pressed so hard 

 that I couldn't catch a breath tot the life of me. "Hold up, 

 Dick!" i gasped. "For H-e-a-y-e-n-*S s-a-k-e hold up!'' The 

 oars kept pressing so hard that I could not gel out another 

 word, until Dick, roaring with laughter, ieaehed around 

 and threw one of them out of (he rowlock. In my excite- 

 ment I had forgotten that Dick was not the motive power 

 at the bow. and I hat the fast swimming buck was the cause 

 of bringing into practice a very simple problem in levers. 



We old;,' had a CeW yards more l" go before shallow wal... 

 would be reached, and picking up the ritlc. 1 intended to 

 Stop our locomotive, but the boat was unsteady and 1 tired 

 the bullet soiaewhere into the heart of the Adirondack 

 Wilderness. Another build went on the same crraudless 

 mission and is going yet for all Unit 1 know. Wcwe.c 

 I the Shallow writer, and shutting my teeth together 

 with a iirin resolve to hold steady, 1 sent a bullet through 

 the neck of the deer, and with a convulsive start he sent 

 living the spray in every direction., and then lay kicking 

 upon the water 



Towing the deer to the shore we got him into the boat, 

 and as 1 took the bow again Dick look up I he paddle and we 

 started for camp. 



How line the old buck looked in Hie evening light with 

 his white belh up and legs gracefully bent as bis head lay 

 between my knees ami 1 stroked bis smooth ears and opened 

 the closed eyes and patted his neck. 



As we neared camp the stars were sending (silvery gleams 

 over the ripples in our wake. A glimpse of the bad, log 

 burning low showed us where to land, and the smell of (he 

 smoke hanging heavily Over the water was a reminder of the 

 comforts in , 



The boat grated on the pebbly bottom, and jumping out 

 We rolled out OUI game and dragged him the short distance 

 to camp. Lichen-covered sticks were soon snapping and roar- 

 ing on the camp tire, and the forest around was all aglow its 

 the sparks arose with the smoke and floated off among the 

 branches of the trees overhead. The red embers settled in 

 a ruddy heap and the last piece of venison ftom the deer 

 which Dick had killed a tew days previously and half a 

 do/.eu big trout were pulled from the moss by the spring 

 Where we lent stored them ready for use. As they broiled 

 and browned before the birch logs tie* juice trickled out 

 and fell sizzling among Ibe coals, "sending fragrant aromas 

 in (jvery direction. Our birch-baik plat.,- were tilled as 

 only a millionaire could afford to lill them in the city. And 

 then in a condition of supreme contentment 1 leaned my 

 i i:st a giant pine, crossed my feet over the buck's 

 glossy 'nauk and lit my pipe. Dick stretched himself out at 

 full length upon the moss near hy, and as the blue puffs 

 tioaled around our heads We told of former exploits with 

 deer and bears until the pipes and the camp fire burned low 



MAKE West. 



tni[nl W4t° r &- 



THE NEW ZEALAND BIRD NUISANCE. 



TEE problem of how to check the ravages of the smaller 

 imported birds among the crops and fruit has of late 

 become an important one »in some parts of this colony. 

 Though the evil has not yel attained the alarming dimen- 

 sions of the "rabbit pest." it hies, nevertheless, at length be- 

 come serious enough to necessitate legislation on the subject. 

 Its weight has been principally felt in the fine agricultural 

 district of South Canterbury, where, as well as in other 

 parts of the Colony, "sparrow clubs" have been formed for 

 the purpose of waging vyar with tins enemy. The princi- 

 pal oil icier is tie- English house sparrow {Passer (jtomeMtcual, 

 which wa - introduced along with other small English birds 

 by the acclim.itiz.u ion societies in years gone by, and has 

 now mi lined to numbers which miike it doubtful whether 

 he will he ever again got under proper control. Local au- 

 thorities assert that this piolitic little bird produces annually 

 in tuis Oo.onv four broods of rive birds each, and the results 

 of a calculation on this basis are sufficiently startling; the 

 "gross proceeds" at this rate of increase would lie, from 

 one pair, in round numbers 2b birds the first year, 200 the 

 second, 2.001) the third, 20.111)0 tne fourth, 200,00(1 the fifth, 



8,000,000 the sixth. 80,000,000 the seventh, 300,000,000 the 



eighth year, and so on; so that, even allowing for deaths 

 from various causes, the increase would be something enor- 

 mous if unchecked. It has also been calculated that, admit-. 

 ting that these birds live on insects, caterpillars, seeds, etc., 

 during the greater pari, of the year, and consume grain only 

 at seed time and harvest (say a month altogether], and as- 

 suming, as may fairly be done, lhaf each bird consumes loz. 

 of grain a day," or a total of 81bs. weight per bird during 

 that period, tie- value of the grain consumed in the fifth 

 yearby the 200,000 birds spuing from one pair would be 

 £1,3:3:1, or about $6,600 (400,0001ns. wheat, 6,666 bushels of 

 BOlbS,, value four shillings a bushel); while the amount con- 

 sumed In the sixth year would be 66,666 bushels of the value 

 of £13.833. or about §66,600. 



Without asserting that these figures are actually reached. 

 it may be safely assumed that the aggregate vaiue of grain 

 and other produce consumed by the various kinds oJ small 

 birds is very considerable and thai Hi.-. la magi- 1 he\ do bar out- 

 weighs the good. It is but fair, however to state what 

 competent authorities have to say in their favor. During the 

 greater part. of the year they must live largely on insects 

 and the seeds of weeds, etc., and it has been estimated that 

 in Great Britain the small birds, among which the (inches 



are in thisrespcet prominent, consume on an ave 100 



seeds per day, and prevent the growth of 36,500 weeds a 



nird," reaching an estimated total of 3,650,000,000.- 

 000 weeds annually, and thus preserving .about 600,000 

 acres, or more than one-seventieth of the total area of 

 England and Wales from being overrun with weeds. How 



far Our New Zealand small birds contribute in ibis direction 

 has not been calculated; no doubt they do something; but 

 direct evidence COroeS from various parts of the colony as to 

 the damage dime In them. In the Cantorhim province 



I i. in itances liaveoconrredin which the crops wereiiimply 

 10 woi It cutting owing soidy to this cause", and it is quite 



three, bushels ol seed Where a few years ago two only were 

 needed. The "sparrow clubs," to which reference has been 

 made, have done good work in reducing the numbers of the 

 birds. The report for last year published by one of these 

 —iatiuns states that though thousands of "birds had been 

 med during the year, as was estimated from the bodies 

 lying about, yet in about six week during the spring 

 23,000 eggs and heads were brought in. Another club of' the 

 same character paid for 20, 000 eggs and 2. 500 heads during 

 three months, while the farmers themselves in the neighbor- 

 hood were estimated to bins d st*oyed 15,000 birds in the 

 same period, inakinaa total of some' 50,11011 birds accounted 

 for in one small district. 



The object of all the efforts which are being made in this 

 direction is not the extinction of the small birds hut merely 

 their repression within certain limits. Poisoned wheat fa 

 the agent generally used; and it has, on the one hand been 

 objected to this method that it destroys a number of game 

 birds, While on the other it is asserted that grain can he 

 quite sufficiently poisoned to he fatal to little birds while 

 ill the same time, pheasants and other larger birds can eat it 

 wttli impunity. This is a matter that has been as vet scarce- 

 ly tested ; but such a result as the former would lie much to 

 be regretted, as the increase of game birds in most parts of 

 New Zealand is very slow. 



V short act, has been passed during the lasl session of 

 Parliament with the object of making "provision for the 

 abatement of the injury caused to crops bv the undue in- 

 crease ot sparrows and other birds." It empowers the road 

 boards, county councils, and other local governiii" bodies 

 either at their discretion, to appropriate a portion of their 

 general funds, or, on petition by a majority of the ratepay- 

 ers, to lc VV a special rate, limited in amount, "for the de- 

 struction of any kind or Kinds of birds which by their ex- 

 cessive increase havi become, or threaten to become, inju- 

 rious to crops of any kind, for the purpose of reducing the 

 number ot .such birds to .such extent as may lie necessary 

 for the protection of such crops." 



This legislation has been found necessary in order to com- 

 pel all property-owners and occupiers to contribute for 

 many even of those most directly benefited bv the operations 

 of the clubs have babituallvfail'ed to render 'them pecuniary 

 aid. The act defines "birds" to mean "any birds not dor the 

 time being coming within the operation of any act in force 

 relating to the protection of animals." So that the destruc- 

 tion ot game birds is not contemplated, though even thev 

 ttaye, 111 it few lavored places, increased to such tin extent as 

 to interfere somewhat with the farmers' interests. 



It is to be hoped, and may be fairly anticipated, that the 

 powers given by this act to the local municipal bodies will 

 enable them to cope successfully with the small bird diffi- 

 culty, which threatens to prove nearly as disastrous in the 

 long run to the agricultural interests as the rabbit plague ha; 

 been to those of our pastoral settlers, yp 



in, New Zealand, Nov. B, 1882. 



for three dollars, a fine specimen, which he succeeded in 

 shooting the day before, niter following it about two miles. 

 Mr. .1. brought it to my son to put up. There was not a 

 spot of blood on it, and measured four feet and eleven 

 indies across the wings, ft was the largest and best speci- 

 men I ever saw. We had our first snow Xov. 20. and the 

 next day we saw the first snow buntings'. — J. L D. 



A Hawkiko Excursion. — Ban Antonio, Tex., Dec 4 

 1882. -About the 1st Septcraher, as I was gunning in this 

 vicinity, shooting plover from an open wagon, 1 saw a plover 

 fly across our course closely pursued bv two Mexican eagles 

 Ihey gained rapidly upon the small ' bird, which, at a"di.s- 

 t.auce of perhaps three hundred yards, made, a sudden dart 

 eatthward, both eagles following suit, the trio disappearing 

 among the thick ehapparal. At this juncture we put our 

 horse to a run, curious to see what, became of "poor plover." 

 When we came upon the eagles they were attending to busi- 

 ness in an "eaglisb" manner. At, sight of us they bacKed 

 away from their prey, loath to depart, arid we rode within 

 twenty-five feet of them before they took flight. We found 

 the bird thoroughly disemboweled, minus head. We are all 

 well aware of the great destruction of our favorite game 

 birds in this way, but this is the first instance of the kind which 

 has come under my personal observation, speaking for one. 

 Plover have entirely disappeared. Quail ("Bob White") 

 are unusually plentiful. Rabbits are a glut on the market — 

 in fact, small game of every description may be found in 

 abundance. Dead wild turkeys are brought to the citv and 

 sold at from six bits to one dollar.— A. D. Tvtlei!. [If, as 

 is possible, our correspondent refers to the Caracara eagle, 

 PotyborvA chsritcity, when be speaks ot "Mexican eagles," 

 the above observation is extremely interesting and entirely 

 unexpected. If. on the other hand, he means, as seems 

 most, probable, the Lanier falcon (Ftilm mericnnitx), the oc- 

 currence, while a pleasant bit of experience, is not at all 

 remarkable. 



Mr. Willis's Qc.vil — Westfield, N. .1., Dec. 5.— I am 

 greatly obliged for your exhaustive report of the autopsy of 

 the quail, as it enabled me to save the lives of the last two of 

 the brood. Loth were attacked with the same symptoms 

 from which the others died, /. e., ruffled plumage, drooping 



ings and scant, watery excrement. Having once lost a 

 pet "canary, my family physician being at the house at the 

 time, performed a regular post mortem examination, and 

 declared the cause of death to have been the same as your 

 report on the quail, aud he said small doses of opium would 

 have saved its life. As soon, though, as I read your autopsy 

 the JfOREST and Stream, 1 emptied the drinking cap, 



■up of fresh water added one teaspoonful 

 , and the effect, was quickly perceptible. The 

 ■med to know it was good for him, and had 1 

 ie cup away be would hav< 

 ice then I have given thei 

 ntil to-dav, when thev Set 

 1 1 mixed ft little Spauisl: 

 ilv think it could have 



tl to ah 



ick bird 



iot taken 

 drunk. 

 the water 

 that insti 

 water. 1 he 



•d the trouble, for my conser 

 half the flowers it did last winter, v, 

 so finely. Neither have I used any 

 have come to the conclusion thai 



line thing poisonous in some wheat 

 at a grocery store from an open bar 



■ad a regular opium 

 1 little paregoric in 

 ed so much better 

 hamomile with the 

 en my flowers that 

 ■y does not contain 

 the old pair thrived 

 I on the plants. 1 

 re must have been 

 inings that I bought 

 .foiTx.l. Willis. 



Sxowv or Arctic OwLB.— Lockport, Niagara County, 

 TV Y., Dee. 8, 1882.— In your last issue, just received, 

 •Homo" says "lookout for them." That is just what we 

 have been doing for the. past two weeks, and have seen oue 

 ■y day since Nov. 24. A Mr. Hollenback, living about 

 four'miles south of the city, sold to Mr. J. Carl Jackson. 



BIRD MIGRATION IN THE MISSISSIPPI 

 VALLEY. 



Jefferson; Wis., Nov. 18, 1882 

 Editor Fon-nt mid Hlnnm: 



In collating the notes on migration which you published 

 a short time, ago, by some inexplicable mistake nearly all 

 the notes contributed by Mr. II. A. Kline, of Vesta,, Neb., 

 were omitted. I send herewith a full copy of Ids observa- 

 tions. As in the former paper, all dates "are first, arrivals 

 unless otherwise stated. Mr. Kline's present address is 

 Polo, III. Yours respectfully, 



W. W. COOKH, 



Wood Thrush.— 5, ($. 



Robin. — W. R. : 8, 18 becoming more plentiful; 5, 18 

 nesting. 



Catbird.— 5, 6. 



Ilrown Thrasher.— 4, 21. 



Bluebird. — Very rare W. R., began to increase in num- 

 bers 3, 4, by :!, 18 were numerous. 



Tufted Titmouse.— R. ; eggs 5, 5. 



Black-Capped Chickadee.— R., very common: nest 4, 24. 



Brown Creeper. — 3. 23. 



House Wren.— 4, 20; nesting 5, 13. 



Winter Wren.— W. B. 



l'rnthonolai v Warbler.— 5, 10. 



Orange-Crowned Warbler.— 5, ?. 



Golden Warbler. — 5, 1 numerous. 



Yellow-Rumped Warbler.—.), 13. 



Redstart.— 5, 6. 



Maryland Yellow Throat,.— 5, 9; 



Scarlet Tanager.— 5, 13. 



Barn Swallow.— 4, 26. 



White-Bellied Swallow.— 5. 13. 



Purple Martiu.— 1, 11. 



Cedar Wax-wing. — Frequent winter visitant, in large flocks- 

 have seen three flocks the past, winter. 



Warbling Vireo.— 5, 7. 



Yellow-Throated Vireo.— 5, 10. 



li li's Vireo.— o, 11. 



Savannah Sparrow.— 8, 18 abundant. 



Oregon Snowbird— .A ow/onm. — lias been an occasional 

 winter visitant,. 



Chipping Sparrow. — W. R., numerous. 



Harris's Soiiirow.— 4, numerous. 



Rose-Breasted Grosbeak.— 4, 30. 



Black-Headed Grosbeak.— 5, 18. 



Black-Throated Bunting.— 4, 30. 



Indigo Bunting.— 5, 13. 



Towhee Bunting.— R. 



Canon Towhee.— A few remain here in the whiter, and 

 are found in the heavy underbrush along the streams 

 Have shot two. 



Arctic Towhee.— ."i, 7. 



Bobolink.— 5, 13. 



Cow bird, —3, 27. 



Red-Shouldered Blackbird.— 3, 20 a large flock; 3, 2.1 

 numerous. 



Yellow-Headed Blackbird.— 4, 2; 4, 25 numerous. 



Meadow Lark.— 3, 2; still arriving 3, 11; nest, 4. 24. 



Orchard Oriole.— S, 10. 



Baltimore Oriole.— 5, 2. 



Rusty Crackle.— Four large flocks 3, 3. 



Purple Crackle. — Nesting 5, 5. 



Qi'ow.— Common W. R.; 3, 27 nest with five eggs. 



Kingbird.— 4, 24. 



Great-Crested Fly-Catcher.— 5, 27. 



Wippoorwill.-4. 22. 



Nigbthawk.— 5, 10. 



Chimney Swift.— 5, 13. 



Kingfisher. —4, 2. 



Redheaded Woodpecker.— R. ; first from south ;!, .'.. 



Yellow-Shafted Flicker.— R. 



Screech Owl.— R. ; nest 4, 24. 



Long-Eared Owl.— R. ; nest 4, 24; eggs ',, ',. 



Marsh Hawk. -R. 



Swallowed-Tailed Kite.— A pair 4, 4. 



Cooper's Hawk.— R. ; 5, 11 nest with four fresh eggs. 



Pigeon Hawk.— 3. 28. 



Sparrow Hawk. — 3, 28. 



Redtailcd Hawk.— R. ; nest 5, 5, with young, two weeks 

 old. 



Turkey Bu7.zard.-R. 



Wild Pigeon..— Going north in large Hocks 4, SI- 26; two 

 large flocks 5, 5. 



Mourning Dove,— Rare, W. R. 



Prairie Hen.— R. 7 common, nest 4, 24; eggs 5, 5. 



Great Blue Heron,— 4, 9; 4, 24 numerous. 



Little Green Heron.— 3, 10; 4, 24 numerous. 



Night Heron.— 4. 2. 



Bittern. -4, 3. 



Black-Bellied Plover.— Going north in large flocks, 1 . 2 1 



Killdeer Plover.— 3, 2. 



Bart ram's Sandpiper.— 4, 21! numerous; young 5, 23. 



Wilson's Snipe.— 3, 8. 



Curlew,— [Which?— j3d.] 4. 2. 



Sandhill Crane.— Fifty passed north 3, 22; 3, 88 passing 

 iu large numbers, which continued to 4, 22, when they were 

 itill to be seen but rather scarce. 



Canada Goose— 2. 22; increasing to 3, 29, then numerous 

 until 4, 10; decreasing to 4, 22, when there were few left. 



Mallard and Green-winged Teal, with some other ducks 

 in less numbers, were seen all winter wherever the weather 



as warm. 



Redhead Duck.— 3. 23. 



Wood Duck.— 3. 28. 



Coot.— 3, 38. 



Foster's Tern.— 5, 7. 



Black Tern. — Bi.g. . 



Recent Ariuv m,s at the Philadelphia Zoological Garden. — One 

 iHliij" Cw.-iii 'ci/i/iiiix ccKT/ViOius; aro chimpanzees, Troglodyte* 

 ,,c,- ilintli fematt-sc i,v,o marmosets, //<!;<».'<■ /arrhits: nnil two seals 

 ,',,.,, ,-,,,,'i ,,,,,, re -rived bv purchase. One prairie wmf, CaniH 

 ',-„„.. (femal.-e. '-, . ,-r ;e(l foxes, l' ■■!,'■- J "!"■< "tie cr..y squirrel, 

 ;,„-„»■ wrolini-itsis: 0D6 raccoon. ;v,„;,m, h.lor; one opos.-um, 

 rlctnht/* virfiiitiana; two indigo birds. r'i/u,io.->/e:'t cti<" *-" " our 

 woodcock PhUohela min >r;onealli t, Alligator mUrtssij fiensn; 

 and our iguana, ifinwfl t uberculatu: received by preseutntiu... urn- 



pea fowl, Pa s'irf,,;,.; one turtle ci • ■ , Tnrtur risorius; and thirt}- 



Bve water snakes, Tropidonotiit stpedon{ brod iu Uiegardeu. 



