606 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jan, 85, .8h« 



THE LITTLE SPOTTED SKUN'X. 



Kilitur Fim-ft ami Stream: 



I am going to give my experience on Hie subject of 

 skunks in Southwestern Kansas and Colorado, for though 



thi 



What I am going t 



mi 11 :i in i campers 



never won it mentioned it) a pnp 



kiuds of skunks here— the htrgi 



harmless, and if one bites a man 



■ll known foci among stock- 



•t of the funnier, vet 1 linvt 

 There tire two distinct 

 pod variety, which 



tlie night, win -ii In ia 

 camping out, as they occasionally do, the bite is harmless. 

 The other kind IB about half as large as tin' other, is spotted 



—not striped — does ool smell as strong us the lure ■ pedes 



won't run from man or beast, Can elimli a tree, :n,,l wlnn he 

 bites a man, the man is as good as dead from hydrophobia, 

 I have personally known of twenty deaths from skunk bite 

 within ten years in a radius of one' hundred miles from the 

 southeast Corner of Colorado 



A man will lie down lo sleep on the ground or in his 

 blankets. He is awakened by a bite on face or hand, and 

 when he sees the spoiled skunk' he is ready to settle up his 

 affairs. I have known the pine mil out' ami the wound 

 binned with a hot iron. That man fell no ill effects for six 

 months, and then bis companions had to lasso him and tie 

 him lo a tree. He was wild, and tried to bite. He died two 

 days after. The way campers generally avoid litem when they 

 have no tent is to make the bed on a wagon sheet, and luck ft 

 in after they get to lied, over head and all. Fortunately the 

 spotted skunk is scarce cvervwhere. Can you tell me 

 the scientific name of the gentleman? I have seen but one 

 this year. W. J. DcSOR. 



Cimarron, Gray County, Kan., Jan. Ii. 



[The whole subject of hydrophobia from skunk bite has 

 been very fully treated of in Forest and Sit.kam, Coues's 

 Fur Bearing Animals, and in Menia.m's Vcrlelinitcs of 

 the Adiiondaelv Region tTraus. Linnean 80c., vol. I. ), and 

 lite conclusion reached by those best tilted to judge is thai 

 there is no more danger 'from the bite of a healthy skunk 

 than from that of a healthy dog, hut that the bite of a rabid 

 skunk Is as dangerous as that of a dog similarly-diseased. 

 We have known of the popular impression in the West with 

 regard to the fatal effects of skunk bite for main' vears, but 

 have never heard until recently that the Utile Striped skunk 

 (MspMHn (3 ■ I..': Was universally fatal. This 



species is not, as whs formerly supposed, confined to the 

 Sonthw.-si, bui ocenrsin Florida, Georgia and South Caro- 

 lina, and perhaps eonsidirablv further North.] 



Trna Whkiut of Quail. — Nashville, 111., Jan. 15. — In a 

 Copy of your excellent journal, recently, one of your corres- 

 pondents spoke of having killed twenty-two' quail that 

 weighed nine pounds, ore 

 tbouirht they were exceed; 

 plentiful in our lieighbr 

 knew I hem before; and 

 \\ e-l, iiunii of thi- place ni 

 weighed nine poun ' 



r six and a hall ounces each, and 

 ugly large. Quail have been more 

 rhood this season I ban I ever 

 on I he afternoon of Dec. 23 Dr. 

 idmyseld killed eighteen quail that 

 ounces. I did not think they were 



extra large; but the Doctor insisting that th 



weighed them with Hie above result, [killed several between 



thai and New Years that weighed a half pound each. We 

 have some fine shots here and they have made ii very lively 

 for the birds this season. — G. B. B. 



(>H KSAI. H.WdTsor SlIOIlT-KAKF.i) Owl.. — A C01T 



dent in last number of Forest and Stream mentibt 



showy and hav. k ow Is as ihe onlv ones strictly diuri: 



think the short -ear. d owl (Aslo acripHrinv*) should be 

 tot'mlisi. This hird used, to make its appearance b 

 great numbers every winter, but of late years it is rar 

 ever, met. with. [ have seen four ami live at a time 

 ing in the same field for mice, so tamo and uncouee 

 to pass to and fro within a few feci without notici 

 They hunt at all hour- ..f the day. but 1 bare nev 

 v. ith mie abroad after sundown. — l)n. E. STERLLNQ. 



To in&im prompt dt'.enttail, enmmuoiealions should be ad- 



'''""'''' ''" ""' /' '"/■!'■.■/ 'in'' .\'i;;s,,l i'l |, :'..|',i ■.:/,■;„./ I ', . , ,,,„/ „,„' /,., 



iniJh iilioi/s. in irhose absence from the office matters of iirv- 

 /ii,'./,.. ,..-, liable, to delay. 



WHAT THE PRESS THINKS. 



ONE by one the different newspapers are wuki 

 required some sharp punching to start them 

 lethargy, the use of some i igorous language to n 

 understand that, under the anise of a simple least 

 tionof the public domain, a eie.inlie liaud wa 

 plated on the Ameri 

 awakened to a realist 

 National Park Impri 



the gaum. For a lone 



the FonmsT ami .Sti 



the subject has beeo 



its importance, a popular one, anUBtrc 



lire constantly pouring in. 



We are heartily glad of it, and wel 



irp. 



if the 



up. It 



nil their 



W.slo 





opt 



r a. Q, Vest, of Missouri, and 



p the fhj,ht quite alone, but 

 :e natural when we consider 

 and strong reinforcements 



with cordial 



d although this paper 



is iniquitous job, it Is quite willing to 



the rank and file, if officers more, able 



m be brought to the front. It is amus- 



i to the 



sack additic 

 led the attack on tl 

 take its place union' 

 or belter informed c 

 ing and flattering to find our esfee 

 East and West cutting up the. 

 written on the subject to make 

 own columns, lo read over agaii 

 have made against the sleal, and ti 

 subject, and often our own langu 

 without change. This is rather rnoi 

 ing. \Ve do not care who gets the 

 carrying on the tight, so long as it i 

 and the grab prevented. This appei 

 and we hope that the light ' 

 people. 



We have space to reproduce only a few r 

 which are every day appearing in the pub! 

 ence to the attempted donation of the VlII 

 the speculative "Improvement" Compat j 

 long time since any similar scheme has 1 

 versal condemnation by the press and the 



readers will see in another column, the dai 



of the people's Park upp.-arsi,, ie over, 1 



the projectors of the scheme should hew. cneo 



tor Vest's bill is passed These men are daring and shrewd. 

 and we may feel assured that the,- will not permit so fat a 

 thing as this to slip through their lingers without a struggle, 



We append a few comments from papers Of all shades of 

 opinion. This is what they say: 



[New York Commercial Advertiser, Jan. 18>J 



Tlie Fojikst AN-i) StkbaM, ivhieli has 1 n making a plucky fiicht 



HRaiiiKl ihe. proposed National far!. inoiiopoli . |.na:s |.,. lav ail not. a 



I e.mtcirrp 

 itorials which we have 

 original" ones for their 

 alb the points which we 

 I nothing new said on the 



ige reproduced almost 

 a\ I Mi not at all annoy- 





vstone Park to 



It has been a 



eeiveil such uni 



people. As our 



killiu, 



■ely, if 



hiiul- 

 ■ned as 



Vis, n? the Park is Stolen.— The rapid development 

 of the Wesl threatens the extinction of the buffalo, and there 



is no romance In Western sent 

 servatiou. It is couleuded tha 

 practical American eivilizalioi 

 much the only thing of value i 



(lead bulfalo.' Whole tlrOVCS a 



western Dakota for the hides, 

 one thousand white hunters ar 

 The noble animal bids fair ere 

 scape feature of the prairies, a 

 moth and the mastodon. Tl 



i inin t that considers hi- pre 

 i the animal does not. tit into 

 i, and that bis skin is pretty 

 bout him— and that implies a 

 re being slaughtered in North- 

 i ii< 1 it i- reported that about 



one thousand cattle can 

 thai now sustains a th 

 meal js worse than thai 

 must go.— 8wn (./< 



emp 

 one 



1 lo 



Wis 



...Ved 

 ., lie 



in tlie slaughter. 

 ISE to be a land- 

 way of the mam- 

 reasoning is that 



eve 



y bo 



uli grass prairie 



SI I, 



feed on 



(lusaud buffaloes, and that bulfalo 



of the leanest steer. So the bulfalo 



Tennessee Notes. — On the day of (low W. 1!. Bale's 

 inauguration a live eagle of large size was se1 at liberty 

 from the dome of the capitol, but he did not avail himself 

 of his captor's privilege, and thi- BinauiaT fact gave rise to 

 an investigation as to the reason This resulted in finding 

 attached to the poor bird's body notes, letters and cards 

 bearing prediction- as to the future in our National and 

 State politics in -u< n numbers as upon being weighed 



Were found to exceed He- Weight of the bird. "I'ni'i g'i 



the emblem of American liberty to siart oil' with such a 

 cargo if allowed to choose for' himself." as an old fellow 

 standing by remarked, "leastwise hereabouts.— J. I>. 11." 



Opobbum on Lono Island.— Woodside, L. I.. .Ian S3. 

 — In regard to opossums I have to report that one was killed 

 aboul two weeks ago in my brother's backyard, at V>1 Kut 

 ledge street, Brooklyn.— D. F. Bkaoaw." 



Ouo i 

 dogs C 

 {line, i 



ill •lo,, 



Urtui 

 tayra, 

 burn 



The flavoi 



tlie l.-as.-s 



which have 



r:.leiirf..si 

 luisilless a 

 Tlie lei lei 



,u. 80.] 

 s.-il fell ;■ 

 s of the 



they «■, 



Mill lin, 

 lit Sen.' 

 a; th.-ir 



1 1... (..ii ii,r Crosby joins (s-ueval Sheridai 



.laair.) 

 nets Of square miles with air 



"■ • iiioi.iiln,ii-.,H.-y- 



al result, 

 the protection and praser- 



uv liront'Lt nil in Couea.'ss. 

 ■i-. Hiii-y American whose 



l^AHJ," 



GAME IN KENTUCKY. 



in the tall 1 inquired of every farmer, over 

 l'j whose fields i am permitted to shoot without rcstrainj, 

 as to the nnaii crop, and not one had seen a b( vy. Estend- 



i.e: in v. ittgatiOaS lo more reillOle localities I wag led 10 oil 

 and earet'utly stow away my Old gun where I e\|.ee;.,| ii i0 

 remain untouched till hawks In ..in their prina campaign. 



The blow of old John's untimely d.aM. last SumiSer was 

 malerially lightened by the prospeei of no Held w,,rr, this 

 winler had he lived. A sporting aoqUftinUbne «h..m I 

 casually met in Moveniber, infornieil me that birds were 



plentl 



C m 



iiubrokc 



OpelCssl 



of the lines 



I I'm glad ths 

 three 7 



-[s.r 

 lied 



Ir 



I ev 



tde 



Id ]. 



tllishfc 



I had giN 



had 



Whel 



,d i 



-for 1 In. 



id developed tliie best 



d dog in Ihe county, 

 leath, that setting afire -with the whip, 



rap. and screaming lied would ••put lo 

 e calliope, had tailed !o make back, and 

 with the ehase was set down incurable. 

 ■ within five minutes, admiicsteivd from 

 ;iu him 10 roperrtance, Still he wouldn't 

 mough for me to always got in range and 

 si ihe worst jiill in the bos, and 

 i the sgukrel and 'ooDn dogs. Every 

 m short of trained flogs and watched wii'h 



loluneill o! a | le ler C)IU 



Btionate exultation with which L caressed 



.Den ll. Id he ftrsl Stood a single bird till 1 

 ! on lout more, 



edit i 



ft' 



■i:.ls. 



I Park, either wantouly or lor their skins 



ightered within the 



|ia~.s' d bin 



all of which came 10 oag. 



It was our good fortune to blast the hopes of m a ■ than 

 one uetter, by (at. him; ihe bevcy- ihey bad been watching 

 on lb. other "fellow's farm, and one morniug weenjoyed ivmj 

 hour- -p..ri inaif.inu down ger parts of 



two bevevs. which took wing after nei!-i-h...l -n for thcra 



and had I iicin on the run. Tin forays of city hunters in past 

 years have caused many a poster's erection, and the boom 

 of a shotgun anil Hash of the spotted dog bring runners over 

 main- farm; td wain oil the sportsman. 



Permission was invariably cheerfully granted us, with as- 

 surance that neighbors are always welcomt "Them city 

 Chaps Who, not satisfied with u hat they can kill, hire 

 fellows to mi l.irllieui. and trap for them -any wa 

 'tan — and take all the birds they can kill and buy. home, to 

 sell and have cooked, ari the on. - we mean, and" liny can't 



hum on my farm." A waiting party a yeai ago pui in a 

 Sunday within earshot of aclxurch, where a revival was in 

 progress; and they wen from Lexington, twan said. 



1 have weighed several quail thi.- season 'I'iir-v. a cock 

 ami two hens bugged from same bevey, weighed 2SJo/„— 8, 



