126 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Skptbmbbb 15, 1881. 



Numerous wounds in their thick, tough hides, broken 

 teeth, and even the complete amputation of a limb are 

 among the casualties of these fierce encounters between bel- 

 ligerent denizens of the glade. 



The hoarse roar or bellow of a large alligator will actually 

 Jur the ground, and on a still morning may be heard for 

 utiles. A general bellowing among them indicates a. falling 

 baromeler, and the natives consider it a pretty sure sign of 

 rain or else cold weather. But the creature's usefulness as a 

 weather prophet is more, than overbalanced by his many 

 vices, and these, coupled with his excessively unprepossess- 

 ing appearance, earns for him the ill will of the pioneer, who 

 constantly wages a war of extermination against great and 

 small of the species. 



The neBt of the alligator is a compost heap of grass and 

 slicks and rubbish all raked together in a pile, four or five 

 feet in diameter and two or three feet high. It often resem- 

 bles at first glance a small, weather-beal en haycock. The 

 eggs are deposited in a cavity a little above the centre. I 

 have found them )n numbers ranging from twenty-one to 

 forty-four in the nest. Oblong, while, about one and 

 one-naif by three inches, alike at both ends. In warm, 

 showery weather the female may be seen lying across the 

 nest, evideutly for the purpose of piesstng I he materia] 

 down and hastening decomposition. Warmth produced by that 

 process, aided by solar heat, hatches the eggs sooner or later, 

 depending on the weather, etc. 



The alligator has one trick that I cannot quile account for. 

 Tell me, ye savants, why does lie raise his muzzle several 

 inches and suddenly bring it down on the surface of the 

 water, making a report that can be heard several hundred 

 yards? Is it possible that the concussion produced would 

 stun any fish that happened to be under or near him, and 

 make them easier to capture ? After ruakiug the blow he 

 usually lies quiet for some minutes at least. 



Jas. W. Ditioaa. 



DO GARTER SNAKES EAT FISH ? 



V/E3, they do. We have, along many of the trout streams 

 _L in the Rocky Mountains, a dull leaden colored garter 

 snake, equally at home in the water or on land, that catches 

 and eats fish. Its most common prey is probably a dwarf 

 fish Ihat looks like a catfish or bullhead, but lacks the spine', 

 that dans about among the boulders and pebbles in shallow 

 water and is seldow seen except as it emerges from one hiding 

 plsce and rushes for an 4her. These minnows are from two 

 to three inches long and are a favorite article of diet with the 

 snakes as well as with trout. The former also catch trout 

 sometimes, no doubt. A friend who lives a few miles from 

 Denver, on Bear Creek, has a trout hatchery and nursery, in 

 which he takes a good deal of pride. Among others, he has 

 a lot of New England trout, now several months old, from 

 which numbers evidently disappeared. The other morning 

 he caught a large garter snake poaching upon his preserves, 

 killed him and, \ipon making a diBsection, found eight of his 

 New Hampshire ttoutlings as the beginning of the snake's 

 breakfast. The offence was clearly proven in this case. 

 Burner, Colorado, Sept.. 4. W. N. B. 



The fish is probably not related to the catfish, but from the 

 description may be the "Miller's Thumb," Cottus ffobio. 



Weather Lobe— Philadelphia, Pa. — Everybody at all a 

 prophet declares that we are to have an early and severe 

 winler. One wise and very observant naturalist states that 

 he has discovered that the inferior animals, the birds, the 

 fishes and the bees have furnished infallible indications that 

 we are to be visited with a cold fall and intense winter. 

 The birds set up housekeeping two weeks earlier than 

 common last spring They hurried up their arrangements 

 for bringing forth their young, and after their migraiion 

 from the South did uot waste a moment in the performance 

 of this important duty. As a consequence all the young 

 birds of the 1881 crop of the migratory class are further ad- 

 vanced in life arid betier fitted to wrestle with early in- 

 clemenci s than at any corn spending time in any previous 

 year since he has given any attention to meteorology. The 

 black birds have pushed along their little broods to an early 

 maturity, and are strong enough to make the long migraiion 

 southward at any lime." The swallows throughout the North 

 have marshalled their offspring upon the telegraph wires. 

 The fish, he stales, contribute evidence confirmatory of that 

 of the birds. The small fry of most of ihe finny tribes are 

 up and dressed, so to speak, to meet an early fall if not an 

 early hook, and young catfish are fourteen days ahead of 

 what has been common at this season of the year. One indi- 

 cation of a long winter the. writer himself has noticed. The 

 musknit has built, himself an unusually large and strong 

 house, and I am told that the store of honey laid in by the 

 bets is greater than lust year. — Homo. 



Goon Newh. — For some time past, reports have been afloat 

 that our esteemed leader in ornithology, Dr. Elliott Coues, 

 had so broken down his health by hard work, that he would 

 be wholly untitled to do more for a long time to come. The 

 attack of sickness which prostrated him, waB grave and even 

 threatened his life, but we are glad to say be took the much 

 needed rest, and now is in perfect health again, and in splen- 

 did condition for work. We understand that he will return 

 East immediately, and resume his labors. We congratulate 

 the Doctor on his return of health, and hope that it may ever 

 be as good as it is now. — A. K. Fishee. 



Pointing a Cowekhea-d. — Piermont-on-the-Hudson 

 Sept. 3. — Mr. Theodore Taylor last Thursday saw a large 

 blacksnskc iu a peperage tree. He shot it, and on opening 

 it found three grey squirrels about one-third grown. The 

 snake was lour and one-half feet long. Last week Mr. 

 E. Fetter, of Nyack, when out after woodcock, had bis dog 

 bitten by a copperhead and had to carry him home. Yester- 

 day the dog wa« able to hunt again. He soon found a 

 Copperhead, which he pointed. Mr. Felter pulled him back, 

 when the snake struck at him but missed. They afterward 

 found four more. 1 understand copperheads are abundant 

 iu Cloeter and Nyack Mountains.— W. F. Steel. 



Atlanta Exposition — Atlanta, Ga , Sept. I.— Editor 

 i tttul Stream : It is our pleasure to inform you that ex- 

 cursion tickets will be Sold during October, November and 

 December from your city to the Exposition at $36, good to 

 return within thirty days from date of purchase. You will 

 cnotci a favor by noticing this important fact in your col- 

 umns. — H. 1. Kimball, Director Gen'l. 



If Sai-bkona will send us his (or her) address and thecho", 

 rus.be (or bbe) (peaks of we will publish his (or her; poetry 



MOBE PARROT STORIES. 



Camp Auburn, Adirondacks, Sept. fiL— Editor Forest, and 

 Stream; That parrot story of yours, republished in your issue 

 of Sept. 1, seems to be very much like " l.roitd .■ant upon the wa- 

 ters," for it has boon frequently found by you " after many days." 

 If there are any more counties yet to be' hoard from, vour readers 

 will doubtless be reminded of another parrot story having special 

 reference to the editors who are handing around vour story as 

 their own. I refer to the seven old maids. « ho were constantly 

 quarreling about the mimicking abilities of their respective par- 

 rota, Finally, in order to settle the matter ouce Tor all. they de- 

 termined to have an exhibition of their parrots before three judges, 

 who were to award the prizes and whose decision was to he accept- 

 ed as final. At the appointed time and place six parrots were ou 

 hand and had spoken their little pieces before tho seventh bird 

 arrived. The laggard finally put in an appearance, however, and 

 being surprised to find so many " of a kind " together, he quickly 

 cried out, " What a devil of a lot, of parrots !" That bud took the 

 cake, and may the editors yet to hear from take the application.— 



Haahville, Tenn.— Editor Fared and Stream: Noticing in the 

 last issue of Forest and Stukam several paragraphs on parrots 

 I thought I would contribute oue, and thus place a former pet of 

 mine on the record. Polly was a remarkable bird. She had been 

 educated by a florist in New Orleans, could speak a few words iu 

 French and Spanish, sing one or two songs, imitate dogs, chick- 

 ens, or, in fact, anything she heard. Her excellence in talking, 

 however, was shown be*t in her swearing. When quite young she 

 had been teased aud taught this improper language bv throwing 

 water upon her, giving her the greatest aversion for this liquid. 

 Singular to say she never used a word of this bad English unless 

 shown water, though she never failed to do so at such times. I 

 sometimes took advantage of Polly's eccentricity to have a lark. 

 While crossing the Atlantic on ouo occasion there happened to bo 

 on board two old English ladies returning home from the West 

 Indies. One of them had with her a small living ►quiriel, 

 which she always had brought to her at table after dinner to feed. 

 Said I, " Madame, if you will allow nie, f will show voir my pet," 

 at the same time bringing Polly from uiy cabin and setting her 

 down before the lady. The bird was not only vory tame bnt talk- 

 ative, and soon became an object of interest. She laughed and 

 Bnng and twaddled about to the amusement of the company. 

 At last said I, "Madame., when tired of the bird's society, before 

 sending her away, please give her a glass of water." Knowing 

 what would be the result, I seated myself near by to await devel- 

 opment!--. In a few minutes the water 'was ordered, and then begun 

 oue of the most laughable scenes I ever witnessed. The old lady 

 was horrified, the others laugbed. Polly swore like a trooper, and 

 was only made to cease by taking her awav from where she could 

 see the detested liquid.— J. I). H. 

 in. 



Our third story is not of a parrot, but of a dog pointing a pet 

 bird. A Hometown, N. J., correspondent writes: My wife was 

 feeding a pet canary singer in a cage hanging on the veranda. 

 What was her consternation when coming out of the house to see 

 the bird gone through the open cage door, which she had forgot- 

 ten to close. One glance at tho yard was sufficient. About twenty 

 yards off at the foot of a small "apple tree stood Kover rigid as it 

 stone, tail straight out, aud the little canary within two feet of his 

 nose, with wings spread, panting heavily." Here was a dilemma. 

 How to get that bird. Cautiously she advanced with an apron, 

 and after reaching the side of the ilog the apron outspread slowly 

 —very slowly descended— the dog not apparently noticing it, anil 

 not stirring a hair. Just as, quick as a flash of lightning, my wife 

 thought she had covered the canary with the apron, Rovers big 

 paw had flattened out the poor bird. Then Hover caught it, and 

 when the story was told me. aud I had it related over again. I told 

 icy wife that the attitude of the dog would have been worth more 

 to me than tho value of the bird. How men and wumen differ in 

 their opinion on dogs. — Alcifhron. 

 :v. 



The San Francisco Call reports the following parrot case I The 

 suit of H. BenBon against J. Jacobs was on trial before Justice of 

 the Peace Connolly yesterday afternoon. Plaintiff alleged in his 

 complaint that defendant sold him a parrot which he represented 

 conld and did talk the English language. But the representations 

 were false, for the parrot could not and does not talk at all. 

 Plaintiff claimed that be offered to return the bird to defendant, 

 bnt the latter refused to accept it. He also claimed that by reason 

 of the facts stated and the loss of the money paid he had been 

 damaged in the sum of .$50. A large number of witnesses were 

 examined in the case, both as to the guaranty of the defendant as 

 to the birds linguistic abilities aud its muteness. Mr. Jacobs tes- 

 tified that the bird could speak Chinese, Italian, English and 

 French. Several others testified that if the bird could talk it per- 

 sisted in an obstinate refusal to enter into a conversation with any 

 one. Justice Connolly revolved the matter over iu his mind for 

 some time, and finally gave judgment for plaintiff for > , 40. 



ANOTHER SPARROW POEM 



Editor Fori'! and Stream : 



Allow me to supplement vour poetical " cooking" of tbe KngtJsh 

 sparrow with tbe following Mt of rhyme. I I egret that 1 do not 

 know who the author Is.— R. K. iKew York): 



now sweet to hear at early mom 



An bour or so before the dawn. 



When Morpheus would your senses wrap. 



When you expect your soundest nap— 



How sweet wlien at t tits bour Is heard 



The song ot Kngllsli sparrow bird. 



Sweeter by 



ar than 



senium 



g slirevv, 



The sparrow 



v. sow: 



lien sel 



ms to you. 



"Tlsmeitowt 









Or raven's c 







if owl ; 



Thcrnir.-ir 







guile 



Ulcerustys 







d by file. 



The escape t 





or w til 



.ling youth 



Not halt bo t 









Nor can Its' l 









Excepting s 









Sweet fifta 







OW lone, 



And sweet t 







lug groan ; 



Sweet la Hio 









■■'■"■"."" '".', ";'; ''J.",':;;.;) 



So when tn bed at morn l lie, 

 And twist and Luru aud vainly try 

 To get an extra " forty winks." 

 'Tls then, O Sparrow ! that metblnks 

 While, listening to your chattering song- 

 Wore tuneful far than Chinese gong— 

 I'd like to stroke your downy coat, 

 And put my hand upon your throat 

 And wring your neck— though ne'er were h 

 Again your song, dear sparrow bird 1 



■ 1;k. 



Pj 



lis 



rerlor ot Porto Rico: one cow btinilDg, Mnioihru* peearit, present* 



Miss IC.Sageba nil; two sparrow In v. ..- .-'. ' ■,.,. ■..■ 



by Win. 11. Bagley, Esq., from Wake < .... .-;. < .: on.- red fox, V 

 /wo-,,.,, presented _by Ve-srs. ( schuylc^ .v i'u me :..,,. ^rrJ 



euscos, presented oy Mr. luincan Mutant Inn ; I Maylnyau tapir. 

 pirns iudicun; two lauiill. s 01 Arabian baboons, consisting 01 i 

 female and young, Ciwend'ti"" '"J'""" 1 '.':"", Han., Arabia and J> 

 sinla— placed ou exhibition.— W. A. (jonkun, Director. 



For a good f'oeket Knife go to 0. L. itlt/.mann, 543 Broadway, 

 Yatk.—. Adv. 



For Fine Fishing Tackle go to C. L, Rltamann, 943 Broadway, 

 York.- Adv. 



%m\\e J?tf# md %un. 



A SPRING HUNT IN TEXAS. 



DURING the full moon in March, my friend P. anil I, 

 after much planning and preparation, found ourselves 

 ready and eager for a turkey hunt. Leaving home about 

 2:30 P. M., at an hour by sun, we were encamped nine miles 

 from home on a well-known stream iu Texas, called by the 

 euphonious name of " Yegua." The weather was as favor- 

 able as heart could wish, ami everything augured a successful 

 hunt and pleasant time in every respect. 



North of us was the Yegua bottom, a mile wide, while 

 south were the oak lulls, a favorite resort for the turkeys at 

 tbis season. 



My friend carried a breech-loading shot-gun, ten gauge, 

 while I carried a rifle, the companion of many a merry jaunt 

 and successful hunt. The guns were put in first-class con- 

 dition, sapper eaten, Ihe horses put to grass in a valley near 

 by, and then we retired for tbe night, to sleep a little and 

 dream of big gobblers and a big killing. I hardly ever sleep 

 well the first night in the woods, after this my sleep is as 

 sound as at home. 



We were up early next morning, and started out for game 

 before the light streaks along the' eastern horizon announced 

 approaching day j F. going up the stream then southwest in- 

 to the ridges, and 1 going due south. As soon as day 

 began to dawn, a large turkey broke the stillness of Ihe 

 morning wilh that well-known aud pulse quickening found 

 called '-gobble." Soon he nobbled again; then another just 

 beyond, and several more soon after in the same vicinity. It 

 was not long before 1 heard them gobbling in several direc- 

 tions. My plan was to get a shot ; while they were on Ihe 

 roost, then resort to the "call." Selecting the turkey 

 nearest tee, I crept up as closely as I desired while it was 

 yet too dark for the wary old fellow to see me. A peep 

 along my barrel convinced mo that shooting while yet so 

 dark was too risky, as the sights could hartliy be seen at a'l. 

 I concluded to wait for more light, as I am always ambitious 

 about killing, tbe fir-t shot I get. My turkey gobbled aud 

 strutted on his roost in fancied security. Again I sighted ; 

 " There!" said I, "it is light enough now ;" and I felt that 

 peculiar gbw of the sensibilities which is so enjoyable to 

 every hunter when he thinks his game is almost in hand. 

 The ttiggers are sprung, the ritlo cocked and placet! to my 

 face, the head is gradually sinking into the rear sight, the 

 finger begins to press the " hair trigger," when — bang ! goes 

 a gun off to my right a hundred yards or more, and away 

 ;oes my turkey. A second more and I should have fired. 



" eribed. No 

 sympathize 

 plea&ahi 10 

 nassed since 



ed than de 



My discomliture cau better t 



hunter, unle-s he has had a similar experience, ea 



with' the victim of such misfortune. It is u 



think of now, though more than a year has 



then. 



Stealing carefully in the direction of tbe shot I soon dis- 

 covered a man loading his ride. A moment's reflection en- 

 abled me to decide to try to slip around him to where Mime 

 turkeys were gobbliug a quarter of a mile off. Before 1 

 couid get entirely by him I saw him going in the, same 

 direction. Well, "thought I, we will divide tbis thing, but I 

 will try to get the bigger portion of the division. 



Ranging off to the" right, 1 went to where I thought 1 

 could bring a turkey to nie, and commenced calling. Soon I 

 beard my rival calling. He had never set n me, and 

 was therefore unconscious of my competition. I called 

 and he called. I fancied I could excel anybody at 

 calling. My rival used a bone from a turkey's wing, 

 I judged while I used the best cad any man ever used 

 —a green leaf. Oue turkey was coming to ma very nicely, 

 when bang '. went the obnoxious rifle off to my left. So I 

 lost this one. I moved a hundred yards further on my 

 course, and discovered three deer intently looking in the 

 direction of the shot. They were a ri..eand two yWlinse, 

 and stood a hundred and fifty yards off. I knew the 

 yearlings would be good meat, and I set my heart on one of 

 them Getting behind a clump of bushes, it was very easy 

 to go within a hundred yards of them, from whieh point I 

 fired and made a very satisfactory shot, toe ball going 

 through the heart of the yearling 1 aimed at. A few jumps, 

 and it struck against a tree and fell dead. Leaving it lyiug 

 where it fell, I hurried on some two hundred yards and con- 

 cealed myself. I was sure a gobbler was not far away, as I 

 bad heard one a few moments before in this vicinity. I 

 called; a desperate gobble was heard not far off, and in a 

 few seconds I bad the satisfaction of seeing a mammoth 

 turkey strut into an opening not more than seventy yards 

 distant. Again there is that glow of the feelings. The 

 trusty rifle comes lo the face. The bead comes to a pin- 

 point. It rests right on the butt of tbe turkey's wings as he 

 straightens up to look. The trigger is touched; the clear, 

 sharp report rings out on the morning air; then there is a 

 flutter and a cloud of dust, and a turkey in the last struggles 

 of death. 



Placing his neck in the fork of a sapling I hurried on, for 

 I felt sure my rival would tty to get ahead of mo. Having 

 gone about a hundred yards again 1 heard the annoying- 

 rifle crack off to my left. Looking in that direction I soon 

 saw three turkeys flying toward me. Squatting close by a 

 tree I waited for them. They struck the ground thirty 

 yards from me. In a moment I had aim on the neatest one, 

 and, as 1 was touchiug tbe trigger, suddenly a sense of 

 sh me came over me. What, thought I, Ihat turkey so near 

 and I aiming at its body ! I had clipped their necks many a 

 time further off. It was only the work of about three sec- 

 onds to draw up to where I could ju9t see the head above 

 tbesightg. Bang: a turkey decapi' ••' 



By this time the turkeys had quit. b . holing and I turned 

 my course campward. On the way I stumbled ou my rival, 

 when I discovered that he had bagged no game. 1 experi- 

 enced a sort of exulta'ion at this fact. Who can blame me ? 

 I knew I manifested something of conscious superiority 

 when I was interviewing. Well, having been interfered 

 with so much by him. 1 did fee) proud in showing two gob- 

 blers and a deer strapped on my saddle. On at riving in 

 camp I was indeed sorry to learn that F. hatl returned 

 empty-handed, lie bad all sorts of excuses. Hunters can 

 always find more excuses than game when it suits them to 

 do so. F. bad never killed a turkey aud I think he was 

 more anxious to bag one than any man I ever knew. 



Until four o'clock p. m. we remained in camp, cleaning 

 guns, attending to the horses, eating, smoking aud yarning. 

 At this lime we started for the bills, leaving our horses in 

 camp. I asked F. to commit himself entirely into my hands 

 and 1 would give him a good chance to kill a turkey. I 

 could afford now to take a novice for instructions since I had 



