166 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[8OTTBKBEB 28, 1881. 



tresses and blankets. As the night was very cold, we found 

 gx> 1 use for our own of heavy texture, or else we would 

 have actually suffered cold in July, and this in latitude 20 

 deg. 40 ruin., and fairly within the "tropics. 



There were about a dozen or more sinister-looking individu- 

 als of dark, forbidding aspect, sauntering around the tavern , 

 and their looks were not at all calculated to put us at ease. As 

 we hardly fancied our situation, being all alone and thus far 

 without any government escori, in an out-of-the-way place 

 among an ever turbulent, lawless population, we took some 

 precautionary measures to impress the natives th .t we were 

 at least not absolutely helpless All of us were well armed 

 •with Sharps rifles and Remington revolvers added to which 

 I carried an effective single-barrelled breer-h-loading shot-gun 

 for collecting purposes. \Ve took, then, good care in making 

 an impressive display of our defensive and offensive war m t- 

 tenal byaptop;r exhibition of the same before the crowd, 

 •Who viewed this demonstration with feelings not at all har- 

 monious with the calculations they had originally made, and 

 disappeared one by oue disappointed into liie darkness of the 

 night. We deemed it advisable, however, to keep, after 

 what wo had noticed, a strict watch all through the night, to 

 guard against any sudden surprise on their part against the 

 Gringoo, who ever since the American- Mexican war have 

 been regarded by these people with bitter hatred. Nothing, 

 however, happened to disturb our repose, aud with dawning 

 morning we were enabled to again resume our tedious jour- 

 ney f. >r~M.araVHtio, which we reached next day. 



There are no mosquitoes here, but legions of flies fill the 

 bill of annoyances. They find good paHurage on dogs of all 

 kinds— niangv, lean, hungry curs, of which every man about 

 here owns at least a couple. The climate itself is otherwise 

 unsu' passed, and we have at this lime of the year refreshing 

 showers, which occur late in the afternoon most every day. 

 The air, owing to the high elevation, is so rariried that even 

 such a trifling exertion a- going up stairs is fr. qucotly at- 

 tended with copious bleeding from the nose, and we soon 

 get entirely out of breath whenever we attempt to walk fast. 

 Otherwise the atmosphere is remarkably pure. Large pieces 

 of fresh beef may hang in the open air without any danger 

 of decomposition j they dry up gradually. Such climatic 

 advantages are admirably calculated in aid in the preserva- 

 tion of all taxtdermical preparations which I shall make 

 shortly, when the mature plumage of the birds will piy for 

 the trouble and time expended in this tedious lab jr. Mara- 

 vatio, where 1 am now temporarily stationed, is built like 

 any other Mexican town, aud consists chiefly of ouu-story 

 houses with brick walls, which surround an open courtyard, 

 whereby en ry house is almost a sort of enclosed fortress-like 

 square. The streets are rather narrow, with sidewalks of 

 about two feet in width, with b gutter in their center, which 

 keeps them tolerably clear. Well-to-do people live in rather 

 comfortable quaiters, but the poorer persons are bousid in 

 dirty ciits of about fifteen feet in height and sixteen feel 

 square, with a single room without any floor or windows. 

 The men wear only c itton shirts and pants of like material, 

 while the women are attired in a single loose sort of a che- 

 mise or petticoat, without either bonnets or foot gear. Their 

 children are half raked aud very dirty. 



We expect soon to leave for Guadalajara, which we shall 

 make f >r some time our headquarters. Biids are plenty, 

 but not in good plumage. I made a good supper out of a lot 

 of nice fat plover I shot. I see a lot of Indigo birds, yellow 

 birds and a sort of very small pigeon qutle frequently. A 

 contractor, who is here at work grading the roads near Te.\- 

 oco, a village on the banks of the Te.voeo Lake, stumbled in 

 his excavations upon a lar^e lot of ancient pottery, coins an t 

 tools, but will not part with nor sell a sing e fraction of his 

 collections The postmaster of the village, however, to 

 whom 1 have been of incidental assist ;nce, h is promised me 

 a set of duplicates from his own store of ancient curi deities. 

 When 1 am in the field at last 1 shall be able to furnish a 

 more interesting and exhaustive account of what comes 

 under my own observation. Lotus von Nibndobff. 



BUILDING A BIRCH CANOE. 



In the following account of his trip acrofS the Kiver St. 

 John, our friend Mr. Edward Jack, has told more than many 

 another could find to report so entertainingly in a voyage 

 around the Horn i 



"It was Le Maislre, I believe, who wrote an account of a 

 journey around his room, and on ihis subject produced a 

 work of world-wide renown. The journey which 1 am about 

 to describe was a little more extensive and embraces a dis- 

 tance of three-quarters of a mile. 



" On the 27th of August, 1880, on a bright, clear aud calm 

 day, Mr. Hubert Orr and the writer took their seats in the 

 bark canoe of Gabe, who is so well known to sportsmen fre- 

 quenting Fredencton. 



'' When about midway of the river we noticed a canoe with 

 two Indians in it, apparently searching for something on the 

 bottom. On hearing them our captain and pilot addressed 

 them in the Abenaqui language, asking them what they were 

 doiug. The reply was, fishing for a piece of wood attached 

 to the sunken French vessel about which we have heard so 

 much. Going up to where they were we could distinctly see 

 in four feet of water the keel and what remamed of the ribs 

 of a sunken vessel. Gabe said that he had never seen the 

 River St. John so low before; that the tide now rose 12 

 laches, while in ordinary years at the lowest time of water 

 the rise here was only from 6 to 7 inches. Drawing near to 

 the shore, the writer said that as he had good boots on he 

 would step out into the water first in order I > stve the canoe 

 from injury, but Gaby replied to this suggestion by saying 

 that he would like to know who was master of this ship. 

 Obedience to the captain being therefore a duty, Ga'ie was 

 allowed to step out first and haul the canoe ashore. After 

 disembarking, we a cended the shore to the Indian villuge, 

 wheh stands opposite to Prederictoii. Here we found two 

 Indians at work building two canoes, a remarkably interest- 

 ing operation, and concluded that we woidd chronicle for 

 the information of ihe public all the facts relating to the con- 

 struction of these light and fairy crafts which glide so smooth- 

 ly over our lakes aud rivers. We proceed, accordingly, to 

 give Galie's det-cription of it. 



"The bark is obtained from the white birch ; there are two 

 kinds, the summer aud the winter. The latter is much the 

 better, and is obtained in the month of May. The tree being 

 si lected, which is oie of good size, is cut down ; 11 anibeaux 

 are made and with these the outer bark of the tree is .vanned 

 to facilitate peeling, a cut is made iu it the desired length aud 

 the bark is skinned off by inserting under it another piece of 

 bark, which is oh >sen for that purpose, as any harder mate- 

 rial might scratch or otherwise injure the frail substance. 

 After it is peeled it must be ugaiu warmed aud fl ittened on 



the snow or ground ; it is then rolled up like a sheet of pa- 

 per, warming it as this is done. The inside of the winter 

 bark is dark snuff brown ; of the summer, a whitish yellow. 

 Winter bark is more compact and firm, from its being peeled 

 before the sap ascends ; that which is peeled later in the year 



inferior. 



" In building the canoe, the ground is first made smooth 

 and level and is beaten down to make it firm. The hark is 

 then spread upon it. The gunwales are framed, fitted together 

 aud laid flat upon it. A large quantity of stones, say half a 

 ton, are then placed upon the bark, which is thereby rendered 

 perfectly smooth. It is then cut so as to give the canoe the 

 proper swell and shear. Slakes are then driven into the 

 ground to preserve the shape of the widest part of the canoe 

 aud keep it firm all around. Side pieces of bark are sewn on 

 to make the sides suffl iently high. For this purpose the 

 small, fibrous roots of the black Bpruce are used, these hav- 

 ing been previously split in two and being, consequently, 

 half round. It the bark be big enough, side pieces are not 

 required. 



" The bark is kept in position by long, narrow strips of 

 ash or other flexible wood, which are placed longitudinally 

 inside of the stakes. 



•• The gunwale is then raised from the ground and placed 

 in its proper position; the bark is turned over and tacked 

 to the top d it. 



"The canoe is then taken up and placed bottom up on ele- 

 vated cross poles and the bow and stern fitted to their proper 

 shape and the seams are painted with a mixture of resiu and 

 oil. 



"It is then placed again upon the ground; long, thin 

 strips of cedar are laii in the bottom for planking. 



" Ribs of cedar, which have been prepared by drying for a 

 length of time, then steamed and bent into the proper form, 

 which they are rnad-j to retain by means of a bandage of ce- 

 dar bark, are brought out. 



"Grooves having been left in the side of the gunwale for 

 the top of the ribs, each rib is placed on the bottom and 

 driven into its proper position by means of a peculiarly 

 shaped semi-elliptical mallei, the hand e and body of which 

 are made of one piece of wood. This mallet is named by 

 the Indians a tick-a-holat. 



"Shavings are stuffed into the cavities in the bow and 

 stern ; against these arc driven a thin piece of cedar to keep 

 in place, aud tho work is done. 



"Gabe said that the canoe was always christened. I asked 

 him how, hut he appealed to Big L mis, who, he said, was 

 the canoe builder. Louis admitted that it was so, but to my 

 inquiries as to how this was done merely shook his head and 

 laughed, nor would he vouch me a single word on this im- 

 portant subject. 



"On our return to our canoe we noticed the Indians and 

 squaws at work. One of the latter was squatted on the 

 ground, making fancy baskets of sweet hay, which seem to 

 be iu demand a- the pres nt time. 



"Before leaving, Gabe made me a present, of a beautiful 

 arrow dead of white translucent quartz, having pa>allcl 

 bauds of smcky quartz through it. He said that he had 

 lately found it at the month of the Clearwater, a branch of 

 the Southwest Mlramichi, where he always found some old 

 Indiau relic every time that he passed. It was only last 

 summer that he discovered there an Indian mortar, which 

 they used iu preparing their corn for cooking. This he had 

 unfortunately leit behind. 



"Embarking in our frail vessel, we were soon across the 

 river to Fredericton, and thus ended a journey of au hour. 

 The recital of its events may, i hope, prove as interesting to 

 the reader as they were to the the writer." 



was an immense mastiff, who, with sedate and dignified 

 tread, wat passing by without stopping ; but Jerry, eyeing 

 the stranger, c une bursting out of the bar-room to interview 

 him. The interview ended as soon as it began with the big 

 dog going up the street with remarkable celerity and no dig- 

 nity at all. The expression of surprise on Jerry's face at his 

 mysterious power was only equalled by that of the dogs 

 whom he interviewed. The affair made bo much fun and 

 confusion that Jerry's needle was perforce broken off. 

 Washington, D. O. Yucatan. 



gptural W¥ ar S 



QUAIL IN CONFINEMENT. 



I HAVE been informed of the successful raising of young 

 quail. Last spring a year a boy caught six young quail 

 in the Park (they were apparently not more than a day or 

 two old), and brought them to Mr. Geo K. Miller, of No. 

 246 North 2d strec, Philadelphia. He thought it a shame 

 to take such young birds, and desired the boy to return them 

 to the place where they were found. The boy refused to do 

 so. Mr. Miller then took them into his garret, where he had 

 an old hen quail. Placing them on the floor, he waited to 

 see what the old quail would do. She immediately com- 

 menced to call them. The little things i an to her and got 

 under her wings, and appeared to thing they were with their 

 mother. She raised five out or the six, and to-day they are 

 as fine, hearty, large quail as one ever saw. 



Mr. Miller will keep them until sprine, when he will give 

 them to me to set f ' ee on my place in Montgomery county, 

 Pa. I shall watch them closely, and from time to lime in- 

 form you as to their habits and prosphrity. I think this is 

 a remarkable case, and one worth bringing to the notice of 

 the readers of Forest ahd Sthkam. The quail can be seen 

 at any time by calling upon Mr. Miller at his residence, 246 

 North 2d street, Philadelphia, and he can furnish the testi- 

 mony of manv gentlemen who saw the quail when only a few 

 diusold. Lewis W. Sharp*. 



Maple Grove, Montgomery Go., Pa. 



CHAT BT AN OLD TYPO. 



TTlO all who are not acquainted with the inside workings of 

 1 lur^e ornees the typographical errors that sometimes creep 

 iu are matters of wonderment, but to the initiated the wonder 

 is tint so lew appear; that out of such a chaos of villainous 

 manuscript perplexities and arrnga'icea so fair a whole is sent 

 forth as any m jruing paper presents to its readers. 



In an article treating on the literary attaches, et al., of a 

 defunct daily the writer pathetically referred to "Mr. D., 

 the old bookkeeper of the Intelligencer,'" which the composi- 

 ng rendered " Mr. D., the old bull pup of the Intelligencer " 

 To say that an audible smile greeted the presentation of the 

 proof does scant justice to the occasion. The unhappy au- 

 thor of the bull, like the wife of Werter, kept on, not " cut- 

 ting bread and butler," but setting type. 



The next in Older is the "Old Pill," thus named by an hon- 

 est Teuton who found it difficult to enunciate the second let- 

 ter of the English alphabet, who was and is a local celebrity 

 ami many times has distinguished himself in twisting the 

 types. Having occasion to set a display head during the war 

 between France and Germany, read ng "The Franco- Prus- 

 sian War," he rendered it "The Fr.mcisco-Prussiau War;" 

 and "The Prince de Joinville Turned Private" appeared 

 "The Prince de Joinville Turned Pirate." Being a candi- 

 date for delegate to the Printers' Union when it met in Mon- 

 treal, the old gentleman, who has always enjoyed a fair de- 

 gree of popularity among the boys, felt quite confident of his 

 election. But he was not as close a reader as many oi his 

 craftsmen aTe known to be. Hearing the expression "shoot- 

 ing the rapids," in connection with a trip to Canada, he but 

 imperfectly caught it. On the morning preceding the ballot 

 he met a group of the boys and very conttdently thus deliv- 

 ered himself : " Well, boys, 1 suppose that by this time next 

 week (it was the first week in June) I shall be up in Mon- 

 treal shooting rabbits." The shout that greeted the announce- 

 ment told the old man that again had he go: ten his foot into 



A man win had been reading a paper in Harper's on the 

 "Ri-e and Fall of the Turkish Janissaries" had the name 

 "Judas Iscartot" to set up in an editorial and gave it "Judas 

 Janissary." The hilarity which these mistakes occasion in 

 au i ifiee constitutes the spice island of a compositor' <i life on 

 a morning paper. 



I observe that the Fobkst and Stekam treats considerably 

 of d ig ; indeed, I have observed tha' peculiarity in most 

 soorting papers. Well, without further premise, I proceed to 

 the black-and tau incident. Mr. Aman, on Ninth street, 

 near the avenue, keeps a restaurant and a lively little dog, 

 Jerry. When the dog law took effect poor Jerry had to sub- 

 mit to i he cruel strain like other respectable dogs. A news- 

 boy of au investigating turn of mind was an admirer and 

 friend of the dog. Oiie day he got Jerry on his lap and 

 thrust a stout needle through his mouth-strap, but at an acute 

 angle, and let him go. The dog resumed the endless hunt 

 for the unhappy King of Ireland, who was changed into a 

 dog by the fairies. The first dog that came round the corner 



MY WOODPECKERS. 



HAVING issued my annual bulletin about the nesting and 

 hatching out tbeir broods of a family of " wood- 

 peekers" which have come regularly to perform the same 

 duties of procreation, and in the identical spot prepared by 

 them, in a tree close by my bed room door four years ago, 

 I feel it a duty to myself aud the reader'sof the Fouest and 

 Stream to announce the annual return of my noisy friends, 

 and the fact that according to my belief on this last visit they 

 raised two broods. If not, thy certainly lingered much 

 louger than in previous years. 



As one of the voung ones of what 1 will call the first brood 

 was being taught the means of loc motion, and while too 

 sparsely Hedged to more than skip from branch to branch in 

 its native aerial birthplace, an accidental gust of wind blew 

 it fiom its perch and the poor li tie fellow fell to the ground, 

 making a hideous cry for assistance and which, though in- 

 tended for its parents, attracted first the attention of a huge 

 tom-cat. This cruel feline unhesitatingly dished for the 

 dainty morsel which h • no doubt thought had been prepared 

 for him by the "gods of cats;" but not uutil the mournful 

 wailings of the young bird had reached the ears of its natural 

 defenders. Here they came, heler skelter, plumage erect, 

 and by tbeir dual cries denoted the passion in their hearts as 

 to the rescue they dashed. "Thomas" was taken aback, 

 but in turu resolved to tight rather than run, so he instanily 

 assutred the most approved belligerent attitude known to his 

 race, and he no doubt said, in his own language, "Come on, 

 woodpeckers," etc , could we have only understood his ver- 

 nacular. Certainly he did defy them with tones as full of 

 anger as those with which his assailants made the charge. 

 The birds were too quick in their movements for "Tom," 

 and though they did not save their dear one's life, or kill the 

 murderer,' they did withdraw from the conflict the conquerors 

 1 aving, as they did, "Thomas" minus both eyes. I regretted 

 losing the cat because he had done me more service than my 

 casual visitors, yet I could not but feel a certain emotion of 

 satisfaction at witnessing severe justice dealt to a ferociously 

 cruel monster by two little weak creatures like my wood- 

 peckers, in return for the heartless outage perpetrated upon 

 them, particularly as " Thomas" had no need ungratified. 



NaxhviUe, Sept. 19, 1881. J- D. H. 



TWO PUZZLING QUESTION8. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



Do yellow-billed and black-billed cuckoos mate together ? 

 About the 20th of July I was passing through an old apple 

 orchard in the suburbs of our city, when a cuckoo flew from 

 a tree over my head into an adjoining tree, aud I noticed that 

 it had something in its bill. On examining it more closely I 

 saw it was a black-billed cuckoo and had a grub. I came to 

 the conclusion that it must have a nest near by and, on re- 

 turning to the tree from which it flew, I found a nest, aud 

 what surprised me more, there was a yellow-billed cuckoo on 

 it. On further examina' ion I found there were two nearly 

 full fledged young birds in the nest, and the question occurred 

 to me, Do the two species mate with each other ? I visited 

 the nest a day or two after and tried to see if the bills of the 

 young birds were alike, but the n^st was so far out on the 

 limb that 1 could not reach it. At this time I saw only the 

 yellow-billed cuckoo. Some two or three days after I made 

 another visit, but the birda had flown, and I could find nei- 

 ther old nor young birds iu the orchard. 



But my repeated visits were not for the cuckoos alone. On 

 tne 22d of June, while passing under the very next tree to 

 the one containing the cuckoo's nest, I found a hutnmiug- 

 bird's n st, containing iwo eggs, and as it was the first we 

 had ever found I took a part of the branch, nest and eggs to 

 add to our collection. On July 17, twenty-five days after, 

 while passing near the same tree, I noticed a humming-bird 

 fly past me and the thought came to me that the same birds 

 were building another nest. A few moments after, in the 

 next tree in the next row, I found the nest containing two 

 young humming-liitds just out of the shell. As the nest was 

 only eight aud a half feet from the ground, 1 could easily 

 pull it down and examine them, which I did a number of 

 times within the next two weeks. I was surprised to notice 

 that the bills of the young birds did not gtow in proportion 

 to the body, as they did not seem to be much longer than the 

 bills of other young birds. On my last visit I found the nest 



