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<& 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



TJNovemebb 3, 1881. 



SKULL OF BIG-HORN IMBEDDED IN TRUNK OF PINE TREE. 



Tawroan the courtesy of Mr. J. W.Morse, Gen'l'Passenger 

 Agent of the Union PacifleR.R,, wc are enabled to present to 

 our readers a very remarkable natural curiosity. This is the 

 skull of a mountain ram imbedded in the trunk of a larce 

 pine tree. A reference to the cut will show very clearly the 

 manner in which the skull was bound within the still grow- 

 ing wood. How the boue came to be so placed that it would 

 he inclosed in the tree trunk is and must ever be a matter of 

 conjecture. We can only guess about that, but us the matter 

 stands it seems natural to conclude that the sheep's skull 

 was hung upon the horizontal branch when the tree was 

 a very small one, and that it is simply the natural iucrease in 

 the size of the trunk which 1ms buried the nose and face SO 

 completely. On the other hand the condition of the bone is 

 so perfect, that it scarcely seems possible that it, could have 

 been exposed to the weather for so long a time as would be 

 necessary for this to have taken place. 



THE SONG OF THE MOCKING BIRD. 



Palestine, Texas, Oct 13, 1881. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



I note the discussion which has been going on in your 

 columns some time, as to whether the mocking bird is a 

 mere imitator of the songs of other birds, catching his notes 

 from them by repeated hearings, or whether the notes spring- 

 up spontaneously in his throat without education from other 

 birds. This bird has been my very intimate friend from the 

 cradle up to the present time. I have never lived in a coun- 

 try where he was not decidedly numerous, and he is more 

 numerous in Texas than any country I have yet seen. Our 

 whole State is vocal with him, except those portions which 

 are not yet inhabited by inao. Ho don't like to live too far 

 away from man. Whether this is because he likes to show 

 off his musical talent before men, or because he believes they 

 will keep the hawks away from him, I am not able to tell, 

 but it certainly is a fact, I believe he is controlled by both 

 reasons— 1be fear of hawkB and the natural desire of all 

 gifted creatures to show off their giftsbefore au appreciative 

 public. Let him perceive in his free, wild stroll, that he lias 

 an audience of good-looking ladies and gentlemen, and he 

 will almost burst himself with melody. - He will plant him- 

 self before them in the most conspicuous place he can find, 

 so that they can all see that it is he that is singing, and he 

 will just let loose. Iu the ecstacy of song he can't hold 

 himself still a moment. He will jump up and down, keep 

 time with his feet, and when he gels a grand burst upon him, 

 will rise up and soar arotmd till the burst is over. In the 

 way of song he is tremendous, indeed, and no one is better 

 acquainted with that fact than ho is himself. 



As to the point in dispute, I agree with both sides, but more 

 particularly with the side that believes he is an imitator. 

 Nature has stuffed him so full of the musical genius that I 

 believe he would sing anyhow— couldn't help singing some- 

 thing; but with all my extended knowledge of this bird I 

 never heard one of them sing a song or make a no 'e which 

 he had not previously heard, or at least had excellent chances 

 to hear. I have sometimes listened to them half the night 

 singing within a few feet of my window, with that particu- 

 lar point in view, and heard from them no note which T had 

 not frequently heard from other bird9 in the. same locality or 

 district. In order to sing a song they must first hear it aud 

 learn it, and in Ibis respect they do not differ from the Ad- 

 elina Patti or any of theprime donne. If Adelina Patti had 

 never heard any one else sing I question much if she would 

 ever have sung at all. I would not say the same of the 

 mocking-bird. As I said above, I believe he would sing some- 

 thing anyhow, but his repertoire will be rather coufoundly 

 slim — like that of all other birds in the world except him- 

 self. 



Here is a hint by which we can fettle this matter, I think. 

 In North Carolina where I was born aud ''raised" one of the 

 most common notes of the mocking-bird is the plaintive or 

 wailing note of the cat-bird. Now, the Cat-bird, according 

 to my observation, does not exist in Texas at all, and I have 

 never heard the moclring-bird on Texas soil repeat the note 

 of the cat-bird. Did any one ever htar the mocking-bird 

 sing the notes of any bird which was not a native on the same 

 bailiwick with herself? I don't believe any one ever did. 

 What say ye who are interested in bird notes ? 



As to the imitating faculty of the mocking-bird or his ge- 

 nius to learn songs by heating them I never heaid one who 

 hud learned to imitate the sound made by tiling a saw, or to 

 crow like a cock, or to cackle like a hen, as "Roy," of De- 

 troit, has, but I was very well acquainted with one in Hous- 

 ton, Texas, who had learned to sung to perfection the little 

 piece of music called "Scandal." Be had lieaid it from the 

 boys on the street ; it seemed to take, his enr, and he could 

 sing it with a naivete that Was refreshing. No one could Bing 

 or whistle "Stoandttt" half so well as he. I also knew an- 

 other that could sing ieveral notes of old familiar songs, 

 which he had often heard, but I never knew one that could 



take an operatic air and sing it through. There never has 

 been a mocking-bird that could ting the mmerere of Trova- 

 tore or the drinking song of Traviata, and there never will 

 be. There never will be one that can sing "Sweet Home/" 

 or the "Last Hose of Summer." N. A. T. 



Vbkmim on Quail.— In the early part of the summer I dis- 

 covered the nest of a quail, and never having seen the wee 

 Boh White before leaving the nest I paid frequent visits to it 

 in the hope of finding them hatching. But one day upon 

 paying my visit I found nothing but a nest full of shells, and 

 i n e se covered with vermin such as are frequently found up- 

 oa domestic fowls. Have never seen any on old birds that 

 have been shot. Is the occurrence frequent ? 



..;rdale, Jnd., Oct. 20. La Belle. 



[Almost all birds are infested with external parasites of 

 one kind or another, and there is no reason to suppose that 

 the quail is exempt from the common lot. The insects are 

 usually to be fouud, after the bird is dead and cold, upon the 

 feathers of the head and neck, and are usually most abund- 

 ant close about the bill. Every one who has ever collected 

 birds for preservation has probably had his attention called 

 to the presence of these parasites, of which there are a num- 

 ber of different kinds. The insects as long as they are upon 

 the body of a living bird do not apparently move about very 

 much, at all events I hey do not show themselves often. But 

 when their protector is dead they crawl to the ends of the 

 feathers in order to be ready to escape to another living 

 creature at the first opportunity. In the case noticed above 

 those seen on the eggshells were probably individuals which 

 had been hidden in the material of the nest, and when the 

 mother bird left it they began to move about in their efforts 

 to find warmth aud shelter.] 



CovPEKnBAos in New England— Hollister, Mass., Oct. 

 22, Ifjjjl.— Editor Forest and Stream : I have a fine speci- 

 men now in my possession of a little copperhead, eight inches 

 long, that 1 captured the 8th of September last, while gun- 

 ning in the woods in Sherborn, an adjoining town situated 

 twenty miles southwest from Boston. 1 started an old 

 snake with a dozen or more little ones aud struck the one I 

 now have with my ramrod, stunning it so that I picked it 

 up and put it in a bottle, and now have it alive in a glass- 

 covered case. A friend of mine, who lives near a rocky 

 woodland in this town, told rne recently that he has killed 

 two copperheads this summer, about two feet long ; and my 

 father relates that they were quite common here twenty years 

 ago, and That at that time he had quite a lively fight one day 

 with two with a pitchfork, while making buy, they holding 

 their ground well and making him work lively to kill them. 

 We consider the copperhead allied to the rattlesnake and its 

 bite poisonous; but I am not certain, and would like to 

 know if a snake as small as mine can bite or is poisonous, 

 and if I can keep it over the winter without food, or if it 

 will eat anything except mice or toads alive? Hoping to 

 bear from you through your interesting and valuable paper, 

 I remain, respectfully yours, W. N. Pond. 



[The copperhead is undoubtedly venomous, but we doubt 

 if a suake as small as yours would he able to inflict any in- 

 jury. It will probably live through the winter without food, 

 but if yotl can induce it to eat its chances of living will be 

 improved. It will not be likely to eat anything but live 

 food.] 



Pi rx.or, Conn., Oct. 28, 1881:— Editor Ferestmtl Stream: 

 Yesterday, as 1 was walking up town with Mr. G. Leonard, 

 Esq.. I saw a good-sized snake lying under the hedge iu front 

 of Mrs. Leaven's residence. I secured a good stick and 

 drove him out. I was surprised to see it was a vicious cop- 

 perhead. He Hatted his head and struck at me, but I soon 

 Killed him. I was surprised to see a copperhead so far 

 North, but he was a real one and no mistake, fully two and a 

 half feet long. Woodcock seem very large aud in fine con- 

 dition. Mr.' Willir shot one the other day that tipped the 

 beftm at. nine ounces. Babbits are very plenty. We have a 

 rascally fellow here who shoots quail out of season, and, too 

 lazy to work, is in the woods about all the time, and has 

 killed up nearly all the quail, aud done it outof season, which 

 can be proved. — G. P. W. 



;.;:n lo Dbatit — Chicago, October 26.— Editor 

 Foicst and Stremn: A singular Incident occurred in our 

 boiler room a few mornings since. The fires had been started 

 under the bailers, and as the wood was burnim; down coal 

 w as put. iu making a bright clear fire. J ust at this time a rat 

 popped out from behind the steam pump dowu info the fire- 

 room and ran under l he first boiler. We were standing against 

 the room dour ami scared him— the bright light from the fire 

 frightened him more; he came rushing out and turned under 

 the next boiler. We jumped into the room, swung to the ash- 

 pit doors and made him a prisoner. Catching up a broom we 

 were ready for an attack, for we expected him to try to get out of 



the ventilators. We saw him rushing around in the ash-pit for a 

 moment and then lost eight of him. Stooping down we saw 

 him prone on the ashes just giving his last kicks. Even then we 

 thought he was playing "possum," but on reaching hitu out 

 with the hoe we found him as dead as a nail. There was no evi- 

 dence of a scorch or burn upon him, not a hair was singed, but 

 be was really dead. We believe it died from fright. There was 

 nothing under the grates to injure and the fires were not hot 

 enough to affect it, hence cannot assign any other cause. We 

 never believed it possible to seriously scare a rat before, for 

 we have shot many of them when a boy. — No-RMAN. 



"Yankee'' at the Smithsonian — Smithsonian Institution, 

 Washington, D. C, Oct. 27, 1881.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: The tortoise with " Yankee, 1 802 " cut on its 

 plastron was received at the Institution on the 15th of Octo- 

 ber. The tortoise is at present in the care of our artist, Mr. 

 Shindlcr, who has made a pet of it and reports that its con- 

 dition is most flourishing. —Yours, very truly, Geo. S. Hobbs. 



V For table of game seasons see issue of October 1 6. 



THE NORTH SHORE OP LONG ISLAND. 



New York, Oct. 28. 

 Editor For'. -<t arid Stream: 



I have just arrived in the city after a journey, with horse 

 aud carriage, through Long Island, from Greenport to Asto- 

 ria, and desire to furnish your readers with the information 

 which I gained concerning the game prospects in the region 

 through which I passed. 



Ducks are coming into Gardiner's and Peconic Bays in 

 great numbers, and many are already reported in the vicinity 

 of Gardiner's Island, and also further up the bay around Rob- 

 bins' Island. Black ducks, coots and "old squaws" are about 

 the only kinds found here. Plover have been shot on Gardi- 

 ner's Island in fair numbers, but no extraordinary bags have 

 been made, so far as I have heard. Bay-bird shooting nt 

 and near Good Giounrl, on the south sidw-, has been good, aud 

 the prospects for ducking are better than at the same time 

 last year. Occasional flocks of yellow-legs or ring- necks 

 make an appearance on the shores of Orient Bay or Pipe's 

 Cove. 



As regards quail, the prospects for the Eastern field trials 

 are very promising. The number of birds now on Bobbins' 

 Island is estimated at fifteen hundred, but nevertheless still 

 more are being turned out by the club. Bobbins' Island, of 

 468 acres, was sold under foreclosure sale recently, and was 

 purchased by the newly organized Bobbins' Island Club. 

 This will not interfere with the coming field trials in the 

 least degree, as the two clubs lire acting in perfect harm- 

 ony in all that pertaius to this year's trials. 



A moderate number of quail can be found around Green- 

 port, with increasing quantities as we proceed further west- 

 ward, to Southoid, Peconic. and so on. Near Mattifuck both 

 quail and ruffed grouse are found, and at. the quiet little hamlet, 

 of Wading River the eager sportsman is gratified to hear re- 

 ports of woodcock, in addition lo the. two last named varie- 

 ties of game. 



As we approach Port Jefferson, we find that the quail have 

 been reduced in numbers, by the severity of last winter, to a 

 greater extent than in the more sheltered portion of the 

 island, but ruffed grouse shooting is better than usual. At 

 Mattituck, the Mattituck House is a good hotel. Wading 

 River has no hotel, and is six miles from Manor, the nearest 

 railway station. Rayuor's Hotel is the house to stop at iu 

 Port Jefferson, as the proprietor is a thorough sportsman and 

 a constant reader of the EoitiiST and Stream. At Smith- 

 town, the Riverside Hotel of B. B. Newton, is a much- 

 frequented resort for sportsmen. Here quail are few iu 

 uumber, but woodcock arc found, a large flight of them 

 being expected soon. Mr. Newton also has a large boarding 

 and training kennel, among the numerous inmates of which 

 are Dr. Aten's Glen and Ned (winners of the brace stakes 

 at Bobbins' Island, 187'.)), Sepoy, formerly the property of 

 A. II. Mbore, and many other prominent field performers. 

 The scenery in this part of fhe island is very beautiful at this 

 ason of the year. 



As we proceed to Centre-port, the prospect for quail grows 

 belter, but ruffed grouse are less known. At this place is 

 located the boarding) breeding and training kennel of 

 And r us L, Titus, one of the cleanest, best disciplined and 

 Bloat Favorably situa'ed kennels on the island. Among the 

 dogs here are all those belonging to Mr.; Henry W. Liv. 

 inaston, including his Kay, Rose and Baronet (latter n jw i r 

 handling for the field trials,), his pointer, setter aud collie 

 puppies, besides others. West of here the game decrease 



