THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 17 



her pony and shot the creature through the heart. This occurred in the 

 wild Alsea country in the Coast Bange Mountains in Oregon. 



But the dogs have not always been so lucky in escaping injury. 

 Although they know well the dangers of combat, these wise and fear- 

 less leaders nave, when attacked by bear or cats, led the pack in many 

 a desperate encounter. On a hunt near Alpine, Oregon, an infuriated 

 black bruin suddenly turned on the pack and seized one of the dogs. 

 Bob immediately went to the poor hound's rescue, but Mr. Bear hastily 

 pitched the first dog over a cliff, then seized Bob with the intention of 

 hurling him over the precipice also. But old King had to be reckoned 

 with before the bear could complete his work. That brave and sagacious 

 animal sank his teeth in the bear's flank, then side-stepped and jumped 

 away just in time to avoid a big swinging paw. In the excitement Bob 

 wriggled loose from the creature's grasp, and so was saved from a hor- 

 rible death. Thereafter he kept well out of reach of the bear's clutches 

 and when the hunters came up bruin was speedily dispatched. 



But Bob has fully repaid his debt to King for saving his life. In 

 one of the most furious and thrilling encounters with black bear, the 

 first named animal by a desperate and instant attack saved his sire 

 from being torn limb from limb. As it was, King suffered from such 

 rough handling that four of his ribs were broken, a big hole ripped in 

 his side and his face badly crushed. This occurred in November, 1917, 

 in the mountains on the Calapooia Eiver, a tributary of the Willamette. 

 Mr. Howard had received word that a number of huge bear had been 

 sighted upon this stream in the vast, wild region known as "Grass Moun- 

 tain." Accordingly, Mr. Howard and two other hunters at once started 

 out with the pack for the country designated. The hunters had no 

 sooner reached the place than King and Bob took a hot trail through 

 the bear country. The hunters followed as best they could through the 

 thick timber. After a three hours' chase the dogs brought a fierce black 

 bear to bay. Mr. Williams, one of the hunters, came up and seeing that 

 the animal was about to attack the pack, he fired and crippled the crea- 

 ture. Hereupon, bruin charged the dogs and in the general scramble 

 succeeded in catching King. He had grabbed the old dog by the muzzle 

 in his teeth and it looked as though there was no possible show for the 

 hound. But Bob was not going to stand idly by and see Jiis sire torn into 

 bits. He plunged into the fight and sank his teeth in the bear's hind- 

 quarters, then tried to sidestep and avoid the swinging blow of his great 

 antagonist. But Bob had hung on just a moment too long, and although 

 the main force of the blow passed on over him, the dog received a bad 

 gash in the face and had several teeth knocked out. But the bear had 

 dropped Kinc whimpering and well-nigh dead. This turn of affairs 

 gave Mr. Williams another opportunity to shoot, and the beast being 

 struck in a vital spot, rolled over dead. 



THE BAND -TAILED PIGEON 



By William L. Finley 



THE most striking example of the disappearance of a species in 

 American natural history is that of the Passenger Pigeon. The 

 Band-tailed Pigeon of the West might have followed in the path 

 of the eastern bird within a few vears, had our people not been aroused 

 to its necessity for protection. The enactment of the Federal law for 

 the protection of migratory birds in 1913 was the most important step 

 ever taken in saving this as well as other species of American birds. 

 Under the provisions of this act, the Band-tailed Pigeon has been re- 



