56 | RECREATION. 
to think they were all gone and so, coming 
across these was a great surprise. 
I was in the city of Mexico recently and 
got the May number of RECREATION there. 
W. B. Roberts, 
Board of Promotion, General Post Office, 
Chicago, Ill. 

I trust every man who sees a flock of 
wild pigeons will report the fact to this 
office at once. Hearsay evidence is not 
good in this case.—EDITOR. 

NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
There is a bill before our Legislature 
proposing a bounty of Io cents on crow’s 
heads. What do you think of it? 
Frank Mowery, Scottsburg, Ill. 
The proposition to enact a law providing 
a bounty of 10 cents a head for the killing of 
crows is a piece of legislation belonging 
to same species as the now famous 
“fool law’ of Pennsylvania, which caused 
the farmers such enormous losses through 
the destruction of hawks and owls. The 
examination of 909 crow’s stomachs by the 
United States Department of Agriculture, 
revealed the fact that only 29 per cent. of 
the crow’s food during the year consists of 
grain, and even of this, 21 per cent. is corn, 
the most of which is eaten during the win- 
ter months, when insects and small rodents 
are not obtainable. Most farmers know 
that because of the vermin he destroys the 
crow is “worth his keep” in grain, and 
treat him as a bird entitled to life, liberty 
and the pursuit of happiness. 

I am a constant reader of RECREATION, 
and take much pleasure in the various opin- 
ions of the evidently experienced and prac- 
tical men that are recorded in its columns, 
from month to month. The notes on 
natural history are especially good and in- 
structive. I have read, with no little 
amusement, the notes on the red squirrel. 
{ never yet have seen a squirrel of any 
kind molest a bird’s nest, though I have 
watched them run for hours through trees 
where the robbins and orioles had their 
nests. To speak plainly, I don’t believe 
any man ever saw a squirrel of any kind 
molest young poultry. 
May your good, sharp pen find the heart 
of every contemptible game hog, is the 
wish of a great admirer of RECREATION. 
W. A. Scudder, Litchfield, O. 
Please tell me the name of this bird. It 
is a stranger here. About 6 inches long; 
slate color, but lighter on breast; topknot 
of feathers, about an inch long, slate color. 
Tip end of tail yellow with orange beneath; 
tip end of wing feathers white, with some 
black and yellow feathers; black beneath 

the bill about 34 of an inch down, and 4 
black streak running by the eyes. Have 
seen them eating old apples that had hung 
on the trees all winter. Chunky bird and 
well feathered. 
H. W. Lightfoot, Zearing, Iowa 
It is the Bohemian Waxwing, Ampelix 
garrulus. 

In answer to L. Nixdorf’s question, as to 
whether English sparrows are a pest or not, 
I say without doubt they are. Their habit 
of nesting in rain-troughs and the dirt they 
make when roosting under eves of houses 
makes them a nuisance. These faults might 
be forgiven them if they would attend to 
their own business. But they are so pug- 
nacious and meddlesome that other birds 
cannot live in harmony with them. 
Last year I kept the sparrows from nest- 
ing about the house. Consequently, song- 
birds occupied the premises. over which the 
sparrows held full sway the year before. 
D. C. Richard, Coshocton, O. 

I agree with Mr. White regarding hawks 
and owls. A few years ago Vermont placed 
a bounty.of $1 on fox-scalps. This was a 
good thing for fox hunters and trappers, 
but all the same a fox does not kill as many 
chickens in 2 years as a hawk will destroy 
in 2 weeks. 
Foxes are destructive, however, on 
grouse and rabbits, for I have found where 
grouse had been killed in the deep snow. 
The bounty should be taken from the fox 
and placed on the hawk. 
Very few game hogs in Vermont. 
A. G. Hoyle, Schnectady, N. Y. 

Two or 3 years ago as I was coming 
home one evening, my attention was at- 
tracted by some coon hunters. I walked to 
them and had the fun of helping them. As 
the hunters were friends of mine, I agreed 
to take the coon and leave him in our 
mill for them, so they would not have to 
carry the big fellow all night on their hunt. 
We have scales in the mill and I weighed 
him. He weighed 21 3-4 pounds. This is 
the largest I ever saw. . 
H. C. Taylor, Carverton, Pa. 

I consider English sparrows a great pest. 
Last fall they picked the winter apples that 
hung late on the trees and many of the 
kings were entirely spoiled by them. They 
are a nuisance around houses and barns. 
H. C.-Taylor, ‘Coverton, ‘Pa. 

Will readers of RECREATION kindly in- 
form me as to the Northern limit at which 
snakes live in North America. 
DD Ay E2rButtalo. Ne Ys, 




