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NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
I have a black duck (Anas obscura) 
shot last March, which measures 26 inches 
from tip of bill to end of tail; spread ot 
wings 31 inches. I think we have 2 
species of black duck. The first and mos? 
common answers description given ir 
“Birds That Hunt and Are Hunted,” and 
inhabits our marshes and lakes. The sec 
ond is larger, as above measurement: 
show. Its neck is longer and the mark- 
ings of neck and head are lighter in color, 
showing a decided ring where the darker 
feathers of the body end and the lighter 
ones of the neck join. The body is dark- 
er and the edging of the feathers finer. 
This bird stays with us all winter, feeding 
on the ledges. It is seldom seen on the 
marshes and then only as a flight bird. 
Would like to hear from others, through 
the columns of RECREATION, on this sub- 
ject. 
A. W. Barnhill, Two Rivers, N. S. 

However bright and clear the weather. 
if you are in the woods and observe a 
tortoise making for shelter you would bet- 
ter hunt cover, for it is certain to rain with- 
in a short time. A tortoise may be slow, 
but he knows enough to get in out of the 
rain hours before it falls. The robin, by its 
peculiar movements, gives warning of a 
coming storm; while the catbird’s music is 
unusually merry just before a thunder 
shower. It will perch on a branch of the 
bush in which its nest is hidden, and pro- 
duce many peculiar notes from its plagiar- 
ized repertoire, which it never, to my 
knowledge, uses except as storm warnings. 
This premonition, evidenced in many of 
our birds and beasts, is undoubtedly due 
to the increasing weight of the air when 
rain is forming. 
NE (C.. Bearer satis: iear 
Why should the tortoise hunt cover? 
He has a good roof of his own. 
EDITOR. 
My friend, Mr. F. B. Dean, of 71 Ed- 
ward street, Buffalo, has what is prob- 
ably the largest squirrel cage in the 
world. It is built in an open space be- 
tween his barn and office and is 10 feet 
high, 8 feet wide, and 30 feet long. In it 
are 15 gray, 2 black, 2 fox and 3 white 
squirrels and one black fox squirrel. In 
1898 Mr. D. received 7 young grays. This 
year he raised 4. All are living and doing 
well. He feeds them nuts of all kinds, 
corn, potatoes, apples—in fact anything 
they will eat. Mr. Dean is in the market 
for pure black squirrels or for any odd 
markings, and will pay good prices for 
them. 
W. R. Chesley, Buffalo, N. Y. 

RECREATION. 
Do fish ducks usually build nests in 
trees? While passing ihrough the woods, 
I saw a female fish duck fly out of a hole 
in a hollow tree. I stepped out of sight 
and in a few minutes she returned and 
went into the same hole, which was near 
the top of a dead fir and about 100 feet 
from the ground. I have seen wood duck 
nests in trees many times, but this is the 
arst time I ever saw or heard of the com- 
wnon fish duck building in that way. 
A. F. Toner, The Dalles, Ore. 
Yes, 2 of our species of mergansers, 
or fishing ducks, nest in hollow trees. The 
third species—redbreasted merganser— 
nests usually on the ground. EDpIrTor. 

I have in my possession at present a 
singing mouse, which must be a rare ani- 
mal, and I find it next to impossible to get 
much informationabout it. Itisthe common 
mouse, only is capable of uttering almost 
every note of the canary and a great many 
still more difficult. I have had this pet 
about 5 months and it is perfectly healthy. 
It sings for an hour at a time, sometimes 
longer, and very sweetly. It does not seem 
possible and I should rather doubt it if I 
did not have it in a cage, where I can both 
see and hear it. Every one who has 
heard it thinks it wonderful. Can you give 
me any information? Are there any other 
singing mice in existence? 
Harry E. Loftie, Syracuse, N. Y. 

“Farmer” asks in March RECREATION if 
mountain sheep can be domesticated. 
Yes, they are as easily tamed as deer if 
caught young; but are hard to raise for 
some reason. Not more than one in Io 
lambs will live over a week. Old sheep can 
be caught and will do well even if in a 
small enclosure. They have been crossed 
with domestic sheep and they breed 
readily. = 
In early days wild rams greatly an- 
noyed sheep owners in Colorado by get- 
ting into their flocks at night. Offspring 
of the cross resemble the wild species. 
They yield good mutton, but no wool. 
M. P. Dunham, Woodworth, Mont. 

There will come a day when the world 
will be birdless and then the pest insects, 
big and little, will begin. Whether the 
women who used some of the 1,500,000 
birds that were killed in Venezuela last 
year, to secure feathers for hats and bon- 
nets, ever think of this I do not know, 
but they should think of it. If the craze 
for “tips” and “wings” that are now used 
for headgear keevs up, the pretty feath- 
ered creatures will be totally destroyed in 
this country. and in South American 
countries.—Philadelphia Inquirer. 

