NOTES FROM MONTANA. 
By CHARLES HALLOCK. 
One of the best animal painters in the world 
is Charles M. Russell, of Cascade, Montana, 
who is popularly known as the ‘‘ Cowboy Artist.” 
His specialties are frontier scenes, wild Indian 
life, cattle pieces and natural history subjects, 
all of which are literal in their similitude and 
imbued with a truthfulness of character and de- 
tail which it is possible only for those to attain 
who are to the manner bred. At home his 
work is in great demand at high prices, but he 
prefers to round up a herd of cattle, or cut out 
a steer, rather than paint. Only his absolutely 
leisure moments are employed in this occupa- 
tion. It is a pity that one so gifted, and enjoy- 
ing such exceptional opportunities for the cul- 
ture of his favorite art and pastime, should not 
be willing to place himself in the way of secur- 
ing a world wide reputation. Mr. Russell's 
private mark is a buffalo skull in the corner ot 
his canvas, and by it all his works are known. 
In the Pontet ethnological collection at Great 
Falls is a great variety of Indian costumes ot 
various wild tribes, over whom the wave of civ- 
ilization is gradually sweeping, and all persons 
interested in the traits and costumes of the 
American aborigines can here examine original 
articles and objects which later on will become 
obsolete except as museum curiosities. Some 
of the plumed war bonnets and gala costumes 
are unique and quite expensive, especially those 
trimmed with the traditional war eagle feathers ; 
for these are hard to obtain now, since there is 
no more “running meat” on the plains to attract 
the birds. The big braves of the Redskin com- 
munity are glad to procure the indifferent wing- 
plumes of the vulgar buzzard as substitutes. 
Some use the feathers of the horned owl. In 
old times the enterprising young bucks used to 
temporarily immure themselves in the carcasses 
of elks and bisons, and when the eagles col- 
lected—for ‘‘ where the carcass is, there the 
eagles are gathered together”—they would 
reach out a sly hand and snatch the birds of 
freedom by the leg, and so capture them una- 
wares. It used to bearule of the tribes, which 
still holds good in most cases, that no one could 
wear the eagle plumes unless he had earned 
the right to do so by making his **coups” in 
battle. Every scalp taken was a coup, and 
each coup was represented by an eagle plume 
in the bannet. An ornamented coup-stick was 
employed by noted and active warriors in the 
sanguinary days to keep tally with, a notch 
being cut in the stick for each scalp taken. 
The Indians always like to air their trophies on 
testive occasions, and whenever a dance is 
going on they don their headgear just as civil- 
ized persons do their coiffures at a ball or party. 
At most other times they attire themselves in 
plain costmes or undress regalia. 
John Sinclair, of Great Falls, is a painstaking 
and intelligent naturalist and sportsman who 
has specimens at his place of nearly all the 
birds and animals of Montana, many of them 
in duplicate, as well as many valuable fish 
specimens. Such a complete collection as this 
should find its way eventually into a State mu- 
seum, where they can be more securely pre- 
served. Many species have already become al- 
most extinct, and specimens will increase in 
value as time progresses. John is always glad 
to receive and entertain intelligent visitors who 
don’t ask foolish questions, and he will take 
sportsmen to the best game locations at the 
proper seasons. The best remaining hunting 
regions of Montana are directly accessible from 
Great Falls. 
