FLINT. 



429 



INVESTIGATING THE HOTEL YARD. 



not far from the road, but the wary little 

 fellows are seldom seen by others than the 

 most careful watchers. 



The mountain lions and coyotes are, 

 without doubt, responsible for the greatest 

 slaughter among the game. Both are shot 

 on sight, and their destruction is encour- 

 aged by a liberal bounty. The coyote is 

 most effectually disposed of by poison, and 

 a few are caught in traps. Their extreme 

 cunning makes either means difficult. In 

 trapping, the greatest care must be exer- 

 cised to provide a light drag for the trap, 

 as the desperate little beast never hesi- 

 tates to gnaw off his foot and free himself 

 when once he finds himself fast. 



Since the advent of Judge Meldrum, Spe- 



cial U. S. Commissioner, in September, 

 1898, poaching has steadily decreased. 

 Ont of 19 cases brought before him for 

 violation of the Protective Act, the records 

 show 17 convictions and but 2 discharges. 

 This prompt justice, together with the fact 

 that several of the offenders went behind 

 the bars of the Wyoming penitentiary, 

 seems to have effectually dampened the 

 ardor of the professional poacher, and out- 

 side the instances mentioned early in this 

 article there has been little trouble from 

 them. 



The greatest obstacle to successful pro- 

 tection at present lies, as I have pointed 

 out, in the aggressive, selfish and unscrup- 

 ulous policy of the Transportation Com- 

 pany in its attitude toward the laws and 

 the enforcers of the laws. This can 

 last no longer than it will take to bring 

 about the enlightenment of Congress on the 

 subject, and it is the duty of every reader 

 of Recreation, who has an interest in the 

 preservation of the game, to see that his 

 Congressman has the matter put fairly and 

 squarely before him. When this obstacle 

 is cleared away and the money secured that 

 will fully carry out the plans at present 

 projected for protection, Yellowstone Park 

 will become not only the climax of all 

 that is wonderful and sublime in scenic 

 beauty, but also what it was originally in- 

 tended to be — the home and refuge of the 

 last of our game, where they may breed, 

 live and die in peace and contentment, be- 

 yond the reach of the murderous hand of 

 the game hog and the poacher. 



FLINT. 



GEO. W. BEATTY, M. D. 



In the late fall days, when the lights and 

 shades 



Drift over the autumn sky, 

 With my setter Flint, I roam the glades 



For the long-billed Wilsons shy. 

 Flint is a hero, tried and true, 



Feathered and flecked with brown ; 

 And his deep, rich black shows a tinge of 

 blue 



From his feet to his glossy crown. 



'Tis late on a cold November day 



When we come to a brushwood dell, 

 And seek out a pool, nestled deep away, 



Where the Wilsons love to dwell. 

 The wind may blow, in its autumn rage; 



It may whistle with chilly blast 

 As it sweeps the tops of the browning sage, 



And bustles rudely past ; 

 But in the depths of that fairy fen, 



Where the wild winds can not reach, 

 By a crystal pool, in that quiet glen, 

 The jacksnipe walks the beach. 



Slowly, by thicket and bramble, 



Through briers and bittersweet, 

 My setter and I still ramble, 



When lo ! from beneath our feet 

 With a "scaip" that makes me tingle, 



Sir Jack whirls through the air. 

 A shot-! 'tis a difficult single, 



And the bird flutters down, right there. 



Along through this pleasant region, 



A region bewitchingly sweet, 

 With flush on flush from his legion, 



Birds fall, one by one, at our feet. 

 No wonder I love the old setter, 



And no wonder we two agree ; 

 For there is no friendship better 



Than that which the dog bears me. 



And I scoff at the term "Transmigration 



Of souls" into animal kind ; 

 For than man, the lord of creation, 



Dogs are often more true and refined. 

 Rather grant that the soul of a setter 



May take its abode in a man ; 

 Men would be, I opine, rather better 



If souls changed about on that plan. 



