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RECREATION. 



rator of Birds of the New York Zoological 

 Park, furnishes the following statement : 

 Herring gulls in Maine nest in trees, 

 and sometimes on the ground. Ospreys on 

 Gardiner's island sometimes nest on the 

 ground, but usually in trees. It is not im- 

 possible that a goose might nest in a tree, 

 but there is no recorded instance that I 

 know of. They build compact nests. 



Can prairie chickens be propagated in 

 captivity? If so, would they thrive in 

 South Carolina or Florida ? 



J. R. Boyd, Greensboro, N. C. 



ANSWER. 



The pinnated grouse never has been in- 

 troduced into any country not originally 

 inhabited by it. I think it could not sur- 

 vive in either South Carolina or Florida, 

 because its natural food would be lacking, 

 its enemies too numerous, and the dry, 

 open, grain-covered uplands too limited. 

 The rainfall in summer would also prob- 

 ably prove too great. There is reason to 

 believe that this bird can be propagated in 

 captivity; but just how, remains to be 

 demonstrated. — Editor. 



I have in my yard a number of red squir- 

 rels so tame that they will eat from my 

 hands and sit on my shoulders. Recently 

 I loosed a pair of fox squirrels, equally 

 tame. The reds annoy them, and I fear 

 I must choose between my old pets and the 

 new. Of the 2, I prefer the fox squirrels. 

 What would you advise me to do? 



W. H., Middletown Springs, Vt. 



ANSWER. 



It is to be expected that the red squir- 

 rels will eventually drive away the grays. 

 The former are quarrelsome and pugna- 

 cious ; the latter, timid. It will probably 

 be necessary to choose between the 2 spe- 

 cies. Most people kill the reds to protect 

 the grays. — Editor. 



Please tell me the name of a little snake 

 I saw swimming in a pond. It was 5 or 6 

 inches long and no thicker than a hair. 

 Some call them hair snakes. 



L. E. Lane, Brockton, Mass. 



ANSWER. 



The creature observed was a hair worm, 

 also called hair eel, which is so long and 

 hairlike it has created in the minds of a 

 few persons the belief that it really is a 

 horsehair transformed into a worm. Some 

 persons honestly believe they have seen 

 horsehairs turn into worms, but this only 

 proves that the human eye is easily de- 

 ceived. The scientific name of this crea- 

 ture is Gordius aquaticus. — Editor. 



Please tell me whether sharks lay eggs 

 or not. 



Anthony Ranker, Jersey City, N. J. 



ANSWER. 



Of the 150 species of sharks, about l / 2 

 lay eggs, and ]/ 2 produce their young alive. 

 The eggs of those that are oviparous are 

 rectangular in shape, flattened, and have in 

 each corner a thread-like tendril by which 

 the egg is attached to some fixed object. — 

 Editor. 



Will some reader of Recreation please 

 tell me how to tan snake skins? 



L. H., care Recreation. 



It is early to think of winter sport, but 

 not too early to provide an outfit. An im- 

 portant part of this is a pair of skates. No 

 better ones are made than Barney & 

 Berry's, and you can earn a handsome pair 

 of them by sending me only 5 yearly sub- 

 scriptions to Recreation. These fall even- 

 ings will be a good time to get the sub- 

 scriptions, and the skates will make you 

 the envy of all your fellow skaters. 



I am much pleased with Recreation. 

 I regard it as the best publication of the 

 kind in the market. The manner in which 

 it is got up is excelled by none. I have a 

 copy of "Big Game of North America," 

 and have read with much pleasure your 

 contribution to it. 



L. A. Moore, Zanesville, Ohio. 



I have been reading Recreation about a 

 year, and find I could not do without it. I 



like your way of giving the hogs h . 



Give it to them hard ! They deserve all 

 they get and more. 



A. Lucius, Jr., Solon Springs, Wis. 



Recreation is the best magazine of its 

 kind published. I have read many different 

 sportsmen's magazines, but none, although 

 higher in price, equals Recreation. 



Paul A. Greenamayer, Columbiana, O. 



I have just finished reading your book, 

 "Hunting in the Great West.'' It and 

 Recreation are both all right. Down with 

 the game hogs, and long live Recreation. 

 Ed. C. Mahaffey, Mount Vernon, O. 



It is needless to say I am glad to get 

 Recreation, among the first of the maga- 

 zines to arrive; that is its proper place. 

 R. H. Vardon, Toronto, Canada. 



In this little town of 1,500 there are now 

 about 200 persons who subscribe for Rec- 

 reation. 



F. O'Brien, Redfield, S. D. 



