MEPHITIC BIMANCUS. 



271 



tion the most valuable result of that ex- 

 perience, namely, the complete banishment 

 of nervousness. Before I had been there 

 a month I had forgotten I had nerves. I 

 gained a little in weight and a great deal in 

 general good health, cheerfulness and en- 

 ergy. My cousin told me this camp of his 

 cost but little over $200. The interest on 

 that would make a very small rental, and is 

 more than counterbalanced, he says, by the 

 rapid increase in value of the property, as 

 the islands are sold and built on. 



These islands are the property of the On- 

 tario government. They can be bought for 

 $5 and upwards, according to size. An 



island about an acre in extent sells for about 

 $5. The Government agent in our locality, 

 which is on the North shore of Lake Huron, 

 is Mr. George Hamilton, Richards Land- 

 ing. Ontario. For the selection of an island, 

 I think Mr. J. II. McNally, of Desbarats, 

 Ontario, would be willing to take some 

 trouble. He is a sportsman, one who 

 knows a good location, and he wants sum- 

 mer neighbors of our kind. 



I feel as if I were doing good service to 

 the public in giving my experience, and I 

 am quite sure a number of people, who 

 have hitherto gone to the seaside, will 

 hereafter take to the woods. 



MEPHITIC BIMANCUS. 



JOHN BOVD. 



I purpose bringing before the notice of 

 the sportsmen of America a creature not 

 hitherto scientifically described, but never- 

 theless well known. It inhabits nearly all 

 parts of the globe, and is the igth century 

 realization of a race which history tells us 

 was numerous during the middle ages, but 

 not so degraded then as now. Evolution in 

 this case has had a retrograde instead of an 

 elevating effect, and this degeneration will 

 likely cause the extinction of this animal 

 before another century opens. 



Of titles it has many, but to suitably name 

 it is a difficult task. It belongs to neither 

 of the 5 great families of the earth, while 

 possessing characteristics inherent in all. In 

 it can be found habits usually attrib- 

 uted to the Pisces, Aves, Amphibia, Mam- 

 malia and Rcptilia; and while the latter pre- 

 dominate, characteristics of the order 

 Pachydcrmata, sub - order Swinus, class 

 Mammalia are highly developed. 



The creature is readily recognized by even 

 a novice, as in outward appearance it fol- 

 lows the form of the order Bimana; yet it 

 must never be confounded with those intelli- 

 gent 'beings, as a true specimen of the latter 

 will never be seen in the company of the 

 creature I am describing. Nor can the 2 

 be compared in any way, except in super- 

 ficial structural formation. 



The creature is generally active and in- 

 dustrious after its own manner, but insa- 



tiable greed marks its every journey — all its 

 destruction of life being performed in a 

 cruel way. It has no other object in view 

 than slaughter, and a desire to pose among 

 its fellows as the chief expounder of their 

 own inordinate swinishness. 



As already stated, the creature is to be 

 found all over the earth. This is true — for 

 on river, lake and forest an occasional speci- 

 men may be met with, engaged in persistent 

 search of its prey. And not alone in the 

 wilderness is it to be seen. It has also an ar- 

 dent love for a cosey corner in club-houses, 

 hotels and places of public resort; and often 

 its presence destroys the charm that per- 

 vades those pleasant spots. 



I could repeat Longfellow'< " Hiawatha," 

 where he pictures " Iagoo," the Great B 

 er, and apply the human description with 

 emphasis, to the brute before us. 



Someone says. " What is this creature's 

 name?" You may call it what you like, 

 for really it is too loathsome to waste good 

 language on. You can find its picture in 

 several places in Recreation, and more 

 recently on pages 7 and 437 of the current 

 year, where it is shown surrounded by all 

 its victims. 



Now, friends, let me ask a favor. Do not 

 degrade the hog by misapplying his honest 

 name to the wretch I have described 

 the hog is useful, while our subject is the 

 reverse. 



If some of the churches are as bad 



As other churches say. 

 Their steeples really ought — how sad! 



To point the other way. 



— L. A. W. Bulletin. 



