NATURAL HISTORY. 



3«5 



in regard to the cat's means of defense is 

 the most absurd. The cat referred to had 

 probably been eating old white fish and 

 diseased rats. That diet would explain the 

 odor. 



I congratulate you on your work against 

 the game hogs, and I know of at least one 

 case where it did good. That man would 

 do it again, but he says he hates the kind 

 of type you deliver. 



J. E. Denton, Detroit, Mich. 



In a recent Recreation Avon Wood ac- 

 cuses the muskrat of killing ducks. The 

 charge is manifestly absurd. The musk- 

 rat is as strictly herbivorous as the rabbit. 

 Its teeth are of the same class, and when 

 its mouth is opened to the widest possible 

 extent there is not ^ of an inch of space 

 between its upper and lower incisors. How 

 could an animal with such a mouth and 

 such teeth hold or kill a duck? No living 

 animal is better supplied with its natural 

 food. Wherever roots grow in mud, 

 there the muskrat's table is spread. Ducks 

 feed day and night in the marshes, where 

 there are dozens of muskrat houses. 

 Would they do so if the rats molested 

 them? When Avon's friend splashed the 

 water with his foot in imitation of the 

 sound made by a duck, he was mimicking 

 as well the splash of a muskrat. The rats 

 that were attracted by the noise were look- 

 ing for a companion of their own kind, not 

 for a duck. 



S. B. Brown, Rutherford, N. J. 



A friend living in this city is the pos- 

 sessor of a pair of foxes. The dog fox is 

 about 2 years old and quite tame, eating 

 from the hand. The vixen is exceedingly 

 timid. They are confined in a yard made 

 of chicken netting, adjoining which is a 

 comfortable house for shelter. Near the 

 roof of this house is a hole that was cut 

 previous to the present tenants' occupancy 

 to admit pigeons. Although the aperture 

 is 10 feet from the floor the vixen managed 

 to make her escape through it to the roof 

 of the den, from which she jumped to free- 

 dom. After remaining away a day and 2 

 nights she reappeared and deliberately en- 

 tered capitivity through the opening by 

 which she had escaped. 



N. Lett, Ottawa, Can. 



I noticed in August Recreation an in- 

 quiry as to how to poison English spar- 

 rows. Arsenic will not kill any kind of a 

 bird, but a mixture of henbane and corn 

 meal or wheat will do the business every 

 time. If used during the winter, when our 

 other birds are gone, it ought to extermi- 

 nate the English sparrow in this country 

 in a few years. Let every sportsman make 

 a note of this and next winter destroy the 



sparrows in his immediate vicinity. Then 

 in a short time we shall hear the song of 

 the robin, the bluebird and the song spar- 

 row instead of the harsh scolding of the 

 little English ruffian. 



W. H. Tallert, Watertown, N. Y. 



Will you kindly give me some informa- 

 tion in regard to the best method of feed- 

 ing bears, kind of food, etc. 



W. W. Sargent, Fitchburg, Mass. 



ANSWER. 



Polar bears require fat meat, fish, and 

 bread. Other bears require cooked lean 

 meat, bread, boiled vegetables, and rice if 

 they will eat it. They must have sleeping 

 dens that are dry, and pools in which to 

 bathe daily. — Editor. 



Have you commenced to think of Christ- 

 mas presents? If so, here is a suggestion: 



A yearly subscrintion to Recreation 

 furnishes one of the most delightful, in- 

 structive, entertaining Christmas presents 

 you can possibly give a man or a boy who 

 is interested in nature, in fishing, shooting, 

 amateur photography; or, who is fond of 

 the woods, the fields, the mountains, the 

 lakes or the rivers. 



Many of the presents which people give 

 their friends afford pleasure only for a few 

 days, or weeks. A subscription to Recre- 

 ation means solid comfort a whole year. 

 It reminds your friend 12 times during the 

 year of your kindness and generosity. 

 There are many men and women who for 

 5 years past have annually sent in long 

 lists of names of friends, accompanied with 

 checks in order that these friends might 

 be made happy a whole year. Would it 

 not be well for you to adopt this plan? 



Try it and see how grateful the recipients 

 will be. 



I received the copy of "Cruisings in the 

 Cascades," and it is great. I speak from 

 experience, having been over the territory 

 it covers. It is like taking the trip over. 

 Its accuracy and the pleasing manner in 

 which it is written are sufficient to recom- 

 mend it to all. 



J. J. Reid, Blue Earth City, Minn. 



An 18 months' experience in the Cop- 

 per River country, Alaska, enables me to 

 speak in the highest terms of the Primus 

 oil stove and the Kenwood sleeping bag, 

 advertised in Recreation. 



Dr. L. S. Townsend, Beaver Falls, Pa. 



The Syracuse gun you sent me for 40 

 subscriptions came all right. It is Al in 

 both looks and shooting qualities. Am 

 much obliged to you. 



Chas. Ballard, Old Town, Me. 



