284 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Mat 8, 1884, 



ness of which i9 three-quarters of an inch (19mm.), thus in- 

 dicating the point where a prong ought to have grown. I 

 take it that these are the two horns of a two-year old. but 

 have no means of determining this very important question. 

 I also have two other pairs of horns from young deer that 

 arc smaller than those just described, and yet one horn of 

 each pair is forked. Whether they came from yearlings or 

 two year olds I will not venture to decide. 



In my opinion the terra spike-horn should be limited to 

 the straight and true spike that is known to be characteris- 

 tic of the yearling buck, 



Docs sometimes, though rarely, have horns, and they arc 

 usually of the "spike" pattern, only more incurved than 

 those of the bucks, and they are apt to be more or less im- 

 perfect and unsym metrical. They are generally covered 

 with the velvet, no matter at what season taken, in this re- 

 spect resembling those of castrated bucks. Does that bear 

 antlers do not commonly bear young, though they are not 

 always ban-en. § 



The Clum, 

 An account of the different ways of hunting the deer on 

 the plains and prairies of the West, in the canebrakes and 

 swamps of the South, and in other sections remote from the 

 regicn under consideration, however interesting, does not 

 fall within the scope of the present work; hence the methods 

 practiced in the Adirondacks will alone be described. 



There are three principal w T ays in which deer are hunted 

 in this Wilderness, namely: By floating, by driving (hound- 

 ins) and by still-hunting. 



Floating consists in paddling up to a deer, at night, with 

 a light called a jack fastened above the bow of the boat, and 

 so arranged that it casts the whole light ahead, leaving the 

 boat and contents in exaggerated darkness. The jack of our 

 ancestors (used even within the brief period of my own 

 recollection), was a very simple affair, constructed where 

 occasion required. It consisted of a torch, or sometimes a 

 tallow candle, fastened upon a piece of bark, and backed by 

 a bark reflector. This rude illuminator was attached to a 

 stick, three or four feet long, that stood upright in the bow. 

 The stick, or standard of the primitive jack, still remains, 

 and now supports a lantern which is closed in on three sides 

 so that all the light shall be thrown in front. Some sort of 

 a reflector is generally used to concentrate and project the 

 rays to a greater distance. Sometimes the light is fastened 

 to' the hat. 



Two people constitute a floating party, and the modus 

 operandi is as fellows : The sportsman sits on the front seat, 

 with his legs tucked under the bow in a position that is, at 

 the start, anything but agreeable, and becomes distressingly 

 uncomfortable as hour after hour drags slowly on. He dare 

 not move lest the noise thus made should alarm the deer. 

 The guide sits in the stern and must be expert with the pad- 

 dle, i'or it is his duty to propel the boat steadily and noise- 

 lessly within easy range of the wary deer. 



The locality is usually selected in the daytime, and is 

 generally some marsh-bordered bay, abounding in lily-pads, 

 or a similar place along the banks of a sluggish stream. On 

 nearing the feeding ground not a word is spoken, not even a 

 whisper, and the hunters strain eye and ear to discover 

 the whereabouts of the quarry. The light is turned 

 in such a way that it covers the shore as the boat 

 glides silently on, for the deer may be gazing at it from the 

 bank, standing motionless and silent. Indeed, he is often 

 seen, not more than a couple of boat lengths away, before 

 any sound has forewarned them of his presence. 



Bright moonlight nights are undesirable, because the ani- 

 mal can then detect the outline of the boat, and is apt to 

 take to the woods without delay. 



Let us note the course of events in an ordinary floating 

 expedition, premising only that the sportsman is somewhat 

 of a novice. Unless there is direct water communication 

 between the camp and the place selected for the hunt, the 

 party eat an early supper and set out at once in order to 

 reach the spot before the gathering darkness obscures the 

 way. The guide, placing the bout upon his sturdy shoul- 

 ders, takes the lead, following some old trail or blazed line, 

 or, if the spot be unfrequented, finds his way by certain 

 features of mountain or valley that are familiar landmarks 

 to his practiced eye. The sportsman follows, carrying the 

 jack and gun, as'well as a bottle of tar oil for protection 

 against insects. 



The start is well timed, for the outlines of near objects have 

 already become indistinct, and the shades of dusk are fast 

 blending the dim forms of the evergreens, transforming the 

 coniferous forest into a uniform mass of darkuess, when they 

 emerge upon the open shore of a small and shallow lake and 

 launch the canoe in its black but unruffled water. Night is 

 upon them, and with it the flies and mosquitoes. Tar oil is 

 applied freely to face and hands, the jack is lit and placed, 

 and they step quietly into the boat and move noiselessly off, 

 — the sportsman on the front seat, his overcoat buttoned up 

 to his chin, and his feet crowded uncomfortably under the 

 bow, one on each side of the jack-stick; the guide astern, 

 silently plying his paddle. 



The nearest marsh-bordered bay is soon reached, and as 

 the light skims along the bank, falling in turn upon clumps 

 of bushes, old logs and stumps, and the dark cone-like forms 

 of the young spruce and balsams, the sportsman's expecta- 

 tion is at its highest piteh; he feels his heart beat faster and 

 faster, and grasps his gun tighter and tighter, imagining that 

 each fantastic shadow will show the white tail of a retreat- 

 ing buck. The suspense is of short duration, for this feed- 

 ing-ground is passed without so much as the sound of a mov- 

 ing branch to iudicate the presence of any animal larger than 

 the flies that, swarm about his head. Now comes a pull of 

 half a mile before the next ground is reached, which would 

 afford the sportsman ample time to compose himself, were it 

 not for the armies of pestiferous flies and mosquitoes that 

 demand, and receive, his undivided attention. The 

 bottle of tar oil is produced, and a thorough smear- 

 ing grants temporary respite. No sooner is this 

 accomplished than the next favorable shore for 

 deer is fast appearing over the port bow. Another 

 ten minutes of breathless suspense and they turn again 

 into the open lake. A close listener might have de- 

 tected a half suppressed sigh of submission to the inevitable, 

 from the fore part of the boat, but no other sound disturbs 

 the unbroken silence of the night. The third swampy bay 



SAlonzoWood, Esq., one of the most experienced and competent 

 truides in the Adirondacks. has kindly presented me with a very 

 Beautiful pair of spike antlers that, were taken from a doe which was 

 lolled at Second Lake of North Branch about the. first of September. 

 1676 Thev are deeply curved, symmetrical, and covered with a very- 

 dense coat of "velvet, 11 the individual hairs of which are of unusual 

 leneih The measurements of these antlers are as follows: 



From burr to tip, in a stra ight line 6 in. (152mm.) 



From burr to tip, around curve b%in. (^lomm.) 



Distance between tips ^Mp. ( Otara. 



Distance between antlers at, curve 6}<4in. (lsymm.) 



is reached and passed, with like result. A council ensues, 

 in a low whisper, and it is decided to run up the inlet, a 

 marshy stream averaging less than a boat's length in width. 

 Having arrived at its mouth they proceed very slowly, for 

 good feed abounds on both banks, and a deer may be sur- 

 prised at any moment. Presently a noise is heard ahead ; it 

 is vague and indefinite, but evidently something moving. 

 The boat comes nearer ; the noise ceases ; it is heard again. 

 The sight is strained to penetrate the bushes along the shore, 

 but nothing is discovered. Hark! something dripping in 

 the water; the eyes are lowered, and there, on a log that pro- 

 jects into the stream, almost within reach from the bow, is 

 seen the form of a large porcupine, lazily eating lily-pads 

 and gazing stupidly at the light. The sportsman is tempted 

 to fire, but controls his disgust and says nothing. A 

 bend in the tortuous channel is passed, and another, and 

 — splash, splash, sjrfash: it is the unmistabable sound of a 

 deer wading in the creek. Then all is still again. Is the 

 animal standing in the water looking at the light, or has he 

 stepped out upon the bank? The sportsman hears the faint 

 ripple of water against the bow as the boat moves swiftly 

 on; he is conscious that the hat is rising on his head; his 

 heart beats louder and louder, and he feels it knocking vio- 

 lently against his ribs. The boat is slackened and the light 

 made, in turn, to cover both shores. Moments seem like 

 hours, and the flies are entirely forgotten. But what has 

 become of the game? Inadvertently the gun rubs against 

 the jack-stick when, simultaneously, is heard the sharp, 

 shrill whistle of a startled buck, from behind a bush to the 

 right, and the fading sound of crackling branches announce 

 his disappearance in the forest. 



The flies now seem worse than ever, and so they really are, 

 for the boat is passing through their very headquarters, and 

 the bright light attracts them to the spot. Continuing the 

 course up the sluggish stream it is some time before anything 

 occurs to divert, the sportsman's attention from these tor- 

 menting iusects, which constantly get into the eyes, nose and 

 mouth, till, harrassed, exasperated, and well nigh distracted, 

 he applies his only remedy, tbe tar oil, so freely that he soon 

 feels it trickling slowly down his aching back.' The cramped 

 position of his legs and feet is actually painful, and his back 

 "seems as if it would break." The hour is past midnight, 

 his lids are heavy, and he has almost determined to request 

 the guide to turn back when a loud plunge alongside the 

 boat gives him a sudden start and elicits the involuntary ex- 

 clamation: "what's that?" forgetting for the moment the 

 necessity of silence. "Nothing but a muskrat," calmly re- 

 plies the guide in a whisper. "Muskrat? hum!" he retorts 

 in a tone of incredulity, but says no more. 



Another hour passes wearily away. The inlet, which is 

 here so narrow and shallow as scarcely to admit the boat, is 

 crossed by a fallen tree that bars further progress. The re- 

 turn voyage becomes very monotonous, and finally even the 

 flies fail to keep up the excitement. The drowsy hunter nods, 

 his eyes close, and his head hangs heavily upon his breast. 

 Suddenly an owl, on a low limb overhead, utters one of his 

 loudest and most startling cries. The affrighted sportman 

 cocks both barrels of his gun, expecting to detect the crouch- 

 ing form of a panther preparing for the fatal spring. On 

 being assured of the harmless nature of his imaginary foe he 

 cannot suppress a groan of mortification and disgust while 

 he endeavors to regain his equanimity. Beads of cold sweat 

 mingle with the oil upon his forehead as he solemnly and 

 silently vows that floating is a diversion into "which he will 

 never again be beguiled. He feels chilly, and wonders if 

 this is really a sample of Adirondack sport, or if his guide 

 has been playing him a trick. While his mind is occupied 

 with these meditations they have reached the lake, and the 

 guide, anxious not to return empty-handed, has put the boat 

 into a shallow r bay and is working it slowly ahead among the 

 lily-pads. The sportsman, now too cold to sleep, feels the 

 boat slacken its bead way and stop. He wonders if the guide 

 has dropped off in a doze, is about to turn and investigate 

 when the word "shoot," uttered in a low whisper, falls upon 

 his ears. He doesn't see anything to shoot, but on looking 

 more closely, discovers, partly hidden behind a bush, the 

 form of a deer, as motionless as a statue, gazing inquiringly 

 at the light. Raising the gun nervously to his shoulder he 

 fires, A desperate leap, a wild plunge ahead, a heavy fall, 

 and a noble buck lies dead upon the bank. 

 [to be continued.] 



UPLAND PLOVER IN MINNESOTA. 



EVERYBODY who has paid the slightest attention to the 

 subject knows that the bird commonly called the up- 

 land plover is no plover at all, but a sandpiper, and that, its 

 full appellation, as given by the authorities, is that of Bar- 

 tram's sandpiper. Being of the race that it is. one would 

 naturally look for it to make a strong show of aquatic pro- 

 clivities. But in this connection it proves to be not a little 

 of an anomaly; marhes, mud flats and the like being in no 

 wise to its mind, whether as places of resort or sources of 

 food supply. In fact, as its common name implies, it is ex- 

 clusively a bird of the fast land, with a special penchant 

 for spacious open tracts assuming the character of downs or 

 plains; and where, in the stores of insects, gra=s seeds and 

 berries incident to such localities, it finds wholly congenial 

 fare. The geographical range of the species is notieeably ex- 

 tensive, including— so it is affirmed— a large portion of Brit- 

 ish North America, our own country east of the Rocky 

 Mountains, and a considerable share of Mexico. Forced to 

 look well to its ways in the matter of being provided with 

 the sustenance adapted to its requirements, it is a migrant of 

 the strictest tvpe. 



Throughout all the winter months it is a close sojournenn 

 the southernmost divisions of its habitat, and in yielding in 

 spriu"-totbe instruct to revisit the north it takes proper 

 thought to lay up no sorrow for itself by giving rein to 

 tbe prompting" with undue precipitation. Its wanness and 

 cunning are proverbial, being, indeed, quite of a piece with 

 the similar endowments entering into the intellectual outfit 

 of the crow or black duck. While not a pronounced beauty 

 it, is nevertheless strongly commended to the observer on the 

 score of good looks, exhibiting a suit set off with noticeable 

 taste with designs in white, black and buff, and also being 

 enabled to boast of a figure distinguished to an eminent 

 degree by the attribute of presence. Its capacities for flight, 

 whether as to endurance or swiftness, are but little short of 

 first-class, using the phrase in its exact sense. Even more 

 can be said for' the faeitily with which it exercises its run- 

 ning gear, this being in sober truth highly phenomenal. Its 

 oidinary note consists of a clear, sustained, and withal some- 

 what plaintive whistle, keyed to a single tone in the middle 

 register. For the most part one hears this sound uttered by 

 the bird as it takes to its wing in alarm. This, however, is 

 not invariably the case, although it cannot, fairly be affirmed 



for the time that it is invested with any significance of a 

 noticeable broad nature. Concerning the qualifications of 

 the biped for table uses nothing need be said, since it is 

 notoriously a luminary of the leading order in the gastrono- 

 mic firmament. 



From the fact that in the eastern section of our country 

 plain lands constitute a relatively meager geographical ele- 

 ment of the region, the upland plover is nowhere a truly 

 familiar avian figure here. It is far different in the West, 

 however, since, with its greatly open character, this part, of 

 our national domain proves specially attractive to the 

 creature, and at the right season the prairies of all the 

 Western States and Territories which yet retain their primal 

 features unchanged, are shown to be abundantly peopled by 

 it. During a long residence in Minnesota it was the writers 

 good fortune to be afforded the opportunity of seeing much 

 of the species, and the results of these observations, both as 

 they relate to the creature's course of life thereabouts, and 

 the'usages best commended to the sportsmen of the section 

 in engaging in its pursuit, it is his present purpose to lay as 

 succinctly as he can before the reader. 



The particular locality in Minnesota wherein my investi- 

 gations in the line indicated were prosecuted comprised the 

 prairie district in the vicinity of Minneapolis, Here the up- 

 land plover made its appearance by the middle of May, and 

 almost simultaneously with their arrival the birds chose 

 their mates. In their earlier stages these unions were 

 marked by little passionate ardor, the parties thereto being 

 content simply to rest or range about side by side. This 

 condition of affairs continued for about two weeks, or till 

 the first of June drew near. At this period the interest 

 which the pair felt in each other suddenly became so inten- 

 sified as to effectually sweep away all barriers of reserve be- 

 tween them, and they gave themselves over to the freest 

 interchange of amorous dalliance. So far as the avian swain 

 was concerned at least, this love climax proved also to he a 

 factor which gave the note to much of his general demeanor. 

 More especially he was observed to indulge in signally ex- 

 travagant exercises on the wing at the time. These consisted 

 for the most part of hovering bursts upward and on a due 

 perpendicular line till the creature had reached a height of 

 fifty or sixty feet, when the particular phase of feeling by 

 which it was moved seemed to reach its term, and the bird 

 descended on a pinion used quite after its normal fashion by 

 a long slant to the earth. The direct meaning of these fan- 

 tastic demonstrations was not apparent. It would naturally 

 be inferred under the circumstances that they were perform- 

 ances which in part at least were intended to excite the 

 admiration of the female. But if such was the case it was 

 in no wise verifiable, since it was not definitely shown that 

 his sweetheart even honored them with a glance. 



Be this, however, as it may, it w r as soon to be seen that 

 our feathered heroine was occupied with a wholly fresh set 

 of relations. These, as the reader is doubtless ready to sur- 

 mise, were of a maternal nature. The opening date of the 

 term wherein she figured in this character, fell generally in 

 the second week in June, and from this point of time for 

 an interval of a month or six weeks, one encountered the 

 bird only on the rarest occasions. The work of deciding 

 upon the location of the family nest as well as rearing it 

 was, it is hazarding but little to say, exclusively her own 

 enterprise. The materials used in the edifice in question in- 

 cluded the common forms of prairie grass, and in shape and 

 general appearance it much resembled a larger edition of the 

 red-shouldered blackbird's nest, with the difference, how- 

 ever, that it was of somewhat lighter construction. Its site 

 was on the ground, and usually fixed in a portion of the 

 prairie well removed from house or farm or routes of human 

 travel, although occasionally it turned up in places which 

 were not to he designated as noticeably sequestered. The 

 eggs of which it became the repository were four in num- 

 ber, and of a pale clay color, dotted with amber spots. 

 These also, like the eggs of most sandpipers, were so dis- 

 proportionally large at one end that, they diverged greatly 

 from the conventional egg form, and were more nearly pear 

 shaped. Their discovery was a pie«e of good fortune 

 which the oologist could not often boast of, one or two sets 

 of the treasures being at the utmost all that he would have 

 to show as the result of a season's toil. This, however, as 

 the initiated in the sphere of work in question will under- 

 stand, was in a great measure ascribable to the nature of the 

 field of search; oologizing on the prairie being a venture 

 noticeably beset with crosses and hindrances peculiar to it- 

 self, and calling for the address of the Indian or trained 

 prairie scout to make it more than the veriest venture. 



The purpose of the female plover as she withdrew into re- 

 tirement was, as will be guessed, no secret to her partner, and 

 sharply on the heels of the event, he exhibited himself in an 

 entirely fresh role— that of budding plover fatherhood. In 

 due order the feelings which now dominated him were those 

 of egregious self-satisfaction and family solicitude of the 

 gushing stamp; and, as may be inferred, in giving vent to 

 these sentiments his methods partook noticeably of the spirit 

 of oddity, which at the time had so much to do in shaping 

 the great run of the fashions in which his expressional func- 

 tions were exercised. The arena selected by him for the 

 portrayal of this new part mostly comprised the face of the 

 prairie, where, so long as he was undisturbed, he strutted 

 about throughout the entire day, visibly gloating over the 

 honors and preferment that had been vouchsafed him. Be- 

 ing approached too closely, however, by observers or pas- 

 sengers over the prairie, he was fain to jump at the conclu- 

 sion that the presence of these parties boded no good to his 

 household peace; and he was, therefore, moved to take sucn 

 steps as he conceived would effect their removal from the 

 scene. In setting about this undertaking he took to his 

 wings and nearing the personages whom he would usher off 

 the field to within the distance of seventy or eighty yards, lie 

 sidled about them with an air meant to counterfeit partial 

 inanity, till he caught their full attention, when, With a still 

 more emphasized show of decrepitude, he bore away toward 

 the outskirts of the plain, clearly hoping to tempt pursuit. 



If this stroke of strategy failed to succeed as he desired, 

 he was commonly ready to supplement it with another de- 

 vice greatly out of course with a wader of bis class, and 

 which he doubtless believed to constitute a piece of finesse 

 not to be transcended. This was to alight in a lame sprawl- 

 ing way on a fence or dry limb of a bush, within eyeshot of 

 the subjects of his oblique regards, and thus seek to lead 

 them to conclude that be was iu a state of literal helpless- 

 ness and that an immediate rush upon him would make him 

 the prize of the party executing the measure to a dead cer- 

 tainty These tactics he repeated as long as be persuaded 

 himself that they were to be serviceably employed, and 

 when he decided that they had answered their turn he was 

 seen to betake himself straightway to his ecstatic penpate 

 tics once more. 



