324 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[May 22, 1884. 



are deepening among the shrubbery. Out on the hill an en- 

 thusiastic robin still lingers to finish his song, which is all 

 the sweeter as it comes to our ears subdued by the distance 

 and accompanied by a murmur of delight from the soft green 

 leaves around us. The music ceases, and all is quiet save 

 the chelc! click! icMw'w/ click! chek! whew'w! of our thrush 

 as he calls good-night to us from the valley below. 



Wit/mot. 



New York City. 



THE GRIZZLY BEAR IN LABRADOR. 



Editor Forest and Stream; 



The reading of Stearns's "Natural History of Labrador" 

 reminds me of the fauna of that almost unknown land as de- 

 scribed by John McLean, in his notes of a twenty -five years' 

 service in the Hudson's Bay Territory. Obeyiug the orders of 

 Sir G eorge Simpson, he went as a discoverer from the southeast 

 shore of Hudson's Bay and established a fur trading post at the 

 most northern point of the peninsula at Ungava Bay on the 

 south shore of Hudson's Strait, and this is the way he writes 

 of the fauna of that country where he lived for three long 

 years, two of which the Hudson's Bay relief ship, from Eng- 

 land, failed to reach him with supplies; 



"To enumerate the varieties of animals here is an easy task. 

 The extremely barren nature of the country and the severity 

 of the climate prove so unfavorable to the animal kingdom that 

 only a few of the most hardy species are to be found, viz., 

 black, brown, grizzly and polar bears. 



"Black, silver, cross, blue, red and white foxes. 



"Wolverines, wolves, martins and beaver, but extremely 

 rare here in the North. 



'•Otters, minks, muskrats and ermine; Arctic hares, rab- 

 bits, reindeer and the lemming." 



The skins of all these animals Mr. McLean collected dur- 

 ing his three years' life at the Ungava station, for the benefit 

 of the Hudson's Bay Company. Speaking of the grizzly bear 

 (Ursus horribilis), Mr. McLean remarks: "When we consider 

 the great extent of country that intervenes between Ungava 

 and the plains of the Far West, it seems quite inexplicable 

 that the grizzly bear should be found in so isolated a situ- 

 ation and none in the intermediate country. The fact of 

 their being here, however, does not admit of a doubt, for I 

 have traded and sent to England several of these, skins from 

 the region of Ungava and many more from the eastern slope 

 of the Rocky Mountains years' before. Some time since I 

 called the attention of the late Mr. Mittleberger, of this city, 

 to this fact. He assured me that the grizzly was found in 

 Northern Labrador. Mr. M. had been for a long term of 

 years a factor in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Fur Com- 

 pany, and during this period had traveled over the largest 

 portion of their possessions, handling every kind of fur ani- 

 mals, and was thoroughly acquainted with* the fauna of the 

 country." Dr:E. Stirling. 



Cleveland, O ,, April 84, 



BIRD MIGRATION. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I inclose_ report of bird observations during April. The 

 yellow-bellied woodpeckers reported were two males taken 

 at one time, and are the only specimens we have taken, or 

 known to have been seen here in six years, although they 

 were formerly tolerably common. 

 T. v. 



April 6— Brown creeper (Cert Ida faiidliaris). 



April 10 — Fox sparrow (Passerella iliaca). 



April 11— White-throated crown sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). 



April 12 — Wilson's snipe (Galli'nago witeoni). 



April 13— Golden-crested kinglet (Regulus satrapa)—on\y males. 



April 14— Hermit thrush (Twdus pallasi). 



April 14— Winter wren (Anorthwra troglodyte*) . 



April 17 — American widgeon (Marcco ainericana). 



April 17 — Yellow-bellied woodpecker 1Spl1yra.pic.us varius). 



April 17— Buffleheacl duck (Clan gala atbeola). 



April 26 — Ruby-crowned kinglet {Beguhis calendula)— males only. 



April 30— Golden-crested kinglet (Regains satrapa)— females only. 

 S. R. 



April (5— Purple finch (Carpodacus purpureus). 



April 7— Killdeer ring plover (JEgialiles vociferux). 



April 0— Chipping sparrow (Spizella dsomesiiea). 



April 10— Carolina dove (Zenaidura caroliuensis). 



April 10— Bay-winged bunting (Pocecetes gramiiteus). 



April 14— Cooper's hawk (Acctpiter cooper i). 



April 14— Great-crested flycatcher (MytarcJms crirvitus). 



April 14— Golden-winged woodpecker (Caluptes auruius), 



April 18— Purple martin (Prague subis). 



April 10— White-bellied swallow (Tochycinela tricolor). 



April '30— Loggerhead shrike (Lauiu.s ladewiciunus). 



April 24— Barn swallow (Hirnndo horreorum). 



April 24— Golden-crowned thrush (Siurus auricapilUis). 



April 24— Swamp sparrow (Melospiza palustriS), 



April 2-5— American bittern (Botaimis teatiginos-iis). 



April 20— Virginia rail (Rallies rirgi,, iar, us). 



April 20— Carolina rail (Porzanu rarolina). 



April 28- Sparrow hawk (Falco sparvertm). 

 Lockport, N. Y., May 2. J. L. Davidson. 



Usurping Swallows.— At home in Texas where w T e only 

 see the white-bellied swallows during the migrating period, 

 gracefully skimming along the ground, we consider them 

 beautiful and innocent birds. I, however, have seen them 

 in their true colors, and they really surprised me, they are 

 such vicious little pugilists. Two weeks ago a pair of blue- 

 birds took possession of a little cot, where, until this morn- 

 ing, they have lived in perfect happiness; but the usurper of 

 this domestic bliss was at hand in the shape of a white-bellied 

 swallow. This morning, while reading the Fobest and 

 Stream, I noticed a pair of swallows circling over the cot, 

 and at each approach the bluebird quailed. 1 paid no atten- 

 tion to it, nor did I notice them again till a great commotion 

 drew my eyes from my paper toward them. Judge how 

 surprised I was when 1 saw the male swallow take the blue- 

 bird fiercely by the throat and thrash him unmercifully. 

 The poor bluebird seemingly made no resistance; still he did 

 not seem inclined to give up. Finally, however, superior 

 strength conquered, and he tottered away. The swallow 

 immediately took possession of the cot, and very soon after- 

 ward was joined by his mate. — Nemo (of Texas), (Franklin, 

 Mass.). 



Harbor Seal.— By a slip of the pen Phoca green landiea, 

 instead of P. vituUna] was given as the specific name of the 

 harbor seal, mentioned in a recent note on its occurrence in 

 Lake Ontario. — C. Hart Merriam. 



Arrivals at the Zoological Garden. Cincd 

 —Bred in Garden-One jaguar (Felts 

 (Macacusradiutus), one axis deer (Cervus axis 

 Cabattus), one eut-throat tinch (•!"»"'" • 

 wood hare 5 (Lupus xylvaticuts). eight red foxes 

 Canada porcnpiin' \Krithi>.<>n ilorsatus) Captut 

 cardinal grosbeaks (( ardihalis oil 

 pint faseiata), ten snowbirds (Junco hyemali 

 change-— Tnree European lapwings (J^anellus vui 

 One wildcat! Lynx rufus), two prairie dogs (Cyru 

 one macaque monkey (M. eynomolgtts), one whit 

 i Qeroocebus collar is>, two moustache monkeys (C 



s'ati. vp to May 1. 

 ae bonnet monkey 

 , one pony | Wqtius 

 ta). Donated— Two 

 Cmcis fidvns), one 

 ?d in Garden— Three 

 ong sparrow • MeJos- 

 ). Received in Ex- 

 jorix). Purchased— 

 myfi ludovicianux), 

 -collaiid mangaby 

 rcupith ecus ceplius). 



- — » 



MY FIRST "HONKER." 



I "WAS born a sportsman. Nay, 1 am not quite sine that 

 I had not a gun in my hand when my eyes first opened 

 to take in the glories of this mundane sphere. 1 Lave been 

 in the school-room or college halls all my life, either as 

 student or instructor, and make it an object always to spend 

 my vacations in the forest, or by the stream, save and except- 

 ing only an occasional trip to the sea coast or shore of some 

 sequestered lake, on whose bosom float in serene quiet 

 myriads of water fowl, or from whose waters 1 may draw 

 the finny beauties. To-day, in my forty-sixth year, I stand 

 more erect than nine-tenths' of city youth, and have infinitely 

 more elasticity in my anatomy. Health vigorous, appetite 

 good, eye keen, hand steady, mind active and intellect clear, 

 while many of the companions of my boyhood are crawling 

 round in the iron grasp of dyspepsia, with mind and body 

 prematurely old. 1 need not tell the sportsman the reason 

 of my elasticity of mind and body, or the cause of my 

 friends' despondency, but lest some reader should accuse me 

 of egotism let me say that I throw care to the winds and 

 gather fresh life by forest and stream as each succeeding 

 year rolls by. 



How I pity the man who has none of the instinct of the 

 true sportsman in his composition. Nature's true noblemen 

 are they who are found regularly at the appointed season 

 with rod and gun in hand, following the chase or plying the 

 gentle art. You can rely on such a fellow wherever" you 

 meet him, and go your bottom dollar that he will prove a 

 friend "tried and true" iu any emergency. He shoots, not 

 to kill and destroy, but for the pleasure and health it affords, 

 and is content to let a few birds escape that the coverts may 

 be well stocked another season, and takes more delight in 

 exhibiting half a dozen two-pounders in his basket than the 

 trout hog does in telling of the thousands he has slain, per- 

 haps with only the weapon used by Samson of old when he 

 mowed down the Philistines. The true sportsman is the 

 most unselfish being in existence, 1 care not who may say to 

 the contrary. He is fond of solitude because he loves to 

 hold converse with nature in her softest as well as in her 

 sternest mood, and finds a host of advisers and instructors in 

 the world of animate and inanimate nature round him. He 

 is never solitary for the simple reason that he never feels 

 himself to be alone. "ICunquam minus solus, guam cum 

 solus." 



But 1 must back to myself again. Yesterday I packed 

 "Daisy" away in her case well oiled and clean, bade her an 

 affectionate good-bye until next season opens, and promised 

 to look right well after her safety during her rest. A host of 

 recollections came trooping in as 1 sat down after mj labor 

 of love was completed, and I determined to write up at least 

 one incident for my favorite journal ere another sun had set. 



"My First Honker" — Well do I remember the morning on 

 which he measured his length on the grass and flopped his 

 life out in vain attempts to rise in air. Ah, he must have 

 been indeed a sad rake in his day, leading his harem forth to 

 pluck up and destroy the wheat crop of the Sacramento 

 Valley, but he proved a "tough cuss" w T hen brought to the 

 table, despite his twenty pounds of flesh. Some two days 

 after the little "racket" with the boys on that snipe hunting 

 expedition, getting an early start Jim and I found ourselves 

 about 8 A. M. running our skiffs side by side up a narrow 

 channel among the tules, now and then dropping the paddle 

 to pick up the gun and drop a mallard as it rose quacking, or 

 a bright-winged teal as it shot past with arrow-like speed. 



After proceeding some three miles in this way we hauled 

 up our boats on the levee and leaning on our arms took in the 

 scenery and arranged for the evening sport. Just then a 

 flock of "honkers" hove in sight, bearing directly down on 

 us. Dropping to the ground we watched their approach 

 with keen delight, our dexter fingers playing nervously with 

 the triggers, at least mine did ; for, dear reader, I had yet to 

 bring down my first "honker," and if you have been there 

 yourself you can appreciate my position. On they came, 

 bearing swiftly down — honk, honk, honk — surely we will 

 have a shot, that leader must be mine. "Jim, my boy, leave 

 him to me," 1 said. "All right," and it was agreed upon. 

 Fancy our disgust as they were seen to bear off to the left 

 and pass us at about 200 yards distance, flying low _ and 

 evidently bent on some feeding spot not far away. Rising 

 again to' our feet we watched their flight, and with something 

 like satisfaction saw them lighting at about three-quarters of 

 a mile to the eastward. 



"Now, Professor," said Jim, "if you want that old chap, 

 be off, make straight for that there high bunch of tules, 

 crawl low then, and I think you will get him." 



Off I went right briskly, notwithstanding heavy gum 

 boots, and on approaching the bunch of tules found that I 

 had to lie low to escape observation. However, this was no 

 inconvenience. I had graduated in crawling long before I saw 

 the Pacific coast, but before I had gone twenty yards found 

 my prosrress stopped by a deep gut, about five feet across. Cau- 

 tiously putting; down my leg I found that the bottom must have 

 dropped out, "at least 1 could not find it, and as standing up 

 to leap across would spoil my chance of a shot, nothing- 

 remained but to crawl along and find a crossing place. I 

 squirmed around for nearly "a hundred yards and found a 

 place that seemed all right. Reaching over, gun in band, I 

 threw my weight forward, and just as I attempted to draw 

 my legs after my body, which my right hand and gun had 

 preceded, the treacherous "other side" gave way and down 1 

 went up to the ears in mud and slush. This mishap did not 

 dampen my ardor, on the contrary, it added to my determina- 

 tion to bag that leader, who was standing so boldly up, keep- 

 ing watch scarce 300 yards away. 



Shaking myself as I emerged from this involuntary bath, 

 I renewed the snake-like proceedings, lying low until I 

 reached the bunch of tall grass that had screened me from 

 the flock, What was my annoyance to find that instead of 

 being only 50 or 60 yards from that old gander I was be- 

 tween 80 and 90. Eighty-three paces it proved to be, as I 

 stepped it afterward. But the mind quickly makes a 

 decision in such a case. Drawing my No. 4 shell, I replaced 

 if with a brass one carrying 4 drams of Hazard's No. 3 and 

 1.', ounces of BB. This in my left barrel I felt confident 

 w'ould not fail me. Then rising I gave the old fellow the con- 

 tents as he spread his wings for flight, and to my intense 

 delight over he rolled at my service. Did 1 lire the right at 

 the flock? you ask. No, I did not, for the simple reason 

 that they were over 100 yards distant, too far to kill with 

 certainty, and I never shoot to wound or cripple if lean 

 help it. I would rather miss half a dozen outright than 

 wound one, to crawl away and die in agony. Did 1 "talk 

 right out in rueetinT Yes, brother sport, I did. I went 



into a committee of the whole then and there and gave my- 

 self a unanimous vote of thanks, which was modestly 

 received and becomingly acknowledged, after which 

 I took that old "honker" by the neck and, throw- 

 ing him over my shoulder, wended my way back 

 to the spot where Jim stood waving his hat in congratula- 

 tion. I meditated, too, as I walked; but that wetting did 

 not trouble me much. True, I was scarcely dressed to suit 

 company, but then I was jubilant, and I fully realized the 

 fact that 1 had killed "my first honker." I have killed many 

 since then, but none afforded me so much real zest as did 

 that old fellow among the tules of the Sacramento. 



I have been much interested of late in the articles on the 

 "Choice of a Hunting Rifle" and "The Performance of Shot- 

 guns." My favorite gun is a, 10-bore, 80-inch barrels, 9 

 pounds. This I find will do all that .can be reasonably ex- 

 pected. I use 4 drams best powder and 1-} ounces shot — 

 No. 4 for geese, No. 6 for ducks, No. 8 for quail and doves. 

 I can kill my bird clean at fifty yards with average cer- 

 tainty, and I am content. My favorite rifle is a Winchester, 

 24-inch barrel, .44- caliber, full magazine. I do not want a 

 better weapon for mountain work. I believe the 30-inch 

 barrel gives greater accuracy at long range, but the 24-inch 

 is handy. 



I will tell you how I killed my first buck ere long; and as 

 "The Professor" is too long for a nom de plume, will in future 

 subscribe myself , Leonid as. 



THE ST. CLAIR FLATS BILL. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The question of the status and disposition, of the chief and 

 choice part in United StaJ.es waters, of that famous shooting 

 territory, usually denominated the St. Clair Flats, is before 

 Congress and likely to be finally determined, and a few words 

 to you about the matter will not be out of place. 



Some two years since a bill was introduced in the last 

 Congress to authorize the Commissioner of the General Land 

 Office to sell the same district as United States overflowed 

 and unsurveyed lands, the possession of which was sought 

 by some wealthy parties, the territory having become both 

 very desirable and valuable. 



The move was observed by a citizen of Michigan, who 

 takes interest in public affairs, and set down by him for 

 further attention. The matter apparently attracted neither 

 comment nor even notice during several weeks which went 

 by, when he, deeming it a doubtful policy and unjust to de- 

 tach this large and noble shooting territory from the people's 

 domain and constitute it a close, private shooting preserve, 

 to their perpetual exclusion from all privilege therein in the 

 midst of a public water, their constant resort, drew an earn- 

 est protest or petition against the measure, setting forth in 

 terse and pointed statements the merits of the case, and the 

 same was widely circulated, and sigued by thousands of citi- 

 zens from Detroit to Iowa and Port Huron, and then forwar- 

 ded to Members of Congress. Numbers of influential citizens 

 rendered aid, Members of Congress were conferred with and 

 interested, and influence assured. Don M. Dickinson, a 

 noted lawyer and politician of Detroit, appeared before the 

 committee having the bill in charge and made protest 

 against its passage in the interest of private claimants (him- 

 self one of them), to the same territory, a matter which 

 somehow did not -obtain publicity. The bill never passed 

 from the hands of committee. 



It may be related here that until very recently the fact of 

 there being private claims of ownership of the overflowed 

 and marsh district in question was little, if at all, publicly 

 known or heard of, promineut local citizens and public men 

 and active supporters of the bill above referred to not know- 

 ing anything of the same. However, I do not state this to 

 assert that such claims had not already been born or made 

 a manifest of life. 



The citizen above cited as organizing opposition to the bill 

 described, proposed to two or three different Members of 

 Congress the plan to set the territory in question aside for 

 the people, and suggested the merits and advisability of con- 

 sidering and perhaps inaugurating a like procedure with 

 like Government territory generally, but somehow they 

 failed to discern the magnitude of the cherished interest 

 which exists in this field and its valued relation to a large 

 mass of the people. Some political cigar, perhaps well 

 lighted but of transient and comparatively insignificant im- 

 portance, as appointments to office, seemed to take prece- 

 dence and monopolize their attention, and they gave no sign 

 of regarding such really national interest as possessing even 

 importance. 



The bill had fallen, but the individual mentioned, fully 

 realizing that the St. Clair Flats would ere long in some 

 manner be grasped by private interest and the public cease 

 to have any rights therein if no permanent bulwark of pro- 

 tection was interposed, now advocated the setting aside of 

 that territory by Congress as a national preserve for the 

 people. Believing efficient game protection compatible 

 with a system of national preserves, and deeming it a hard- 

 ship and an injustice and a matter that in the future will be 

 most aggravating in effect to have the extensive shoal water 

 and marshy margins of Government w T aters detached from 

 the people's domain and created close private shooting pre- 

 serve's, to the perpetual exclusion of the people from all 

 right therein, the policy of setting aside such Government 

 territory in the future for the people and the efficient protec- 

 tion of the same in all its interests by authority was urged. 

 Iudeed, to amplify in this view, it seems a rank impropriety 

 for the Government, the people's instrument, created by them 

 to subserve their wants and needs, to sell for a pittance, the 

 benefit of which is not sensibly felt, these shoal-water dis- 

 tricts, and shut the public out from the same forever, consti- 

 tuting as they do about the only territory for game preserves 

 In the nation* and margining pubfic waters to which the 

 people habitually resort, for health and pleasure— boating, 

 fishing and hunting. The people, ever having been used to 

 almost unlimited freedom in sporting fields, appear to have 

 failed to discern the rigid enthrallment of these privileges 

 which is fast approaching, but they will very soon see its 

 lines and feel its bonds, when their neglected and lost in- 

 terest will be irreclaimable. 



The public interest in this field and the above views rela- 

 tive to the same were brought earnestly to attention in high 

 quarters in the Government and received consideration and 

 a friendly recognition. Events in their course finally led to 

 the preparation of a bill to set aside the unsurveyed and 

 overflowed and marsh lands of the St, Clair territory as a 

 national preserve, and an understanding that the measure 

 should be presented in Congress. 



The looking up of the data essential to the describing and 

 bounding of the territory to be set aside furnished a peculiar 

 experience. The General Land Office was applied to and 



