286 FOREST AND STREAM. 
., q 
[Nov. 6, 1884. 
no heed of me whatever. I thought to catch it alive, and 
nearly had my hat over it, when it came to its senses and 
rapidly sped away on wing, till a well-directed shot cut short 
its Hignt—rude transition, indeed, from the Land of Nod to 
No Man’s Land for the hapless dreamer. 
“*Swainson’s warbler spends most of its time on the ground, 
like a Srzrus, or like the worm-eating warbler of its own 
genus (Helminiherus vermivorus), and in its general habits 
it recalls these birds, though it never flirts the tail like those 
f the first named genus, The birds invariably mate on the 
ground. One day I shot three males to one female, and the 
next day two more males to the same female. They are 
spirited as well as jealous, have many disputes, and seem 
especially to dislike catbirds, with whom they quarrel inces- 
santly. Their food is pri: cipally spiders, worms, caterpil- 
lars, and other larve. Sometimes, though rarely, the prey 
is taken after the manner of a flycatcher. The young hug 
the ground closely even in September. They are foun 
chiefly among rotten, fallen logs, and seem to be usually 
shyer, or perhaps more timid, than the old birds. 
“Considering its many peculiarities, I think that Swain- 
son’s warbler needs a new genus apart from Helmintherus. 
What do you think of this?” 
[To this it may be replied that Swainson’s warbler is the 
type of Audubon’s genus Helinaia, lately emended into 
Helonea, and already in use by some ornithologists.—E. C.] 
he would work his way up to the ground through some 
crevice, 80 Ll shot and hit him in the stern. He turned and 
made for me, and growled and snarled a great deal; but I 
knew he could not get out, for I filled up the hole, and I 
knew he could only bite me, and 1 did not betieve he would 
do that, because he was cowed by the long chase we had 
given him, As soon as I fired I passed the gun out through 
the crevice in the rocks and had it loaded again. (It was a 
sort of a breechloader and it was not gone more than half a 
minute,) I held it out so that anything that came against it 
would be shot, but the bear did not try to get out, and before 
long I could cee his eyes and see him wink and hear him 
breathe. He was only about three feet away, and the next 
time I shot him through the head. When I hit him he 
pushed right over toward me, and lay close to my shoulder 
across the hole, When he stopped bieathing I took hold of 
his head to turn him around, but he lay in such a position 1 
could not move him; but after two hours’ work I managed 
to turn him arcund and 8am Dunnigan passed in a rope, and 
he pulled and I pulled, and finally we got him through. 
When we got to the tannery we put him on the scales and 
he weighed 220 pounds. 
THE ADIRONDAOKS. 
SNAKE-BITES. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
A correspondent, in your last issue, gives the antidote for 
the venom of the rattlesnake, that isto say, ‘new milk and 
indigo.” His statement shows that this boy was not fairly 
bitten, but merely scratched. That he would have recoy- 
ered without the use of the supposed remedy is quite certain. 
Milk and indigo is a horrid dose. Milk by itself is easily 
assimilable nutriment calculated to support the powers of 
life and sustain the functions of the grext vital organs while 
the poison is thrown off. You can not make of thirty or 
forty pounds of blood a chemical fluid capable of decompos- 
ing and neutralizing this venom without, at the same time, 
destroying the character of the blood asa vital fluid, and 
so murdering the unfortunate suffer by well-meant efforts to 
relieve him. 
This whole idea of antidotes is bad and misleading. 
“THE AUK.” 
HE October number of The Auk opens with an article 
on the Canada goose (Bernicla canadensis), by James 
P. Howley, which is rather a surprise to us, for it is not at 
all the kind of matter which usually finds its way into these 
carefully edited pages. Mr. Barrow’s list of the ‘‘Birds of the 
Lower Uruguay” is concluded. Itis of especial interest here 
because it treats in part of the waders, many species of 
which are those common in the United States. We note 
that he speaks of Actitwrus bartramius as sometimes bal- 
ancing itself ‘‘for a few seconds on the tops of bushes, which 
I do not remember noting before.” This is a common prac- 
tice of the bird in some portions of the West, and we have 
frequently seen it done in Nebraska and Dakota, Dr. Coues, 
in an article entitled ‘‘On Some New Terms Recommended 
for Use in Zoological Nomenclature,” gives his reasons for sug- 
gesting the use of the word ‘‘onym,” from ovuua, and 
various compounds formed from it, in zoological writing, 
Mr. Bicknell’s ‘Singing of our Birds” it continued part way 
through the Fringilide. Mr. W. W. Cooke presents an in- 
teresting and full account of the distribution and migration 
of Zonotrichia querula. An extended report of the meeting 
and the discussion held last summer at the British Museum 
for the purpose of considering the availability of trinomials 
in zoological nomenclature, is given by Mr. J. A. Allen, and 
Mr. F. Stephens contributes an interesting article on ‘‘Col- 
lecting in the Colorado Desert,” “‘Leconte’s Thrasher.” The 
third series of Dr. Stejneger’s ‘‘Analecta Ornithologica,” is 
not less interesting thai those which have preceded it. Mr. 
R. Bowlder Sharpe has in this number a valuable, though 
biiet, note on the genus Progne, and Dr. Stejneger describes. 
under the name Lagopus albus alleni, a uew sub-species of 
willow grouse, The number concludes with a full report of 
the mecting of the American Ornithologists’ Union. General 
notes are, us usual, full of interesting news. 
Any 
depressing effect of the snake poison. So it will be well to 
give, say, two tablespoonfuls of whisky or brandy in three 
times as much water, along with twenty-five or thirty drops 
of aqua ammonie or spirits of hartshorn, at, such intervals as 
the depression may seem to demand. Oleer the bowels by an 
enema of warm water and soap, to which may be added with 
advantage two teaspoonfuls of spirits of turpentine. If the 
patient has been bitten by a copperhead, assure him that the 
bite of that snake scarcely ever, if ever, imperils human 
life, and that he isin no danger. If bitten by a rattlesnake, 
tell him not to be needlessly alarmed; that the bite of this 
snake is seldom dangerous if left to itself, still less so if in- 
telligently treated. Many persons bitten by snakes die of 
fright; some are killed by excessive medication, especially 
by fatal quantities of alcohol. Some few persons are so 
very susceptible to the influence of the venom, that they die 
of its effects with or without treatment. If we lave in the 
United States a really deadly snake, itis theso-called venom- 
ous water moccasin of the Southern States, technically An- 
cistradon piscrvorus. 
My principal object is to ask your Southern readers to re- 
port any authentic cases of the bites of this snake, either 
animals or man, and the result. The history of this species 
and the clinical history of its bite are very meagre. So far 
as my information extends, the bite of this snake is often 
fatal to adult man inside of half an hour from its reception. 
I think Ancistrodon pisctvorus is simply the southern form of 
copperhead (Ancistroden contortriz). In accordance with 
what I understand to be the modern view of nomenclature it 
would be Anecistrodon contortria pisctvorus. It is no true 
water snake, but merely semi-aquatic, and s0, too, is the 
copperhead as far north as the Potomac, A fisher, too, is 
your copperhead, making common resort to the borders oi 
rocky shoals, to old stone dams and to the stagnant pools left 
in smal] streams, in time of drought, for the purpose of feed- 
ing on minnows left imprisoned in little pools in these places. 
However this may be, 1 think it certain that the venomous 
water moccasin of the South is the most dangerous snake we 
have. It would prove very interesting if your Southern cor- 
respondents will make us more familiar with the species. 
The medical men of North Carolina are among the most 
learned and skilful in America, and I think this species 
abounds in some sections of that State. I doubt not they 
can enlighten us. M, G. Etuzey, M.D. 
THE BLACK BEAR. 
BY CHANDLHEY L, PHELPS, 
HE black bear is the only species found in New York 
Stare. Jt lives to be tifteen years old, and the largest. 
I have +ver seen weighed 425 pounds. It lives on berries and 
iruit, and will eit aluwost anything, Including beech nuts, 
ants, honey and frogs. It will also eat dead animals. The 
bear will not atlack a man unless wounded, or when it has 
young. If the cubs are old enough, the whole family will 
run away; but if the little ones are too small to run fast, the 
mother will drive 4 man away until they have time to get 
out of reach. 
Bears go into winter quarters when the snow is so deep 
that they cannot get food, and not before, I have known 
them to dig away two feet of snow to get at the beech nuts 
on the high ridges. They are fond of scratching the bark 
on the trees, and of biting a piece of bark out of balsams 
about six inches in diameter; these are what the hunters call 
‘hear signs.” As I said before, a bear will rarely attack a 
man, and even if wounded is not dangerous unless brought 
to bay. 
About ten years ago I started out with Sam Dunnigan and 
Gus Syphert after panther. We crossed the north branch 
of the Mouse River in Herkimer county, and passed Panther 
Lake, and came around the high ground to Little Moose 
Lake. Near there we came across the track of a bear lead- 
ing out of a swamp, through which ran a small stream. The 
ice had dammed up the water, and had flooded the bear out 
of his den. We went into the swamp to see whether there 
were any other bears left, and found the hole where he 
had slept full of water. 
Tt was about 1 o’clock im the afternoon when we started, 
an:l we shantied that night on his track, and followed all 
the next day and the day after. About 2 o'clock we came 
to the forks of the Moose River. The heat went up the 
south branch. The dogs were afraid of him and would 
go up and make a circuit and come back. As we thought 
we should be out some days, we went to the Moose River 
tannery, and staid there one night, and as we got some bread 
baked, did not get back to the forks until about 11 o'clock. 
We followed up to where we had heard the dogs barking 
the day before, and there, upon a broad, bare rock on the 
side of the stream the trail stopped, the dogs had gone up a 
little further and then came back. 
I went back and Dunnigan went up the stream, but we 
found no tracks: so I said to Dunnigan, ‘‘He is somewhere 
near us,” and he said, ‘'Yes, he is here.” ‘The rocks over- 
hung at this place, and the bear had dropped down and 
worked his way between the rocks and snow. We shoveled 
the snow away with our snowshoes for some distance, and 
as we were doing so the bear put his head out, but before 1 
could shoot him or Sam hit him with the axe, he drew back. 
We finally came to a sort of a den, into which I crawled, but 
found nothing, Further back 1 found a place running into 
the rocks about as large as a man’s body. It ran parallel to 
the face of the rocks for some distance and then turned and 
formed a sort of a cave. I crawled in, and after a while I 
saw something moving, which I knew was the bear. I said 
to Sam, “I can see his head.” ‘‘Well,” said he, ‘that’s 
where you want to hit him if you shoot him in there.” I 
waited 8 moment and saw it was not his head, but his stern, 
and that he was trying to get away from me. I was afraid 
DomestTicaTiIng Wuin~prown.—Cold Spring Harbor, N. 
Y., Oct, 28.—After the loss of my entire flock of fourteen 
wood ducks, killed by a mink last March, | made inquiries 
for others and bought four pairs. They were a hard lot, 
and if I had seen them first would not have bought, One 
pair had been wintered in a robin cage and the others in dry 
zoods boxes; the plumage was bad and the birds were weak. 
Two of them died within three days after receiving them, 
and the others slowly picked up in their outdoor quarters 
with its large pool of spring water. None laid, and in 
summer 1 bought some green-winged teal, pintails, and 
widgeon, all English birds, and in condition not much better 
than the wood ducks, They died freely for the first few 
days after their arrival. 1 then imported a pair of Chinese 
mandarin ducks, which came in good order, but the voyage 
probably stopped the formation ot eggs. In thesummer rats 
got into the house where they were confined at night and 
when the vermin were killed off an account of stock showed 
one pair of mandarins, one widgeon, and three wood ducks, 
the latter inciuding one drake. These birds are now getting 
their fall plumage and the mandarin drake is beginning to 
look splendid atter his dull sammer coat. They have been 
mating for the past month. A flock of wild wood ducks 
just bought are all in full plumage except the young drakes, 
eing at least two weeks ahead of mine. Inquiries for live 
green-winged teal have failed to find them, nor does it seem 
possible to get bluewings. A friend in Dakota has promised 
some pintails, and I hope for better luck next year, if the 
minks and rats do not get in apaln, as it does not seem pos- 
sible for them to do,—F RED MATHER. 
Warsr Braps or Norra AmpricaA.—LHarly last summer 
a correspondent ordered a copy of the “Water Birds” and 
we supplied the first volume, which was all that had been 
then issued. Meantime his name and address have been 
mislaid. We now have the second volume, and should be 
glad to know where it is to be sent. 
Deer hunters should read Judge J. D. Caton's ‘Antelope and Deer 
of America.” For sale at this office. Price $2.50.—Adv. 
and every stimulant is an antidote physiologivally to the | 
A Woop Docx’s Straracem.—The following note I copy 
from my note book, thinking it might interest some of the 
readers of the Forusr anp Svream interested in this most 
beautiful of all ducks: Withlacooche River, Fla., Dec. 8.— 
Shot a sreen-winged teal in a small pond and a male wood 
duck on the river. The wood duck was yery cunning, lead- 
ing me quite a chase up the river. I was rowing up the 
stream against a strong tide, keeping a sharp lookout for 
alligators on the bank, when my eyes caught sight of, as I 
thought, a little dipper duck swimming along very close 
inshore under the shadow of the trees. After watching it a 
few moments I saw thst it did not dive as the little scaup 
ducks do, but seemed to be intent on making its escape by 
swimming, Determined to find out what kind of a duck it 
was, L started in pursuit. It was hard work, as the current 
was runing very swifily, but after a little while I saw that 
I was gaining on the duck. I rowed hard, looking over my 
shoulder every few moments to see if I was gaining and if 
the duck was still insight At last ] thought 1 was near 
enough, and dropping the oars 1 picked up my gun, and 
looked ahead just in time to sce the duck dive. I rowed up 
to the place where it went down, expecting to see it come 
up. I waited several minutes, but no duck came in sight, 
I looked carefully up and down the river, first on one side 
and then on the other, but no duck could be seen, On the 
right hand side of tbe river opposite the bank was rocky, 
and the tops of several large rocks projected over the river, 
throwing a deep shadow cn the water. 1 was looking in 
that direction when my eyes were attracted by what ap- 
peared to be a block of wood floating down with the current. 
I looked at it sharply, and the thought struck me that it 
might be my duck, es, it was the duck, its head and neck 
stretched out on the water, and as motionless as if dead. I 
raised my gun, took quick aim aad fired, and had the satis- 
faction of seeing the bird flap his wings for a few seconds 
and lie still, I rowed up to where he was, and to my delight 
saw it was a male wood duck in perfect plumage. On ex- 
amining my prize] saw that the end of the left wing was 
gone up to the wrist, and the wing was healed up. ‘This, 
then, was the reason that my duck did not try te eseape by 
flying, but resorted to the cunning trick of floating past me 
down the river,—J. C, CAnoon. 
EASTWARD RANGE OF THE Moosr Nortu oF THE St. 
Lawrence.—The fact is well known to the Indians and 
other moose hunters of the region, that the Saguenay River 
constitutes the eastern limit of the range of the moose on the 
north side of the St. Lawrence. Stragglers beyond this 
limit are so exceedingly rare that.a Bersimis Indian (one 
Thomas Colard by name) mentioned to Mr. N. A. Comeau, 
as a previously unheard of occurrence, that a moose had been 
seen about the headwaters of the Bersimis River in Decem- 
ber, 1888. The distance between these two rivers is not 
greater than a moose could trayel in two days——O, Harr 
Merriam (Locust Grove, New York). 
Game Bag and Guy. 
THE FIRST DEER. 
E had been in camp on the Second Connecticut Lake 
pretty nearly a week, and in that time had not shot 
asingle deer, having turned all our attention to the finny 
tribe, which afforded us keen sport. We however bagged 
an occasional partridge, and this, together with the trout and 
ever gloricus flapjack, afforded us bauquets fit for a king. 
Our party consisted of four, none of us very experienced 
sportsmen, and no guide, for we preferred to shift for our- 
selves, and save the, to us, expensive luxury. We had two 
canvas canoes among us, and we intended paddling part 
way down the river on our journey home if we had time. 
Supper was over, and we had gathered round the blazing 
fire to enjoy a pipe, as we talked over the events of the day, 
when it happened to strike one of us that it would never do 
to leave the woods without haying brought down at least one 
deer. 
““That’s so!” cried Charley, leaping to bis feet, ‘‘and Ifor 
one vote we try floating for them to-night. Who’s with me?” 
“Now don’t get excited, boy,” said he whom we called 
Dutch, ‘I don’t intend to stir from this fire to-night, There 
will be plenty of time for such small game before we break 
U ” 
“Small game! I’d like to see you shoot one allthe samee!” 
“Thank you, but V’d rather not tramp through tangled 
bushes and fall into mud holes when | can get better sport 
by sitting in a nice clean canoe and throwing a fly.” 
“That's where you and I differ.” 
“Just precisely,” replied Dutch, who was really a fine 
angler. 
“Come, fellows,” I putin, ‘‘please don’t quarrel all the 
time, and [’']l tell you what Pve just thought of. We'll all 
go hunting to-morrow, and asa reward, the man who kills 
the first deer shall be exempt from washing dishes an entire 
week. How does that strike you?” 
“A oreed!” they all exclaimed; and then after replenishing 
the fire, for the mosquitoes were thicker than usual, which 
is saying a good deal, we sought our respective couches and 
proceeded to woo the gentle god of sleep, who comes to none 
so Willingly as to him who makes his bed *neath the green- 
wood tee. 
Next moruing I was up with the sun to find my comrades 
still sweetly slumbering. So hastily making my toilet in the 
lake, and cramming a few crackers and a box of cartridges 
into my pocket, and grabbing my rifle, I set out, for it was 
not my day to get the camp breakfast, and moreover, 1 had 
set my heart on getting a deer. 
Well, to be brief, | tramped through thick woods and 
jumped brooks till 1 was about tired out, and I guess it must 
have been about twelve o’clock, or at least my appetite indi- 
cated a near approach to that hour, when I seated myself on 
a log and began debating on the advisability of turning my 
face campward. 
I had seen several traces of deer, but none yery recent, 
and had about decided to start back in order to arrive in 
time for dinner, when I became conscious of a gentle plash- 
ing, sounding from the direction of the brook I had just 
crossed. My blood tingled in my veins as-I made my way 
cautiously back, after ascertaining that the slight breeze was 
in my favor. But most of my excitement disappeared as I 
saw a handsome buck leisurely wading in the shallow water, 
and knew that 1 would have to shoot close if | wanted my 
deer, for he was fully seventy-five yards distant. I say he 
swas a handsome buck, because the sorriest old specimen in 
——— 
