———Keo 
= 
Jan, 15, 1885.) 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
' 48383 
of secondary importance, and that to these the generous 
number of empty bottles piled under a bush near by now 
probably constitute the chief memory of their summer 
camp, Sometimes a stray leaf or two from a magazine tells 
that all has not been roystering and bibulous conviviality, 
while the enormous head of a pickerel, nailed to a tree, with 
mouth wide agape, marks what will be theme of many a 
tale at home, when the camp shall be lived over again by 
the fireside of winter. Once we found on a deserted camp- 
ing ground a leaf, which had dropped from a volume, in the 
original of Aischylus. Tt was the tale of the messenger told 
to the sorrowing mother of Xerxes, bearing the news of 
Persian disaster and the woeful defeat of her son at *‘sea 
born Salamis.” Tt was a hopeful sign this, that some one 
had carried with him into the woods a love for the gloom 
and intensity of the father of Attic tragedy. Would that 
signs of the same sort were more abundant among the debris 
of our camps. It invested the heap of ashes that marked 
the site of the camp fire with « glamour, and made us wish 
that we too had been permitted to see its nightly flashings, 
and in such goodly fellowship to watch its embers grow gray, 
Beyond the point, a deep, broad cleft in the hills inclosed 
Oady’s Bay, A quarter cf a mile further on and within the 
bay, we found Sabattis at anchor on his favorite ground. 
It looked fishy enough, but we were not in the humor for 
still-fishing, so telling him to await our return we pulled on 
up the Jake to find the bridge of which he had told us, a mile 
and a half above. The truth is, we were determined that 
the first victim of the new rod should be taken on a fly. 
Leaving the party under the guidance of Sabattis to revel in 
bait-fishing, we turned a bend in the shore which shut them 
from our sight, and a broad sheet of water opened once 
more in front. We could see the bottom, or rather a heavy 
growth of moss and water plants, not more than three feet 
from the surface all about us. It did not strike us as being 
Inviting ground, nevertheless we took up the rod for another 
trial. Three times the great king fell lightly on the surface, 
once more, and there came a tug and a rush asa three-pound 
bass took the dropper, and, feeling the prick, went down 
into the moss and weeds beneath. In quick answer to our 
call George stopped the headway of the boat, backed a little, 
and, while there was a cessation of hostilities, we looked 
over the ground. The outlook was not promising, if was 
doubtful whether the single gut leader would stand the 
strain of lifting a peck or two of moss, a task which it seemed 
highly probable it would have to perform or break. An un- 
steady pull quickly brought the fish from the weeds, and 
fortunately near the opening where he had entered, so the 
leader caught nothing. Away went the fish through the 
open water until he was checked by the strain of the nearly 
doubled rod. Now entered a new factor to render the issue 
of the contest over the deep weed bed more doubtful still. 
A pound and a half small-mouth, probably thinking that his 
big brother had struck a good thing, jommed in the venture 
by taking the red fly and and to the weeds at the same time. 
But the rushes of the other brought him out and we soon 
found that we had gained an important auxiliary. There 
seemed to be a want of unanimity us to the proper time to 
take to the weeds, whenever one made the attempt he was 
sure to be baulked in his plans by the other. Thus with the 
aid of the rod we overcame the smaller by pitting the larger 
against him and vice versa, until we brought the pair, tired 
out, within reach of the net and landed them. The pocket 
scales showed them to be of the weights respectively given 
above. 
Tt, was a good place to test a rod right over that weed bed, 
so atit we went again. The first cast brought up another 
smallmouth, a mate to the last, to the front, and we deter- 
mined that he should not nose the weeds unless he first 
smashed the rod. With the strike we gaye him the full 
strain of the rod, and kept the reel taking in the line as 
rapidly as possible. It might have been a trifie foolhardy, 
but if the rod was going to fail us, we wanted it settled right 
there. Twice George shouted, ‘‘Look out, Captain,” and 
then, as under the strain of a fresh dash the tip came over 
and passed a couple of feet beyond the butt, he gave a whoop 
and an exultant cry of ‘‘Mitchell to the front.” Under such 
vigorous tactics the fish was brought to the net before the 
fight was half out of him. Casting over that immense weed 
bed and keeping on a straight course, out of a dozen strikes 
we took nine small-mouth bass. We were now approaching 
the bridge, alog structure some three hundred feet long, 
which spanned a narrow neck inthelake. Abovethe bridge 
the lake widened into a sheet of water three miles wide, in 
the depths of which, Sabattis afterward informed us, he had 
taken salmon (&. ncmcyeush). 
Tt was ow past noon, the sun was hot, and we were tired 
and hungry, so we landed on a mudbank at the north end of 
the bridge, and taking the lunch basket made our way up 
the steep road to a structure called a hotel, which stood a 
quarter of a mile from the water. In the corner of a large 
room was a scantily furnished bar, on two sides long rough 
benches were arranged for the convenience of guests, while 
on the walls, pictures of two pugilistic heroes in the various 
positions common to a slugging match, eut from some sport- 
ing paper, and a horse bill, were the only things suggestive 
of art decorative. Through an open inner door we could see 
across a couple of rooms, bui no signs of life were visible. 
Our tramping, however, soon brought a boy from some- 
where within, who proceeded to do the honors. With his 
permission we spread our lunch on one of the benches, and 
to it was added by him a pitcher of fresh buttermill, cold 
from the rock-hewn cellar beneath. While quafting the 
delicious beverage, we thought with an inward chuckle 
that we were scoring a point on the kindly King- 
fisher and his cold spring water. Our entertainment was 
generous, and before our departure we were greeted by a 
son of the house, a junior at the University of Kingston. 
We were not a little surprised to find in this isolated spot the 
young man of books, the scholar of Horace and Xenophon, 
and we lounged away a pleasant hour upon the benches 
while exchanging tales of American and Canadian student 
life. He was fresh from the recitation room and his stu- 
dent pranks, and we queried, as we looked into his clear 
hazel eyes, what will have been accomplished by him in his 
grapple with the sterner realities, when the faint, far off 
tones of the college bell sounds to him across the memories 
of half a life. He saw us to the boat, and accepting our in- 
Vitation to visit the camp, which he afterward did, bade us 
good-bye. : 
It was now well on in the afternoon, and after casting 
once more over the weed bed, by which we added four bass 
to our score, we hastened to join the rest of the party. We 
found them ai the anchorage of the morning, sun-browned 
and blistered, but with more than sixty bass, among which 
was a fair sprinkling of 4-pounders, We cast in their neigh- 
horhood for an hour withowt a strike, while they added a 
eS ed 
* 
dozen to their catch. The methods of Sabattis were of a 
very ancient kind, His poles were of hickory and about 
half an inch in diameter at the small end, while his hooks 
and lines were in due proportion. He landed his fish into 
the boat with a single jerk and lift. Sometimes he would 
look ina kind of pitying way at our rods, but never once 
offered a criticism. The boys never laughed at the old man 
though, for he was always in the lead, both in numbers and 
in weight, and, no doubt he thought, in sport too. - 
It was getting late and we suggested a-moye in the direc- 
tion of camp, As the towing homeward of the huge fish 
car would be a tedious task over the five-mile course, we 
relieved Sabattis of his passengers, and with two pairs of 
oars and a man at the wheel, soon left him out of sight. It 
was a tiresome ride, but we got to camp with enough of 
daylight left to prepare a supper equal to the demands of the 
hungry fishermen. That night there was none of the usual 
lounging by the camp-fire. Four noses glistening with 
vaseline were soon peeping out from beneath the blankets, 
and adding their notes to the chorus of the voices of the 
night. WAWAYANDA, 
UNDER THE BALSAMS. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
In reply to ‘“Nessmuk’s” question in your paper of Noy. 
27, [have not read the account of the cruise of the Sairy 
Gamp, having only commenced taking Forrst AND STREAM 
last March, but 1 read with much interest the ‘‘Log of the 
Bucktail” and some other articles by ‘‘Nessmuk,” and will 
be glad to meet the writer if ever so fortunate as to find my- 
self again under the bright skies of America. TI sincerely 
trust that his experiments in reducing the size of canoes will 
not result in anything worse than a capsize. For myself, 
being 164 pounds weight, 1 must draw the line at the heavi- 
est canoe described in ‘* Woodcraft,” and its size will give the 
advantage of allowing me to twist in any position for a shot 
.at a duck without being troubled about keeping the balance, 
“Nessmuk’s” account of the physician's advice to himself 
reminds me of an instance in my own experience of the heal- 
ing effects of forest life. About nineteen years ago I spent 
the months of August and September in the bush to the 
north of Lake Simcoe. On returning from a week's solitary 
cruise in my Lirch canoe to the little village of Orillia on 
Lake Couchiching, I found two friends, 8. and B., lieuten 
ants in the British forces then stationed at Toronto. B. said 
he had been sent there for ten days by the doctors of his 
regiment, while they made up their minds about ordering 
him home to England to dic, as they believed, from con- 
sumption, He certainly was in a bad state, coughing fear- 
fully, scarcely able to eat, wasting away rapidly, and so 
weak that a walk of fifty yards caused him to pant for 
breath. 
I remembered reading of consumption having been cured 
by encamping for a year in the Rocky Mountains, and knew 
of an English gentleman recovering after his physician had 
lost all hope, by leading-a very similar life in.a wild part of 
the British Islands, so a lucky idea struckme. I said to B., 
“Tf you will throw away that beastly medicine that the doc- 
tors are giving you and liye with me in the bush, you will 
get well.” He reflected fora short time and replied, ‘‘T 
must die if Ido not go and can only die if I do go, so I will 
try your remedy.” 
I paddled across the lake to an Indian village, and hired 
an Indian with a good birch canoe to carry B. §. went in 
my canoe and we started the next day. 
The provisions consisted of tea and sugar, flour and fat 
salt pork, with a stone bottle of whisky. For cooking pur- 
poses we had my frying pan and three oval potsof block tin, 
one fitting inside the other. Each of us also indulged in the 
luxury of a tin cup and plate, a knife, fork and spoon. 
At night we made a bed of hemlock or balsam fir, turned a 
canoe bottom upward, rested some poles from the gunwale 
slanting toward the fire, and covered them with a sheet of 
tarpaulin so as to keep off the dew or rain. Rolied in 
blankets, we slept under this with heads inside the canoe 
and feet to the fire. Of course, such an arrangement will be 
familiar to woodsmen, but I mention it in order toshow that 
the consumptive patient had no unusual shelter. 
We went to Muskoka Lake, which then had only one clear- 
ing and log house on its shores, and amused ourselves for a 
month, living upon ducks, ruffed grouse, venison and fish, 
all being cooked with a portion of the fat pork. The 
scenery was exquisite, and the sport. althoush not what 
would be called good by mere game slaughterers, was always 
enough to keep us supplied with plenty of food. 
Now for the results. From the first night that B. slept in 
the open air his cough began to get better, He soon had a 
fair appetite, and in a few days was able to help a little 
with the paddle. Atthe end of the month he carried for 
his own amusement a load of thirty pounds over a three- 
mile portage. On returning to ‘‘civilization” I advised him 
to use pleniy of warm clothing on his bed, but to sleep with 
the window open in winter as well as summer. He remained 
in the army for years afterward, and I believe is still alive. 
He always attributed his recovery to that month spent in 
the bush. 
If this rambling narrative be considered worthy a space 
in your paper, it may perhaps induce some unfortunate, 
condemned to early death by that terrible plazue consump- 
tion, to try nature’s remedies, 7. e., pure air, brilliant sun- 
shine, beautiful scenery, and rich, plam food, all to be 
obtained in the fullest degree by wandering through forests 
and streams. J.J. M. 
Lowpon, Dec. 18, 1864. 
Tue Mysrery or Iv.—Oak Shade, Ohio.—Hditor Forest 
and Stream: What is the secret of wing-shooting? I have 
made some remarkable misses and some good shots. For 
instance, flushed a bevy of quail, covered one and waited 
until two more merged in line and killed three; then fired 
ihree careful shots at a single quail standing on the ground, 
the last shot only taking effect. At another time my dog 
flushed a quail, which perched on a fence near dense cover, 
so I shot right at it with great care, and that quail flew as 
though it were going to the top of the Lickskiddle Moun- 
tains. Then as I stood pondering on the uncertainty of bird 
shooting, I heard a quail get up behind me, and as it flew 
down a fence bordered by trees, I failed to see it until fully 
seventy-five yards off, but dropped it and my dog retrieved 
it, Why dol and others miss some of our best shots when 
birds rise and fly straight away, and we cover them and sight 
with the utmost care? I haye asked old sportsmen about it. 
One says: “Command yourself, get it right on to ’em, don’t 
shoot too quick,” etc. And still my anxious spirit cries, 
Why can’t I shoot him as he flies?—Boucenyn, 
ahatiyal History. 
THE BIRDS OF MICHIGAN. 
BY DR. MORRIS GIBBS, 
Prefatory Note. 
Y reasons for presenting a new list of the birds of Mich- 
gan so soon after the publication of 1879 are threefold. 
Several species were then embraced which were not well es- 
tablished as Michigan birds. There are now about fifty 
species to be added to the old list, Lastly, repeated requests 
have been made that more complete annotations be given, 
especially as regards the breeding habits of many species 
little Known in the State. 
It is hardly necessary to refer to a criticism on the list of 
1879 relative to its completion; but I would say that the issue 
of 1879, as well as the present list, are compiled from the 
best of authorities, in addition to my own observations, 
I am especially under obligation to Benjamin F. Syke, 
Esq., for valuable information, also to Dr. H. A, Atkins, C. 
W. Gunn, W.'A. Gunn, Jason E, Nichols, W. H. Collins, 
J. B, Steere, F. H. Chapin, N. A. Eddy, A, H, Baies, J, 
B. Trombley, A. B. Covert and others. In all cases of aid 
credit is duly acknowledged. 
My own observations extend into Wexford, Lake, Mont- 
calm, Newaygo, Kent, Ottawa, Barry, Allegan, Washtenaw 
and Yan Buren counties, and cover my trips or places of 
residence in the last eighteen years. My principal observa- 
tions, however, are the result of work accomplished at my 
oldhome, Kalamazoo county. 
In addition to the above sources of information, access has 
been accorded to many valuable lists ranging back to 1889, 
and coyering every portion of the State, from the extreme 
northern point of the Upper Peninsula to the most southern 
portion of the State. 
Michigan, nearly surrcunded by water asshe is—the great 
lakes aggregating one-fifth of the fresh water of the globe— 
offers an extensive and varied territory. Her shore line ex- 
ceeds that of any other State in the Union. In area almost 
equal to New England, reaching further north than the State 
of Maine and about as far south as Rhode Island. In extent 
over five hundred miles from northwest to southeast, and of 
diversified character, our State presents a territory certainly 
not surpassed and probably not equalled by any other State, 
excepting, perhaps, Texas, California or Florida. 
Michigan extends through six degrees of latitude and over 
eight degrees of longitude, and her avian fauna must be ex- 
ceedingly varied. The variety of surface is not so diversi- 
fied as is founda in many other States, still prairies, high and 
dry sections, low swampy localities, heavy forests of both 
pine and hardwood, river flats in abundance, marshy lakes, 
and in the northern portions rocky sections are found within 
her boundaries. 
Michigan lies within those degrees of latitude that permit 
of the visitation of nearly all of the northern forms of birds, 
while southern visitants and stragglers are found within our 
southern boundary, and migrants pass through the State in 
myriads. Many species of maritime and littoral birds fre- 
quent the lakes in vast flocks unknown to more sterile and 
less watered localities. A marked variation exists in the 
temperalure of the extreme northern portion and our southern 
confines, and vegetation in the Upper Peninsula is at least 
four weeks later than in the southern counties, As an 
illustration of the meeting of the southern and northern 
species of birds, the instance of the finding of the A. vesper- 
tind and Z. ludoviciana frequenting the same woods in the 
spring of 1879 is a peculiar one. ‘T'wo species of birds of the 
same family, which, in theirrange of migration are separated 
to the extent of four thousand miles at. least, the evening 
grosbeak breeding in the far north, while the rose-breasted 
grosbeak frequently winters in South America. It is 
thought best that this slight sketch of Michigan’s topography 
should be given in order that the nature of the country in 
relation to her bird life may be more fully understood. 
Aylocichla mustelina (Gmel.) Baird—Wood thrush, song 
thrush. 
Who that is a lover of our feathered friends, in walking 
in the budding woods during the month of May, has not heard 
the clear resonant notes of this charming singer? The air 
is full of the joyous notes of myriads of happy songsters, 
and by careful attention a practiced ear can detect the songs 
of twenty well-known species. Even the faint chirping 
notes or an occasional burst of song can be heard from the 
migrating warblers as they pass from tree to tree above us,’ 
or the cheerful songs of the little vireos deeper in the 
sylvan shades. But at regular intervals the ringing bell-ike 
notes of the wood thrush rise above the harmonious babble, 
penetrating to us mm veritable sound waves of liquid melody 
as we rest on the decayed log or grassy bank. 
The song varies apparently in its source, the singer being 
ashy bird at this season of the year, and easily made anxious 
by our presence, is circling around our seat witha view of 
closer inspection. frequently one comes so near us that we 
see it for a moment as it hastily leaves a branch and drops 
terrified into the brush uttering a cry of alarm as it disap- 
pears, and then after a few gutteral sounds like chuck, chuck, 
it dashes off and its beautiful song can be heard again a hun- 
yards away. 
I shall not attempt descriptions of the songs of birds, for 
though a few notes are uttered so plainly that they can’ be 
described on paper, still the true music issuing from the 
throats of most singers is above comparison or criticism, and 
the songs of the thrushes are especially fine in harmonious 
blending. It would indeed be ridiculous to attempt a de- 
scription of the songs of the mocker and thrasher. 
In Kalamazoo county the wood thrush has appeared during 
a dozen years from April 24, the earliest date, to May 4. 
Soon after reaching our boundary it spreads over the entire 
Lower Peninsula, and bursting into full song begins deciding 
on a partner for the season and a suitable nesting place. 
We are inclined to think, contrary to the upinions of most 
writers, that the thrushes secure new mates each season, at 
least pitched battles occur between the males of this species 
soon after arriving from the south, as is also the case with 
the robins, catbirds, and brown thrushes. It takes same 
time for affairs to be settled, although Iam happy to say 
that encounters between birds are seldom severe, and resem- 
ble the boyish squabbles of school urchins, in which a little 
¢xtra effrontery is more than equal to puerile blows, and after 
a few flappings of the wings and pursuits in which both ap- 
pear to have equal victories, the vanquished give way. 
That some thrushes are mated on reaching us is certain, 
for repeated observations have shown that the same pair has 
sometimes occupied the same site for years during the nest- 
