84 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Fee. 26, 1885. 



Rimini §i$targ. 



THE PRAIRIE DOG AS A WATER WITCH. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



A correspondent at Palestine, Texas, inquires about the 

 drinking habits of the prairie dog. It is very well known 

 that the prairie-dog towns are generally located upon ele- 

 vated plateaus, sometimes as far as thirty or fifty miles from 

 open water, and it is not, possible that they could travel this 

 distance for water and return to their towns in such hordes 

 as exist; nor is there dew or moisture enough in the grass to 

 supply them with fluid, The prairie-dog towns rise and 

 fall like other empires, and when a prairie-dog town is worn 

 out the inhabitants move west, like other people, first send- 

 ing prospectors ahead to spy out the land and make a loca- 

 tion. 



In crossing Northern Texas once I overtook a gang of 

 prairie-dog prospectors on the road, and alighting from the 

 coach gave chase for about a mile, when one of the pros- 

 pectors, who had been tripped up several times with a whip- 

 lash, turned up his toes and surrendered. As I knew his 

 teeth were strong enough to nip a finger off, the driver 

 brought my Scotch shawl which I threw over him and 

 wrapped him up like a baby, and the first thing was a copi- 

 ous micturition on my shawl — just like a baby, too. He was 

 quite full of water, and must have laid in a supply for the 

 journey. 



Prairie-dog towns are frequently seven or eight miles 

 in extent, and must contain several thousand animals. The 

 country in the vicinity is denuded of grass for eight or ten 

 miles, and the immediate vicinity of the towns is dangerous 

 to ride over on account of the ground being honeycombed, 

 and on account of rattlesnakes which abound there and feed 

 on the puppies. The large owl frequents the vicinity for the 

 same purpose, and they all make a "happy family." The 

 prairie dogs have an excellent police system and set up a 

 great yelping at the mouth of their little towers on the 

 approach of danger. When shot, they generally fall in their 

 holes and are hard to get out. They are of a dun or brown 

 color, but in some towns I have seen a considerable sprink- 

 ling of white ones. 



They are easdy domesticated and make pretty pets, but 

 look out for their teeth. Domesticated prairie dogs drink 

 water like rats, and scarcely burrow at all. They are com- 

 monly kept under the floors of houses in Colorado and Kan- 

 sas, and serve to destroy or keep away vermin. They 

 thrive well in a humid climate. A friend in the south of 

 England had domesticated some prairie dogs from Colorado, 

 and as they were well supplied with water in their cage on 

 the ground, they were not known to burrow at all, but spent 

 most oE the time on a platform seeking their native sunshine. 



I conclude from observation and information that the 

 prairie dog burrows for water from necessity and possibly 

 to great depths, and that where, a dog burrows man can 

 bore. Consequently, that water can be found in the center 

 or vicinity of any prairie-dog town, with the ground already 

 cleared for cultivation and prepared for percolation. 



If you catch a prairie dog be sure to put him in a rootal 

 cage, as he will soon burrow through a wooden box. They 

 are generally fat and juicy, and make a remarkably good 

 roast or broil. C. D. P. 



Nogales, Arizona. 



THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Your paper of Feb. 5. 1885, which Las just come to hand, 

 contains a very interesting account, by Mr. J. C. Hughes, 

 regarding the white or Rocky Mountain goat, the Aplocerus 

 columUanus (Coues) of naturalists, commenting on an article 

 published in the December number of the Century Magazine, 

 under the heading of "Hunting the Rocky Mountain Goat," 

 and written by William A. Baillie-G-rohman. 



My only object in writing this is to corroborate some of 

 Mr. Hughes's statements, but principally to place on record 

 certain facts regarding the distribution of this animal not 

 heretofore published, which came under my personal obser- 

 vation, and which I should have done long ago. It is not 

 written to criticise Mr. Baillie-Grrohman's article, as I am 

 well aware that the habits of certain species of animals may 

 for various reasons differ considerably in different localities, 

 and this may be one of these cases. If 1 remember rightly, 

 the readers of your paper were favored a year or so ago with 

 some very interesting articles about this very goat, from the 

 able pen of one of your correspondents who signs himself 

 "Yo." Perhaps we could learn something further about the 

 life history of the Rocky Mountain goat from him. To 

 begin, however, Mr. Baillie-Grohman, speaking about the 

 known range of the Rocky Mountain goat, states: 



"It is only found in Western Montana, the northernmost 

 portions of Idaho and Oregon, in Washington Territory, and 

 especially in British Columbia. No authentic instance is 

 known to me of its appearing south of 45° north latitude." 



Shortly after the termination of our late unpleasantness the 

 writer's regiment was ordered to return to the Pacific coast, 

 where it had been stationed before the war, and the troop to 

 which I belonged was sent to Camp Independence, Cali- 

 fornia. 



This post (now abandoned) is situated on Oak Creek, 

 in Owens River Valley, on the eastern slope of the Sierra 

 Nevadas, three miles west of Owens River, in Inyo county, 

 California; latitude 36° 55' north, longitude 41° 7' west, at an 

 altitude of 4,958 feet. And right here is where I saw more 

 or less of the Rocky Mountain goats during the winters of 

 1866, '67 and '68. One of the local names by which this ani- 

 mal was known throughout this region of country was ' 'i hex. " 

 At that time Owens River Valley was but sparsely settled, 

 and game of all kinds was plenty. The Sierra Nevada 

 Mountains in this vicinity reach a higher altitude than at 

 any other point of this extensive ragne, and Mount Whitney, 

 some thirty miles south of Independence, is, I believe, con- 

 sidered now the highest peak in the United States. On the 

 western slope the mountains are densely timbered to an alti- 

 tude of about 10,000 feet, while the eastern slope is more or 

 less barren, and timber is met with only in patches here and 

 there. The mountain sides are also much steeper and rougher. 

 Here, on the bare, rocky crags, the Rocky Mountain goat 

 find a secure and congenial summer home, where it can rear 

 its young almost undisturbed, and where the crack of the 

 hunter's rifle is but seldom heard. The mountain sheep or 

 bighorn (Otis montana, Cuv.) is also found here, as well as 

 on the Inyo or Monache range, on the eastern side of the 

 valley; but this latter is, as far as I know, not frequented by 

 he goats. It is only some 8,000 feet high, while the Sierra 



Nevada Mountains opposite tower to a height of 14,000 to 

 15,000 feet. 



The snow lies the year around on all the higher points of 

 these mountains, and'in winter the goats, which at that time 

 were by no means rare, arc unquestionably compelled, by 

 want of food, to visit the lower foothills, and here at an 

 altitude of some 6,000 feet I killed my first goat, where I 

 have several times known others to be killed. I remember 

 one very successful hunt in particular, and a very one-sided 

 one it was, too, in which a friend of mine, one of the best 

 hunters and; surest shots I have seen, killed not less than 

 five of these goats in less than that many minutes with a 

 Winchester rifle, before the flock, consisting of some twenty, 

 were able to get out of range. We carried the game out on 

 pack mules next day, and the leader of the herd, which 

 was among the slain, gave us considerable trouble to get him 

 aboard of a mule. If my memory serves me right he 

 weighed over 250 pounds dressed. I think, however, that 

 the average weight is little if any over 125 pounds, as stated 

 by Mr. Hughes. 



I distinctly remember one occasion when I saw some 

 fifteen of these goats almost in the valley proper, certainly 

 not over 5,200 feet above sea level. I got quite near to them, 

 had no idea of seeing any, and as usual in such a case, had 

 no gun along. 



Only a few years ago the Rocky Mountain goat was quite 

 plenty in Central Idaho, in the mountains on each side of 

 the South Fork of Salmon River, also in the range border- 

 ing Snake River, called "The Seven Devils," and particularly 

 so in the Sawtooth range, near Atlanta in Southern Idaho. 

 On the northern end of this range there is a small lake called 

 Goat Lake, where you could almost always find some. 



At all the above mentioned places I know the Rocky 

 Mountain goat could be found, and by no means so very rare, 

 and I presume they can be found there yet in limited num- 

 bers, but a person must expect to work' hard and will not 

 find hunting them a picnic. 



They are also said to occur in Colorado and Wyoming, and 

 I have no doubt of it. Mr. J. Mortimer Murphy, in his 

 "Sporting Adventures hi the Far West," I see mentions it 

 also as having been found in Southern California. At any 

 rate its southern limit can safely be set down to the 36° north 

 latitude, if not lower. Seeing is believing. 



To the eastward it would appear that in the good old days 

 of the early part of this century the Rocky Mountain goat 

 ranged as far as the Missouri River to near the present site of 

 Bismark, Dakota. See history of the expedition under com- 

 mand of Captains Lewis and Clarke. 1804, 5 and 6, by Paul 

 Allen, Esq., and revised by Archibald M. Vickar (Harper 

 Brothers, 1874, pages 116 and 137). On the latter page the 

 account says, "Nov. 5. The Indians are all out on their 

 hunting parties, a camp of Mandans caught within two days 

 one hundred goats a short distance below us," etc., etc. As 

 this account speaks about antelope, deer, mountain sheep as 

 well, it is but reasonable to presume that there is no mistake 

 here. Chas. Bendire, F. S. A. 



Fort Custer, Montana. Feb. 11, 1S85. 



ute insects of the order Diptera, including mosquitoes, gnats 

 and small flies. During June and July the blue-gray lives 

 largely on caterpillars and other larvae of small insects, and 

 it, like the two kinglets, is highly beneficial to the farmer and 

 general utilitarian. 



FAMILY VATUDiE. 



15. LophopTianes bicolor (Linn.) Bp. — Tufted titmouse. 



This is one of our more southern species, and has, there- 

 fore, not been observed in abundance in the State. Jerome 

 Trombley, Esq., of Petersburg, Monroe county, informs me 

 that it was quite common twenty years ago, and thinks they 

 Still breed in the county. He observed three specimens dur- 

 ing the months of May and June, 1878. 



A specimen was secured by J. E. Nichols near Lansing. 

 We may fairly consider 43° its northern limit in our State. 

 Dr. Atkins, of Locke, has observed a few in Ingham county, 

 always in April. He remarks a peculiar whistle uttered by 

 them, plainly heai'd at forty rods. Mr. A. H. Boies, the 

 ornithologist of Hudson, failed to embrace it in his list of 

 the "Birds of Southern Michigan," published 1875, but 

 recorded it in 1878. 



The information concerning the tufted chickadee in Kala- 

 mazoo county is meager. Mr. Benjamin F. Syke, a collec- 

 tor of merit to whom I shall often have occasion to refer, has 

 observed the species here, and thinks it will prove more 

 common than is generally supposed. I know nothing con- 

 cerning the breeding habits of the species. 



MOCKING BIRDS POISONING YOUNG. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I have lived in Louisiana and Mississippi the greater part 

 of my life, and have frequently raised young mocking birds. 



It is a fact, that if the young ones are placed in a cage 

 where the old ones can feed them they will do so for a while, 

 visiting the cage with something to eat every ten or fifteen 

 minutes, and the birds thrive. But after continuing this for 

 a day or two, the old birds, probably recognizing that the 

 young ones are captives suddenly cease to feed them. Two 

 or three hours without food is sufficient to cause them to 

 droop and no amount of care or feeding will restore them. 

 They invariably die. I have often been told that the old 

 ones would poison those I was raising, but I never lost any, 

 because I did not trust the old ones to feed them without 

 watching to find out if they failed. When they did so, I 

 continued to feed them myself, and I am fully convinced 

 that the old ones do not poison their young, 



Issaquena, 



Livingston, Ala., Feb. 13, 1885. 



THE BIRDS OF MICHIGAN. 



BY DR. MORRIS GIBBS. 

 (Continued.) 



13. Hegulus calendula (Linn.) Licht. — Ruby-crowned 

 kinglet. 



This sprightly interesting species often braves our raw 

 March weather and is occasionally found with us both 

 spring and fall, during the most rigorous snowstorms. As 

 a rule the rubycrown reaches us in eariy April, and is not 

 common before the middle of the month. 



The song of this delicate dainty bird is a sweet warble, 

 and so ecstatic in the clear rippling melody, that one who 

 hears it must pause and listen for its repetition. The ear of 

 the true musician, or lover of birds, is from necessity 

 attracted by the quavering, varied notes as often as repeated 

 by the vivacious singer. The song, as with the notes of 

 most birds, is difficult to describe, but if once heard is ever 

 to be remembered. It begins with a few low, half articulate 

 notes, soft and melodious, and rises to quite a pitch, again 

 dropping to a lisping, subdued warble, in cadence similar to 

 the softer notes of the robin, but not nearly so loud. The 

 song is finely executed, exquisitely modulated, and is 

 essentially an allegro bordering on agitato. Nothing can 

 surpass the harmony of the song, heard, as it occasionally is, 

 in early spring, when the chilling winds of March are still 

 rushing through the leafless boughs of the cheerless woods, 

 or mournfully "sighing in the evergreens in the city. 



The rubycrowhs remain some time in the State before 

 passing northward to their summer haunts, and a few may 

 spend the season in the State. It is to be doubted if any 

 remain to breed within our boundaries. During the 

 autumnal migrations, the birds do not all leave us until 

 November. While deer hunting in Lake county, we found 

 this kinglet quite common Oct. 12 to 16, and after two 

 extremely cold nights, many were singing cheerily in the 

 woods regardless of a severe storm of sleet and rain. While 

 crouched behind a log or tree, drenched with water from the 

 pine boughs and anxiously waiting for the appearance of 

 game on the runway, the song of the rubycrown was doubly 

 welcome to me in the deep and silent forest. 



14. Jiegulus satrapa Licht. — Golden-crowned kinglet. 

 This species undoubtedly remains in the State throughout 



the winter, in mild seasons, but the fact has not been con- 

 clusively proven as yet. The goldencrown was observed 

 here on Christmas, 1884, although much severe weather oc- 

 curred in December. In February, 1879, the species was 

 common in this (Kalamazoo) county, and under conditions, 

 going to show that the birds migh have remained all winter 

 in a thick tamarack swamp in which they were found. 



The subject of this sketch usually appears in the latter 

 part of March, and becomes quite numerous within the next 

 few days, both in cities, where they congregate among the 

 evergreens, and at the edges of wooded tracts. 



The song of this species, if it has one, I have never heard. 

 I have observed only a few chirping, complaining notes, 

 somewhat like those of the creeper (<7. familiaris rufa), and 

 in no way like the notes of the decisive rubycrown. 



Mr. A. H. Boies, of Hudson, in his "Birds of Southern 

 Michigan," gives this species as a summer resident During 

 seventeen years' observations I have not observed it during 

 the nesting season, and rather doubt if it ever breeds south 

 of 45° north latitude in this State, if at all. The species is 

 recorded from the Northern Peninsula, and is well known 

 by collectors generally in the State. 



The food of the gnatcatcher, which is the only species of 

 the three last mentioned that I have had ample opportunity 

 of studying in the summer, is composed principally of min- 



I have had a personal experience which effectually re- 

 moved my skepticism. In June I took a nest of young blue- 

 birds and placed it in a cage, gradually moving the cage 

 from tree to tree for many rods until I brought it, within our 

 own grouuds. The parent birds followed and fed the little 

 things unremittingly and with apparent content for about 

 two weeks, when the young began fluttering their wings 

 and were ready to fly. The old ones then made every effort 

 to induce them to come out by flying to and away from the 

 cage, and calling them for several hours or through the en- 

 tire day. Finally becomiug convinced, as events proved, of 

 the futility of their efforts, they came with berries, which 

 the poor innocents took confidingly from the loved parents, 

 but in a very short time every one of the little beauties was 

 dead. They were in perfect condition and in full plumage, 

 lovely little creatures, when they were so cruelly destroyed. 



Amateur, 



South Woodstock. Conn. 



The Same Bird.— Referring to "A. II. G.'s" communi- 

 cation in your issue of Feb. 5, I call attention to the follow- 

 ing circumstance in regard to winter birds returning to the 

 same winter quarters year after year. He stales that he 

 thinks the same bird has returned to his house for three suc- 

 cessive winters, and gives his reasons for so thinking. I be- 

 lieve it the same bird, and these are my reasons for believing 

 so. In the fall of 1883 there came to my house, as is usually 

 the case every winter, a number of white-throated sparrows, 

 and among the rest was one that had lost a foot by some 

 means. My family first observed it as it was feeding on the 

 bank, and noticed that it seemed to hop upon only ODe foot, 

 and upon calling my attention to the fact i took some pains 

 to watch and examine it. The foot had been taken off low 

 down, and the stump of the tarsus looked as though it had 

 been shot off or caught in something like a steel trap. The 

 bird stayed around all winter, and went away at last, as we 

 supposed, forever. But last fall (1884), he turned up again 

 with a number of others. Or I believe it to be the same one, 

 as the one this year has lost a foot in the same shape and on 

 the same leg, and the hop and action of bird are the same as 

 the one of last year. Now I have not in my mind the least 

 shadow of a doubt but that this is the same bird, and I think 

 the above conclusions will bear me out in it. I had thought 

 of writing the circumstance to Forest and Steeam a num- 

 ber of times, but did not do so for fear some one would take 

 me to task and pick me all fn pieces for trying to establish a 

 fact from what mignt be a mere coincidence; but as the ball 

 is rolling who wilf give it the next push?— Armonk (Glen- 

 ville, Conn., Feb. 9). 



About Larus Ftjsctjs.— Editor Forest and Stream: If 

 your correspondent "A. L. T." will refer to "Birds of the 

 Northwest, Coues, 1874," pages 604 and 625, he will find 

 Larus fusms given as a synonym as follows: The skua— 

 Biiphagus skua (Briinn) Coues; Latus fmous, Briss., Orn. 

 VI. 1760, et ed. The herring gull— Larus argenlatus, Brttnn; 

 Larus fuscus, Penu., Brit. Zool. II,, 1768, et al. The writer 

 having been appointed a member of the Committee on Mi- 

 gration of the American Ornithologists' Union and superin- 

 tendent of the district of Long Island, N. Y., holds himself 

 in readiness at all times to identify birds sent him from Long 

 Island and to answer any questions regarding them, as tar 

 as lies in his power. He also takes this opportunity of stat- 

 ing that observers are very much needed on Long Island. 

 If any resident of the island will furnish observations re- 

 garding its birds, blanks for recording them, also circulars 

 living full information regarding the work will be torwaraed- 

 on receipt of name and address.— Wm. Dutcher (mail ad- 

 dress 231 West 128th street, New York; express address, 17 

 Nassau street. New York). [Larus fuscus has been employed 

 as a synonym for a number of North American gulls, as L. 

 orndentatiii L. ajjvnis, L. wrgentalus and Buphagus skua, 

 but this has no bearing on "A. L, T.'s" question. Larus 

 faseus is the European little black-back gull, and we cannot 

 recall the fact of its ever having been taken on this conti- 

 nent.] 



