503 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[\Jtti,y 23, 1885 



The Ivoky-Billed WoodpeCKEE.— Efoit&r Forest and 

 Stream: OampepMlus principalis, the ivory-Mlled wood- 

 pecker, is known as "cock fif the woods" in the counties of 

 ITnion, Snyder, Huntingdon, Bedford and Fulton, in the 

 State of Pennsylvania, where I have often seen it, the noisi- 

 est of noisy birds. His cackle 1 have heard a half mile off, 

 ami I have shot one on the wins while cackling. I had 

 enough curiosity to have, him broiled for breakfast, while on 

 one of my annual hunts on Broad Top Mountain, Hunting- 

 don county, Pa., two years ago. The bird was not bad eat- 

 ing, but he was not down an hour until he wanted to come 

 up, and — so did I. Having a e*ood digestion, and with a 

 rather liberal use of spirits framenti, I worried through the 

 nausea, Moral: Do not eat GampepMlus principalis. — 

 Keouk. Mr. Ohas. D. Barrett writes from Sanford, Fla., 

 that a few of the birds are found in that vicinity every year, 

 and a number have been killed there. 



Is A Hollow Trek. — A. Ooralville (fowa) correspondent 

 writes: Mr. F. R. Kittenmeyer, in felling a tree a few miles 

 above this place, discovered within it two raccoons (which 

 he captured) and four lifeless colonies of bees, supposed to 

 have perished from rhe severity of the winter. 



fag m\A 



■ • ■■; .<,,;).< to the Forest and stream PubWtK- 

 



THE MOWER AND THE QUAIL. 



Kdii, d Stream:- 



The disappearance of quail from some portions of the conn- 

 try lias been a matter of mystery, the reason for which has 

 been sought without a, conclusive answer. Take Lorn-- Island 

 for instance. Twenty years ago there was good quail shoot- 

 ing within a few miles of the city, and as "to the neighbor- 

 ■■'. of Islip, for a parly of two' fair shots a day's bag of 

 Gllitfcy was common. A dozen bevies could lie moved" by 

 luck and hard walking, lor the cover often being impassable, 

 scattered shots were not always easy to get. That, too, when 

 rving or notices not to trespass were rarities, little used 

 and less observed, There lias been no change of cove]-, and 

 as for? food, if anything, it is more abundant The swamps 

 areas inpenetr.-ilile and full of bull briers as ever, but the 

 quail are.: as I he posted notices are plenty. The 



whole land is preserved, and yet there is nothing to shoot. 

 Why? The pretty lards, gamest of their kind in the world, 

 have not diminished in "philoprogenitiveness," they whistle 

 round our country places almost as plen I i full y as before 

 Every summer we expect to make great bags in the fall, but 

 when flic season opens it is the old cry. there are no quail 

 Some people say this is due to poachers, who kill them off 

 before the law is up, but arc poachers an invention of mod- 

 ern JifcV or are associations for the protection of 

 game less numerous than in olden times? Far otherwise, 

 we not only have societies and enthusiasts by the dozens 

 where theie was one in the days when shooting was rather 

 looked dowm upon as a black art, but we have legal officials 

 and game protectors. Have the seasons changed? Are they 

 too wet or loo cold'.' To the contrary, they have become 

 dryer and milder, if anything. Then whence this diminu- 

 tion? I have contended that the loss came from one of our 

 greatest gains. The farmer could not gather his crops in 

 the era Of high wages and disinclination for hard work with- 

 out the mower and the reaper, but the mower and the reaper 

 have cut off the quail supply and their heads together. This 

 lias been my view, and 1 have proclaimed it loudly, but I 

 could see no way of stopping the agricultural instrument 

 till the method was suggested to a friend of mine by one of 

 your editors. He advised that before the, mower was taken 

 into the field the sportsman should explore it with his dogs 

 and locate the position of every setting quail. No more 

 ardent sportsman exists than my friend, and no sooner 

 was the idea mentioned than he proceeded to put it to the 

 test. His letter published in your last issue shows with 

 what success and 1 think solves the proposition. Instead of 

 spending money in importing birds, all we have to do is to 

 see that those we have are not disturbed when laying and 

 hatching. In continuation, if it needed it, of what'he says, 

 I may mention that I have a large number of Guinea fowls 

 around my place, and that these have the bad habit of 

 stealing their nests. They especially hanker after a hay 

 field close to the house, and when this has been mowed over 

 I have found many deserted nests and hundreds of addled 

 eggSj although being domestic birds they are not as shy as 

 quail; indeed, 1 did not see that they ever returned to their 

 nests after these had once been exposed by the action of the 

 mowing machine. Robebt B. Roosevelt. 



A TRIP TO NOVA SCOTIA. 



ON Thursday, Sept. 4, I took the 8 A. M. train from 

 Worcester, Mass., over the Nashua road for Portland, 

 thence via Maine Central & New Brunswick roads to St. 

 John, N. B., to visit the home of a friend in South Farming- 

 ton, a quiet little village nestling between the hills on the 

 line of the Windsor & Annapolis Railways about thirty miles 

 from Annapolis Royal, N. B. Had I preferred a more ex- 

 tended sea voyoge I could have taken the steamer Secret that 

 leaves Boston on Friday, at 8 A. M., following the eastern 

 shore of Maine, to Grand Manan, thence across the bay to 

 Annapolis, or on Tuesday by same steamer to Yarmouth, or 

 on Thursday by steamer Dominion to Yarmouth where con- 

 nection is made with the Western Counties Railway. 



Should any of my friends ask me where they could go next 

 season for a week or two of rest and recreation where good 

 i irt with rod and gun could be had at a moderate expense, 

 I should say to the land of Evangeline. The cool and bracing 

 air with absence of fog (it climbs to the top of Mount Blome- 

 don, looks over, and then goes back to the sea) makes it a 

 most desirable resort for summer tourists, while the abund- 

 ance of game and good fishing com mend it to the sportsman 

 in autumn. 



Reaching St. John on Friday morning in time to take the 

 steamer Empress at 8 o'clock, we steam across the Bay of 

 Fundy. A short trip of about three and a half hours brings 

 ns to "the pretty little town of Digby, and thence a run of 

 fifteen miles takes us to Annapolis Royal, the entrance to the 

 valley of Acadia. Here in this old town ase the ancient for- 

 tifications, reminding us of the many sieges that took place 

 here when occupied by the French. Boarding the traiu, we 

 dash through the lovely Annapolis Valley, The scenery all 

 along here is grand. On either side we are walled in by the ■ 



north and south range of mountains, while the fertile farms, 

 with fruit trees bending beneath their load of choice fruit, 

 are washed by the cool waters of the Annapolis River. So 

 absorbed have we been in the panorama, that ere we are 

 aware the whistle blows, and we draw alongside of the lit- 

 tle depot at our journey's end. 



I say I would recommend this trip to those seeking recre- 

 ation and rest. There are many places where to obtain sport 

 necessitated a great deal of real hard work, tramping over 

 fallen trees and tangled underbrush, but not so here. It has 

 peculiar advantages in this respect. 



Within easy walking distance of the depot are three fine 

 trout streams, access to which calls for no such fatigue. 

 From two of these streams I took (with fly) ten dozen trout 

 in three outings, one day not leaving the house until after 

 dinner. Partridges are plentiful, but the season is closed 

 until Oct. 1. Salmon are to be had (in season) from the river 

 that runs through my friend's farm within a stone's throw of 

 the door; while I found a good woodcock cover within ten 

 minutes' walk, where 1 could go and bag five or six of the 

 brown beauties in a few hours. I shot fifteen in this cover. 

 Going out a little while on the morning that I came away I 

 killed two. Some of the largest and handsomest birds I have 

 had set up, and as Hook at them to-night amongother memen- 

 toes of ray outings, it recalls many happy hours. That big 

 beauty there; how well 1 remember the evening about dusk 

 when she got up in front of me and darted along in the 

 shadow of those tall pines, but not quick enough to get away 

 from the ounce and a quarter of No. 9 that stopped her in 

 her rapid flight, As I think of it 1 turn my eyes in admira- 

 tion on olti Rumpus lying stretched out bn the floor, and 

 I recollect how grandly she did her part of the work. 



Some may ask, "How is it that (lie birds are not all shot 

 off so near' the village?" No one seems to trouble them 

 here. In fact, few appear to know what a woodcock is. 

 Strange as it may seem, I believe I did not fall iu with a 

 single hunter during my two weeks' rambles. Certainly 

 this enchanting valley, immortalized by Longfellow, has 

 only to become better known to be appreciated by pleasure 

 seekers. There are so many pretty drives and places of in- 

 terest, What better panacea can one have than mountain 

 ail and a g6od sea breeze? Were suffering humanity to 

 spend a small proportion of what now goes for poisonous 

 patent drugs in a good gun and fishing-rod. and in nature's 

 materia medica, there would be many deserters from the 

 great army of sickly dyspeptics. 



1 have heard sportsmen complain very bitterly of the way 

 thcy had been treated on some lines of travel in regard to 

 their dogs. If corporations cater for the patronage of sports- 

 men, we think a little wholesome advice to their employes 

 would not be misplaced, as one, might as well leave his gun 

 at home as his dog. it is a pleasure for me to speak in 

 highest praise of the courteous manner I was treated in this 

 by the officers of the U. S. Steamship Co., the Nashua 0c 

 Rochester, the Maine Central, the New Brunswick, and the 

 Windsor & Annapolis railways. 



ft is often a serious drawback and loss of time to parties 

 going to a strange place, not knowing to whom to apply for 

 information. Occasionally a man of business, for instance, 

 having to remain over a day in St, Johu might spend a very 

 iime, as there is good iron! fishing within few miles 

 of the city if he knew just where to go. This is only for 

 the benefit of those not haviug been over the ground. In- 

 quire when you reach the wharf or depot for McGowan's 

 haeK and have him drive you to the Clarendon Hotel on 

 Princess street, kept by J.N. Wilson, Esq. Mr. McGowan 

 runs a hack and livery 'stable, and will furnish parties with 

 a good team, and can be relied upon for square dealing. Mr. 

 Wilson is a practical sportsman and a gentleman of much 

 information. If you have not your own fishingtackle apply 

 to Dingy Scribner, fishing rod maker and fly-tyer. Dingy 

 is an old fisherman and will tell y r ou just where the best sport 

 is to he had and what is the killing fly. Mr. James Car nail, 

 taxidermist on Dock street, will post you up in regard to 

 hunting. He has 'hunted a great deal and knows all the 

 ground like a book. If you are there at the night time he 

 will probably send you to Maces Bay for ducks, Garnet's 

 Creek for woodcock and the marshes near the city for Wil- 

 son snipe. B. 

 Worcester, Mass. 



THE SPOKANE BEAR CLUB. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Speaking of remarkable shots reminds me that a few years 

 ago while hunting on the Milk River in Montana, I came 

 suddenly in sight of a deer standing in a small opening in 

 some willow brush with a portion of his broadside exposed 

 to view. We had found game rather scarce, there was a 

 large party in camp and we needed fresh meat, therefore 

 when I brought the rifle to my shoulder and looked along 

 the barrel the aim was taken with unusual care. At the re- 

 port of the gun the deer bounded into the brush and was 

 instantly out of sight, but a moment later a splendid buck in 

 full run emerged from the thicket on the other side, another 

 cartridge was^slipped into my Ballard, a hasty aim, a quick, 

 sharp report, and the deer came down with a broken neck. 

 A careful examination failed to reveal more than one bullet 

 mark and 1 dressed and loaded the venison on my horse in 

 utter disgust for having missed one of the plainest and easiest 

 shots of my hunting experience. Just as I was in the act of 

 starting for camp a sudden inspiration determined me to 

 measure the ground where the first shot was tired, which I 

 accordingly did and found it to be only fifteen rods, and 

 while looking over the situation and peering into the brush, 

 I discovered a deer lying dead, shot through the heart, and 

 only a few feet, the length of his one last bound, away; but 

 what was more remarkable still, thirty feet further on, and 

 in a direct line with my shot, was another with his hack 

 broken just over the kidneys. My first shot instead of being 

 a miss had killed two splendid deer. This is a plain un- 

 varnished, fact but Ihave never given it for publication before 

 because the few friends to whom I related it smiled very 

 much as I did upon reading Mr. Theodore Roosevelt's bear 

 story in the June Century— they didn't accuse me of anything 

 but they smiled and smiled, and each smile seemed to carry 

 a covert insinuation. 



By the way, speaking of that bear story reminds me that 

 we have a Bear Club iu this city, which is auxiliary to the 

 Rod and Gun Club. It is a kind of charmed circle, as it 

 were, which admits to membership only those who have dis- 

 tinguished themselves by remarkable hunting feats. Many 

 of them have ugly scars to show— dumb yet eloquent wit- 

 nesses of daring exploits with bruin. It numbers among 

 its members some of the most variegated and original liars 

 in Washington Territory, men who not only tell you of 

 desperate fights with bruin, where the cunning and skill of 

 the experienced hunter was backed against the brute strength 



of the bear, but they show you the ugly maiks made by his 

 teeth and claws. This club holds regular meetings, and as 

 we probably have right here in the northeast corner of 

 Washington Territory more bears than any other hunting 

 ground on the American continent, the members have many 

 adventures to -relate without drawing entirely on the imagina- 

 tion, but when a good hear story is necessary, it can always 

 be produced in short order, and with harrowing details 

 tempered to suit the nerves of the listeners. Many bright 

 and sparkling stories are told, many incidents of long and 

 weary tramps over rugged mountains and through "deep, 

 dark canons; of thrilling adventures and hairbreadth escapes 

 in the lonely and secluded haunts of wild beasts. Honest, 

 large -hearted men are these members of the Bear Club, men 

 who have lived most of their "lives with nature, and to 

 whom the restless pulsation of the deep and lonely forest is 

 sweeter music than a circus band. 



The report w T as circulated around town that some man had 

 written a bear story for the Century, and a meeting of the 

 club was called to hear the story read. Each member spent 

 the entire day in rubbing up the old rusty bear stories he had 

 ever told or heard, and as they dropped into the den in the 

 evening each one wore a satisfied smile, They all came 

 loaded for bear, and not one of them but who believed he 

 could tell a tale, that would make the Century man turn green 

 with envy. A reader was selected and perched on a stuffed 

 cinnamon bear, while the members formed a semi-circle in 

 front of him and craned their necks forward to listen. The 

 smile deepened and intensified into an expression of the most 

 complacent confidence, but as the story progressed the smile 

 faded and sickened until it resembled' the fast fitful flicker- 

 ings of a tallow dip; the weaker ones quietly stole awny 

 utterly discouraged and dejected, and when the tale was all 

 told only five or six of the most reckless remained. No man 

 raised his voice. They were veterans iu bear hunting, vet- 

 erans in story telling, but they felt themselves unequal to the 

 situation, and one by one they stole out of the deu and into 

 the shadows of night with weary steps and sad hearts. 



G. H. MOKGAN. 

 Spokane Falls, W. T., July 10, 1885. 



"STILL-HUNTING THE GRIZZLY." 



EdiP>r Sorest and Stream: 



In your issue of July 9, I notice an article by "F. A. M." 

 in regard to a late paper in the C'entwy, in which the former 

 takes the latter to task for some statements in regard to the 

 fighting propensities of the grizzly. I have not the pleasure 

 of an acquaintance with cither of the gentlemen, but in 

 regard to the matter in dispute, I should be inclined to side 

 •strongly with Mr. Roosevelt, and to say, judging from my 

 own experience, that nine times out of ten the grizzly will 

 not fight unless closely crowded. 



I have had the pleasure of assistiug, more or less, in the 

 death of fifteen of these beasts, and have chased twelve 

 more, and with the exception of "The Big Bear of the 

 Hermosa," an account of whose end has already appeared in 

 Forest and Stiikaji, not one of them showed a particle of 

 fight until wounded. Moreover, my old hunting friend Jim 

 Kendall, who was a "pardner" Q f "Grizzly Adams" for seven 

 years in the Sierras, and who counts the scalps of 143 

 grizzlies and cinnamons among his trophies, says that, with 

 the exception of a she bear with cubs, the grizzly is not as 

 apt to attack unprovoked as is the common black bear of 

 Southern Canada. How it may have been with the bears of 

 '56 and '61, of whom "F. A. M." writes, I know not, but 

 the Ursus of '80 and '81 is not the fierce animal that he is 

 generally believed to be. Perhaps he has found, by dire ex- 

 perience, that a .45 or .50-ealiber Sharp or Remington is a 

 more deadly thing to buck against than the "pea rifle," in 

 rise thirty years ago. 



That the grizzly is a ferocious brute when maddened with 

 pain no one will care to deny, but, I say it deliberately, 1 

 would rather take my chances of not beiug attacked by one 

 of them, when met unexpectedly, than the same chances with 

 any of the other carnivora of North America, of which I 

 Lave any knowledge. Always, excepting a she bear with 

 cubs, I think it is the general verdict of bear hunters, that 

 the grizzly will let you alone, if you'll let him alone. Of 

 course, there are exceptions to this as to every rule, hut they 

 are so rare, at least in my own personal range of inquiry, as 

 not to invalidate the above conclusion. It would be inter- 

 esting if "F. A. M.," in support of his abrupt contradiction 

 of Mr. Roosevelt's opinion, would state just how many of 

 the six and a half bears he killed, showed fight before being- 

 wounded. As I am not fighting Mr. Roosevelt's battles, I 

 shall not advert to the courteous tone of "F. A. M.'s" letter. 

 though all true sportsmen will regret the unwarranted fling 

 at the;' veracity of a gentleman so widely and favorably 

 known as is Mr. R. To "give expression to my doubt as to 

 whether Mr. Roosevelt's articles descriptive of bear hunting 

 has anv real foundation iu fact," comes startlingly close to 

 asserting that that gentleman deliberately penned a willful 

 lie, and palmed it off on 500,000 readers through the columns 

 of the Century. H. P. Effoktj. 



Casselton, Dak. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I noticed in your issue of July 9 an article entitled "Still 

 Hunting the Grizzly," from the pen of "F. A. M.," comment- 

 ing rather severely, I thought, on a contribution by Mr. 

 Roosevelt published in the June Century, from which he 

 quotes that the grizzly bear will not "tackle" a man, and is 

 not. dangerous unless "cornered" or "crowded." 



I did not have the pleasure of reading the article referred 

 to in the Centuri/, but not wishing to see our shaggy neigh- 

 bor traduced without a little defense, will draw slightly 

 from my experience of twenty-five years in this place, hunt- 

 ing more or less in the Rocky Mountains, where has been 

 my home for that length of time. Now understand that the 

 grizzly has figured somewhat largely in such adventures. 



The quotation referred to from the Century conveys much 

 more truth than "F. A. M." seems disposed to concede. In 

 my wanderings among the mountains 1 have had consider- 

 able opportunity for observing the habits of this frequenter 

 of these regions; however, will state some facts which I 

 have gathered from my own observations as well as those of 

 others. 



Iu the first place, the bear is dangerous to those hunters, 

 prospectors, or tourists who accidentally, iu the thick timber 

 or brushwood tramp on him in his lair, such being a com- 

 plete surprise to bruin, and not, a little to the other parties, 

 who are liable to get handled very roughly indeed, as was 

 the case a year or Two ago with a young man within a few 

 miles of this place. The hug was here necessarily adopted 

 and the knife resorted to, with rather favorable results con- 

 sidering the circumstances, as the bear was killed and the 



