ATT6. 37, 1885.1 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



83 



horned owl — a fact which can be easily verifled by any of 

 your Eastern sportsmen who wish to come to British Colum- 

 bia and hunt them. 



Again, Mi-. Baillie-Grohman says: "The easiest way to hunt 

 the goat is with dogs." I might, with as much show of 

 reason, say that the easiest way is by still-huutiug. and that 

 dogs are of no use whatever. I will endeavor, however, to 

 be a little less dogmatic. Years ago the practice of Inmting 

 with dogs was tried and abandoned by the coast Indians of 

 British Cohimbia, among them the Squaraish Indians, who 

 are the most successful goat hunters in the province; and it 

 will be universalJy admitted that Indians do not abandon an 

 easier for a more'difficuh: method. The simple fact is that 

 the method to be employed depends upon the ground. Dogs 

 maybe useful in Kootenai ([ know the Indians use them 

 there), but then- use here would be simply ridiculous, as a 

 careful still-hunter may, under ordinary circumstances, ap- 

 proach the goats almost near enough to knock them over 

 with a club. Tleetness of foot does not belong to the mouu- 

 tain goat. Their eyesight is not at all keen, and they pay 

 little or no attention to such sounds as the report of a rifle a 

 few hundred yards away, or the step of a hunter walking 

 over rocks within reasonable hearing distance. They are, 

 on the whole, a dull, mopish animal; at least so I have found 

 them. 



Speaking of the "hump" of the goat, Mr. Baillic-Grohman 

 says: "The top of it is at least eighteen inches over the level 

 of a horizontal line drawn between the eyes and the root of 

 the tail." But as he does not say whether the line is drawn 

 before or after skinning, his meaning is somewhat vague. 

 The greatest height of hump I ever measured was two and 

 three-quarter inches above the top of the backbone — taken 

 of course after the animal was skinned. The hair on the 

 skin over that hump measured eleven inches. This hair 

 stands straight up, which together with the generally shaggy 

 nature of the coat, especially at certain seasons of the year, 

 serves to give the animal a false appearance — that is, to 

 make it look larger than it really is — so that the pliotograph 

 which Mr. Baillie-Grohman has obtained of the famous giant 

 ram will prove very little as regards actual size and weight. 

 As to its girth beiug eight feel, with my experience of the 

 animal, I would certainly require some better authority than 

 that which comes from the "home of tall talk," before 1 

 would repeat it as a matter of natural history. 



When Mr. Baillie-Grohman confines himself to his own 

 experience of the weight of this animal he keeps within 

 bounds, and as he does not personally vouch for the weight 

 of the "giant ram," he may excuse me if I am inclined to 

 put it in the same category with the one Idlled at Fort Keogh 

 — 500 pounds "judged weight" — no evidence at all. 



About as large a goat as ever I saw was shot on the border 

 of a lake some quarter of a mile from the shore of the north 

 arm of Burrard Inlet. The hunter who shot it, an American 

 (whether hailing from the "home of tall talk" or not I can- 

 not say), "judged" his weight to be 350 pounds. As there 

 was a sood trail out to the beach, the goat Avas brought out 

 and weighed, and the hunter had the satisfaction of know- 

 ing that his judgment was just 150 pounds astray, as the 

 animal weighed only 200 pounds. 



But it may be, after all, that we of British Columbia know 

 nothing of the mountain goat, and that it has been reserved 

 for an English sportsman, who comes all the way from Lon- 

 don, sewed up by his metropolitan tailor in a fur sack, to 

 teach us. R. Griffen, 



Hastinos, British Columbia. 



WATER BIRDS OF NOVA SCOTIA-II. 



BY J. MATTHEW JONES. 



Fam. Raxlid^. 



Gen. Ealhis, Linn. 

 1. Vifginia Rail (22. mrgmiamis). — Common. 



Gfen. Porzana, Viell. 



1. Carolina Eail (P. Carolina). — Not common in the 

 marshes during summer. ^ 



2. Yellow Rail (P. noveboraeensis). — Yery rare. A speci- 

 men was shot recently at Cole Harbor, Halifax county, and 

 is now in Mr. Egan's collection. 



Gen. OaUinula, Briss. 

 1. Florida Gallinule((?. ,9afeato). — Rare. Three specimens 

 only liave passed through Mr. Egan's hands. 



Gen. Por2)Iii/rio, Temm. 

 1. Purple Gallinule (P. mariinica).— Very vave. Only one 

 specimen is on record, taken near Halifax, Jan. 30, 1869, 

 after the severe southerly gale in which the City of Boston 

 was supposed to have foundered. 



Ge?i. Fulica, Linn. 

 1. American Coot {P. americana), — Common in the marshes 

 rand other suitable localities. 



Fam. Anatid.^. 

 Gen. Anser, Linn. 

 1, Snow Goose (/I. Jiypej-borevs).— Very rare. Two speci- 

 mens were shot on Halifax common some years ago, and 

 preserved by Mr. Andrew Downs. The specimens of this 

 bird obtained occasionally in the Maritime Provinces in 

 spring are evidently stragglers from the migi-atory hosts 

 which generally keep west of longitude 90 on' their annual 

 course north to the breeding grounds. 



Geii. Branta, Seop. 



1. Brant Goose {B. beniida). — Arrives on its northern mi- 

 gration about the beginning of April, but is influenced like 

 the wild goose by the state of the season. Vast numbers 

 frequent our northern coast on the Gulf of St. Lawrence 

 particularly the shores of Pictoo and Cumberland counties' 

 where they stay for two or three weeks awaiting the break- 

 ing of the ice further north, to proceed to their breediog 

 grounds in Labrador and still further north, as we learn from 

 Capt. McClintock's memorable voyage of the Fox, that he 

 found a brant on its nest at Boothia Felix, Lat. 71° N., on 

 June 26, 1859. About the end of September they again 

 cross the northwest portion of Nova Scotia on their migra- 

 tion south; and we have observed large flocks passing over 

 Tantamara Marsh in Cumberland county as late as Oct. 26. 

 The brant does not frequent the Atlantic or eastern coast 

 of Nova Scotia as a rule, but makes the Bay of Fundy its 

 usual course to the northward; 



2. Canada goose (i?. canadensis). — Our common wild goose. 

 A few flocks undoubtedly pass the winter on our Atlantic 

 coast, for almost annually during that season specimens are 

 shot by persons along the shores, and therefore it is some- 

 what diflicult to ascertain with certainty the date of the arri- 

 val of the southern migrants on their way north in sprino-. A 

 flock of forty were observed Feb. 23, 1870, at Glace Bay 



Cape Breton, going north. This is the earliest date we have 

 recorded of their migration in a northerly direction. The 

 unusually high temperature which prevailed over the Mari- 

 time Provinces during that month, had doubtless much to 

 do with this early migration, if such it can be called, as the 

 flock which had probably wintered on some part of the At- 

 lantic coast, was enticed by the absence of ice from shore 

 waters, as well as the broken state of ice in the Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence, which was remarkable during that winter, to ven- 

 ture on their northern journey so early. In the early part 

 of February. 1871, a small flock was observed outside Ship 

 Harbor, Halifax county, and one shot and brought to town. 

 Again, in January, 1879, a flock of twenty frequented the 

 coast between Lawrcncetown and Cole Harbor, Hnlifax 

 county. The most remarkable occurrence, however, as re- 

 gards the appearance of wild geese here in winter, took place 

 on Dec. 23, 1883, a most inclement day, when the ther- 

 mometer fell to 15' below" zero, with a stiflf northerly gale, a 

 flock of wild geese passed over Halifax city, steering for the 

 entrance to the harbor. Again, as late as Dec. 13, 1884, a 

 flock of thirty passed over King's county, close on the Bay 

 of Fundy. 



From these facts and others with which we could supple- 

 ment them, we may conclude to a certainty that a few 

 flocks of wild geese do winter here. 



Although, as we have before remarked, owing to these 

 stray flocks wintering with us, and moving from one point 

 to another , it is difficult to ascertain the true date of the 

 arrival of the migratory bands from the south; yet we ven- 

 ture from our record of observations made during the last 

 twenty four years to state that the earliest arrivals may be 

 set down as usually occurring from the 6th to the 12th of 

 March; but should the temper-ature be lower than ordinary 

 at that period, and the weather be severe, the migration is 

 delayed until milder weather occurs. Sometimes it so hap- 

 pens that a week or ten days of unusually mild weather 

 occurs early in spring, which has the effect of bringing to 

 our province the leading columns of migrants, and the sudden 

 change to a low temperature again which frequently takes 

 place on such occasions and that for a prolonged term, proves 

 most disastrous to the geese. In the last week of February. 

 1880, the weather was remarkably mild, as may be imagined 

 when we state that flics were observed buzzing about in the 

 sun in sheltered spots on the 28th of that month. This had 

 the effect of bringing up the geese. On the 26th of March 

 began a cold spell which lasted otf and on for a fortnight, 

 accompanied by snow storms, freezing up the country as in 

 the depth of winter. The poor geese, unable to And food, 

 -were reduced to great extremities and became so weak and 

 tame that numbers were killed by boys with sticks; but 

 when killed were hardly worth having, so emaciated had 

 they become. In the spring of 1882 the geese also came up 

 too soon to proceed north and were obliged to remajn with 

 us even to the end of April, for the St. Lawrence was cov- 

 ered with ice, and the coast of Prince Edward's Island as 

 late as the 20th of that month, according to a local paper, 

 had an ice belt even on its northern shore "extending at 

 least eight miles out without flaw or crack, thirty inches 

 thick, and in all respects as safe as any day during the 

 winter." 



The numbers of geese which pass over Nova Scotia vary 

 greatly, in some seasons not a tithe of the usual quantity 

 being observed. May not this be attributed to the geese 

 sometimes preferring to make their journey north a few de- 

 grees to the westw^ard to escape the storms of the Atlantic 

 coast which are occasionally very severe and continuous 

 about the time of their migration? It is very rai-ely indeed 

 that the geese pass over this province on their migration 

 south in autumn, and we have only recorded a few instances 

 of stray flocks being observed to do so. 



How far beyond the latitude of Hudson's Bay this species 

 proceeds in spring to breed is difiicult to ascertain from pub- 

 lished reports; but it is very probable they tenant all the 

 waters of the Churchill and Mackenzie districts to the bor- 

 ders of the Arctic Sea, if not still further north. According 

 to Barnston it is plentiful during the whole winter in mild 

 seasons on the Pacific coast of British America. 



Gen. Anas, Linn, 



1. Mallard (A. boschas). — Not common. Occiu-s occasion- 

 ally in companies of a few individuals, when the marshes 

 overflow in autumn. 



2. Dusky Duck {A. ohscura). — Our common wild duck. 

 Yery common ; breeds about the inland lakes and rivers; also 

 in numbers on Sable Island, situate some eighty miles out at 

 sea from Hahfax. Many stay all winter, frequenting the 

 bays and inlets of the Atlantic coast. 



Gen. Lafila, Le<icli. 

 1. Pintail (Z>. acuta). — Not uncommon. Occurs in the fall 

 with other migratory ducks. 



Gen. Mareca, Sk/ph. 

 1. American Widgeon {M. americana). — Rare. A pair, 

 male and female, where shot at Sambro Island, Halifax har- 

 bor, a few years ago, and are now in Mr. Egan's collection. 

 Gen. Querquecliila, Steph. 



1. Green-winged Teal {Q. carolinen.ns). —Common. 



2. English Teal (§. c/m;a).— Accidental. IVIr. Downs in- 

 forms us that one was shot near Halifax in September, 1854. 



3. Blue-winged Teal {Q. discors). Common. 



Gen. Spatula, Boie. 

 1. Shoveller 05. clype^ta).— Yery rare. In the first week of 

 April, 1879, two males in fine plumage were shot at Cole 

 Harbor; one being preserved by Mr. Egaufor a gentleman in 

 Halifax. 



Gen. Aix, Swains. 

 1. Summer Duck (A. sponsa).~l>(ot uncommon. Breeds 

 about the large inland lakes. 



Gen. Fuligula, Sieph, 



1. Greater Scaup {F. marila). — Not common. 



2. Lesser Scaup ( F. affl?iis).— Not common. 



3. Rediiead (F. ferina).—Yery rare. One was shot re- 

 cently at Sambro Island, Halifax harbor, and is now in Mr. 

 Egan's coUection. 



4. _ Canvasback (F. mllisneria). — Accidental. Only one 

 specimen known, which was shot at Sambro Island in 1881, 

 and is now in Mr. Egan's collection. 



Gen. Bucephala, Baird. 



1, Golden-eye {B. ckmgula).— Common. Known to the 

 fishermen as "widgeon" and "whistle-wing." 



2. Barrow's Golden-eye (5. islandica).— Rather rave. As 

 sociates with the preceding on the shores. Until Dr. Bern- 

 ard Gilpin's valuable paper "On the Golden-eyes and Gar- 

 rots of Nova Scotia" [Trans. N. S. Inst. Nat. Sc., Yol. lY. 

 p. 390.], the two species were considered here as one. Dr. 



Gilpin thus remarks on the anatomy of the birds: "While 

 finding little or nothing in the parts of reproduction, the ovar- 

 ies and testes, I unexpectedly found in the male birds so 

 great a difference in the shape of the windpipes as at once 

 to mark a different species. This difi'ereuce is much more 

 easily seen than described, as is readily shown ^^^ the plate. 

 In the male common golden-eye, the' windpipe soon after 

 leaving the throat and before it enters the breast, has a very 

 sudden enlargement, almost as it were a broad hoop thrown 

 obliquely around its stem. On the inside this leaves circu- 

 lar pouches on the posterior surface before the restriction of 

 the pipe takes place again. In islandica, the windpipe sim- 

 ply and gradually enlarges itself, becoming restricted again 

 before it enters the breast. In one the enlargement is sud- 

 denly from two-eighths of an inch to an inch and an eighth, 

 while in the other from two-eighths to five-eighths, and that 

 with no protuberances. In the males alone of both species 

 there is, after the windpipe has entered the breast, that very 

 complicated sub-quadrangular knob from which the bifurca- 

 tion of the pipe proceeds. This form is common in a modi- 

 fled degree to other species. According to our present ideas 

 of species, this great divergency in form of windpipe, exist- 

 ing in the male though lost in the female, must mark them 

 as two different species, although in the males a little more 

 or less white on head and back, a little purple reflection in 

 one, and a higher base of bill and forehead marks the only 

 difference, and in the females as regards color, no difference 

 can be found. The tails, wings and feet of both, in the most 

 minute examination, affording no differential types." 



3. Butflehead {B. albeola). — Yery common. Frequents 

 the rivers and ponds at the close of summer on arriving from 

 the north, and resorts to the sea coast in winter. Leaves for 

 its northe^ breeding grounds about the middle of April. 



Gen. HareMa, Leadi. 

 l! Long-tailed Duck {R. rjlacialis). — Known on the coast 

 as "cock-a-wee." Yery common throughout the winter 

 months all along the Atlantic coast, frequenting the open 

 water of the estuaries in small flocks. For its size, we should 

 imagine that it possessed more blood than any other duck, 

 for, after being shot, it runs from the bird in a perfect stream. 

 No wonder that it braves the severest weather when we take 

 this fact into consideration, coupled with that of its also pos- 

 sessing an extremely dense coat of feathers and down, cuiite 

 equal to that of a grebe. The flocks that come inshore" are 

 generally composed of young males and females, the old birds 

 keeping outside. 



Gen. Camptolmnus, Gray. 

 1. Labrador Duck (C. lahradoricus). — Yery rare. Only one 

 specimen known to have been taken, and that was about 

 thirty years ago. It was purchased after preservation for a 

 private coflectiou in New York. 



Gen. Histrionicus, Len. 

 1. Harlequin Duck {H. torguat as).— Not common. The 

 m.ale is known as "lord" by the coast people, and from the 

 beauty of its plumage always finds a purchaser in Hahfax 

 markets when a specimen is exposed for sale. 



Gen. Somateria, Leacli. 



1. Eider Duck (5. rrtoMmmrt).— Yery common. The male 

 is known as the "sea drake" and the female as the "sea 

 duck." About the end of April or beginning of May num- 

 bers of these birds frequent the coast, mingling with the 

 countless hosts of scoters* as they ride on the sea just outside 

 the breakers. Breeds. 



2. King Eider OS'. iijO^ctaSife).— Rare; specimens occasion- 

 ally obtamed. It is known on the coast as "bottle-nose 

 drake." 



Gen. (Edemia, Flem. 



1. American Black Scoter {(E. americana).— Known on 

 the coast as the "coot," "courting coot" or "yellowbill." 

 Immense flocks frequent the Atlantic coast of this province 

 and aftord good gunning to the fishermen in winter and 

 spring, when the boats of a whole fishing station will turn 

 out to blaze away outside at the flocks as th}^ fly from point 

 to point. They emit a peculiar wild note w-hile lying on the 

 water together. Mr. W. Wiuton informs us that one James 

 Piltello, of Gloucester, Mass., informed him that some years 

 ago while fishing on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland he 

 took three of these birds, undigested, from the stomach of 

 a halibut. The ducks had, no doubt, according to habit, 

 dived down to the bottom in shallow soundings in search 

 of food and were snapped up by the voracious ground-feeder. 



2. Yelvet Scoter (ffi*. fusca). —Not uncommon. Known on 

 the coast as the "white- winged diver" or "harbor coot/' 



3. Surf Duck {QjJ. perspicillata). — Common. The male is 

 known as the "king coot" or "bottle-nose coot." 



Gen. Erismaim'a, Bonap. 

 1. Ruddy Duck (E'. j'wWfZa). —Formerly rare, but of late 

 years somewhat common. 



Gen. Mergus, Linn. 



1. Goosander {M. merganser). Not common. 



2. Red-breasted Merganser {M. .serrator). — Common. 

 Known on the coast as the "sheldrake;" the female "shel- 

 duck." It frequents the larger lakes of the interior in sum- 

 mer during the breeding season. It is also found at Sable 

 Island, and breeds there. 



3. Hooded Merganser {M. cacuUatus). — Yery rare. Three 

 specimens only, young birds, have passed through Mi-. Egan's 

 hands, one of which was shot at Lawrcncetown, the~first 

 week in November, 1884. 



Fam. SuLiDiE. 

 Geyi. Sulci, Brin. 

 1. Common Gannet (S. 5a6W««).— Not uncommon. Speci- 

 mens are occasionally offered for sale in Halifax market. 

 Breeds at the Magdalen Islands, Gulf of St. Lawrence. 

 [to be continued.] 



Range of the American Bison. — Editor Forest and 

 Stream: In reply to Mr. J. A. Allen's question in Fokest 

 AND Stream some time since: To my knowledge there is 

 but one herd of bison iu Colorado. They nuuiber about 

 forty. As theh range is well out of the way of travel and is 

 very seldom visited by hunting parties, this little i-emnant 

 of what w^as a few yean ago a large herd, is still to be found. 

 Occasionally one wanders away and sometimes extends its 

 range into South Park and is shot. The occurrence there 

 seems to excite considerable comment and many wonder 

 where they come from, but as the few who know wisely 

 keep quiet the game butcher has not found them yet, and I 

 only hope that this may not catch the eye of any such and 

 that we may be spared these foi- a few years yer.— Bonasa. 

 [We have omitted to print the localitv as given by our cor- 

 respondent, but have communicated it to Prof. Allen.] 



