84 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. 25, 1886. 



are supposed to be of gentler and more refined natures than 

 men and their sense of injustice and cruelty should be keener 

 than their more brutal (I speak "by the card") brothers and 

 "natural protectors." 



The display (outrageous, flaunting and incongruous as it 

 is, void of taste and of beauty as a warrant for its adoption) 

 of heads and wings, and often of entire birds on hats; and 

 of feathers, made up into dress and mantua trimming, would 

 go far to make one doubt their superior and gentler natures. 

 How can these, seemingly so dormant, be aroused? What 

 honest and tender-hearted sportsman will write a pointed 

 tract to convict them of the error of their ways, and make 

 them eschew and forsake such gaudy and tasteless and bar- 

 barous adornment, and cease to be abettors of this "most foul, 

 strange and unnatural'' murder? 



The Audubon Society has a chivalric field before it, and I 

 hope that many will be interested in joining in a crusade 

 against this cruel war upon the birds and the ghastly use of 

 their beautiful skins and feathers. At any rate, let us who 

 love the fields and woods and all that dwell therein, cease 

 not to strive to arouse a public opinion that shall at once and 

 forever damn and consign to utter desuetude a custom more 

 honored in the breach than the observance. O. W. K. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The annual tinkering of the game laws comes up on March 

 3. One of the most important things to do is to suppress the 

 slaughter of our birds, but we have to strike fairly or not at 

 all. 



Stop the hat bird business or rather stop the skin collector 

 who goes for numbers, whether to sell as ornaments for mil- 

 inery or for so-called scipnce. It is not he who has the big- 

 gest collection of skins that is alwa\s the best ornithologist 

 or the closest student of nature. We need our birds more 

 as insect destroyers alive than as food for insects. Give the 

 poor man a show too, perhaps he loves sport afield as well as 

 his more wealthy neighbor. Love of these things is born in 

 us, ? on know. 



One Lhine more. Tt was said, I think, by speaker Bracketl 

 at the Massachusetts Fish and 'Game Association dinner that 

 "taxidermists ought to be primarily" and I infer summarily 

 dealt with. Again I say strike fairly or not at all. I mean 

 disc n nu n ate fairly between a legitimate taxidermist and the 

 skin collector. This latter class are like the unlicensed dogs, 

 they bring good ones into bad repute. I refer particularly 

 to the millinery skin hunter and bird destroyer. Deal with 

 this class "primarily" and there will be birds enough for all. 

 I might add and possibly with much force, let us enlist our 

 "sisters, cousins and aunts" in the good work of refusing to 

 wear birds as ornaments, and the battle would be ours. 



X. Y. Z. 



BIRDS AND BONNETS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In view of the fact that the destruction of birds for millin- 

 ery purposes is at present attracting general attention, the 

 appended list of native birds seen on hats worn by ladies in 

 the streets of New York, may be of interest. It is chiefly 

 the result of two late afternoon walks through the uptown 

 shopping districts, and, while very incomplete, still gives an 

 idea of the species destroyed and the relative numbers of 

 each. 



Robin, four. 



Brown thrush, one. 



Bluebird, three. 



Blacbburnian warbler, one. 



Blackpoll warbler, three, 



Wilson's black-capped flycatcher, three. 



Scarlet tanager, three. 



White-bellied swallow, one. 



Bohemian waxwing, one. 



Waxwing, twenty-three. 



Great northern shrike, one. 



Pine grosbeak, one. 



Snow bunting, fifteen. 



Tree sparrow, two. 



White-throated sparrow, one. 



Bobolink, one. 



Meadow lark, two. 



Baltimore orinle, nine. 



Purple grackle, five. 



Blue jay, five. 



Swaliow-tailed flycatcher, one. 



Kingbird, one. 



Kingfisher, one. 



Pileated woodpecker, one. 



Red-headed woodpecker, two. 



Golden-winged woodpecker, twenty-one. 



Acadian owl, one. 



Carolina dove, one. 



Pinnated grouse, one. 



Ruffed grouse, two. 



Quail, sixteen. 



Helmet quail, two. 



Sanderliug, five 



Big yellowlegs, one. 



Green heron, one. 



Virginia rail. one. 



Laughing gull, one. 



Common tern, twenty-one. 



Black tern, one. 



Grebe, seven. 



It is evident that, in proportion to the number of hats 

 seen, the list of birds given is very small; but in most cases 

 mutilation rendered identification impossible. 



Thus, while one afternoon 700 hats were counted and on 

 them but 20 birds recognized, 542 were decorated (?) with 

 feathers of some kind. Of the 158 remaining, 72 were worn 

 by young or middle aged ladies and 86 by ladies in mourn- 

 ing'or elderly ladies, or— 



Percentage of hats with feathers 77f 



Without feathers 10f- 



Without feathers, worn by ladies in mourning or elderly 



ladies • •• • ^ 



Frank M. Chapman. 



A SENSIBLE GUNNER. 



The following opinion of a professional gunner regarding 

 shooting game birds in the vernal season, and other birds to 

 supply the demands of fashion, is worthy of record as 

 sound common flense. 



Eugene A. Jackson, of Atlanticville, L. L, in a recent 

 letter to the subset iber, expressed himself as follows : "There 

 is now a law against spring snipe shooting; I think it is a 

 good thing, as there are hundreds shot here every spring. I 

 have shot as many as eighty-five large snipe in one day. 



Those shot while on their way to the breeding grounds of 

 the North, cannot reproduce and return in the summer or 

 fall with their offspring. The result is that the snipe shoot- 

 ing is not as good as it was ten years since. I presume 

 that the subject of bird protection that is now agitating the 

 public will take effect in the shape of a new law. The 

 ladies, poor things, will then have to try and find something 

 else to wear on their hats. It is an astonishing thing how 

 many birds' wings they can get on one hat. I think if it 

 were the fashion they would wear an elephant on their heads. 

 I, for one, like the idea of protecting the poor little birds, 

 that are destroyed by the thousands, just because it is the 

 fashion for women to wear them on their hats. I should 

 think it no harm if they wore wings of game birds that are 

 shot, and would be otherwise thrown away, or of birds that 

 are a nuisance (English sparrows); but when they shoot 

 every song bird or other kind of bird, that does no harm, it 

 is simply wicked." 



Regarding spring shooting and bird protection, Mr. Jack- 

 son now has sound views. Let us hope he will try to extend 

 them among the fellows of his craft. 



William Dutches, 

 Of the A. O U. Com. on Protection of N. A. Birds. 



Half a dozen bonnet shooters who left some time ago for 

 Florida to slaughter the birds there and to follow up the 

 bloody work as the migrating army moved north, have 

 returned disconsolate. The late bitter cold weather drove 

 the birds from Florida to the islands and even to the South 

 American coasts, so no butchery could be done. 



A BILL FOR BIRD PROTECTION. 



The Committee of the American Ornithologists' Union 

 have prepared a pamphlet containing a great amount of in- 

 formation on this subject, which will soon be published. 

 Among other things which this committee have done is the 

 drafting of a general bill for the preservation of birds and 

 their nests and eggs. This bill they recommend for adop 

 tion by every State. It is the result of a great deal of earn- 

 est thought and bard work by the committee, and certainly 

 will commend itself to all. It is as follows : 



An Act foe the Protection of Birds and their Nests and Eggs. 



Sec. 1. Any person who shall, within the State of , kill any 



wild bird, other than a game bird, or purchase, offer, or expose for 

 sale any such bird, after it has been killed, shall for each offense be 

 subject to a fine of five dollars or imprisonment for ten days, or both, 

 at the discretion of the court. For the purposes of this Act the fol- 

 lowing only shall be considered game birds: The Anatidse, commonly 

 known as swans, geese, brunt, and river and sea ducks; the Rallidaa, 

 commonly known as rails, coots, mud hens and srallinules: the Limi- 

 colee, commonly known as shore birds, plovers, surf birds, snipe, 

 woodcock, sandpipers, tattlers and curlews; the Gallinse, cammonly 

 known as wild turkeys, grouse, prairie chickens, pheasants, part- 

 ridges and quails. 



Sec. 2. Any person who shall, within the State of , take or 



needlessly destroy the nest or the eggs of any wild bird, shall be sub- 

 ject for each offense to a fine of five dollars or imprisonment for ten 

 days, or both, at the discretion of the court. 



Sec. 3. Sections 1 and 2 of this Act shall not apply to any person 

 holding a certificate giving the right to take birds, and their nests and 

 eggs, for scientific purposes, as provided for in section 4 of this Act. 



Sec. 4. Certificates may be granted by (here follow the names of the 

 persons, if any. duly authorized by this Act to grant such certificates) 

 or by any incorporated society of natural history in the State, through 

 such persons or officers as said society may designate, to any properly 

 accredited person of the age of eighteeu years or upward, permitting 

 the holder thereof to collect birds, their nests or eggs, for strictly 

 scientific purposes only. In order to obtain such certificate the ap- 

 plicant for the same must present to the person, or persons, having 

 the power to grant said certificate, written testimonials from two well 

 known scientific men, certifying to the good character and fitness of 

 said applicant to be entrusted with sueh privilege; and must pay to 

 said persons or officers one dollar, to defray the necessary expenses 

 attending the granting of such certificate; and must file with said 

 persons or officers a properly executed bond in the sum of two hun- 

 dred dollars, signed by two responsible citizens of the State as 

 sureties This bond shall be forfeited to the State, and the certificate 

 become void, upon proof that the holder of such certificate has killed 

 any bird or taken the nest or eggs of any bird for other than the pur- 

 poses named in sections 3 and 4 of this Act; and shall be further sub- 

 ject for each such offense to the penalties provided therefor in sec- 

 tions 1 and 2 of this Act. M 



Sec. 5. The certificate authorized by this Act shall be in force for 

 one year only, from the date of their issue, and shall not be transfer- 

 able. „ 



Sec. 6. The English or European bousesparrow (Passer domesticus) 

 is not included among the birds protected by this Act. 



Sec. 7. All acts or parts of acts, heretofore passed inconsistent with 

 or contrary to the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed. This 

 Act shall take effect upon its passage. 



SPARE THE BIRDS. 

 [Inscribed to the Audubon Society, New York.] 



YES, spare the birds in springtime, when violets paint the ground, 

 When in the shady hollows the pink anemones abound. 

 For then they are in sweetest voice, their souls are full of song; 

 Their softest notes, their loftiest notes they all the day prolong. 



Yes, spare the birds, the lovely birds, the birds of light and air, 

 The little feather'd minstrels, whose chants ring everywhere; 

 Yes spare as in life's joirney thou would'st be spar'd from death, 

 When helms are clove and plumes [are shorn .and fails the gasping 

 breath ! 



When new the morn salutes the air with all that's fresh and sweet, 



Ah ! let the wine that fills the air thy quicken'd senses greet; 



Then full of joy the brown thrush sings upon the garden hedge, 



The swallows twitter on the eaves of the old barn's mossy edge, 



The speckled meadow lark upsprings upon its joyous wings, 



And, sweeping the salt meadows, its endless praises sings ! 



The sweet-voie'd, gay-dress'd emblems of innocence and love 



Are surely sent to bless us by the Creative Hand above! 



To charm us with their plumage, delight us with their airs, 



And sing away our sorrows, anxieties and cares. 



The apple trees are white with bloom, a wreath of rich bouquets, 



The peach is pink with color, the lilac blue with sprays, 



These are the honied haunts of redbreast and of oriole, 



And now they strike their silver harps and pour the liquid soul. 



I do not know a sweeter gush than blackbirds' mellow strain, 

 Whether they skim the daisies or sweep the yellow grain, 

 But ah! the richness of the notes, the blazon of the plumes, 

 May naught avail to rescue from the bird -butcher's dooms I 



There is a little sprite, the tern, the white gull of the main, 

 That whistles by, that flittethby, along the sandy plain. 

 And yet these little spectres, as spotless as the snow, 

 Are slaughter'd-to be toss'd in pride o'r snowy breast and brow ! 



Yet all this cruel slaughter of these children of the air, 

 Goes on, year after year, aDd few to say, forbear! 

 For long as youthful beauty will wear her bird-crown crest 

 •The sordid gold will end the life in every downy breast. 

 Gbeenpobt, L L. Feb. 16. Isaac McLellan. 



Meadow Larks — I noticed meadow larks between Hor- 

 nellsville and Buffalo, N. Y., last week; no other migratory 

 birds yet.— J. O. F. (Fob. 14). 



A PET SQUIRREL. 



ONE of the brightest and most interesting pets I have 

 ever seen, is domesticated in the family of a friend in 

 this county. It is a red squirrel which was found when an 

 infant in arms, and unable to see its captors, who were 

 present at the demolition of a woodpile where had been the 

 little fellow's ancestral home, it nearly perished from want 

 of the maternal fount, and until a man of genius hit upon 

 the idea of feeding it with a "medicine-dropper," its case 

 was considered hopeless. Then came to the family tabby 

 an invoice of fresh-laid kittens, and the little squirrel was 

 duly installed as one of the tribe. "Mew!" said the old cat, 

 and the rodent was forwith recognized as a Felis domesti- 

 cus, with all the rights and privileges to such status apper- 

 taining. 



The squirrel grew and thrived, and was and is as free 

 from fear as the least timid among its foster brethren. 

 When I saw it, it was several months old, and as it was 

 then a little after 6 P. M. (at which time it always takes a 

 siesta), it was taken from its little bed and laid in 'my hand, 

 where it lay for some minutes without motion. 



"He'll wake up, wont he?" said I. "Oh, yes" was the 

 reply, and sure enough, in three minutes the little fellow 

 had circumnavigated — if I may be permitted the word — the 

 whole room, in all directions. He ran into pockets, and 

 over pictures, and only stopped at a cedar pencil, which he 

 at once proceeded to reduce to fragments, leaving the lead 

 intact. 



This squirrel has many playful ways, such as slyly enter- 

 ing the pocket of its master, and in default of nuts, taking 

 therefrom his porte-monnaie. It usually has a store of apples 

 etc., hidden behind some bric-a-brac on a corner bracket. It 

 has endeared itself to its possessors, who would be sorry to 

 lose it, and it has. really done but little mischief, but alas! it 

 did bite the baby; why I know not. At the last accounts, 

 it was proposed to obtain for it a very tough cage, its incis- 

 ors having proved quite equal to the demolition of any ten- 

 der specimen of that article. What may be its future lot, 

 who can tell? Did I relate that it jumps upon the back of 

 its foster-mother, and merrily rideth thereon, to Tab's dis- 

 gust? This it does, and many things besides, yet the old cat, 

 is more patient with its antics than would be many a human 

 mamma. Long may the little squirrel wave his tail, and 

 wind his clock. Kelpie. 



Central Lake, Michigan. 



MOOSE IN THE ADIRONDACKS. 



A PROPOS of a correspondent's plan to stock a tract of 

 J\. land on Long Island with deer, I would like to suggest 

 the idea of bringing back the almost mythical moose to the 

 Adirondacks of New York. If we can keep the non-hound- 

 ing law upon the books and enforce it, and then do away 

 with jack-hunting, I see no reason why a few moose could 

 not be set free in the more unfrequented por tion of the woods, 

 with a fair prospect of their being allowed to multiply. It 

 would be, of course, necessary to enact a special law for 

 their protection. Such a law could be easily brought to 

 pass, and he would be a brute indeed who would violate such 

 a law. I would go a long way even to see a moose. A score 

 of this vanishing race would give an added charm to our 

 grand forest. If such a plan is not feasible now, the plan to 

 make the wilderness a State park is feasible and should be 

 acted upon. With the forest under the control of the State, 

 game now extinct in the region could be introduced with the 

 certainty of its being preserved. 



To bring the Adirondacks under State supervision as a 

 great sauitarium and public pleasure resort, ought to be the 

 desire of every lover of sport and of the beauty of the Empire 

 State. Nitkam. 



The Mad Dog Lunacy.— Our well-known correspondent 

 "S. C. O," writes from Marietta, Ga. : I agree with you 

 wholly in your exposure of this senseless panic about mad 

 dogs. There seems to be no proof that the Newark dog or 

 doi^s were mad, though it is evident that the people were, 

 and until that is proved, of what worth are the French pro- 

 fessor's experiments? I have bred and owned dogs all my 

 life, say for seventy years, and cannot say that I ever saw a 

 mad dog, though I have seen many put to death on that sus- 

 picion. There may be such a disease as rabies or hydro- 

 phobia, but if so it is extremely rare. Perhaps most of the 

 so-called cases are really caused by fear or alcohol, and 

 Goldsmith's lines are as true to-day as when written : 

 "The man recovered from the bite. 

 The dog it was that died." 



North Carolina.— Progress, Feb. 15.— Woodcock and 

 snipe have begun to come on their way north. Bluejays 

 and robins in great numbers have been here over a week, 

 besides a great many little birds I do not know. The 

 weather is fine. Peeping frogs are at work in all directions. 

 Quail are quite plenty since the last blizzard, but it did look 

 bad for them at one time, as everything was covered with ice 

 and the mercury below zero, which is very severe for this 

 country.— T. M. A. 



Exhibition of American Hunting Trophies.— Editor 

 Forest and Stream: I regret to have to inform you that the 

 American exhibition has been postponed until 1887, in defer- 

 ence to the opinion that it would interfere with the Colonial 

 Exhibition. The proposed loan 'collection of hunting 

 trophies must therefore be adjourned for the present, but we 

 hope to make it still more complete at the time named.— 

 Gerald Buxton (Knighton, Buckhurst Hill, England). 



amp S tr t 



"That reminds me." 

 183. 



ABOUT twelve or fourteen years ago Colonel D. and Doc- 

 tor T., both Cleveland gentlemen, were shooting ducks 

 near each other in that "duck heaven" the Sandusky marsh. 

 The blue-winged teal were flying pretty lively, and the 

 Colonel, being a good shot and "to the manor born," was 

 knocking them right and left; but the Doctor, being an 

 expert with the scalpel but not with a gun, was banging 

 away at a great rate without killing a bird, and very much 

 excited of course. Finally he shot at a flying duck, and 

 missing it as usual, to his horror he noticed he had shot 

 almost directly toward the Colonel, about 100 yards distant. 

 He immediately called out, "Halloa, Colonel, did I hit ye? 

 "Oil no; no," the Colonel replied. "Well! I can't hit 

 anything!" A true bill. Levi Stoques. 



Trumbull County, O. 



