244 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



(April 22, 1886. 



SPARROW HAWKS WISE AND FOOLISH. 



WE have now been told by one having authority, that 

 "classic crickets" and "brown old grasshoppers" are 

 plenty around Washington "warm sunny days" in January. 

 Shall we next be told that June bugs also are plenty in 

 January? I perceive that Mr. Henshaw has "bit off more 

 than he can chaw." I understand him now to say, cold 

 wintry days, when "full knee deep the wintry snows are 

 lying," those foolish virgins of the sparverius family who have 

 not flown south, do then feed on English sparrows, not having 

 "brown old grasshoppers" in their silos. It is not my 

 intention to force the learned gentleman to the wall, but I 

 suggest it to him that the English sparrow nuisance being of 

 recent origin, is, speaking after the manner of a great person- 

 age, matter to this issue aliunde. Before there were any 

 English sparrows what did poor sparverius do then? It is 

 admitted those foolish virgins of the sparverii, having no 

 silos and no brown old grasshoppers in them cold wintry 

 days, do then, as it were, perforce, taste of field mice. Like- 

 wise aliunde, as I maintain, is removal of the capital beyond 

 the Mississippi. If the soldiers and the politicians and the 

 parsons found that scheme too much for them it will not, as 

 I believe, materialize if now taken up by the grasshoppers 

 and the sparrow hawks and the savants. 



Excluding, therefore, matters aliunde, the issue here to be 

 tried narrows itself to three considerations, viz., (a) Do all 

 wise sparrow hawks go south in winter? (b) If "festive 

 hoppers" are plenty around here warm sunny days in Janu- 

 ary and February, what are they feasting on? (c) How many 

 "grasshopper days" are there hereabouts from Dec. 1 to May 

 1? On this point I demand a bill of particulars and I give 

 notice of intention to put Professor Rfiey on the stand. I 

 am of opinion that all wise sparrow hawks do not go 

 south in winter, and 1 will argue this point further on. 

 Further I am of opinion that neither "warm sunny days" 

 nor "brown old grasshoppers" are plenty around here in 

 January and February, and I omit here all reference to 

 June bugs for the sake of brevity and perspicuity. 



I have not, as has Mr. Henshaw, upon my head and down 

 upon my flowing beard, even unto the skirts of my garments 

 that sacred Smithsonian oil, but all the same I will not "take 

 a dare" from him. How dare he so misrepresent the wisdom 

 of the spaiTow hawk to the misleading of the readers of 

 Forest and Stream as to pretend that he goes south in the 

 winter to get "brown old grasshoppers," thereby showing 

 his wisdom, whereas all the while "brown old grasshoppers" 

 are plenty around here. An argument which carries with it 

 its own contradiction and contains within itself the principle 

 of self stultification. 



The fact is, Mr. Editor, that Mr. Henshaw in the outset 

 overstated his case. Neither winter nor summer, in my 

 opinion and belief, does the sparrow hawk feed on insects 

 by preference, but according to my observation and knowl- 

 edge always by preference upon field mice, thereby render- 

 ing important service to the farmer, for he can and does 

 keep these pests in check. But if he were exclusively an 

 insectivore, his labors in that behalf would amount to little, 

 seeing the paucity of his numbers and the size of his maw. 

 I have very rarely seen them attack any manner of small 

 bird, but I have seen them neglecting swarms of small birds 

 hard by, following the cartmen all day in hauling out fodder 

 to cattle, day after day, cold wintry days hovering over head 

 on expectant wing, and dropping like a bolt upon every 

 mouse uncovered by the removal of the fodder. In mid- 

 summer when the grass fields were literally alive with 

 "brown old grasshoppers," I have seen a pair of these dimin- 

 utive falcons ignoring the insects wholly, bringing in to their 

 young mouse after mouse, and mice exclusively, for hours 

 together. I depend on my own long familiarity with these 

 birds when I say that I think them absolutely harmless and 

 very useful to the farmer, and it is a downright, diabolical 

 shame for any man to shoot them. 



I am convinced that but for the sparrow hawk, the 

 marsh harrier, and certain owls, the field mouse would so 

 multiply as to become an extremely serious and destructive 

 pest. I have repeatedly sought to call attention to the 

 shameful folly of destroying these and other useful and 

 innocent and beautiful birds, which add so greatly to the 

 charms of rural life, and I beg to add rtfy voice to those 

 more potent in behalf of the preservation of birds as put 

 forth so much to my satisfaction through the columns of 

 Forest and Stream, and am ready to shake hands across 

 the bloody chasm with Mr. Henshaw and join hands with 

 him in this good cause. M. G. Ellzey, M.D. 



Anglers and Birds. — Editor Forest and Stream: The dis- 

 appearance of our native song birds and those that are purely 

 ornamental when alive, and not so when dead, is a matter 

 that is deplored by anglers as much as by any other class. 

 You know my belief that it's not all of fishing to fish, and 

 the birds contribute not a little to the sum total of pleasure 

 in a day's outing. One can lay on his back in the green 

 grass, sniff the odor of the pine, listen to the murmur of the 

 brook and the songs of the birds, and return home feeling 

 that the day has been one of joy, even if there is no fish in 

 the creel. The birds are part of an angler's day out, and I 

 am right glad your paper has taken the matter up and I 

 trust your efforts may result in righting; this great wrong to 

 our friends, the birds. My wife, daughter and self wish to 

 be enrolled as members of the Audubon Society. — A. N. 

 Cheney. 



Prairie Dog's Habits. — Philadelphia, Miss. — We have a 

 pet prairie dog, brought from Wise county, Texas. It 

 drinks water.— S. P. Nash. 



Recent Arrivals at the Philadelphia Zoological Garden. — 

 Purchased— Two striped hyenas (Hycena striatus), male and female, 

 three Campbell's monkeys (Cercopithecus campbellii) , one male aou- 

 dad (Ovis tragelaphus), two hog deer (Cervus porcinus) male and 

 female, one female African porcupine (Hystrix cristata), one male 

 tiger (Felis tigris), two European squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) male 

 and female, one male harnessed antelope (Tragelaphus scriptus), one 

 male red kangaroo (Macropus rufus), one female silver pheasant 

 (Euplocamus nycthemerus), four Mexican jays (Xanthura beecheyi), 

 two golden-headed parrakeets (Brotogerys tui), two European wax 

 ■wings (Ampelis garrulus), two cardinal redbirds (Cardinalis virgini- 

 anus), two ground doves (Chamcepeleia passerina), two goldfinches 

 (Carduelis elegans, one black bullfinch (Pyrrhula rubicilla), one petz 

 conure (Conurus petzi) and one cactus conure (Conurus cactorum. 

 Presented— One Macaque monkey (Macacus cynoviolgus), one Brazil- 

 ian squirrel (Sciurus aistuuns), one muskrat (Fiber zibethecus), one 

 red fox ( Fulpes fulvus), one common deer (Cervus virginiawus), one 

 crow blackbird (Quiscalus purpureas) and one white sparrow (Passer 

 domesticus). Born— Two Ansrora goats (Cupra hircus) male and 

 female, one striped hyena (Hycena striatus), one male eland (Oreas 

 canna) and three turtle doves (Turtur risorius). 



Nearly Eighteen Thousand Men in 1SS4 were paid cash benefits 

 under accident policies in the Travelers, of Hartford, or 57 for every 

 working day.— Adv. 



Address all communications to tlie Forest and Stream Publish- 

 ing Co. 



THE TRAJECTORY TEST. 



'TVHE full report of the Forest and Stream's trajectory test of hunt- 

 ing rifles has been issued in pamphlet form, with the illustra- 

 tions and the tabular summary, making in all 96 pages. For sale at 

 this office, or sent post-paid. Price 50 cents. 



LINES 



ON FLUSHING A QUAIL IN THE CITY STREET. 



A H ! whistling wings with startled rush, 

 I hear your flurry at the flush ; 



To hear thy drumming pinions raise, 



Here in the dust oE city ways, 



Brings back the "flight" of other days— 

 The field, the hollow and the swale, 

 Where erst I knew thee, royal quail. 



Hath fright then wak'd thy whirring wings 



From silent sylvan woods and springs, 

 To linger 'mong the haunts of men, 

 From field and wood, the copse and fen, 

 Where grieves disconsolate thy hen— 



Her truant love, her mate, her male, 



Her royal master, Bob White quail? 



Make haste then "Rob" and fly the town, 



And seek thy bonny mate of brown; 

 Take on again thy household cares, 

 Rear well thy brood, avoid the snares; 

 Rear goodly bevies from the "pairs," 



And next October, without fail, 



I'll see you, royal Bob White quail. Folk.. 

 Cleburne, Texas. 



THE DEER HOUNDING BILL. 



A CORRESPONDENT who was present when the bill 

 was discussed by the Senate writes: The dogs will 

 soon be loose again. Senators Vedder, Fassett, Raines, and 

 Hendricks made a hard fight, but the Senate was fixed. Ail 

 the New York and Brooklyn senators were against us. I 

 believe they are inspired to this by the Governor and by the 

 promise of help from the Republican members of the House 

 who favor the bill. Still it took over two hours to pass it, and 

 it only passed by the united efforts of Messrs. Erwin, Tuck, 

 Barnes, Palmer and Hadley, all of whom were on the floor 

 of the Senate holding up Senators who had promised to vote 

 for it or could be induced to do so. The singular spectacle 

 was presented of the sergeant-at-arms of the Assembly 

 actually circulating among senators and soliciting votes. 



Senator Fassett moved to strike out the lines allowing the 

 use of dogs. A Ions: discussion followed. This and the 

 motion against water killing, offered by Senator Hendricks, 

 were defeated. It was agreed that St. Lawrence should be 

 exempt. Senator Marvin asked that Delaware be also ex- 

 cepted. This was at first refused, but to conciliate matters, 

 agreed to. Then the three-deer clause was moved. This 

 led to quite a discussion, but was at length agreed to. It 

 was then moved to progress the bill. Hon. Senator Vedder 

 again renewed the motion to prohibit water killing, support 

 ing his motion by two strong speeches. Senator Fassett also 

 warmly supported this motion. Senator Raines also addressed 

 the Senate. For a few moments it looked as though the 

 thing would carry, but the vote stood twelve for and sixteen 

 against the amendment. The bill was then read a third 

 tune and passed. McMillan spoke briefly. Wemple said 

 nothing, but worked the Democratic side of the house. 



So ends the fighting of '86. We have had great odds 

 against us all the time. Albany. 



From the Albany Evening Journal, April 14, 



The special order of the Senate was the deer-hounding 

 bill, but two hours were given to general business before it 

 was reached. Then Mr. Hendricks offered an amendment 

 which prohibits wounding or killing deer while in the water. 

 He denounced as brutal and cowardly the methods of jack- 

 hunting and Mr. Fassett joined in this opinion. Mr. Kel- 

 logg protested against attempts to load down the bill with 

 amendments with a view to killing it in the Assembly. This 

 was done at the instigation of a member of the Assembly. 

 Men were opposing the bill who had no knowledge of the 

 subject. Mr. McMillan said the bill was the result of the 

 best thought of the committee and it ought not to be amended 

 as proposed. Jack-hunting was restricted by the bill. Mr. 

 Vedder said no one could defend jack-hunting. All that 

 could be said for it was that it was good for city consump- 

 tives to sit about on a log, hear the baying of dogs, and shoot 

 the deer while they were helpless in the water. The amend- 

 ment was lost, ayes 9, noes 15. Mr. Marvin moved to ex- 

 cept Delaware county from this act. They had a few deer 

 down in that county and they wanted to keep them. Mr. 

 Kellogg said that this was another attempt to kill the bill. 

 Mr. Fassett maintained that each amendment should be 

 treated fairly. Deer hounding was brutal butchery, and if 

 Delaware county wanted to be excepted it should'be. Mr. 

 Kellogg declared that it was true that a member (referring to 

 Gen. Curtis) was on the floor trying to beat the bill by induc- 

 ing Senators to offer amendments. Against his judgment 

 Mr. Kellogg said he accepted Mr. Marvin's amendment. Mr. 

 Fassett moved to amend by prohibiting deer hounding in any 

 county. He believed it would be a good thing if all killing 

 of deer could be prohibited for five or ten years. Deer 

 hounding was prohibited last year and there was no reason 

 why it should now be permitted. Mr. Kellogg held that if 

 still-hunting ispermitted, deer hounding should be permitted. 

 Deer hounding is more manly than still-hunting. The 

 opposition to the bill comes from those who make mer- 

 chandise of still-hunting. Where one deer is killed by 

 hounding, four or five are killed still-hunting. Deer 

 hounding makes the deer shy and more difficult to kill. He 

 read letters from New York city sporting clubs in favor of 

 the bill. The guides, too, who are dependant on city sports- 

 men for earning a livelihood are forced to still-hunt for 

 merchandise unless deer hounding is permitted and city 

 sportsmen visit the woods. Deer carcasses could not find a 

 market in his county last year under the prohibitory law, 

 so many deer were killed still-hunting. Deer hounding gives 

 consumptives a brief experience of manly sport, and for this 

 reason — sentimental though it be — should be considered. 

 Mr. Fassett held that the city sportsmen, without muscle, in 

 English clothes, who wish to hear the baying of the houads, 

 desire hounding, because when the deer is all tired out and 



driven in the water these city sportsmen can then kill it with 

 a shotgun if the guide holds it by the tail. It was absurd to 

 say that the deer are protected by being made shy by the 

 hounds. As well say that cats protect mice, and wolves pro- 

 tect sheep. If the city sportsmen want to hear the baying 

 of the hounds he suggested dragging the anise-seed bag in 

 the North Woods as Long Islandlind Newport sportsmen do. 

 Mr. Smith believed that no harm could come from deer 

 hounding during September. Mr. Sloan believed that prac- 

 tically deer hounding was no more cruel than still-hunting. 

 He believed the encouragement of tourists in the North 

 Woods would put to check the extermination of deer, as 

 deer killing was not then left the only means of a guide's 

 livelihood. Mr. Wemple declared this game bill was the best 

 ever introduced. The only manly and humane way to kill 

 deer is by hounding. Mr. Fassett's amendment was lost- 

 ayes 6, noes 18. Mr. Vedder moved to amend by prohibiting 

 persons from killing more than three deer in a season. Ac- 

 cepted. Mr. Vedder renewed Mr. Hendrick's amendment 

 which prohibits killing any deer in the water. Replying to 

 Mr. Vedder, Mr. Kellogg held up a picture from Forest 

 and Stream, and declared that its representation of men in 

 tall silk hats mounted on horses showed all it knew of deer 

 hunting in the Adirondacks. Mr. Kellogg said that Mi". 

 Fassett's position was not a surprise to him. He had been 

 on the "off" side of everything this winter. Mr. Vedder's 

 amendment was lost, and the bill was paseed — ayes 21, noes 8. 

 [Kellogg was mistaken about the picture. That should be 

 credited to Dr. Ward. The Forest and Stream picture 

 was of Mr. Kellogg's friends with the club and the "tail 

 holt."] 



Following is a list of the members of the New York Sen- 

 ate with their votes on the deer hounding bill: 

 voted in its favor. 

 Fagan, Dem., Maspeth. 

 Pierce, Dem., 7 Montague terrace, Brooklyn. 

 Worth, Rep., 182 Graham avenue, Brooklyn. 

 Murphy, Dem., 441 Washington street, New York. 

 Reilly, Dem., 35 Ridge street, New York. 

 Daly, Dem. , 230 East Twelfth street, New York. 

 Dunham, Dem., 68 Murray street, New York. 

 Cullen, Dem., 219 East Thirty ninth street, New York. 

 Plunkitt, Dem., 442 West Fifty-first street, New York. 

 Nelson, Dem., Sing Sing. 

 Hoysradt, Rep., Hudson. 

 Comstock, Rep., Lansingburgh. 

 Parker, Jr., Dem., Albany. 

 Wemple, Dem., FultonvUle. 

 Kellogg, Rep., Elizabethtown. 

 Knapp, Rep., Lowville. 

 Sloan, Rep., Oswego. 

 Coggesball, Rep., Waterville. 

 Smith, Rep., Morrisville. 

 Walker, Rep., Batavia. 

 McMillan, Rep., Buffalo. 



VOTED AGAINST IT. 



Marvin, Rep., Walton. 



Hendricks, Rep., Syracuse. 



Barager, Rep., Candor. 



Fassett, Rep., Elmira. 



Raines, Rep., Canandaigua. 



Pitts, Rep., Medina. 



Vedder, Rep., Ellicottville. 



Griswold, Rep., 43 Fort Green place, Brooklyn. 



DID NOT VOTE. 



Connelly, Rep., Kingston. 

 Low, Rep., Middletown. 



Traphagen, Dem., 14 East Sixty-third street, New York. 



The bill again passed the Assembly last Friday by a vote 

 of 99 to 11. 



From the New York Times, April 15. 



The bill passed by the State Senate yesterday in respect to 

 the hunting of deer in this State took a very unsatisfactory 

 shape. Mr. Fassett's amendment preventing the running of 

 deer with dogs should have been adopted, as necessary to 

 preserve the deer. There was no argument against it. The 

 plea that a consumptive might soothe his declining years by 

 setting dogs after deer was as nearly worthy that name as 

 anything that was said. If a wise system of game laws had 

 been adopted fifty years ago, the extinct animals of the 

 Adirondack wilderness, like the moose, might still be found 

 there and be hunted under suitable restrictions. In spite of 

 the restrictions contained in the Senate bill, it is to be feared 

 that if that bill becomes law, sportsmen already elderly will 

 see the time when there is not a deer left in the North 

 Woods. 



The Legislature does well in shortening the deer hunting 

 season, and in virtually stopping the slaughter of deer for 

 market by the provision that no person shall send game out 

 of the forest or bring out more than one carcase; and in re- 

 storing to hunters the privilege of hounding it thinks to save 

 the deer by preventing still-hunting, which last year proved 

 very destructive. But last season was exceptional, and after 

 a study of the testimony of sportsmen on both sides, we 

 reached the conclusion that hunting with dogs is not less de- 

 structive than the rival method. Aside from other consider- 

 ations the practice of hounding is abominably cruel. Persons 

 of much refinement know that the deer should not be hunted 

 at all and the slaying of these animals in the State Park 

 should be prohibited ; but the entire public is not yet enlight- 

 ened on this subject. — Syracuse Standard, April 16. 



Victoria, Texas, April 10. — Editor Forest and Stream: I 

 inclose you a clipping from a Southern newspaper: "A wild 

 hog in Northern Alabama has become the acknowledged 

 master of a large tract of wooded country. Hunters give the 

 place a wide berth. A few days ago the animal lacerated a 

 pack of hounds so badly that they will never be of service 

 again." If the New York Legislature repeals the non-hound- 

 ing law, how would it work to capture this animal and turn 

 him loose iu the Adirondacks?— C. S. W. 



April Deer Hounding.— Chateaugay Lake, N. Y., April 

 12. — Deer have wintered nicely in this part of the Adiron- 

 dacks. I saw the tracks of at least thirty different ones in a 

 walk of eight miles last week. Grouse very scarce. No eDd 

 of foxes and rabbits, for we never hunt them. Fish are very 

 plenty. We catch large quantities of whitefish or shad, 

 weighing from one to four pounds. Salmon are very plenty 

 on the shoals where we fish for shad, and are often hooked, 

 but are lost through using too fight tackle. The hounds 

 were out yesterday and killed a nice doe on the lower lake. 

 — R. M. Shctts. 



