64 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Am 19, 1886. 



— single bird was seen on the southern part of the 

 island. 



,17. TrochUus costm, Costa's Htimmingbird.— A few 

 were found about flowering bushes growing in the dry bed 

 of large arroyos. 



1636 



ad. 





Jan. 8, 



1646 



ad. 





Jan. 8. 



1647 



im. 



$ 



Jan. 8, 



1639 





? 



Jan. 8.* 



1645 



ad. 



s 



Jan. 8. 



1661 



ad. 



2 



Jan. 11. 



*No tliroat scales. Tliroat colored with yellow pollen. 

 18. TrochUus anna, Anna's Hummingbird. — ^Lessc 

 mon than T, costm. No females were seen. 



1648 

 1653 

 1659 

 1660 



$ 

 t, 

 ■i 

 $ 



Jan. 8. 

 Jan. 11. 

 Jan. 11, 

 Jan. 11. 



19. Sayomis say a, Say's Phoebe.— Less than half a 

 dozen were seen along the banks of arroyos, near the 

 beach. 



1638 



9 



Jan. 8. 



20, Corvus corax sinu-atus, American Eaven. — Three 

 or four birds seen. Two followed us one day, keeping 

 far out of gun.5hot and uttering their hoarse croaks. 



1635 

 1652 



? 



Jan, 7. 

 Jan, 10, 



No. 1652. Shot on beach. The forehead, throat and 

 feet were dusted with yellow pollen from the flowers of 

 the cactus (maguey). 



31. Carpodacus frontalis rhodocolpus, Crimson House 

 Finch. — Only three or four were seen, and like nearly all 

 the birds found on Cerros Island, they were diiScult to 

 appreaoh. 



1654 



3 



Jan. 11. 



22. "^Ammodramus rostratus, Large-billed Sparrow. — 

 Three birds only were found upon the beach. 



1629 

 1643 

 1642 



6 

 S 

 $ 



Jan. 7. 

 Jan. 8. 

 Jan. 8. 



23. *Zonotrichia gamheli, Gambel's Sparrow.— 



1657 



$? 



Jan. 11. 



24. AmpMspiza hilineata, Black-throated Sparrow. As 

 common as any of the small land birds. Their only note 

 consisted of one or two faint chirps. 



1637 

 1630 

 1631 



t 

 ? 

 ? 



Jan. 8. 

 Jan. 7. 

 Jan. 7. 



25. *Lanim ludaincianus exeuhitorides, White-rumped 

 Shrike. — Two or three seen, They were the wildest birds 

 of the size I have ever met with, 



26. Thryothorus bewichU spilunis, Vigors's Wren.— 

 Three pale-colored specimens in poor plumage were col- 

 lected among bushes on the edge of large arroyos. In 

 the absence of more examples in better plumage they are 

 referable to this species. 



1662 

 1628 

 1663 



S 

 $ 

 2 



Jan, 11, 

 Jan. 7, 

 Jan. 11, 



27. *PoUoptila ccerulea, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher,— But 

 two birds of this species were seen. 



1656 



Jan. 11. 



OAKIiANT), Cal. 



Walter E. Bryant. 



purposes; to point out the injury to the agricultural inter- 

 ests of the land which must follow the decimation of 

 insectivorous birds; 



To discoiu-age the killing of any bird not used for food, 

 the robbing of any bu-d's nest or the destiaiction of its 

 eggs, the use of any wild bird's plumage as an article of 

 dress or ornament. 



Third — That the number of trustees to manage such 

 Society shall be five, and the names of the trustees for 

 the first year of its existence shall be as follows: 

 George Bird Grinnell, Edward E. Wilbur, 

 Charles B. Reynolds, Joel A. Allen, 

 William D. Page, 

 Fourth — That the ofiice of such Society shall be situated 

 in the City, County and State of New York, 



In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands 

 and seals this sixth day of August, A. D. 1886. 

 Signed in the presence of Walter G. Scott. 



Geo. Bird Grinnell. 

 Edward R. Wilbur. 

 Charles B. Reynolds. 

 Joel A, Allen. 

 William D. Page. 



State op New York, ) „ . 



City and County of New York. ) 



On the 6th day of August, A. D. 1886, before me, at the City of 

 New York in tlie State of New York, personally came George Bird 

 Grinnell, Edward R. Wilbur, Charles B. Eeynolds, Joel A. Allen 

 and William D. Page, to me personally known and kno-^ra to me 

 to be the indi\iduals described in and who executed the foregoing 

 instrument, and they severally acknowledged to me that tliey 

 executed the same for the uses and purposes therein mentioned. 

 Walter G. Scott, Notary Public, Queens County. Certificate 

 filed in New York County. 



In a communication relating to the destruction of birds 

 for millinery purposes, Mr. Ernest E. T. Seton calls at- 

 tention to the work of the American Ornithologists' 

 Union, and the Audubon Society recently founded by 

 the Forest and Stream of New York city. The mem- 

 bers of the Audubon Society are pledged to do all in 

 their power to suppress the killing of birds for any pur- 

 pose except for food, and all persons are invited to join 

 and extend the work. These societies, Mr. Seton adds, 

 are distributiag among legislators and leaders of opinion 

 throughout the country, magazines and pamphlets relat- 

 ing to this subject, and already the results of the movement 

 are so encouraging that the progress toward extermination 

 is strongly checked. — Century Magazine for August, 



THE AUDUBON SOCIETY. 



WITHIN the first six months of its existence the 

 Audubon Society has attained a membership of 

 more than eleven thousand. The movement has won 

 the warmest indorsement from the press. There is ground 

 for much satisfaction with the actual results of the 

 Society's efforts to awaken public sentiment upon the sub- 

 ject of right bird protection. But much as has already 

 been accomplished, more remains to be done, and it is the 

 purpose of the Forest and Stream that the Audubon 

 Society shall be permanently established on a soimd basis 

 as an agency to complete the work undertaken. As one 

 Step in this direction the Society has been incorporated, 

 the certificate being as foUows: 



CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION 



OF THE Audubon Society for the Protection of Birds, 



George Bird Grinnell, Edward R. Wilbur, Charles B. 

 Eeynolds, Joel A. Allen and William D. Page, whose 

 names are hereunto subscribed, and all of whom are citi- 

 zens of the United States and also citizens of the State of 

 New York, being desirous of forming themselves into a 

 Society, under and pursuant to the act of the Legislattue 

 of the State of New York, entitled "An Act for the incor- 

 poration of societies or clubs for certain lawful piu-poses, 

 known and designated as Chapter 267 of the Laws of 1875, 

 and the act or acts amendatory thereof and supplemen- 

 tary thereto, do hereby certify: 



First— That the name or title by which such Society 

 shall be known in law is "The Audubon Society for the 

 Protection of Birds." 



Second— That the particular business and objects of 

 such Society are as follows: 



To protect American bh'ds not used for food from de- 

 struction for mercantile purposes; to secure and publish 

 information to show the extent of the present enormous 

 destruction of birds for millinery, decorative and other 



Inme ^uq mtd 



AiMress all eomniunicati^ns to the Forest and Stream Pub. Co. 



The Sea Serpent Again.— A Boston correspondent 

 writes: "Here is a mate for your sea serpent article in 

 Forest and Stream. I am acquainted with Mr. Put- 

 nam and know him to be a square, x^ractical and common 

 sense man, principal of a Boston gi-ammar school, and 

 also ex-superintendent of an orthodox Sunday school, so 

 his statement ought to carry some weight, at least." Mi'. 

 Putnam's relation is as follows: "On Thursday afternoon, 

 about 1:15, the son of Calvin W. Poole was seated upon 

 the rocks near the "Lin wood," when sometliing in the 

 water attracted his attention. He immediately ran to his 

 father, who was surveying near by, and pointing to the 

 object called otit, 'The sea serpent, the sea serpent.' Mr. 

 Poole brought his powerful transit to bear upon it, and 

 was at once satisfied that it was the veritable serpent. He 

 was about one-fourth of a mile from the shore, and about 

 two miles from where he was seen last month. He was 

 moving slowly in a northerly direction. It was a dead 

 calm, a smooth sea, with a bright sun shining, so that 

 there was the best possible opportunity to observe his 

 motions. The distance j^assed over was at least a mile, 

 and the time occupied not far from twenty minutes. Mr. 

 Poole called my attention to his snakesliip at once, and as 

 he passed directly by my cottage I was able with an ex- 

 cellent marine glass to observe his movements, which cor- 

 responded very fully with those described by .Dr. San- 

 born last month, a&^ well as those given in Harper's 

 Monthly some years since, and the accounts given of one 

 seen in Gloucester harbor about 1817, The head was fre- 

 quently raised partially out of water, and the movement 

 was a vertical one, showing some 10 to 15 ridges at once, 

 I should say that he was at least 80ft, ia length. There 

 were perhaps 50 persons who Avitnessed the passage, in 

 part at least, among whom were Samuel Bullock, master 

 of the Bunker Hfll School, Boston; Professor Stephen 

 Emery, of the New England Conservatory, with his 

 family; Captaia Jackson, the artist; James Hurd and 

 several guests at Linwood, as well as fom- members of my 

 own family. After he had disappeared, and while we 

 were still looking, a school of porpoises passed, so that we 

 had a chance to compare their appearance with that of 

 the serpent, I speak of this, as it has often been said 

 that the former was mistaken for the_ latter, I shall 

 never doubt that the sea serpent is a fact," 



Occurrence of Turkey Buzzard on Long Island.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: While woodcock shooting on 

 August 2, 1885, at Flusliing, Long Island, N. Y., a turkey 

 buzzard (C, aura) flew over me, with the graceful motion 

 characteristic of that bird. I tried him with No. 8 shot, 

 but the small loads were powerless and the only effect was 

 to make him soar somewhat higher. I have never before 

 seen the bird on Long Island, though stragglers have 

 frequently been reported. I have in my collection a 

 specimen of the black vulture (C, atratus) killed at Sandy 

 Hook some years ago,— Robert B, Lawrence. 



Forest and Stream Fables, 



AN INCIDENT AT CRO'S NEST. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I should have added to my letter last week that dili- 

 gent inquiry of the oldest fox hunters in the vicinity failed 

 to elicit any information whatever regarding the exist- 

 ence of three pines at the runway so named. Uncle Mose 

 remembered asking the same question many years before, 

 but obtained no evidence to show tliat even a single pine 

 had ever stood there. This I have found to be the case in 

 very many instances ; and I have often met with cUsap- 

 pointment when trying to trace the origin of the name of 

 some oddly christened locality. 



There was old Cro's Nest, right in the middle of a barren 

 sandy plain that could not within the memory of the old- 

 est inhabitant boast a single slrnib, to say nothing of trees 

 large enough for crows to build their nests in. Why foxes 

 shotild make the particidar point in the dreary waste 

 thus designated one of their princiiDal liighways is be- 

 yond my ken; but from time immemorial all well-behaved 

 foxes that were jumped within reasonable distance were 

 sure to visit the place at least once during then- run. It 

 was indeed historic ground, and a large proportion of the 

 fox stories told at the old store had to do with old Cro's 

 Nest; and many a brilliant nm was finished at the well- 

 known stand. 



There was a character, haunting this runway, who was 

 deservedly held in the utmost contempt by every fox 

 hunter in the whole region. Sam Butts, better known as 

 "Old Butt-er," from his habit of "er'' drawling his words, 

 was a cross-grained, unkempt-looking genius, without a 

 single spark of fox hunter's fire in his composition. He 

 hunted, however, but with the sole object of gaining a 

 little filthy lucre by the sale of the peltry, I verily be- 

 lieve that the grandest burst of music that ever fell upon 

 bis ear never caused a single responsive throb from his 

 withered old heart; and, almost worse than this, h^ was 

 guilty of the crime of adding to his ill-gotten gains by means 

 of the trap. His shooting and appropriation of the legiti- 

 mate game of others could, in a measure, be overlooked, 

 but the lack of music in his soul and his use of unfair 

 means to captm-e his victims were deadly sins; hence his 

 name was a by -word and a reproach. Old Sam lived near 

 Cro's Nest, and was therefore frequently first at the run- 

 way, which he generally managed to hold; and often he 

 got the fox, wliich he mendaciously retained in spite of 

 law or decency, unless some one chanced to witness the 

 proceedings, when he was forced to relinqiiish his claim. 



Taking an early start one morning I arrived first at the 

 runway, but had not long to wait before Old Sam came up 

 and claimed the stand. Finding that this plan would not 

 work, he tried to induce me to go to the "Hog Back" about 

 a mile away, stating that it was a better stand but his 

 "rhumatiz" prevented him from going. Although a 

 mere lad at the time, I refused to budge; and he sullenly sat 

 down a short distance from me, and we silently awaited 

 the return of the dogs, who had gone out of hearing. 

 After a weary wait I spied the fox some thhty rods away 

 coming up the path toward us; and, determined that my 

 companion should not have a shot, I covertly moved my 

 gun so that the glint of the sunshine upon the barrel 

 would cause the fox to swerve from the path. He con- 

 tinued on nearly the same course, however, but I saw 

 with satisfaction that he was not coming near enough for 

 a shot. Old Butt-er saw him when he came opposite us 

 about fifteen rods away, and with a muttered oath drew 

 up the old gun and "cut loose." Some of the shot must 

 have struck ahead and beyond the fox, for he tm-ned and 

 came nearly toward us. ' Just as he reached the path, 



Wolves in Colorado,— At a recent meeting of the Bent 

 county (Colorado) Stock Association, Major Towers brought 

 up the subject of the depredations of wolves on the range, 

 deploring tlie fact that the Legislature had suspended the 

 bounty law. He asserted that it would be economy to pay 

 fifty cents a head for wolf scalps and thereby save an im- 

 mense amount of property, as one wolf was capable of de- 

 stroying hundreds of dollars in young stock. W. W. J ones 

 agreed, and related the killing of five heads of grown stock 

 in his herd by wolves. On motion it was decided that 

 members to th'e State Legislature be requested to introduce 

 a bill authorizing the State to pay a bounty of $1 for gray 

 wolves and fifty cents for coyotes, and that the secretary be 

 directed to correspond with other associations, and request 

 them to cooperate in having a bill of that description become 

 a l&w.— Exchange. 



Destitute families are saddeningly plentiful; but they would 

 be much fewer if the fathers while living had invested a few dol- 

 lars in the Life and Accident Policies of The Tbavelehs, of Hart- 

 ford, Conn.— -i1c7d. 



shot-er, 



, , _ rod atter 



i pulled-er." Then turning to me lie added, "Jess yew 

 Stan' still till I see how manny steps it is-er." 



The stupendous cheek of the old sinner completely 

 paralyzed me, and I stood sneU-bound while he walked 

 away. Going about two rods beyond where the fox had 

 been, he made a mark in the sand with his heel, and then 

 with shortened strides commenced stepping the distance. 

 When he arrived at the home plate he turned toward me 

 with the most guileless expression imaginable upon his 

 countenance and exclaimed, "I deelar'if it ain't a hundred 

 and fourteen steps— twenty rod good and strong-er; now, 

 that's what I call a shot-er." Then assuming a more busi- 

 ness-like look and tone he added, "Wal, I guess I'U take 

 my fox and git along-er." 



"Hold on," said I, "you ought to know the law. That 

 pelt belongs to the first dog up." 



This staggered him; his sour looks retm-ned; and 

 growling to himself he turned on his heel and departed. 

 Although I had come out ahead, I still felt a grudge 

 against the old man for the discomfort he had caused me. 

 The next time I met bun, however, I had fun enough to 

 square the account and stUl leave a handsome balance in 

 my favor. 



!A few mornings after the Cro's Nest episode I was on 

 my way to a meet, when I came upon the sacrilegious 

 old sinner busily engaged in digging out a fox that had 

 been ran to ground by the hounds the evenmg previous 

 and stopped in by him. He had ran a long stick into the 

 hole to obtain the direction, and was busily engaged sink- 

 ing a shaft, having got down so that his shoulders were 

 about on a level with the grotmd. My blood was boiling, 

 all the more furiously because I knew that I was power- 

 less to put a stop to the nefarious proceeding. While 

 watching him thi-ow out the dii-t, there came along a big, 

 ungainly cur that belonged to a neighboring farmer. 

 After snifSng around a bit he wagged his short stump of 

 a tail, and whining with evident joy at the prospect of 

 sport, trotted up to the pit and was on the i)oint of jump- 

 ing when the old man begged me to hold liim. My good 

 angel Avbispered me just then, and I seized the dog by 

 the scruff of his neck and drew him away a few feet. 

 Then, every time the old man's head went down, I would 

 alternately push my charge toward the pit and draw him 

 away; and then, liissing "Sick 'em!" in his ear, repeat the 

 performance. The brute appeared to be game, and I soon 

 had him keyed up to the proper pitch. About tliis time 

 the spade went through mto the buiTow, and old 

 Sam stooped to make an examination. As the fresh 

 scent strack the nosti-ils of my friend I shoved him 

 toward the hole and, in my heart, bade him God 



