FOREST AND STREAM. 



S43 



an item "Maine's Jumbo Moose Killed." While I 

 do not seek for publicity, I do feel that undue prai.se 

 has been accorded the shooter of the moose by your article, 

 and for that reason only I am inclined to ^v^ite you. I send 

 you this slip from the Lowell Alorning Mail of Oct. 16, 1886, 

 which describes the animal which I shot: 



Mr. Loveioy and his guide occapiod a "crow's nest," a platform 

 in a tree, four days, ntUil, after this patient waiting, this mag- 

 nificent bull moose appeared below about 11 o'clock m the fore- 

 noon, Oct. 7. A shot from Mr. Lovejoy's Winchester entered he- 

 hind the fore shoulder, making a mortal wound, but tliree other 

 bullets were put into liim before he fell with a crash mto the 

 undergrowth. Mr. Lovcjoy drew his knife across the creature's 

 throat to finish him, and the mafrnificent animal, a veritable 

 monarcb of the forest, was secured. The task of dressing him, 

 however, was no smecure. The animal was one of the largest ever 

 killed in the Pannacheeuee region, and weighed between 1,200 and 

 1,.'>00 pounds. * * * The head of the moose, which was nniujurod 

 in kJiltng liim, was preserved intact, and is an unusually handsome 

 oue. TJio spread of the antlers is less than sometimes found on a 

 moose of this size, but it is rurcly that they are found so symmet- 

 rical and perfectly developed. Their spread is 39in. The head 

 weighs eOlhs. divested of flesh. 



I had as guide Aldana Brooks, of Upton, Me. Any person 

 desiring to know more about it can write him or .John Dan- 

 forth, Camp Caribou, Mc, an old guide and hunter, known 

 personally by many hunters and by reputation to all. I 

 Drought the head to Lowell, and have it mounted now. I 

 came out from Parmacheenee via Magalloway River, Upton 

 and Bethel, thence by the Grand Trunk aiid Boston and 

 Maine Railroads, and many hundreds of people saw the head 

 of my moose Avhile in transit to Lowell. None competent to 

 judge set his weight under 1,200, and most of the guides 

 estimated him more. Dauforth said, "Xot less than 1,200 

 pounds." Who do you think has got "Jumbo?" I sliot 

 mine Oct. 7, 1886, about 10 miles from Panuacheeneo Lake. 

 Respectfully yours, Elwyji W. LovEJor. 



SHORE BIRD NOMENCLATURE. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your issue of Nov. 4, under tlie heading of "Shore 

 Bird Nomenclatui-e," Mr. ]\Iurdock says,"The 'olackbreast' 

 is one of the names for the golden plover (Charadriiis 

 dominicus), not for the black-bellied plove'- (C. squata- 

 rola), which, so far as I know, is universally known as 

 'beetiehead' from Cape Cod northward." I have passed 

 quite a number of seasons along the Cape Cod coast 

 in collecting shore bu'ds, and my experience ^vith 

 the g-unners along the Cape— and I have talked with a 

 good many — is that the golden plover is called and known 

 by tlieui as the "green i>lover." Mr. Murdock is mistaken 

 when he says, "For instance, a thoroughbred Cape Cod 

 gunner from Orleans to Chatham calls the golden plover 

 a 'toadhead,' and seldom speaks of a 'summer yellow- 

 leg.' " lam aware that one or two gunners call the" golden 

 plover a "toadhead," but I am siu-e that nearly all of the 

 gunners of Orleans, Chatham and other towns along the 

 Cape call the golden plover the "green plover" and the 

 yellowlegs "summer yellowlegs." A greater yellowlegs 

 IS called a "winter yellowlegs," as it comes along late m 

 the season and slops late in the fall, 



Mr. Murdock again says that he believes the young red- 

 back sandpipers are called oh Cape Cod "winter oxeyes." 

 I have always heard them called by the giinners "crooked- 

 bill snipe." 



The Hudsonian curlew is known along the Cape as "spot 

 rump," the willet as the "humihty," the sanderling as a 

 "bullpeep,"the adult black-bellied plover as a beetiehead," 

 the younp; black-bellied plover as a "pale-belly," the 

 robin snipe as a "redbreast," the red-breasted snipe 

 as a "brownback," the tiu*nstone as a "chicken 

 plover," the Hudsonian ciudew as a "jack ciudew," the 

 Esquimaux cm-lew as a "docbird," tlie piping plover as a 

 "mourning bird" or "pale ringneck," tlie semi-palmated 

 sandpiper as a "peep," and the least sandpiper as a 

 "bumble-bee peep." J. C. Cahoon. 



CAP35 Con. 



"Coon Cats,"— Boston, Mass.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: In j'our last issue I noted a short comment on an 

 article headed "Coon Cats," and it seems to me that cer- 

 tain statements therein need qualification somewhat, per- 

 haps. The statement that any hybrid is "impossible," 

 presupposes that enough absolutely proven facts exist to 

 base an opinion of this sort upon, whereas, in no branch 

 of natural history is there more doubt than in this whole 

 subject of attraction between sexes, conception, maternal 

 impressions on foetal life, delivery under different sur- 

 roundings. In fact, where connection is possible impreg- 

 nation might be also supposed to be possible, until enough 

 facts proved the reverse, I believe. — John Dixwell, M.D, 

 [The general statement tliat hybrids are impossible is, 

 of coiu-se, too broad: but the words as written were in- 

 tended to apply only to the j)articular case in question. 

 Coon cats and rabbit cats are often spoken of, but the 

 animals supposed to hybridize are in these instances eo 

 widely different in then- nature that it is scarcely too 

 much to say that conception between them is impossible. 

 No one wotild imagine conception possible between a lion 

 and a cow or a bear and a horse. The coon belongs to the 

 family Procyonidoe and the cat to the Felidce. Both are 

 carnivores, but beyond this they have nothing in common. 

 Hybrids are known to occur only between species which 

 are very closely related. A most familiar example is that 

 between the horse and the ass, but even here the progeny 

 is unfertile, though both species belong to the same genus. 

 We have seen a hybrid between the domestic sheep and 

 the moimtahi sheep, anotlier case where the two species 

 were within the same genus. Instances are not wanting 

 in which animals of different families have mated, as in 

 the case of the male elk {C. canadensis) and the female 

 domestic cow; but we fail to recollect a case in which 

 such mating was followed by conception. It mav be set 

 down as well established that animals of different fami- 

 lies will not breed together.] 



Weapons in Gaime.— Sacramento, Nov, 1.— Editor For- 

 est and Stream: John Simon, of Landing, Yolo county, 

 lately extracted from the breast of a wild goose that he 

 had shot a cui-ious ai-row-head. It is of the fl'^est ivory 

 and nicely carved. As there are no animals found tliis 

 side of the Arctic from which ivory is taken, it is appar- 

 ent that the goose thus honored must have receivecf its 

 wound somswliei-e in that far-off icy region. Possibly 

 the shaft was whi;e:l from the bow of some resident of 

 that mysterious land about the North Pole, which so 

 many adventurous whites have sought in vain to reach. 

 We have all read of various kinds of ai-row-heads in use 

 by the natives of different parts of the continent, but this 

 is the first instance in which I have heard of ivory being 

 used for arrow-tips. It would be interesfciiig to know the 

 true history of that arrow-head.— Sanoho. 



More Albino Squirrels.— Decattir, Ind.— Six weeks 

 ago a fox squirrel was killed near Winamac, Indiana, 

 "which attracted considerable attention from its color. 

 The tail was that of an ordinary fox squirrel, as were also 

 the legs, feet, ears and under part, or abdomen, wliile the 

 back and sides from root of tail to tip of nose were almost 

 a pure white. The squirrel has been mounted and is now 

 in possession of Jlr. R. O. Perry, of the above named 

 place.— T. W. B. Sacramento, Cal.— Recently, while 

 hunting in the foothills of the Coast Range, James Lewis, 

 of Yolo County, killed a snow-white squirrel of the gray 

 squii-rel species. It is considered quite a cm-iosity. — 

 Sancho. 



Snowy Owl in Illinois. — Six miles from town, Nov. 

 13, 1 killed a large snovsn;^ owl, flushed from some dead 

 grass on a creek bottom. The bird was a veiy large 

 female, oft. lin. from tip to tip; plumage nearly white. 

 This is the first instance of this species being captured hi 

 this county. The weather has been very mild all the fall, 

 and no snow has fallen. I think this is very early for 

 this bu'd to be migrating southward. The specimen is 

 mounted and in my collection. — H. A. Kline (FoiTeston, 



ni.). 



No Fable — For I witnessed it myself. Two sparrows 

 of a belligerent character separated from the flock, and 

 engaged in a terrific combat. They struggled and flut- 

 tered to the ground, where they were quickly captured by 

 a vigilant cat, who had watched the battle from its incep- 

 tion with a fixed determination to use aU. her energies for 

 its suppression. Blessed are the peacemakers, — S. R. H. 

 (Bucyrus, O,), 



Eagle Measurements.— Madison, Wis., Nov. 15.— I 

 recently received a letter from a friend in Nebraska stat- 

 ing that he had shot a gray or young bald eagle a few 

 weeks ago that measured 10ft. 3in. in extent and 40in. in 

 length. It proved to be a male bird. This we believe to 

 be only lin. less in extent than Audubon's "bhd of Wash- 

 ington."— C. F, Carr. 



Tub Beaver in Michigan.— Central Lake, Mich., Nov. 

 11. — I am told that a beaver was brought into the vilLage 

 of Elmira, twenty miles east of this place, yesterday, the 

 fii-st I have heard of in this region for a long time. Deer 

 are very scarce. — Kelpie. 



*dme §Hg mxA 0mp 



Address aU-<mnmun/icaiion8 to the Forest and Stream Pub. Co. 



COTTONWOOD LAKE. 



GRAND HAVEN, Mich., Nov. 8.— The past three 

 weeks have gone "like a di-eam of the night," and 

 I can hardly realize that I have once more been to the 

 land of the Dakotas. Even the hope of going had almost 

 been abandoned, but fortime favore the brave (hunter), 

 and unexpectedly business shaped itself so tliat I found I 

 could have two weelcs of imalloyed pleasure. 



I was very desirous of taking a hunting boat with me, 

 as I had felt the need of it very nouoh during my former 

 trips to Cottonwood Lake. Tlie lime was too limited to 

 send it by freight. If only I coull take it in the baggage 

 car of the "limited express" of the Chicago, Milwaukee 

 & St. Paul R. R., was the thought that comes to me, and 

 I resolved to "try it on." This was on Saturday, I was to 

 start the next Tuesday. A hurried note was written to 

 Major Heafford, assistant general passenger agent at MU- 

 %vaukee, explaining the situation, and by retnrn mail, 

 Tuesday morning, came an order from Mr. W. D. Car- 

 rick, assistant baggage agent, directing "agents and 

 baggagemen to pass in baggage cars for Mr. , to Red- 

 field, Dakota, and return, a small hunting boat." I have 

 never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Can-ick, but on 

 inquiry I find he is one of us, and enjoys an outing with 

 rocld an gim. "Why," said an acquaintance of his, "I be- 

 lieve, if the road would allow it, CaiTick would send out 

 a special baggage car with every hunting party leaving 

 Milwaukee." A fellow feehng makes us wondrous kind, 

 and judging from the treatment I received on this trip, I 

 think conductors and baggagemen on this road must all 

 be lovers of field sports, and it could hardly be otherwise, 

 since from August to November then trains daily flush 

 great coveys of chickens and grouse, and the honk of 

 geese and gabble of brant are heard from all the many 

 lakes which are located along the line. 



I left Chicago at noon Wednesday, Thursday evening 

 at 8 o'clock found me at Redfield, where I was delayed 

 until Friday evening, when I foxmd a farmer whose 

 "claim" lies near Cottonwood Lake, and he consented to 

 take me and my boat to the lake. Friday night found 

 mo exchanging salutations with mj old friend William 

 Sutton and his good wife and family. My coming was 

 enthely unexpected, but I was met hy that hearty wel- 

 come which makes one "feel at home" and which no one 

 knows better how to give than this family. After supper 

 Mr. S. and I, over our pipes, recall the pleasant hom-s we 

 have had together in the past, and discuss the probabih- 

 ties for the limiting of the few days which I am to spend 

 with him. The fii'st flight of geese has gone, the bright, 

 warm weather and south winds are delaying the last 

 flight, still there are some left, and brant are coming in 

 in gTeat flocks. Ducks, as usual, are plentiful. Alto- 

 gether the outlook is favorable. I unpack my gim and 

 lay out shooting toggery ready for the morrow, with the 

 resolve that no time shall be wasted. 



Satiu-day dawns bright and clear, and I launch my boat 

 and start for a six-mUe cruise around the lake. The wind 

 is from the S. W. and quite fresh. I take lee of the west 

 shore and paddle leisurely along, not expecting any 

 shooting tmtil I reach the tall rushes a mile or more be- 

 low; but suddenly, and as usual, unexpectedly, amaUard 

 rises from the grass and reeds along shore: with a stai-tled 

 quack, quack, he makes off as fast as wings can cairy 

 him. It's a pretty, straightaway shot, and although he 

 has a good start before the paddle is exchanged for the 

 gun, he dr ops to the first bairel. Two more birds rise be- 

 fore the rushes are reached; the first gets away, notwith- 

 standing both barrels call after him, the last, a blue- 

 winged teal, comes down at the first call. Now we come 

 to the rushes, paddle is exchanged for push-pole and soon 

 the ducks begm to rise. I score several misses, for it is 

 quick work to drop the pole, pick up the gun and get a 



shot before the birds are beyond reach, but I am well 

 satisfied with the sport, and return for dinner with a very 

 fair showing of ducks and an appetite unknown belore 

 for many a day. Amon^ the ducks Idlled was one can- 

 vasback, the first I ever snot on this lake. I saw a num- 

 ber of them dining my stay, but they were always well 

 out in the open water and so shy that I never succeeded 

 in getting near enough to them for a shot. Saturday 

 evening I added three white brant to the day's score and 

 felt well satisfied with the day's work. 



Sunday Major Howell (from the town of Howell, fom-- 

 teen miles west from Cottonwood) dropped in on us about 

 dinner time, and insisted on my visiting old friends at his 

 town. Monday spent with him, so no hunting was done. 

 The Major was a candidate for County Ti-easurer, and was 

 very much engaged with what he termed "missionary 

 work." I left him Tuesday morning just as he was start- 

 ing out with his pockets well fUlsd with what he called 

 "tracts," but which looked for aU the world Uke what we 

 designate as election tickets back in the States. (I have 

 bad a note from the Major since my retm*n, in which he 

 says he "got there in elegant shape.") 



Tuesday evening I returned to Cottonwood, shooting a 

 half dozen grouse and chickens on the way, and closed the 

 day with foiu' more geese. 



"VVednesday morniiig early a party of four of us went to 

 the cornfields to try for geese, but were not very success- 

 ful, getting only five, two of them falling to my little 13- 

 gauge. One of the party, who was shooting a very fine 

 10-gauge 10-poimd EngHsh-made gun, had expressed 

 many doubts about my being able to "reach them" with 

 the 8|-pound 13-gauge", but the results of the morning's 

 shoot rather astonished him and gratified me. I am a 

 very enthusiastic American, and, while not detracting at 

 all from the shooting qualities of foreign-made guns, 

 which are too well known to be denied, am just "set 

 enough in my ways" to think that just as good guns are 

 made at home. At any rate, this little 12-gauge Damas- 

 cus Remington is good enough for me. 



I had intended to keep a record of each day's shooting, 

 but Mr. Sutton's son Wesley and I gave up 'the attempt 

 to keep a correct score. We shot every day all we 

 wanted. The four days' shooting netted" over twenty 

 geese and brant, and a goodly number of chickens and 

 grouse sandwiched between the moming and evening 

 shooting on the lake. 



Saturday came all too soon. I had promised to be 

 home for election (Tuesday), and must start Saturday 

 night in order to get there, so the gun is cleaned and put 

 in the case, flannel sliirt and shooting coat affectionately 

 folded away, while the fines of an old poem, which 

 always ring in our ears at the close of a hunting holiday, 

 come to us again: 



"We linger while we turn away, 



We cling while we depart, 

 And memories unl^no^vn till then 



Gome crowding round the heart. 

 Let what will lure us on our way. 



Farewell's a bitter word to sav"— 



to ^eese and ducks. Soon we are bowling over the hard 

 prairie road toward Redfield. Eight o'clock P. M. finds 

 me aboard the train, and on Monday evemng I am re- 

 counting the pleasui'es of my trip at my own table at 

 home. S. C. G. 



ITEMS FROM GEORGIA. 



AUGUSTA, Ga., Nov. 18.— On account of the pro- 

 tracted drought and warm weather very little hunt- 

 ing has been done about here; but several showers have 

 fallen of laie and a cold wave has passed over us. This 

 has brought out the dog and gun, and Bob Wliite is being 

 bagged freely. I had just an hom-'s sport this afternoon 

 and bagged four quail in four consecutive shots. Only 

 one covey was found on account of the lateness of, the 

 hour. My faithful pointer dog Dan (A.K.R. 3981) made 

 every pomt tine and staunch. There is a peciiliarity 

 about this dog not generally found. It is his habit when 

 he finds bu-ds, and you are not near enough to see him, 

 after remaining for a tkne on point he will back off and 

 come to you with such signs as to inform you of the fact, 

 I have known him to do it twice on the same covey in a 

 test. He did the same thing this afternoon. He is k wide 

 ranger, but always comes back in a given time. Being 

 off longer than usual this afterncon, I told the young man 

 with me that "Dan had bh'ds." We took his direction 

 over a small hill to find him. When we came to the biow 

 of the hiU he came up to me wagging his tail. I then 

 followed him a short way and he led me directly to the 

 point on two bhds he had in the brush. He does'this fre- 

 quently when the birds lay weU. 



Much game is now coming into market. Deer, turkey, 

 duck, woodcock, quail, etc., are daily seen in our streets 

 and in the market. One person killed ten turkeys on a 

 trip down the river last week, and ducks are plentiful. 



In a recent number of the Forest and Stream I asked 

 how many broods of quail were hatclied hi a season. You 

 replied, "Two, and somethnes three." I am convinced of 

 the correctness of yom- answer. I took a short ride with 

 my gun and dog on the loth of October last. He 

 pointed in a stubble field, when I immediately dis- 

 mounted and went to put up the birds. When I got to 

 him I found young birds running all over the ground. 

 They could not have been more than two or tlnee days 

 old. They had no wings and made no effort to fly. Of 

 course I did not shoot at the old ones, but rode off. 



Another question I wish to ask is this: Can you or any 

 of your readers inform me in what places quail can be 

 found at certain hom-s of the day, say beginning at 8 

 o'clock in the morning ? I want to know where the best 

 places are to hunt them at a given hour. Most every one 

 has a theory for himself, and I ask this because I have 

 been requested to do so, and for general information. 



J. M. W. 



Sacrasiento, Cal., Nov. 7. — Oiu* open season has been 

 upon us now for nearly six weeks, and reports fiom all 

 quarters represent small game as very plentiful. Gee^e 

 and ducks are everywhere and the foothill section abotmds 

 in quail. We have had a couple of good rains and the 

 leaves are falling, which means that the qnaU hunter's 

 time has come. No fi'osts have yet occm'red in northern 

 Cahf oruia, althotigh they have had several severe ones in 

 the southern section. StiU, the days ai"e cold enough to 

 allow one to do vigorous work without discomfort. — 

 Sancho, 



