July 12 1888. J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



4 91 



"What amused us most, however, was the man selling 

 cucumbers about a foot long, in lots of two, at auction, 

 in front of the church. ''■Encore deux. Un cent, deux 

 cents, deux, deux, trois cents. Vendues a Madame Veil- 

 Jette." (Two more. One cent, two cents, two cents, two, 

 two, three cents. Sold to Madame Veillette.) 



Having supplied ourselves with bread, sugar and other 

 necessaries, and left a telegram announcing our home- 

 coming, winch telegram, with the dispatch characteristic 

 of the telegraph service of Canada, so far as my experi- 

 ence goes, has not arrived yet, we put off, and by good 

 luck reached the mouth of the river and the railway 

 station before dark without loss or damage, except to our 

 pockets and Damase's breeches. 



Though we often say in winter, "le bo is est peutprtP 

 (the woods are poor), yet I find there is more life in it 

 than I thought of. That health, strength and endless 

 pleasures were in them I knew before. 



*The cent and dollar have now taken the place of the sous, 

 ehelin and louis of my earlier days here. 



W. P. GREENOUGH. 



Pohtneuf, P. Q., Dec. 8, 1887. 



SOME NOTES ON THE OTTER. 



THE otter is by no means a rare animal among the 

 Sea Islands, though one of the most difficult to 

 observe. Of keen senses and always on the alert, he 

 skulks on the first intimation of danger, and it is only 

 the most experienced hunter who can say with certainty 

 as a delicate ripple appears far down the creek, "There 

 goes an otter." 



For a year or two past most of my time has been spent 

 in solitary rambles about the good old Hunting Islands 

 and surrounding creeks, and I have made quite an in- 

 timate acquaintance with some of the habits of these 

 very interesting animals. In a creek back of Edding's 

 Island I often came upon several at a time. One after- 

 noon in February I was sculling cautiously after a. buffle- 

 head drake, when a large otter slipped out of the marsh 

 and treated me to a long stare at a distance of only about 

 20ft. Without making any sudden movement I allowed 

 my oar to trail down to the mud, and as my little skiff 

 deadened her headway a puff of wind swung her bow 

 toward shore, and I saw further back two more otters 

 coming to join the first. The two others put up their 

 heads down stream and glided up the bank to their 

 companion. After fully a minute's close study of the 

 situation they seemed to realize the fact that I intended 

 them no harm, and then began a game of romps which 

 exceeded in grace and agility anything I ever witnessed. 

 With arched backs and swinging tails two would approach 

 each other, rise on their hind legs, spar a little daintily, and 

 glide under and over each other; a third would join in — 

 all joined in, and the top of that mud bank was a glowing 

 picture of graceful animal forms and flashing purple brown 

 fur. There seemed to be no emulation or strife of any 

 kind nor anything resembling a dance. The play con- 

 sisted of gliding and turning about in a space perhaps 

 four feet by ten, and the interchange of hilarious glances 

 and polite— that is the only term I can express it bv— mo- 

 tions as two members of the group came face to face. 

 There was no crowding nor jostling, and no pausing in 

 movement for one to pass before another. After about 

 fifteen minutes of this sport the largest one gave them 

 a few high curving leaps among the group and shot like 

 a flash into the water. Each one followed closely in 

 turn down the same track, and without waiting a mo- 

 ment in the water returned to re enact the feat. This last 

 performance seems to partake of the nature of a race, and 

 once or twice there was quite a scuffle for precedence at 

 the head of the slide. The smoothness of the diving could 

 not be excelled. There was scarcely a spatter or a bubble 

 as they entered the water. Suddenly one rose so close by 

 me that I lost my presence of mind and turned my head 

 quickly. In an instant all was confusion. The two that 

 were on the bank dashed into the water with all the noise 

 and spatter they could make, and the next I saw of the 

 party was a succession of little black dots appearing and 

 disappearing some hundred yards or more down the creek. 



This is the largest number of otters that I have ever 

 seen sliding together. Single ones and pairs I have often 

 watched, and I think they always engage in a short pre- 

 liminary gambol before the real sport begins. 



I think that otters always catch their fish by the middle. 

 I have often seen them raise their heads above water and 

 shake a large fish as though to terminate its struggles, 

 and then go out on the bank -to eat it. When two are 

 fishing together each shares the other's luck. After land- 

 ing his fish one will sometimes wait a minute or two for 

 his less fortunate companion to join him. There seems to 

 be much of the honest gentleman in this handsome fel- 

 low's character. 



The young are brought forth late in the winter or dur- 

 ing the spring. A hollow under roots is selected often at 

 some distance from the water. It often surprises me to 

 see what a small opening these otter nests have. The 

 first time I ever saw one I found a dog digging at a little 

 hole that I thought might contain a small 'possum, but 

 most likely a large rat. Judge of my surprise then on 

 unearthing three young otters. The dog to my disgust 

 killed two, but the other I suceeded hi saving and raising 

 "on the bottle." 



Such an appetite as the rascal had. He waked me up 

 at all hours of the night for that bottle, and was as much 

 trouble as the most fractious human baby. This business 

 lasted only about two weeks, however. At the end of 

 that time he could fight for his meals with a little terrier 

 bitch that occupied the same quarters, and Madam always 

 had to give up to Lutra. For a month or six weeks he 

 followed the tramp's rule of "no work between meals," 

 sleeping all his spare time. Suddenly one Sunday morn- 

 ing he seemed to realize that 1 had some claim on his 

 attention. He nosed about my slippers till I took him 

 up, and then he made such a fuss pulling my beard and 

 knocking my pipe stem half way down my throat that I 

 had to compromise by treating him to a swim and myself 

 to a bath at the same time. After this he was with me 

 always. Wherever I went he was close by. And his un- 

 timely death was caused by my heartlessness in not 

 taking him out to play cards on Thanksgiving Day. 



I have never seen but one honest fight between an ot- 

 ter and a dog. The dog got pretty much the worst of it. 



It was my dog Nat. Nat is short for naturalized citi- 

 zen. I must digress a little and tell about that dog. He 

 was a foreigner of some sort, red with black muzzle, a 

 powerful seizer. deep voice, and the best trailer I ever 

 owned. He selected me for his master, stole himself on 

 me in fact, in Port Royal, and I gave the mate of the ves- 

 sel he came on five dollars. When I got back there the 

 next week the Captain offered me ten dollars to get him 

 back. I agreed. Next morning when I opened my door 

 the old fellow was there. Just turned an eye upon rue 

 and rapped the piazza three times with his tail and 

 Avent to sleep again. That was the only good dog trade 1 

 ever made. We got along together first-rate, only he 

 knew no English and T no double-Dutch or whatever his 

 language was. The word to come to heel that the cap- 

 tain used sounded to me profane. Never swear at your 

 dog, even if you are not a gentleman he will perhaps 

 mistake you for one. 



I had got left by the tide one day on a little marsh 

 island, and having nothing to eat, I went to pick some 

 oysters. Return ing through som e lo w rushes I came upon 

 an otter making for the water. I happened to want 

 an otter skin just then, so having no gun I went in with 

 my oysters, when the animal made a rush for me and I 

 had a lively job to kick him off. I tried to call my dog. 

 When Naif cauic up he needed no bidding but seized at 

 once by the hack and tried to shake, but it. was no go. 

 His slim antagonist had him by the flank in no time and 

 I had to ply the boot again. His next grip was on the 

 cheek, and the otter seemed to be getting the worst of it, 

 but he doubled up with all four feet on the side of Nat's 

 head and fairly tore loose, leaving hie lower eyelid hang- 

 ing; Both were badly blooded, but not at all groggy, and 

 now began to rush and tear at each other as if there was 

 money on the result. But the otter kept edging for the 

 water. Just as he got pretty near the bank be succeeded 

 in fastening on poor Nat's muzzle, and, bracing firmly, 

 backed for his own element. I might have interfered 

 easily now, for the oars lay handy in the boat, hut after 

 such! a sturdy fight I wished to see fair play to the end. 

 I let them wrestle for a few minutes, till I saw that if I 

 hesitated any longer I should lose my dog, so I helped 

 him hack by his tail and the otter broke his hold and 

 dove. Nat took the water almost as quickly as he did, but 

 luckily for liimself did not succeed in finding him there. 

 Fbogmork, s. c. Walter Hoxie. 



BLACK AND SILVER GRAY FOXES. 



WINNIPEG, Man., May 14. — Editor Forest and 

 Stream: Sportsmen and students of natural his- 

 tory should ever be seeking more light and be open to 

 conviction; as I am a firm behever in the theory that we 

 should practice what we preach, I must admit that I 

 have lately had several set backs in my expressed belief 

 that all black and silver gray foxes are males; and I have 

 seen that to-day which makes me feel that my last prop 

 has been knocked from under me. Yes, my friend 

 Mercier, of the Alaska Commercial Company, and other 

 northern friends and the writer have been mistaken. Mr, 

 Hine. a taxidennist of this city, showed me this morning 

 a young black or silver gray fox that he had just set up 

 that w T as, so he says, when in the flesh a female; and he 

 also informed me that Mr. E. McColl, Indian Commis- 

 sioner, had at his residence near the city several tame 

 black foxes, and that he was of the opinion that part of 

 them were females. 



Half an hour's, walk took me to Mr. McColl's residence, 

 where I found him, an agreeable gentleman and pleased 

 that I had walked out on purpose to see his pets. He has 

 among his collection several red foxes, two male cross 

 foxes and four beautiful female black foxes; that is, he 

 claims them to be females, and from their coquettish 

 actions I firmly believe he is right. They would rush up 

 to us in a most pleased and charming manner, but when 

 a hand was extended to caress them, with a flirt and a 

 wriggle they were away like a flash ; then would either 

 waltz around us in a tantalizing way or sit down out of 

 reach in such a sedate and demure manner, staring at us 

 like big black-eyed houris, that one not versed in their 

 deviltries would think that any number of chickens would 

 ba safe in their company. Mr. McColl has a large roomy 

 loft for them to run in, but has not as yet been able to 

 breed from them. But in the face of this fact, I believe 

 that they belong to the gentle sex. The black foxes were 

 from the same litter and varied in color; one was a beau- 

 tiful silver gray and one other almost a pure black. I 

 would advise any of the readers of the Forest and 

 Stream who may be in this northern prairie city to visit 

 Mr. Hine's rooms; and should they have another couple 

 of hours to spare to visit Mr. McColl. who is a courteous, 

 hospitable gentleman. He has besides his living pets 

 quite a collection of rare furs and Indian curiosities. 



Victoria, B. C, May 26.— Mr. K. N. L. McDonald has 

 lately arrived here from his far northern home, Cassiar, 

 B. C, and in company with that prince of good fellows, 

 John Fannin, of this city, and the writer, the black fox 

 question has been discussed over again. Mr. McDonald 

 has weakened somewhat in his opinions regarding the 

 sex of the black or silver gray fox. He admits that he 

 has seen a young black male cross and a red fox in one 

 litter; and also says that other northern H. B. men agree 

 with my former belief that all black foxes are males. 

 They account for this fact in this manner, that the 

 males of many of our birds and wildfowl nave a far 

 heavier and more beautiful plumage than that of the 

 females. So you will occasionally find among the fur- 

 bearing animals that the male has a much finer and 

 darker coat than the female. In some families this dif- 

 ference is more common and more strongly marked than 

 in others, and would seem to reach its climax in the fox 

 family. That is, if the blacks are all males. 



Another question comes to the front. What is a cross 

 fox? Are they the progeny of a black sire and red dam? 

 Has any of your readers seen a female cross fox, if so 

 were they fertile or barren? 



Sergeant S., whom "Yo" has occasion to remember so 

 well, has so far recovered his health as to be able to re- 

 turn to duty. Some time ago the sergeant captured the 

 litter of a she red fox and there was a young black fox 

 among those whelps. Enough said. 



When the editor has settled this fox controversy we 

 trust that we shall see the bighorn and mountain goat 

 receive attention , and when this comes up all small boys 

 will need "stand from under." The writer could give a 

 few facts concerning these animals, but there's a dan- 

 gerous glitter in Mr. Fannin's eye that betokens mis- 

 chief, so we keep silent. Stanstead. 



THE LOON IN CAPTIVITY. 



ABOUT a week since a loon was caught in a net in the 

 St. John River, a few miles above Fredericton, by 

 a man who was engaged in drifting by night for shad 

 and salmon. The bird was freed from the net and 

 brought to Fredericton, where it was purchased by Mr. 

 Wilmot Guion. This loon, which has a green ring 

 around his neck, and whose black back is spotted largely 

 with white, probably does not weigh over lOlbs. When 

 first caught, and for some time after, he was very cross, 

 and threatened with his long sharp bill those who came 

 near him, striking viciously at them with it. In front of 

 the City Hall at Fredericton stands a fountain, the basin 

 of which has a clear diameter of 14ft., exclusive of the 

 pedestal in the center; in this the loon was placed. The 

 water falls into the basin from a series of small jets, and 

 he is very fond of taking up his position under the drop- 

 ping spray. Since he has been placed in this basin he 

 has become very tame and allows himself to be handled 

 and caressed in the most confiding manner. He likes to 

 have the back of his head and neck scratched by the 

 visitor's hand. When there is a crowd looking at him 

 he conios to the side of the basin where they are. He 

 seems not to care about being in the water for more than 

 an horn- at a time; then he wants to be taken out and 

 placed upon the grass; when he is anxious to be removed 

 from the water he utters a low cry and readily allows 

 himself to be removed, coming, indeed, up to the person 

 who is ready to do him this kind turn. As soon as he is 

 out of the basin he begins pluming his feathers. 



After having been out of the water for a length of time 

 he is frantic when he is returned to it. The "other day 

 when replaced, he went three times around the basin 

 under water without ever coming to the surface. He is 

 very voracious, and yet dainty, as he will eat chub only 

 when just freshly killed, if at all stale he at once rejects 

 them. A fesv days ago three small chub swimming 

 around in a pail of water were brought to him, he drew 

 himself up, his eyes all the while glittering as he looked 

 at his finny food, and uttering a low note somewhat 

 similar to that of the wild goose, just as the fish were 

 being poured out into the basin he' caught one before it 

 reached the surface of the pond. The other two went, 

 one to the right, the other to the left; that which headed 

 to the right got but the loon's own length before he was 

 caught, that to the left got no further than six feet before 

 he shared a similar fate. 



Last evening an eel 18in. long was put into the basin, 

 and this, having concealed itself, the loon failed to catch 

 it. This morning, however, while he was diving he 

 brought the eel up, which twisted itself all around his 

 neck, but he held it tightly in his Mil, moving it slowly 

 around until he got to its head; he then succeeded in 

 swallowing, head first, about half of its length without 

 difficulty, but was seven or eight minutes getting the 

 rest of it down, the tail meanwhil« twisting about his bill 

 in a most singular manner. At the time the loon was 

 put in the basin there was a sturgeon about eighteen 

 inches long in it; this has disappeared and it is presumed 

 that the bird has made away with it. When not otherwise 

 engaged the loon occupies its time in snapping at the flies 

 which hover around the, edge of the basin or surface of 

 the water. Edward Jack. 



Fredericton, Canada, June 29. 



THAT BUFFALO CORRAL. 



CHICAGO, HI., July 5.— Editor Forest, and Stream: 

 The latest advices received by myself in regard to 

 Mr. C. J. Jones's buffalo hunt in the"Neutral Strip and Pan- 

 handle country, reference to which was made in Forest 

 and Stream of June 31, would indicate that the hunt 

 was a great success, and show that sanguine audacity 

 does sometimes "get there." Eleven adult buffalo and 

 seven calves were taken, and at the date of my latest in- 

 formation were being safely driven, with some of the Jones 

 domesticated buffalo herd, well on the way to Garden City. 

 Only about forty buffalo were found on the range. As 

 a piece of well-planned and well-carried out bit of plains 

 work, this hunt deserves a great deal more than ordinary 

 notice, as any plainsman or any buffalo hunter will 

 know. It was admirable. No man not possessed of a 

 perfect knowledge of the habits of the buffalo, and pos- 

 sessed besides of a vast amount of go and pluck, coidd 

 have made such an enterprise successful. And just now 

 it seems to me that odd, eccentric, indomitable and good- 

 hearted "Buffalo Jones" deserves our compliments and 

 congratulations. May his herd never grow less. 



E. Hough. 



A Duck in a Chimney.— Sherbrooke, Que., June 28.— 

 One day last week the household of one of our city resi- 

 dences were astonished at what they supposed was the 

 unusual amount of noise made by swallows in one of the 

 chimneys. As it continued at intervals for three days, 

 the lady of the house investigated the chimney-opening 

 in the cellar and thence extracted a live wild duck. 

 Knowing I would be interested, she sent it to me. Its 

 primaries were badly broken, but otherwise it was unin- 

 jured, as when I set it free on the river a mile or so from 

 town, it had no difficulty in getting out of the way of a 

 farmer's dog that had followed me unnoticed from the 

 road. How did it get there? Down the chimney, of 

 course. But what induced it to make such a mistake? 

 I did not recognize the species, but it was not a wood- 

 duck, or it would not have been so surprising. Is there 

 any other kind that nests in trees and which might have 

 made the mistake of thinking the chimney a tree? — Jos. 

 G. Walton. 



Unios and Rattlers, — Eliasville, Tex.— I note the re- 

 marks of your correspondents on my query about the 

 mussels of the Brazos, and I thank them for the edifica- 

 tion thev give me concerning this creature. I intended 

 to test their edibility with mine own mouth, and duly to 

 make report thereon; but the Clear Fork of Brazos from 

 which I should get them, has been, ever since the early 

 days of spring, like "a woman moved," "muddy, ill- 

 seeming and bereft of beauty;" and none could be got 

 except such dead ones as are cast ashore. However, a 

 woman moved in an evil way ceases to be so after a while, 

 if she be not an uncommon bad one, and the good spirits 

 take possession of her; when she again puts forth her 

 seemliness and beauty, inviting to be kissed. So the 

 Clear Fork of Brazos will in due time cease to be angry 

 and swollen, and then we shall go in and catch mussels. 

 "Awahsoose" asks if I have examined the unios for 



