86 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Am. 25, 1887. 



HUMMINGBIRD AND SPARROW. 



WHO killed cock sparrow ? I, said the hummingbird, 

 with my little arrow. Lance would be the more 

 correct word, but it wouldn't rhyme. "Jacobstaff" pooh- 

 poohs at the idea of a hummer transfixing a jack-sparrow 

 with his bill. The presentation of bills often transfixes 

 great, big, tough, brassy people, why shouldn't a mite of 

 a sparrow succumb? Let me ask "Jacobstaff" an easy 

 one : If straws can be driven through the weather board- 

 ing of a house by a cyclone, or tallow candles shot 

 through a board, why not permit a persecuted and raging 

 little hummer to thrust to death the tyrannous sparrow? 

 Does he suppose the wee flash of gold and emerald could 

 not infuse enough backbone into his bill, in his frenzied 

 fury, to pierce even a sparrow's jacket ? Go to. There be 

 more things in heaven and earth than we have yet com- 

 passed. 



If the correspondent is to be believed, the humming- 

 bird was seen by him to repeatedly attack the sparrow 

 as if thrusting his bill into him, and afterward the spar- 

 row, kingbird and one or two other birds were found 

 dead beneath the hummer's nest. Men have been hung 

 on less powerful circumstantial evidence. The kingbird, 

 mark you, was not seen to attack, nor even to make 

 insulting and exasperating motions to the sparrow, nor 

 was the latter seen to sidle toward the former, or "other 

 birds," with his wings trailing and evidently using in- 

 sulting and indecent language, nagging them in his only 

 and inimitable way — none of this. These great hulks 

 of birds were there for infamous purposes. It is an un- 

 written but not unsung law among the feathered tribes 

 that, during the bringing forth of a family, outside 

 parties must keep (not hands, but) feet off. How would 

 "Jacobstaff" feel, supposing him to be a Benedict with 

 the title of paterfamilias, to have noisy, tattling, and 

 altogether disreputable interlopers around at a similar 

 period in Ms family history? He'd attack them were 

 they Brobdignaggian, and slay them had he nought more 

 than a pen — and all honor to him for it. Then why 

 belittle the deed of the valiant little David in slaying the 

 Philistine? If I were a poet I would sing in immortal 

 verse the brave deed of the hummer, and I here bespeak 

 the services of some laureate at his earliest opportunity. 

 It would have been proof more positive, possibly, if the 

 hummingbird had been found dead with his little bill 

 driven through one of hiB tormentors and clinched, but 

 he had other fish to fry, and still no doubt lives and hums 

 to protect his family and spear other marauding sparrows, 

 et al. Give the humming bird his due. O. O. S. 



UNUSUAL NESTING SITES OF BIRDS. 



IN a paper read before the California Academy of 

 Sciences, Aug. 1, 1887, by Mr. Walter E. Bryant, some 

 interesting cases are cited of unusual nesting places of 

 birds. He says: 



One of the interesting features of the study of oology is 

 the selection of strange nesting sites made by many birds 

 when the circumstances of their environment compel a 

 departure from their customary habits. This is especially 

 noticeable in certain tree-building species, which avail 

 themselves of low bushes and sometimes even the ground 

 in the absence of trees. 



During a recent trip to Carson, Nev., and vicinity, I 

 was particularly impressed by the unusual and novel 

 situation which had been chosen by birds whose nesting 

 habits were well known. These had adapted themselves 

 to various situations, the mention of which, together with 

 instances noted from other localities where choice rather 

 than circumstances seemingly prompted the departures, 

 may be interesting. 



California Partridge (Callipepla californica). — Es- 

 sentially a ground building species, but several cases have 

 come to my notice of its nesting in trees upon the upright 

 end of a broken or decayed limb or at the intersection of 

 two large branches. A few years agoabrood was hatched 

 and safely conducted away from a vine-covered trellis at 

 the front door of a popular seminary. How the parent 

 birds managed to get the tender young down to the 

 ground is not known. 



Red-shafted Flicker (Colaptes cafer). — Three in- 

 stances are recalled when this species nested in unusual 

 places. One of these was in a bridge bulkhead a few 

 feet above the Carson River. The interior of the structure 

 was filled with gravel and large stones, among wmich the 

 eggs were deposited. Another pair used a target butt at 

 a much frequented range as a substitute for a stump. A 

 third nest was in a sandbank 3ft. from the top and 10ft. 

 from the creek. This hole was apparently specially pre- 

 pared, and not one made by a ground squirrel, such holes 

 being sometimes used by these birds. 



Calliope Hummingbird (Trochilus calliope). — A nest 

 was found built upon a projecting splinter of a wood pile 

 at a height of 5ft. Another was secured to a rope within 

 an outbuilding. 



Arkansas Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis). — An old and 

 much flattened nest of Bullock's oriole was found refined 

 and. containing four kingbird's eggs. One of the most 

 remarkable instances of persistency in nest building was 

 met with in the case of a pair of kingbirds which had at- 

 tempted to construct a nest upon the outer end of a wind- 

 mill fan. A horizontal blade had probably been first 

 selected, but an occasional breath of air had slightly 

 turned the mill, bringing into place another and another, 

 upon each of which had been deposited the first material 

 for a nest until several nests were in different stages of 

 construction, varying with the time that the windmill 

 had remained quiet, while upon the roof below was strewn 

 a quantity of debris that had fallen as the wheel revolved. 

 Of course nothing but failure could be expected from 

 their repeated attempts. 



Say's Phoebe {Sayornis saya). — A nest which could be 

 conveniently reached by a person on horseback was found 

 by Mr. Walter Bliss at Carson, placed within and close to 

 the entrance of a deserted bank swallow's burrow. 



Brewer's Blackbird (Scolecophagus cyanocephalm), — 

 All the nests foimd at Carson were upon the ground, usu- 

 ally on the edge of a bank formed by an irrigating ditch, 

 with the exception of one which was built 2ft. from the 

 ground upon dry tule and well hidden by the growing 

 stems. 



Crimson House Finch (Carpodaeus frontalis rhodo- 

 colpus). — Besides the odd situations which they select 

 about the houses, they avail themselves of the last year's 

 nests of Bullock's oriole. 



Parkman's Wren (Troglodytes aedon parkmanii). — The 

 species has been known to build in the skull of a horse, 



which had been placed in a fruit tree; in the nests of cliff 

 swallows, and within an old shoe lodged in a tree. 



Western Robin (Merula migratoria propinqua). — A 

 pair of robins built and reared a brood in a hanging basket 

 suspended from the edge of the veranda at the residence 

 of Mr. H. G. Parker, at Carson, Nev. 



Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana). — Dr. Cooper in- 

 forms me that he has known a bluebird to build in a cliff 

 swallow's nest. 



Mountain Bluebird (Sialia arctica).— Three incubated 

 eggs of this species were taken from the nest of a barn- 

 swallow at Lake Tahoe, Cal., by Mr. Walter Bliss. 



European Sparrow (Passer domesticus).— Since the 

 introduction of this pest into our cities, many birds, 

 hitherto common, have left for the suburbs, notably the 

 cliff swallows, whose nests were appropriated by the 

 sparrows. In these cases the limited space compelled the 

 latter to dispense with the usual amount of rubbish, and 

 carry in only a lining of feathers. 



The Gila Monster.— Benson, Arizona, Aug. 11.— The 

 readers of your valuable paper should feel under obliga- 

 tions to Dr. Shufeldt for his highly interesting article on 

 the Gila monster, in issue of August 4. While this 

 creature is quite common in this vicinity, very little is 

 really known about them, and naturally many erroneous 

 ideas are commonly held in regard to them. One which 

 I think is not questioned by the Mexican, credits it with 

 the power of throwing its poison. I have often heard 

 the statement made that its poison could be cast a foot 

 or more. Of course there is no foundation in fact for 

 such belief, but it goes to show how little is really known 

 of the habits of the Gila monster in places where it is 

 the most common. Others hold the opinion that they 

 are entirely harmless. Two years ago, a very large one 

 was on exhibition at a saloon in Fair bank, a few miles 

 from here. A man came in, and after expressing himself 

 of his firm belief that they would not bite, attempted to 

 force open the reptile's mouth, in order to convince the 

 crowd that they were all w-rong in regard to its venomous 

 powers. He finally succeeded in forcing open the jaws, 

 but no sooner were they open than they immediately 

 closed upon his thumb, puncturing the nail. Whisky 

 was immediately administered in large doses but had no 

 effect, the man sank into a stupor from which he never 

 rallied, dying in about four hours from the time he was 

 bitten. The Gila monster, tarantulas and centipedes are 

 much more numerous during the rainy season, which is 

 now upon us. Last season there was captured in the 

 yard in front of our office a centipede which measured 

 seven inches in length, the largest I have ever seen. 

 Tarantulas are very common and attain a very large size. 

 — G. N. K. 



Discovery of the Nest and Eggs of the Evening 

 Grosbeak (Ooecothraustes vespertina). — At a meeting of 

 the California Academy of Sciences, June 20, 1887, Mr. 

 Walter E. Bryant read a paper under the above title. He 

 said: "Although this species was first described in 1825, 

 I believe that no description of its nest and eggs has pre- 

 viously appeared. Accordingly I take pleasure in announc- 

 ing the discovery of the first nest and eggs, by Mr. E. H. 

 Fiske, in Yolo county, California. Regarding this inter- 

 esting finding Mr. Fiske has written me the following 

 particulars from his field notes. The nest, containing 

 four eggs, was taken May 10, 1886, but incubation was so 

 far advanced that he was unable to preserve them. In 

 general shape, color and marking, they were similar to 

 eggs of the black-headed grosbeak, but in size he thinks 

 they were somewhat larger. The nest was built in a 

 small live oak, at a height of ten feet, and was a more 

 pretentious structure than is usually built by the black- 

 headed grosbeak, being composed of small twigs support- 

 ing a thin layer of fibrous bark and a lining of horsehair. 

 It is hoped that Mr. Fiske will be successful in finding 

 additional specimens from which measurements may be 

 determined." 



Those Mysterious Maine Cats Again.— New Lon- 

 don, Conn. — Editor Forest and Stream: While on a 

 trip down the Maine coast this summer, I stopped a few 

 days at a granite quarry called Long Cave, about thirty 

 miles below the Kennebec River. While there, in one 

 store of the place, I noticed a queer animal. It was like 

 a cat, excepting its tail and ears. The tail was similar to 

 a skunk's, only being soft and fine hair. From the inside 

 of the ears grew long feelers, that hung so as to form 

 tassels. The animal was about the size of a large house 

 cat, and perfectly tame and extremely playful. Color 

 black and white, with stripings like a common black and 

 white skunk. The inhabitants called it a "skunk cat," 

 and said it was a cross between a skunk and cat. — A. 

 B. C. [This must be a variant of the "coon cat" story, 

 the animal being in all probability an Angora cat, or a 

 cross between an Angora cat and a common cat.] 



A Sad Affliction.— We regret to learn that Dr. Morris 

 Gibbs, on his return recently from a fishing excursion to 

 northern Michigan, was prostrated by a stroke of paral- 

 ysis, which leaves his right side completely helpless. He 

 is now able to walk by the aid of a cane held in his left 

 hand, but his right arm and hand are of no use whatever. 

 Dr. Gibbs's interesting articles on the birds and mammals 

 of Michigan will be remembered with pleasure by many 

 of our readers. He is an ardent lover of nature, and it is 

 to be hoped that his recovery and his return to his favor- 

 ite pursuits may not be long delayed. 



Throughout what used to be marked on the maps as 

 Rupert's Land are extensive areas of low swampy ground, 

 reed and grass grown, and hundred of small lakes. The 

 Canadian Pacific Railroad winds for miles through a por- 

 tion of this swampy region, and in every swamp and lake 

 were thousands of mother ducks surrounded by their young, 

 and scores of geese were also there. The region is the breed- 

 ing ground of wild waterfowl. Snipe and plover ran along 

 the shores of the open lakes and white gulls flitted softly 

 over the lakes crying mournfully. Hooked at these birds 

 with great interest and quickly saw that the ducks were 

 mostly mallards and there was not a drake among them. I 

 asked an Englisman who breeds hunting dogs at Winnipeg 

 and who is a sportsman, where the drakes were. "In the 

 far north," he replied, and then he added: "They stay here, 

 until the ducks begin to set, then they suddenly disappear. 

 A few weeks after the shooting season opens immense flocks 

 of old green-head mallards arrive from the north and at 

 once mingle with the young ducks. Yes," he repeated, "the 

 drakes summer in the far north."— Times Correspondence. 



'wnt ^ztg <md %m\* 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Pud. Go. 



A MICHIGAN WILD TURKEY. 



TT is not in mental listlessness that the overworked 

 A mind finds complete rest: it is by diverting it into 

 other channels of equal activity, but of less laborious 

 thought, of more excitement, but of less responsibility. 

 If the body has become weary with sedentsry labors, it 

 too needs a change to active muscular exertions, which 

 will accelerate the blood and stimulate the secretions. 

 For him who has a taste for the billiard table, the danc- 

 ing hall, the horse race or base ball, these diversions may 

 serve as a relief from oppressive mental toil; in them may 

 be found the completest rest for both mind and body. 

 Yes, there is rest for the body, even in its aching fatigue. 

 The tired hunter returns to camp fairly oppressed with 

 fatigue, pulls off his boots and jacket, and throws him- 

 self upon the blankets, which cover his bed of boughs, 

 and feels an abandon of luxury which can only be en- 

 joyed, but not described. The hissing of the frying-pan 

 or of the stew kettle is music which charms the savage 

 breast as well as his own, and the aroma of the coffee 

 wdiets an appetite which a long day fasting in the wood 

 has made so keen that it can give to the coarsest fare a 

 luxurious relish. But it is rare that the camp table is 

 reduced to coarse fare. This is proved by the fat buck 

 that hangs on the limb of a tree hard by, a few brace of 

 grouse, which hang on one antler, and on the other a 

 string of speckled trout or black bass, fresh from the 

 stream or lakelet, whose restless waters sing a cadence 

 more harmonious than iEolian harp. Such luxuries as 

 these with congenial companionship in the light of soft 

 nature's smiles, or where nature's rugged features almost 

 frown, constitute a feast in a banquet hall so broad that 

 it has no limit, and adorned with pictures the like of 

 which no artist ever painted. The perfume of pine and 

 balsam and other fragrant trees and shrubs expands the 

 lungs, and soothe to sleep so sweet and so invigorating 

 that in the morning one can remember no disturbing 

 dreams, but feels that a new lease of life has come and of 

 a fife worth living. 



When one has lived for more than fifty years where 

 game did greatly abound, most of which were inter- 

 spersed with such pleasing episodes, the loss of vision, so 

 that he can no longer shoot nor even fish with satisfac- 

 tion, drives him to the memory of the past, where he can 

 live over again the scenes which at the time filled his 

 heart with joy. How vividly many particular incidents 

 come up of long, long ago, when a very successful shot, 

 or great luck with the rod and reel, that produced a thrill 

 that penetrated the very soul, which seemed for the 

 instant to fairly intoxicate him. These bright spots in 

 memory are a sweet solace to one who can only read and 

 write vicariously; but one can not shoot by the hands of 

 another. To attempt this would be a mockery and a 

 regret. One of these bright spots now shines out before 

 me, as I contemplate the past, and I may again enjoy it 

 and perhaps more fully by relating it. 



About the first of November, 1847, when I was holding 

 the circuit court at Hennepin in Putnam county, 111. ,, 

 Mr. Poole, who lived on Sandy Creek about 10 miles 

 south, came in and invited Mr. Cook and myself to go 

 down and spend a night at his cabin and take a morning 

 hunt. Both deer and wild turkeys were at that time 

 abundant, and the temptation was irresistible. 



Mr. Poole had himself been an old hunter, and had 

 made several trips to Santa Fe, in New Mexico, in the 

 employment of trains or caravans to supply them with 

 meat, and his accounts of his experiments were always 

 told in a charming and instructive manner. I was par- 

 ticularly struck with the description of the way in which 

 he would determine the neighborhood of a herd of buf- 

 falo when he would start out before daylight in the morn- 

 ing. He would go a mile or so into the prairie, and there 

 on the top of some knoll or ridge place his ear to the 

 ground, and listen for their continuous grunt or heavy 

 breathing when lying down and ruminating. A con- 

 siderable herd acting in unison could in this mode be 

 heard at a long distance, and their direction determined 

 before they could scent the hunter, even though the wind 

 was favorable for them. When a herd was thus located, 

 he would secure a position to the leeward of them, and 

 by cautious approach would gain a proximity by the time 

 . it was light enough to shoot, which would enable him to 

 make a choice selection. 



At that time the buffalo were very abundant, and he 

 rarely had any difficulty in supplying the camp with an 

 abundance of meat. Indeed it was not infrequent that 

 a caravan was delayed by countless herds of buffalo cross- 

 ing the trail. They were sometimes harassed by the 

 Comanche Indians, who were at that time a terror to 

 both the whites and their savage neighbors. Indeed it 

 was claimed that a large portion of white blood was in- 

 fused into the tribe wbich was obtained from white 

 children which they had stolen from settlements at a 

 great distance away, and brought up in their savage 

 homes, and these Mr. Poole said became the worst 

 savages of them all. 



Those who have ever listened to an intelligent trapper 

 or plainsman of fifty years ago can appreciate how we 

 enjoyed that evening until near midnight. There is cer- 

 tainly a charm about the adventures which have occurred 

 in the wild prairies, in the deep and sombre forests, and 

 in the craggy mountains where civilization has not broken 

 the charm which wild nature exhibits in her enchanting 

 displays. If I could remember all that I have heard the 

 old hunter relate, I could write a book of surpassing 

 interest. 



At last we retired to rest, but long before daylight we , 

 were up and out. There was a cornfield up the creek 

 bottom, not more than half a mile away, which Mr. 

 Poole said the deer frequently visited just before day- 

 light. This position was assigned to me. Heavy forests 

 were all around. The moon had gone down, and the 

 starlight seemed insufficient to shed any light beneath 

 the deep shade of the forest. I cautiously followed the 

 path, which led alongside of and beyond the cornfield, 

 intently listening for the sound of 'the deer, but heard 

 nothing. When I had gotten beyond the field, I sat 

 down upon an old log, waiting and listening till streaks 

 of light began to shoot up in the east and show them- 

 selves above the tops of the great trees. No deer came. 



