224 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Oct. 13, 188?. 



This species is very abundant in southern Mexico, and 

 especially in Nicaragua, where I am told that the people 

 hunt it at night with dogs, much as we do our Opossums 

 in the Southern States. The Mexicans often keep a tame 

 one about the house, it making not a disagreeable pet, 

 and having the additional advantage of keeping the 

 premises free from ants. 



Normally, the general coloration of an Armadillo is a 

 reddish-brown, but it usually appears much darker from 

 the fact that, owing to its habits, a good deal of dirt ad- 

 heres to its armor and hide. Its cleaned shell, too, by 

 no means makes an unsightly ornament when hung up in 

 one's study, as it is not an uncommon thing to see in 

 houses in those countries where the animal abounds. 



The "Tatou-peba" rarely has over three or four young 

 at a birth, and very curious-appearing little fellows they 

 are, if we may judge from the admirable figures of them 

 in Professor W. K. Parker's well-known work upon the 

 "Structure and Development of the Skull in the Mam- 

 malia." 



In various parts of South America, our Armadillo has 

 some very interesting, not to say rare, relatives; there is 

 the little-known Pichiciago, only five inches in length, 

 with its silky white hair, and its shell of a pinkish tint; 

 there is the six-banded Armadillo, which cau roll itself 

 up in a ball, and tumble down among the rocks, as an 

 additional means of defense; there is the giant of them 

 all, the Great Armadillo (P. gigas), of northern Brazil and 

 the forests of Surinam; and, finally, there are the three- 

 banded Armadilloes, of which the Matico is a prominent 

 example (T. conurus). 



The Bibliography of the Order Edentata, to which our 

 subject belongs, is not, as yet, very extensive, and a great 

 deal still remains to be learned and written about them. 

 Those who may chance to be on our southern Texan bor- 

 der, can render valuable and lasting aid to science by 

 making accurate record of observations upon these ani- 

 mals, and duly publishing the same; noting their exact 

 geographical range, their more peculiar habits: their 

 period of gestation and reproduction; and, finally, their 

 uses to man. Such persons as are engaged in the study 

 of the structure of the animals which are known to 

 inhabit our country, will be very glad to get spirit speci- 

 mens of Armadilloes, more especially the foetal young. 



Captive Grouse and Osprey.— Elinira, N. Y., Oct. 6. 

 — Last week a very fine specimen of the ruffed grouse 

 flew into a house near the State reformatory, near 

 this city, and was captured without harm. I have him 

 now in a coop made especially for him, and he eats and 

 drinks and seems to get along fine'y. He is a fine male 

 bird and full feathered. I have had another fine bird 

 presented to me. It is a fine young male American 

 osprey (P. haMaetus carolinensis). He was picked up 

 last night in the heart of the city by a gentleman and 

 handed to me for identication. It seems that while flying 

 over the city he struck a telegraph or telephone wire and 

 was stunned for a moment and fell to the pavement; 

 while fluttering he attracted the attention of his captor 

 and was immediately picked up. Both of my birds are 

 in fine condition, and I expect to find out a few interest- 

 ing facts concerning their nature and habits. — Edward 

 Swift. 



Bbcbnt Arrivals at Philadelphia Zoological Garden.— 

 Received by purchase— Five rliesus macaques (Macacm erxjthrozm). 

 three green monkeys (Cercopithecus callitrichus), two common 

 macaques (Macacm cynumulgus), one sooty niangabey (Gercocebus 

 fuliatimms), one weeper capucin (Cehus capucinus), two prong- 

 horned anielope, male and female (Anticopra americana), twenty- 

 seven prairie dogs (Cy names ludovicianus), one male zebra (Equust 

 bunltelli), one Cavenuo rail (Aramides cayenmnsis) and one banded 

 rattlesnake (Orotdttis horridus). Received by presentation— One 

 flying squirrel (Pt&rwnys volucella), one woodchuck (Aretoiivys 

 monctx), two reed birds (Doliclwnyx uryzivorus), one blackbird 

 (Turdus me.rula), one American robin (Turdus migratorius), one 

 mockingbird {Tardus polyglottus), two alligators (Alligator misds- 

 sippiensis) and two box tortoises (Cistudc clausa). 



\mnt j§zg nnd §lut(. 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Pub. Co. 



RAIL AT WILMINGTON. 



IT is useless to attempt to find marsh hens or clapper 

 rail unless the tides are high enough to cover nearly 

 all the grass in the salt marshes. The idea prevails that 

 this favorable condition is more likely to exist at the 

 autumnal equinox, or at the full moon in September. 

 Being so advised, and tired of the long close season, my 

 friends Teceel and Mud — the man who did not swap his 

 premier Scott for a cheap gun — and I, went to Wilming- 

 ton on the 27th of the last month, with an abundant sup- 

 ply of shells. The Rev. Mr. B., of Wadesboro, preceded 

 us by a day. After reaching the sound we were assured 

 by the weatherwise that good tides would greet us. We 

 tried it for three days, but the water did not rise high 

 enough, and the bi ds which we sought were invisible. 

 If we had gone a week earlier we should have found all 

 the sport which the marsh hens afford, and could easily 

 have had fifty or sixty shots on a tide. But the trouble is 

 that, living in the interior, we never know when the tide 

 will be high, and in consequence nearly always miss the 

 favorable time. I took 180 shells, and brought back 179, 

 getting one shot and one bird. Our clerical friend killed 

 six, Teceel six, two yellow legs, and several willets, while 

 Mud got three marsh hens and five willets. The preacher 

 killed a few squirrels besides. 



Our host furnished us with a Flobert rifle, with which 

 we amused ourselves shooting at a target. All of us beat 

 Mud. 



We have planned a duck hunt on Topsail Sound, about 

 the first of December. Crickett will be with us, but Mud 

 will not be. We hope to get mallards, teal and black- 

 ducks; and possibly a goose and a deer. Oysters will 

 come in also. Wells. 



A Youthful Moose Slayeb.— George Sutherland is a 

 lad of fifteen years, and lives with his parents on the 

 road leading from Ashland, Me. , to Fort Kent, a few 

 miles from the former place or village. As he was re- 

 turning homeward from the village at about 9 o'clock P. 

 M. Oct. 4, he was confronted at about two miles out by a 

 large bull moose. The ugly brute's charge was met by a 

 shot from the lad's pocket revolver, which felled him 

 with a hit square in the pate. While lying stunned he 

 received six more shots from the tiny gun which laid him 

 out. The meat dressed out over 5001bs.— Warfield. 



OCTOBER FIFTEENTH* 

 rpHE mild October has begun 

 - 1 - (The Fall, in other words), 

 And soon each man will grab his gun 

 And go to hunting birds. 



The bright-skied "fifth" is here to-day, 



The "opening day" is near, 

 For when ten days have passed away 



The fifteenth will he here. 



Each morning now the hunters rise 



To see if it is fair; 

 They eager scan the morning skies, 



And sniff the morning air. 



Oh glorious, glorious, glorious Fall! 



Take Winter, Summer, Spring— 

 And you can knock the spots off all 



For shooting on the wing. 



Some men there are who cannot know 



The joy that fills our souls . 

 To see our pointers bounding go 



O'er meadows, dales and knolls. 



Our pity falls like gentle dew 



Upon the poor, poor wretch, 

 Who never yelled "I knocked down two, 



Here Bang, good boy, go fetch." 



We've had our share of earthly sweets, 



We're getting old and gray, 

 But Heaven's the only thing that beats 

 The Fifteenth— Opening day. 

 Oct. 5. F. M. Gilbert. 



IN THE SAWTOOTH RANGE.-III. 



"VfEXT morning the sun rose bright and clear; and we 

 JJl spent a most delightful day in fishing. We had the 

 good luck to chance upon an old boat, or rather scow, in 

 which we navigated over this beautiful lake. 



Friday morning Charles and I rode over to the town of 

 Sawtooth for flour and other needed supplies, and to 

 make inquiries about our further route. Returning early 

 in the afternoon with the supplies and desired information, 

 the rest of the day we spent with the redfish. Early on 

 Saturday we left those remarkable lakes for the Sawtooth 

 Valley, having been informed that as soon as the trail 

 leaves the woods we would notice a new white house 

 down the valley: and taking this as our guide mark, we 

 made a bee line for it. In Mr. White, the owner and 

 occupant, who keeps a hay ranche here in the valley, we 

 found a very pleasant gentleman, who, after hearing 

 what we were after, advised us to go to the head of Fourth 

 of July Creek, about eight miles, where we would find 

 deer and possibly sheep. A Norwegian who was at 

 White's and prospected at the creek, went along with us, 

 but it was dark before we reached his cabin. Pitching 

 camp across the creek, where we found better pasture for 

 our horses, we soon busied ourselves with our own supper, 

 after which we paid a visit to our neighbor. Here we 

 found three nationalities, an American, a negro and our 

 Norwegian friend, whose cabin was not finished, so he 

 chummed in with Mr. Blackman, the colored gentleman, 

 and whose name deserved to be White man, as he was 

 clever and intelligent, as well as kind and obliging. 



Blackman showed us in the morning the lay of the 

 country, and also where we would most likely find sheep. 

 We hunted through a steeply encircled basin of most fan- 

 tastic shape, Blackman and Bill going around the lower 

 oblong basin, while Charles and I hunted through the 

 upper half until we would meet; so that whoever started 

 any game would drive them to the other party. We came 

 together without seeing anything, but Blackman and 

 Billy saw a small band of bighorns, which were disturbed 

 by a bear. Blackman had shot at the bear, but missed 

 him on account of the brush behind which he was sulk- 

 ing. They had also seen a second bear, but he was at a 

 safe distance and soon out of sight. Hunting homeward 

 for deer, as our camp was without meat, we killed two 

 good-sized fawns, also several blue grouse. 



It is remarkable how sudden the temperature will 

 change in these high altitudes. The wind blowing south- 

 east, jumped at once to the northwest, the sky showing 

 the threatening look of a stem, beginning with a slushy 

 hail, which the cold wind soon turned into beautiful 

 snow. Reaching camp at last, we found things in a 

 decidedly uncomfortable condition, for, not expecting such 

 an early snowstorm, we had left everything lying loose 

 around camp; but a blazing camp-fire and a fine venison 

 supper quickly elevated our sunken spirits. We slept not 

 any too warm that night, the mercury falling to 20 above 

 zero; but in the morning the sun rose warm and bright, 

 and soon all signs of the snow had vanished. Our colored 

 friend assured us that a snowstorm up here (the altitude 

 being at least 10,000ft.) was nothing uncommon in any 

 month of the year; last Fourth of July they had cele- 

 brated the day in one which lasted all day. 



The next forenoon we hung around camp, drying and 

 cleaning ©ur wet garments and rifles; in the aifternoon 

 we inspected the boys' mining claims, principally of 

 silver, some of galena containing silver in rich quanti- 

 ties. Tuesday we made a more extensive tour after big- 

 horn, but though we ran on a small band, they heard or 

 scented us. We fired a volley at long range after them, 

 but with no more damaging results than wounding one, 

 but which escaped with the rest, over the almost perpen- 

 dicular and impassable rocks. That night we decided to 

 pull up the next morning, and go down to the river, fol- 

 lowing the valley. I felt rather disappointed, as I 

 wanted a nice pair of bighorns to perfect my selection of 

 antlers. Our Yankee friend who came to see us, drew a 

 rough map of our trail, which we were to follow to Stan- 

 ley Basin, known as a fine game country. Wednesday 

 we bade farewell to our friends and the mountains. 

 Reaching the valley, we followed the Salmon River until 

 we came to some hot springs, our day's camp. Our next 

 day's camp was to be Stanley Lake, fifteen miles further 

 on our improvised map. Traveling pretty fast that day, 

 finding good roads, we soon came to a creek where some 

 prospectors were taking their midday lunch ; they told us 

 that we had passed Stanley Lake five miles back. This 

 news was not very pleasant, as our ride was through a 

 mountainous prairie, through which a fire had raged 

 shortly before and was still burning in places. The main 

 fire had crossed the river, and was carrying everything 

 before it; the long stretching line of flame, fanned by the 

 wind, leaping sometimes 20 or 30ft. into the air. was a 



terrible fear^stirring sight, the black voluminous smoke 

 almost darkening the sun by its density. Returning 

 about five miles we found our lake hidden in the dense 

 forest. 



Scouting around the lake in the morning we found 

 nothing but a few deer and some old bear signs. The 

 next day we hunted and searched through the neighbor- 

 ing canons and gulches, but with no better results. We 

 found another lake a few miles above our camp contain- 

 ing redfish. I also shot on this lake a bird which was a 

 rare specimen and a curiosity. Finding a roughly made 

 boat left by some hunter and trapper, we paddled around 

 after some ducks, which were feeding in an upper cove 

 of the lake, when I noticed a flock of birds swimming, 

 and looking to me more like snipe than ducks. Discharg- 

 ing one barrel of my Parker, I succeeded in killing three 

 out of the flock. They are of a delicate light gray or 

 dove color, except the tips of wings black, and neck and 

 breast pure white, resembling a large yellowleg snipe, 

 only three times as large in body, twice as long legs, 

 which were half webbed, also the bill as long as a wood- 

 cock's, but more slender, their meat dark and rich and of 

 delicious flavor. Finding not much game around these 

 lakes we moved further down and camped on Valley 

 Creek. 



Examining our supplies we found we were running 

 short on flour and several other important articles, and 

 concluded to go to Bonanza, the nearest mining town, to 

 replenish. So Sunday early, with one pack horse in tow 

 we started. Meeting an old pioneer and rancher, Mr. 

 Challis (the founder of the town of that name), who was 

 looking for some lost horses, we were informed about our 

 route; we were to follow the river five miles until coming 

 to a large creek (Yankee Fork), and following the trail on 

 this creek would bring us to town. Parting from him 

 we kept riding until coming to a large bridged-over creek. 

 Thinking we had come five miles, we thought this Yankee 

 Fork and took the trail alongside, but we were wrong, as 

 it proved later, to our sorrow; we were on Basin Creek; 

 and our Yankee Fork was the next creek. 



Owing to this mistake we kept on traveling until dark, 

 hoping to strike some town or mining camp, but had to 

 camp at last. Our situation was not a cheerful one. We 

 did not know where we were; besides we were very 

 hungry, as all we had eaten being a light lunch, for we 

 had expected to make Bonanza before evening. The 

 night was cold, and our saddle blankets were the only 

 covering to keep us warm. We were glad enough when 

 morning came; and we determined to push ahead on the 

 trail which must lead to some destination. It was about 

 noon when at last, from a clear and elevated bluff, we 

 noticed a cabin in the valley below us, and emerging en- 

 tirely out of the woods, we soon saw the long looked-for 

 town lying before us. 



We pushed down the hills in great hurry by the loudly 

 clamoring inner man; we tied up in front of the little 

 hotel, and were soon punishing a nicely prepared break- 

 fast, after which we went to Pf eiff er's supply store, where 

 we replenished our exhausted provisions. Mr, Aleck 

 Pfeiffer, owner of the handsome store, also part owner of 

 the principal mine here (Custer) and the great bear 

 hunter, gave us good advice and accurate directions for 

 our home trail. By our own mistake, we had traveled 

 about thirteen miles out of our way. 



Well supplied with provision, and encouraging hopes, 

 we left Bonanza in the afternoon, camping that night 

 under more comfortable conditions. In the morning we 

 set out, taking a short cut across the mountains. Lead- 

 ing our horses, and tacking down a dangerous steep bluff, 

 I noticed a black bear, jogging lazily along the opposite 

 ridge. Calling Charles's attention quietly, we tied our 

 horses. We had to make quite a detour to get the wind 

 and above Mr. Brum, and Charles saw him lay under a 

 black pine whose lowest branches were spread on the 

 ground, making for him a soft and comfortable bed. 

 Charles, who gave him the first salute, sh ot him through 

 the ear. He jumped on his feet surprised, and shaking 

 his head, when I put a bullet through his shoulder. He 

 fell, but roused himself to get away, when another ball 

 out of Charles's Marlin doubled him up, and he went roll- 

 ing down the bill until a fallen tree stopped him. While 

 watching him tumbling down, Charles cried, "Hurry, 

 Frank, there goes another one !" Both of us ran around 

 the hiding point and saw about 150yds. below us another 

 bear, making time for the safe underbrush. Being be- 

 hind Charles, and somewhat out of wind, I waited for his 

 shot. The first shot made the bear yell, but the second 

 one stopped Mm never to rise again. They were both 

 large yearling cubs, very fat and with beautiful fur, and 

 we were soon busy with their hides, keeping an open eye 

 for any sudden surprise from their ancestors. This un- 

 expected encounter delayed us somewhat, and it was 

 dark when we got back to our old camp on Valley Creek. 

 Billy was waiting with a fine venison supper; he had 

 killed a fat doe, and also shot at a large brown bear, 

 wounding it badly, but getting aw T ay from him. 



The next few days we hunted f aithf ully through all 

 the surrounding canons and gulches, and had moved our 

 camp nearer the lake, seeing a great many signs around 

 the shore, some of them evidently of game of immense 

 size, but we could not see any "bar." We could have 

 killed plenty of deer, but Billy had brought one hind- 

 quarter of the large doe; besides our larder was well sup- 

 plied with birds. The foolhens were very plentiful, but 

 we would never waste any powder or shot on these well- 

 named birds. They would hardly fly out of our way, 

 but sat stupidly looking at us, and we pegged at them 

 with stones, aiming for their heads, and in this perhaps 

 not sportmanlike, but quite exciting manner, secured all 

 we wanted. 



Friday, all of us hunted at the upper end of the lake, 

 through a wild desolate cation, and being near where 

 Billy had hung up his doe, we intended taking some of 

 the venison into camp. But coming to the spot we found 

 old Eph had preceded us; and not satisfied with the en- 

 trails, he had torn down the deer and covered it up with 

 dirt, leaves and brush for another visit. We held a coun- 

 cil of war on the spot and decided to "lay for" the thief. 

 Billy and Charley were to go to camp and bring out a few 

 blankets, some grub and a few large beaver traps, which 

 we intended to plant under and around the tree, on which 

 we hung the half -eaten carcass; and then, lying in am- 

 bush, we hoped to give him a warm reception, I was to 

 remain and watch for "his nibs," should he contemplate 

 an early visit. 



It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon when the boys left 

 me. I established my lookout on a large isolated boulder 



