24 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. 8, 1887, 



DO SQUIRRELS HIBERNATE? 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



A pair of little red squirrels (Seiurus hiidsonivs) have 

 taken advantage of a knot hole in the siding to the hay 

 window front of my house; they enter here and live in- 

 side between the plastering and the frame; they are heard 

 by my family every dav as they rattle and gnaw nuts 

 throughout the winter months. Whenever bright sun- 

 shiny periods occur, no matter how cold or how much 

 snow, these little animals run out into the tops of several 

 tall pines which stand overshadowing the roof of my 

 house, frolic there and return at short intervals. Though 

 they make a very loud and really disagreeable noise at 

 times during the winter days, yet my children have be- 

 come so attached to them that I have 'not been permitted 

 to disturb them. I wish they did hibernate, but I know 

 too well, now, that they don't and they won't. 



Henry W. Elliott. 

 East Bockport, Ouyahoga County, O., Jan. 28. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



G. E. Walsh says, in your issue of Jan. 13, that squirrels 

 are hibernating animals, that "They coil themselves up 

 in their nest and remain dormant for a long while, vary- 

 ing from several weeks to a month." The squirrels in 

 this part of the country don't do that way. They don't 

 lay up any food for winter either. I have been in the 

 woods after fresh snows, when the thermometer stood 10 

 to 18° below zero, and have seen squirrel tracks in the 

 snow and numbers of holes where they had dug out the 

 snow to get at a nut or an acorn. I have cut trees in 

 the winter that wei'e the homes of squirrels, and have 

 never found any stores of food in any of them. I have 

 observed the habits of squirrels closely, and have yet to 

 see evidence that will cause me to believe that they store 

 food or hibernate. Our squirrels here are the fox, gray 

 and an occasional black one. They bring forth their 

 young in March and April (the fust litter) and sometimes 

 another in the summer. Coons hibernate here but do not 

 store any food. J. F. Layson. 



Salem, Nebraska. 



Habits op the Beaver.— "R. M. C," in Forest and 

 Stream of Jan 27, mentions that in an article on Nova 

 Scotia, by Lieut. -Gen. A. W. Dray son, R. A., it is stated 

 that "Two pine trees, growing side by side, will be cut 

 down by the beaver's sharp teeth," etc.", that one of these 

 will sink while the other floats. Gen. Drayson has evi- 

 dently been imposed on by Ms Indians, to whose stories 

 officers of the English army usually give too much credit. 

 The beaver when he stores up his wood for his winter's 

 supply of the bark, on which he feeds, sinks it by piling 

 it up at his front door; and I have heard some credulous 

 hunters say that these animals had some mysterious way 

 of keeping it below the water. As respects the deception 

 practiced occasionally by the Indians of New Brunswick 

 on English officials, an amusing instance came under my 

 own notice. The Hon. Arthur Hamilton Gordon, when 

 governor of New Brunswick, made a trip in the forests, 

 of which he published a description in a pamphlet entitled 

 "Wilderness Journeys in New Brunswick," or something- 

 like this. In this pamphlet he mentioned that his Indian 

 Gabe was unable to find Nashuaak Lake. This I knew 

 was all nonsense, for I was sure that master Gabe was 

 quite as well aware of the position in the forests of Nash- 

 uaak Lake as I was. One morning not long after I said 

 to Gabe, "Governor says in his book that you could not 

 find Nashuaak Lake." To this Gabe replied, "Ugh! did 

 not want to find lake." The fact was that they were at 

 the forks of the Nashuaak, one branch of which presented 

 tangled thickets and bad traveling, on this the lake was 

 situated; the other branch was followed up by a lumber- 

 man's portage, which extended across to the MiraniicM 

 River,whither the party was bound, and this was of course 

 the route which Gabe led the Governor, of whom he was 

 not very fond. His opinion of that worthy expressed to 

 me was that "he was a sugar candy man." — Edward 

 Jack (Fredericton, New Brunswick). 



Grouse and the Snow Crest.— Maine.— I often read 

 or hear in roundabout ways of the ruffed grouse being 

 imprisoned by heavy crusts and thus perishing, but hay- 

 ing always lived in a grouse country and being much in 

 the woods without ever having met any evidence to 

 make me believe that such is the case I am inclined to 

 class the notion with the " hoop snake," and like falla- 

 cies. If any one does personally know of an instance 

 in which a ruffed grouse has come to its death in such 

 manner, thev will interest at least one reader by making 

 the facts known. The mere circumstance that grouse 

 often bury themselves in a light snow I do not think 

 should be" taken as evidence that this proves disastrous 

 to them, for it seems to me that he is too wary a bud to 

 allow himself to get sealed in, and "Kennebec's" article in 

 your issue of Jan. 20, points to the same conclusion. 

 For eleven consecutive winters a flock of ruffed grouse 

 "budded" regularly on a birch tree in our door yard, and 

 notwithstanding the many bad crusts during that time, 

 I never knew their numbers to decrease in consequence. 

 Some seasons fewer representatives would survive the 

 shooting season than those of the preceding year, but 

 their numbers never diminished during a winter. The 

 eleventh winter only one bird made its appearance soon 

 after close time, and this one. met its fate from the gun 

 of a poacher, who was fined accordingly.— Black Spot. 



Antidote for Snake Poison.— Habana, Cuba, Jan. 

 20. — Editor Forest and Stream: The usual treatment 

 of serpent poisoning by the medical profession has been 

 to fortifj T the nerve centers against encroaching paraly- 

 sis, by alcoholic stimulation continued during the length 

 of time required by nature to eliminate the poison from 

 the blood by its excretory organs. Specific antidotes to 

 neutralize the poison in the blood andthus arrest its ac- 

 tion, have as yet been either undiscovered or little known. 

 In the year 1882, Dr. J. B. de Lacerda, Subdirector of the 

 Laboratory of Experimental Physiology of Rio de 

 Janeiro, published forty cases of venomous snake bites 

 treated with entire success by hypodermic injections of 

 one per cent, solution of the permanganate of potassa. 

 These cases, it is claimed, have proved this drug to be a 

 specific neutralizer of the noxious virus of the Crotalus. 

 Five or six injections were introduced in and about the 

 wound made by the fangs of the serpent. I am informed 

 that this treatment is rapidly becoming vulgarized in 

 Brazil and is meeting with uniform success. A little 

 case containing a hypodermic syringe and a one drachm 

 bottle of one per cent, solution of permanganate of 

 potassa could easily be carried in the vest pocket of a 

 person liable to accidents with venomous reptiles, and 

 might prove a precious addition to then equipment.— 

 Nemo. [The results of Dr. Lacerda's treatment have been 

 given in these columns before. Our correspondent's sug- 

 gestion of providing the antidote and means of use is 

 worthy of adoption.] 



Animal Life Near Town.— Toronto, Canada.— The 

 papers report that Mr. David Kennedy, the reputed oldest 

 sportsman around Toronto, recently shot a magnificent 

 red deer close by his residence at Lake View Park, three 

 miles from town. The animal was being pursued by two 

 hounds, who must have been in the chase for a large 

 number of miles, as the dogs were almost worn out when 

 the animal fell. The deer was heading straight for the 

 lake. He tipped the scales at loOlbs. This visitor is quite 

 .as big a curiosity as the beaver which found its way to 

 the northwestern part of the city a couple of years ago. 

 Another example of animal recklessness in this section 

 may be noted rn the fact that last week a large horned 

 owl flew into the city, and as the acme of audacity 

 perched on a telephone pole in front of W. M. Cooper's 

 gun store. The owl was more fortunate than the deer, 

 for he got away without molestation.— W. R. W, 



Midwinter Appearance of the Red Linnet (Carpo- 

 dacus purpureas, Gm.).— Halifax, N. S,. Jan. 27.— During 

 the past three weeks the peninsula of Halifax has been 

 visited by numerous flocks of these birds, many of which 

 have been captured alive by all sorts of contrivances. 

 Our weather has been unusually changeable, hardly the 

 same for twenty-four hours at a time ; one clay quite warm 

 and spring-like, the next day a jump to zero, then hail, 

 sleet and rain and a rattling storm from S.E. The usual 

 time for the linnet to visit us is about April, and I believe 

 this is the first instance known in the memory of our 

 bird men" of its appearance in midwinter. They must 

 find it difficult to obtain their accustomed food, but 

 apparently manage to eke. out a subsistence on the seeds 

 of the withered plants which raise their heads above the 

 snow, notably the common burdock (Lappa officinalis). 

 Some, however, have been found dead, showing that they 

 succumbed either to cold or hunger. It would be interest- 

 ing to know whether the visit of this bird at this season 

 has been confined to Nova Scotia or not.— J. Matthew 

 Jones. 



A Duck's Homing.— Charles Bradford, of Manchester 

 Center, who deals quite extensively in fowls, recently 

 sent a box containing five ducks to a gentleman in Wad- 

 ley Falls, Strafford county, N. H. Among the number 

 was a black duck whose wings had not been clipped. 

 Last Monday Mr. Bradford received a note from Wadley 

 Falls informing him that the box had arrived all right. 

 About 2 o'clock on Thursday afternoon Bradford heard a 

 great commotion among his" fowls, and on going into the 

 yard discovered in the center of a group of much-excited 

 ducks, geese and hens the identical black duck that had 

 been sent to New Hampshire only a few days before. He 

 had flown back nearly 200 miles,' evidently believing that 

 there is no place like home. — Rutland (Vt.) Herald. 



California Academy of Science. — At a meeting held 

 Jan. 3, 1887, the Academy of Science elected the follow- 

 ing officers for the ensuing year: President, H. W. 

 Harkness; 1st Vice-President, H. H. Behr; 2d Vice-Presi- 

 dent, G. Hewston; Corresponding Secretary, H. Ferrer; 

 Recording Secretary, Chas. G. Yale; Treasurer, John 

 Dolbeer; Librarian. Carlos Troyer; Director of Museum, 

 J. G. Cooper. Trustees— Chas. F. Crocker, D. E. Hayes, 

 S. W. Holladay, Thos. P. Madden. J. M. McDonald, E. J. 

 Molera, E. L. G. Steele. 



Snoavy Owl.— North East, Erie Co., Pa.— A party on 

 a recent gunning expedition shot a large white or snowy 

 owl near this place that measured oft. 6in. from tip to 

 tip of wings. Only one wing was injured and it was 

 captured alive, and is now on exhibition in a prominent 

 show window. It is the first I have heard of captured in 

 this section for some years. — A. A. A. 



An Albino Quail— High Point, N. C, Jan. 80.— A 

 pa irfcy of gentlemen from the Bellevue Hotel, while out 

 quail shooting last week, flushed a snow white quail, but 

 failed to bag it. The bird is still here, and whether an v 

 one will be fortunate enough to secure it remains to be 

 seen. — Polnt, 



mgz. 



"That reminds me." 



204. 



NO man was ever known to prevaricate as to the num- 

 ber or size of the fish that he captures, to stretch 

 the blanket as to what he has done with his gun, or to lie 

 about the performances of his own dog! Once, only once, 

 did a doubt pass through my mind. A friend told me 

 that he captured, with a light bass rod, a catfish that 

 weighed 4001bs. besides the head. I raised mv eye and 

 looked at him, but his solemn visage and Ms reputation 

 for truth and veracity, which at least was equal to my 

 own, instantly dispelled every shadow of doubt. 



But I started out to write about my dog Pete, not be- 

 cause Pete is ambitious to see his name in print, but for 

 the benefit of science. I notice in Forest and Stream 

 that Sir John Lubbock proposes a new departure in the 

 way of measuring the intelligence of the dog. His printed 

 cards and colored sheets are all well enough in their way, 

 but it struck me that if a few dog owners who read the 

 Forest and Stream— men of unquestionable veracity- 

 would come to the front with solemn facts that have come 

 under their own observation, that they have seen with 

 their own eyes, in working their dogs, dogs of high in- 

 telligence, both by blood and education, it would do more 

 toward settling the scientific questions which Sir John is 

 striking at than any amount of experiments with common 

 curs. 



With this end in view, hoping that others may emulate 

 my example, I propose to put upon record a couple of 

 solemn facts relative to Pete. He is now an aged dog. 



Our acquaintance began in puppyhood, that is, in PeW 

 infancy, not my own. His highest ambition now is t 

 cozv place on a blanket by the kitchen lire, with a pla 

 of soft victuals now and then to satisfy the inner dog; 

 guess that expression is allowable, at least, I can't se 

 why it is not just as appropriate as "inner man;" butnov 

 to the facts. . J 



About five years ago I was out with Pete after quail- 

 he on one side of the creek and I on the other. Thj 1 

 weeds were high and I lost sight of him. I called bin) ' 

 whistled for him, sat down on a log and waited for hid 

 but Pete did not come. I Avent down the creek over fori 

 miles to a log, crossed over and then back on the othel 

 side up to where I had lost sight of him. After wandeii 

 ing for over two hours I at last got sight of him. He was 

 fast in the crack of a rail fence, his head and foreleg! 

 through upon one side, and his feet nearly touching th# 

 ground upon the other, upon his right side and his tongue 

 hanging out. I rushed at once to his relief, but just bee- 

 fore I got to him, to my utter astonishment, I flushed \e 

 flock of quail! My dog looked at me completely dis^ 

 gusted, but crawled through the fence and came up tod 

 me wagging his tail. Of course I understood it all. Jue " 

 as he turned sideways to slip through the crack he i 

 scented the buds, and true to his blood and training, he 

 instantly came to a point. This was years ago, when in 

 full possession of all his faculties. But now for fact 

 number two, indicating not only great intelligence on thf 

 part of the dog, but showing that he fully appreciates j 

 joke. 



My better half , inclined to be a little plump, is not st 

 tall as myself by a full head. I called her one day play- 

 fully, in presence of Pete, "My little quail." Instantly 

 he came to a point, as naturally as if she had been a real 

 quail, except that he had one eye shut, and the end of hit 

 tail, instead of that rigidity that the hunter never fail. I 

 to notice when his dog makes a true stand, was gentl; 

 swinging from side to side. The fun of it is that no\\ 

 that woman never -gees into the yard, in my presence, but 7 

 old Pete instantly comes to "a point." Here we have 

 memory, intelligence and a sense of the ludicrous com- 

 bined. Can any other truthful reader of your paper ] 

 come forward with any dog facts for comparison? 



Sol. M. Fact, < 



mm 



lag md 



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



A WHITE HARE SHOOT IN SCOTLAND. 



THE snow is a foot deep in the strath, and a short way 

 up the hoary-beaded bens it lies now and then in 

 drifts wherein a man might sink far out of sight were it 

 not that a sharp frost has covered all the snow with a 

 thick scintillating crust. It is the very best time for 

 steaming hot hare-soup, rich and fragrant with spices, to 

 make one think of approaching Christmastide, and 

 tenant's balls, cheery with the giddy whirling of Highland 

 lasses and braw gillies, threading the mazes of the Reel 

 O'Tulloch, and skipping to and fro in honor of Sir Roger 

 de Coverley, may his shadow never be less! 



I was very busily engaged in wrapping wire netting 

 around the trtmks of our young fruit trees, for soon the 

 rabbits would no longer be able to scratch and dig through 

 the snow, and then the pear and apple trees, yea, and the 

 gooseberry bushes, so overladen but a few months before : 

 with the wherewithal for the tarts and rolly-pollies, would 

 be stripped of their tender bark by the long incisors of the . 

 white-tails, unless protected. 



The head keeper of the adjacent shooting chanced to 

 pass by: 



"Have ye any catridges loaded, lad?" he asked. 



"Aye, that I have, Angus," I replied joyfully. 



"Aw eel, then I'll coom for ye in the morning, or mebbe 

 ye'd better be up to the lodge, and we'll tak' three or four ■ 

 o' the lads an get some white hares the morrow." 



He went away whistling "Jennie's bawbee," and when 

 I ended my task I returned to the house, elated at the . 

 prospect of the morrow's sport, and not a little proud at 

 finding that a little icicle was hanging to my moustache, 

 a proof positive that I possessed such an article, a fact 

 most strenuously denied by the majority of my youthful 

 acquaintances. 



The next morning I sallied forth to the keeper's lodge, 

 my gun well greased, my boots well oiled and my car- 

 tridge bag replete. I had made but a few steps when I 

 had to turn down the flaps of my thick cloth cap over my 

 ears, for they tingled with the cold, and I ran along the 

 hard road to warm myself. 



"Will ye hae a drap o' this, lad?" inquired Angus, 

 handing me not a puny pocket pistol, but an obese quart 

 bottle that he fished out of his game bag. 



"No, thank you, Angus," I said, "I never take it." 



"Sae young and yet sae wicked," he remarked. 



"What do you mean by that, Angus?" I asked. 



"Weel, ye see," he answered, with a merry twinkle in 

 his keen gray eye, "in all the temperance lectures I ever 

 heerd, there was a half a baker's dozen, that is about six 

 men and a boy, as was awful examples that had been re- 

 deemed from perdition by whoskey, so I got to thinkin' 

 all the temperance folk must hae "used to get foo afore 

 they took to the other way." 



The two under keepers and the four drivers laughed 

 very heartily, out of respect for the head keeper and his 

 bottle. I did the same out of general policy, and we 

 started for the hills. 



At first we made our way over lowland fields, and saw 

 the partridges all huddled up under the lee of tall stone 

 fences, and the pheasants grouped around stacked sheaves 

 of wheat, placed here and there for their benefit. A few 

 sheldrakes went flying over our heads, taking a short cut 

 over the big bend in the river. Then we began rising and 

 rising until we were on the moor, and could see the 

 heather peeping at rare intervals from beneath the 

 crumbling frosted snow. 



Now and then a cock grouse arose before us with his 

 alarmed cry, not knowing that all danger was over until 

 the next 12th of August, and winged away his flight out 

 ot harms reach. A couple of black cock sat far away on 

 a stone fence, big black dots upon the snowy sheet. " 



The four drivers left us, and we kept on rising upon the 

 spur of a big beD, until we reached the top, then we 

 scattered along the summit and sat behind big boulders 



