Feb. 38, 1880.] 



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THOSE MYSTERIOUS CREATURES. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your issue of Jan. 31, on page 22, about the middle 

 of the article entitled "A First Hunt in Mexico," the 

 writer gives some account of certain mysterious large 

 creatures that exist, and of which he had a view, in a 

 small lake in the vicinity where he was stopping. The 

 reading of this item brings to my mind an account of a 

 "something 1 ' given in a book published in London, by 

 Longman, "Brown, Green & Longmans, in 1843. The 

 book is entitled "Narratives of the Travels and Adventures 

 of Monsieur Violet in California, Sonora and Western 

 Texas," written by Capt. Marryat, C. B. The work is in 

 two volumes, andeointnencmg on page 279 of the seeond 

 volume may be found the following account of the mys- 

 terious "something": 



"As soon as the rider feels his horse sinking, the first 

 movement, if an inexperienced traveler, is to throw him- 

 self from the saddle and endeavor to wade or swim to 

 the canebrakes. the roots of which give to the ground a 

 certain degree of stability. In that case his fate is'sealed, 

 as he is in immediate danger of 'cawana.* This is a 

 terrible and hideous monster, with which, strange to say, 

 tho naturalists of Europe are not yet acquainted, though 

 it is well known to all the inhabitants of the streams and 

 lagoon's tributary to the Red River. It is an enormous 

 turtle or tortoise.* with head and tail of the alligator, not 

 retractile, as is usual among the different species of this 

 reptile; the shell is one inch and a half thick, and is as 

 impenetrable as steel. It lies hi holes in the bottom of 

 muddy rivers or the swampy canebrakes, and measures 

 often ten feet in length and six in breath over the shell, 

 independent of the head and tail, which must give often 

 to this dreadful monster the length of twenty feet. Such 

 an unwieldy mass is not, of course, capable of any rapid 

 motion; but in the swamps I mention they are very num- 

 erous, and the unfortunate man or beast going astray, 

 and leaving for a moment the small patches of solid 

 ground, formed by the thicker clusters of the canes, must 

 of a necessity come within the reach of one of these 

 powerful creature's jaws, always extended and ready for 

 prey. 



"Cawanas of a large size have never been taken alive, 

 though often in draining the lagoons shells have been 

 found measuring twelve feet in length. The planters of 

 upper western Louisiana have often fished to procure 

 them for scientific acquaintances; but, although they 

 take hundreds of the smaller ones, they could never suc- 

 ceed to drag on shore any of the larger ones after they 

 had been hooked, as these monsters bury their claws, 

 head and tail so deep in the mud that no power short of 

 steam can make them relinquish their hold." 



Having always thought that the description of these 

 animals was a canard on the part of Monsieur Violet or 

 Capt. Marryat, as I have never seen any scientific de- 

 scription of them, it is to be hoped that "Aztec" may be 

 permitted a closer inspection of the creatures that he 

 saw, and so be able to corroborate or deny the existence 

 of the "cawanas." W. B. Harrison. 



Fostobia, Ohio. 



BIRD NOTES. 



COCOANUT GROVE, Dade County. Fla., Feb. 16.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: The migratory birds 

 have started northward. On Friday, the 55th, just at 

 sunset, thousands of bluebirds and ground sparrows 

 reached this point coming from the southward. They 

 were very weary as though from a long flight, and spent 

 the night among the trees and bushes close to the coast. 

 At. daylight they left and when last seen Avere headed m 

 the direction of' the Forest and Stream office. Robins, 

 red- winged blackbirds and peewees (Phoebes) are with 

 us in large numbers, but the swallows have not yet put 

 in an appearance. There are a number of loons in Bis- 

 cayne Bay, and then- wild cry can be heard at all horns 

 of the day and night, but ducks are very scarce and very 

 shy. Quail are fairly plentiful— O. K. Chobee. 



Mt. Pleasant, Pa., Feb. 22.— Yesterday, Feb. 21, 1 saw 

 a pair of bluebirds here, which are doubtless the first of 

 the season; I have never seen them here so early as this 

 before. We have had song sparrows all winter. Feb. 33. 

 —Coldest morning of the season thus far. Saw a pair of 

 robins this morning. They were singing and seemed 

 lively. More bluebirds. — E. E. Critchfield, 



Framingham, Mass., Feb. 17.— The absence of bird visi- 

 tants from the north has been very marked this season in 

 this section. This is not to be wondered at, as we have 

 had no winter, as usually understood. Have run my 

 sleigh but six days so far, and the local ice cutters could 

 not get to work till last week, and then had to be satisfied 

 with lOin. Reports have been received of a single flock 

 of snowflakes, redpolls and goldcrowns each a few times; 

 tree sparrows occasionally, shrikes about as usual; no 

 grosbeaks, crossbills, snowy or hawk owls. Robins, 

 flickers and meadowlarks have been with us all winter. 

 — F. C. B. 



Biological Society of Washington.— At the 137th 

 regular meeting, held Feb. 23, the following papers were 

 read: Mr. E. M. Hasbrouck, a new Maxyland yellow- 

 throat (Oeothlypis trichas roscoi\ found in the Mississippi 

 Valley from Wisconsin and Minnesota in summer, to 

 Louisiana and Florida in winter. This rediscovered race 

 is larger than the typical eastern form, has a louder song, 

 and differs in coloration. Mr. M. B. Waite read notes on 

 a parasitic fungus {Melampsora Irydrangete) and on the 

 seed vessels of the lop seed (Phryma leptostaehya). In 

 the lop seed the ovary bends downward when ripe and is 

 three-hooked at the tip for attaching itself to the hairs of 

 mammals and thus securing a wide distribution. In its 

 favorite localities, where found by Mr. Waite, rabbits 

 were very abundant and supplied the needed agency for 

 spreading the seed. Mr. Charles D. Walcott sketched 

 the distribution and age of the genus Olenoides of Meek 

 and exhibited a new species (0. curticei) from Alabama 

 This is a trilobite, a remote relative of the horseshoe 

 crab (Limulus polyphemus) of the present time. Dr. 

 L, Stejneger described Pallas's cormorant, a speoies 

 which disappeared about the same time as the 

 great auk. and which is much rarer in museums, 



than this bird, there being only four skins in collections, 

 Steller found Ibis cormorant very common on Behring' 

 Island, and it is possible that it occurred in the Aleutian 

 Islands of Alaska. The last one was killed on Behring 

 Island about 37 years ago. The natives ate the flesh of 

 this bird, as they do now with other cormorants when 

 fresh meat is scarce in winter. Pallas's cormorant 

 weighed 12 to I41bs., or as much as a goose; it had small 

 wings and was very clumsy — a good swimmer but a 

 poor flyer. About 30ft. above the present sea level on 

 Behring Island Dr. Stejneger found numerous bones of this 

 species along with mammalian remains. Mr. F. V. Col- 

 ville read a paper on the fruit of Stipa spartea, a grass 

 which has the peculiarity of planting its own seed in the 

 ground by the effect of alternating moisture and dryness, 

 which give a twisting motion to the awn, persistently 

 driving the seed vessel downward. Sometimes this seed 

 vessel becomes attached to the wool of the sheep and 

 penetrates through the skin, causing a troublesome 

 wound. Dr. CI. H. Merriam exhibited a new marmot, or 

 woodchuck, from the Black Hills of Dakota, a much 

 larger species than the common eastern ground hog and 

 distinguished by a very long mantle of golden yellow 

 hair over the shoulders. The feet are not black. A 

 black stripp, sharply defined, marks the under part of 

 the tail. 



Habits of ihe Flicker. — Boston, Feb. 19. — Editor 

 Forest and Stream: I notice recently several notes in re- 

 gard to Colaptes auratiis wintering in Massachusetts. 

 They can be seen at all times during the winter along 

 the south shore, and are a source of annoyance to people 

 owning summer cottages left vacant during the whiter. 

 They do great damage to window blinds by cutting 

 through them, and no doubt to obtain shelter. I have 

 shot them by carefully approaching the house, and 

 pounding upon the side, whereupon Colaptes darts out, 

 and affords an excellent shot. In several instances I 

 have known them to bore completely through the clap- 

 boards and thin wall boarding, and take up a temporary 

 residence inside, completely sheltered from cold and 

 storms. Do not woodpeckers "peck" at times merely as 

 a signal to their companions? Last spring I observed a 

 downy woodpecker mount the top of a telegraph pole 

 and tap several times with great vigor and then listen 

 attentively. This was repeated several times, and finally 

 an answer came from quite a distance. The woodpecker 

 then beat quite a lively tattoo and was soon joined by a 

 female, apparently, and the pair immediately made off. 

 Upon examination with a, good glass the wood appeared 

 perfectly sound, and I was led to infer that the bird was 

 not engaged in seeking for food at the time, but was 

 simply rapping a signal for a companion. Should be glad 

 to have the opinion of others on these points.— C. W, 

 Chamberlain. 



Albino Red Squirrels.— Chateaugay, N. Y. — Editor 

 Forest and Stream: In Forest and Stream of Feb. 14 

 I saw "Subscriber's" account of a black robin. I wish to 

 ask if albino red squirrels are often met with. I have a 

 friend who has a mounted specimen; it is pure white and 

 of usual size and shape of our common red squirrel. The 

 person who captured it, near the same place a few weeks 

 previous killed another, probably of the same litter, 

 which was partly white, having a white strip on its back 

 with tail entirely white. — Another Subscriber. [Albino 

 red squirrels are sometimes seen, but not very often.] 



"Habits of the Otter." — I wish to say a word in ap 

 preciation of the article on otters, in your last issue, by 

 your correspondent in Bethel, Me. You have seldom 

 published a more interesting communication on natural 

 history matters. These notes of practical men are what 

 we want: and I hope that you will see to it that we are 

 favored with further observations and experiences of "J 

 G. R."— F. C. Browne. 



The California Ornithological Club was formed 

 at a meeting of ornithologists, held in San Francisco on 

 Feb. 9, for the study aud advancement of the ornithology 

 of the Pacific Coast. The following officers were elected 

 for the year 1889: President, Walter E. Bryant: Vice- 

 President, H. R. Taylor; Secretary and Treasurer, W, 

 Otto Emerson. 



"Saw Lovef s <3aKip&" By B. E. Bobinson. Price #. 



GROUSE SNARES AND DOGS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your issue of the 14th inst., in an article signed "U, 

 F. & G. P. A.," exceptions are taken to my statement 

 "that snaring cannot exterminate the ruffed grouse." 



The wrher also avows that my story of the Cape Ann 

 fisherman, who caught but two birds in forty snares, 



well tended for three months," is not in the interest of 

 protection. 



Let me say, in justice to myself, that 1 do not yield 

 the palm to any member of the Utica Associatian in my 

 desire to protect any and all game birds or game animals 

 of our country, more particularly of Massachusetts, my 

 adopted State. 



I have watched with much anxiety the almost total 

 extermination of quail and grouse on Cape Ann. Wish- 

 ing to call the attention of our Legislature to the fact 

 that bird dogs were destroying the young broods and ex- 

 terminating the grouse, I sent my former letter to Forest 

 and Stream, well knowing that through the columns of 

 that paper the members of any State Legislature could 

 be quickly and effectively approached. 



I had hoped — and do hope now — that others would agi- 

 tate the subject after I had placed it before the public, 

 and leave me free to return to my hermit life and bird 

 studies. 



I would say to the writer, "IT, F. & G. P. A.," that if 

 he had devoted years of untiring observation and patient 

 study, as I have, to bird life, he would have learned ere 

 this that kindness, persecution, etc., can greatly change 

 the type of birds. Kindness has changed the nature of 

 some wild birds around my cabin home, until they will 

 eat from my hand: notably the chickadees in winter and 

 the catbirds and towhee buntings in summer, 



On the other hand, years of persecution have made the 

 grouse as wild and wary as hawks. As cunning as foxes; 

 too wary, too cunning to be exterminated by snaring. 

 If my critic were here I could take him to a locality 

 here there are six grouse, five of them young birds; and 

 then I could show him more than forty snares, some ol 

 them artfully and temptingly baited with coral-red bar- 

 berries or rosv-cheeked bal d wins. 



Then I could tell him (which he might not believe) that 

 these birds have, had these snares constantly before them 

 since about the middle of October, and yet decline to be 

 snared. 



I could then introduce him to a score or more of 

 remarkably well preserved and intelligent old gentlemen, 

 who would tell him, as they told me, that they set snares 

 in their youth, fifty years ago, and that their fathers and 

 grandfathers before them set snares; that snaring has 

 been persistently followed for an unknown number of 

 years on the Cape. 



When I located here, four years ago last August, grouse 

 were by no meaus scarce. At that time there were but 

 few dogs in the woods without masters, but of late years 

 they have increased in numbers to an alarming extent. 



I say it without fear of contradiction, that bird dogs 

 killed nearly all of the young grouse and quail on Cape 

 Ann last season. What will the Legislature do about it? 



Hermit. 



EXPRESS BULLETS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



During the last six months I have used something over 

 four hundred express bullets, but fail to get the smash- 

 ing effects with' which such bullets are credited. The 

 bullets used were the Winchester .45, SOOgrs., one part 

 tin to sixteen parts lead, with hollow point containing a 

 blank copper or brass tube: the rifle a Winchester .45, 

 model of '86, with slow twist. Loading mv own cartridges 

 I use lOOgrs. (by weight) American rifle cartridge re- 

 loading powder No. 3. In shooting into a bag of fine sand 

 the bullet expands to about the size of a half-dollar, and 

 looks somewhat like the cup of an acorn, in soft pine the 

 x>int is flattened and expanded about the same as a solid 

 jullet of same size and weight. 



Last summer I shot quite a number of woodchuckswith 

 these hollow-pointed bullets, and in every case they 

 seemed to expand, making a hole where they came out 

 from three to four inches in diameter, scattering the 

 entrails in all directions. 



Last October I shot three deer with the express bullets, 

 mooting one square through the shoulders, the doer run- 

 ning about forty yards and falling dead. Another, shot 

 just back of shoulder, bullet going just over the heart, 

 dropped in its tracks and never kicked. Another, stand- 

 ing slightly quartering, was struck a couple of inches 

 back of shoulder, bullet coming out near the hip; this one 

 went out of sight as though it was not touched, ran at 

 least fifty yards and fell dead. In cutting up these deer 

 I was careful to follow the course of the bullets, and 

 there were no signs whatever of any shattering. The holes 

 where the bullets came out were no larger than where 

 they went in. My guide (a man who has hunted most of 

 the time for fifteen years) said he never saw the express 

 bullets used before, but that he had seen a great deal 

 more smashing done on a deer's body with an ordinary 

 .45 solid bullet with much less powder. 



Yesterday I shot some cattle which had run wild (a 

 steer and a heifer). They had been in the woods ah 

 winter and had been hunted and shot a great many 

 times during the past month. A couple of men had 

 been hunting them to some heavy timber near here. 

 They called here late in the af ternoon as they had got 

 lost (it was snowing hard) and w T ere out of cartridges. 

 I went out with them and after following the tracks of 

 the cattle about two miles and a half, came in sight of 

 them on some open ground about 100yds. away. It was 

 so dark I could not see the sights of my rifle at all and 

 had to sight along the barrel: I dropped the steer at once 

 and shot four times at the heifer, which was making for 

 the woods; the fourth shot struck her in the middle of 

 the body and knocked her over. When the cattle were 

 dressed we found the steer was struck square in the 

 middle of the shoulder, the bullet going out between the 

 ribs on the other side. The heifer had a bullet through 

 the middle of body, it lying flattened under the skin on 

 the opposite side. As on the deer there were no signs of 

 smashing, simply a hole straight through, no larger than 

 would have been made by a .45 round bullet. 



If this is the way the hollow pointed express bullet 

 works on large animals I prefer the solid bullet of 300 

 grains, finding the latter more accurate at distances over 

 200yds., the express tipping over occasionally , owing as 

 I suppose to being too light forward on account of the 

 hole in the point. 



It may be that I do not use powder enough, but I un- 

 derstand 100 grains of powder to 300 of lead is called an 

 express charge. C. M. Stakk. 

 Dumbarton, N. H. 



Butchery in Washington. —A friend writes us 

 from Washington Territory (now State): "Let me tell you 

 something that happened this past summer in Pacific 

 countv, W. T. Three gentlemen (?), one of them a bank 

 cashier, went from Portland, Ore., to Shoal water Bay for 

 a hunt. They were unsuccessful for two or three days, 

 but finally got on to the tracks of a small band of elk, 

 which for* some time they could not find. At last one of 

 them came on the band and commenced to shoot, killing 

 five— three bulls and two cows. There were but seven in 

 the band to start with. To add insult to injury, these 

 men left the carcasses to rot, taking but 30 or 401bs. of 

 meat from the loin of a fat bull. A skin-hunter is a 

 prince to these men. Again, a friend of mine was up 



he replied 'you see, there are two fellows m there with 

 dogs, and in the last seven weeks they have killed be- 

 tween fifteen and twenty elk, and what they didn t kill 

 thpy drove out of the county. And the worst of it is, 

 they do not save any part of the most they kill, but let 

 them lay and rot. It is a wonder to me there is such a 

 thing as an elk left in Washington Ter ritory,' " 



Massachusetts Game Law.— Boston, Mass., Feb. 22.— 

 It is probable that the seasons will be made Sept. 15 to 

 Dec. 15 for woodcock, and Oct. 1 to Dec. 15 for quail.— 

 Hub, 



