364 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 28, 1889. 



GAME IN TOWN. 



WEBSTER, Mass., Nov. 21.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: I inclose a clipping from our local paper 

 of Nov. 15, which may be of interest to you: 



Curious but True.— It is a curious repetition of a strange oc- 

 currence that four partridges should be taken alive around build- 

 ings in town this season, and in three cases windows were broken, 

 two of the birds being found on the floor, while the third was 

 kept out by a screen. The other instance the bird was in the cor- 

 ner of a porch. Three of these happened on School street and 

 three to one man, Mr. E. W. Tourtellott, two at his house and the 

 other was found in the morning having corns through the window 

 in front of his bench in Corbiu's cutting room, smashing out the 

 entire upper sash, such was the force. The last instance was Tues- 

 day morning when be heard a crash, found the window broken, 

 the curtain fixture broken, the curtain torn from the roll, and 

 a fine cock partridge which weighed a pound rolled up in the cur- 

 tain on the floor. The account of the partridge that Mr. George 

 Tracy found on the porch of Mr. Butler Bates a few weeks aero 

 and afterward set at liberty, must have traveled, for a letter was 

 received by Mr. Bates this week from a gentleman from Toledo, O. 

 —and an editor at that— iuquiring tor the partridge and saying 

 he wished to set a hen to mate with some cock partridges he has 

 to raise parti id ge chicks. He is willing to pay a fair price. If 

 any one is favored with a bird of that descripton hunting him 

 and will communicate with J. B. Battelle, editor of the BwAna» 

 World. Toledo, O., he may receive enough to have his windows 

 repaired. 



These four occurrences all happened this season, and I 

 can add another. Borne two weeks ago my sister brought 

 a dead partridge to me and asked whether it was good to 

 eat. She had been sitting at the window sewing and 

 noticed a large bird lying in the yard moving its head, 

 and on going out found it to be a partridge, still alive 

 but in its last struggles. After the feathers were stripped 

 a large bruise showed on one shoulder and on the side of 

 the head where it evidently had struck the house. She 

 lives on an outlying, but well-settled street of the town 

 and about 200yds. from a point of woods in which a brood 

 of partridges were reared last summer. C, G, 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



There are several coveys of quail in the city of Colum- 

 bus, mostly in a large abandoned cemetery, now grown up 

 to briers and bushes, in addition to the ornamental trees 

 there, and all of which makes a grand cover for them. 

 During the past summer it has been a common occurrence 

 to see them sitting on the fences around residences in the 

 vicinity. This location is within half a mile of the State 

 House. The most conspicuous wild bird in Columbus, 

 during the warm weather, is the red-headed woodpeCkef. 

 There are numerous old virgin forest trees all over Co- 

 lumbus, and many of them have large dead limbs, which 

 afford ample nesting places for these beautiful birds. 

 Wherever one goes throughout the city these dead limbs 

 and treetops are seen to be pierced with woodpecker 

 holes, and around them, in season, a pair of the birds: 

 and later on, the young brood. Although there are no 

 dead limbs in the State House yard, the woodpeckers are 

 often seen there. They perch upon the house tops, but 

 rarely, if ever, upon the chimneys. Their single ringing 

 note can be heard almost any minute during the pleasant 

 days of warm weather. Many robins and other common 

 varieties of birds are here in their season, notwithstand- 

 ing the quarrelsome English sparrow, which is the bird- 

 nuisance here as elsewhere. Milton P. Peirce. 

 Columbus, O. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



One of my correspondents writes from Lancaster, O., 

 that the quail season opened on Nov, 11 and that quail 

 are plenty. A party of three persons brought in over 100 

 as the result of one day's shooting. Opposite my friend's 

 house is a cemetery, and she writes that one or more 

 broods of quail make that place their home and are quite 

 tame, no one daring of course to trouble them in their 

 sacred home. 



My correspondent has a little dog named Bob. On 

 looking out of the window the other morning— she saw 

 what she thought was Bob, running down the street, but 

 on closer observation she was surprised to see it was a 

 big rabbit that had come out of the cemetery. It ran 

 down toward the railroad: then after a short run set him- 

 self gravely down on the sidewalk as if to think what 

 way he would go next; then turned round and came back 

 to his home among the dead. Medictjs. 



RARE BIRDS IN RHODE ISLAND. 



PROVIDENCE, R. I., Nov. 18.- Editor Forest and 

 Stream: There was killed at Natic, E. I., about 

 Oct. I, a little brown crane {O. canadensis), adult female. 

 The party who killed it reports there were two of them. 

 The specimen was sent to this city to be mounted and is 

 now in the hands of J. M. Southwick, taxidermist. I 

 saw the bird in the flesh the day after it was killed, and 

 there is no doubt of the fact. 



If any one of your interested readers can give any in- 

 formation about this species, I for one should be very 

 glad to learn something about it. Dr. Coues says, to the 

 best of his remembrance, that it inhabits northern British 

 America, migrates through the West apd winters in Mex- 

 ico, but expresses a doubt about the bird. It is a sand- 

 hill crane iu miniature, say three-fifths, identical in color 

 and with all characteristics of that bird. 



1 have killed many sand-bill cranes in the West, but I 

 never saw one of this small species there, and how it 

 should get so far out of its longitude as to get to Rhode 

 Island is a puzzle. 



This little State seems to be a Mecca for estrays. On 

 the 13th of January last, there was found dead at War- 

 rens Point, two miles east from West Island, in the town 

 ol Little Compton, R. I., a purple gallinule not quite in 

 adult plumage. I fortunately got it with some trouble, 

 and it is now m Dr. Gardner's collection at his summer 

 residence at Seaconnett, R. I, This bird has been taken 

 twice before in the past thirty years in this State to my 

 knowledge., but both captures occurred in summer. How 

 could this semi-tropical bird have reached this bleak 

 coast and in the bitter freezing weather. 



Thinking you will be interested to know of these two 

 captures I venture to intrude on you, and hope I may 

 learn something of G. canadensis. Newton Dexter. * 

 [The little brown crane was perhaps the one referred 

 to by Mr. Brewster at the meeting of the A. O. TJ. last 



Ruffed Grouse Plumage.— Butler, Pa., Nov. 18 —I 

 send you another skin of what you called a faded grouse 

 in the Thorncreek region of our county, birds of this 

 coloration two years ago were plenty, and were found in 

 coveys the same as those of black markings, but when 

 found elsewhere they are invariably solitary birds. I in 



tend to watch the market and note birds of this colora- 

 tion, where shot and where they seem to be plenty. This 

 bird was shot by my son John on Nov. 18, and it was 

 done in true sportsman style on the wing — G. W. Z. [The 

 skin is that of one of the cherry-colored or mahogany 

 grouse. The ruff being a rich, deep, chestnut brown, ex- 

 cept at the tops of the feathers, which are black. This 

 plumage is much more common than is generally sup- 

 posed, and is not precisely what we mean by the faded 

 or bleached plumage which seems to be an approach to 

 albinism. 



Boffalo in Captivity.— An African buffalo, born in 

 the Central Park Menagerie, of this city, the other day, 

 lived only two days. It died of rickets. Superintendent 

 Conklin is quoted assaying that "its death w r as a foregone 

 conclusion from the first, since all attempts to rear buffaloes 

 have proved unsuccessful of late years, as the breed has 

 become so feeble that their offspring has proved hopelessly 

 rickety. The last buffalo born before the one which has 

 just now died, lived for six months, but was never able 

 to stand on its legs. The original stock belonged to Wade 

 Hampton. He had imported a herd from Africa at an 

 enormous expense. When Gen. Sherman's army was on 

 its famous march to the sea the animals were captured 

 and confiscated. They were sent North and ultimately 

 placed in Central Park." 



The Snowy Owl in New Jersey in November, 1889. 

 — Two individuals of this arctic species have been ob- 

 served in New Jersey recently. One on the 16th, at Mor- 

 ristown. and one on the 20th, at Sea Isle City, Cape May 

 county. This, together with the early appearance of the 

 pine grosbeak in New Hampshire, and the mulitude of 

 pine siskins now present at Lake George, N. Y. , indicate 

 that northern birds will be common this winter south of 

 their usual habitat. To enable me to map out the winter 

 home of the snowy owl (Nyetea nyctea), I should be glad 

 to correspond with observers of this bird. Information to 

 be of value should be exact as to date, and precise as to 

 locality. Where possible send note of contents of stomach. 

 — L. S. Foster (New York, Nov. 25). 



Snowy Owl in Pennsylvania.— Athens. Pa., Nov. 19. 

 — On Monday last James S. House, of Sayre, Pa., killed a 

 snowy owl which measured 5^ft. from tip to tip. The 

 recent cold snap had probably driven it south. It chose 

 for a resting place the roof of the foundry at the Lehigh 

 Valley Railroad car shop at Sayre, and failed to fly at the 

 noise of engines, whistles, etc. I purchased the speci- 

 men and will mount it for my collection. This is the 

 first specimen of the owl that has been killed here in 

 several years, only one other having been brought to my 

 notice.— W. K. P. 



Ruffed Grouse on Nest.— Mr. J. B. Cooke sends us a 

 photograph of a ruffed grouse sitting on her nest. It is 

 an admirable piece of photographer's skill, and as a pic- 

 ture of bird life most charming. 



Whales near thr Orkney Islands.— Two hundred 

 whales have been taken in the vicinity of the Orkney 

 Islands, from which locality they were supposed to be 

 disappearing. 



Recent Arrivals at the Philadelphia Zoological Gar- 

 den.— Purchased— One hochear monkey (CercopithecKs nictitam), 

 oue kinkajou (Cercoleptes caudimlvulus), one white-nosed coati 

 (A /i«n'ca),one brown capucin (Cehus fatuellu*), three common 

 seals (Phoect citidina), two cat sciuhrels (Scinrus niger), three 

 black-handed spider monkeys (Atrlcs geaffroyi), two black ducks 

 (Anns obscura), two gray-headed parrakeets [AgaporniS cana), two 

 West African love birds (Agtoiornix pu&aria), two passerine par- 

 rakeets (Psittuculo pasxerina), two Pennant's parrakeets (Plntu- 

 cercus pennant i), two cole tits (Pant* ater), one greater tit (PatUs 

 major), two great spotted woodpeckers (Picas major), two ring- 

 necked parrakeeta(PfflfOBonii8 (Qrquaim), two European partridges 

 (Perdix cinerea), ten copoerhead snakes (Ancixtrodtin ctodorlrii) 

 six banded rattlesnakes (Crotolux horridux), fifteen common water 

 snakes (Tropklonot us 8ipe(lon),imc indigo snake (Spilt it rx i rebenrius) 

 two pine snakes (Pitn<>)>his melaunleuvux), one common nog-nosed' 

 snake (llctcrudon platip-hinus), three kins snakes (Ophibolus gt'tu- 

 lus), two black hog-nosed snakes (lletcrtnltnt plati/rltinuxniner), (wo 

 ground rattlesnakes (Crolalnplmrux milutrivs), one common black 

 snake (Dominium constrictor) and one glass snake (Opheosanrus 

 ventralis). Presented— Eight opossums (Didclpln/x cirginiana), 

 one red fox (Cti nix cul pes /ulcus), one raccoon (Procyon l.otor), two 

 great-horned owls (Bubo virgmianus), one Levaillant's ama/.on 

 (CtirysotiH Ivmilhmli), one red and blue macaw (Ara macao), one 

 ring-necked parrakeet (PcOcBornis torgual us), one mountain linnet 

 (Lniota flaviroxtrix), one cardinal red bird (Cardinaiix ciniinianux) 

 one king lory (Aproxuiictus scapulntus), one Muhlenberg's terra- 

 pin (Clielopus muhlenbergt), seven garter snakes (Kutania sirtaliS) 

 three common water snaKes (Trapidauotux xiprtlon), one painted 

 terrapin ((-hryscmus picta) and four small alligators (Alligator 

 tuixxixxipiiifttxis). Horn— Three Egyptian geese (Chcnolonc r tvitun- 



fifti'n \ r " t 



"That reminds me." 

 387. 



T HAD a rather amusing experience, and one which it 

 X may benefit some brother to know. I bought a setter 

 dog from Messrs. Davey & Richards, of London, Ont., and 

 I trust the wicked advertising department of this paper 

 will not prevent my saying that it was an almighty good 

 dog, with a pedigree that runs right back to William the 

 Conq. I expect it was about the best dog ever was, and 

 worth at least $ 1,000 of anybody's money. At least, that 

 is what I told an innocent-looking party* who was in the 

 baggage car as we neared the Canada line, and who 

 asked me what he was worth. 



'■That's a good deal of money for a dog, - ' said the inno- 

 cent-looking party. "He must be a corker." 



•'Corker?" said I. "Say, now you have hit it. That 

 dog is probably the most perfect specimen of symmetri- 

 cal canine excellence that you ever saw. You want to 

 look at him before I take him away, because you don't 

 of ten get a chance like this. Look at those legs*. Get on 

 to that tail. Observe the faultless set of his ears. Make 

 a note of his shotdders. Examine his superb loin. Con- 

 gratulate yourself on having been permitted to touch a 

 coat of such quality, and to stroke a muzzle that will 

 henceforward be adopted as the bench show standard. 

 Say .that dog's a daisy, and don't you forget it!" 



"No, I won't,'" said the innocent "man. Then he figured 

 a little bit, and said: 



"Cost you $200.70 to get 'im over the line." 



"What?" 



"Two hundred dollars, 20 per cent, ad valorem, 70 cents 

 entry fee. Come now, be lively, ye know!" 

 He was a customs officer, and when I knew it I broke 



out in a cold sweat. I think my smile must have been 

 something ghastly. 



"As I was saying," I continued, taking hold of the 

 dogs tail, "this tail would be simply perfect if it wasn't 

 about fourteen inches too long. If there's anything I do 

 hate about a dog it is a snipy, pinched-up muzzle, and a 

 weak back, and no body and wobbly legs. Beats the 

 world how a fellow gets stuck on a dog sometimes, don't 

 it ?" 



"What'd you pay fer 'irn ?" asked the innocent party 

 severely. 



•Nothing. I stole him. He was given to me. I paid 

 a dollar and a quarter for him. Say, do you want to buv 

 him at six bits?" 



Then we had more talk, and the end of it was that, be- 

 fore I got my puppy over the water, I had to leave $5.70 

 in a place where it will never do me the least good in the 

 world. All because I was human enough fe6 praise my 

 own dog. 1 would like to know what fellow lias a dog 

 that isn't worth at least $1,000 when it comes to a stra ight 

 question; and I would like to know if it is fair to call a 

 man down in any such way as that incendiary did me. 

 For one. I wish immediate annexation of Canada, or else 

 war, I don't care which. It goes too hard on a sportsman 

 to bring a dog across the line and not be allowed to state 

 his correct worth, unless he goes without coal all winter. 

 I am told that an affidavit stating that the dog is brought 

 in for breeding purposes relieves one of duty, but that is 

 a very unsatisfactory solution of the grave question here 

 involved. E. Hough. 



288. 



The ducking season having come around again. 1 am 

 reminded of a rather good yarn I have been promising 

 for some time to spin. The joke is on a first-class all- 

 around sportsman, and a jolly good fellow he is, too, 

 ready for anythingfrom an'early morning start and frosty 

 wait on the bay for a chance at the ducks to an all day 

 tramp in the backwoods after the wily fox. He is a pructi- 

 cal joker as well as sportsman, and is always ready to »vor k 

 off a "rig" on the boys, so we were all unusually hilari- 

 ous when at last be had to succumb and own himself 

 outwitted. He had gotten the best of me on several occa- 

 sions, and many a minute had I given to concocting plans 

 for getting even. 



At last my chance came, and in this way. Out; on a 

 gunning trip I had the good fortune to shoot a superb 

 fresh-water shelldrake, and when I went home I said 

 nothing to Lucien, but began to perfect a scheme that 

 took shape inmymind almost as soon as my bird dropped. 

 Lucien lived on the banks of a pond in which decks 

 would now and then light, and he always had Mr gun 

 ready. I carefully skinned my bird, stretched the skin 

 over a wooden decoy in as lifelike a manner as possible, 

 and then began to think how best to make it seem alive. 

 My device was merely to fasten one end of a line to the 

 decoy under the breast and lead it through a ring in a 

 stone sunk to the bottom of the pond and from there to 

 some bushes up on a high bank. 



All being arranged I took my position, and one of the 

 men went to the shop just below the dam and told Ln to 

 hurry up and get his gun to shoot the queer looking bird 

 that had just lit there. Lu was at first suspicious, hut 

 finally went up to take a look. The bird was moving 

 around, ducking, etc., in such evident life and spirits 

 that Lucien was, for once at least, completely taken in. 

 He dodged down behind the dam, crept carefully to his 

 cabin, got his gun and as stealthily crept back. Reach- 

 ing the right spot, up he came, looked over to reconnoi- 

 ter, and being entirely convinced banged away. How 

 the feathers did fly! and how we all shouted, and how 

 disgusted Lu looked, I will leave to your imagination. 



Rita. 



'mm |?## nni %m\. 



BEAR AND MAN. 



REVELSTAKE, British Columbia, Nov. Q.—Editdt 

 Forest and Stream.: The snow and dense fogs that 

 have within the past few days enveloped the mountains 

 and valleys in this region, have driven the hunters and 

 Indians out of the mountains, with the exception of a 

 few hardy trappers who still remain in the larger valleys. 

 The kill of big game in this vicinity has been a large one 

 this season. The most notable is that of an old grizzly, a 

 veritable patriarch of his kind, who was laid low by an 

 Indian and his klochuian. They followed the bear two 

 days before they bagged him, the klochman carrying 

 besides her gun a five-months old papoose strapped to her 

 back. She came up with the bear first and fired a charge 

 of buckshot into Bruin, which detained him until the 

 Siwash arrived and finished him with a couple of bullets. 

 Then they held high carnival. Seated themselves astride 

 of their dead game and heaped insult after insult on his 

 senseless head. Such is the squaw's story, though her 

 noble lord and wife-beater says that he "over took um 

 first; had big fight: kill um; then squaw come up, shoot 

 um, buckshot; sit on um. etc." If they had a big fight 

 the bear must have charged at them side on, for the 

 bullets passed through its body behind the shoulders. 

 The bear was quite likely running past the Indians when 

 shot. 



Regarding a grizzly charging at the hunter. Most 

 that is written about such facts is "bosh." A bear, either 

 black or grizzly, will in the great majority of instances 

 run from the presence of man, as fast as his legs can 

 carry him. If wounded he may turn his head and bite at 

 the spot where hit, but will keep running, in fact, as Mr. 

 Fannin says, "It will 'hump' itself in its efforts to get 

 away, as the black horse with a -pack on his back' did." 



That reminds me. They had gone 200 miles to shout a 

 grizzly. One fine evening they meet a big one on the 

 trail. J. F. raises rifle to let the fast waning da\ light 

 shine through its carcass. Companion calls out, "Don't 

 shoot, it's a black horse with a pack on." J. F. lowers 

 rifle. Bear jumps into the bushes and "'humps'' himself 

 away in the deepening gloom. J. F. runs after him. No 

 use; bushes too thick, and too dark to get a shot. J. F. 

 comes back to the trail, and dances then and there, and 

 indulges in melody and words not found in anv edition 

 of the gospel hymns. 



Bear will occasionally when approached by man, stand 

 and stupidly gaze for a few moments at the intruder, 

 until it can gather its wits. Then it will "hump" and 

 bob away like the walking-beam of a side wheel steamboat 



