July 3, 1890.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



471 



THE ADVENTURES OF A BLACK DUCK. 



I AM called a Black Duck, but my proper name is the 

 Dusky Duck ( Anas obseurus ). I was born on the 

 reedy shores of the great and mysterious Lake Mistassini 

 and was one of a family of eleven ducklings. Notwith- 

 standing the watchfulness and great care of our parents, 

 three of my brothers while quite young were devoured by 

 a villainous fox. My other brothers and sisters were 

 either killed or joined some other flocks and we never 

 met again. To the best of my knowledge I am the only 

 living member of my family left. 



While young, being very inquisitive, I asked many 

 questions from my elders, and frequently heard them 

 speak in glowing terms of the sunny south, where they 

 spent the winter months when the northern waters are 

 covered with ice, and we are compelled to leave the scenes 

 of our birth place and youth. 



On a beautiful bright September day, an unusual com- 

 motion was observed among the old ducks, who assem- 

 bled together on the placid waters in the middle of the 

 lake and were engaged in important consultation. When 

 the meeting was adjourned they returned to their re- 

 spective families, we youngsters who were enjoying our- 

 selves diving and splashing in the water, were summoned 

 to approach them, and were then informed that the long 

 looked for day for our departure southward had arrived, 

 and that as soon as the moon that evening would appear 

 over the mountains, following the chosen leaders, we 

 would start on our long journey. How delighted we 

 young ducks were at the prospect of a change of scenery 

 and climate, which we fancied would be followed by 

 pleasure and happiness — little did we dream that we were 

 beginning a new life beset with dangers. At last the hour 

 to start came. Several veteran voices gave a loud quack 

 in which we all joined, and simultaneously a thousand of 

 us rose on wing making a sweeping circle before adopting 

 our final course. As we were passing over the heads of 

 our larger relatives, the wild geese, they stretched out 

 their long necks, and cheerfully honked adieu and good 

 wishes for a happy journey, and gave us to understand 

 that they would follow later on in the season. We had a 

 long and fatiguing flight. The next morning found us 

 in sight of Lake St. John, which we soon reached and 

 settled down on its waters for a rest and food. 



Here we saw the first signs of our chief enemy, whose 

 habitations dotted the shores. My grandmother, to whom 

 I was very much attached and to whom I kept near, told 

 me she trembled for my safety and her anxiety would be 

 very great, for I was young and inexperienced and would 

 run much danger of being killed or wounded. I endeav- 

 ored to quiet her fears by promising to be very careful. 

 We soon after separated and I joined a small band of 

 young ducks and we started off in search of food; with- 

 out suspicion we approached the reedy shores and began 

 eagerly to dive for the succulent herbs. While we were 

 all cheerfully enjoying otir meal in apparent safety, sud- 

 denly from among the reeds a frightful sound like a clap 

 of thunder and lightning was heard and missiles fell 

 among us, causing a strong commotion in the water and 

 killing three of my companions. Filled with horror we 

 made a bound from the water, rose on wing and hastily 

 beat a retreat to a safer spot. Some of us were smarting 

 under the wounds we had received, but fortunately we 

 were not seriously disabled. But our poor dead com- 

 panions, a brother, a sister and a cousin of my own, were 

 left behind never more to be seen. We all looked in the 

 direction of the dreaded spot we had so hurriedly left, 

 and saw an upright being rapidly coming out of the 

 reeds. Propelling himself in some floating vehicle, he 

 stooped down, picked up two of his victims, and then 

 rose again, looked around him, moved forward, raised a 

 tubula,r instrument pointing it before him, and again a 

 clap of thunder and lightning. He made another move 

 ahead, and we observed him lift out of the water our 

 other dead relative whose life he had just finished. 



Shortly afterward my dear old grand dame and other 

 old ducks joined us and found us in a deplorable condi- 

 tion of fear and consternation. In reply to our eager 

 inquiries- about the cause of the dreadful disaster, she 

 told us that the upright biped we had seen was the being 

 called man, the death-dealing tubular instrument he 

 pointed at us was a gun. With this cruel instrument, 

 charged with an infernal invention called powder and 

 shot, he persecuted us wherever we could be found, even 

 at great discomfort and expense, simply for the pleasure 

 or profit of destroying our lives, and those who undertook 

 such cruelties for pleasure considered it a noble and 

 healthy pastime or sport. It certainly appeared to us a 

 very cruel means of amusement, and we decided to shun 

 man as much as possible for the future. 



That night we again made a start, directing our course 

 toward a great river, which my grandmother told me 

 began as the outlet of greater lakes than Mistassini and 

 ended in a gulf of salt water, and on each side of this 

 grand river were the homes of our greatest enemies; 

 therefore we would be compelled to seek the isolated 

 portions where food could be found, and consequently 

 our destination was the renowned Seal Shoals, called in 

 French "Batture aux Loups-Marins." Here the best of 

 herbs are abundant and thousands of ducks and geese 

 assemble. The early morning found us passing over the 

 highlands bordering the River St. Lawrence, making for 

 the shoals, which we soon reached. Flying around and 

 ;around several times to reconnoitre, we decided to settle 

 down in a safe and quiet spot. We were not long there 

 before I observed a crippled bird on the shores. I swam 

 as near as I dared and made the acquaintance of a poor 

 half-starved plover, who told me that he was badly 

 wounded, but hoped to recover. He was afraid to go 

 near the best feeding ground , for there were three or 

 four city dandies roaming around and firing at every 

 oird they came across. 



In the afternoon a strong gale from the east sprung up 

 md we left for more suitable feeding grounds. It was 

 while passing the edge of a portion of the uncovered 

 aeach, the tide being low at the time, that we were as- 

 sailed by the shots from two gunners who suddenly 

 jumped up from a sunken pit dug out of the mud, where 

 ihey had hidden themselves, so as to shoot at the poor 

 lucks and geese as they fly over from one place to an- 

 other. I fell like a leaden ball plump into the water in 

 ,he channel alongside; fortunately, the shock from the 

 Hidden plunge revived my scattered senses, for I at once 



made a dive and, as long as I could keep my breath 

 swam away under water. When I came to the surface 

 I heard the sportsman who was out in a boat using fear- 

 ful language, declaring that he had made a capital shot, 

 that I was dead as a door nail: and with a dreadful bat 

 word he swore he would get me by hook or by crook. 

 Fortunately, I had swum off in an opposite direction to 

 where he was looking for me, and keeping my body well 

 under water, the waves hid me, and I soon left him 

 swearing like a trooper. But me he did not get. I was 

 only stunned by the shot whizzing around my head and 

 soon felt as well as ever. 



This was my second experience of man and escape 

 from death at his hands, and my grandmother, to whom 

 I described the danger I had been in, told me I was now 

 out in the civilized portion of the world and my life 

 would be constantly exposed to similar danger and others 

 too; for the king of all animals, the most intelligent, the 

 most generous, and the grandest of all beings, when feel- 

 ing over-worked, over-fed, or fatigued with city life, 

 where he was engaged in struggling in business or the 

 learned professions, trying to overreach his own species, 

 or in dissipation, and had become blase, considered it a 

 delightful change and beneficial to his health to leave 

 behind a loving family, beautiful home, luxuries, com- 

 forts and congenial companions, mothers, wives, sisters 

 or sweethearts, to rush off to some wild spot, live on 

 coarse food, dress in shabby clothes, sleep on hard and 

 uncomfortable beds, rise before daylight, shiver all day 

 in cold and wet, hide in ambush, use all possible means 

 to decoy us and destroy our innocent lives; this he calls 

 manly sport, and talks about as a splendid outing. North 

 or south, east or west, wherever we go, our enemies exist 

 and seek our extinction. O, noble man! how different 

 are our ways from yours; we never destroy life for food 

 or pleasure. We live on the plants which grow under 

 water, which we dive deep to secure, we never harm any 

 living thing. Unfortunately, our flesh to man is a 

 delicious food, and a wise providence, to whose will we 

 must submit, has ordained that we poor ducks shall live, 

 suffer and die for the enjoyment of others. Such is life. 



J. U. Gregory. 



Note.— The Adventures of a Black Duck originated 

 with Eugene Renault, Esq., of Montmagny, Province of 

 Quebec, who wrote it in French, and dedicated the story 

 to Commodore J. IT. Gregory, of Quebec, who lost the 

 copy, but has, with the permission of Mr. Renault, trans- 

 lated remembered selections. This has necessarily very 

 much altered the style and length of the original. 



Quail Invading Domestic Fowls' Nests.— They have 

 a breed of quail in Ohio which lay more eggs than they 

 can hatch; and call on the neighbors. The Ashtabula 

 Sentinel gives this encouraging report: "Joe Hamilton 

 told us last week that his boys found a turkey's nest with 

 several turkey eggs in it and 15 quail eggs. The turkey 

 was setting on the whole lot, and father and mother 

 quail were standing near her, apparently watching an 

 opportunity to get a chance at the setting business them- 

 selves. Royal Edson, who was standing by and. heard 

 the story, related one quite similar. He sold a pair of 

 guineas to a neighbor. A few days ago they found the 

 nest, with one guinea egg and 15 or .18 quail eggs. We 

 are able to report that there is going to be a large in- 

 crease of quail this fall. We hear the whistle of cheery 

 Bob White from our office window any day and are 

 thankful we live so near his kingdom." 



$mw §dg mtd 



" FOREST AND STREAM" GUN TESTS. 



THE following guns have been tested at the Forest and 

 Stream Range, and reported upon in the issues named. 

 Copies of any date will be sent on receipt of price, ten cents: 

 Clabrough 12, May 1, '00. 

 Colt 12, July 25, '89. 

 CoiT 10 and 12, Oct. 24, '89. 

 Folsom 10 and 12, Sept. 20, ' 

 Francotte 12, Deo. 12, '89. 

 Greener 12, Aug. 1, '8(1. 

 Greener 10. Sepr. 12-19, '89. 

 Hollis 10. Nov. 7, '89. 

 Leeeyer 12, March IS, '90. 



Parker 10, hammer, June 6, „„. 

 Parker 12, haui'rless.June Bi'89, 

 Remington IS. May 30. '89. 

 Remington 12, Dec 5,'89,Feb t>,'93 

 Remington 10, Dec. 26, '89. 

 Scott 10, Sept. 5, '89. 

 L. C. Smith 12, Oct. 10, '89. 

 Whitney Safety 12, ivPch 6, '90. 

 Winchester 10 & 12, Oct. 3, '89. 



THE NEW YORK WOODCOCK SEASON. 



TO an inquiry from this office sent to the Attorney- 

 General respecting an inconsistency in the New 

 York laws of 1879 and 1890, prescribing the woodcock 

 season, we have received the following reply: 



Chapter 90 of the laws of 1890 amends Section 10 of 

 Chapter 534 of the laws of 1879, which is the general act 

 for the protection and preservation of game, etc., and 

 said section, as so amended, provides that "No person 

 shall kill or expose for sale, or have in his or her posses- 

 sion after the same has been killed any * * * ruffed 

 grouse * * * or woodcock between the first day of 

 January and the first day of September, except as is here- 

 inafter provided * * *." 



Section 9 of the act of 1879, as amended by Chapter 269, 

 laws of 1884, provides that "No person shall kill or ex- 

 pose for sale, or have in his or her possession [after the 

 same has been killed, any woodcock between the first 

 day of January and the first day of September in the 

 counties of Oneida and Delaware and in other parts of 

 the State between the first day of January and the first 

 day of August in each year. * * *." 



This Section 10, as amended by the act of 1890, is in- 

 consistent with Section 9 of the act of 1879, and being a 

 later enactment, controls and repeals all inconsistent and 

 irreconcilable provisions of Section 9. The mere fact 

 that section 9 was the provision in the laws of 1879 

 which prescribed the time when woodcock might have 

 been killed, and was the section that more particulary, 

 perhaps, should have been mentioned instead of Section 

 10 of said act of 1879, which related to other birds than 

 woodcock, does not change the rule that subsequent leg- 

 islation repeals all prior legislation inconsistent there- 

 with. 



I am therefore of the opinion that it is unlawful to kill 

 woodcock between the first day of January and the first 

 day of September. Ed. G. Whitaker, 



Deputy Attorney-General. 



ILLINOIS GAME SEASONS, 



C CHICAGO, June 23.— Editor Forest and Stream: In 

 ) the latter part of April one of your Chicago corre- 

 Rpondents said that the open season on ducks extended in 

 Illinois to May 1, instead of to April 15. The following 

 week he reiterated this misstatement. The third or fourth 

 week he corrected it. In your issue of June 12 another 

 Chicago correspondent announced that the open season on 

 woodcock in this State began July 1 instead of July 15, 

 and I find no correction of the error in your last issue. 



The game laws of Illinois are not very rigidly observed, 

 and there is no adequate provision for their enforcement. 

 At the same time there are many true sportsmen who 

 would as soon think of committing burglary as of shoot- 

 ing a bird out of season. All of these men, I presume, 

 read Forest and Stream, and they are very likely to 

 pin their faith to its statements. If through it they 

 should be misled into shooting woodcock in the close sea- 

 son they would be deeply mortified. It is to save them 

 from making a mistake that I write this letter. 



Of course their shooting would not materially affect 

 the result. If they do not kill off the woodcock before 

 the open season begins somebody else will. But where 

 there are men not only willing but anxious to obey the 

 game laws, it is almost criminal to mislead them as to 

 what those laws provide. 



The "Session Laws of 1889" contain the present game 

 laws. Copies can be obtained at 50 cents each. Would 

 it not be a good plan for Forest and Stream to provide 

 each of its regular Illinois contributors with one? 



Lake View. 



Chicago, 111., June 28.— "Italian Joe," the well-known 

 plover shooter of this city, was at my office this morning. 

 Joe is also one of the most successful woodcock hunters 

 of this region, and sends quantities of birds in to the 

 market. He says that the woodcock along the Des Plaines 

 River, ten or twelve miles from here, have done very 

 well. He admits having killed two or three, just for 

 luck, already, excusing himself with the old plea, that 

 "everybody shoot-a de bird now." Joe says the weather 

 is too hot to go hunting now, and I should think it was, 

 if it ever gets that way. The past three days have been 

 the hottest known here for a long time. The thermom- 

 eter is 108" on the street near where I write this, and 

 both business and pleasure are well nigh suspended. 



Italian Joe gave me another instance of the beauty of 

 our game laws out here. He told me that yesterday and 

 to-day Chicago market was full of young prairie chickens/ 

 He said he thought there were over 100 in the lot he saw, 

 and most of them were about as big as quail. He thought 

 they came from Iowa. "Shame to kill-a de bird so 

 young," said Joe. Well, yes, it might possibly bethought 

 so. But under our law, it is little wonder they are 

 killed, when men can be found brutal enough to kill or 

 to buy them. It should be borne in mind that the game 

 warden, who is the only one having legal, eyes to see, did 

 not see the illegal birds that Joe saw. The people cannot 

 act. It is only a half-breed foreigner, paid not to act, 

 who can act, and he is not apt to act previous to the ar- 

 rival of the milch kine in the gloaming. Oh, we've got 

 a daisy law out here; if you're not too blame particular 

 about what kind of a law you like. E. Hough. 



COMPANIONS OF THE GROUSE. 



IN the fall, when the cold rains and high winds come 

 on, the American robin takes refuge in the deep 

 woods and thick coverts, where he spends much of his 

 time on the ground feeding and for shelter. Invariably 

 at this season the ruffed grouse will be found associated 

 with him. The grouse also loves the company of the 

 chipmunk or little ground squirrel; and they are fre- 

 quently together around stumps in the old woods. While 

 ea.ting my lunch once, seated on a large stone just within 

 the edge of the forest, I discovered a grouse on the hill- 

 side a short distance away. He was standing up beside 

 a stump, the color of which was identical with that of his 

 breast and under feathers. Two chipmunks were run- 

 ning around him. He remained in sight for several min- 

 utes, when all three suddenly disappeared. 



The grouse seeks the presence of the red squirrel also 

 at times, as the following incident willl show: While I 

 was out among the Glenville Hills, a ruffed grouse broke 

 from the dense cover in front of me among the black 

 alders in the low grounds, and made straight for the top 

 of a very deep gorge. Shortly after I saw in that direc- 

 tion, away up on the hillside, an old decayed stump and 

 a red squirrel frisking about it. I stood for some time 

 taking observations, during which my attention was 

 more and more attracted to the queer antics of the squir- 

 rel. At last I caught sight of a small dark object not 

 more than an inch in diameter behind, and about mid- 

 way up the stump. It was but momentary glimpses, how- 

 ever, that I could get of it, while the squirrel kept up 

 his movements as before. After this object had been 

 seen I began to suspect that another animal was there, 

 and was probably taking advantage of the presence of 

 the squirrel to pass unnoticed. The little red fellow at 

 last took up a position, where he sat very demure and 

 innocent-like, eating a nut. The hidden one did not ap- 

 pear, so I moved up the hill to investigate. As I neared 

 the spot a grouse darted away and the squirrel scrambled 

 up a tree. The small dark object I had seen had been 

 the head of the grouse. By good luck and a snap shot I 

 managed to stop him. He proved to be the "cock of the 

 woods" — very wise and very old. 



The squirrel, having no use for, I allowed to escape. I 

 heard him for some time after on his lofty perch, chat- 

 tering away in apparent triumph at the success of the 

 stratagem. Dorp. 

 Schenectady, N. Y. 



Omaha. Neb., June 24. — Young doves are now full 

 grown and very plentiful. E. M. Morseman, president 

 of the Pacific Express Company, this city, has just re- 

 turned froni Wauka to Lake, Minn., where he has been 

 muskallonging with a party of Eastern friends. The big 

 catch was a 64-pounder, which fell to the host's luck. 

 Dr. H. A. Morley and a number of others will go to Col- 

 orado early next month after bear and blacktail.— Gris. 



Connecticut.— Game birds wintered finely in north- 

 eastern Connecticut, and the large number of old ones 

 have reared strong broods. I never saw so many quail. 

 They were in the fields, on stone walls and. in the roads, 

 whistling for dear life. I shot one — with a "Kodak," — 

 F'LIN. 



