Jan. 8, 1891.J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



4 91 



sonable degree out of the contingent fund of the Park, 

 about which you can advise me. If you are prepared to 

 proceed with this business and think that it ought to be 

 done without delay to any extent you are hereby author- 

 ized to act. All expenses will be carefully noted and 

 if they have to be paid in advance I will furnish the 

 money from here and get it repaid from the National 

 Zoological Park. Knowing that you will understand this 

 business thoroughly without further comment from me 

 I submit the matter to you. This will accomplish one of 

 the purposes for which the Yellowstone Park was estab- 

 lished." 



The following reply has been received from Gapt. 

 Boutelle, who is now in the field near Fort Keogh: "'As 

 you will observe, I am a little off my beat, having been 

 called out by the Indian disturbance. I hope that as soon 

 as it is known that my services will not be required for 

 active operations to be ordered to return with my troop 

 to my special duty in the Park. I have a fine organization 

 and came out very cheerfully, but somebody ought to be 

 in the Park at all times, if these Indians in the Bad 

 Lands come in I can see no reason why I should be kept 

 out longer, unless there are plans of which 1 know nothing. 

 I am very glad that ymi have decided to send specimens 

 of our Park game to the Zoo at Washington, and I shall 

 be a very willing agent in the work. I and my men will 

 do it at just as small expense as possible. It will be a very 

 hard matter to get some of the animals, the puma par- 

 ticularly, as from their habits of the males destroying 

 their young they are rare everywhere, but the elk, deer, 

 antelope, buffalo I can get surely. The carnivora will 

 probably have to be taken in the winter in box traps, 

 which will cost something, but the buffalo, elk, _ etc., can 

 better be taken 3 r nung and kept in the Park until fall and 

 then shipped. The Park should supply buffalo, elk, 

 black- tailed deer (there are a few in the southern part of 

 the Park), moose (with difficulty and expense), grizzly 

 and black bear, wolverine, puma, badger, porcupine, 

 beaver, perhaps otter (hard to get), woodchuck, squirrel; 

 coyote, Canada lynx, timber wolves (very scarce), three 

 varieties of rabbits or hare, several varieties of the little 

 chipmonk, several varieties or kinds of birds. 1 sent a 

 case to the Smithsonian last spring. 



"Rumor has it,'' the writer continues, "that my regiment 

 will exchange with the Sixth Cavalry in the spring. This 

 will naturally carry me away from" the Park, unless an 

 exception is made in my troop. I shall leave the charge 

 with great regret. I have hoped to remain until I could 

 see an abundance of fish where fish had never been 

 before, the Zoo at Washington filled with animals 

 branded Y. N. P., the hotels commodious and well 

 managed, and some law established through which the 

 scoundrels who violate the laws may be punished. As it 

 is now, they say that the Park is the safest place in the 

 country, as there are no game laws there. As a matter of 

 fact I manage to keep them out almost completely." 



THE WOODCOCK'S TWITTER. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your issue of Dec. 25, Mr. Brewster says, referring 

 to me and my woodcock narrative of Dec. 11: "The 

 vocal notes of his bird were so like the whistling of ducks' 

 wings as actually to deceive his companion, Mr. Mar- 

 chant, into the belief that wild ducks were passing over 

 at the time; yet in the closing paragraph of his article he 

 affirms that, when a woodcock 'twitters' he squeals, pipes, 

 squeaks rather than whistles, and adds, 'the sound made 

 in swift flight by the wings of this and other species — 

 many of our ducks, for example — is perhaps more appro- 

 priately termed a whistle.'" 



Mr. Marchant's exclamation to which Mr. Brewster 

 refers, was this: "Wild ducks going over — don't you 

 hear 'em!" his idea being that the "two very positive 

 notes of remonstrance" came, not from the wings, but 

 from the mouths of his imaginary ducks. The notes 

 were instantly recognized as vocal by us both. Mr, 

 Brewster's inference is, of course, a very natural one, 

 as ducks do so little talking while on the wing, and 

 having thus inferred, it is not strange that he, and many 

 who read his kind and courteous review of my narrative, 

 should imagine that these and the other vocal notes were 

 more like the sounds produced by the wings of birds than 

 the facts of the case really warrant. 



In the original draft of the narrative I included a de- 

 tailed account of the bird's actions when liberated, but 

 fearing that my paper would occupy too much of your 

 space, I reserved this and certain other minor details for 

 publication in another form. I think, however, that I 

 had better add here a brief account of his good-bye flight. 

 I took him into the country — as I told you before — and into 

 a field in which there was underbrush and kneeling placed 

 him on the ground. He stood for a moment looking back- 

 ward inquiringly, then lifting his head walked slowly into 

 a patch of dead grass, picking his way through the tangle 

 with most astonishing ease, and causing scarcely any 

 noticeable movement of the dried blades and stems 

 through which he passed. After he had proceeded two 

 or three yards I sprang to my feet suddenly for the pur- 

 pose of frightening him, and at my movement he flushed, 

 making a short flight of perhaps twenty yards, feeling 

 probably a little stiff at first from want of exercise. He 

 lighted in the next field and stepped off with more ani- 

 mation than before, though not more rapidly, following 

 the course of a cow path. When I had climbed the fence 

 and approached to within about a rod of him, he again 

 jumped, this time more energetically, and flew rapidly 

 over a hill and out of sight, though "not so rapidly as I 

 have often seen and heard woodcock fly. In neither of 

 these flights did I hear any sound other than that of very 

 faint, scarcely perceptible fanning. The narrow outer 

 primaries, it will be remembered, were fully developed 

 and intact in this specimen. Gordon Trumbull, 



Hartford, Conn., Deo. 31. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The writer has hunted woodcock many years, killing 

 hundreds of them, and could hardly help becoming some- 

 what familiar with their habits and many peculiarities. 

 That the sharp metallic whistle of a flushed woodcock is 

 made by the wings is my firm belief. Mr. Brewster's 

 article in Forest and Stream of Dec. 25 gives so many 

 good points in support of this theory that I wish to thank 

 him for coming to the support of the "wing whistlers." 

 How many times I have seen a sly old cock flop up as 

 silently as an owl, steal off to some out-of-the-way corner, 

 and when followed Bp and flushed to a point spring 



from the ground, with a whistle so loud and sharp 

 that there could be no mistaking the manner in which 

 the sound was produced. It is a pretty good vocalist that 

 can execute as rapidly and with the volume of tone 

 that a plump October woodcock will bid you an adieu 

 with when flushed. In a long flight it always seems that 

 the whistle continues as long as the bird increases its 

 speed: when the limit is reached it flies silently and 

 finally alights. 



It is taken for granted that Mr. Trumbull has visited the 

 woodcock in the breeding season, witnessed their circling 

 in the air and listeucd to their notes. Here you have 

 their vocal powers to perfection and not to be confounded 

 with any sound made by the wings. Will he kindly state 

 if the notes of his captive bird were the same as those 

 made at this time? There are eo many interesting things 

 about this bird that the many articles appearing in 

 Forest and Stream from time to time have afforded 

 much pleasure, and some amusement. They will doubt- 

 less stimulate sportsmen to a clear observation of the 

 woodcock's ways, thus adding to the knowledge of all. 



Encouraging the Winter Birds.— "Hermit's" sug- 

 gestion in regard to chickadees for public parks seems to 

 me worthy of both consideration and a thorough trial, 

 and I give my mite of experience toward a practical 

 solution. Three years ago chickadees and woodpeckers 

 were only occasionally seen about the house. At about 

 that time I put a few pieces of pump tubing in the trees; 

 that and each subsequent winter I have constantly kept 

 pieces of beef suet fastened to the branches. As a result, 

 while the birds do not remain constantly, still from 

 November to April the following birds are almost daily 

 visitors: Hairy and downy woodpeckers, chickadees and 

 white-bellied nuthatches, while I have seen an occasional 

 black and white creeper and one pair of brown creepers. 

 I have not been able to discover whether they use the 

 tubing for roosting in or not. Last spring a pair of black- 

 caps acted as though they were about to build in one, but 

 were prevented by the bluebirds, — M. E, LI. ( Jefferson, la.) 



Japanese Pheasants in Oregon.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: In September, 1838, while traveling by stage in 

 the vicinity of the Umpqua River, Oregon, I had a strik- 

 ing illustration of the absolute fearlessness and adapt- 

 ability for domestication of the introduced Japanese 

 pheasant. Passing through the timber not far from a 

 clearing we first saw these birds and they were not at 

 all alarmed by our presence, but disappeared leisurely 

 into cover. Soon af terward we emerged suddenly from 

 the timber and the stage reached a farmhouse in the 

 clearing. Here, to my astonishment, I saw a consider- 

 able number of the same birds feeding with the domestic 

 fowls. I was glad then that I had not tried to train my 

 revolver on the pheasants, for, as I remarked to the 

 driver, I might have aecidently killed one. — W. A. Wil- 

 cox (Washington, D. C). 



That Grouse in the Water. — Editor Forest and 

 Stream: I notice in your issue of Dec. 25 a short com- 

 ment by "O. O. S." on my article ("Food of the American 

 Goshawk") which appeared in your issue of Dec. 4. If 

 "O. O. S." will read that article more carefully he will 

 see that Mr. Wood worth wrung the bird's neck and not I, 

 as he has stated. I will freely admit that it was very 

 cruel to take the grouse from the water where it had 

 gone fo" protection and kill it as he did. Had the bird 

 fell into my hands he would have received different 

 treatment from that meted out to him by Mr. Wood- 

 worth.— W. L Bishop (Kentville, N. S.). 



The Curlew's Bill.— In writing you the other day the 

 woodcock paper I intended to speak of the power curlews 

 have of in flexing the upper bill same as the woodcock, so 

 as to run along the groove of the lower mandible and to 

 clean out whatever may be adhering there. Prof. Baird 

 told me this and a Jamaica man, a Mr. Hill, said the ibis 

 also do the same.— Geo. A. Boardman. 



A December Robin.— Lockport, N. Y., Dec. 30. — A. 

 robin seen in December! You would hardly believe it, 

 but such is the case. One was seen by the well known 

 attorney William C. Greene, yesterday in his yard, and 

 was seen again this morning by Mr. Greene and his fam- 

 ily. Mr. Greene could scarcely credit his eyes, but there 

 could have been no illusion. 



Recent Arrivals at the Philadelphia Zoological Gar- 

 dens.— Purchased— One red-bellied spider monkey (Aides rufiren- 

 trts). seven rhesus monkeys (Mocacus crythrcvus), one pig-tailed 

 monkey (M. nemesMnus), two vet-vet monkeys (Cercoptthecm 

 lalandi), four green monkeys (0. ealUtrielnis), one ostrich a 

 (Sti-utMu eamelus). one yellow hangnest (Cassicvsyrrsiciis). two red- 

 backed hangnesis (Cassims harmorrhoux), two golden -crowned 

 conurea (Conurus mar us), two European crossbills (Loxia cuni- 

 rostra), two melodious finclips (Phonipara emwrum), ono crested 

 ground parrakeet (Calopsitto nmw-hoUantMxv), one lesser sheath- 

 bill (Cldonis minor), t wo blue-bearded jays (Cijanocorax eyanopo- 

 (lon). four- Greek partridges (Cocco.bis w.ivWs). and one anaconda 

 (Eunectes murium). Presented— One wildcat (Lynx rufus), one 

 sparrow hawk (Falco spevrverim), one screech owl (Scops asiu). one 

 Cayenne rail (Ararnides vayen nemis), on« red-tailed buzzard (Buteo 

 Imrealis), two ring doves < Turiur rte-n-im). one robin (Turd us migra- 

 torim), two alligators (Alligator m&sttetpirtentfs), and one banded 

 rattlesnake (Crutalus horridus). Burn— One zebra (Bom intHeux). 

 Exchanged— One painted box tortoise (distvilo orvnta), and one 

 snowy owl (Pfyctea nivea). 



"That reminds me." 



A PROMINENT lawyer and sportsman of this city, W. 

 C. G , who generally spends a few weeks during 

 the fall among the ducks in Canada, was out a few clays 

 since after rabbits, which are very plenty this season in 

 this county. The next morning Mrs. G. gave one to the 

 Irish man-servant and told him to clean and dress it for 

 dinner. After waiting an hour and no rabbit putting in 

 an appearance she started out on a hunt for the servant, 

 and on finding him asked how long it would be before 

 the rabbit would be ready, and was informed that he had 

 got it about half picked. He had picked the feathers 

 from the ducks given him to clean and supposed the rab- 

 bit had to go through the same operation. J. L. D. 

 Lockpo rt, N. Y. v Dee. 3a 



§aim §zg md §mp 



THE ETJLL texts of the game laws of all the States, Terri- 

 tories and British Provinces are given in the Boole ol the 

 Qa/me Laws. 



FOUR MEN AND A BEAR. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Seeing once in a while an account of a bear hunt in 

 your columns, I thought perhaps one more would not be 

 amiss. Several years ago I had been in the Adirondacks 

 fishing, and stopped, as usual, on my way out at Corey's, 

 at the head of Upper Saranac Lake. Corey came home 

 that night from Follansbee Pond, where he had been fish- 

 ing for muscalonge, and reported them very plentiful; so 

 we decided to stay over another day and try them. We 

 started next morning— Geo. B. Durfee and liis guide, Ed 

 Flagg, myself and my guide, Rob W. Nichols. We 

 crossed Indian Carry, down the Ampersand Creek and 

 out into Raquette River for the pond. Ingoing down the 

 river we came to quite a wide place with a long, narrow 

 island in it. Just before reaching the island 1 saw some- 

 thing swimming in the river, and asked Rob if it was a 

 dog. tie looked and said, "No, it is a bear." We were 

 in a pretty fix, with neither gun, pistol, hatchet nor axe 

 in our boats. ''Well," said I, "'let's have some fun any- 

 how." So we changed places with our guides, we taking 

 the paddles and the guides standing up in the bows of the 

 boats, each with an oar in his hands. We paddled down, 

 one boat each side of that bear, and then the fun began. 

 First one and then the other would bring down the butt 

 of their oar with all their might on that bear's head till 

 the blows resounded far and near. Still he kept swim- 

 ming, the blows kept falling and he constantly crowding 

 toward the island. When I found he was going to land 

 and had reached within a dozen feet of the shore, I 

 thought I would change the order of exercises, and shoved 

 my boat directly between him and the shore; he just 

 raised one paw and made a strike for the boat; I 

 only avoided the blow by swinging the bow nearer 

 the shore. As it was, he just missed us, but 

 scraped his claws down the side of the boat, leav- 

 ing marks that always remained. Then he dived, 

 went under the boat and came up the other side on to the 

 island. We were out of the boat about as soon as he. 

 landed, and, dragging it after us, were in the water on 

 the other side about as soon as he was. Then the pound- 

 ing operation recommenced. He crowded us toward the 

 shore in spite of all we could do. I kept calling to my 

 guide to hit him on the nose if he wanted to curl him up, 

 but he couldn't seem to find any place except the top of 

 his skull. He crowded us to the mainland and just 

 before he reached it Ed gave him an extra blow, breaking 

 bis oar, and he went down, and we thought we had him; 

 but he was so near shore his feet touched bottom and 

 that gave him courage, and, coming up, he blew the 

 water from his nostrils, took a few more steps, and went 

 lumbering off into the woods. Well, we landed. We 

 didn't follow that bear. We had no further use for that 

 bear. In fact we didn't want that bear any moi'e. Don't 

 think we would have taken the gift of "him. We sat 

 down and talked it over. Tried to find out which of us 

 was the biggest fool. Told how we might have given 

 him a shove with the oar and sent him under water and 

 when he came up shoved him under again and soon 

 drowned him. Also how a few raps over the nose would 

 have fixed him, and several and various other ways in 

 which we might have captured him. If any of your 

 readers think they could have captured a big bear in the 

 water with nothing but a couple of fish poles and a 

 couple of oars, I should like to see the fun. Well, we 

 cpntinued on to Follansbee Pond and had the best of 

 luck fishing, I got one muscalonge weighing 221bs. 

 Durfee one of 18 and one of 15, besides some sixty more 

 from 2 to lOlbs. We reached Corey's safely that night, 

 where the women folks made us a present of a leather 

 medal, cut from the leg of an old boot, for going bear 

 hunting without a gun. Walter Aiken. 



Franklin Falls, N. H., Dec. 22. 



CONCERNING SIGHTS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



1 notice in the Dec. 25 number of your paper that 

 "Hunter" has some trouble with my combination sight. 

 His experience is not an usual one, and I imagine he car- 

 ries his rifle in a peculiar way or else he has a sight of 

 my first design with a weak spring. 



In timber shooting in the snow there is more or less 

 attention required to keep the snow off the rifle and 

 from its getting into the muzzle. When the rifle is car- 

 ried so as to be ready for a quick shot, the barrel is more 

 likely to be covered "with falling snow than any part back 

 of it. Neither is the combination sight often touched by 

 twigs, much less knocked out of place by them. 



If "Hunter" will use the extra large aperture, ?'. e., iin. 

 diameter, such as I recommend in my catalogue, he will 

 have no trouble with the frost filling the aperture. 



One of your correspondents of some time since com- 

 plained that at dusk he could not see distinctly through 

 the aperture. If he would use this siza aperture and 

 shoot with both eyes open, he will not only be able to 

 shoot better than with any rear barrel sight, but much 

 quicker also. 



I conclude that "Hunter" leaves the rear barrel sight 

 on his rifle, as he speaks of often having the combination 

 sight folded. If one has the crotch sight on the barrel he 

 cannot get the best results from the combination sight. 



My wind gauge sight is a better hunting sight than the 

 combination sight. One of its advantages is, that it can- 

 not be folded back on the tang of the rifle, and conse- 

 quently is always ready for use. The top of this sight 

 moves forward by very slight pressure and comes back of 

 itself. It can ba turned down forward when the rifle is 

 put away. This sight can be elevated to known distances 

 instantly and without taking the eyes from the game. I 

 will venture to say that this improved sight will meet the 

 wishes of "Hunter" in every respect if he will give it a 

 trial. William Lyman. 



Middle field. Conn. 



A Book About Indians.— The Forest and Stream will mail 

 free on application a descriptive circular of Mr. Grinnell's book, 

 "Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales," giving a table of contents 

 and specimen illustrations from, the volume.— A dv. 



