04 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Auo. 13, 1891. 



readers of Forest a.nd Stream that can verify or dis- 

 prove this guess work of mine. Shoshone, 



MACKAOtTHT PLATEAU, Utah, July 2T. 



A DAY IN YUCATAN. 



WE were up and ready to resume our journey at 

 sunrise. Our abode for the previous night had 

 been an old, much-ventilated thatched shanty, the 

 property of a Maya Indian family. Upon our inquiring 

 as to the possibilities of obtaining a breakfast we learned 

 that a few tortillas and a little milk might be had. After 

 much trouble and considerable swearing in Spanish at 

 last we were given each a bowl of the worst milk I think 

 I ever tasted. It was bitter and very disagreeable to 

 the taste. The tortillas were quite good, being fresh 

 made and warm. Upon inquirmg of the man of the 

 house as to what was the cost of our entertainment, he 

 immediately answered "Cineo pesos''' (five dollars). We 

 demurred at this, but were finally compelled to pay it. 



About 7:30 we commenced our march, S, and myself 

 going ahead to look for birds. The road upon which we 

 were traveling was cut through a dense forest, and pre- 

 sented a most grand and beautiful scene as we glanced 

 before and behind us. The early morning sun was just 

 peeping through the foliage, gay plumaged birds were 

 making the air resound with their notes, and the pure, 

 fresh air gave _ us travelers a feeling of freedom and 

 enjoyment which must be experienced to be appreci- 

 ated. 



The first trophy to fall by my hand was a beautiful 

 yellow breasted flycatcher, which I took on the wing as 

 he was diligently chasing a huge dragon fly, A short 

 time al ter I shot another, and I knocked a third from the 

 top of a high tree. These flycatchers appear to be the 

 most abundant bird in Yucatan, and there are said to be 

 no less than twenty species found here. 



Shortly after shooting the flycatchers we were startled 

 by a series of sharp, shrill notes which were totally un- 

 known to us, and soon over the tops of the trees came a 

 fl ck of bright-plumaged parrots, which alighted in the 

 branches of a large ti-ee not far away. AVith quickened 

 pulses we carefully approached the spot, and fired into 

 the fl ck, which with a mighty cbattering took wing and 

 flew to a tall tree in the midst of the jungle and beyond 

 our ref.ch. We found under the tree four fine specimens, 

 which were immediately transferred to our game bag. 

 Theoc were the first parrots seen by us and they produced 

 an intense feeling of excitement. 



Abe ut noon we arrived at a convenient lunching place 

 and p oceeded to do justice to our provisions. This spot 

 was u,):>n the edge of one of those remarkable cenotes, so 

 common throughout Yucatan. This one was of a round 

 sbap' and about SOft, below the level of the ground. It 

 wj s surrounded by reeds and rushes, and it was dotted 

 here and there by patches of water lilies. We discovered 

 several herons, rails and ducks upon the water, but 

 failed to obtain any. This eenote is called in the Maya 

 language Shkolack, and is double: that is, there is one 

 upon either side of the roadway. The waters were in- 

 habited by several species of fresh-water shells of the 

 genera Ampullaria, Planorhis and Plupa, and by a water 

 snake, the character of which I was not able to deter- 

 mine. 



After eating our dinner, taking a few photographs and 

 jskinning our birds, we resumed our jomney toward Sit- 

 elpech, a small village, the objective point for the day. 

 On the way we passed several large fields of heniquen, 

 from which the famous Sisal hemp is made. The heni- 

 quen industry constitutes the chief wealth of the Yuca- 

 ticans, and immense quantities of the hemp are annually 

 shipped from the country. 



The plant is an agave and by some botanists is said to 

 be identical with the pulque plant, or maguey {Agave 

 americana). The leaves of the plant are first cut oft' 

 close to the ground. They are then passed through a 

 tearing machine, which reduces the leaf to its fibre. It 

 is then hung up upon poles in the sun to dry and after- 

 ward is pressed into bales by machinery. 



Shortly after dark we arrived at our destination, and 

 after partaking of a hearty supper of tortillas, fribolas 

 and chocolate we retired to rest in a carpenter shop. 



F, C. Baker. 



"PLAYING POSSUM." 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The supposition of a recent correspondent relative to 

 the opossum coiling solely from fright when attacked, 

 is, I think, erroneous, I believe this remarkable little 

 animal occupies a position very close to the fox for cun- 

 ning and sagacity, and that its actions are due at least to 

 instinct, and perhaps to reason. 



1 have known this animal to submit to the most terrific 

 .Jblows of a club, without, apparently, moving a muscle; 

 but on placing a fire brand in close proximity to his flesh 

 he would scamper off as rapidly as his motive power 

 could carry him. 



In fact, with regard to the brain power of our lower 

 animals, I venture the prophesy that before many years 

 have passed our scientists will have conceded that those 

 actions that are now attributed to mere coincidence or 

 instinct in our animal kingdom, are, in reality, the out- 

 growth of a systematic course of reasoning or original 

 thought, 



I have seen the fox adopt tactics to outwit the hunter, 

 that for instantaneous originality and shrewdness, would 

 outwit ninety-nine out of one hundred men, 



The raccoon, in these respects, is almost, if not indeed, 

 quite on a par with reynard, and I hope in the near 

 future to place before the readers of Forest and Stream 

 a few facts gleaned from personal observation of animals 

 in their native home that will prove my assertion. 



PiTTSBUKGH, Pa^ C. A. R. 



White Muskrats.— In your edition of July 23 ''A. Q-. 

 H." comments upon the rarity of white muskrats. A 

 family of white muskrats were placed in my hands to be 

 mounted for the Earl of Dunraven, if I remember cor- 

 rectly. They had been obtained by some one of his 

 party when it made the very extensive collection while 

 on the tour of this country in 1875-6-7, I was at that 

 time engaged with Prof, H, A. Ward at Rochester, One 

 day four very beautiful albino specimens of the muskrat 

 were given me to prepare and remount into a character- 

 istic group. They consisted of an adult female and three 

 young about two-fifths grown, and all of them a pure 

 phalk white. They were considerably contorted by the 



botch who first skinned and undertook to mount themj 

 and it was with some apprehension that I decided to re- 

 model and give them their true form, for they were too 

 valuable to run much risk. However, after some difli- 

 culty they were prepared and combined into one of the 

 most novel groups it has been my pleasure to mal<e. 

 Albinoism among mammals and birds is much more com- 

 mon than is generally supposed. As another interesting 

 example of the subject we have at our establishment, 788 

 Broadway, two albmo wolves of the largest type. One 

 is from Siberia, and came with a lot of 700 skins. The 

 other came from Hudson's Bay. The former skin has a 

 slight creamy or yellowish tint, but the last mentioned 

 a clear phalk white,— Frederick S. Wepstee. 



Carolina Paroquet.— Savannah, Aug, 8,~In refer- 

 ence to Mr. Frank M. Chapman's letter in regard to the 

 Carolina paroquet in last number of Forest and STREAiVl 

 I beg to say that this species was fairly abundant in 

 Hillsborough and Hprnando counties, Fla,, as late at 

 least as 1878, The flocks were generally from ten to 

 thirty in number, and I saw the greatest numbers in the 

 sandhill region , they seemed to feed in the small cypress 

 swamps. The cry of this species is harsh and can be 

 heard a long distance,— Theodore Gordon, 



Recent Arrivals ai the Philadelphia Zoological Gab- 

 den.— Purchased— Gae rhea {Uliea americana). two iiluropean 

 jays (Garrulm gtmidarUis), two Bpotted-sidert tinches (AmacUna 

 lathami), one moi afsin (A neistrodonpUcivorus), two diamond rat- 

 tlesnakes (Crotalus adamnnt&us), Ave ground rattlesnakes (Crota- 

 lophorns miliarius}. one narleqtiin snake (Maps ftUvim), one copper- 

 bend snake tAncisiraaon co ntorttte), five American glass snakes 

 {Ophiosaiirus vcntroUs}, leu corn snakes {Coluher guttatus). three 

 ciiirkcu snakes (Cuhtbcr quadrivittatiis), four kine snakes (Ophibu- 

 Iw getuliiti), fonr uos-nosed saa-kes (Hetorodon platyrMnoti), three 

 banded water snakes (rropidonotats/ascwtMs;, thi-ee scarlet snates 

 {CcuKipJiura caccinca), thirteen blnck snakes {Bnseaninim comtHc- 

 tor), turee coacliwliip snakes (Bascanium Uageliiforme). eiglit pine 

 suakos [PltyopMs melanoleucm), two Indigo snakes {Spilotes ere- 

 hcnnus), two green sn&kes (CyelopMs vemaMs), six rjuged snakes 

 (Tropidonotiis mitrix), two slow worms {Anguis franilis), eight 

 ciesied newts {Molgc cristata), and one fire-bellied toad (Bombina- 

 tor igurm). Presented— Oae red fox (Canis vulpes fulmm), one 

 weasel, two common seals (Plioca vitulina), < ne sparrow liawk 

 [Falcn sparveritis), one bullfinch {Pyrhula nihiciUa), one red- 

 winged blackbird (Agekeus ph(xnio6^ts), one screech owl (Scops 

 asio), two American yellow birds (Chrysomttris trims), one pea- 

 cock (Pavn cristata), two alligators {Alligator mississtpptensis), one 

 water snake {Cinosternum penmijhmiicum), one carinaied tree 

 boa (TropMdopMs melamirus), one tree boa (Epicrotes anguUfer), 

 one black snake (Bascanium constrictor), three Blanding's terra- 

 pin (Emys meleagris), one horned lizard (Phrynosoma cormita), one 

 croakiug gecko ( /7ifcadact;/?its rapicaudus, and one spoiled sala- 

 mander (Amhiystoma punctata). Born— One elk (06ri)w,s canaden- 

 sis) and one raccoon (Procyon lotor). 



§Hme §dg and §utf. 



The full texts of the game laws of all the States, Terri- 

 tories and British Provinces are given in the Book of the 

 Game Laws. 



STILL-HUNTING DEER WITH BIRD DOGS 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In an article contributed to your paper I described a 

 method of hunting turkey with pointer and setter. Those 

 dogs are equally as useful in still-hixnting deer. They 

 take to it as readily as to fowl. If well broken for tur- 

 key they will slow-trail deer, or if the game is lying in 

 covert lead the hunter to it, setting it the same as if quail 

 or prairie chicken. 



Oftener than otherwise in hunting in heavy covert, 

 without such a dog, a deer will spring up and away w^ith- 

 out the hunter seeing it, or he may barely have a glimpse 

 of it, its presence being generally known only by hearing 

 it run, or if there is snow by seeing its trail. Not ex- 

 pecting to obtain but a shot or two a day, if that much, 

 the hunter does not at all times carry his gun at a ready, 

 as it is very tiresome to do so a whole day, especially if 

 the gun be heavy. Again, deer may spring up in very 

 unexpected places, and at such time the gun may be on 

 the shoulder, and the quickest of shots not be able to 

 bring it to bear in season. With such a dog the hunter 

 will be apprised, and have his gun at a ready, knowing 

 of the presence of game and the probable place of its 

 springing up. 



I have used six diflierent bird dogs, which I trained to 

 still-hunt deer, two pointers and four setters, I could 

 tell to a certainty whether they were winding deer or 

 lesser game. Walking no faster than myself, a few steps 

 in advance and naturally very quiet, when they winded 

 a deer they would carry their heads more erect than 

 when winding smaller game and manifesting more 

 anxiety, and in approaching a lair their tread would be 

 cat-like, and every muscle would seem to be strained to 

 its utmost tension, and without moving their head they 

 would frequently turn their eyes to me as much as to 

 say, "Lookout!" On such an occasion the eyes of one 

 of my pointers, when turned to me, seemed to glow like 

 coals of fire, his excitement was so intense. 



When very dry in timber, still-hunting deer is very 

 difBcult, The rustling of leaves, the breaking of twigs 

 in walking, the rubbing of the clothing against brush on 

 a still day can be heard a long distance. Whoever has 

 seen the head of a deer lying in covert without having 

 been seen by the deer will have observed that its ears are 

 constantly in motion (I believe the same to be the fact 

 when they are asleep), turning slowly in different direc- 

 tions; and when the ear has caught a sound it will be 

 turned in the direction of the sound , 



Sometimes a deer will lie very quiet when they see the 

 huncer; but let the eye of the hunter and that of the deer 

 meet and the deer will be away the moment the two eyes 

 meet. 



Out of rutting season deer will ordinarily lie down by 

 an hour after daylight, then your dog may strike the 

 trail and lead you to its lair. Many deer are fatally 

 wounded and lost to the hunter if there be no snow and 

 the hunter has no dog. This is often the case when 

 hunted with the shotgun. Often deer, when mortally 

 wounded, will not bleed externally, and if they do the 

 character of the ground may be such as to make trailing 

 by the blood diflticult, if not impossible; but with a dog 

 thus trained you can find your game if dead or bring it 

 to bay. 



On one occasion a friend and myself had been to the 

 marshes and ridges for deer for a couple of days, but not 

 meeting with success, we started for a lake for ducks and 

 geese, and when near the lake and passing a large marsh 



with our team, we saw a young man and an old man 

 beating the marsh. Presently a large buck sprang up 

 and both men fired at it. The buck ran beyond gunshot, 

 then stopped a few minutes and looked at the men, then 

 resumed its flight. The men came to w^here we were, 

 and I told them they had mortally wounded the buck; 

 that I never knew an instance where a buck had been 

 shot at and had acted thus, but it was mortally wounded. 

 The men went back and took up the trail and followed it 

 into a ridge of timber. We camped near by, and the 

 men returned to our camp and said they had found blood 

 and followed the trail almost through the timber near to 

 another large marsh when they lost the trail, I said to 

 the men that the buck had gone into tiie latter marsh to 

 lie down. When the men returned to our camp they 

 were disputing as to which of them had wounded the 

 buck. The young man was armed with a shotgun and 

 the old man with a long, old-fashioned Kentucky rifle. 

 Taking my dog I went with the men to the west side of 

 the latter marsh so as to have the wind of it, the buck 

 having run down wind, and commenced beating the 

 marsh across wind, going deeper into it at each point. 

 Soon the dog turned his nose up wind, and" following him 

 I found the buck in about the middle of the marsh, dead, 

 killed with buckshot. 



The old man had not touched it with his rifle, and 

 seemed much crestfallen, as he had been boasting to the 

 young man what a sure shot he was with that rifle, while 

 the young man was green at hunting. 



At another time a friend and myself went into the 

 same region for deer, and had been there several days 

 without seeing game. After dinner I thought we had 

 better return home. My friend thought we had better 

 put in that afternoon hunting and return home in the 

 morning. We started west cross wind, which was blow- 

 ing freshly from the south. When about half a mile 

 from camp the dog turned his nose into the wind and we 

 followed him half a mile or more, when down came a 

 large and a small buck on a lope. They came so near 

 me that I sent an Ely cartridge through the body of the 

 larger buck and then killed the smaller one with the 

 rifle. 



After dressing the game I took my belt axe and started 

 to cut some forks to put the deer out of reach of wolves, 

 and had gone but a few steps when my companion hailed 

 me, ''Say, L,, your dog is making a point," As I was 

 turning to get my gun, out sprang a doe from a small 

 thicket not 200ft. from where I had killed the bucks. It 

 was rutting season, the doe had tried to hide from the 

 bucks; they were trailing her. It was the doe the dog 

 had winded in the first instance, and we happened to be 

 in the right place at the right time. At such season a 

 buck will trail a doe as easily as a dog can. 



For still-hunting deer the dog must be thorougly trained 

 to understand and obey the slightest directions by voice 

 and gesture and the whistle, A dog that you have to be 

 continually scolding is a nuisance in still-hunting deer or 

 turkey. 



For the last five years I have been without a dog, and 

 I feel the loss very much, not being able to cover as much 

 ground in a day as when younger. 



Many amusing incidents happening while hunting deer 

 come into my mind as I write. My brother once made 

 me a visit when he had never seon a deer, but was a very 

 good shot for a boy, A friend, brother and myself went 

 into the ridges for a day's hunt for deer. When beating 

 the brush the friend fired. After we came together, 

 brother inquired what the friend had shot at. Friend re- 

 plied, "A deer. Did you not see itsflas;?" Brother re- 

 plied, "I don't know what you mean," It was explained 

 to him that the flag was the deer's tail elevated and wav- 

 ing as the deer ran, "I saw something white flitting 

 through the brush," he said, "I thought it was a white 

 bird. I could have shot it. The next white bird like 

 that I will shoot." We obtained no game that day, 



A few days afterward my brother and myself went 

 into some timber for deer, Du-ecting my brotlier to go 

 down along one foot of a brushy ridge, I went down the 

 other with the dog, so as to have the wind of the ridge. 

 The dog turned his nose up wind, and I followed him. 

 Presently I heard the report of brother's gun; and the dog 

 being anxious, I bade him go quickly. Running to the 

 crest of the ridge, I saw a sight to see worth more than 

 a circus. The dog had a large doe by the throat, and 

 brother had it by one of its hind legs. There was some 

 grand kicking, tumbling and sprawling, a much-mixed-u;p 

 mess of deer, dog and boy. After enjoying the scene for 

 a moment, I went up and killed the doe with my knife. 

 Brother had stunned the deer by creasing it, and as he was 

 looking at it, having laid down his gun, the deer sprang 

 up, and, the dog being present, both seized it, After 

 brother had recovered his wind he said, "I ssysv that 

 'white bird' and shot at it." 



The nephew of a friend came to pay his uncle a visit. 

 The young man had never seen a deer. We gave him a 

 hunt, going into the ridges with a two-horse wagon. On 

 arriving near the timber I took the young man to an open 

 space beyond that timber, where I thought a deer would 

 pass in case one was started by the rattling of the wagon 

 when it should be driven into this brushy timber. I also 

 took a station near by. The young man was armed with 

 his uncle's double shotgun. 



Upon the waeron being driven into the timber, down 

 came a splendid buck, dancing and prancing along with 

 mincing steps, its attention being wholly directed to the 

 rattHng of the wagon. The buck came within easy range 

 of the young man. As soon as he saw the buck he pointed 

 at it, and partly turning to me, saying half aloud, "There 

 he is! there he is!" at the same time nodding in the direc- 

 tion the buck was moving, I tried to draw bead on the 

 animal with the rifle, but this young man, in spite of my 

 efforts, would keep in the line of range. The uncle break- 

 ing cover, took in the situation and hallowed, ''Lie down, 

 Joe! lie down, Joe!" but Joe did not lie down and the 

 buck escaped into the timber. The young man was so 

 excited he forgot lie had a gun in his hands. I thought 

 my dog standing at my side looked disgusted at the out- 

 come, H, L, 



GloUOEster, Mass., Aug, 5, — Beach birds are plentiful 

 now. Two men shot about SOO, I am told, and another 

 one about 100 in a single day recently. They find sand- 

 pipers, ringnecks and chicken-plover, and a little later 

 the winter yellowlegs will he here — E, F. L, 



A Book about Indiaks.— The Fobbst and Stream -wiU -maa 

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

 "Pawnee Hero Stories and folk-tales," giving a table of contentg 

 and specimen illuatrations from tbe vninrprs — ^^f^, 



