114 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Am. 11, 189S. 



SPITTING OF SNAKES. 



Philadelphia, Aug, 4:,— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 On my return from a long absence, 1 find that some of 

 your correspondents have been denying the accuracy of 

 some of my statements regarding rattlesnakes. The 

 assertion which is criticised is contained in a paper in the 

 Proceedings of the U. S. National Museum, 1893, p. 687, 

 on the species of North American snakes, and it is as fol- 

 lows: "They throw the body into a coil and sound the rat- 

 tle, giA^ng a sigmoid flejaire to the anterior part of the 

 body on which the head is poised with open mouth ready 

 for action. At this time drops of the poisonous saliva fall 

 from the fangs, and by a violent expulsion of air from the 

 lungs ai-e thrown at their enemy. In the act of biting," 

 etc. Your correspondents allege that the dropping of 

 "poisonous saliva" does not occur, and that it is not 

 "thrown at the enemy" by a violent expulsion of air from 

 the lunge or otherwise. One correspondent objects to 

 the term "poisonous saliva," believing that the saliva is 

 not poisonous, and is too viscid to be ejected forcibly 

 from the mouth. To these criticisms I reply as follows: 



First— The poison-secreting glands of venomous snakes 

 are enlarged parotid salivary glands, and the poison is a 

 modified saliva. 



Second — I did not state that rattlesnakes always main- 

 tain the position described when about to bite. On the 

 contrary, it is only when prevented from either biting or 

 running away that they act in the manner mentioned. 

 If a rattlesnake is annoyed by being stirred up with a 

 stick and pebbles, etc., thrown at him, and is prevented 

 from escaping, if he is in good condition and the weather 

 is warm, he will sometimes act as I have stated from 

 actual observations made on the Crotahis eon/lueniun in 

 New Mexico. When the mouth is opened widely the 

 niasseter muscle comj)resse8 the poison gland, and if the 

 latter is full, forces some of it to escape through the duct, 

 and it drops from the fangs. This is an observation which 

 has been often made on various venomous snakes. If the 

 snake expels air from the lungs in hissing, as it generally 

 does when on the defensive, the drops will be thrown out 

 with air toward the enemy. I do not suppose, and did 

 not state, that this is done voluntarily by the snake: it is 

 simply a necessary consequence of the "mechanical con- 

 ditions. 



In conclusion, I would ask how many of your corre- 

 spondents have teased an angry and vigorous rattlesnake 

 who could not or would not run away, on a hot day, for 

 a half hour or thereabouts, with a stick of suitable length, 

 as I have done, so as to observe the consequences? 



E. D. Cope. 



Philadelphia, Pa. 



BIRD LIFE IN A CITY YARD. 



When I was a small boy one of my hobbies was ob- 

 serving the birds of our neighborhood, and the first an- 

 notated list which I began was on those species noted in 

 my father's yard in the heart of the villasre. This list, at 

 first, as my knowledge was small, embracing but few 

 birds, rapidly increased after a few years, and has finally 

 grown to "the bigness you see," embracing 134 species, 

 and is here presented for the first time, as — it is hoped — 

 an interesting evidence of continued observation. 



The yard where these notes were recorded is 5 X 13 rods 

 in size, and is at almost the exact center of a corporation 

 of two and a half miles square. A t the time the list was 

 begun this was a village of about 5,000 inhabitants, and 

 it is now a city of over 30,000. A house, barn and sheds 

 occupied the lot at the first, as well as many evergreens, 

 maples, oaks, apple trees, numerous shrubs and a garden. 

 Time has changed the premises greatly, and fauna and 

 flora have assumed consequent variations. Many species 

 of birds which were formerly seen here each year are no 

 longer recorded, a result of the greater size of our city 

 and the increased density of the population of the suburbs, 

 with the consequent destruction of neighboring forests, 

 which were once within our limits. Notwithstanding 

 the changes resulting from a quarter of a century in a 

 thriving manufacturing city, there are still many species 

 which each year visit us on their migrations from the 

 south, and a few which are reasonably regular in ap- 

 pearance from their northern haunts, and there still occur 

 occasional surprises in the appearance of new and little- 

 to-be-expected species. 



In addition to the list given there are a dozen or more 

 other birds which I have recorded here in our yard, but 

 about which I am not as yet fully satisfied, and therefore 

 do not present. 



I am acquainted with 836 species in this county of 

 Kalamazoo, and below is given an exact list of those 

 seem on or over the 60 square rods of space in the city. 



English common names alone are used for the sake of 

 brevity. 



THBUSHES, ETO, 



The robin is present from March to October, the wood 

 thrush is rarely seen, while the olive-backed and hermit 

 thrushes are regular in spring and fall, the former often 

 loitering a week among the raspberry and current bushes. 

 The catbird is common and noisy, but .does not breed as 

 formerly, as the shrubbery is gone. Occasionally a brown 

 thrush airs his musical talent in May. The Wilson's 

 thrush used to be seen in migrations. 



The bluebird used to build in the little boxes we pro- 

 vided, but the plebeian highest sparrow has routed him. 



KINGLETS, TITMICE, ETC. 



Euby-crowned and golden-crested kinglets are always 

 seen in migration, cheering us with their active move- 

 ments. The gnatcatcher in spring and the curious, 

 pleasing black-cap titmouse in winter lend their cheerful 

 presence. Of the nuthatches, the white-bellied is nearly 

 always with us, while the northern representative, the 

 red-belly, is sometimes seen in company with the delicate 

 looking, yet vigarous brown creeper. 



WRENS AND LARKS. 



Only the house wren is present, breeding when pro- 

 vided with quarters. Both the horned lark and titlark are 

 often heard flying over, the latter in scattered flocks. 



WARBLERS. 



Excepting the sparrows, the SylvicoKdce are the family 

 best represented in our yard, but the little fellows remain 

 only a very short time in spring and fall, most of them 

 avoiding us in their ahtumnal journey. It is strange 

 that the redstart has been seen but once, while it is sur- 

 prising that one should find the white-browed, Cape May 

 and ■Wilson warblers in the city. The black and white 



creeper, black-throat green, yellow-rump, Blackburnian, 

 chestnut-sided are the most common and may be observec. 

 yearly, while the blue yellow-backed, Nfashville, Tennes- 

 see, yellow, black- throated blue, bay- breasted, black and 

 yellow, yellow redpoll and golden-crowned thrush have 

 only been seen at wide intervals and some of them but 

 once. 



SWALLOWS. 



Five species out of six that I know fly over our yard: 

 the barn, white-belly, cliff, bank and purple martin. 

 The latter used to nest before the advent of the sparrow. 



. VIREOS, TANAGERS, ETC. 



The pleasing notes of the red-eye are to be heard each 

 May and June and again later in the season, while the 

 soul-thrilling, gurgling melody of the warbhng and the 

 clear penetrating staccato of the yellow-throat are often 

 heard. That sweet-singing bird of gorgeous plumage, 

 the scarlet tanager, wanders into our domain during May, 

 and while looking about inspires us, as well as convinc- 

 ing all who hear, that at least one gaudy bird is a true 

 songster. The cedar bird used to build in our old greenery 

 and still appears, generally in winter. The cherry trees, 

 his attraction, are gone. One white-rumped and one 

 great northern shrike have been seen; the latter was 

 killed in winter. 



SPARROWS, 



Among the northern species, which only appear in 

 winter, may be mentioned the evening grosbeak, which 

 is found hei'eabouta once in six or eight years: the pine 

 grosbeak is still rarer; the rare white-winged crossbill 

 and common red one, both frequent the evergreens. The 

 lesser red poll and pine siskin are not rarely sten, com- 

 ing a little after tbe common junco departs, and about 

 the time when the uncertain snow buntings fly over in 

 scurrying flocks. The migrating, sweet-singing purple 

 finch has been seen in past years, as also the tree spar- 

 row in his seasonal journey. Later, and after the appear- 

 ance of the chew ink. the white-throated and white- 

 crowned sparrows arrive, the former generally a little 

 behind his handsomer relative, but willing to make up 

 the deficiency by remaining a week or so and stimulating 

 us with the beautiful notes of piano-like measure and 

 harmony. Chipping sparrows are common from April 

 to October and the song sparrow a week or two earlier 

 and later; both nest in our yard, the latter always in a 

 hedge 2 or 3ft. from the ground. A vision of color and 

 loud song comes with the rose-breasted grosbeak, while 

 the sweet refrain of the indigo bird is often heard. The 

 sulphm- coat of the goldfinch is a pleasing sight to sum- 

 mer observers, while the disagreeable notes and pugna- 

 cious ways of the imported sparrow are ubiquitous. 



BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES AND JAYS. 



Bobolinks fly over, gushing forth rollicking song, but 

 never deign to alight. The stealthy cow bird mopes about 

 occasionally, but I could never find that she made any 

 of her unsolicited deposits in the nests of any of the 

 nineteen species of the feathered tribe that have favored 

 US by nesting in our yard at various times. The red- 

 wing, rusty and meadow lark fly over during migra- 

 tions, occasionally resting for a, moment. The bronzed 

 grackle for years built in the tall evergreens, while 

 the orchard and Baltimore orioles both nested occasion- 

 ally, before the old apple trees and sugar maples were 

 removed. Straggling flocks of crows fly over spring and 

 fall, there being an hundred seen now where one was 

 observed twenty years ago. Surely civilization assists 

 some birds, if others and useful ones are becoming ex- 

 tinct. Our bluejay is as numerous as formerly, and is 

 one of our old standby s with the robins, but really more 

 intimately connected with us as he does not migrate to 

 any extent. His harsh notes are welcome in the cold 

 months, and his agreeable colors and odd habits are 

 always pleasing. 



FLYCATCHERS. 



The common pewee may be heard each year in early 

 April, next comes the clamorous kingbird, then the least 

 flycatcher, which, however, is rarely found in the city, 

 and lastly the wood pewee, which nests. Thus far I 

 have seen only one olive-sided flycatcher. 



SWIFTS, HUMMERS, ETC. 



An occasional night hawk flies over, as also kingfishers. 

 The black-billed cuckoo is often heard, while the ruby- 

 throat seeks the garden and the gyrating chimney swift 

 moves in semicircles or drops into the chimney, where its 

 stick nest is glued to the sooty side. 



WOODPECKERS, 



We have five species of these borers which visit us each 

 year; the downy is hardiest of all, and frequently seen in 

 midwinter. Next comes the hairy. Of the last three, the 

 golden wing arrives tirst in spring, then the red-head, and 

 the yellow-bellied last. All are seen several months of 

 the year, excepting the latter, which while migrating 

 remains with us only a fortnight, during which time it 

 infests maples and evergreens, drilling hundreds of 

 small holes from which to collect sap in the spring, 



HAWKS AND OWLS.- 



A barred owl was taken many years ago, and a common 

 screech owl made a short stay. Marsh harriers, red-tailed, 

 red-shouldered and sparrow hawks have been seen flying 

 over; a Cooper's hawk was observed plying his trade 

 among the English sparrows about 4 o'clock one morning, 

 and a sharp-shinned was engaged in the same glorious 

 work in broad daylight. 



DOVES, GKOtrSE, SNIPE, ETC, 



Passenger pigeons, so abundant in old times, once flew 

 over our yard in countless numbers, and I have seen the 

 sun darkened by their passage; but alas, this was many 

 years ago. An occasional mourning dove flits by in 

 spring migrations. A good-sized covey of parti'idges or 

 rufted grouse flew bewildered into the yard long since, 

 and one which came against the house was stunned and 

 captured. Less than ten months ago a large bevy of 

 quail crossed our yard, and I have heard them all about 

 this season. 



Golden plover fly over rarely in autumnal journeyings, 

 occasionally I hearasemi-palmated, and each season kiil- 

 deers. The form of a woodcock was once not a rare 

 sight at dusk, while snipe occasionalJy towered. Least 

 sandpipers, grass snipe and spotted sandpipers are often 

 distinguished by their notes, as well as greater and lesser 

 yellowlegs and occasionally the field plover. 



The great blue heron is the only one of the family that | 



I have seen, while a dead body of an ortolan is the only 

 evidence of the rail family in our yard. 



WATER FOWL, OULLS, DIVERS, ETC. 



Once the whistling swan swept majestically by, and 

 among geese, the black brant, snow goose and Canada 

 goose were seen, the last two in thousands years ago. 



Of the ducks 1 have seen only a few of the twenty odd 

 sptcies known here, for as they more often migrate at 

 night, my opportunities are small ; however, the following 

 were distinguished: Mallard, pintail, butterball, wood- 

 duck and goosander. 



Among the gulls were distinguished the Bonaparte's 

 and herring gulls. 



In loons and divers were recorded the great northern 

 diver and the pied-bill grebe. 



In addition to the above list a great many were guessed 

 at, but from uncertainty are not mentioned. To many 

 this list will appear very defective, but to all we will 

 simply state that the species were observed within a 

 space of five by twelve rods and in the air above it. At 

 dift'erent times nineteen species were found breeding. 



Kalamazoo, Mich. Morris Gibbs. 



Migratory Birds in Malta. 



Referring to Malta's spring visitors the Mediterranean 

 Naturalist fur June says that during the preceding month 

 the valleys and gorges were alive with orioles, warblers, 

 rollers and bee-eaters. In the rich crimson clover enor- 

 mous numbers of quails found shelter during their so- 

 journ en route for me Continent, while the branches and 

 foliage of the carob, the prickly pear and the orange 

 trees were thronged with harriers and larks, — Nature, 

 London, June 30, 1892. 



mrie md 0nt(. 



TJie Book of the GAmb Laws has allftsh and rjavielawK 

 of United tiiaten and Cwnada. Price 50 fiBV) f.v. 



A MISSOURI DEER TRACK. 



Chicago, 111., July 10. — Waking one morning and 

 finding about 3in, of snow on the ground, I suggested to 

 my brother to try a new direction for deer. Fastening 

 up the dog, and . taking a lunch, 1 carried a .44 Win- 

 chester, and my brother a lO-bore shotgun, as we always 

 do when we go together, as we expected to see turkeys, 

 and a shotgun is handy for turkeys. We started for a 

 tramp which we knew would not fall much short of six- 

 teen or eighteen miles. We had not gone more than 

 about three miles when my brother gave me the signal 

 which I knew meant deer sign, and which afterward 

 proved to be the tracks of two old bucks. With my 

 brother watching the tracks and me out on one side 

 looking ahead, we struck a good gait as the tracks 

 looked pretty old, and as they were going fast we had an 

 idea they were a long way away. After a while we 

 found where they had fed the evening before. We fol- 

 lowed around and around through brushy thickets and 

 wood chopping for miles and miles, until I got pretty 

 tired of it, and would have given them up; but Jack is a 

 great sticker, so he followed them uatil thoy were on top 

 of a big mountain, about eight miles from home, and as 

 they were going straight away from home, and the 

 tracks were still Old, even Jack gave them up, and we 

 started on a circle back toward home. We had not gone 

 a quarter of a mile until we struck the very same tracks 

 going in the same direction, but still old. So we saun- 

 tered along carelessly on the track, thinking they were 

 somewhere in the next county, when looking ahead 

 through a small opening in the light timber, about 

 300yds. ofl', I spied one pawing around in the snow for 

 acorns. 



Telling Jack to stop I dropped on one knee and took 

 aim (just as though I was tuking aim at a chicken's 

 head at home). Seeing hair in the notch, I gave the 

 trigger a big yank and bounced up to see the result. Of 

 course the deer went out of sight quicker than a flash, 

 and Jack took a run up ahead co see if he couldn't get in 

 a few buckshot, as it was running quartering with us. 

 He had got about 100yds. when I saw, as I thought, the 

 same deer coming straight toward me. I shouted to 

 Jack to stop, and at the same time the deer stopped too, 

 about ISOyas. off. Taking quick aim (expecting it to run) 

 I fired and missed it and it wheeled. Jack let go a load 

 of buckshot. The deer went out of sight and the next 

 instant out bounced, as we thought, the same deer out of 

 a ravine and dashed off over the hill, Jack sending some 

 buckshot at it just to keep from carrying them home. 

 So there we were— all that shooting and notning to show. 

 But we started over in the direction it had disappeared, 

 when I happened to think that we had been following 

 two, so I said to Jack, "I wonder what has become of 

 the other deer," We stopped and glanced around. There, 

 not 50yd8. from where Jack had fired his first load of 

 buckshot, we spied a deer doubled up over a log. Cut- 

 ting his throat and dragging him around with his head 

 down the hill so he would bleed good, we struck out 

 after the one we had seen disappear over the hill. As 

 soon as we struck the track we knew Ave had touched 

 him as the snow was tinted with blood. Coming on top 

 of the hill we saw a long stretch of open timber. Hurry- 

 ing along and looking away ahead, we walked within 

 twenty steps of the game crouched down in the snow 

 looking back at us. We both threw up our guns at once 

 but Jack headed me off by putting a load of buckshot in 

 his head. Fastening a strap to its head we dragged it 

 back to the other one. 



Now there we were, eight miles from home with two 

 big deer that we could hardly lift, not to think of carry- 

 ing them eight miles. Jack started for home after a 

 wagon. He went , but a mile when he ran across some 

 wood haulers and hired them, and we got home about 4 

 o'clock, two of the happiest fellows in southeast Missouri, 

 with lots of "meat in the shanty." Jim. 



Hosts of Michigan Quail. 



Dryden, Mich., Aug. 4. — The Michigan quail season 

 will open Nov. 1 and run to Dec. 15. There is a big crop. 

 The birds have not been so plentiful for years as they are 

 this season in this locality; and reports of plenty come 

 to me from other parts of the State. Sportsmen are look- 

 ing forward to having some excellent sport this season. 



T. 



