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FOREST AND STREAM. 



[March 23, 1898. 



to camp, wet, hungry and tired, but in excellent spirits. 

 Fortunately no serious results attended our untimely bath. 

 After a change throughout and a hot dinner we felt better 

 than ever. During the afternoon George managed to take 

 the largest trout caught during the entire trip. 



What a jolly little party we made that evening gathered 

 arotmd our bright cheery fire, whose rosy light danced 

 upon the tree ti-unks and made the stars look dim, spin- 

 ning yams and playing cards, and — though we knew it 

 not — storing up pleasant memories, to be hugged to acliing 

 hearts in future years — ^recollections that moderate suffer- 

 ing and soften the sick-bed. 



Ten days of this kind of Ufe made us all long for home 

 comforts, and it was with anxious hearts that we looked 

 for the coming of the team that was to carry us back to 

 Glassmire's. We made the homeward joitrney without 

 incident or misshap that would furnish interest to the 

 reader, and yet there often flashes into my mind some 

 little incident that occurred during that pleasant drive, 

 and I am free to say that our sojourn in the wilds of 

 Potter county did us more good tlian — well than a trip 

 to Manhattan Beach, and as an experienced fisherman I 

 would advise my brother admirers of the art to take their 

 wives with thein at least once a year for a short stay on 

 the banks of some mountain stream. GLENVniiE. 



An Old Tale Retold. 



A "pastel," popular style, in east words, of two sitjLables, foe 



TOUNG SPORTSMEN. 



A CABIN by a lake, behind it ttie woods, across tbe lake a meadow, 

 In the meadow a cow. The moon shines bright. At the cabin door a 

 dog. A yellow dog. With cock ej'es. One eye sees the cow in the 

 meadow, the other one the trout jumping in the lake. In the cabin a 

 tired fisher and a cat. A fiddle hangs on the wall. 



The tired man wants music to rest him. He takes the fiddle and 

 draws a long bow across it. The cat hears the sound and sings, too. 



It scares the cow, she jumps over the moon, and the yellow dog 

 laughs, he laughs so hard, it scares the trout, too, and they go back to 

 their holes. 



It also scares the iron spoon on the table. The spoon jumps into 

 the tin dish, and they both take to the woods. When the fisher-man 

 wakes up in the morning he can not get any breakfast. His dish has 

 gone. The only spoon he can find has hooks on it. Something else 

 happens. He throws the spoon in the water. A trout tries to eat it. 

 He catches the trout. He roasts him on a stick. He eats him ^vith his 

 fingers. The next night the cow gets back. She is tired, too. So are 

 the dog and cat. They all sleep. AU is serene! The moon was scared, 

 too. She got over it. She shines again ! Von W. 



THE PUEBLO BEAVER COLONY. 



Pueblo, Colorado, March la.— Your readers will doubt- 

 less be interested to learn of the bold action of a colony of 

 beavers at this city. Back of the Grand Hotel, where I 

 am at present stopping, well within the city limits, and 

 not more than three blocks distant from the hotel, is a 

 marshy low tract of about ten acres, surrounded by some 

 straggling cott.onwood trees. Closely adjoining tlie tract 

 are three railroad tracks beside each other, tlie Missouri 

 Pacific, the Denver & Eio Grande, and the Rock Island 

 railroads. On their waj^ from Pueblo to Colorado Spring's 

 and Denver, north, over these ti'acks, night and day pass 

 trains, passenger and freight, probably from forty to fifty 

 daily. Within a few rods is the Union passenger station 

 of the three roads, a large structm-e. Within a stone's 

 throw of the marshy tract are several residences of an 

 humble class of residents. The marsh tract is overgrown 

 with tules or Indian water reeds, now dead and fallen 

 from the winter season, leaving the tract fully exposed. 

 On the other side of the railroad tracks, only a few rods 

 beyond, is the Fountain Stream, a straggling shallow 

 sti"eam, which empties into the Arkansas Eiver a mile or 

 so south. 



The owner of tlie tract, Col. Stanton, a well-known 

 prominent old resident, drew my attention a few days ago 

 to the feature I am about to describe, which I visited 

 yesterday, which was the occupancy of the tract by a 

 colony of beavers which came in a few weeks ago, but 

 which he had only recently observed. We foimd three 

 distinct abodes of the beavers, in the low banks about the 

 water, with distinct runways beneath the banks into the 

 houses, showing the presence of several families. The 

 work of the beavers, which of course had been entirely 

 nocturnal, was plentifully shown about and in the marsh. 



Across one part of the mai-sh a substantial dam had 

 been built of roots and cottonwood branches and mud, 

 with a lesser dam below. The water had been raised by 

 the upper dam about 18in. , giving plenty of swimming 

 room. About the marsh the limbs of the fallen cotton- 

 wood had been neatly gnawn oS from the parent logs, and 

 several cottonwoods, one in particular I noticed, about a 

 foot in diameter, had been neatly gnawn down, and en- 

 tirely denuded of limbs. These limbs had been employed 

 in building the dams, and were weU covered with plastic 

 material. The ti-ees had all been cut so as to fall in the 

 marsh, when the limbs cotdd be most conveniently applied. 

 A number of the trees still standing, had been gnawn 

 more or less, showing that active work was going on, and 

 although no sign of beaver life was visible, the tracks and 

 fresh work plainly exhibited the character of the in- 

 aders. 



A curious spectacle it seemed to me, the occupancy of 

 this tract, in the center of a bustling active city of 40,000 

 population, by animals which we account most shy and 

 retiring, and which rapidly retire before the advance of 

 settlements. The arrival also at this season of the year, 

 unusual for migration, indicates that some probable dis- 

 turbance had occurred at the previous home of these 

 animals, and that they had during some quiet, lately pre- 

 ceding night, taken by concerted action a passage down 

 the Arkansas River, and up to the Foimtain Stream to 

 this, I fear, most dangerous locality. 



Their presence is yet almost unknown, but I tremble for 

 tlieir fate when the' boys about town learn of their pres- 

 ence. I am sure that no concealment is possible, nor that 

 anv protecting notices will then be of avail. 



The marsh is fed by many little springs of fresh water, 

 and abounds in succulent tule roots and adjacent cotton- 

 woods, all delectable to the taste of the beaver, and the 

 spot otherwise than its dangerous surrotmdings, presented 

 doubtless a very alluring invitation to this adventurous 



colony. But alas! its days are numbered, and soon it will 

 be broken up and scattered, if not entirely destroyed. 



Let us hope that the destruction of a few may save the 

 larger part, who, taking seasonable warning, may fly to 

 safe and more secluded retreats. J. Parker Whitjjey. 



IVotes on the Pine Grosbeak. 



Gloucester, Mass. — I send you some notes on the pine 

 grosbeak, as per request of Mr. Brewster. I have lived on 

 Cape Ann, Mass., something over eight years, near the 

 city of Gloucester, and until this winter do not think I 

 have obser\'ed more than twenty grosbeaks, aU told. This 

 winter has proved a remarkable exception. 



I was away the last half of December and first part of 

 January, so cannot speak for the whole time. Some time 

 in .January I heard people teU of a large flock of robins (?) 

 that, had suddenly appeared Jan, 18, the flock which 

 proved to contain grosbeaks foimd its way to my door 

 yard, and again turned up on the 21st and 32d. I should 

 estimate the number of birds at about one htmdred. The 

 flock was made up of females and yoimg birds. I saw, 

 perhaps, ten birds that at first I thought were old males, 

 but at last I made up my mind to the effect that they 

 were young males. This fiock, or another like it, ap- 

 peared Feb. 9 and 10. Since that time I have observed, 

 in one of the outer wards of the city, a few grosbeaks 

 from time to time, but they were aU old males. 



As to food, I can say that when in my door yard the 

 birds greedily ate hemp seed, and some did not refuse 

 crumbs of bread. I saw the flock several times feeding 

 on the berries of the red cedar {Juniperiis virginana). 



Hermit. 



Eio Arriba County, New Mexico.— In answer to Mr. 

 Brewster concerning the x^ine grosbeak. They are found 

 here in pairs during spring and summer from about June 

 1 to the end of July or perhaps a little later, I- have 

 never seen them at any great altitude, although there are 

 plenty of them in the foot hiUs, usually feeding I believe 

 on the yoimg pine pins. A, P. F. Co ape. 



The Heath Hen— Where? 



New York, March 17. — Editor Forest and Stream: In 

 Ridgway's "Manual of North American Birds" the pin- 

 nated grouse are separated into three forms as follows: 

 Prairie hen, heath hen and lesser prairie hen. The habi- 

 tat of the heath hen is given as, "Island of Martha's Vine- 

 yard, Mass.; formerly also Long Island, New Jersey, 

 eastern Pennsylvania, Virginia, etc. , but now apparently 

 extinct, except on Martha's Vineyard, and there is danger 

 of extermination." I have been making inquires for 

 some time past among museums and also ornithologists 

 for specimens of the heath hen from a,ny of the above- 

 mentioned localities, except Martha's Vineyard, but so 

 far have been unable to find any. Among yom- numerous 

 sportsmen readers there may be some who know of speci- 

 mens of the heath hen that have been shot in either of 

 the above localities; if so they will confer a great favor 

 on the writer by communicating the fact either to me or, 

 better still, through your paper. It is very probable that 

 the specimens would be known as prairie hens and not 

 as heath hens. The important point, however, is that 

 the bird was procured in either New York State, New 

 Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia or Kentucky. 



Wm. Dutcher. 



[The late Shepherd F. Knapp, of this city, told us years 

 ago of the killing on Long Island of a pinnated gi'ovise. 

 We cannot say, however, w^bether it was a heath hen or 

 a turned-out prairie chicken,] 



The Light Bears of the Guadalupes. 



A SHORT while ago I noticed an account of the white 

 bears found near here, in the Guadalupe Mountains. A 

 correspondent asked if other people had seen them. I 

 can tell him that we have the same bear here and in Colo- 

 rado. Although some hunters have a local name of 

 "range bears" for them, and the Mexicans say they are 

 more savage than others, I have never noticed any differ- 

 ence in their behavior from any other bear, and believe 

 them to be only a variety of cinnamon. I have killed 

 three grown ones, one of which had brown legs, the rest 

 of the body being of a light straw color, also three cubs. 

 In each case the white or veiy light yellow cub was ac- 

 companied by one of another color; one had a jet black 

 brother and a black mother; the other had a cinnamon 

 brother and a light colored mother, and the third, which 

 I beUeve was also a female, had for her comxsanion a little 

 brown cub, the mother being chestnut brown. My Indian 

 told me one day that he had seen one of these fight bears 

 with jet blacli legs, muzzle and feet. We failed, how- 

 ever, in all attempts to capture him. A. Coape. 



Bald Eagle and Golden. 



New York, March 17. — Editor Forest and Stream : In 

 your issue of March 16, Mi'. WHmot Townsend, under the 

 head of "Do^vn the Bay," states, "The bald eagle is not 

 often with us, although by no means uncommon during 

 prolonged cold. The golden eagle, as generally known, is 

 fairly numerous, and a trip do^vn the bay at this season 

 win frequently discover several to the keen observer. " Is 

 your correspondent sure of his identification of the golden 

 eagle? May he not confound them with the immature 

 bald eagle? This latter species is resident and still breeds 

 on Long Island, while the golden eagle is. as far as my 

 records show, a very rare bird indeed. Wm. Dutcher. 



Rewards for Errors. 



From the Game Laws in Brief. 



The C-kane La ws in Brief is believed to be correct and complete 

 within the conditions printed on page 2. I will reward any person first 

 advising me of an error that may be discovered, as follows: 



For the first notice of an instance where the law quoted in the Brief, 

 prescribing game and fish seasons of any State or Territory, is not the 

 general law iq force at the time of this revision, I will give §5, 



For first notice of an erroneous statement of a game or fish season 

 in any State or Territory, or of an omission of a prescribed season, I 

 win give SI. 



These offers relate to general, not local, laws, and to recognized 

 game and fish (not, for example, to the Connecticut bobolink, rice 

 3ird and robin season). Chables B. Reynolds, 



OrFicK OF Forest axd Strbasi, 318 Broadway, New York. 



If anv difference of opinion shall arise as to a claimed reward, it 

 Shallbe'decidedby Henry P. Wells, Esq., of the New York Bar, who 

 has courteously consented to act as arbitrator. 



^Htti^ md 



"Game Laivs in Brief," United States and Canada., 

 iUustratsd, 25 cents. "Book of the Game Laws" {full 

 text), 50 cents. 



NEW MEXICO BEARS AND BEAR DOGS. 



On the thirteenth of September I heard from my friend 

 E., w-hose camp is situated on the Brazos Eiver, that he 

 had kUled six bears. One daj while out reconnoitering he 

 ran on a bunch of four busily engaged in feeding on the 

 fallen acorns. They were easfly stalked and he was lucky 

 enough to kill firstly the three "black ones and afterward 

 the cub, a brown, which took to the nearest tree and 

 Avaited to be slaughtered. A few days later he bagged 

 two more, both black. 



On Oct. 5 I took a Mexican with me to survey some 

 lakes in the Aacinity of om- camp. We found some tracks 

 but nothing veiy fresh, and were riding off through high 

 oak brush, when we came on an open space literally ahve 

 with wild turkeys. They did not seem much concerned 

 and began to walk off", taut apparently in no great hurrj^. 

 Neither my man nor myself could get om- guns out of 

 their scabbards for a few seconds, but when we did afusi- 

 lade began in earnest, and om- game, soon reahzing the 

 danger, put on race-horse speed. The Mexican missed 

 every shot. I managed to get one and then started to fol- 

 low them; shortly afterward another flew past me and I 

 downed him. The whole bunch then took to wing and 

 w-ere soon lost in thick cover. Two turkeys, however, 

 were better than nothing, especially as our larder was get- 

 ting somewhat low^ and Ave retm-ned home for dinner. On 

 the road we came on another turkpy, dead this time and 

 hung up in a tree; it looked very tempting, but seeing a 

 coat at the foot, Ave concluded that it belonged to some 

 sheep herder and continued om- journey Avithout any 

 further adventure. The next day I shot eight grouse, a 

 mink, and a coyote, rather a mixed bag. 



On Oct. 8, one of the men came back early from tlie 

 traps, and reported that a bear Avith cubs had fired a gun, 

 but escaped uninjiu-ed, so I lost no time in getting my 

 pack together. A man Avas sent ahead to spring all traps, 

 and put the guns hors de combat; and Ave started for the 

 scene of action. The track being quite fresh, and the 

 scent good, the hoimds were gone like a flasli and Ave had 

 some fall riding to do in order to keep Avithin hearing. On 

 the Avay I rode into the middle of tAvo large bimches of 

 turkey, but had no time to dismount, so I continued after 

 the hounds, Avho had evidently got a long Avay ahead. 

 They had gone down a very steep bank densely timbered 

 and very rough tOAvard the riA-er El Rito, and Avere about 

 ci'ossing when 1 emerged from the wood into a compara- 

 tively open space covered only Avith short oak brusli. 

 Here I remained , for I could CA^ery noAv and again catch 

 a ghmpse of my dogs, wliich Avere in very close quarters 

 with the object of our chase. Pi-esently the hounds 

 seemed satisfied to keep in one locafity, and while I av: s 

 intently Avatchtng, I saw a small browi bear make a dash 

 from the scrub and engage in a tussle with one of my pack. 

 It Avas only for a moment that I saAv him, as tliey i-olled 

 over into the oak again. As soon as the Avriggling mass 

 of bears and dogs had disappeared, I put spurs to my 

 horse, and ten minutes brought me to the scene of Hit: 

 fray. 



Two other men arrived simultaneously, and Av^e all dis- 

 mounted and Avalked into the bushes, for bruin had 

 evidently no intention of coming out. I think Ave must 

 liaA-e been quite a quarter of an hour before any one could 

 catch a ghmpse of him, the brush being very thick. An 

 old Navajo Indian then shot him, breaking a leg, and 

 finding it was only a large cub he grappled with it, think- 

 ing I w^ould like it alive, but soon let go, for tlie cub being 

 of a fan- size and the dog snapping at and pulling it about 

 made it impossible to secure him A^dthout further damage. 

 Accordingly he Avas dispatched and packed on the back 

 of a pony, not, however, without considerable remon- 

 strance on the part of the horse. 



On our road home we came to the track of the she bear 

 and the other cub, but concluded we had had enough, and 

 our appetites being well stimulated by the ride, Ave re- 

 turned to worry tbe beans, bacon and bear meat for a 

 spell. 



This hunt took us through some very beary countrj'; on 

 the side of the El Eito Canon Ave found six lakes, some 

 with plenty of Avater and ducks, othei-s nearly dry, all 

 haAung old and new signs of bear, deer and turkeys. 



The nt^xt day I was aAvay, but my Mexicans took the 

 hounds and ran a cinnamon, which treed, but on seeing 

 the men came doAvn, and eleven shots were fired before 

 lie was numbered among the slain. 



The following morning promised well, quite a quantity 

 of snow having fallen r'uring the nigJvt. Scouts were 

 therefore dispatched in different direction.s shortly after 

 daybreak to hunt up ti-acks, Avith the effecf' that the sign 

 of "a bunch of five bears travehng south Avas discovered. 

 It was too late, however, to foUow% so we decided to Avait 

 yet another day. After breakfast we circled in front of 

 the direction taken by tlie bears and found that they 

 must be concealed in a large wood near camp. Accord- 

 ingly we went back to where we had last seen the trail, 

 and' after following it about half an hour the dogs be- 

 came very restive and suddenly broke loose, couples and 

 all. At the same time two brown bears Avere sighted, but 

 only for a second. The dogs were secured, uncoupled 

 and turned loose. 



The El Eito Canon was again chosen for the chase, which 

 must have been five or six miles at a gallop, for the bear 

 we followed would not tree. Pedro Avent ahead and Ra- 

 mon, a 6ft. 6in. Mexican, came behind with me. Wp now 

 heard the dogs baying, and soon a shot from P.'s rifle made 

 us put spurs to our horses, and it was lucky we did, or we 

 should have lost the hounds, for they were going again as 

 fast as their legs would cari-y them. Another quarter of 

 an hour's fast riding brought us pretty close to the hunted 

 animal, which had again lagged. This time we dis- 

 mounted and walked into the timber, flnding our bear in 

 a little open space surrounded by dogs, Avhich seemed to 

 be taking it in turns to bite him and get out. P. was 

 already on the opposite side waiting f^r a clear shot (no 

 easy thing to obtain when an animal is encompassed by 

 eight furious hounds). There was a growl and a rush, 

 and Tiger, a large yellow half breed, ranin, seizing thebea. 

 by the Up, tearing off a piece of meat.; bruin quickly 

 grabbed him with his one remaining front paw, the other 



