334 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[April 21, 1804. 



prise awaited us at the nest place. Pen there was none; 

 a mound of closely packed dirty snow had replaced it. 

 Bits of wood pitted with teeth marks were strewn around. 

 Poles three inches thick were gnawed in two and the ends 

 here and there protruded from the smooth beaten snow 

 together with some of the fir branches that composed the 

 roof, and there was not even the semblance of a trap pen 

 left. Closer examination showed the broken end of a 

 chain at the top of the pile of snow, and the author of all 

 this had escaped with a double spring No. 2 trap on his 

 foot by way of a memento. As before, the clog was held 

 fast by the snow and the wolverine, after destroying 

 everything within his reach, had broken the chain and 

 made off, trap and all. 



It took us twenty minutes to straighten up things here 

 and cut new poles, and then we had no trap to set, but 

 we had a spare one at home and resolved to utilize it on 

 my next visit, and at the very next pen we found a most 

 convincing example of the wonderful cunning possessed 

 by these animals — a cunning amounting almost to powers 

 of reason it seemed, for this was surely more than mere 

 instinct. The pen happened to be one I had strengthened 

 and was, as I thought, unassailable, but after fruitless 

 efforts to enter from behind, the wolverine had attacked 

 the roof, dug through 2ft. of crusted snow, eaten a hole 

 through the fir boughs and secured the coveted morsel. 

 Shannon was fairly astounded at the wonderful sagacity 

 and boldness displayed, while I, too, was learning an in- 

 teresting^Iesson,. but we at once went to work to frustrate 

 such dodges in future. Every bait was thoroughly pro- 

 tected by more poles driven in, and, as it were, forming a 

 pen within a pen, with but a narrow opening in front 

 where the trap was, and when we returned that night 

 we felt sure that our efforts would now prove successful, 

 as it was evident that our only hope lay in causing these 

 gluttonous brutes to forget their cunning in their extreme 

 greed, and to this end all our efforts were directed. 

 Hanging a bait over the trap I had found by trial to be 

 worse than useless, so we stayed by the pen system as 

 being suitable for everything that might come along. 



For a week or so nothing was caught except camp rob- 

 bers (a mischievous, meat-eating bird common in the 



of the trouble I had experienced, and, although I lost two 

 more by reason of my traps being too small for this kind 

 of game, we were proud of the seven fine hides we se- 

 cured, and our handsome pile of furs was much admired 

 when we took them down the lake in the spring, although 

 it was a difficult matter to convince people of the wonder- 

 ful boldness and cunning shown by a wolverine when at 

 home in the forests of the North. The foregoing narration 

 of simple facts will suffice to show that it is not always 

 the largest and noblest specimens of our North American 

 fauna that command the greatest wonder and admiration 

 on our part. Some of the smaller members are equally 

 worthy of attention, and prominent among them — in the 

 front rank indeed — stands the wolverine, for in cuteness, 

 sagacity and courage it is simply unrivaled. 



Charles Greenwood. 



A FAMILY OF^WOLVERINES. 



North), bluejays and one or two pine martens, when the 

 weather, which had held very fine, changed again. Two 

 inches of snow fell, which was just what we wanted, and 

 then, warned by previous experiences, I looked out for a 

 visit, knowing that everything was in order, and better 

 prepared than ever before, and one morning early in Jan- 

 uary I started once more on my usual trip. 



Long before reaching the mountain base beyond the 

 cedars I became aware by numerous tracks in the new 

 snow that the previous night had been a favorable one for 

 the denizens of the forest, and after despoiling two nice 

 martens of their rich brown skins I approached my ninth 

 trap with feelings of keen anticipation, but, save for the 

 legs of a bird, there was nothing, although my friends 

 had been there, eaten both bird and bait, as usual, and 

 then gone toward the next pen. This was where the 

 chain had broken before, and they had carefully avoided 

 a too near approach to this spot, but the pair, for there 

 were two of them, kept on to the next inclosure which 

 contained a heavy trap, one of our largest and strongest, 

 and the first glimpse told me of success. The trap and 

 drag pole had gone, and a broad trail leading down into a 

 dark hollow in the heavy timber adjacent told me in 

 which direction, and I immediately followed it. For a 

 hundred yards or so it was easily traced, and the clog had 

 occasionally caught in a small bush which was promptly 

 mowed down by the powerful jaws of the animal, which 

 again struggled onward with its incumbrance, only to be 

 stopped every few feet in the same manner, and presently 

 I saw him. The drag was entangled in a clump of wil- 

 lows, and a big wolverine, held fast by the forepaw, was 

 fiercely attacking them. On seeing me he ceased his ex- 

 ertions a moment, growled at me, and then made desper- 

 ate efforts to escape, but all to no purpose, and a little 

 bullet from a Stevens pistol dropped my snarling enemy 

 dead. 



At last! A feeling of extreme satisfaction came over me 

 as I gazed on the dark, thick, glossy skin of the wolverine, 

 and when I examined the muscular limbs and compactly 

 built form, I no longer wondered at its strength. This 

 was a fine specimen too for this section, although those 

 from the far north are finer still. Moreover, if one could 

 be caught, others could too, and after taking off the hide, 

 which was fully prime, I reset the trap and looked at the 

 remaining three, all of which had been visited and one of 

 them snapped. A marten carcass was untouched, but the 

 venison bait had disappeared, and that night as we dressed 

 and stretched our furs we agreed that, as the winter pro- 

 gressed, some more of that little band would share their 

 companion's fate. 



Nor were we disappointed. The cold of January and 

 the pangs of hunger overcame the caution habitual to them, 

 and when hard pressed they went for the meat more 

 boldly. Shannon, too, caught three without having any 



Freaks in the Hen. 



Certainly the thoughtful, philosophical farmer must 

 often be interested in the peculiarities — may I call it 

 idiosyncracies? — of fowls. Rev. R. F. Patterson of Bar- 

 boursville, W. Va., had a hen that, instead of laying her 

 eggs in a nest, dropped them from the roost regularly 

 every day. The roost was about 4ft. from the ground. 

 The eggs, however, were not broken, as the ground was 

 soft and yielding. After the usual time she began to 

 cluck and would sit on the roost as persistently as other 

 hens do in the period of incubation. The freak is strange 

 indeed, but nevertheless a fact. 



Some months ago I gave an account of a hen I had that 

 would come off the nest daily for weeks, cackle, but lay 

 no eggs. We killed the hen, which was fat and healthy. 

 We found a sac about as big as a man's fist composed of 

 successive layers of a skin-like substance, and within it 

 two full-sized eggs of a yellowish color without a shell 

 covering. The eggs were smooth and about as hard as 

 hard-boiled eggs. There was another sac about half as 

 large containing only a fluid. There was no unusual 

 odor about them. The other eggs were in the normal 

 natural stage of progress. It is probable that the hen 

 would have sickened and died had she not been killed. 



N. D. Elting. 



The Saucy Weasel. 



The weasel is a robber, but a cute little fellow for all 

 that. One day my mother heard one of our hens, which 

 was tied some distance from the house, making a great 

 outcry. She guessed some ' 'varmint" was on a raid, a nd 

 so it proved. A weasel had caught a chicken and was 

 running into a stone wall with it. She put in her hand 

 and drew the chicken from the weasel's grasp. But the 

 little rascal was not so ready to give up his victim. He 

 came out after it, but dodged back with every attempt to 

 hit him. Mother then resorted to stratagem. She held a 

 stone just above the hole and enticed him with the dead 

 chicken, and pinned him the next time he put out his 

 head. 



Notwithstanding the weasel's reputation for bloodthirs- 

 tiness, I would rather have half a dozen of them around 

 than one positive chicken-killing rat. The former comes 

 boldly out, but the latter sneaks through the grass and 

 drags the chicken to its den without awakening a shadow 

 of suspicion. I once saw a rat seizing a chicken half as 

 big as a bantam hen and trying to force it into a stone 

 wall. Doubtless he would have succeeded if I had not 

 gone to the chicken'B rescue, N. D. Elting. 



An Albino Deer From Maine. 



Bangor, Me.— Editor Forest and Stream: I send you 

 a photograph of an albino deer, which I received for 

 mounting last fall. Having often seen inquiries about 

 albino deer in your columns, I think it will prove of 

 interest to you. We have had no less than five deer this 

 season that showed more or less albinistic forms. The one 

 I photographed was the most perfect I ever saw. The 

 deer was killed at Lobster Lake Oct. 21, 1893, by Mr. C. P. 

 H. Corbin, of London, Eng. It was a spike-buck, and is 

 shown as mounted by S. L. Crosby & Co. I believe in 

 your platform. Stop the sale of fish and game; that will 

 shut off the poachers more effectually than any other law 

 can do. S.L.Crosby. 



[Mr. Crosby also sends us a photograph of a handsomely 

 mounted moose head, from which we have made the en- 

 graving on page 335. The moose was killed in Maine, in 

 October of 1893.] 



What Are These? 



Willington, Conn., April 2. — I have often seen the 

 red- winged blackbird here and have seen the bird men- 

 tioned by John W. Sage, of Portland. Every year in 

 May there come for a day or two a few small, pure white 

 birds with red wings. The loveliest little creatures! quite 

 tame. They always come to the black ash tree very near 

 to the house. Can you tell me what they are? Thanks to 

 Lloyd J. Smith for his bat experience. I have never 

 been over-fond of bats. Shall now regard them more 

 kindly. Annie A. Preston. 



Buffalo Galloway Cross. 



Mt. C. W. Puffer, superintendent of Mr. Rutherford 

 Stuyvesant's Tranquillity Park, at Allamuchy, N. J., 

 writes us: 



I believe I told you last winter about our crossing a 

 buffalo with Galloway cows. We have one heifer calf 

 from the only cow with calf by the buffalo. We shall 

 try a number this spring, and another year I am in hopes 

 to give you a better report. The calf is a beauty, and I 

 believe the only one ever born in New Jersey. Game in 

 Mr. Stuyvesant's park has wintered well and we have had 

 no losses." 



The Last Chapter of "Danvis Folks." 



With sincere regret I have just read the last chapter of "Danvis 

 Folks." All earihly things end sooner or later, and likewise the story 

 of our Danvis friends. To me the whole tale, from the school meeting 

 in Uncle Lisha's shop, to the closing lines where the lights go out 

 "one by one," has been most interesting, perhaps from the fact that 

 the greater pari of my life has been spent in one of the back towns of 

 New Hampshire, where there is not a railroad, a lawyer, a doctor nor 

 a poorhouse, and I have personally known some quaint characters 

 who would not have been out of place in the gatherings at Uncle 



" That reminds me." 

 A Memory of the Frontier. 



In the year 1871-2 I made a trip to Kansas City to have 

 a hunt. Kansas City was at that time a small town and 

 very dead. Many of the stores were unoccupied and busi- 

 ness was at a standstill. I had my camp outfit with me, 

 tents, dogs and guns. On my arrival I made the acquaint- 

 ance of a man who owned a fine store on Main street that 

 was vacant. He gave me the use of the store free of 

 rent, and I pitched my tent on the floor. The store is oe* 

 cupied now by one of the best tailoring firms in the eiry, 

 and no doubt pays an enormous rental. I used to shoot 

 quail, sometimes as many as one hundred in. a day on the 

 hills, where now is the best and most thickly settled part 

 of the city. 



I had been reading for several days in the daily papers 

 an account of a party having been massacred out neaf 

 Fort Dodge; and being a tenderfoot I had paid consider- 

 able attention to it. One morning I read that a party was 

 being made up to go buffalo hunting, and my greatest de- 

 sire on earth was to see and shoot a buffalo. I hunted up 

 this party, who were old buffalo hunters, and of the wild 

 and wooly character, but as afterward proved to be men 

 of the best of stuff. I told them I was from the East and 

 would awfully like to go with them, assuring them that 

 I would cause them no trouble and pay my way. They 

 seemed to enjoy the idea of my going and said, "Stranger, 

 get your gun and come with us." 



When all was ready we started with our outfit, wagons, 

 ponies, etc.; our route was over the famous Santa Fe Trail. 

 We were some time making the trip, and enjoyed much 

 good sport; the country was alive with chickens, antelope 

 and much other game. I got along nicely with my new 

 made friends and finally we came to the point where we 

 were to go into camp and do our buffalo shooting. We 

 saw the spot where the party had been massacred by the 

 Indians, the ashes and remains of their wagons. Of 

 course from what I had read and seen I expected to see 

 Indians, buffalo and antelope jumping up from behind 

 every blade of grass. 



We went into camp in the afternoon at a spot most of 

 the party well knew, for they had been here before* 

 While some were pitching tent and others getting stuff 

 for fire, one of the party told me to take a pan and follow 

 the trail over a hilltop about a quarter of a mile, Where I 

 would find a nice spring of water and to get some for 

 coffee. I had with nie a single-shot rifle .98cal. , which t 

 used for sport. 1 took the pail; and expecting that 1 

 might see something to shoot I took the little rifle with 

 me; but this, it seems, none of the company knew. 



I found the spring, saw nothing to shoot at and started 

 toward camp with my pail of water. I had got well over 

 the hill and in sight of camp, when I heard reports of 

 rifles in my rear. I looked back and saw, to my horror, 

 several Indians shooting at me and yelling with all their 

 might. I do not believe that any man was ever more 

 scared than I was. I knew I could not get to camp; and 

 I suppose it was by instinct that I set down my pail and 

 gave them a shot with the little .38cal. I did not think 

 that I took aim at anything, but just fired. My shot, 

 however, did its work, and I had killed a pony from 

 under its rider. Not expecting this turn of affairs, they 

 immediately threw off their blankets and disclosed to me 

 that they were my own party, who had sent me out for 

 the purpose of having a little fun, and as quick as I had 

 gone had mounted their ponies, wrapped blankets around 

 them and ridden around the hill to come in behind me. 

 While I was really so frightened I could hardly hold my 

 gun they never knew it, but thought I was a brave ten- 

 derfoot. 



I spent six weeks there with them, and never had a bet- 

 ter time in my life. There is no life like the hunter's and 

 no place like the frontier. If I could do so I would spend 

 every year of my life from August to January in the 

 West, commencing in Dakota in August on chicken and 

 working south as the winter advances. A. M. D. 



After an unusually successful day with the black bass, 

 while we were packing our fish preparatory to our long 

 ride home, an old man, whose age had had no less effect 

 upon his physical than his mental powers, came up and 

 looked with a good deal of interest upon our catch. 

 After he had satisfied his curiosity he straightened up and 

 with a shrug of his shoulder said, "They are fine ones, 

 but I caught on to one over there by the island that was 

 an old rounder. I was a-fishing for bullheads when this 

 fish bit, and I knowed by the way he took holt he was a 

 big un; so I pulled in my anchor so the skiff could float. 

 Off he started, a-draggin' me and the skiff arter him. As 

 we went along by the shore we sort o' sheered in under 

 those maples and I ketched holt on one of the branches. 

 He pulled and I held on till suthin' gave way, and over- 

 board I went. I waded on shore and looked to see whioh 

 way he had gone, and there lay my pole floating on the 

 water a little way out. I got the skiff and shoved off to 

 get the pole. When I pulled my line in I had the 

 darndest big bass head on my hook you ever saw; and 

 say, Mister, that fish had pulled himself in two a-tryin' to 

 get away. I wish I could have got the rest of him, for 

 his head, weighed 71bs." M. D. 



PUBLISHER'S DEPARTMENT, 



For Value Received. 



A dozen of the largest firms of dealers in sportsmen's supplies have 

 advertised continuously in the Forest and Stream through its twenty- 

 one years of publication. They are shrewd and successful business 

 houses, and do not expend money except for value received. Would 

 they go on year after year paying for advertising unless this adver- 

 tising paid them? 



On the Home Table. 



Forest and Stream goes into thousands of families, and is read by 

 old and young. No occasion to scrutinize it either. The editors never 

 break faith with their subscribers. Never a copy leaves the press that 

 may not with welcome— as a well spoken guest— enter any home in the 

 land. 



The Bridgeport Gun Implement Company has just issued a supph 

 Lisha's shop. While fully appreciating the contents of each number , ment to its catalogue that contains illustrated descriptions and prices 

 of Forest and Stream, I always read Mr. Robinson's chapter first. 1 of a n 



My dear Mr. Robinson, couldn't you have made the story of "Danvis 

 Folks" a little longer? 0. M. Stabk. 



DuNBARTON, N. H. 



of a number of articles of interest to sportsmen. Among these may 

 be mentioned bullet moulds, reloaders, creasers, cleaning sets, etc. A 

 patent pistol clip and a special measure for Walsrode powder are also 

 listed, as well as the new Bridgeport cyclometer 



