186 
FOREST AND STREAM." 
March 9, 1895. 
marvelous work of these young dogs was the most inter- 
esting thing in the way of field sport I have ever seen. 
First down was Rim, George's young Breeze- Gladstone 
pup, with Sandy Gladstone as guide and running mate. 
Then Mont and Mecca, and so on down the string, all 
showing a speed and quality truly remarkable, and a 
glowing tribute to John N. Lewis as a handler and braker 
of dogs. I can see Sandy yet, as he drew himself by an 
embankment by the road-side near a short growth of tim- 
ber, with four crooks in his back and five in his tail (my 
apologies to Mr. Mitchell, but this point was truly sensa- 
tional), with a covey well marked ju t ahead of him. Rim 
circles to the rear, sees Sandy and with head and tail well 
up turns rigid. Dear friends, you have all seen this same 
thing many a time, and who among you has ever tired of 
it? I did step in to flush, and did kill a bird ; but I should 
value that bird very little, if those two dogs hadn't been 
instrumental in finding it for me to shoot. 
Another day Mont comes across a field at a tremendous 
gait, finds himself at the top of a steep embankment, 
never hesitates, makes the leap, lands below in the red 
sand, sticks forward in a rigid position, and the trem- 
bling under lip and fa«t beating heart are the only things 
that move. Just ahead of him in the weeds is another 
covey. Mecca comes along the bottom, takes the scent 
and straightens. My blood tingles and my nerves are 
strained. But I must kill a bird this time, or never look 
that dog in the face again. Well, I can look at him, 
even if my first barrel didn't count. 
And so one day was a repetition of the other, and it 
came time to pack that same wagon behind that same 
team and drive back with the same Mr. Hicks. Our 
string of game was not large, nothing like the size I so 
often read about. We don't boast of exterminating a 
single covey, and while we were a party of three, with 
considerable gun experience, there will be good shooting 
where we were in another year. We left plenty for 
breeding and for Lewis to teach his young hopefuls with 
for all time to come. The recollections of those evening 
meals where our pure minded host would request the Doc- 
tor to ask a blessing, the plenteous food, the good fellow- 
ship, the chat by the log fire in the old-fashioned log 
house, the warm comfortable beds in the cozy little room, 
the crude side of the native negro servants, the pure- 
minded, simple country folks, whose integrity is native 
born and unimpeachable, the hospitality and ccourtesy 
that are so truly natural, baring escaped the adulteration 
of a modern society are all refreshing at the time, and 
leave an impression that is healthy and lasting. 
The return from one of these trips is so much like part- 
ing with a dear old friend that I will say little of it. The 
fast train stopped for the Doctor, and we all got on, and 
the middle of the next day saw us once more installed in 
our separate homes, doubly ready for the many and ac- 
cumulated duties awaiting us. The guns have been we'll 
rubbed down and carefully put away. The dogs lie 
around the place getting fat and out of condition. Yet 
I never look at Mont without pleasure. I love talent even 
in a dog. 
And now a parting word of those big generous field 
companions. The dogs delight me; the birds are inter- 
esting and essential to field sport; but be it in their lib- 
raries, or on the top rail of a North Carolina worm fence, 
in tin smoking compartment of the sleeper, or on a buck- 
board steered by a lantern through the mountains of 
Monroe or Pike counties', on a Cheseapeake Bay steam- 
boat, or lost hi the slough of a goose pond, or on the bar- 
ren in a fog, by the babbling brook, or in the hot, dry 
field, chasing an unruly dog, or a winged bird, always 
the same, faithful brothers and true sportsman and a 
pleasure forever, until now this hunting trip is just like 
the others with the exception of the change of place and 
scenery, only a pleasant reminiscence, a time to be re- 
called with refreshing results. Thomas Gilmer. 
New York. 
THE POCKET GOPHERS. 
We have'recently received from the division of Ornith- 
ology and Mammalogy of the Department of Agriculture, 
Number 8 of the series of bulletins entitled North Amer- 
ican Fauna. It consists of a monographic revision by Dr. 
C. Hart Merriamof the pocket gopher family, Geomyidae, 
exclusive of the species of Thomomys. The monograph 
is a work of 258 pages illustrated by 19 full page plates 
and 71 cuts in the text, besides 4 colored maps. It is 
strictly technical. 
The area inhabited by this family extends from British 
Columbia and t he plains of the Saskatchewan on the north , 
south to Mexico, and yet notwithstanding this wide dis- 
tribution and the very great abundance of individuals in 
many regions, there is perhaps no family of North Ameri- 
can mammals which, up to the present time, has been 
less known. In preparing a bulletin on the economic re- 
lations of the pocket gophers, it became necessary for Dr. 
Merriam to determine the standing and the geographical 
distribution of the different forms. This study led to the 
present paper, which at length assumed such proportions 
that it was necessary to omit from it a consideration of 
the large thomomys, which itself has a very extended 
range. 
No biologist has ever had an opportunity to examine 
anything like the amount of material that was at the dis- 
posal of Dr. Merriam. He had before him about a thou- 
sand specimens, among which are found by far the great- 
er number of the actual types known to exist. The result 
of his studies is the establishment of seven new genera 
belonging to this family and of more than twenty new 
species and sub-species belonging to these new genera and 
to the old Geomyos of Rafinesque, 
The pocket gophers are well recognized by farmers in 
the West as among i heir most injurious enemies. Livingas 
they do almost entirely on roots and tubers, they are 
highly injurious, and they also do much damage in fields 
of grain and fodder, not so much by what they eat as by 
the amount of surface which they cover with fresh earth 
from their burrows. Dr. Merriam corrects a widespread 
erroneous belief when he tells us that the cheek pouches, 
or pockets, 'are used exclusively for carrying food. It is 
the general impression that these pouches are used also 
for carrying dirt in its removal from their Jburrows. An 
interesting account is given of the actions of a tame 
pocket gopher, which was for some time kept in confine- 
ment, and carefully observed in order to learn bow food 
is placed in the cheek pouches. Dr. Merriam says: "The 
animal soon became sufficiently tame to ea,t freely from 
the hand, and was commonly fed bits of potato, of "which 
he was particularly fond. The manner of eating was 
peculiar and interesting, and showed an ability to use the 
huge forefeet and claws in a way previously unsuspected. 
After satisfying the immediate demands of hunger, it was 
his practice to fill one or both cheek pouches. His mo- 
tions were so swift that it was exceedingly difficult to fol- 
low them with sufficient exactness to see just how the 
operation was performed. If a whole potato was given 
him, or a piece too large to go into the pouch, he invaria- 
bly grasped it between the fore paws and proceeded to pry 
off* a small piece with the long lower incisors. He would 
then raise himself slightly on his hind legs, and hold the 
fragments between his fore paws while eating; for he 
usually ate a certain quantity before putting any into his 
pouches. If a small piece were given him, he took it 
promptly and passed it quickly into the pouch. 
Some pieces were thus disposed of at once; others were 
first trimmed by biting off projecting angles. As a rule, 
one pouch was filled at a time, though not always, and 
the hand of the same side was used to push the food in. 
The usual course is as follows: A piece of potato, root, or 
other food is seized between the incisor teeth, and is im- 
mediately transferred to the fore paws, which are held in 
a horizontal position, the tips of the claws curving toward 
one another. If the food requires reduction in size, the 
trimming is done while held in this position. The piece 
is then passed rapidly across the side of the face with a 
sort of wiping motion which forces it into the open mouth 
of the pouch. Sometimes a single rapid stroke with one 
hand is sufficient; at other times both hands are used, 
particularly if the piece is large. In such, cases the long 
claws of one hand are used to draw dowm the lower side 
of the opening, while the food is poked in with the other. 
It is obviously impossible for the animal to pass fodder 
from the mouth to the pouches without the aid of its fore 
paws. 
"The most remarkable thing connected with the use of 
the pouches is the way they are emptied. The fore feet 
ai'e brought back simultaneously along the sides of the 
head until they reach a point opposite the hinder end of 
the pouches; they are then pressed firmly against the 
head and carried rapidly forward. In this way the con- 
tents of the pouches are promptly dumped in front of the 
animal. Sometimes several strokes are necessary. I am 
not prepared to say that the animal cannot empty the 
pouches by means of the delicate investing muscles, but I 
have never seen them emptied in any other way than 
here described." 
While the present paper is almost exclusively technical, 
its preparation was an indispensable antecedent to a study 
of the life histories of this group. The results of such a 
study having a special relation to the injury done by 
these animals is promised as a separate bulletin of this di- 
vision. It will be prepared by Dr. Merriam's assistant, 
Mr. Vernon Bailey. 
Birds of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. 
While it may truthfully be said that all local bird 
lists if Louestly prepared by a competent person are. use- 
ful, it is very seldom that we meet with one so complete 
and so valuable as that compiled by Mr. Witmer Stone- 
under the direction of the Delaware Valley Ornithologi- 
cal Club. 
This club was organized in 1890, and soon afterward 
measures were taken to compile from the field notes of its 
members a list of the birds known to occur in the vicinity 
of ^Philadelphia. Early in 1890, a committee composed of 
Mr. Geo. Spencer Morris, Mr. Samuel N. Rhoads and 
Mr. Witmer Stone was appointed to take charge of this 
matter, and to prepare a work which should embody the 
results of the. club's ornithological investigations in the 
Delaware Valley and along the New Jersey seacoast. 
The work of preparing and editing the accumulated 
material was entrusted to Mr. Stone. The final report 
was submitted to the club in May 1894 and the results 
are now before us. 
The work consists of two parts, part I, including chap- 
ters on the Geographical Distribution of Birds, Faunal 
Areas of Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Winter 
Birds, Bird Migration, Migration in the Vicinity of 
Philadelphia, and Birds found within ten miles of Phil- 
adelphia. This part occupies 25 pages of the work. 
Part II, includes Introductory explanations, and Anno- 
tated List of the Birds of Eastern Pennsylvania and New 
Jersey, Addenda and Bibliography, this part occupying 
142 pages, of which the fist takes up 115. 
The chapters included in Part I are interesting and 
suggestive, and indeed essential to a thorough comprehen- 
sion of Part II, bufit is after all in the annotated list that 
we find the greatest interest. No attempt is made to de- 
scribe the birds or to treat of their habits. The names 
and breeding ranges and areas of winter distribution are 
given together with the record of captures ancient and 
recent. 
As the region treated of consists of mountains, valley, 
low land, and seashore, and covers territory portions of 
which are within the Canadian, Alleghenian and Caro- 
linian faunal areas, we find that this list includes a very 
large number of birds, no less than 352 being given. 
Among these are many which were formerly very com- 
mon along the New Jersey coast, but which have now 
become practically extinct there and occur only as rare 
stragglers. 
An interesting~and valuable part of this work which it 
must be remembered covers ground that is historic for the 
ornithologist — is its bibliography which occupies 21 
pages, being divided in two parts the first arranged 
chronologically, the second alphabetically by the authors. 
The ornithologist can hardly be without Mr Stone's 
valuable list. It is most interesting reading. The 
mechanical part* of the work is well done, the book 
being handsomely printed an I bound. We notice only one 
typographical error. 
A Flock of Starlings. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
Brooklyn, Feb. 25.— Yesterday, Feb. 24, on Lincoln 
Road, Flatbush, L. I., I saw a flock of starlings (sturnus 
vulgaris) of about thirty in number. Having lived on 
Long Island for over twenty years, and being fond of 
out-door life, it has yet ne^er been my good luck to see 
these birds here before. I would like to know through 
you or your paper if they are to be found breeding here. 
While a boy in Denmark I became ^ery familiar with 
these birds, owing to their domestic habits. They breed 
their young in boxes put up on gables of houses and in 
fruit trees, Their eggs are a pale blue, and generally 
number from fr^e to se^en. They would return each 
spring, delighting us with their song, and were consid- 
ered of great benefit to orchards by killing inseots. Their 
arrival was looked upon as sure sign of spring. 
Having got within fifty feet of the birds yesterday, and 
heard them singing as only a starling can, and seeing 
that their flight was the same as that of our American 
meadow lark, I know I made no mistake, but hope to 
hear these birds may become better known here. 
Perhaps they were only traveling to a foreign land. 
Bertram Fich. 
[Starlings ha^-e been introduced in this "icinity several 
times. Once. we belie Tr e, in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, by the 
late Colonel Pike, and once, at least, in Central Park about 
1890. From either of these points they might ha^e reached 
Flatbush. The species is frequently rpported to Mr. 
Frank M. Chapman, of the American Museum of Natural 
History, from various points about the city, but especially 
from the upper part of the island. A flock of about fifty 
has been recorded near Spuyten Duyvil. Two pairs bred 
last year in the roof of the museum. In Sept., 1889, Mr. 
William Dutcher received a specimen, shot near South 
Oyster Bay, L. I. The bird is resident here, and as it is 
has steadily increased and shown that it can resist our 
severest winters, it may fairly be regarded as permanent- 
ly established. 
Importation of Hares. 
The English hare is not identical with the Scotch or 
mountain hare. The former is considerably the larger, as 
the Scotch is to the Irish variety. The English hare never 
changes its color. The Scotch hare does so as winter ap- 
proaches, the fur bleaching from the feet up, not by gain- 
ing a new coat, though in the spring the change is effected 
by moulting, or better, by shedding the old f'm\ 
I have just imported a lot of ordinary hares with fair 
success, and no uoubt the Scotch hare would also do well, 
but they being smaller. I see no advantage in introduc- 
ing them. I have had good accounts of those whicli 
have been here any length of time. 
I cannot see why there should be an import duty of 20 
per cent, on furred game and none on feathered. Who 
can give the pedigree of hares or deer? All game should 
enter duty free. Verner de Guise. 
The Climate of Washington. 
Seattle, Wash., Feb. 18. — Late reports from the wire 
seem to indicate that you are going in for bearskin coats, 
etc., on account of a frosty feeling generated by the air. 
I read them, put on my straw hat and go fishing. You 
know we brag about the climate out here to a certain ex- 
tent! We have had one light snowfall this winter, but it 
fell slowly and was gone next day, and I had the pleasure 
of shaking the snow from a superb tea rose, growing in 
my front yard before fastening it in the lapel of my coat. 
This was about Christmas. I have pansies and daisies in 
bloom in the yard now, while you are nearly frozen be- 
cause you (poor man!) live on - ' the other side of the moun- 
tains!" But then, as Judge Green will probably tell yoxi, 
it does "mist" here some in the winter. 
El Comancho. 
LinnEBan Society of New Yorfc. 
The third lecture of the Public Lecture Course for 1895, 
"Hawaii, the Paradise of the Pacific," by William Lib- 
bey, Jr., will be given on Tuesday evening, March 12, at 8 
o'clock, at the American Museum of Natural History. 
mt{e J?#g at\d (§wt. 
Sportsmen's Exposition. 
May 13 to 18. Madison Square Garden, New York, — .First annua] 
Sportsmen's Exposition. 
WILD PIGEON DAYS. 
My friend, J. A. H. Esq., of Pittsburgh, occasionally 
sends me a number of the Forest and Stream, knowing 
that once I was something of a local sportsman. In 
the number of Feb. 16, 1895, I read an article entitled, "In 
Wild Pigeon Days." It reminded me of my own youth 
in Pittsburgh in the decennial 1820-1830. I am 86 years 
old, so that you will perceive the possibility of the time. 
ftrThen Pittsburg was a small place, its population in 1820 
being under 8,000. Boyd"s Hill stood a high naked prom- 
ontory overlooking the city northwardly, and bounded on 
its westerly side by the country road alongside of the 
Monongahela River. Little of that is now seen, the hill, 
then bare on top, is now built up for miles, overlooking 
what is Fifth Avenue on the northeasterly side, and the 
Monongahela on the westerly. 
I describe this hill because it was a noted wild pigeon 
resort. About three hundred yards from the northerly 
overlooking point, a large group of native trees, chiefly 
oak, stood with many dead tops, on which pigeons are ac- 
customed to light in the morning. In September, the 
small, broken up flocks of pigeons on their flight south- 
ward would light on these trees. On the bare hill and 
beside the woods the hunters stood in the morning wait- 
ing for the coming flights. The approach of a flock every 
few minutes was the signal for a fusilade of guns, and as 
the pigeons fell, the claimants often exceeded the birds 
in number. 
In this section of country the pigeons fed chiefly on the 
oak mast. A white oak frequently would be alive with 
them. Yet when feeding on the tall trees among the 
thick leases, it would be difficult to see two or more in 
range. I remember once, later in life, when looking for 
pigeons, noticing a large , flock lighting on a very large 
white oak, but on going to it I found it difficult to see 
two birds in a range. Finally, firing ai two, to my as- 
tonishment I gathered up eight besides noticing.wounded 
ones flying away. jS- 
The number of flocks may be judged of by this^fact. 
In the fall of 1826 or '2? I was hunting for pigeons on the 
