446 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[June 5, 1897 
SINGING MICE. 
Chicago, Fil., May 15, — Some friend, whose name is un- 
known, has sent me a clippirg from a newspaper published 
at Beaver Dam, Wis., meutiohing the capture of that rare 
animal, a singing mouse. The item reads In full as follows: 
"Fox Lake has oi e of those rare creatures known as a 
singing mouse. It looks just like any other mouse and acts 
like them, except that it sings very much like a canary bird. 
It has a very sweet little chirp and quite a vocabulary of 
sounds, and when everything is still and quiet, he fills the 
store with beautiful melody. The mouse is at the 'Annex ' 
store, and was captured in a trap by Sara Tarrant. The 
hoys had heard him for some days around the shelves, but 
did not know what it was. Finally he was seen sitting on 
the edge of a box of starch, singing away for dear/life. Sam 
set a trap for him, and succeeded in getting him into it in a 
day or so. It was a catch-em-alive trap, and the little fellow 
was not injured. He is now fixed out in a nice cage, and 
taking life easy with plenty to eat and the best of care. In 
return, when all is quiet and not too many around, the 
mouse sings away to his heart's content. Sam is very proud 
of his little warbler. We have heard of singing mice before, 
but this is the first one we ever saw or heard, and it is quite 
a curiosity." 
This is the fifth singing mouse of which I have ever heard 
in my life, nor do I suppose many persons have heard of 
even so many as that among their owb personal acquaint- 
ances. The animal is well known to naturalists and scien- 
tists, and the extreme delicacy and shrillness of the note of 
the singing mouse has been cause of editorial comment in 
one of the great newspapers of the land. It was therein 
stated that the vibrations of the note of the singing mouse 
are too extremely rapid to be distinguished by all human 
ears. The note resembles that of a diminutive canary, hav- 
ing a sort of tremulous, thrilling character. 
The first singing mouse of which I ever heard made its 
home in the cellarwindow of my family's home, and though 
I never myself either saw or heard it, its presence was often 
mentioned, by my mother, who heard it at different times. 
It was first discovered by an Irish servant, who came to my 
mother very much excited, declaring that the creature was 
bewitched, but that she had seen it, a mouse in appearance 
but a bird in voice, sitting up on its hind legs and singing 
in a most unnatural fashion. This mouse was a pet about 
the place for some weeks or months, but I do not know 
what finally became of it. Perhaps the cat could tell. 
Oddly enough, just a few days before 1 got the clipping 
above shown, I met on the streets of Chicago — where one in 
time will mef t everybody he ever knew — a man 1 formerly 
knew out in Kansas. He was at that time a photographer, 
and it was a practice among some of us at that time to me 
his photographic gallery as a gymnasium and boxing hall. 
This friend, whose name is W. Glines, in the course of our 
talk brought up a matter which had quite escaped my 
memory. I always have said that I never really saw a 
singing mouse, but he reminded me that I had, and that 
this occurred in his gallery at Hutchinson, Kansas. "Don't 
you remember our mouse?" he said; "the little fellow that 
used to sing to us? It was a little, reddish colored mouse, 
that used to come and sit on the pile of backgi-ounds and 
scenes and sing like a little bird. Its paws were so thin the 
light would stiow through them, and it was a dainty little 
thing as ever was. You know we never would harm it, 
and Tt became very tame. I don't tnow what became of it, 
but it was there quite a while. 1 remember you sat down in 
the gallery one time and wrote something about it. It was 
an odd mouse, £ure enough." 
A friend of mine in Chicago, a sculptor not unknown in 
many parts of the world, was acotlier person to hear the 
voice of the singing mouse, He says that he had retired for 
the night and was nearly asleep, when he gradually became 
conscious that something was going on the room. He lis- 
tened, and finally made out a fine, shrill, thin, but very 
sweet voice, which was thrilling and warbling 'like some 
ecstatic bird. He says that the thing seemed absolutely 
supernatural to him, so uncanny that he was of a mind to be 
^sturbed by it. The singing lasted for some time, and its 
effect has lasted Ear longer in the life of this gentleman, who 
declares that no man has ever heard a singing mouse and 
then forgotten it. The experience is certainly one of the 
rare ones in any man's life 
Yet another instance of hearing a singing mouse came to 
my knowledge not very long ago. A young lady of this 
city said that she had once or twice heard mice in her room, 
and also heard some sort of a sound which sounded like a 
far-away canary bird singing at the top of its voice. She 
did not know what was the source of this sound, but set a 
trap for the mice and took the singing mouse the first night 
She says that the mouse sat up in the trap, "with its hands 
folded," and sang in the sweetest and weirdest way that had 
ever been her fortune to hear. As this mouse was appar- 
ently begging for its life, and offering an equivalent of song, 
it was spared and for a time kept about the place; but at 
length, I believe, met with some accident which ended its 
life. 
' ■ Still another case of a like nature came under my observa- 
tion within the past year. An artist friend of mine, who at 
that time lived in Chicago buthasnowgone to New York, once 
confessed, with a touch of shame in his voice, as though he 
did not expect to be believed, that he had lately heard a mouse 
that could sing. He too hiard the mouse at night (at which 
time the note of the singing mouse is most apt to be heard), 
and he too describes the note of this curious animal as being 
extraordinarily fine and high, so thin and sweet that h 
seemed not to be produced by any physical agency. "It 
seemed like a spirit singing," said he "and for a long time I 
could not believe that it was really going on right there in 
my room." He seemed relieved when told that two of us 
then present had also at earlier times heard the voice of the 
strange little mouse. So far as I know, the mouse is the 
only animal known except birds whose voice has a distinctly 
and admittedly musical quality. Were not this known to 
be a fact, the story of such an occurrence would seem a most 
incredible and absurd affair, and the published statement of 
the Wisconsin paper might be taken as a canard, worthy the 
Sunday edition of more pretentious journals. While the 
matter would probably be passed over without much notice 
by the greater part of the readers of the paper, the item was 
upon its actual merits one of the rarest pieces of news 
which has appeared in print for some time. Indeed, I for 
one have never before seen in print in any publication an 
authentic account of a singing mouse actually seen and 
heard. While a few of my friends and I myself have had 
such an experience, the facts were never made public so far 
as I know, nor did I ever see such mention made'by any one 
el§e before, |;, Hovgh. 
The CanadarJay. 
Mr. Mathek's story of the Canada jay taking the fish out 
of the fry-pan reminds me to write of the extreme fearless- 
ness of these birds, as 1 found them last October on the 
upper waters of the St. John River in Province of Quebec 
One bright pleasant dav I was out alone, watching some 
open bogs for caribou. When I brought out my noon-day 
lunch of bread and cheese three Canada jays came flying 
about me, showing a desire to share in the repast. So I 
threw pieces to them and gradually coaxed them nearer, re- 
warding each advance with a good bite of the food. In a 
few minutes I had one sitting on each knee eating from my 
hands, and then one sitting perched upon the forefinger of 
one hand and feeding on a piece of bread held in the other 
hand. 
I closed my thumb against the finger on which the bird 
sat, catching her toes and making her a prisoner. Against 
this there was a most vigorous protest, and although she was 
released unharmed, the confidence of the trio was broken 
and future advances were made with greater caution. 
Wherever the traveler of the woods may pitch his tent in 
these northern wilds this restless and noisy little fellow 
quickly makes his appearance. Among many trophies and 
mementos gathered in repeated trips to the wilderness, none 
seems more characteristic of the woods life in logging camp, 
sportsman's cabin and tent than the Canada jays that perch 
in life- like pose above my mantel. F. T. 
Pbovidencb, E. I., May 24. 
kni^ md ^mu 
GOVERNMENT GAME RESERVES. 
For the Protection of Migratory Game Birds. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
It could hardly be expected that the game laws of the 
different Slates would be as successful in protecting the 
migratory game birds as in the case of those species which 
remain all the year in or about one locality. Although their 
migratory habits enable them to ayoid many dangers, yet 
others are incurred by them which birds of stationary habits 
are not subjected to, and the great extent of territory over 
which they travel renders their preservation by game laws 
much more difficult and less certain in its results. 
The number of birds of the plover and snipe families 
which annually visit that part of the Connecticut coast with 
which I am most familiar has decreased to about one-fourth 
of what it was a dozen or fifteen ygars ago. Though a 
thickly settled region, such as that nampd, is the first to feel 
the decrease, it is to be noted that in'th^ case of migratory 
birds such as decrease cannot be considered as a matter of 
local concern only. It is conceivable that the partridges in a 
certain State or county might be almost exterminated with- 
out affecting appreciably the numbers in States adjoining. 
This is far from being the case where the same indi- 
vidual birds constitute the game supply of the numer- 
ous places they visit in their migrations. The de- 
struction brought about by pot-hunters and market-gun- 
ners in one place will have its effects on the shootin? over a 
large extent of the country, while the encouragement to sup 
press this destruction is diminished by the knowledge that 
birds protected from too effective methods of capture in one 
State may be the victims of the same methods of hunting in 
another. The increase of population, and particularly the 
iacrease of means of easy and rapid transportation, and the 
fact that a double-barrel breechloader or a repeating shot- 
gun is now so cheap as to b3 within the reach of everybody, 
old and young, no matter how limited his purae may be, are 
driving the birds from one place after another where thsy 
were formerly accuslomed to feed and rest during their 
migrations, or even to winter, and they are obliged to collect 
in the few localities where the wide extent of feeding 
grounds or the remoteness or inaccessibility of the place still 
afford them some safety. In these favored places the num- 
bers may still be kept up, but it is at the expense of a large 
area almost deserted or only occasionally visited by the 
birds. 
Along the coast the great increase in the number and pop- 
ulation of the summer resorts has spoiled the shooting, not 
only by increasing the number of gunners, but even more by 
frightening the birds away. It is only a matter of a few 
years before the whole ocean shore of the State of New Jersey 
will be a perfectly continuous line of hotels and cottages 
from the Highlands to Cape May, excepting the inlets be- 
tween the beaches. 
The fact that the migratory birds are enabled to breed and 
to pass a large part of the year in more or less remote and 
inaccessible regions is now of less protection to them than 
formerly. Large areas in the North and West which were 
available as breeding grounds are now invaded by settlers 
and egg-hunters, while more gunners annually follow them 
to the" countries south of us. Altogether the outlook for 
birds of this kind is not at all promising. 
The State Legislatures are clearly enough unable to make 
the laws necessary for the preservation of a bird wnich 
breeds far to the north of our limits and passes twice a year 
through eight or ten States and several counties, venturing 
perhaps in Venezuela or Brazil. The idea naturally suggests 
itself that the taking of such birds and the protection of 
their eggs should be a subject for regulation by the National 
Government or even for international agreement. Though 
there is no probability of any such arrangement for & long 
time to come, yet it is very desirable that some effort should 
be made by the Government for their preservation. 
Probably the most effective plan would be to have a series 
of reservations in different parts of the country where the 
birds would find a safe place to rest and feed during their 
stay here. Although this would not prevent the use of the 
land or water thus set apart for many purposes, it would be 
necessary to prohibit shooting entirely, at least during the 
season when the birds intended to be protected would be 
likely to be there; and to discourage all unnecessary disturb- 
ing of the birds There is not the least doubt that the birds 
would soon discover the greater security such reservations 
would offer, and would show their appreciation of them by 
visiting theaa in increasing numbers and prolo aging their 
Stay. There is sufficient evidence of this in the results in the 
few places in this country where the birds have been given 
careful and complete protection for any length of time. 
It seems not unlikely that in the vicinity of such reserva- 
tions there would be considerable improvement in the shoot- 
ing from the birds which would, of course, often stray from 
tl^ere, though Qf course the main object in view ^oiild he to 
give sufficient protection to the various species to allow of 
their numbers increasing up to something more like their 
former abundance; but this incidental effect might in some 
cases be considerable, when it is taken into account that the 
present scarcity of game is often due to their fearing to stop 
during their migrations or being immediately driven away 
when they venture to do so. 
But in order that anything may be accomplished by this 
plan it is essential thatithese reservations should be in the 
places most frequented by the birds. This is about the same 
as saying that the reservations must include the best feeding 
grounds; and, unfortunately, these are very apt to be also 
the best places for shooting. Many of these are now in the 
hands of private parties or clubs, and could only be secured 
at considerable or sometimes very large expense. 
Without discussing here whether it is not time that the 
Government should spend a considerable sum for game pro- 
tection, it is to be noted that along the coast the Government 
already has the title to many places well adapted to the pur- 
pose, and has in the Light House and Life-Saving Service 
employees who could in many cases look after the game 
without interfering with their other duties. In the West the 
Government still owns much land and water which should 
now be set aside for game preserves, even if at the present it 
should not seem worth while to have them watched. This 
step could be taken when the necessity for it should arise, 
but the Government should reserve the right while it can do 
so without expense. ' 
In regard to the size of the reservations, if rightly located 
they need not usually be large. In fact, in many cases there 
would be little gain in extending their limits; usually it 
would be better to have several small ones near together than 
one large one. Often nearly all the birds killed on a given 
pond or marsh are shot within the limits of a few acres, or 
more will be killed from one blind than on all the rest of the 
ground together. It need hardly be said that such places as 
these are the ones which are most important to include in 
the preserves, and that often nothing would be gained by ex- 
tending the reservations much more than necessary to effec- 
tually protect such places. The location of the reservations 
should be determined by practical ornithologists and sports- 
men, who have some interest in the work beyond the im- 
provement of their own financial condition; for it is evident 
that if the Government should undertake to spend any 
money, considerable influence would be brought to bear on 
them by those who had land worthless for the purpose to dis- 
pose of, or who would prefer that the reservation should not 
include their favorite shooting ground 
I think that fifty square miles of such reservations judi- 
ciously distributed east of the Mississippi River would have 
an important effect on the abundance of game, and would 
be an arrangement capable of expanyion as the needs of the 
case might require. The Government of the Uaited States 
would thus be able to give the game increased protection 
without interference with the State laws, and whatever ex- 
penditure of money and care might be necessary in establish- 
ing and looking after such preserves would be applied in the 
most effective manner possible and in the places where it is 
most required. It must be remembered that the State game 
laws cover a great deal of ground never visited by birds of 
the kinds this plan is intended to protect, and a law cover- 
ing those places only where its enforcement would be effect- 
ive would have in many respects a better chance of being en- 
forced than a general law. Yiolations on these reservations 
would be punishable in the United States courts. 
In conclusion I would like to emphasize once more the 
fact that such a plan would be almost worthless if the right 
places for protection are not selected. In this connection it 
may not be out of place to call attention to the following 
paragraph from the New York Times, Feb. 20, 1897: 
Eobins flock to a big reed swamp in Randolpti, N. C , to roost at 
this season of the year, and destructive hunters follow them in swarms 
with li^hcs and bags and capture them by hundreds. One man 
caught 500 this way one day last week. Kow there are any robins 
left is a wonder. 
Is it not probable that such a reservation as proposed 
above covering that place would have considerable effect on 
the number of robins, not only locally, but later in the sea- 
son in the Northern States? For they are the same indi- 
vidual birds which inhabit our gardens and door-yards in the 
North during the summer whi"h are slaughtered in this 
fashion in the S?uth. Although the protection of game 
birds is a more difficult matter, the same principles hold 
true, and a more extended and systematic plan of protection 
than the game laws in the States afford is greatly needed. 
W. G. Van Name. 
New Haven, Conn. 
SOME OF THE PROPRIETIES. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
Nature, for some unknown reason, smooths the folds of 
memory, making us forgetful of wintry skies, dead leaves, 
yellow grass, bruised hands, cold feet and aching limbs, and 
permits us only to recall bright skies, pretty foliage and 
grass, birds, songs and happiness. One has truly said: 
"Nature can soothe if she cannot satisfy," and for this, if 
nothing more, she i^ entitled to a heavy first mortgage on 
our grati.ude. As one who formerly hunted, fished and 
trapped to quite an extent, I wish to express myself through 
the Forest and Stkeam. To-day, amid the surroundings 
of a budding Adirondack spring, and in sight of the very 
rocks and trees which helped so materially to nourish my 
boyhood, youth and early manhood, my mind turns back to 
those days of sunshine so carelessly spent. 
"Ah, happy hills; ah, pleasing shade; 
Ah, fle)d.s beloved in vain. 
Where once my careless childhood stray'd." 
Years have passed, and with their passing many changes 
have been wrought. However, in all the passing years there 
has not been a time when the recollection of boyhood's happy 
outdoor pastimes has not served a good purpose. And 1 may 
say right here, without any mental reservation whatever, 
that no man ever lived who possessed a more genuine, abid- 
ing love for the woods and appreciation of the allurements 
thereof than the .-writer. In my veins courses the blood of 
generation after generation that loved to invade the solitudes 
of nature, finding happiness and solace there. And the am- 
bition to equal, if not excel, in this line all of my name who 
have gone before has been one of the guiding influences of 
my life. 
Be this as it may, however, I am impelled from a sense of 
duty to my fellow-men to voice a sentiment which prevails 
quite generally throughout the civilizjd world. 
There are certain proprieties which a sportsman should in- 
variably observe. Indeed, there are connected with his par- 
ticular mode of recreatigo Qertaio rqlea amenities jof < 
