Jtjne 26, 1897.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
808 
These two great heads came from Alaska almost at the 
same time, from which it may be inferred that antlers of 
such unprecedented proportions are not unique in that coun- 
try, and it is not beyond the bounds of probability to expect 
them to be duplicated or even surpassed in future. 
J. B. BURNHATtf. 
PODGERS'S COMMENTARIES. 
I San Fbakcisco, June 9. — Editw Forest and Stream; I am 
always interested in articles in the Fokest and Stream on 
the subject of "intelligent brutes" (which does not include 
some classes of men, as it might), and particularly was I 
interested in reading the contribution in the last number just 
received, by Mr, Wingfield, which reminded me of my own 
experience m horseflesh. 
J owned a handsome black horse named Nick; he was not 
an old one, but if "old" had been preluded to the Nick it 
would have been very appropriate, as he was a very devil for 
kicking buggies and harness to pieces, varied by an exuber- 
ance of spirits illustrated by running away about every other 
time he was hitched up. 1 was loth to part with him, as he 
was a beauty, and when he felt in the humor would outtrot 
every team "on the road; but my invitations to friends for a 
drive were firmly rejiectcd, as his little idiosyncrasies were 
too well known for them to ribk their necks. Profs. Gib- 
son and Karey had not at that time appeared here as horse 
tamers. So at last, .after the wagon and harness repairers 
had built brick blocks from the bills I paid, I concluded that, 
as mines wer^ giving out, I would dispense with the luxury 
of an animal that was of so elevating a character; and he 
was banished to the country and turned out on a ranch 
owned by my brother. It is true, 1 did have one oppor- 
tunity to make soine money out of his accomplishments 
from a man who owned a mule team, one of which had the 
usual characteristics of that animal. The owner offered to 
bet me that his mule could outkick the horse; and proposed 
a match in which they should be placed "stern on" against 
an unoccupied building, with harness attached to it, to convey 
the impression that they were hitched to something valuable; 
but 1 did not want to wiu a poor man's money, and de- 
clined. 
A month or two later 1 set out to make my brother a visit, 
and was met at the station by my sifiter-in-law and her 
children with a horse and phaeton. I did not notice the 
horse until we started, when, to my horror, it proved to be 
Nick. "My gracious !" was my exclamation, "what are 
you doing with that horse?" My sister-m-law laughed, say- 
ing, "What's the matter with the horse?" "Why," said I, 
"he will run away, - kick the phaeton to pieces and kill the 
children," "Pooh !" was the reply. "Get up, Nick," ac- 
companied with a smart cut of the whip, something I had 
never dared. Much to my astonishment, he scarcely noticed 
it except by a little grunt, and pegged away at a five-mile 
gait all the way to the house. 
My sister-in-law had no fear of horses, was a bold driver, 
and one day in my brother's absence had had Nick hitched 
up, although with a full knowledge of his habits. She drove 
him ten miles, he never offering to kick or run away or pull 
an ounce on the bit, and became ever after the only horse 
she would drive. She drove him without blinds, and when- 
ever the family were starting out Nick would turn his head 
so as to see who was in the phaeton, and would give a grunt, 
as much as to say, "No fun for me this time." How he 
would have behaved if only a man were in the wagon is a 
conundrum; but he became the pet of the family. The 
children used to enter his stall and crawl between his legs. 
His only mischievous tendency was to chew up the flowers 
in their hats with a perceptible smile and a twinkle in his 
eye, as much as to say, "I must have some fun." 
Who says that animals have not a streak of gallantry in 
their composition, as well as reason? Take the lower orders 
of mankind, do we not see evidences of their more brutal 
characteristics in the thousand cases where they kick and 
beat women to death? The animal, by comparison, is far 
his superior. In the yard of the house adjoining me, is an 
immense St Bernard dog, which, contrary to the nature of 
that breed, is savage, and the terror of the milkman and 
baker. Looking out of the window this mornine-, I noticed 
him rolling on the grass, playing with half a dozen children, 
strangers to him, who had strolled through the upper gate. 
They were dragging him by the tail, pulling his ears and 
sitting on him, and he was evidently l.ughing — for dogs can 
laugh as plainly as mankind, with the commendable differ- 
ence that it is sincere and there is no treachery in it, for, as 
we know, a man can "smile and smile and be a villain," 
Give me the dog on the chances any day. 
I have referred several times to the expeditions that have 
been fitted out here to search for treasure presumed to have 
been hidden on some one of the numerous islands somewhere 
in the region of Panama, which have been minutely des- 
cribed by numerous repentant gentlemen, ex pirates, on their 
death-beds. They have died iu all parts of the world, each 
one being the last and only one left to confess to the capture 
of numerous galleons, murder of the crews and passengers, 
and hiding the bushels of doubloons, diamonds and precious 
stones on some lone and desolate island; then being afraid to 
show tbemsd5^s possessed of so much wealih, planning to 
return for it it some future day ; but circumstances over 
which prevented, and all Uiese millions lay at the foot of 
such and such crooked tree, near a big boulder and a jack 
rabbit. As I mentioned in previous jottings, no less than 
six expeditions have sailed from here in search of that treas- 
ure. The last went only a couple of months ago, in com- 
mand of a wom^n, who supplied the funds. That expedition 
is still out, not having as yet put in an appearance to relieve 
the stringency of the money market. But now comes stQl 
another expedition, and it originates from the last place to 
be expected — Boston! Think of it, that such people could 
be found in staid, matter- of-f act, conservative Boston! It is 
incredible; but this time it is to be a dead sure thing. They 
have had all the particulars— latitudes, longitudes and ear 
marks— from the only true and original Jacobs of a pirate, 
with the boulder and jack rabbit tattooed on his arm adjoin- 
ing the usual strawberry. This time there is no nonsense; 
1 am 'going down to the wharf to see that expedition off, if I 
never live to see No. 8 I not only wish -to see the expedi- 
tion Off, but I want to see it return ; my' rear window com 
mands an uninterrupted view of ■ every vessel entering the 
harbor. It shall be only the deeply laden ones that I shall 
bring my spy glass to bear upon, and I will spend a willing 
dollar in telegraphing the news to the Forest and Stream; 
and I hope to obtain the largest diamond to present to the 
editor to wear in bis four-m-hand, to ttig dazzlenient pf the 
^yes of the office boj. 
San Francisco is preeminent iu its characteristics for all 
sorts of schemes and expeditions of a novel and elsewhere 
unheard-of nature. One time it is a search for guano, an- 
other for some reported volcanic island that ba<^ just put in 
an appearance after the last earthquake. But the last 
scheme was an expedition that was fitted out here a couple 
or three months ago to colonize an island reported by the 
captain of an arriving vessel from the South seas, and de- 
.gcribed as abounding in cocoanuts, bread fruit=, oranges and 
grass hammocks in which to swing; and lastly, the popula- 
tion consisted entirely of women. All these advantages, 
added to the prospect of not having to work for a living, 
proved an irresistible attraction, so an organization was 
effected consisting of 100 subscriber^; a vessel was pur- 
chased and fitted out and sailed, laden with provisions, 
pipes and tobacco and beads for presents to prospective 
brides as full dress. The expedition touched at Honolulu 
somewhat subdued in enthusiasm by sea-sickness; ard yes- 
terday an incoming steamer, which had touched at the Figii's, 
rfported the expedition at that place, not a little discour- 
aged by want of success. Instead of an Adamless paradise, 
they bad found at all the islands at which they touched 
Adams very numerous and wide awake and quite indisposed 
to share their domestic happiness with members of the expe- 
dition, the points of their arguments against the expedition 
being those of very sharp spears. But, worse than all, it 
was found that a residence in nearly all -the islands involved 
a necessity for a certain amount of work to raise food, 
which was contraiy to all principles of the expedition. 
At last accounts they were in doubt as to what to do next 
and disaffection in the ranks was manifest. A portion were 
trying to work their way home, and the other had about 
oncludt'd to sail for the Solomon group, where it was dead 
ertain, if they did but know it, that they would be received 
with open arms. TheStlomon Islanders are a people who 
have never been civilized or subdued; they have a "playful 
habit of killing every white man that seeks their shores, and 
are the least discriminating race in their diet of all the South 
Sea Islands. It matters not what kind of man, black, white, 
trader, sailor or missionary— everything goes, French, 
English and American men-of-war have bombarded them 
and burned their villages, but it makes no difference. They 
come up smiling every time, and proceed to broil the very 
next sailor or trader that lands. Podgers. 
PHOTOGRAPH OF A GROUSE NEST. 
Recently I mentioned the attempts which hadlDeen made 
by Mr. D. J. Hotchkiss, of Fox Lake, Wis., to secure 
photographs of a ruffed grouse which he had discovered on 
l^er nest. Mr. Hotchkiss wrote that he had had great difli- 
ciilty in getting a picture, as the light was so dim at the 
place where the nest was located. He did, however, secure 
several pictures at last, and the best of these have been sent 
to Forest and Stream. Mr. Hotchkiss says that in his 
attempts to photograph the nest and bird he would have gone 
further had not the nest been robbed by "one of those col- 
lectors," He got good pictures of the nest and eggs, but 
only one showing the bird on the nest, and that so 
NEST OP BUFFED GROUSE. 
Photo by J. D. Hotchkiss. 
faint that it would hardly admit of reproduction. He 
was aided in his work by a professional photographer, 
who had no better success than he did himself. Not 
content with finding one nest of the ruffed grouse, 
which would have stood as something of an achievement, 
Mr. Hotchkiss found another nest, this time one owned by a 
very wild and wary grouse mother, who wo\ild fly away at 
leas provocation than the first grouse required. He got a 
picture of this last nest with the bird sitting on the eggs, but 
was obliged to make it at such distance that the bird can 
barely be distinguished in the picture, All these pictures 
and attempts at pictures are very interesting to the folk who 
love either grouse or camera. I mention with great pride 
the fact that Mr. Hotchkiss, who is a newspaper man, did 
not shoot the grouse on her nest, which he might easily have 
done. The newspaper man is very much maligned, as I 
often have occasion to know. 
Incidentally I should say that it was in Mr. Hotchkiss's 
paper, the Bepresetitative, of Fox Lake, and not in a Beaver 
Dam paper, that I saw the notice of the capture of the sing- 
ing mouse, of which mention was made in Forest and 
Stream. This mouse could not stand captivity and died 
after about a week. E. Houoa. 
Near Green Cove Springs, Fla,, Mr. Morrison stood be- 
hind the corner of a house and held nut a razor for Mr, 
Grover to shoot at with a rifle. When Grover shot the ball 
struck the razor and broke it. Either the ball or part of the 
razor ricocheted around the corner of the house and struck 
Mr. Morrison on the back of the head and nicked the skull 
for about an inch, taking out a piece of the outside of the 
skuU.bone, but nOt going in far enough to touch the. brain. 
It is a very serious wound, but is not thought to be neces- 
sarily dangerous, — SaeannaJi (Ga.) News. 
The Forest and Stream is put to press each xeeck on Tuesday 
f^orrespondence intended for publication should reach us at the 
(f V«t by Monday, and as mvch earlier as practicable. 
'mtfe md ^ntu 
THE PUBLIC GAME RESERVES OF 
ONTARIO. 
Game and Fish Commission of Ontario, Dunnviile, 
June 14. — Editor Forest and Stream: If there is one thing 
more praiseworthy than another which the people of a State 
or Province can do for the benefit of themselves and poster- 
ity, it is the .<;ettin£: aside of large tracts of land in the form 
of public parks. It needs no argument to prove the great 
advantages of these reserves for the use and pleasure not 
only of the present generation, but also for future genera- 
tions, when the country shall be inhabited by millions where 
DOW there are but thousands. The Government of the 
Province of Ontario has been wise in this particular in legis- 
lating for the formation of the Algonquin and Rondeau 
parks, at a time when there were few or no settlers' claims 
to be bought up, and whien it could just set aside the lands 
at first cost. 
Alffonquln Park. 
The ac^ of the Legislature establishing Algonquin National 
Park (.56 Vic, cap. 8) reads that the area set aside is "re- 
served and set apart as a public park and forest reservation, 
fish and game preserve, health resort and pleasure ground 
for the benefit, advantage and enjoyment of the people of 
the Province." It comprises eighteen whole townships ard 
parts of several others. In all the total area is 1,109,383 
acres, being forty-four miles in length from north to south, 
and forty miles in width from east to west. A large portion 
is water, including the headwaters of the Muskoka, Mada- 
waska and Petawawa rivers, the Great Opeongo Lake, besides 
a number of other small lakes and streams ; in fact, there is 
hardly a corner of the park which may not be reached by 
canoe. The Ottawa, Aruprior & Parry Sound Railway 
crosses a portion of its southern boundary, and furnishes one 
means of reaching it. 
This great block of primitive wilderness is only about 150 
miles from Toronto in an air line; yet, if it were not for the 
lumbering operations going on there it would be as much 
outside the pale of civilization as if situated near the North 
Pole. Only the pine has been sold, and no other forest 
growth will be touched ; everything will be left in its primi- 
tive state, and the removal of the pine will not lessen its 
value as a game preserve or a school for forestry. No doubt 
it would have been better had the nine been left also, but it 
had been disposed of before the park was established. The 
general character of the area is high, rough and rocky, as 
might be expected, when it is said that it is the most elevated 
portion of Ontario. The streams have chiefly very rapid 
currents, some of them before reaching sea level having a 
descent of over 1,400ft. 
Such a tract of woodland, with such stretches of water, 
could not help being the home of game and fish in abun- 
dance, and so it is. The streams are well stocked with such 
fish as trout, pike, pickerel, catfish and eels, and some of 
the lakes, as the Great Opeonge, McDougal and Shirley, are 
plentifully supplied with whitefish and herrings. The 
woods contain deer in great numbers, and moose are fairly 
plentiful, while bears and wolves are also numerous, as are 
the fur- bearing animals — beaver, mink, otter, martin, fisher 
and muskrat. Of birds the only game birds are probably 
the ruffed grouse and the Canada grouse, but few ducks are 
observed there. The sharp-tailed grouse has been taken near 
the park confines, and doubtless would thrive if introduced. 
One of the great objects of the park is to use it as a game 
preserve, in which all the original inhabitants may be prt - 
served, and which may be, as it were, a harbor of refuge for 
hunted game, and where animals find they are not pursued, 
there they will soon congregate. The Government also in- 
tends to make experiments in introducing other game birds 
and animals likely to succeed, such as the capercailzie, 
which would be almost certain to do well. "The black 
grouse may be tried, the sharp-tailed grouse, and perhaps the 
Mongolian pheasant. Some of the other varieties of deer, 
as the mule deer, elk, etc., maybe tried. In the waters, 
although well supplied with good native fish, experiments 
may be made with brown trout and rainbow trout, and no 
doubt they would do well. Aheady, since protection has 
been afforded, the beaver, otter, deer and moose have in- 
creased notably. Before the establishment this region was 
a favorite hunting ground for the trapper; now the wardens 
not only see that no hunting or trapping is carried on, but 
every effort is made by the park rangers to poison wolves, 
which are the greatest deer slayers. 
The headquarters of the superintendent and his staff of 
rangers is at Canoe Lake, near the line of the Ottawa, A rnp- 
rior t% Parry Souud Railway. There are no restrictions 
upon visitors to the park, but of course they are not allowed 
to hunt or kill any of the animals, and in order to fish they 
must procure a license. It may confidently be said that for 
tired, weary, worn out business men of the cities, who need 
a rest and can enjoy nature in its original form, this cool, 
northern forest offers greater attractions than any other on 
the continent. 
The regulations for the government of the park are as fol- 
lows: 
1 All visitors to the Algonquin National Park of Ontario 
are rf quired to comply with tne provisions of the Park Act 
(56 Vic, cap. 8), and it is the duty of the superintendent to 
enforce the same. 
3 All parties visiting the park are required to furnish the 
superintendent or rangers with their names and post ofiice 
addresses, the proposed duration of their stay, the portion 
they intend to visit, etc. 
3. Visitors are forbidden to cut down, take the bark off 
of or otherwise injure any standing timber. 
4. Hunting, trapping or taking game cr other animals or 
birds of any kind, or fishing with net, trap, spear or night 
line \i absolutely prohibited. Parties offending in this re- 
spect render themselves liable to a penalty not exceeding 
|]00 for each offense, expulsion from the park, and seizure 
and confiscation of their firearms, ammunition, traps, lines 
and tackle. 
5. Fishing with hook and line maybe practiced only under 
permit to be issued by the Commissioner of Crown Lands or 
the superintendent of the park. No fish may betaken for 
other purposes than supplying food for visitors or others 
within the park, and fish when taken must not be carried 
beyond the boundaries of the park. 
6. Visitors must exercise the greatest possible care and 
caution in the use of fire for cooking purposes, for which 
purposes only fires may be lit. Where possible fires must be 
kindled on bare rock or where the smallest quantity of dry 
