Jan, 21, 1S99.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
48 
immediately eject it, carrying it to tlie water, and having 
rmsed it well, swallow it again. 
The birds all seemed to love companionship, and would 
stand for hours by the kitchen porch as still as if carved 
out of wood, the only motion being the ruffling of their 
plumage by die breeze. They were alwavs exceedingly 
shy of strangers, and yet so well had they learned the 
two words, "Come on, come on," that they would respond 
to any voice that called them, and with heads erect timid- 
ly approach, while the same words from their master 
would bring them, half-running, with wings extended, 
expressing their pleasure by a satisfied "Qua, qua, qua," 
the only language they seemed to possess. Many times 
during the day would the pair demonstrate affection 
toward each other. Beginning with that "Qua, qua, qua," 
they would turn beak to beak, their Jong necks distended, 
yet arched, and with beaks interlapping caress and 
"kiss" with a degree of happiness that would turn many 
a lovesick Lothario green with envy. All the while stood 
poor Snapper, solitar\r and forlorn, with "no one to love, 
none to caress." 
Just at this point the writer recalls sounds that greeted 
her one morning before arising. One of the birds had 
been caught to give his wing a second clipping, during 
the progress of wliich he kept up a continual noise, so 
ike the bellowing of a calf under the torture of the 
branding iron that it was not until after we had given 
s'ent to our feelings at the "cruel practice" and "unneces- 
sary length of time" that the supposed cowbov had ap- 
plied the branding ii'on, that Ave learned that the heart- 
rending sounds was only the voice of Snapper objecting 
to being held while his wing was being clipped. 
The occupants of the yard each seemed to possess a 
language understood by each other, yet Dick, the crane, 
was the bugler for the company. At his note of alarm 
Dn the approach of a strange dog, the herons, with scarce- 
y a perceptible motion, would, with heads erect, glide 
jackward to the furthest corner of the lot, and as long as 
he crane "called," although the enemy might be out of 
^ight of the herons, they kept that erect, frightened posi- 
:ion. Then let the crane give his call of greeting on the 
ipproach of his master, and quickly the three herons, with 
in awkward, half-running humpbacked gait, would make 
or the wire fence and there wait patiently for the ap- 
proach of the home comer. The whinny of the horse or 
he, mewing of the cat reminded the birds of the meal 
lour. An unusual jabbering among the jay birds or a 
rightened cackling from the chickens would alarm them 
,nd they would move stealthily about as if wondering 
ivhere^ and what the enemy might be. During the 
vriter's absence from home for a period of several weeks, 
he master of these shy birds educated them to a point 
hat threatened to distract her peace of mind. They had 
gradually grown more gentle and less timid, until oh my 
irst evening home Snapper stood at one corner of the 
lining table, near the French window, through which he 
;ntered, while the other two birds stood, neck and neck, 
it the_ opposite angle lear the open door. They were so 
)adly spoiled that when we put them out at one door they 
vould naturally walk around the house and come in 
he front way, traversing the length of the house with 
leads up and stealthy tread. 
^ One day, the dog rushing around the corner .surprised 
Taudle, and he slipped and fell as he went down the 
•teps. His back was broken, and he lived but two days, 
lis mate standing by him till he died. After his death 
ihe seemed lonely, but still refused to allow Snapper to 
:ome near her. This went on for a while, when suddenly 
le approached her with a "Qua, qua, qua," showed her 
hat he intended to be master, and from that time on 
hey were as congenial as two birds could be. They cer-- 
ainly could not be called intelligent birds, but this degree 
•f domestication was considered by hunters who have 
Lved in the woods all- their lives to be simply remark- 
,ble. _ Finally their wings grew out, and Snapper was 
lermitted to go. The wing of the female was not quite 
3ng enough to allow her to fly, and the male returned 
ay after day to urge her to come. At length she was 
riven to the cypress forest at the back of the town, where 
hey lived and fished, in the ditch, and still frequent. 
Jegroes living near were warned- not to touch them, 
nd for a long time after they would approach very 
lose to passers by. Morning and evening they yet fly 
cross the lake, happy in their freedom, none the worse 
nd perhaps none the better for their domestication; but 
ley have added one more chapter to Natural History, 
nd instilled an intellectual and moral sympathy into 
le minds of all who saw them. Many times during their 
aptivity came the pleasing remark from hunters and 
isitors, "Well, I can ncA^er again shoot a big blue heron." 
. Minnie Moore- Willsqn. 
KissnrMEE, Fla. 
Oow Roosts. 
'For some time past Mr. Witraer Stone, of the Academy 
E Natural Science, of Philadelphia, Pa., has been col- 
cting data relative to. the winter crow roosts in eastern 
ennsylvania and New Jersey, with a view of preparing a 
iper on the subject. 
Mr. Stone finds it difficult to obtain sufficient reliable in- 
►rmation to properly cover the ground, and would be 
Featly indebted to readers of For^ist and Stream who 
ight be willing to communicate to him any knowledge 
hich they may possess on this subject. 
>He has located and obtained satisfactory accounts of 
e following roosts : 
1. Merchantville, N. J. 
2. Woodstown, N. J. (Salem county). 
3. Sharpstown, N. J. (Salem county). 
4. Near King of Prussia, Montgomery county. Pa. 
5. West of Coatesville, Chester county. Pa. 
6. Mountv-ille, Lancaster count3^ Pa 
7. Near New Holland, Lancaster county. Pa. 
Mr. Stone does not doubt there are many other roosts 
the States, and information relative to their location 
ould be very gratefully received, also the direction of 
ight of crows at evening from any points in eastern 
ennsylvania or New Jersey, as this is of great assistance 
indicating the location of the roosts. 
'Ihe Forest and Stream is put to press each week on Tuesday, 
irrespondeuce intended for ■ publication should reach us 8t the 
test by MotiJay and 'a= much earlier as practicable. 
The^Growth*of Trees. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
My attention has again been directed to the subject of 
the growth of trees by the following question : "Was Mr. 
Hardy right in sajdng that a branch or notch does not 
rise higher with the tree's growth?" 
Again I must confess my inability to speak with de- 
cision and authority upon the question at issue. I can 
only give my own impressions, or deductions, concern- 
ing the matter.^ I do not doubt that Hermit can give 
specific and definite information on this point, and trust 
that he will take occasion to do so. 
My own impressions I give as follows: During the 
earlier stages of many vegetable growths, the process of 
growing is carried on without tlie agency of leaves, as in 
pkints that push up mechanically the "seed leaves" through 
the soil. It is evident here that nearly, if not all,' the raa- 
terial used comes up from the ground, and there is, of 
course, a progression npward of the matter incorporated 
by the plant. When, however, the plant is provided with 
leaves, and the bulk of its substance descends from the 
upper extremities, having been assimilated from the at- 
mosphere through the agency of the leaves, it is my belief 
that every particle of the plant that has effected a lodge- 
ment anywhere in its corpus remains permanently in 
the .same lateral plane where it is first posited. K in the 
A'-ertical trunk, it remains at the same distance from the 
ground. If in a branch, at the same distance from the 
heart of the trunk, measured along tlie axis of the 
branch. , , ' 
The process of growth is by new excentric rings formed 
around the central axis of trunk and branch, enveloping 
former growth Avithout disturbing its position ; while neAV 
material is piled on top of the old in progressing to great- 
er height. 
It is a matter of common observation that small trees 
have branches much nearer the ground than the same 
A SPOTTED ADIRO.N'DACK DEER. 
trees will have at a later period of their growth, after at- 
taining much greater height. This, is especially true in 
a croAvded forest, Avhere the leaA'es on lower branches 
would be much curtailed for lack of sunshine in perform- 
ing; their functions of laboratory Avork to maintain the 
groAvth of their parent tree. It is. also noticeable that on 
the margins of forests the outside trees eagerly spread 
out branches into the open space much lower down than 
the interior trees. But Avhat becomes of the low branches 
of the young trees, Avhich have disappeared after maturev 
groAvth ? 
They die from atrophy and drop .off, the remnants being 
overlaid by succes.sive annual growths after their decay. 
It is one of the commonest principles of nature that 
organs Avaste and become merely rudimentary, when their 
functions cease to be exercised; as for example, wit- 
ness the rudimentary legs in the bodies of boa constrictor.s, 
and of hind legs in the bodies of whales, showing that 
they once were quadrupeds, before the snake discarded 
his legs by too much proneness to the sneaking habit; and 
the cetacean Avas driven into the sea by his enemies on 
land, or for other good and sufficient reasons forsook the 
latter element for the former. The whale, by the way. ex- 
hibits a curious reversal of the general order of animal 
life progression, the initial state having been in all 
cases aquatic. Avith a subsequent deA^elopment on dry land, 
at least in the higher orders of animal life. The "gill 
slits" are still visible in the embryo of the human species. 
The exposition of the force exerted by a growing squash 
in the last Forest and Stream is quite convincing^ and 
again brings to mind the moral that there are more Avays 
than one of viewing almost all questions. ' 
Coahoma.. 
gThc Seatoafd Air Line* 
Prince Bay, Staten Island, N. Y. — Editor Forest and 
Stream: In reading the last issue of Forest and Stream 
I took particular notice of the "Seaboard Air Line." Mr. 
Wilrnot Townsend being a shareholder, I believe, and 
situated on one of the principal stations of the route, 
claims that the dividends this year meet with his most san- 
guine expectations. Well, there are others who have no- 
ticed the dividends seem to be on the rise. Especially is 
this so where I am situated, near the lower end of Staten 
Island, and an important station, in consequence of getting 
ready to use the "High Bridge" betAveen here and New 
Jersey. If I could pen my thoughts as well as Mr. ToAvn- 
send, I could make it quite interesting for the readers of 
Forest and Stream, as this section of the line is a termi- 
nal of the Hudson River Air Line, a sort of junction ot 
the two, therefore we have plenty of feathered friends in 
the fall. But, I Avill have to take Mr. Fred Mather's ad- 
vice, write any Avay and let the editor grind it out to suit 
himself, "blue pencil," accept or reject. 
The last fall birds of all kinds have been especially 
abundant, noticeably robins, which have been shot off in 
great numbers. We have no game protectors on this end 
of Staten Island, and the one at the other end probably has 
his hands full. One morning in October, while going to 
my employment, I met a man (I think at one time he 
may have been a subject of a foreign country) with gun 
and three or four dogs, mongrels, of course, and I said- 
'Good morning; going for game?" "I take my gun by 
the wood," he responded, "an' I shoots any t'ings I see 
eh!" and that is the case all over this lovelv island, which 
is a natural iparadise for our feathered friends. I go to the 
Avoods and fields Sunday mornings with my field glass to 
Avatch the birds and study nature in general ; and it's bang 
bang all the time. But we are in Greater New York 
now, and things may be different some time, but it will 
-nbt be-Z'^When the robins nest again." Oh. no. 
A. L. H 
''Old Red Ugsr 
Calais, Me., Jan. 10.— Editor Forest and Stream: I 
notice m your paper of Jan. 7 an article by Mr. Wilmot 
Townsend, about a large dusky duck called "old red legs." 
I have three very like Avhat he describes in mv mounted 
collection; but the bird is never found late in the fall, al 
Avays found in- summer. I had thought it a ncAv duck, as 
1 could not find it described in any of my bird books ; even 
Audubon said nothing about the change of plumage in 
summer of the mallard drake. But being out in Minnesota 
and Dakota in summer, where mallards were plenty, I 
found my strange ducks to be mallard drakes in sumrner 
plumage, and at times you can hardly distinguish the male 
from the female. 
About May 20 the breast and back of the drake begin to 
change their color; in a short time the curled feather? 
above the tail drop out, and gray feathers appear among 
the lovely green plumage above the eyes. Every suc- 
ceeding day brings marks of rapid change, and by last of 
June not' one green feather of the head or neck is to be 
found. Early in July every feather of the former brilliant 
plumage has disappeared, and the drake has received a 
garb like that of the female, only a much darker tint. In 
August this ncAV plumage begins to change gradually, the 
curled feathers above the tail begin to groAv, and by Oct. 
20 the drake appears again in all his magnificence to 
charm the eye of man. Thus, we may say, that once every 
year for a short period the drake, as it Avere, goes into an 
eclipse; and a full plumaged Avild drake cannot be found 
anywhere, and I think Mr. Wilmot ToAvnsend's duck, red 
legs, is a summer plumaged mallard drake. 
_ I have seen a good many of those ducks in collec- 
tions, and marked a cross betAveen them only in confine- 
ment. The wild birds seldom cross, and all I haA'e seen 
are summer plumage drakes. I wrote Forest and Stream 
about the summer plumage of the wild drake a aood 
many years ago, but many of the late readers have" not 
't. Geo. a. Boardm.A-n. 
Bea vci" in New York. 
Mr. W. C. McNally, of the Ellenville Press, Ellem ille 
Ulster county, N. Y., writes under date of Jan. 121 
"Thinking this item, which is taken from our paper of to- 
day, may be of interest, I enclose it : 
" 'Mr. Leroy Haden captured a beaver near the Grand 
VicAv stock farm Saturday morning. This is the first 
beaver caught in this vicinity in a great many years, and a 
good many Avent to see the strange animal.' 
"The farm mentioned is about ten miles from here, on 
the LackaAvack stream, and about eight miles from where 
it joins the Sandburgh to form the Rondout, the streams 
uniting near Napanoch, Avhich is tAvent}'--six miles from 
Kingston. The stream is a natural trout stream, but 
pretty well fished out, though the Sundown Club has re- 
cently put a number of thousands of brook trout in it, on 
land which they control, several miles above Lackawack. 
Of course you will understand these streams run out of the 
Catskill foothills. W. A. McNaixy.'' 
A New Magazine. 
W'e learn that in February next the Macmillan Com-' 
pany will begin, under the editorship of Mr. Frank M. 
Chapman, the publication of a popular bi-monthly maga- 
zine, to be called Bird-Lore, addressed to observers rather 
than to collectors of birds. The magazine Avill contain 
general articles on birds in nature, supplemented by de- 
partments, entitled Notes from the Field and Study, Hints 
for Teachers and Students, Avith an especial depart- 
ment devoted to children. Especial attention will be 
given to bird protection Avork, and the magazine will be 
the official organ of the Audubon societies. The list of 
those Avho have promised contributions includes many of 
the best known names of observers and writers on birds 
A Spotted Adirondack Buck. 
HoPKiNTON, N. Y., St. Lawrence County, Jan. 3.— ^ 
Editor Forest and Stream: I enclose pliotograph of a 
freak of nature, a white or spotted Adirondack buck, killed 
in October, and the mounting just completed. This buck 
Avas said to lead a charmed life; he has been seen and 
shot at frequently for the last scA^en years, and only once 
has he been hit as far as anyone knows, and that Avas out 
of season, and the hunter Avas complained of by log' 
cutters, and paid a fine of $50. C. H. B. 
JThe FoRBST AND Stream is the recognized medium of entertain- 
ment,, instruction and information between American sportsmen. 
The editors invite communicitions on the subjects to which^'iis 
pages are devoted. Anonymous communications will not bt re- 
garded. While it is intended to give wide latitude in discussion 
of current topics, the editors are not responsible for the views of 
correspondents. - 
Subscriptions may begin at any time. Terms: For single 
copies, $4 per year, $2 for. six months. For club rates and full 
particulars respecting subscriptions, see prospectus on page iv. 
