'NTarch 10, 1900.] 
»^OREST AND STREAM. 
187 
there are still Hessians (caddies) marching with them. 
But the birds ?^ The softly rounded hills are dreamy 
without them. The mornings are certainly just as bright 
and the lonely sunsets make fairyland here, just as in the 
past. But when the twilight falls and I turn away over 
the hills, there is not even one solitary bird voice calling. 
WiLMOT TOWNSEND. 
Cory's Water Birds. 
Most of our readers are well aware that Mr. Chas, B. 
Cory, the author of the interesting volume, "Hunting 
and Fishing in Florida," is eminent as an ornithologist 
and the author of many works on this subject. Some of 
these deal especially with the birds of the West India 
Islands, but he has also written other works which are 
intended to make it easy for the non-ornithological per- 
son to identify any bird that may come to his hand. Such 
volumes are, "How to Know the Shore Birds," and 
later, "How to Know the Ducks, Geese and Swans," 
both of which volumes have a peculiar interest for gun- 
ners. More recently, in 1899, Mr. Cory, who is Curator 
of the Department of Ornithology in the Field Cohim- 
btan Museum, has issued Part I. of the "Birds of Eastern 
North America, Known to Occur East of the Ninetieth 
Meridian, Consisting of the Water Birds." 
The volume might well enough be called a dictionary 
of the water birds of eastern North America, for as a 
matter of fact it would seem that, with the help of this 
volume, an individual having a bird in his hand could 
tell by reading the page facing the title — which is an arti- 
ficial key for distinguishing land and water birds — -which 
group his specimen belonged to. Having found that it 
was a water bird, he would turn to page 10 and there find 
that it belonged to some one of the six groups, whose 
characters are pointed out in that key to families. An 
examination of his specimen would lead him, let us say, 
to Group 3, and by reading over the descriptions he 
would find that his bird was most nearly like that on 
page 56, under the family Pelecanidse, he would find 
his species. 
In his brief preface, Mr. Cory gives us an illustration 
of how the key acts, and from the care with which the 
work has been prepared, and from the large number of 
birds examined, we are certain that in all cases the key 
will work as it does here. 
The volume was written to be a key, and there is no 
waste material in it. Page vii. holds the glossary: pages 
viii. and ix, outline figures defining very clearly the 
parts of the bird; and so we are carried along through 
these dif¥erent parts, wings, tails, legs, feet, heads, etc., 
taught how to measure a bird, and on page x. introduced 
to the key proper. This is remarkable for its concise- 
ness, and for its very great wealth of illustration. There 
are from six to ten or a dozen engravings on almost every 
page, put in not for their beauty, but for their use. In 
•other words, each illustration tells some story very much 
abetter than it could possibly be told in words. The differ- 
ences between the bills of two similar species or between 
the head markings, apear at a glance by a comparison 
,of sketches of the bills, or the heads, while the most 
elaborate and careful description might fail to give — 
to one who was not an ornithologist — any satisfactory 
notion of what the differences actually were. 
Thus, Mr. Cory's useful book, not only will enable 
the student to identify a strange water bird which he has 
taken, but it will enable the gunner interested, for ex- 
ample, in our ducks, to compare species of which he has 
heard, but which he has never seen, and to understand 
what the differences are between them. 
Most of the illustrations in the volume are of the very 
high order of merit, but they do not all appear equally 
well, since in some cases scant justice has been done to 
tile half-tone cuts. The simplicity of the definitions 
, makes this work seem of the very greatest general use. 
Animals at the Boston Show. 
Boston, March 5. — The Sportsmen's Show is making 
great progress. The management is pleased to be able to 
state that so far no accident has taken place of any conse- 
quence to athletic performers, while neither fish nor ani- 
mals have been lost. The attendance has been simply phe- 
nomenal, up to 21,000 persons passing the portals of the 
Mechanics' Building on one of the largest days, while 
14,000 has been about one of the smallest days thus far, 
and that the occasion of a severe rain storm. Saturday 
the building was thronged with school children, but it 
might have been noted that it took mothers and aunts, and 
frequently both partents, to escort the youngsters about. 
As an object lesson in natural history nothing could be 
better, and the young people are profiting by the exhibi- 
tion in this direction. Standing by the big moose yard of 
the exhibit of the Merrymeeting Park, Brunswick, Me., 
Saturday, I heard a boy of not more than nine years say 
to another boy: "I told him so. Uncle Joe says that 
moose could not shed their big horns; but see there," 
pointing to a pair of antlers hung on the wire of the yard 
and labeled, "Shed by the big bull Feb. 21." "I told him 
that they shed their horns every year, and now I know. 
Why, see; his head is sore where the horns came off." 
Then moving on a little further, to the animal yard of the 
exhibit of the Province of Quebec, the boys stopped 
again. "See, there is a moose with one horn still on and 
the other just dropped off. I wish Uncle Joe were here." 
Speaking of the exhibit of the Province of Quebec, it 
may be noted that it is a very fine one ; a beautiful herd 
of deer; a fine specimen of caribou, that seems to be in 
good health; several moose; three or four bears of differ- 
ent sizes; a wolf, and a Himalaya goat. The tree of fox 
squirrels is also a beautiful sight. These sqirrels are al- 
most unknown in New England, although they have 
several times been brought here from the West and 
liberated. Col. C. C. G. Thornton had several sent him 
from Wisconsin three or four years ago. At first he con- 
fined them in his stable at Manchester-by-the-Sea, but to- 
ward spring he allowed an opening to be made near the 
roof of the building. The squirrels went and came freely, 
and fierce battles were fought with the gray squirrels, 
especially if the latter attempted to frequent the stable 
and presumed to touch the food put out- for the fox squir- 
rels. The attempt to introduoe them to the woods in that 
section seemed to be a success, but somehow the fox 
squirrels have nearly all disappeared since, so far as I 
can learn. 
The big black bear, Belazona, at the Sportsmen's Show, 
from the National Soldiers' Home, Togus, Me., excites no 
end of admiration. He is ten years old and weighs only 
about 500 pounds ; doubtless the finest specimen of native 
black bear in existence. He is very tractable, and seems to 
obey his keeper to the letter. His favorite resting position is 
sitting on his haunches, with his back against the post, to 
which he is chained. The beaver are doing well, and seem 
to be actually enjoying confinement, so long as they can 
have poplar wood enough to gnaw. They are only about 
half-grown youngsters from Ottawa. They have been in 
confinement about four months. Already they are becoming 
quite tame, and will suffer their backs to be scratched by 
their keeper, and any one else who goes about it with 
sufficient care. The little sable continues to thrive, appar- 
ently. He sleeps a great deal, doubtless being mostly 
nocturna] in his habits, and hence inclined to sleep when 
the light is bright. His favorite sleeping position is hung 
up in the crotch of his tree, both head and tail down, look- 
ing very much like a skin hung up by a hunter. Sportsmen 
and trappers tell us that they sleep in the trees in the day 
time, and hence they are rarely seen, even in sections 
where they are still to be found. Whenever I am in the 
woods again I shall look in the trees to see if a sable hang- 
ing up to .sleep is to be found. The wild boar, from the 
Austin Corbin Park, is a fine specimen. Special. 
Wild Geese Flying North. 
Perth Amboy, N. J., March i.— At 3 o'clock this after- 
noon 1 and others ob.«en'ed a flock of wild geese wing- 
ing their way swiftly in a northeasterly direction over this 
city. There were fifteen or sixteen in the flock. 
George Madson. 
mtfe ^dg mtd 0un. 
The Lacey Game Bill. 
The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, 
to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 6634) to enlarge the 
powers of the Department of Agriculture, prohibit the 
transportation by interstate commerce of game killed in 
violation of local laws, and for other purposes, beg leave 
to submit the following report, and recommend that said 
bill do pass, with an amendment. 
This bill has a three-fold purpose: 
1. It is intended to authorize the Secretary of Agri- 
culture to provide for the introduction and restoration 
of game, song and insectivorous wild birds in such parts 
of the country as he may deem it desirable to do so. 
In many of the States the native birds have been well 
nigh exterminated. Agriculture suffers a pecuniary loss 
by their destruction, for they are the farmer's and planter's 
best friends in the destruction of noxious insects. There 
is a sentiment involved in the question that makes the 
preservation and restoration of these birds a matter of 
public concern. Attempts have frequently been made by 
private individuals and clubs to introduce new varieties, 
or to restore again the old varieties of feathered life. 
Their active and pei^sistent foes , have usually destroyed 
such birds within a year or two after their introduction. 
There have been some notable exceptions to this rule, 
In Oregon the Chinese pheasant has become abundant, 
though it has been introduced within the last twenty years. 
Your committee believes that the birds that may be the 
subject of experiment by the Department of Agriculture 
will receive more encouragement from the people than 
when private individuals undertake their introduction or 
restoration. 
The prairie chicken has almost disappeared in many of 
the States of the Northwest. Should some of these birds 
be turned loose in North Carolina and Virginia through 
national aid public sentiment would protect them, and in 
time they might become abundant there. At any rate the 
experiment is worthy of a trial. The grouse of the north- 
western Pacific coast would no doubt readily adapt itself 
to the woods of Pennsylvania and the States of the far 
South. 
At a moderate expense the Department of Agriculture 
could not only introduce new species, but could return 
species that have become locally extinct, and at the same 
time disseminate such information as would, create a 
healthy public sentiment for their preservation. 
2. The bill places it within the power of the Secretary 
of Agriculture to prevent the unwise introduction of for- 
eign birds and animals. 
Had this power existed some years ago it would have 
spared the presence of the English sparrow, whose im- 
portation was the result of the mistake of some well- 
meaning people who had not given the history and habits 
of these birds a proper study. 
3. The most important purpose of this bill is to supple- 
ment the State laws for the protection of game and birds. 
The various States and Territories have enacted appro- 
priate laws for this purpose, but the laws are evaded 
by the pot hunter, and deer, antelope, prairie chickens, 
grouse, quail and all kinds of game are shipped concealed 
in various methods to other States, where they are sold 
in the open market. This bill is intended to begin where 
the State laws leave off. The State laws can have no 
extraterritorial force and the national laws cannot operate 
in a single State. 
But. interstate commerce is wholly in the control of the 
Federal Government. Where the States are powerless 
to protect themselves the National Government has am- 
ple power. This bill goes to the very root of this matter 
b}^ forbidding interstate commerce in such animals and 
birds when killed or caught in violation of local laws. 
To illustrate: The pot hunter in Iowa, Missouri, or Kan- 
sas kills quails out of season and in violation of the laws 
of those States. He does not merely kill a few for his 
own use, but he slaughters or traps them indiscriminately 
for the purpose of sending them for sale in the market. 
He avoids the State law by secretly shipping them to a 
market -bevond the State.. 
When the birds arrive" at their ilestination they are ex- 
posed for sale, and as they were not killed in the State 
the State laws do not meet the case. Now, if the game 
wardens or other law officers of these States could watch 
the markets and punish the persons engaged in the ship- 
ment, the traffice could be broken up. 
The carriers have no desire to aid in this nefarious traf- 
fic. The amount of their charges for freight on such 
goods is a very inconsiderable sum, and there would be no 
disposition on their part to interfere with the enforcem.ent 
of the law. On the contrary, we believe that they would 
generally respect the letter and spirit of the law. But 
should the carriers knowingly transport game killed out 
of season they would be amenable under the proposed 
bill. 
The consignor and the consignee would know that they 
were dealing in illegal property, and a few examples 
would break up the business. No State rights or priv- 
ileges are infringed by this bill. 
Interstate commerce is beyond State control. The kill- 
ing or carrying of game within the limits of a State is a 
matter wholly within the jurisdiction of the State. But 
when the fruits of the violation of State laws are carried 
beyond the State, the nation alone has the power to for- 
bid- the transit and to punish those engaged in the traffic. 
This bill will give to the game wardens the very power 
that they now lack, and which would be the most effective 
for the purpose of breaking up this commerce. The bill 
is supported by many persons and associations throughout 
the United States, and your committee are of the opin- 
ion that it will be of much aid in preventing the present 
rapid extermination of our game, song and insectivorous 
birds. 
In some of the States the sale of certain game is forbid- 
den at all seasons, without regard to the place where the 
same was killed. The purpose of these laws is to prevent 
the use of game shipped into the State from being used 
as a cloak for the sale of game killed within the State in 
violation of local laws. The sale of such imported goods 
in original packages defeats the operation of these laws, 
and the committee has prepared an additional section, S, 
which is in substantially the same language as the Wilson 
Original Package Act of Aug. 8, 1890. 
The reasons for the Wilson Act of 1890 are well known, 
and the principle of that act should be applied in game 
protection. 
We propose the following amendment: 
Sec. 5. That all dead bodies or parts thereof, of any foreign ani- 
mals or birds, the importation of which is prohibited, or the dead 
bodies or parts thereof of any wild animals or birds transported 
into any fatate or Territory or remaining therein for use, con- 
sumption, sale, or .storage therein, shall upon arrival in such State 
or Territory, be subject to the operation and effect of the laws 
of such State or Territory enacted in the exercise of its police 
powers, to the same extent and in the same manner as though such 
animals or birds had been produced in such State or Territory, 
and shall not be e,xempt therefrom by reason of being introduced 
therein in original packages or otherwise. 
The Sportsmen's Exposition. 
Sixth Annual Show in New York. 
There is a smell of burnt powder and a whiff from the 
evergreen forest and a touch of mother earth under foot 
in the city block bounded by Twenty-sixth and Twenty- 
seventh streets and Madison and Fourth avenues, in the 
city of New York this week. For the time being Madison 
Square Garden belongs to the sportsmen — the men who 
shoot and fish and tramp the woods and meadows and 
sail the salt waters of two coasts, or click the iron-shod 
setting pole against the rocks in streams from Maine to 
California. 
Something of that which is dear to these men has put 
its seal and savor on all that the big Garden contains, 
from the lower zone of the basement where the steady 
Teutonic rifle and revolver marksmen compete with their 
Yankee brothers, phlegmatically excellent or nervously 
iTiasterful, up through the middle heterogenous zone to 
the roof and Elmer Shaner's marshaled bombarders of the 
flying inanimates. And higher yet Diana, guiltless of rai- 
ment, poises as patron saint. 
Features of the Show. 
As was the case last yea.ir, the immense floor space of 
the Garden is almost entirely given up to attractions. 
There is a game paddock for live game, an aviary of game 
birds, an artificial lake for aquatic sports, while at inter- 
vals around the wall of the arena are game heads and 
forest beasts, Indian tepees and guides' camps. 
The spectacular effect is heightened by a magnificent 
scene painting cyclorama of the Yosemite Valley at the 
east end of the Garden facing the main entrance, and at 
the foot of this are some live bears and a camp, while in 
the foreground is the lake. There is a large and admira- 
bly arranged aquarium display of fishes by the New York 
Fishing, Game and Forest Commission under the imme- 
diate direction of Mr. A. N. Cheney. 
The live game animals include a large number of deer 
and elk, bears, rabbits, foxes and the like from the park 
of the Page Fence Co., at Adrian, Mich. Other game ani- 
mals are shown by Mr. R. E. Follett. The game birds 
are exhibited by Mr. Verner de Guise. There is a canoe- 
ists' camp, arranged by Mr. E. T. Keyser. The aquatic 
sports are under the direction of Mr. William B. Curtis, 
That the Sixth Annual Sportsmen's Show is a suc- 
cess goes without saying. The opening night saw the 
largest attendance of any previous opening night, and the 
Garden is equally full of objects of interest for the aver- 
age spectators. A great educational spectacle is provided 
which cannot fail to have its influence on the city bred. 
For the sportsman there is the usual succession of attrac- 
tions. The one disappointing feature is the lesser num- 
ber of guides and hunters. Last year was the banner year 
in this respect. This year the wilder sections are not 
nearly so well represented. 
The Adirondacks. 
The one notable exception is the Adirondack region of 
New York. The representation is better than ever before. 
The hotel men are absent, but the Adirondack Guides' As- 
sociation has more than made up for the deficiency and 
has many of its best men present at the Garden. From 
Saranac Lake are W. J. Slater, secretary of the Asso- 
ciation; Millard F. Hayes, Howard Slater, Benny Moody, 
