May 19, igoo.l 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
B8B 
i.<{ Mayflowers (Epigea) to a cousin in Baltimore. Last 
iiiglit sine received a letter saying that they arrived in 
povfcct order, and were distributing their beauty and 
I ragrance from one of the windows, Avhile the other was 
graced with a splendid bunch of roses from a sister in 
Cohirabia, S. C. Is this not a pleasant meeting of the 
North and the South, and a witness of the restoration of 
the Union? Von W 
Weasels as Hunters. 
Des MoineSj la., May 10. — Two recent articles in 
Forest axd Stream — April 7 and May 5 — about weasels 
as hunters, seem to indicate that weasel stories — like 
"What dat darky de hole?" — as well as the animals them- 
selves run in cycles. 
One Putorius in New York State chases a rat around a 
circle, and after a rapid run captures his victim. Another 
observer in Massachusetts was hoeing corn, when out 
from a thicket jumped a rabbit, going at full speed — a 
rabbit with a full head of steam on does not allow any 
grass to grow under his feet — closely pursued by a weasel, 
which followed the trail evidently by scent, not by sight. 
Only a few minutes were needed to end the rabbit's 
career. 
In Harper's Magazine for July, 1877, in an article en- 
titled "Hunting with the Long-Bow" — it is a charming 
narrative — Ma-urice Thompson records that while hunting 
down South, in trying to decoy a quail to his death, he 
saw a rabbit dart out of a wheat field at a terrific rate, 
pursued in about a minute by a weasel on his trail, at 
no slow pace. He let fly an arrow at the pursuer with- 
out changing his course, so eager was he on the chase. 
The rabbit ran in a circle around a wheat patch twelve 
times, until a stone thrown in front changed his course at 
a right angle into the standing wheat with the weasel on 
his track. Soon a squeal from the rabbit announced the 
end, and on coming up to the scene, the writer found 
the weasel practicing phlebotomy on the rabbit's jugular. 
These reported incidents show that either stories travel 
in circles, after long intervals, or that others with the 
same phenomena are observed in widely different places 
and times, and that rabbits and rats when pursued will 
run in circles; that weasels do not pursue by sight, else 
they would cut across the circle and head off their fleeing 
prey; but follow on the trail by scent, like a dog. 
It would appear then that after a short burst of speed 
rabbits soon get tii-ed; that a weasel on a stern chase will 
at last overtake his weary prey and drink his blood. 
Now we want somebody in the Western country to 
record if he ever saw a weasel or a mink chase and 
capture a jackrabbit, which has the reputation of out- 
witting and outrunning grej^hounds on a long chase. 
These long-eared fellows do not run in circles when 
pursued, but keep straight ahead until the hounds are 
about to make a grab, then with a sudden turn at right 
angles are off, leaving the astonished pursuers going 
,ahead until able to overcome the acquired momentum, by 
which time the quarry has increased the distance sorae- 
wliat. Lenex. 
Song: Birds in Switzerland. 
Consul-General Dubois at St. Gall reports to the State 
Department: Switzerland has not many feathered song- 
sters, but those that do exist are carefully protected, not 
only by law, but by the fostering care of the people, par- 
ticularly the German-speaking people of Switzerland. In 
1875 a law was enacted prohibiting the trapping or killing 
of song birds or the robbing or molesting of their nests 
in any part of the Alpine republic. But in northern Italy 
bird murder is epidemic, and this spirit has spread over 
the Swiss-Italian canton of Tessin, where the willow 
wren, hedge sparrow, blackcap, swallow, nightingale and 
little singers of all kinds are victims of the trap, the net 
and the gun. 
As the seasons come and go the Swiss birds make their 
pilgrimage south, and in going and returning across the 
land of northern Italy and the Swiss canton of Tessm 
they arc mercilessly pursued by hunters of all ages and 
all classes. On the' lake of'Maggiore it is estimated that 
at least 60,000 of the feathered songsters are trapped or 
icillcd every year, and in the region round about Bergarno, 
Verona. Chivena and Brescia many millions are in- 
discriminately slaughtered to satisfy the demands of the 
tables and of' the millinery establishments of the world. 
One of the schemes is to cover the limbs of trees and 
the rocks, and even the telegraph wires, along the line of 
the bird migrations with a certain paste of such adhesive 
qualities that whenever the birds stop in their flight for 
rest or food they are held helpless captives; hundreds are 
often captured in a very small space by this simple means. 
Daring the past year the border police of Tessin cap- 
tined and destroyed 13.000 bird traps set to imprison these 
weary little flyers. Authorities are being uged to take the 
most'rigorous measures to suppress the evil. The criminal 
courts are having manv inore bird violation cases than 
formerlv, and bird catching and killing crimes, which in 
former years were cither overlooked or punished only 
slightlv. are now dealt with seriously. The excellent laws 
nre bcmg enforced, and the song birds of Switzerland may 
yet .survive the attempt to exterminate them. 
The Breeding of Ritffed Groase in Captivity. 
BosTOX, May 10. — Editor Forest and Stream: The fol- 
lowing item fr'om a recent issue of the Winchester (Mass.) 
Star 'indicates that the Massachusetts Fish and Game 
Commission is disposed to determine the feasibility of 
breeding and raising partridges in confinement. Mr. 
Braclcett has had a long experience, as the article states, 
in raising game birds, and we certainly wish him success 
in his venture: 
"Owing to the rapid decrease of ruflfed grouse, com- 
monly called partridge, the Commission on Inland Fish- 
eries and Game are desirous to make investigations look- 
ing to the artificial propagation of this species, and any one 
finding a nest of these birds will confer a favor by com- 
municating at once with the Secretary of this Board, E. A. 
Brackett, Winchester, Mass. 
"Here is an opportunity for those interested in this 
scientific effort to' restock our covers, Mr. Brackett has 
been very successful in breeding the Mongolian pheasant, 
which is exceedingly sensitive and difficult to raise, and 
notwithstanding that it is popularly believed impracticable 
to raise the partridge in confinement, who will say that 
the experience with the pheasants may not bring results 
that this State may be proud of, and which may prove a 
blessing to all sections where the ruft'ed grouse occurs?" 
c. 
Successful Skunk Farming. 
Sayre, Pa. — Picturesque Mike Marshall, of Livingston 
county, N. Y., has demonstrated past a reasonable doubt 
that .skimk farming, amid these days of so-called agri- 
cultural decadence, has after all a pretty decent run of 
profits. ]\Iike declares that it all depends upon the st^de 
of handling the pick, the shovel and the shillalah — ^the 
fetid and furry little quadruped doing the rest. And to 
prove the truth of his contention, he cites a recent ex- 
perience in wdiich he played an aggressive and deadly 
part. 
Mike went out after .skunks as some men love to do, and 
after digging a considerable length, of trench, the run of 
skunks liegan. He tapped "skunkie" on the head as -fcist 
as he came out, and when the burrow had been emptied a 
count disclosed nine full-grown skunks dead and wait- 
ing for the bid of the furrier. The haul was sold 
for $8. M, Chili,. 
The Santa Catalina Wild Goats. 
Los Angeles, Cal. — Owing to continued dry weather 
Capt. Whitely, manager for the Banning Wool Company, 
of Santa Catalina Island, has decided that there is not 
food enough for the sheep and wild goats both, and pro- 
poses to kill off a part of the goats. He will haA^e beaters 
drive them around and have htmters on the runways to 
shoot them. There are from eight to ten thousand goats 
on the island and fifteen thousand sheep. The high price 
of wool makes it more of an object to care for the sheep, 
and the company expects to receive at least $30,000 for 
this year's wool crop, while a goat's pelt will only bring 
40 cents. Tenderfoot. 
West Indian Botany. 
From the Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, 111., we 
have received "Plants LTtowanas," being Dr, Chas. F. 
Millspaugh's catalogue of the plants collected in the West 
Indies during the Antillean cruise of the yacht Utowana, 
Mr. Allison V. Armour, owner and master. 
fdtti^ md 
Game Laws in Breif and "Woodcraft Magazine. 
Contents of the current number: 
Like the Bear that Treed Jimmie O'Brien— ^H. P. Ufford. 
The Aanimals of the Forest James Rodway. 
False Fire James Buckland. 
Fly-Fishing , Sir Edward Grey 
Uncle Kellup Jefferson Scribb. 
Capercaillie Shooting in the Alps W. A. Baillie-Grohmaa. 
On a Micronesian Atoll Louis Becke. 
Washington as an Angler George H. Moore. 
The Wilson's Snipe George Bird Grinndl. 
The Trout of the Mountain Stream Von W. 
Bill Piatt's Bear Storv D. M. Marshall. 
The Lacey Bill. 
In the discussion of the Lacey bill in the House of 
Representatives on April 30, Mr. Lacey, of Iowa, speaking 
for the measure, said : 
Briefly, the bill provides for a few purposes only. First, 
it authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to utilize his 
Department for the reintroduction of birds that have be- 
come locally extinct or are becoming so in some parts of 
the United States. Thei'e are some kinds of insectivorous 
birds and some kinds of game birds, that heretofore were, 
abundant in many localities, which have become very 
scarce indeed, and in some localities entirely exterminated. 
The wild pigeon, formerly in this country in flocks of 
millions, has entirely disappeared from the face of the 
earth. Some hopeful enthusiasts have claimed that the 
pigeon would again be heard from in South America, but 
there seems to be no well-grounded basis for this hope. 
In some localities certain kinds of grouse have almost 
entirely disappeared. This hill gives the Secretary of 
.'Vgriciilture power to aid in the reintroduction, which, I 
think, will prove a useful adjunct tO: the action of the 
States which have undertaken the . preservation of the 
native wild birds. 
Now, the next purpose in the bill is to allow the Secre- 
tary of Agriculture to control the importation of foreign 
wild birds and foreign wild animals. If this law had 
been in force at the time the mistake was made in the 
introduction of the English sparrow W'e should have been 
spared from the pestilential existence of that "rat of the 
air," that vermin of the atmosphere. But some .gentle- 
men who thought they knew better than anybody else 
what the country needed saw fit to import these pests, and 
they have done much toward driving the native wild bird 
life out of the States, This bill provides that the Secre- 
tary may prevent the importation of the fruit bat. or the 
flying fox, the English sparrow, tlie starling and other 
birds of that kind which, in his discretion, he may regard 
as detrimental. _ 
The necessity for a provision of this kind is obvious. 
The mongoose, a miserable, murderous animal that was 
introduced for the purpose of killing snakes in Jamaica — 
by the wav, one member of the House asked me the other 
day what'kind of a bird the mongoose was riaughter] — 
the mongonse has proved a nuisance and a pest worse than 
the serpent that it kills. It drove the rlats in Jamaica to 
the tree?, and the rat now there has become an arboreal 
animal. The rat still exists and keeps out of the way of 
the mongoose. But the birds of the island have been 
almost destroyed by this imported pest. Now, a proper 
control on the part of the Secretary of Agriculture would 
prevent the importation of injurious foreign animals. 
Some gentlemen in California have suggested the propriety 
of introducing the fruit bat or the flyipg fox there, and 
this bill would prevent their importation. They would 
prove as great a nuisance as the English rabbits in Aus- 
tralia and the Scotch thistle in Canada. Some patriotic 
son of Scotland wanted to see if the thistle would grow 
in Canada. He tried it, and there is no dispute about it 
now. It grows in Canada. 
_ There is a compensation in the distribution of plants, 
birds and animals by tlie God of nature. Man's attempt 
to change and interfere often leads to serious results. 
The French pink was introduced as a flower in Oregon, 
and it has spread throughout the wheat fields and become 
an injury to agriculture. The English yard plantain has 
become a great evil in New Zealand. 
Rabbits were introduced in Australia, and to-day the 
most persistent efforts are necessary to keep them witWn 
endurable limits. The Russian thistle is spreading with 
great rapidity in the Dakotas, and though this plant has 
finally proven to have some value for forage, yet the 
people of the Northwest would be glad if that plant had 
never found a footing in that region. 
_ It is important that the introduction of foreign wild 
birds and animals should be under competent legal super- 
vision, and this bill will accomplish that result. 
The next proposition in the bill, and that is the vital 
one of all, is to prohibit interstate commerce in birds and 
wild game — that is, insectivorous, useful birds, and wild 
game birds, and wild game of any kind killed in violation 
of local laws. Take the State of Georgia, that has 
enacted most rigid laws for the protection of insectivorous 
birds and game birds. Trappers go there and catch the 
quail, net or trap them in violation of the local law, pack 
them in barrels or boxes and ship them to other markets in 
the United States. It is done secretly. The result/is that 
the market houses in other States have been utilized as 
places in which to dispose of these birds and animals 
killed in violation of the laws of the State. Game wardens 
of the various States have long desired some legislation of 
this kind by which they can stop the nefarious traffic in 
birds and game killed in defiance of their State laws. 
Take the State which I have the honor in part to repre- 
sent — the State of Iowa. A few years ago it was filled 
with prairie chickens; quail were abundant. A careful 
protection of the quail has recently resulted in an increase 
of those beautiful little birds; but the shipment of prairie 
chickens has still been going on until they have well-nigh 
become extinct. This bill if enacted into law would en- 
able the local authorities to prevent the transportation 
of these birds. It is perfectly evident, however, that 
such a law might be abused unless suitably guarded. Per- 
sons might make use of it for the purpose of blackmailing 
the carriers. Therefore a provision has been inserted in 
this bill by which carriers will not be held responsible for 
the shipment unless they have knowingly carried the 
forbidden articles. But the shipper cannot plead igno- 
rance, and when complaint is made against the carrier he 
will transfer the responsibility of the crime to the shipper, 
and the result will be that the whole traffic can be 
broken up. 
As to insectivorous Birds, I saw an article going the 
rounds of the newspapers the other day purporting to give 
an interview between my friend from Illinois [Mr. Can- 
non] and myself. While the interview was not stated 
with entire accuracy, the general facts are true, and I 
will repeat it now as an illustration of one of the features 
of this bill. 
When this bill was up in the House before on a motion 
to suspend the rules, my friend from Illinois raised the 
question of "no quorum." Two-thirds of the House were 
in favor of passing the bill, but there was not a quorum 
present; and the gentleman from Illinois raised that point 
and prevented further consideration of the bill. The 
next day I came to the House with my pockets full of 
most beautiful looking apples. They were fair to look 
upon, but were veritable "Dead Sea Fruit," I went around 
and offered them to my friend. He loves apples as well 
as I love birds. He opened them. 
They were all perforated with the tunnels that the worms 
had dug in passing through the fruit. I asked him if he 
had ever seen that condition in apples when he was a 
')oy. He said no; it was a recent thing. I inquired 
v'hether he often saw an apple now that did not show the 
.'oul track of a worm through its interior. He said, 
/"hat of that?" "Well," said L "my friend, the killing 
r.t the birds causes this condition — man kills the birds that 
killed the insect that laid the egg that hatched the worm 
that defiled the apple." [Laughter.] Thus following 
back in something of the fashion of "The House that Jack 
Built," we reach the real cause of most of this trouble. 
The destruction of the in.'iectivorous birds has resulted in 
the loss of our fruit. No wonder tlie farmers and horti- 
colturists are interested in this proposition ! 
Objection was made to this biU upon the theory that it 
V IS a purely sentimental measure and intended merely to 
s ike at bird millinery. Not so. It is true, Mr. Chairman, 
t it there is some sentiment in the bill : and it is a proper, 
a legtimate, sentiment. The love of birds is something 
tl; it ought to be taught in every school. Their protection 
is something y:hat ought to be inculcated in the mind of 
every boy and girl. I have always been a lover of the 
birds: and I have always been a hunter as well; for to- 
day there is no friend that the birds have like the true 
sportsman — the man who enjoys legitimate sport. He 
protects them out of season; he kills them in moderation 
in season. The "game hog" is an animal on two legs 
that is disappearing. M ay he soon become extinct ! The 
"game hog" formerly had himself photographed sur- 
rounded by the fruits of a day's "sport," and regarded 
the photograph as imperfect unless he had a hundred dead 
ducks, grouse or geese around him. To-day a true 
sportsman woidd be ashamed to be pictured in connection 
with a larger number of fowls than a decent share for an 
American gunner having due regard to the preservation 
of the game for the future. 
Mr. Clark, of Missouri : Is there anything in this bill 
to stop the operations of pot-hunters? 
Mr. Lacey: This bill is directed against the pot- 
hunter. _ When you take away his market you destroy his 
ocdupation. Take away his market or put that market un- 
der the surveillance of the game wardens, and the pot- 
hunter must cease to carry on his ncfariou'; traffic. He is 
