jajfE i4 1900.] 
FOHEST aHD stream. 
patrimony with ^vhlch we were once so abundantiv 
blessed. 
It is the columns of Forest anb Stream that have f or 
years earned on this gentle and humane propaganda, 
which has changed thousands of unthinking or reckless 
guides, hunters, trappers, miners and campers-out into 
persons capable of some degree of self-denial and self- 
restraint for a remote and general good. The good work 
ot this kind which It has done, and for which every 
civilized man should bless it, is simply incalculable 
Its purpose then m pleading for the preservation of this 
rare and interesting form of bird life is the furthest pos- 
sible from the one imputed to it. No gentleman worthy 
the name of sportsman wants to shoot the heath hen for 
sport, unless the almost impossible should happen and 
Its increase could be secured in such numbers that this 
could be done without danger to the existence of the 
species. 
Who can look without pain upon the approaching ex- 
tinction of any highly organized form of Hfe? Millions of 
years were occupied m its slow evolution. Once destroyed 
never on this planet will it appear again. Who can tell 
what problems of biology may need it in the future to 
furnish the all important evidence in the chain of reason- 
rag? Who can think without exasperation and grief that 
but for the selfishness and stupidity of one generation all 
subsequent generations might have had these treasures for 
use and study and enjoyment? The cost of their preserva- 
tion is as nothing compared to the interests involved. 
But action must be taken, and with promptness and 
vigor, if m hundreds of ways we are not to suffer utterlv 
irreparable loss. There is the greatest need that ever}'- 
where and in every way public sentiment should be en- 
lightened in regard to these matters. Right under our 
eyes the miserable tragedy hastens to its end. The bison 
are gone. The moose and caribou are seemingly surely 
466 
At^ the New York Zoo. 
No better time than this can be chosen for a visit to the 
Zoological Garden at Bronx Park. Although the sun is 
bright and warm, the air is not yet hot with the stifling 
torndity of midsummer. Often a cool breeze draws 
down from the north or northwest, sometimes with force 
enough to bow the younger trees and to make the pale 
green leaves, which are still tender, stream out and flutter 
with a violence that looks as if it might tear them to 
pieces. 
Entering the park from the northwest, near where 
Cope Lake is to be when finished, the visitor passes be- 
tween deer paddocks, the one on the right holding the 
mule deer buck, whose horns are in the velvet, while that 
on the left contains axis and fallow and sambur deer, 
rhe axis deer, which was the first to shed his antlers, 
has grown another set and cleaned them off, and to-day 
may be seen shaking a bush as if he were getting ready 
to go on the warpath. The sambur, on the other hand, 
has not yet shed his antlers. Passing on through the bird 
house, one sees in the large central cage many of the 
water birds, now in their most beautiful spring plumage. 
The white pelicans are particularly attractive, and the 
male bears on his bill the curious seasonal crest from 
which he takes his name. All these birds seem to be 
in singularly good condition. 
Having passed through the bird house, a paddock is 
seen containing half a dozen cassowaries, which are 
comparatively new arrivals. Beyond that, in the caribou 
range, are not only the j^earling cariljou from Canada, 
which was the first large mammal to be turned loose in 
the garden, l)nt also two calves from Newfoundland The 
next door neighbors of the caribou are three yearling 
moose, rwo females and one male. Two of these are 
and at each visit one is more impressed bv the taste and 
good judgment shown in the arrangement of the building 
and the display of the collections. Here there are a 
luimber of new specimens, of which the most impressive 
are some huge snakes. Beyond the reptile house, in the 
crocodile pool, are now domiciled the four sea lions, 
which were just having their meal given them as the 
reporter passed. As these creatures fight over their 
food, they have been taught to distribute themselves 
over the pool and the rocks at feeding time, and the 
keeper deals out a fish to each in succession and with 
exact justice. Beyond, at the bears' den, there was the 
usual crowd of people watching the restless pacing of the 
huge polar bears and the absurd gambols and pretended 
wars of the young grizzlies and black bears. At this 
season of the year the bears are not at their best, since 
all of them are shedding their coats, and look more of 
less ragged. 
Still beyond the bear den is the buffalo range, where 
one looks m vain for the little calf recently born In- 
quiry revealed that it has received an injury, and it is not 
now on exhibition. ^It is earnestly to be hoped that it 
may recover and long survive. 
Later in the day, passing before the pen where the red 
foxes are confined, three or four of these were seen ao- 
parently linishmg up some food that had just been given 
them, but the largest and the wisest of them all had 
timshed eating, and was now doing somethin^r else 
When first seen he had just picked up in his mouth 
sonTething from the lower end of the pen and was trotting 
to the back ot the inclosure. The floor here is perfectly 
smooth cement, and slopes down at a slight incliiie from 
the back to the front of the pen. When the fox had 
gone a little more than half way to the back of the in- 
closiu-e. he turned about and dropped what he had in 
his mouth, which immediately began to roll down toward 
INTERIOR OF REITILE HOUSE. 
Copyright, 1900, by K Y. Zoological Society. 
.ooraed. The passenger pigon is a thing of the past. The 
ur seal herds are dwindled to a remnant. The grandest 
:rove of the giant trees of California, the greatest marvels 
if vegetation on this earth, is even now in most imminent 
anger of the woodman's axe and saw. Our birds of song 
^nd plume are slaughtered by the million because fashion 
alls for them. The enginery of slaughter has reached its 
Seadly perfection and is in the hands of all. These are 
put the slightest and most random hints at the thought- 
sss prodigality of the present age witli its treasures of 
fe in mineral and plant with which the century began. 
Will not the Herald lend its A'oice to help, 'rather than 
0 hinder, in this matter? 
Granted that the cause is small, indeed, compared to 
ome that demand our attention, yet it is a real one, and 
ne which, in its way, also belongs to the broad cause 
f humanity. C. H. Ames. 
Another Game Presexve. 
The New York Sun reports that a number of Avealthy 
ten interested in sport have combined and propose to 
reed game on a large scale on Long Island. They 
ave purchased a track of open and wooded land in the 
3wn of Islip estimated to contain 1,200 acres. It is 
atered by several streams and ponds. The New York 
tate Game Preserving and Acclimatization Association 
as been incorporated for the purpose of carrying out the 
Ian. The preserve is already stocked with deer, rab- 
its, quail and partridge of native growth. It is pro- 
osed to import English pheasants of the ordinary and 
.Ibino species. French partridges, European hares, 
lyrian partridges, teal, capercailzie, ptarmigan, south 
rouse and Black Forest roe deer. Contracts haA^e al- 
;ady been made for large numbers of game, and they 
ill be liberated during tlie fall months. One object 
t the association is to sell live game to .sporting clubs 
nd owners of preserves. 
The Forest and Stream is put to press each week on Tuesday, 
orrespondence intended for publication should reach us at the 
'r-^ Kv Monday and u much earlier as practicable. 
comparatively recent additions, the gift of Mr. Chas. 
I. Barney. It was extremely interesting to see one of 
these young moose on his knees browsing on the lux- 
uriant grass. Short-necked and long-legged as these 
beasts are, it is impossible for them to reach the ground 
with their muzzles in the ordinary way. and this "young 
animal was saving himself the trouble of straddling 
widely, and fed on his knees. In the efi'ort to supply 
these beasts with food best adapted to them, the Society 
is bringing from the Adirondacks the twigs and branches 
of a species of poplar which the moose is'^ known to like, 
and one of these young ones was seen greedily feeding on 
such browse. As is well understood, the moose is not a 
grass eater, but lives chiefly on the leaves and twigs of 
trees and underbrush. The problem of supplying it with 
proper food is not. therefore, an easv one. and vet proper 
food must be had if the animals are to thrive. 
Passing along to the director's oflicc. it was interest- 
ing to see the elk lying on the bare hillside chewing the 
cud in the hot sunshine, just as years ago they used to 
be seen on the rolling prairies of Nebraska. In those 
days, one thought of the elk always as an animal of the 
prairie, and not of the timber and the mountains. But 
those days are gone, and it is long since a bunch of elk 
have been seen at large on the Nebraska hills. The elk 
look ragged as to their coats, not yet having completely 
shed out. The horns of the bulls are well grown, ami of 
course still velvet-covered. 
Be3-ond the administration building, in the ornamental 
wildfowl pond were seen a pair of wild swans, some 
Canada geese and two brown pelicans, while motionless 
on the shore, looking almost like a dead stick standing 
on the beach. Avas a blue heron quite free to go Avherever 
he might Avish. East of this pond is the small building in 
Avhich ar£ found such mammals as require artificial heat — 
the orangs. monkeys, a pair of dorcas gazelles, and many 
other small creatures — Avhile in the open air across the 
Avay from the house are the homes of the burrowing 
rodents, Avherc squirrels. Avoodchucks. ground squirrels, 
gray rabbits and other small mammals are comfortably 
accommodated. 
In the reptile house the usual beautiful display is made. 
the front of the pen. It Avas a short acorn without the 
cup, and rolled along as a ball might, gradually going 
laster and faster, The fox trotted close after it, Avatching 
It closely, and presently sprang forward and put his 
paw on it, so as to stop it. After a moment he let it 
go agam, and again followed it until it had stopped on 
reaching the level portion of the cement, near the front 
of the pen. Then he picked it up again, carried it back, 
and again let it roll down the slope, folloAving and playing 
Avith It as before. In this Avay he continued to plav Avith4;his 
acorn for fully ten minutes, and he Avas still at work Avith 
It Avhen the reporter passed on. This fox Avas clearly so 
lar acquainted with the laxys of gravitation as to know 
that the ball will roll doAvn hill. This he must have 
learned in confinement, and he had utilized that knowl- 
edge to his OAvn advantage. The obserA^ation struck the 
reporter as being one of very great significance, and as 
Avcll Avorth recording. 
In a pen in the same line Avith the fox den was seen 
a curious and interesting sight. An old mother coyote 
was standing Avith her legs Avell .spread apart and her 
head hanging doAvn Avith an air of dejection and weari- 
ness and sitting on their haunches beneath her, with their 
small tore paws resting against her side, were three tiny 
puppies nursing, as if they had never before had any- 
tlimg to drink. They Avere too busy to pay any attention 
to the people outside the cage, and the mother felt that 
she Avas burdened AVith too many cares to consider ob- 
servers. So the meal Avent on, and when the reporter 
next passed that Avay the puppies had evidently satisfied 
themselves and gone to rest, while the mother was 
pacing up and down the den. 
An interesting point that will come up so soon as the 
garden is uilly in operation is the breeding in confine- 
'"e"t of various mammals, birds and reptiles. As vet 
there has been no opportunity for anything of this sort 
to take place, and yet. in spite of this lack of opportunity 
a number of birds have insisted on breeding. Thus there 
are sitting at present three wild turkeys and three 
Canada geese. There is also one good-sized gosling that 
is doing well. Mallards are sitting, and black ducks' 
eggs are under hens. It may be imagined that when th« 
