F6REST AN© STftfiAM. 
was separated from the bunch her fate was sealed, as the 
wolves kept between her and the rest until thej' were well 
out of the way and then closed with her. One of the 
wolves seized her by the ham, and in an instant she was 
down, with ham string severed. The other w^olf then 
sprang at the throat, and the jugler vein was cut as 
quickly as it could be done with a knife. 
We had some little distance to run to reach a small 
sand dune which commanded the situation, and when 
we had reached it the heifer was dead and the wolves 
busily engaged in tearing at throat and ham. We were 
in no hurry to shoot, and waited to get our breath. We 
each then drew bead on a wolf, and both shot together 
at a signal from Guina. The wolf at which Guina shot 
was killed on the spot, while I only succeeded in getting 
a tuft of hair out of mine, the wolf making his escape. 
I had seen the tracks of these wolves at different times 
and they appeared to be' larger than the largest New- 
foundland dog would make. Several times I had seen 
white specks on the prairie at great distances, but to sec 
one of the huge fellows stretched at my feet revealed an 
animal of which I had no conception before. I have 
seen very few men who have really seen them. Men 
whom I have talked with concerning the buffalo wolf 
have mostly described a different wolf entirely. Though 
all the men on the Loup called it a buffalo wolf, I have 
seldom ever heard the name mentioned elsewhere. I 
have since seen a few of their tracks in soft ground along 
the streams of the West, yet this is the only specimen I 
ever saw at close quarters, and infer they are quite rare, 
though perhaps more numerous in still earlier years. 
We killed a great many coyotes and some few of a still 
larger variety that resembled a coyote very much, but the 
big wolf was entirely different, being nearly white and as 
large as any three wolves of any other variety I ever saw. 
The skin when stretched had about as much spread as 
that of a yearling calf. Some old-timer who has had ex- 
perience can interest me by telling something more of 
him. 
We got the biggest wolf skin and some of the finest 
steak I ever saw out of this ramble. When we got back 
to camp we found Hutton busy with his pets. Ace was 
rather more of a sport than sportsman, and had a wildcat 
and a coyote which he had captured and kept alive. He 
also had a fox hound. One of his favorite diversions was 
to clear the furniture out of the shanty and turn all three 
loose inside and shut the door, watching the proceedings 
through the window. , 
The hound and wolf would usually double teams on the 
cat, but the cat was nearly equal to both, and bloody 
cars, nose and sides resulted. Once the dog and wolf 
got the cat stretched out, and Ace had to interfere to 
save the hfe of his pet, at considerable risk to himself. 
Ace worked this game on them several times, and then 
they got so that when turned loose together they would 
growl and spit for a time and then back into separate 
corners, curl up and leave each to attend to its own affairs 
in its own way. Oh! that struggling humanity in all 
parts of the worfd might be educated to this degree of 
common sense. 
When Guina, who was cook, called dinner Ace and I 
were busy in feeding the wildcat fresh elk steak, and in 
closing the door of the cage I failed to fasten it properly. 
When we were eating dinner the hound began whining, 
and knowing something was 'wrong Ace went out and 
found the cage empty and the cat gone. All hands were 
summoned and hound loosened. He was soon bawling 
along the trail, which followed up the bank of the creek, 
with all three of us at his heels. The chase was not long 
or arduous, for the cat ha,d loitered by the way, and when 
the hoitnd came to close quarters it took to water and 
swam across the creek. The dog saw the cat when he 
came to the creek, and plunging in swam after it. When 
the cat reached the bank it turned, and when the hound 
got close enough it sprang into the air and came down 
squarely on the dog's back. Seating its claws firmly in 
the dog's neck close back of the ears and sitting on its 
haunches it made tlie return voyage on the dog's back. 
When they arrived close enough in shore Ace dropped a 
noose over the cat's neck, and we soon had it back in the 
cage. 
Several of the trappers of the Loup formed a syndicate 
and had lumber brought up to build a large flat boat. 
This they put on runners, and just before the break up 
in the spring loaded their duffle into it and started up 
stream, intending to float back with the tide when the 
break-up came, trapping and camping by the way. They 
invited me to join them, but my leave, too, had expired, 
and with the few remaining hunters I turned sadly enough 
the other way to brave the toils and hardships of civiliza- 
tion. The Parsois. 
The Fish-Hawk or Osprey. 
Rhode Isl.\nd is the only one of all the New England 
States that protects the life of the fish-hawk by law. 
Tradition has it that the Wampanoag and Narragansett 
Indians, and later the early v/hite settlers, had great re- 
gard for fish-hawks. This respect has been inherited* 
by the Rhode Islander of the present day. Their presence 
is courted wherever fish-hawk colonies abound in the 
State, and these are principally on the east and west 
shores of Narragansett Bay. Special inducements are 
held out to the bird to remain. Often, when a tree bear- 
ing a fish-hawk's nest is in the last stages of decay, the 
owner of the land will erect nearby a pole 40 or 50 feet 
high, with a wagon wheel laid flat on the top. The hawk 
adapts itself readily to the change. 
In the western part of Rhode Island, near "Voluntown, 
Conn., and near the ocean, the trees are literallj' covered 
with ish-hawks' nests. It is singular that hardly one is 
to be seen on the Connecticut side of the boundarj'. Not 
only are trees occupied, but old chimneys are taken pos- 
session of, bearing above their summits a great fabric 
of sticks composing the nest. 
In the region of Warren and Bristol there are also 
many fish-hawks' nests. The birds make little trouble; 
the only damage they do is to kill the tree where they 
build; q«t the owners p«t up with this. So long as they 
can have the company of the fish-hawks in summer time 
Rhode Island people, where there are fish-hawk colonies, 
would feel grieved enough if the birds were to desert their 
farms and gardens for other localities. The regard for 
the bird in Little Rhody is similar to that evidenced in 
some of the Southern States for the turkey buzzard. 
The traits of the bird, its formidable appearance and its 
presence, according to accounts, keeping away hen- 
hawks, ate some of the characteristics that coiumand 
admiration. There is some contention that the fish- 
hawk will not attempt to keep other hawks away frotn his 
locality excepting when the eggs are hatching and when 
the young are small and unable to fight their own bailies. 
A bird of migratory habits, the osprey appears at tt^; 
summer haunts in Rhode Island anywhere from Martdi 
24 to April I. When a pair occupy a certain tree they 
make their appearance there season after season, with 
hardly any variation in the date of arrival. In fact, it is 
related bj^ people living on the east and west shores of 
Narragansett Bay, who watch for their coming, that the 
Osprey's nest on top of a 60ft. special pole with cart wheel for base 
of nest, and cross-spar for roost, osprey hovering near 
by. Anthony farm, Bristol, R. I. 
variation in a period of years was less than two days. The 
average date of their arrival in Rhode Island is March 27. 
A trtte fisher and fearless in securing its prey, the bird 
never looks for food on land, stibsisting solel}' from the 
fish in the harbors and bays. 
Rhode Island fishermen look eagerly for the appearance 
of the hawks in the spring. Plenty of fish is then looked 
fqir„; The male bird arrives first, goes away after a day's 
rest, and returns a week later with the female. The birds 
soon afterward begin to build or make repairs on old 
Osprey alighting on nest in tree at Pappoosesquaw, Bristol, R. I. 
nests. It is interesting enough to watch them. This year 
two birds began to build a nest on the top of a 20-foot 
pole. The pole was on the shore of Mount Hope Bay 
and upon the premises of Mr. Edward Anthony and his 
sister, Miss Medora Anthony, within the limits of the 
town of Bristol. Both persons have watched the fish- 
.hawk for 3'-ears, atid know well the habits of the bird. 
The hawks upon arriving on April i seeiued to be a trifle 
disturbed, as shown by the screeching noises they uttered 
at intervals. And no wonder that they were for a time 
nonplussed. For years the same birds had occupied a 
nest on the top of a mast 40 feet high. Some time last 
winter a small-sized cyclone swept away the pole, break- 
ing a piece off it. and wrecking the old nest. Mr. 
Anthony set up the pole again on its former site, but as 
is was 10 feet shorter than la~st year this was noticed by 
the hawks. The outcry they made seemed to be a hawks' 
discussion as to whether they should build a nest on the 
short pole, now less than 30 feet high. The great outcry 
was followed the next morning by both birds beginning 
the. work of rebuilding. on the shorter pole. 
At the top of the pole a wagon wheel bad been laid 
flat down and spiked to bear the weight of the nest. Heavy 
wooden supports leading from the outer rim of the wheel 
down lialf way on the pole, ■ where they were spiked, 
formed a substantial foundation. 
The two fish-hawks referred to preferred the short pole 
to a longer one. ready for use only 100 feet distant. An- 
other pair of birds tried to locate on the latter perch, but 
the first pair evidently had a priority of right, for they 
vigorously and successfully fought and drove away the 
new comers. It took half an hour's screeching and fight- 
ing before the intruders became aware that they would 
not be allowed to stake a claitn. The birds Avottld strike 
at each other with w-ings and claws, those having first 
located being the attacking party. Yearly fights have 
been held for this site, but the first comers seem to wish 
tn have it unoccupied. 
The highest point of a decayed or partly decayed tree 
is selected usually, although often a sound tree is picked 
out. It does not remain sound long, howeA^er, the oil 
from the fish devoured acting as a poison to the tree and 
finally killing it. 
In order to form a roost for the birds near the nest a 
long i)olc is stretched across the diameter of the wagon 
wheel, the projecting ends serving as roosts. The nests 
are large enough to fill a good-sized cart, and wotxld 
make a load for a horse. The whole forms a picturesque 
appearance, and added to this is the flying about of the 
hawks, uttering their pecifliar cries. 
The nest in a tree is a study.' Male and female labor 
in constructing the nest. A forked limb is selected for 
the site, btit it must be near the top. Although the nest 
foundation is laid in the fork, it is raised by degrees until 
its summit is 3 feet above the foundation and on a level 
with the topmost branches. The reasons for the summit 
of the nest being on a level or barely extending beyond 
the topmost branches are obvious. The fish-hawk or 
osprey being a knowing bird cannot have any loose limbs 
of the tree acting as obstacles to its wide-spreading wings, 
whidi measure 6 feet from tip to tip, when outspread. 
The way must be clear for alighting on the nest or roost 
or else the wings arc in danger of injury from obstructing 
branches. Invariably, therefore, a fish-hawk's nest stands 
clear of all obstructions. Even when the hawks depart 
from the nest or roost it would be just as dangerous for 
them if there were any protruding obstacles. 
The building of nests in the spring is begun by male 
and female shortly after the journey from the Southern 
sea coasts. Rotten sticks are gathered, the hawks carry- 
ing them in their feet. Jointly they carry on the work 
before them, not hurriedly, but w'ith an apparent steadi- 
ness of purpose, which in a very few days brings the 
structure to completion. The outer portions of the nests 
are composed of large sticks, ranging in diameter from 
I inch to xy'z inches, and from 2 to 4 feet in length, 
packed on top of each other to a height of nearly 4 feet. 
Not Irang ago a fish-hawk was seen flying from the 
shores of Tiverton across Mount Hope Bay with an al- 
most new hat in its claws. It proved to be one which 
had been blown off a passenger's head on one of the Fall 
River boats, and drifting ashore had been picked up 
by the hawk for nest material. This 3'ear a pair of birds 
began to build a nest in a large tree near the Kickemuit 
River. I saw the female carrying a short rope in its 
claws to the perch beside the nest. It was a piece of 
manila rope. Leisurely the hawk picked strand and yarn 
to pieces, reducing it with beak and talons to the sub- 
stance of oaktuu. This was used to line the nest. It was 
a slow job, but was accomplished as efficiently as a sailor 
Could do it. Next day a rope 20 feet in length was carried 
to the nest from Fall River. 
_ The genius displayed by fish-hawks in nest-building 
time is often wonderful, leading persons to suspect that 
the mechanical calculations of the bird are equal to those 
of the average human being. The hawks frequent forests 
and groves fringing the waters of Narragansett Bay to 
obtain material for building ncAV nests, and repairing old 
ones. Rotten limbs of trees high over one's head are 
heard snapping and cracking. 
This snapping of sticks is caused by fish-hawks. Me- 
chanically they examine and break off the limbs by sheer 
force, something that is tmique in the character of birds. 
A hawk flying about wheels short on its wings, having 
selected a decayed stick that is suitable, on some oak 
tree. Something after the fashion of tent-pegging the 
hawk charges past and just above the bough. Just us he 
is passin^g the limb, with great dexterity he hooks his 
claws upon it, and without stopping in liis flight, and 
with wings flapping furiously enough, bang goes the re- 
port of the breaking of the rotten limb, and tnumphantly 
the feathered wonder carries to the nest the stick, some- 
times 4 inches in diameter and 4J4 feet long. Although 
as a rule the birds break off the limbs at the first attempt, 
they have been seen to try the operation on the same 
stick two and three times before being successful. In 
case the stick is not broken off the first time, they do not 
Isse their hold, but tmceasingly flap their broad wings in 
the_ air, exhausting every measure toward accomplishing 
their purpose. 
Ordinarily their bodies are not so heavy as to cause 
one to suspect that they could break off such stout 
pieces of boughs, but the momentum carried in their flight 
as they hook on to the limb without stopping almost 
invariabb^ causes their efforts to be crowned with success. 
The loud snapping noise of the breaking of tree branches 
by the hawks would lead a person not accustomed to 
their habits to suppose that an elephant was running 
amuck through the forest. 
Of about 4 feet in width and of a very compact structure 
the pests can withstand the fury of severe storms. The 
fabric is so woven and botmd crisscross fashion that cases 
have been known of the nests remaining intact even after 
the wind felled the tree or pole and threwr the nest vio- 
lently to the ground. A severe storm blew down a fish 
hawk's nest at Warren a year ago, leaving the nest bottom 
up. It was discovered several days later with three young 
dead birds inside, Being imprisoned, they had died of 
hunger. 
* The inner edges of the nests are woven with light sticks, 
cornstalks, pieces of cloth and dried seaweed. 
The fish-hawk lives to a good g,ge. On one of the 
