224 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
ISePT. 22, i^. 
The Buffalo Bird. 
Edifor Forest and Stream: 
In a paper recently published by Mr. F. E. L. Beal, of 
the Biological Survey, on the -Food of the Bobolink, 
Black b rds and Grackles," a question is asked which 
many of vour older readers should be able to answer. In 
the discussion of the covvbird {Molothrus ater), Mr. Beal, 
after referring to the familiar way in which the cowb.rd 
associates with cattle, says: "As the cowbird is abundaiit 
in the Mississippi valley and on the Great Plams, it 
would be interesting to know if it formerly associated on 
familiar terms with the buffalo, and such would seem to 
be the case, as Major Bendire gives 'buffalo bird' as one 
of its former names." 
Old travelers over the plains in buffalo days who were 
at all observant must have noticed that almost every 
bunch 'of buffalo, and even every individual buffalo, was 
l.kely to be accompanied by a considerable number of 
cowbirds, which kept close to them all the time. A good 
portion of the birds' time was spent wa.king about on 
the ground under, or close about the great animal, and 
my impression always was that the birds were feeding on 
insects attracied by the buffalo, though precisely what 
these insects were I could never make out. _ The birds 
never seemed to be catching flies or flying insects, but 
either fed from the ground or occasionally picked at 
the skin of the buffalo's back. Of course it may have 
been that the movements of the buffalo's hoofs dislodged 
certain insects from their hiding places on the ground, or 
that the droppings of the animals attracted insects which 
the birds liked. 
It is readily conceivable that at the present day in sec- 
tions of the country where "feeding" is practiced — that 
is to say, where cattle are kept up and fattened by being 
fed corn— the cowbird may in part feed on such portioiis 
of grain as pass und gested through the animal's ali- 
mentarv tract, but apparently no such source of food 
supply could have been had from the buffalo when he 
roamed the plains thirty years ago. 
Concernin-g the main fact of association with the buf- 
faJo there is no doubt, and the name "buffalo bird" of 
course came from this association. It was common to 
see a bird alight on the horn or on the thick wig of the 
buffalo's head, but the more common resting place was 
on the ridge of the back, where sometimes a dozen or 
fifteen birds might be seen perched like chickens on a 
roost, often with their heads all pointing in one direction. 
The matted hair of the top of the head was often spotted 
with white, and it was the rule that buffalo killed in sum- 
mer had on each side of the backbone from shoulders to 
rump a line of chalky white marked by the droppings of 
the birds. 
Often while a man was butchering a buffalo these little 
birds would make their appearance and alight on the 
ground close to him. or perhaps on his horse's mane or hips. 
They were entirely familiar and tame, and barely moved 
out of the way. for large living creatures seemed to have 
no terrors for them. 
The question brought up by iMr. Beal is interesting, riot 
only in itself, but as indicating that a perfectly familiar 
habit of a well-known bird thus seems not to have been 
specifically recorded, until by change in the life condi- 
tions of the animal in question it has ceased to be prac- 
ticed. G. B. G. 
Ntw York. Sept 12. , 
Importation oE Wild Animals. 
U. S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Secre- 
tary, VVash ngton, D. C, Sept. 13.— Under the authority 
vested in the Secretary of Agriculture by Section 2 of the 
act of Congress approved May 25, 1900, entitled, "An act 
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," 
the list of species of live animals and birds which may be 
imported into the United States without permits is ex- 
tended as hereinafter indicated. On and after Oct. I, 
1900, and until further notice, permits will not be required 
for the following mammals, birds and reptiles, commonly 
imported for purposes of exhibition : 
Mammals.— Anteaters, armadillos, bears, chimpanzees, 
elephants, hippopotamuses, myenas, jaguars, kangaroos, 
leopards, lions, lynxes, manatees, monkeys, ocelots, orang- 
outangs, panthers, raccoons, rhinoceroses, sea lions, seals, 
sloths, tapirs tigers or wildcats. 
Birds.— Swans wild doves, or wild pigeons of any kind. 
Reptiles. — Alligators, lizards, snakes, tortoises, or other 
reptiles. 
Under the provisions of Section 2 of said act (as stated 
in Circular No. 29 of the BiologxaL Survey, issued July 
13, 1900), canaries, parrots and domesticated birds such 
as chickens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, peafowl and 
pigeons are subject to entry without permits. But with 
the exception of these species and those mentioned above, 
special permits from the Department of Agriculture will 
be required for all live animals and birds imported from 
abroad, and such permits must be presented to the col- 
lector of customs at the port of entry prior to delivery 
of the property. James Wilson, Sec'y. 
Snake Stones. 
The subject of snake stones comes up agWi, iliis time 
from South Africa, where they are said to be somewhat 
common, and are thoroughly believed in. The^e are 
white porous stones, which, when applied to a p^acc bitten 
by a snake, adhere for a time until the poison is gone 
out from the wound into the stone. They are then 
placed in railk, which is said to cleanse them, and so to 
render them again fit for use. They are believed by the 
farmers of South Africa to be taken from the head of 
the snake. 
A good many years ago, investigation into the subject 
in America showed that in certain cases, at least, the 
snake stone was the calcined antler of a deer, from which 
all the animal matter had been burned out. No doubt a 
bit of burned bone which had lost all its animal matter 
would act in the same way. 
These snake stones are commonly compared to pumice 
stone, which they measureably reserhble in structure and 
in lightness. It would be interesting to learn jtlst what 
these African snake stones, and what the Malay snake 
stones, actually are. 
^ttl0 md 0m 
Game in Central New York. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
Central New York sportsmen who enjoy wing sliobt- 
ing have long been looking forward with pleasurable 
anticipation to the opening of the season when rutfed 
grouse can be legally killed, and local hunters are fully 
prepared to make things lively for such of these noble 
game birds as may be iound in the woodlands of Oneida 
and adjoining counties. Reliable reports from different 
localities m this part of the State are to the effect that 
there will be birds enough this fall to furnish fairly good 
shooting, somewhat better probably than last year, but 
this is not equivalent to saying that a large bag can be 
secured without hard work and lots of it. We have many 
sportsmen, however, who are undaunted by the prospect 
of long tramps and tiresome struggles in the tangled 
thickets and underbrush when tnere are visions of 
whirrmg grouse before them, and such ones, it is liKely, 
will succeed in bagging a good many birds. 
The conditions this fall are somewhat different from 
what they were a year ago and it is probable that ihe 
grouse will be found in different places. Last fail the 
country was exceedingly dry, and hunters noticed that 
grouse were very rareiy found excepting in ciumps of the 
jewel weed or touch-me-not. This plant u.^ua;ly grows 
most luxuriantly a^ong shaded streams and marshes. wJiere 
the soil is moist but not actually of a swampy nature, and 
for some reason the grouse manifested a decided prefer- 
ence for its shelter. As the ground is not quite so dry 
at present as it was last autumn, the jewel weed may not 
now prove an infallible guide to the grouse hunter. 
The winter of 1899-1900 was not severe enough to work 
serious harm to the birds in this section, and it is believed 
that most of those which escaped death by chilled shot 
during the open season last year survived the chilly 
weather and deep snows. The. conditions were favorable 
during the nesting season for the multiplication of the 
birds, as there were no extremely cold spells nor pro- 
tracted rains, and the summer proved an ideal one for 
them, dry and warm for the most part, with- occasional 
showers, which kept the woods and feeding grounds in 
prime shape. In view of these facts it is not surprising 
that the early reports concerning the grouse are en- 
couraging. It is not safe, however, to place too much 
dependence on the first statements which come to hand 
from the localities in which ruffed grouse are found, as 
it has been demonstrated in the past that they are some- 
times misleading. This 'may be accounted for by the 
eagerness of guides or parties who harbor sportsmen on 
their hunting trips to insure patronage, or, possibly, the 
reports received are allowed to arouse more enthusiasm 
than they actually warrant. Grouse shooting in this part 
of the State is more apt to appear in roseate hues the day 
before the open season is inaugurated tiian it is the day 
after, but notwithstanding this fact hunters ordinarily 
contrive to find a good deal of sport in it after they 
recover from the dampening effects of the first day or 
two in the woods, which seldom fail to be disappointing. 
Of all the reports received thus far regarding the ruffed 
grouse in central New York, those from along the line 
of the Lackawanna Railroad are the most gratifying, and 
in some localities accessible from that road the birds are 
said to be very abundant. Grouse are also more numer- 
ous in the Adirondack region than they were last year. 
The clause in the existing game laws which prohibits 
the killing of grouse from Dec. 16 to Sept. 15, both in- 
clusive, meets with the approval of all true sportsmen in 
this vicinity, and many of them would be glad to see the 
open season still further curtailed. The young birds, as a 
rule, have not matured sufficiently to warrant the open- 
ing of the season late in the summer or in early fall, as 
has been done in the past, and were they protected until 
Oct. I they would be much more plump and in better 
condition for eating, as well as stronger on the wing, and 
consequently fitted to furnish more lively sport for the 
hunter. In spite of all that may be said to the contrary, 
the ruffed grouse has been steadily losing ground in 
central and northern New York for several years past, 
and a brief open season with efficient protection during 
the remainder of the year is the only thing that wIU 
prevent the utter extermination of these birds. Many 
sportsmen advocate curtailing the shooting season still 
further on the latter end, as they claim it is when there is 
snow on the ground that the pot-hunters and snarers get 
in their work to the best advantage. _ The birds congre- 
gate in the evergreen thickets when winter sets in, and as 
a result the experienced hunter knows just where to 
look for them. On the other hand, it is claimed that the 
grouse are in better condition for eating then than they 
are earlier in the season. But while this may be so, it is 
also true that sportsmen do not care so much about hunt- 
ing them in the winter, and by far the greater propor- 
tion of birds taken in December are killed for the market. 
It was unquestionably a wise act of the last Legislature 
which shortened the open season two weeks on each 
end, and it is hoped that the next Legislature will take 
at least a fortnight more off from the latter end. 
Another wise act would be to make the season for 
shooting grouse, woodcock and squirrels uniform through- 
out the State. Section 23 of the Game Laws makes the 
close season for woodcock from Dec. 16 to Sept, 15. both 
inclusive, identical with that of the grouse season, but 
the succeeding section modifies or qualifies this by making 
the close season for woodcock in Oneida county from 
Nov. 16 to Aug. 31; in Ulster county from Dec. 16 to 
Sept. 30; in Clinton, Essex, Warren, Hamilton and Ful- 
ton counties from Dec. 16 to Aug. 15, and in Richmond 
county from Jan. i to July 3, both inclusive. The trouble 
with this arrangement, in the counties where the seasons 
are not uniform is that it affords such hunters as do not 
care to observe the game laws an excellent excuse for 
being in the woods with a gun in the latter part of 
August and the early part of September, and conse- 
quently they can bag all the grouse they encounter with 
comparatively little danger of detection, Tf the onen sea- 
son for grouse, woodcock and squirrels began on the same 
date, there •would be little excuse for a man to be shooting 
in the woods .prior to that time, and if the report of a 
gun were heard, game officials might find it worth their 
while to investigate the matter. 
Woodcock have been exceedingly scarce hereabouts for 
a number of years, and as they are migratory birds, it 
is doubtful if any protection afforded them in New York 
Sta.e can prevent their ultimate extinction if they are 
slaughtered in such great numbers in the South as they 
have been in the past. ■ A few have been seen in this part 
of the State this fall, but thus far no very large bags 
have been made. It would seem that this might be an 
excellent season for gray and black squirrels, as beech- 
nuts and butternuts are abundant, but so far as can be 
learned they are by no means plentiful. 
W. E. WOLCOTT. 
Utica, N. y„ Sept. 14. 
American Wildfowl and How 
Take Them.— III. 
to 
BY GEORGE BIRD GRINNELU 
[^Continued from page 2t6.J 
Geese and Brant. 
Sub-Family AnserincE. 
The geese stand midway between the swans and the 
ducks in size and general appearance, though their actual 
affinities are not these, the swans and ducks being more 
nearly related structurally than^ is either group to the 
geese. From the swans the geese may be distinguished 
by their smaller size and shorter neck, by having the 
lores, or space between the eyes and bill, feathered instead 
of naked, and the bill proportionately shorter, deeper 
and much less broad, in some forms approaching a corneal 
shape. They differ from the ducks in their greater size, 
longer necks and legs, and usually in the shape of the 
bill, which is relatively stouter and less broad than in 
most ducks. An important difference is found in the 
tarsus, or naked portion of the so-called leg, between the 
joint jttst where the feathers end and that below, where 
the toes spread out. In the geese this tarsus is covered 
with a naked skin, marked with small divisions like the 
meshes of a net, while in the ducks the front of the tarsus 
is covered by overlapping plates which are termed scales 
or scutell^. Thus in the geese the tarsus is said to be 
reticulate ; in the ducks it is scutellate. 
In all our species the sexes are alike, but they are yiery 
different in some South American and Old World species. 
In the sub-family are included the dozen species and 
sub-species of geese found in North America. They 
are divided into four genera, two of which contain a 
single species each, the others several each. One genus 
is almost confined to Ala.ska while another has a gen- 
eral distribution in the Northern Hemisphere. The snow 
goose and its forms and the blue goose have a wide range, 
while little is known about that of Ro.ss' goose. The dark 
colored or gray gee,se, included in the genus Branta, are 
very abundant along both coasts of the continent, yet are 
by no means lacking in the interior. They include the 
common Canada goose, with its forms, and the barnacle 
and brant geese. The brant and its Western relative, the 
black brant, are chiefly maritime in habit, and are seldom 
found in the interior. On the other hand, the snow goose, 
and some of its forms, are regular visitants to certain 
points on the Atlantic coast. A few years ago a flock of 
these birds was always to be found in winter in the mouth 
of the Delaware River. Stray b rds are sometimes seen 
on the New England coast anil on Long Island. On the/ 
beach which lies oxitside of Curriiuck Sound a floclc 
of five hundred or a thousand of these birds is found each 
winter. 
The gray geese, so called, all have the bills, feet, head 
and neck black. There are patches or touches of white 
about the cheeks or throat, whence they have been called 
cravat geese ; Ihe upper parts of the body are dark gray ■ 
and the belly and tail coverts white. The white-fronted 
goose, genus Anser, is mu-ch paler gray, has the bill arid 
feet pink, and has no black except spots on breast and 
belly. In the genus Chen three form.s are pure white, 
except for the quill feathers of the wings, which are 
black. All have the head white in adult plumage, 
Philacte, the Alaska type, is grayish or bluish in color, 
variously marked with white. 
The North American geese are birds of powerful flight, 
non-divers, well adapted for progression on the land, 
usually breeders in high latitude, but wintering in open 
waters. Some are large birds, while others are smaller 
than some of the ducks, the weight in different species 
varying from 15 to 3 pounds. 
They feed almost altogether on vegetable matter, large- 
ly grass and aquatic plants; and sometimes, after feeding 
for a time on the roots of certain sedges and other water • 
plants, their flesh becomes almost uneatable from thci 
strong flavor given it by this food. 
Geese are noisy birds, the voice of the smaller ones 
being shrill and cackling, while the cry of others, like the 
common Canada goose, is sonorous and resonant. 
Many years ago the geese, during the spring and au- 
tumn migration, were so enormously abundant in portionb. 
of Minnesota and in Califoria that they did a vast 
amount of damage by eating the young wheat just appear- 
ing aljout the ground. In "those days it was possible to 
approach quite close to them on horseback, and the riderr 
having .gotten as near as practicable, would charge 
noon the feeding flock, get among them before 
they could rise out of reach, and knock down several 
witih a short club which he carried in his hand. It may 
be questioned whether this method of killing geese has 
been employed for a long time. In more recent years it is 
said to have been necessary for the California ranchers 
during migrations to eittploy armed men, whose business 
it was to ride about, shooting with rifles at the feeding 
flocks and endeavoring to keep them constantly on tlie;, 
wing. 
The Blue Goose. 
CKen carulescens (Linn.) 
In the adult the head and upper .part of the neck a*w 
white; the rest of the neck, breast, back and rump bluish, 
or brownish-blue, many of the feathers with paler edges; . 
wing light bluish gray; secondaries blackish, edged with 
white; primaries black, fading to gray at the base; taH 
