266 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[April 6, igol. 
Telegfony* 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
Without meddling in the discussion between Col. Alex- 
ander and Coahoma, I would suggest that conclusions 
as to heredity must be qualified by consideration of em- 
bryologj'-, as twists from the -latter sadly mar fine theories 
on the former. Telegony is dead in the face of heredity, 
and pestiferous rot as the idea is of its being an in- 
variable result of mesalliances, that it docs occur in rare 
cases seems well established. The confusion and contra- 
dictions of inheritance of abnormalities which are com- 
monly seen in certain breeds is another upsetter; bob 
tails as a case in point: The offspring of a pair of natu- 
rally long tailed "bobtail sheep dogs" mated together 
have produced a born tailless dog, so potent that his get 
were invariably deformed in tail, no matter what the breed 
of the dam of such offspring might be. The grandam of 
this very potent dog uniformly had full-tailed puppies 
until she passed her seventh year; from that time on she 
never had a litter that did not include some tailless or half- 
tailed puppies, and, as in the case of her grandson, it 
mattered not what the breed of her mate was — ^bull terrier, 
mongrel collie or black and tan terrier was as. efficient 
in begetting deformed tails as a very potent natural bob- 
tail. These cases came under my own observation, and 1 
saw accotints of the same vagaries of heredity, mentioned 
in connection with the Manx cats, in the London Stock- 
keeper, and something on the same general lines in the 
American Naturalist. Mr. H. T. Payne, editor of 
Field Sports, had some very clear accounts of the 
Mexican hairless dog in his native country, showing just 
the eccentricity of heredity that I cite as to bobtailed 
anirnals, and, as far as that particular breed goes, he de- 
molished Coahoma's hypothetical case on why dogs are 
hairless. I cannot remember Mr. Payne's statements ex- 
actly, as they were published long since, but if any- 
body has a file of that paper, Mr. Payne's demolition 
of the theory of "maternal impressions" and his exposi- 
tion of heredity of hairlessness will be found well worth 
reading. W. Wade. 
Oakmont, Pa., March 15; 
Two Kinds of Crows. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
In reading your article on the crows, it reminded me of 
Dr. John Burnham, my father's family physician when I 
was a little boy. The old doctor was exceedingly bright 
and sharp, and was known all over Hancock county and 
a large part of eastern Maine for his shrewdness. One 
year he concluded he would like to go to the State Legis- 
lature. There was a war on the crows among some of 
the farmers. They declared they destroyed their corn and 
others declared they were a great benefit by picking up 
the grub worms fliat always cut down the young, tender 
corn as soon as it came out of the ground. There was a 
bounty of eight cents on each head. As soon as the 
doctor was nominated and commenced his canvass, the 
fanners met him with a petition to have the botmty taken 
off and a petition to have the bounty remain. To keep 
friendly with all sides, the doctor signed both petitions. 
He was elected, and- when the Legislature met both peti- 
tions came up, and those that knew him best thought they 
had him in a tight place. One of the members made a 
grand speech on the bills, and said : "I see the member 
from Hancock county has signed both of these petitions, 
and I would be pleased to have him explain his position." 
The old doctor got up quietly, with every member watch- 
ing him and wondering how he was going to get out of 
the dilemma he was placed in, and said: "Mr. Speaker, I 
signed a petition to have the boimty taken off of these 
little pasture crows that do no harm. I signed a petition 
to have the bounty remain on these great island crows that 
will stand and pick a man's eyes out of his head." 
W. O. Blaisdell. 
Experiences with Wild Animals. 
^ MoRGANTOWN, W. Va., March 28.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: We have been properly admonished by you not 
to "sling mud" or say hard things about those whose 
views do not harmonize with ours along certain lines. 
I have just read Mr. Wells' article in this week's Forest 
AND Stream on the fear of animals in general and the 
panther, or mountain lion, in particular. 
With all respect for those who may differ with Mr. 
Weils, I just felt like throwing up my hat and saying 
"Bully for Wells !" Coining from a man with his sur- 
roundings_ and opportunities, who devotes so much time 
to observing, that ought to be a "clincher" in this dis- 
cussion. Emerson Carney. 
The Snake and the Jug*, 
A party of Jacksonville mechanics were at work on the 
Ma.anzas River ^ome months ago rais'ng a sunken dredge 
boat. They lived on board of the big lighter on which 
they worked in a small house on the deck. One noon 
their bill of fare was somewhat strengthened by some wild 
turkey eggs which had been found by some of the party 
while hunting on shore. After the hungry engineers had 
destroyed a heavy dinner they left their dining room and 
returned to work. The doors and windows were all open, 
and-the_ cook did not clear off the table for some time. 
In this interval a large water moccasin of near 6 feet 
crawled on board the lighter, and wriggled into the dining 
room through the open door. In his prospecting tour he 
climbed the table leg, and here, with a snake's fondness 
for eggs, he went in for a feast. One of the turkey eggs 
lay alone by a plate, and the rest were in a dish on the 
other side of the table. In the center stood a large water 
jug. and right here the wily serpent slipped up. After 
swallowing the lonesopie egg. he started for the main 
supper, and in his artless manner crawled through the 
handle of the jug. It was a rather tight fit, and he had 
to stop about half-way throvigh on account of the egg, 
which enlarged him somewhat. So stretching forward he 
bolted another egg. and thereby fastened himself. 
On each side of the jug handle was an egg on his inside, 
and he could move neither backward nor forward, practi- 
cally riveted in position. He was soon found in this pecu- 
liar situation by the cook, who speedily killed him. 
The reporter was shown the skin of the snake with a 
crease still in the middle from the tremendous pressure, 
and he was also permitted to gaze on the jug whose 
handle proved so fatal.—Florida Times-Union. 
The Linnaean Society. 
Reuulak meetings of the Society will be held in the 
American Museum of Natural History, Seventy-seventh 
street and Eighth avenue, on Tuesday evenings, April 
9 and 23 at 8 o'clock. 
April 9. — C. William Beebe: "A Summer's Study of 
Nova Scotian Biolog}'." Illustrated by lantern slides. 
(Postponed from meeting of March 26.) 
April 23. — Louis B. Bishop: "The Summer Birds of 
Warren, Conn.," and "The Winter Birds of Pea Island, 
North Carolina. Walter W. Granger, 
Secretary American Musuem of Natural History, 
— 
Profirietors of shooting resorts will find it profitable to advertise 
them in Forest and Stream. 
Spring Shooting. 
Watertown, N. Y., March 29. — Editor Forest and 
Stream: I fear that I have already presumed too much 
upon the good nature of Forest and Stream and the 
many readers who are not directly interested in th^s ques- 
tion of spring shooting in New York State. But while 
looking at a map of New York State and admiring the 
new duck preserve of Jefferson, which we hope to annex 
to the old and well-stocked preserve of Ontario, my eye 
happened to rest on the little county of Oswego, the 
county which is willing to stop spring shooting — that is, if 
Long Island does. What a great county this must be for 
black ducks — the only kind the Oswego county gentle- 
man cares to shoot. My map shows one small river, two 
little creeks and the canal. But then they are so centrally 
located, bounded by six counties, and most of them seem 
to have plenty of lakes and small ponds, and they are so 
easy to get to from Oswego. It is such a short distance 
up to Woodville Pond in Jefferson, and it's dollars to 
doughnuts that he has killed more black duck at Wood- 
ville than he ever could in Oswego county, and such a 
nice easy trip to his little preserve at Black Lake, near 
Cayuga Lake. Oh, yes ! Oswego county is a great place 
for black duck with such a lot of nice lakes and ponds 
all around it. Of course she don't want to stop spring 
shooting, and if Long Island is excepted we have got 
to except Oswego county. It seems to me that this bluff 
has been worked plenty long enough, and Jefferson is 
going to call Oswego's hand and make her show down 
what she's got. 
Now the black duck is the only duck this gentleman 
from Oswego cares to shoot in the spring, and I would 
like to have him show me the place on the map of Oswego 
county where he ever killed a black duck at any time 
of year. I wonder how many black ducks the Oswego 
gentleman would kill next spring if we should call his 
bhiff and put a protection fence that he couldn't climb 
over or crawl under around his little patch of sand. 
Jefferson is going to put up a section of that fence this 
year. Why won't the other five counties join in and put 
up the rest of it? The Oswego spring shooter is not 
the only one that is liable to get tangled up in this 
fence. There are several duck shooters in_ New York 
city who are not satisfied until they have followed the 
spring flight through the State to the St. Lawrence 
River and taken a parting shot at them as they leave 
our hospitable shores for Ontario. Syracuse. Rome, 
Utica and Rochester are also represented; even Boston, 
Mass., sends a delegate- every spring. Boys, we like to 
have you visit us, but we should like to have you arrange 
your business so as to do it in the fall. We hope that 
the rest of the State won't object to our extend'ng the 
duck preserve of Ontario down into Jefferson, for we 
believe that we can then have just as good fall duck 
shooting as they have in Ontario and we won't tax you 
twenty-five dollars to come up and try it. 
W. H. Tallett. 
Mr. W. B. Mershon writes in the Saginaw Courier- 
Herald of the Michigan situation: 
"Those shooters here in Saginaw who have advocated 
spring shooting of ducks and water fowl have, as 
a rule, made the argument that they should be allowed 
to shoot these birds in the spring when they are ready 
to nest and breed again and destroy the seed for another 
crop, because other States permitted it; but if other 
States wotild stop spring shooting they would be willing 
to have it stopped in Michigan. Now here is a chance 
to test their sincerity: The following are the facts in 
relation to our neighboring States: It is true that as yet 
Ohio does permit the shooting of water fowl between 
Nov. 10 and Dec. i, and again between March 10 and 
April 10. I believe, in some portions of the State, how- 
ever, it is allowed during open season but three days in 
the week. 
"Indiana and Illinois season opens Sept. i to April 15. 
But our next neighbor, on the west, Wisconsin, does 
not allow spring shooting, the open season being from 
Sept. I to Jan. i, and the State of Minnesota, next ad- 
joining to the northwest, has identically the same laws 
as Wisconsin. Our neighbors of the north, Ontario, have 
just passed a law prohibiting spring shooting. A strong 
effort is being made in the State of New York to pass 
a law at this session to prohibit spring shooting, and the 
indications for success are excellent. Massachusetts has 
put a stop to spring shooting, and Connectictit is ex- 
pected to follow. Now here is a line of territory from 
the Atlantic coast to the margin of Dakota with only two 
black spots in it so far — Michigan and New York. The 
gap above us is filled in with the good work of Ontario, 
a natural breeding ground for water fowl. It is absolutely 
necessary to shorten the season, or the birds will become 
extinct. Is there a better way to shorten it than by 
stopping spring shooting? Ten years ago these stringent 
measures were tmnecessary, and almost anyone could go 
out and get all the ducks necessary. , Twenty years ago 
this was true of the buffalo and wild pigeon. But there 
are more hunters to-day and there are better guns and 
better ammunition and less woodland cover and marsh 
feeding and breeding' ground for the birds, so that strin- 
gent measures are -necessary to orevent the annihilation 
entirely of not only \yater fowl but other game and fish. 
"With the showing of our neighboring States, will not 
our spring shooting friends turn in and help pass a 
measure that will put a stop to the slaughering of water 
fowl at this unnatural season? W. B. Mershon." 
An Appeal for the Wapiti. 
From ihe Kansas City Journal, 
During my summer vacations I have at one time and 
another visited various places along the chain of the 
Rocky Mountains between the Spanish peaks and Targee 
pass in pursuit of "fur, fin and feather." I have had the 
pleasure of successfully fly fishing in the head waters of 
the Columbia for the black speckled trout {SalveUnus 
purpurattis) and then crossing the chain, and there with 
equal success taking from the head waters of the Mis- 
souri the wary grayling {Thymallus sigmfer). 
Early in August, after the frost king has exhaled his 
icy breath and paralyzed the myriads of blood-sncking 
insects which swarmed along the streams during the pre- 
ceding month, the angler may unmolested cast his fly 
in the dashing and foaming waters for Salvelinus or 
Thymallus with results that will fill his heart with glad- 
ness; but by the end of the month he will find his heart 
surfeited on this invigorating and delightful sport. How- 
ever, the open season on "fur and feathers" begins with 
September and he may now transfer his camp from the 
mountain stream on to the high ranges in quest of both. 
In this latter location he will have more than one kind 
of sport. Mounted on his hardy and sure-footed cayuse 
and armed with his deadly Savage he may ride forth in 
search of big game, sometimes found lying high up on 
the mountain sides, or quietly grazing in the little se- 
cluded, grass-covered glades, surrounded by a perfect 
chevaux de frise of fallen timber, or by a seemingly 
impenetrable hedge of standing forest trees, or at other 
times hidden in the deepest woody solitude or darkest 
and narrowest canon reces.ses. Here are found the wapiti 
— commonly though errtneously called the elk — the b ack 
and white tail deer, moose, sheep, bear, puma — or Rocky 
Mountain lion— lynx and wolf, the himting of which in 
season affords the most exciting sport. 
While moose are not common in the Rocky Moun- 
tains, they are found in Wyoming around the Tetons, 
up near the snow line and in the high mountains north- 
west of there, near the sources of the Yellowstone and 
Buffalo rivers. 
The black-tail deer, though found everywhere along 
the Rockies, are perhaps more numerous than anywhere 
else in those mountains that are situated in that part of 
Colorado that lies between Hahn's Peak and the head 
waters of the White and Bear rivers. In October these 
animals migrate southwest into the basin of the Colorado 
River, and there remain until the following spring, when 
they return, greatly reduced in flesh and numbers. 
During the rnigratory season, while camping for a 
couple of weeks near the base of old Sleepy Gap, I had 
the pleastire of seeing as many as 100 of them a day. 
And while their numlsers are being gradually reduced, 
still under the restrictive laws of the State, which are 
fairly well enforced, it will be many years yet before they 
become extinct 
The wapiti, though found in various localities along 
the Rockies, are far more numerous in Wyoming than 
elsewhere. During the summer months the habitat of 
most of these animals is in the Yellowstone National 
Park. There they find abundant pasturage and fine 
water, and under the protecting care of the United States 
authorities enjoy absolute immunity from molestation; 
there, too, they bring forth their young. 
As to the number in the National Park and its im- 
mediate vicinity, various estimates have been made. 
Mr. S. E. Osborne, a deputy game warden of Wyoming, 
who has faithfully served the State in that capacity for 
many years, and who has followed every wapiti trail from 
the south boundary of the National Park to Hoback's 
River, and whose opinion on the subject is, I think, en- 
titled to more weight than that of any other person, puts 
the present number at 25,000. And while the opinions of 
others professing to have some knowledge on the sub- 
ject differ, some estimating the number above and others 
below that named by Mr. Osborne, I am inclined to 
think the latter's figures are approximately correct. 
Last summer Avhilc in camp with two other hunters 
on the head of Thoroughfare Creek, a few miles south 
and west of the southeast corner of the National Park, a 
snow fell to. the depth of r2 inches and remained for 
several days. Dijring the prevalence of this storm great 
numbers of wapiti abandoned their summer pastures on 
the high mountains in the National Park and directed 
their course toward the low-lying buttes situated in and 
along the basin of Snake River. 
In going about we here met small bands of old bucks, 
numbering from three to a dozen, and larger ones com- 
posed of bucks, cows and calves, sometimes numbering 
hundreds, all heading south. They were often quite gen- 
tle, allowing us to approach within less than 10 yards of 
them. Many of them had doubtless never before seen a 
man nor heard the crack of a rifle. It is safe to say that 
in three davs more than 1,000 were seen by us within 
easy range of our rifles; but notwithstanding this not a 
shot was fired by any of our party, we having previously 
each killed as many as our license authorized. Then, 
too, we had as much meat and as many heads as any 
true sportsman would care for dtiring any one hunt._ 
The wapiti have learned by sad experience that during 
the winter in the high mountains in the National Park 
and its vicinity the snow falls to a depth of froin 3 to 7 
feet, and that during this time they cannot remain there, 
or if they do they must perish. Hence, as soon as the 
snow begins to fall they leave these mountain ranges, 
gradually moving southward, many of them going as far 
as Hoback's River, where they find excellent winter pas- 
turage in the basin of Snake River and its confluents. 
They remain at this latter place until the snow disappears; 
in the National Park, when they return to their summer 
breeding grounds. 
They cannot exist in the National Park during the 
winter, ;ind but for the pasturage afforded them in the 
Snake River Basin they must perish, for they can find 
it nowhere else. They cannot go west on account of 
tite population covering the Madison and Henry's Fork 
