FOREST AND STREAM. 
82^ 
Four-footed wild animals, with a few exceptions, own 
farms, gardens or house-lots. That is, they hold exclu- 
sive control over a limited area around their nesting sites. 
You seldom see two woodchuck holes near each other, 
or two rabbit burrows. The red squirrel runs a fruit 
farm. He owns and controls trees that bear nuts or 
cones, and other reds respect his rights, and do not invade 
his territory unless there is a famine. A red squirrel will 
fight savagely for his home and property, and usually 
drives all intruders from his domain. 
Young squirrels remain with their parents through the 
first winter, but in April the female turns the family over 
to the male, and makes another nest of mOss, leaves and 
dry grass in the top of a tall pine or hemlock tree, 
While she is engaged by new duties, the male looks after 
the young squirrels that are now full grown. He finishes 
their education and locates the j^oung males on territory 
which they ever after hold. The young females, later 
on, are mated and remove to the locality inhabited by 
their mates. Whether the parents have anything to do in 
selecting son-in-laws is beyond my knowledge. I have 
known an old male to fly into a' passion when a smart 
yotmg red tried to flirt with his daughter. The flirta- 
tion was cut short by the angry father, who run the 
young dandy off his territory. Kicked him out of doors, 
so to speak. Another young red that courted the daugh- 
ter was tolerated, if not welcomed, by the father. He 
was the choice of the old fellow beyond doubt, but I do 
not know how the young lady decided the matter. Per- 
haps she eloped with the smart young red. 
Bismarck, the grizzled old warrior, held my dooryard 
for several years. One winter, when there was a famine 
in the land because the nut crop had failed, a muscular 
young red thought he could drive Bismarck away. A 
fierce battle was the consequence, and Bismarck killed 
his antagonist, but was disfigured for life by the loss of 
the end of his tail. 
While Bismarck reigned, the only squirrel that gained 
a foothold in the dooryard without his consent was 
his wife. He chased her away time after time, but like 
some human wives, she persisted and won the day. Bis- 
marck gave in when, instead of running away, his wife 
adopted the plan of running spirally up and down the 
tree trunks. Mrs. Bismarck's favorite tree was a large 
hemlock, which was about eighteen inches in diameter. 
The trunk of the tree was very short, not o\'er eight 
feet in length from the ground to the lower limbs. The 
squirrels made two turns in either going up or down the 
tree, and their speed was too swift for the human eye. 
A brown band seemed for a moment wound about the 
tree, shifting as the squirrels ascended or descended. It 
was two weeks before Bismarck would allow his mate 
to remain in the dooryard. When peace was declared 
the two would eat side by side, but with Bismarck al- 
ways scolding and growling, while his wife^ discreetly 
remained silent. 
Bismarck was my schoolmaster. He taught me that 
squirrels think, plan and reason just as human beings do. 
Every time I threw to him a nut or bit of bread, I would 
see him do the thinking act. He would take the food to 
a boulder, where he would stop, hold up one foot ready 
to start again, and think out a good hiding place. When 
he had thought out a spot, he would run directly to it 
and conceal the food under leaves or pine needles and 
return to the dooryard for more. No two nuts or bits 
of bread were concealed in the same place. Several times 
I experimented to find out how many trips Bismarck 
would make. The greatest number was fifty-one. While 
the experiment was going on I noted each hiding place, 
as well as I could, and afterwards saw the squirrel go to 
many. He certainly remembered each spot, and his keen 
scent did the rest. 
Bismarck was a thrifty squirrel. He did not disturb 
his hidden store while the food held out in the door- 
yard. He would call around early in the morning, and if 
he found me eating breakfast under the trees, he would 
run to a limb just over my head and look down in a cute 
way that meant "breakfast for two." If I did not respond 
he would probably say to himself, "the hermit don't mean 
to feed me to-day. I must fall back on the food that I 
hid away yesterday. Let me see, that first nut is under 
the edge of a boulder just back of the cabin." Off he 
goes straight to the spot. He noses out the nut, which 
he eats on the limb over my head, scattering the bits of 
shell onto the breakfast tabl^. He is very sociable while 
eating, for he stops now and then to say something to me. 
I do not understand his exact language, but I know by the 
tone that he means to be friendly. 
[to be continued.] 
Hei«(Jfty and Telegfony* 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I confess that my statement about telegony (in your 
13th) was obscure. Please let me recast it. "While it is 
utterly incorrect that telegony is an ■invariable following 
of a mesalliance, still it seems well proven that there are 
occurrences of it, although such are very rare,, and a case 
of telegony will probably upset all theories of heredity 
that may be drawn froin it, because the telegonous in- 
fluence may be unknown." 
But I am puzzled by Coahoma's statement — ativism, 
or "telegony," as Mr. Wade prefers to call it. Does not' 
Coahoma know that the two subjects are totally un- 
connected? Ativism is reversion to an actual, legitimate 
ancestor, what we commonly call "throwing back" ; teleg- 
ony is where one sire fixes the character of the skin and 
hair, and a subsequent sire fixes all other characteristics, 
what we commonly call "the influence of a preceding 
sire." The ovum is impregnated only partially by the 
first sire, and the succeeding, and life-giving, sire de- 
termines its actual form and life. 
The dog, born of full tailed parents, who was tailless 
himself, and who never begot full tailed progeny, does not 
support the tight theory of heredity, for he departed 
from all heredity, his begetting pups, like himself, came 
from individual potenc}', and not from heredity, and 
every experienced breeder knows how individual potenc}^ 
often upsets the general rule that "like begets like." As 
Coahoma's misunderstanding of the broad difference 
between ativism and telegony leaves me in doubt of just 
what he meant in his communication, I cannot follow him 
further at present. Yours truly, 
W- Wade. 
Oakmont, Pa.» April 20. 
Skunks and Hydrophobia* 
Arizona has somewhat of an unsavory reputation in 
the way of Gila monsters, rattlesnakes, and tarantulas, 
but no word has been said of the hydrophobia skunk. 
This pestiferous Httle wretch causes more trouble and 
more deaths result from its bite than from all other 
causes of like character combined. But for the Pasteur 
Institute, in Chicago, the death rate from skunk bites 
would be appallingly large. The little brute is generally 
distributed from one end of the Territory to the other. 
On the great desert plains it has no home, but it more 
than makes up for any shortcoming in that direction by 
being extra plentiful elsewhere. It can safely be said 
that it is the only animal in the Territory affected by 
rabies. Dogs, wolves and coyotes go mad and bite 
everything within reach, but so far as known no serious 
results have ever followed. Under the personal knowl- 
edge of the writer animals have repeatedly been bitten 
by dogs having every indication of suffering with rabies 
without being similarly affected. When such animal 
runs mad much excitement is created, but as nothing 
more is heard of it the excitement soon dies away. Dr. 
George Martin, of Tucson, once told the writer that 
during the early occupation of old Fort Yuma a "mad" 
coyote ran amuck on the Arizona side of the Colorado, 
tli£n swam the river, entered the post and bit some eight 
or ten people before it could be killed. As the Ameri- 
cans were comparatively new comers to the country, 
the most dreadful consequences were anticipated and 
feared, but in no one instance did they materialize. With 
Mr. Skunk, however, it is different, as a bite from him 
means either an expensive trip to the Pasteur Institute 
or an even less desirable one to the graveyard. Numer- 
ous cases could be shown to that end and the following 
may be taken as a fair illustration. 
March 23, 1899, Mrs. C. M. Clay, of Tucson, died from 
the effects of such bite. About six weeks previously, 
when outing with her husband in the Santa Rita Moun- 
tains, near Greaterville, a skunk entered the tent one 
night where they were sleeping and bit her on the nose. 
The wound soon healed, and as they did not under- 
stand the nature of the case no further attention was 
paid to It. Later she was taken with a severe cold and 
returned to Tucson for treatment. Poison symptoms 
then developed and several physicians were called to 
attend the case. Some relief was had, and she did not 
appear -to suffer greatly until a few days before her 
death, when violent paroxysms of pain and convulsions 
set m. When so suffering she had to be forcibly held 
by her attendants, whom she strove to bite. Death 
finally came in the midst of her sufferings. She was a 
most estimable lady, and her death was greatly regretted. 
Last February a man by the name of D. C. Gregory, 
a mnier working on Cave Creek, about forty miles north 
of Phoenix, was bitten on the toe of one foot. To avoid 
such visitors his tent had been tightly pegged down, 
but the skunk had dug its way under, and not satisfied 
with one bite it jumped on the bed and for fully five 
minutes tried to get at the man, who had secreted himself 
under the covers. The noise aroused the occupant of 
an adjoining tent, who went in and killed it. The next 
day Gregory went to Phcenix, and on the morning fol- 
lowing left for the Pasteur Institute, at Chicago. Al- 
though he could not. well bear the expense of the trip 
and treatment, he was, as he said, "too voung and healthy 
a man to sit still and die of skunk bite." He returned in 
about a month thoroughly cured. 
Silas Carson, a cowboy, living in'the Sulphur Springs 
Valley, was bitten in the face on the night of July 25, 
1900. while asleep in his camp. As the bite was not a 
severe on. and being accustomed to a rough life he 
thought but little of the occurrence for several weeks, 
when he was taken ill and showed symptoms of hydro- 
phobia. He went at once to Wilcox and was taken by 
Dr. Alton to the Sisters Hospital in El Paso, Texas'. 
Several of the leading physicians of that city were called 
m for consultation, but their efforts were of no avail, and 
he died after enduring horrible convulsions. His body 
was shipped to Blanco City for burial. Pima. ' 
Proprietors of shooting resorts will find it profitable to advertise 
them in Forest and Stream. 
YuM', Ariz. 
Fannin's BItie Heron* 
In a recent paper, published in the Bulletin of the 
American Museum of Natural History, Mr. Frank N. 
Chapman describes a new subspecies of the widely dis- 
tributed great blue heron, under the name Ardea herodias 
fannini. This form was first brought to the author's at- 
tention by Mr. John Fannin, well known as the Curator 
of the Provincial Museum at Victoria, V. L, who in igoo 
presented the x\merican Museum with an adult great 
blue heron from Vancouver Island. Other material has 
since been received from Queen Charlotte's Island and 
the whole shows that the great blue heron of the north- 
west coast from A'ancouver Island northward is en- 
titled to a sub specific name. The subspecies is well 
named after the most enthusiastic ornithologist of the 
northwest coast. 
The bird has a shorter tarsus, has the plumage through- 
out much darker, the upper parts being bluish slate 
black instead of bluish gray. The tibis are more feath- 
ered. 
In the same paper Mr. Chapman expresses the opinion 
based on a considerable amount of material, that the 
great blue heron of Florida known as Ardea wardi is not 
entitled to specific rank. He regards it as a southern race 
of the typical blue heron with which it intergrades Its 
range extends west at least as far as Corpus Cliristi 
Texas. ' 
■'I once had .t cat which always sat up to the dinner table with 
me and had his napkin round his neck and his plate and some fish 
He used his paw, of course; but he was very particular and be'- 
haved with extraordmarj- decorum. When he had finished his 
fish I sometimes gave him a piece of mine. One day he was not 
to be found when the dinner bell rang. Just as the plates were 
beingr put around for the entree, puss came rushing upstairs and 
sprang into his chair, with two mice in his mouth. Before he 
could be stopped he dropped a mouse onto his own plate and then 
one onto mme. He divided his dinner with me as I divided mine 
with him. —St. James Gazette. 
The Forest ahd Stieam is put to presi each week on Tuesday. 
Correspondence intended for publication should reach us at the 
latest hy Monday and aa mnch earlier aa praedcable. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
Mix Up of Game Laws. 
Chicago, 111., April 20.— The Indiana Game law con- 
tinues to cut its wide swath of discontent and desolation 
among the Chicago shooters. Just now it is about the 
jacksnipe clause. The duck season is over, and every- 
body knows that, and everybody knows that it costs $25 
to shoot ducks in Indiana and that you are mighty apt 
to get arrested if you don't dig out the $25. Under the 
peculiar wording of the law, however, jacksnipe, cotton- 
tail rabbits and two or three other things which might 
perhaps be flying or running targets, are not specified, 
unless both jacksnipe and cottontail rabbit are included 
under the head of "water fowl," which is not altogether 
clearly to be allowed in the case of either the jacksnipe 
or the rabbit. Now if the jacksnipe be not included 
under the name wildfowl, it does not come within the 
scope of the clause, which states that a license must be 
taken out for any of the above-mentioned birds or ani- 
mals. Hence if one does not need a license nor a closing 
date on jacksnipe, it would seem he could go afield with 
his gun on the Indiana marshes, after all, with a certain 
amount of his erstwhile independence. There has been- 
no practical way of deciding this question, and the mat- 
ter has been discussed very warmly in Chicago all 
through this week. It is reported that Mr. Howe has 
word from the Secretary of State -of Indiana that jack- 
snipe are not considered wildfowl and that no one will 
be bothered for hunting them, A local wise man says 
that there is a decision in the Indiana Supreme Court, 
jacksnipe to be wildfowl. I do not recollect ever hear- 
ing of such a decision. The same question was what 
was once mooted in this State, where jacksnipe were in- 
tentionally excepted from the intention of the law. 
Under the circumstances, since it is practically sure 
thata these Indiana wardens will arrest a man on sight or 
suspicion, and since they have a right to do this in spite 
of the dictum of the Attorney-General or Secretary of 
State, and to take a case to the courts where only it can 
be determined, the safest thing would seem to be to let 
tiie jacksnipe of Indiana alone this spring. Wait till we 
have a test case. If this test case when taken to the 
courts shows that any one can hunt jacksnipe at any 
time and without a license in Indiana, then it is pretty 
plain that the loophole has at last been found, without 
which no Western game law is entitled to move in good 
society. It was the evident intention of our good In- 
diana friends to wipe Chicago off the shooting map, but 
next year it may appear that she has not yet quite done so. 
The_ effect of this Indiana law on sporting goods trade 
of Chicago has been very aoparent, and has indeed cut 
off a week or so of the shooting trade. Most of our 
snipe shooters used to go to Indiana, and not many of 
them know good grounds in Illinois. 
The jacks are in now at Fox Lake, 111., in some num- 
bers. One bag. which I much misdoubt to be apocry- 
phal, IS reported' of sixty-five snipe early this week near 
Fox Lake. Oswald Von Lergerke starts to-day for the 
marsh near Momence, 111. Mr. Phil Woodford and Mr. 
W. L. Wells a.re figuring on the Skokie marsh, north of 
Chicago, for next Tuesday. No very good jacksnipe 
shooting is reported, though no doubt there are a great 
many birds in on the lower marshes. 
No New Illinois "Warden. 
On April 17, Governor Yates, in reply to an inquiry, 
stated that there had been no change made in the office 
of State Game Commissioner. This would seem to quiet 
rumors to the effect that present incumbent. Mr. H. W. 
Loveday. has been removed. 
Visitors. 
Mr George A. Clarke and Mr. F. W. Willard, both of 
iopeka, Kan., are m town to-day buying fishing tackle. 
J hese gentlemen belong to the Lake View Fishing and 
Hunting Club, whose lake lies between Topeka and 
Lawrence. They have very god fly-fishing for bass on 
Lawrence Ihey have very good fly-fishing for bass on 
tavorite Kansas waters, the Cottonwood and the little 
^mnescaih, are both splendid bass waters to-day, nota- 
bl.v the Ninnescah, along its lower reaches, where are 
Jittle bayous and pockets making back from the stream 
I used to have very good bass fishing out in Kansas 
more than a dozen years ago. 
Mr. Clarke has spent many years rambling over the 
Western States, and has fished for trout all over Colo- 
rado and Wyoming. He says that the prettiest trout 
stream he ever tackled is the Tongue River, of Wyoming 
which IS best reached via Ranchester, on the Burling- 
ton road. Thence one goes overland to Dayton near 
the toot of the mountains. There is a tie camp in the 
mountains up the Tongue, and it is only due to this tie 
camp that one is able to get up to the best .fishing 
waters. I he lumbermen have built a long flume some 
six or eight miles long, which is trestled up along the 
face of the cliff's, sometimes go feet sheer above the 
ground. One has to climb up the flume, for it is im- 
possible to ascend the canon of the Tongue River other- 
wise. Once m the canon, one fishes down stream, and 
there is a fall of water 3 to 4 feet broken up into 
pools 30 to 60 teet m extent and 4 to 12 feet in depth. 
Mr. Clarke says that he has sometimes looked down 
from the high trestle of the flume above such a pool and 
seen it almost packed with trout running in weight from 
% pound to 3K pounds. 
Mr. Arthur Goshorn, editor and owner of the Winter- 
set News, of Winterset, la., paid this ofiice a visit during 
the week. Mr. Goshprn was one of my classmates in 
college, seventy or eightj^ years ago. and I have not 
seen him since we bore our collegiate honors thick upon 
us He has turned out to be not only a newspaper man 
J-'^^. .hunter and fisherman, so there is little 
doubt that he is entitled to be called a successful man 
He IS expecting some good snipe shooting near his city 
