166 " 
Too Much of a Good Thing. 
As I was Avalkiiig in tke woods -one day a little snake 
slipped out of a tuft of ferns and darted across my path. 
I stooped quickly and caught him in my hand. It was 
an adder, about twelve inches long, mottled red and 
while on Ihe back, and checkered white and black on the 
belly, and so pretty that I tied him in my handkerchief 
and carried him home. 
A small aquarium that had sprung a leak made an 
appropnale house for him. A nest of cotton, in one cor- 
ner, under a bit of bark, was his bed, and the inserted 
top of a round, .silver box his drinking cup. I put in a 
little earth, witli mosses and small ferns, to make tilings 
homelike, and placed the whole on top of the piano. He 
was afraid at first, but soon would let me touch and play 
with him, and rather liked to curl up in my hand, for 
warmth, perhaps. 
I was taking music lessons at the time, and several 
hours each day were spent at the piano. I rattled and 
banged with conscientious fervor, but the snake did not 
seem to mind, and slept curled up under his coverlet of 
bark. 
One day my teacher gave me a gavotte of Bach's to 
study. It was hard, but I was determined, and soon the 
notes flew from under my fingers with some rapidity. I 
then began to notice that it had 'a strange effect upcii 
the adder. Ahnost at the first note his head, with bhe 
beady eyes and darting tongue, would peer from uirder 
the bark, his body slowly following. Around and around 
his glass house he would glide, slowly at first,, aund by 
degrees faster; then rise nearly his ftill lengtht,, support- 
ing himself on his tail, and fall over like a log^ This he 
would do all the time the gavotte lasted. K»I' played! 
something else, or closed the piano, he; slipped! back 
under cover and coiled up. I had a great, qegardi for tfiir 
old kapellmeister, but an irreverent fffiend' has s-irErG«; 
told me that some of his music sugge.s.ts a basket fuJI off 
eels or snakes all wriggling in different directions. Pos- 
sibly the same analogy occurred to the adder. Having 
heard that snakes are charmed by music, and that Indian 
fakirs make them dance to s,weet sounds. I flattered 
myself that my interpretation of Bach exercised a charm 
over one pair of ears at least, and seldom finished a 
seance at the piano without piping up the gavotte for 
the little adder. 
One day I was showing off his "pas seul" to a friend 
and played the piece through several times. The next: 
morning 1 found my adder curled up inside his silver- 
drinking cup, his head under water, dead. M. M. 
Buffalo Bred in Captivity. - 
In the Boston Transcript of Wednesday, Oct. ro) rgoov 
appeared a very interesting article bv Mr. Masfc SullSvam,. 
entitled "The Buffalo Still JJves.'"' The a^rticle beans^ 
marks of careful study, and the writer has ^vidfentjy, mad'e: 
great effort to be sure of the facts. There- is, however;, one 
point in it which the writer says was suggested to liiitu, 
but which he appears to adopt as his, 0.W1I} "ami" tliis may 
be stated — for fear of doing him aijt injufiticc— in,liisi0wni 
words : 
"The third influence which menaces the buffalo > in 1 cap 
tivity was brought to my attention just at the time wheni 
I had begun to believe they were safe so far as iiiteeedingj 
is concerned. It w^as pointed out to me by a ni-ember of; 
the New York Zoological Society — a scientist and mam 
of wealth, who has given freely of his time andlmoney toi 
save the bison. He despaired of the result. His reasoni 
he expressed about this way. 
"There is a law, just beginning to be observed by 
scientists, which operates to this general effect. Wheni 
animals are surrounded by favorable environments ai 
large majority of the births are females, and the race; 
propagates freely; when the environments are unfavon^- 
able, the ratio is reversed. 
"It was the operation of this law that caused the enor-- 
mous increase of English rabbi-ts when introduced inttji 
Australia. That Vienna physician had a glimmering iii!-- 
.sight into it when he annownccd! that the sex of huraani 
births could be influenpedr. For that matter, no sciejiti'stt 
has more than a glimmering of it yet, although thet man: 
who first mentioned; it^ to ixi.e saidlits operation was acnwel! 
understood by ll;^.^. members^ aiitd employees of t'fte' Mew 
York ZoolQgicEjJ Society that no one ever looks fon-the 
t^irt|i ot a, female buffalo at. B'ronx Park; when; a: birth 
^s apnoiinced they take it: for gr-anted it is a r&alei.and^aje 
tjpvQr disappointed. 
"The. idea! w,as so. novel' to me and its bearing- dn- th'a 
fate of the buifalp, so vital, that I set about testing it set. 
once. I made infl|j.iij-ies about the births at several collea-' 
lions whei-e thio a.nii?33ls are in more or less captivity, tile; 
ranges b.eiw fi:om, one to one hundred acres in extent." ' 
'■file sesuJii of these^ inquiries g;ive a total of 58 births, .of? 
-which 3,5 were males; in other worefs, of the births, .(Sbi}!: 
-were niales, .396 were females, o.r the births are nearly3Tas : 
3 to. 5- in, fayor- of the niaks> This shows the absurdity-vofc" 
the statement already quoted!, and attributed to the scienai- 
tist who dfeelfircd' that at the New York Zoological;' Pa'rk': 
when, the birth of hulfalo is announced they take ^it fdrr 
granted; it iis 3i male, and are never disappoint.e.d.'.; As' an 
ipat.ticr ofi' fiact we believe that only two calv.f^s have- ever' 
ijpeQH^ in the Zoological Society's Parljt.- Both were- 
ifiaj^s, to be sure, but the absurdity of generalizin-g from ; 
two births is sufficiently obvious. The matter deserves 
more attention, since in Nature of Nov. 22, Mr. Lydekker* 
quoted Mr. Sullivan's statement with regard to the ten- 
dency to the relative increase of males among the buffalo ■ 
offspring, apparently with approval. 
It is sufficiently well recognized that the abnormal condi- ■ 
tions which surround captive animals influence them in a 
great variety of ways, and it may very well be that this ; 
is one of the ways in which they are influenced. Yet the ■ 
data on which we can figure are so^ entirely inadequate ■ 
that any attempt to draw any conclusions from them are : 
as yet absurd. 
In the effort to gain further information on this point 
we have made inquiry among a number of people caring ■ 
for buffalo, and present the results below. 
It is commonly assumed that in nature the birds are ■ 
equally divided between male and female, but as a mat- 
ter of fact, absolutely nothing appears to be known on 
this point, except, possibly, in the case of the fur seal,.-. 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
which, as^ suggested to me by my friend, Mr. Arthur Er- 
win Brown, is of no value here, since the species has not 
been kept in captivity, and, furthermore, belongs to an 
aberrant group. 
So far as we can learn from the small number of 
cases at hand — only eighty-five births in all — ^the pro- 
portion of males to females is as 60 to 40. 
Dr. Frank Baker, superintendent of the National 
Zoological Park, Washington, .D. C, states (Dec. 27, 
TQOo) that of seven calves horn in the park, five were 
males and two females. 
Mr. Arthur Erwin Brown, of fhe Philadelphia Zoo- 
logical Gardens, gives me, under date of Dec. 27, 1900, a 
total of thirty-eight births in his garden from 1874 to 
igoo.j Of these twenty-four were males and fourteen 
females. 
Dr. F. A. Crandall Jr., curator of the Zoo at Buffalo, 
^N. Y., states (Dec. 31, 1900) that the only calf born there 
was a female. 
Geo. W. Burke, superintendent of the Pittsburg (Pa.) 
Highland Park (Jan. 2, 1901), has had one calf, a male. 
Frank M. Chapel, superintendent of Hon. W. C. Whit- 
ney's preserve, states (Jan. 4, 1901) that from 1898 to 
1900, inclusive, there were eleven births, of which seven 
were males and four females. 
Finally Mr. Austin Corbin, whose record hasl)een kept 
carefully only for the year 1900, reports for that year 
twenty-five births, of which thirteen were female and 
twelve males. It will be recognized, of course, that thefe 
buffalo have practically a free range, and are not in con- 
finement. 
To summarize them we give the following table: 
M. F. 
Blue Mountain Forest Association 12 13 
National Zoological Park 5 2 
Philadelphia Zoological Gardens 24 14 
Hon. W. C. Whitney's preserve j 4 
Highland Park, Pittsburg e o 
Buffalo, N. Y., Zoo o i 
New York Zoological Park 2 o 
. A 51 34 
Genetal Daflingf*s Elk Hotns. 
The measurements of the elk horns, owned by Gerr. 
Charles W. Darling, Utica, N. Y., are as follows: 
The antlers measure 9 feet and 3 inches from tip of 
beam to tip of beam across the skull, and they have a 
spread of 53,54 inches. They have a beam length of 55 
and 565^ inches, and the longest prongs are 16 and 17 
inches in length. There are 10 of them. Had these elk 
horns been differently mounted, with the elk's head be- 
tween them, they would have had a spread of 24 inches 
more than they now have. They were picked up at the 
base of the Rocky Mountains, by a friend of Gen. Dar- 
ling, manv years ago. 
Probably there is but one larger pair in existence, 
that in possession of Emperor William, of Germany. 
That pair was presented to him by Hans Leiden, the 
German consul at the Netherlands, and the Director of 
the Zoological Garden at Cologne. Those horns meas- 
ure 12 feet from tip of beam to tip of beam across the 
skull, and have a spread of 62 inches. They have a beam 
length of 67 and 67?^ inches, respectively, and the long- 
est prongs are. from 22 to 23^.^ inches in length, and there 
are 12 of them. Oneida. 
[The paragraph purporting to give the measurements of 
these antlers fails to convey to us any idea of their size or 
character. It is stated that they are on the skull, and be- 
low it is intimated that the head is not "between them." 
They are said to be very large, yet to have only ten points 
— i. e., to be what used to be called a five-pointer. Are 
they shed antlers or what? Many years ago in New 
York there was for a time the largest elk head v^re ever 
saw. It was said to be a gift from an enthusiastic Ger- 
man here to the old Emperor William, the grandfather of 
Germany's present ruler. We do not know that it was 
ever measured — no one ever measured horns in those 
days — but the horns were very large and startlingly mas- 
sive. We believe it was shipped to Germany, as in- 
tended.] 
The African Game Supply, 
.A report on the administration of Rhodesia, recently 
issued by the British South Africa Company, contains 
matter of great interest to naturalists and sportsmen as 
well. This is the section devoted to Notes on the Fauna 
and Mora of Northeastern Rhodesia, by Mr. C. P. Ches- 
naye. The time covered is from 1898 to 1900, thus bring- 
ing itt down almost to date. 
Mr. Chesnaye's report takes a very hopeful view of the 
prospects of the survival in considerable numbers of 
certain larger mammals and reptiles in the district to 
the west of Loangwa, in the swamps of Bangeolo and 
Mweru. Owing to the fact that for the greater part of the 
3'ear it lives in s\vamps that are quite inaccessible to the 
hunter, the elephant is still met with in large herds. 
These are likely to be preserved in the future by the pro- 
posed formation of a game preserve to the east of Lake 
Mweru, since the elephants wall probably retire from the 
hunted districts to those where they are not hunted. The 
hippopotamus is said to abound in the district, while 
rhinoceroses are abundant. 
In 1893 the rinderpest swept the country, killing off large 
numbers of buffalo and antelope of one sort and another; 
but the country is gradually recovering, and many dis- 
tricts are rich in game, especially in antelope of many 
varieties, of hartbeest and zebras. This would seem to 
offer still further encouragement to the English author- 
ities to establish on a large scale the game reserves of 
which so much has been said within the last few years. 
A Q«ail*s Nest. 
Plainwell, Mich., Aug. 15. — I tried to get a good pic- 
ture for you, but did not succeed to my satisfaction. No. 
I is a picture of the nest. No. 2 the sarne with the quail 
on. No. 3 the same with the quail on — it does not show 
her at all, but she is there. There were fifteen eggs in 
the nest, and they were hatched Aug. 10; that is pretty 
late, I guess. _ J. H. M, 
[Ara 31, t^t. 
mt[t mtd 0m 
Proprietors of shooting resorts will find it profitable to advertlafti 
them in Forest and Stkeam. 
A Game Law Form. 
Kdifor Forest and Streani: ^ 
The frequent mistakes made in the pass:age and! anTeiiidr 
ment of game laws, as illustrated by the last h^^: m€ 
Illinois in omitting to provide for the protection lof qitnail 
and woodcock, and the -double negative used by tlse Aadu- 
bon Society in its draft of laws for the protection of 
birds, as well as the usual negative form so long^ used in 
prescribing seasons when game shall not be taken, calls 
for a radical change in game law phraseology, including 
a simpler method in stating the seasons. 
The usual form adopted is as follows : 
"Every person, who between the first day of February and the 
first day of October of any year takes or kills, etc., shall be guiltv, 
etc." 
This is objectionable because it is uncertain whether 
the first days of February and October are in the open or ' 
close season. Strictly construed, the first day of FelDruary 
is part of the open season on account of the use of the 
word "between." The period "between" Feb. i and Oct. 
I begins Feb. 2, and ends Sept. 30. although the intent of 
the law was no doubt to have Feb. i a part of the close 
season. 
The use of the words "of any year" is also wrong. It, 
should read "of the same year." In the law from whichi 
this is taken (California) other sections do read "of tlte' 
same year," thus using different words to express ihc 
same ideas, as evidence of careless drafting. 
At the end of every section is also attached a peaalty,. 
This is unnecessary and simply adds useless words. 
Most game laws are constructed on this plan, being; 
simply copies of those first enacted, no particular thoughtt 
having been given to improving the phraseology. 
In drafting the present game law of Colorado I adbpted' 
a method which renders such errors almost impossible. 
The following is the division of that law pertaining tO' 
seasons and limitations : 
''Division B. General Regulations — Open Seasons — Number — 
Oiiantity. 
Section 1. No person shall at any time of the year, or in any/ 
manner, pursue, take, wound or kill any bison, buffalo, elk, deer;. 
.Tntelope, mountain sheep or beaver, or any of the following wild! 
birds, viz.: Turkey, prairie chicken, sage chicken, grouse, qtiail,, 
pheasant, partridge, ptarmigan, duck, goose, brant, swan, crane,, 
water fowl, pigeon, dove, snipe or curlew, or any trout, white fish;, 
grayling, sunfish, bass, catfish, wall-eyed pike or other food fish;, 
or sell, offer or expose for sale, or have the same in possession,, 
except as permitted by this act; Provided, The prohibition in this; 
section as to beaver shall not extend to such beaver as interfere; 
with the operation or maintenance of any canal, ditch or lawfull 
dam. 
Sec. 2. No person shall shoot from a public highway at game',, 
or fish or hunt game in any enclosure not public land, without the 
consent of the owner or person in charge of the same, at fish or 
hunt in any park, lake or preserve licensed under this act, withi- 
out the consent of the proprietor or person in charge oi the srimf„ 
and no question of ownership, proprietorship or charge shall defeai 
a prosecution unless it appears that the accused in good faith hans 
theretofore claimed, and at the time of the commission: of the aicit 
complained of, claimed to be such owner, proprietor or to Ika-vf 
such charge, or to have had the consent of tlie owiter, prepirictor 
or person in charge, and shall establish such claim. 
Sec. 3. No person shall have in possession or transport the 
carcass of any game quadruped or any considerabl'e portion of such 
carcass unless the same has thereon the natitraJ evidence of its 
sex sufficient to enable such sex to he readily determined by or- 
dinary inspection. 
Sec.' 4. Every person lawfully taking any fish alive and desiring 
and entitled lawfully to retain tlie same, shall immediately kill it, 
TUiless it is intended to lie kept alive, in which case it shall be 
immediately placed in a suitable receptacle containing sufficient 
water and given propcf care and attention. 
Sec. 5. No game or fish shall be used for baiting any trap, dt- 
vice or deadfall, nor shall any edible portion of game or fish. TVc 
abandoned or permitted to go to waste, nor shall the nest or %ag- . 
of any game bird be disturbed, desti-oyed or held in possessi;,jfi-.. 
Sec. 6. No dynamite or other explosive or poisonous or stupe- 
fying substance whatever shall be used in the taking or kiJling of f 
any fish, nor placed in any waters containing fish, exce.pc. ^vlien) 
done by public authority for public improvement, nor shall any, 
ties or timber be . driven or floated down any stream, containing' 
fish. 
Sec. 7. It shall be lawful to pursue, take or kill, d.iiring the openi 
season therefor, in the manner, of the kind, for the purpose and! 
to the number and extent in this section provided, the following 
game and fish, and the open seasons therefor in. each year shttiH 
begin and. end as follows, namely: 
1. The open season for deer having horns and antelopes hawi'ttg 
horns shall begin August 15 and end November 5 next ensuing. 
2. The open season for elk having horns shalli begin October 
25 and end November 5 next ensuing, 
3. The open season for wild turkeys, prairie: chickens, sage 
chickens and grouse shall begin August 15 and ewd October 31 
next ensuing. 
4. The open season for wild ducks, geese, snipes, curlew.s, 
brants, swans, cranes and water fowls shall begin September 1 
and end April 15 next ensuing, except in regions exceeding 7,0lli) 
feet above sea level, where the- open season shall begin Sep- 
tember 15. 
5. The open season for wild pigeons and doves shall begin July 
15 and end September 30 next ensuing. 
6. The open season for trout not less than eight inches in 
length, and other fish, shall begin June 1 and end October V,\ 
next ensuing. 
7. The right given by this section to take or kill game and 
fish is limited to food purposes, and to fifty ducks and twenty- 
five other birds and twenty pounds of trout and fifty pounds o( 
other fish for each person in any one calendar day, and no persoin 
shall take, kill or have in possession in any one season more 
than one elk, and one deer and one antelope; or, instead of one : 
deer and one antelope, he may have either uvo deer or two aaite - 
lope. Nor shall any person have in possession at any one tinier 
more than one hundred ducks and fifty other birds, nor ntoijie 
than seventy pounds of fish. 
8. No game or fish shall be held in possession by any person 
for more than five days after the close of the season for killing 
the same, except as in this 'act otherwise provided. 
9. No game shall be pursued, taken, wounded or killed in the 
night, nor with a steel or hard-pointed bullet, > nor with any 
weapon other than an ordinary shoulder gun or pistol, nor shAll 
any fish be taken or killed except in -the ordinary manner with a 
line and rod held in the hand, and the hook or hooks baited with 
natural or artificial bait; and fishing with snag hooks or trot 
lines, or lines having more than five hooks thereon, shall not tie 
deemed the ordinary manner of fishing; nor shall any person fish 
within two hundred feet of any fishway, nor dispose of to another, 
except by actual donation, any edible part of game or fish taken 
or killed under the provisions of this section; 
Provided, That dogs, blinds, sinks and decoys may be used for 
hunting birds, and that the provisions of this section in relation 
to game quadrupeds and fish shall not apply to those in parks and 
lakes of class A licensed under this act for the keeping and propa- 
gation of the same." 
It will be seen that Sec. l is a general and sweeping 
prohibition against taking, selling or having in possesion, 
"except as permitted by the act." This section never 
needs changing. Its prohibitions cover everything, so that 
