144 
lAuG. 23, 1902. 
accomplish, aa-d lis pej-formed in the following manner: 
Every mar hzi-ng f^;:;J■^hed with an ice chisel, lashes it 
to the end of a smaK staff, about four or five feet long ; 
he then walks along tie edge of the banks, and keeps 
knocking his chisel against the ice. Those who are ac- 
quainted with that kind of work, well know by the sound 
of the ice when they are opposite to any of the beavers' 
holes or vaults. As soon as they suspect any, they cut 
a hole through the ice big enough to admit an old beaver, 
and in this manner proceed till they have found out all 
their places of retreat, or at least as many of them as pos- 
sible. While the principal men are thus employed, some 
of the understrappers, and the women, are busy in break- 
ing open the house, which at times is no easy task, for I 
have frequently known these houses to be five or six feet 
thick, and one, in particular, was more than eight feet 
thick in the crown. When the beavgr finds that their habi- 
tations are invaded, they fly to their holes in the banks for 
shelter, and on being perceived by the Indians, which is 
eaisily done by attending to the motion of, the water, they 
block up the entrance with stakes of wood, and then haul 
the beaver out of its hole, either by hand if they can reach 
it, or with a large hook made for that purpose, which is 
fastened to the end of a long stick. In this kind of hunt- 
ing, every man has the sole right to all the beaver caught 
by him in the holes or vaults, and as this is a constant 
rule, each person takes care to mark such as he discovers 
by sticking up a branch of a tree by which he may know 
them. All that are caught in the house are the property 
of the person who finds it. The beaver is an animal which 
cannot keep under water long at a time, so that when their 
houses are broke open, and all their places of retreat dis- 
covered, they have but one choice left, as it may be called, 
either to be taken in their house or their vaults ; in gen- 
eral, they prefer the latter, for where there is one beaver 
caught in the house, many thousands are taken in the 
vaults in the banks. Sometimes they are caught in nets, 
and in summer very frequently in traps.' " 
"* * * Hearne goes on to say he had 'kept several of 
them till they became so domesticated as to answer to 
their name, and follow those to whom they were accus- 
tomed, in the same manner as a dog would do; and they 
were as much pleased at being fondled as any animal I 
ever saw. In cold weather they were kept in my own 
sitting room, where they were the constant companions 
of the Indian women and children, and were so fond of 
their company, that when the Indians were absent for any 
considerable time, the beaver discovered great signs of 
uneasiness; and on their return, showed equal marks of 
pleasure by fondling on them, crawling into their laps, 
lying on their backs, sitting erect like a squirrel, and be- 
having like children who see their parent but seldom. In 
general, during the winter, they lived on the same food as 
the women did, and were remarkably fond of rice and 
plum pudding; they would eat partridges and fresh veni- 
son very freely, but I never tried them with fish, though 
I have heard they will at times prey on them. In fact, 
there are few graminivorous animals that may not Jbe 
brought to be carnivorous.' " 
Richardson speaks of the occasional occurrence of 
beaver which are entirely black, but do not differ in any 
other respect from those of the ordinary dark brown 
color. He quotes Heame as saying that it was rare to 
get more than twelve or fifteen of their skins in the 
course of one year's trade. 
A Pair of Rain Crows. 
All winter I observed, especially on my linden trees 
in front of my house, a number of dried leaves which per- 
sisted in sticking to the branches in spite of wind and 
rain and snow. In early spring I discovered that each 
of these leaves was doubled over and pasted fast, and m- 
side were hundreds of small, white, hard-shelled eggs, 
about the size of a pin's head. They were, as I believe, 
the eggs of the white tussock moth (Orgyia leucoshgma). 
All fall I had been making war upon the caterpillars of 
these moths. They had been exceedingly numerous, and 
for them I had a great dislike, as I have for everything 
that crawls. I immediately cleared the trees of these 
leaves as far as I could; but many of them were awa,y 
beyond my reach, and I liad to let them go. I anti- 
cipated a host of caterpillars, and I was not mistaken. 
When the summer opened up they were traveling every- 
where, and it was impossible to walk under my trees 
even for a few minutes without coming away with one 
or more of the loathsome creatures crawling over me. I 
thought of Killingworth after the slaughter of the birds : 
"In the orchards fed 
Myriads of caterpillars, and around 
The cultivated fields and garden beds 
Hosts of devouring insects crawled, and found 
No foe to check their march, till they had made 
The land a desert without leaf or shade." 
I was getting really nerv'ous over it, when a couple of 
birds put in an appearance. They came mostly in tlie 
early evenings. I did not know what hey were at first, 
but I saw them hopping briskly among the branches of 
the lindens, and to my joy I perceived t-hey were_ feast- 
ing on the dreaded white caterpillars. They manifested 
their satisfaction occasionally by calling out Ick-ick-ick- 
ick; ko, ko, ko. They were rain crows (Coccyzus 
erythrophthalmus) . They come every evening for a 
couple of weeks or so, and still come occasionally; but 
1 have not seen a caterpillar of that description for a 
month. Bless the rain crow ! What a ©ower of good 
one pair of birds did, not only on my own small place, 
but I suppose in other gardens over a large region. 
Shame befall the man, and severe punishment, who would 
harm an insectivorous bird. T. J. Chapman. 
The Dftjmmingf Gfo«se. 
Fox Lake, Wis. — Editor Forest and Stream:^ Several 
years ago there was quite a warm discussion in Forest 
AND Stream as to what caused the noise made by a drum- 
ming gro'use. I have forgotten how the matter was finally 
decided, but in talking with a hunting companion the 
other evening who is not only a keen hunter and a crack 
shot, but a close observer, I asked him what he thought 
about it. He said the noise was caused by the grouse 
striking the buts of his wings on the distended skin of his 
neck, that being filled with air, acted like a drum. Speak- 
ing of bitterns, he said he had often watched them in the 
early morning at a distance of a few yards, and the clack- 
ing noise was caused by striking the bill together; then 
they would distend the skin of their necks and shooting 
their heads out straight would make the booming sound. 
He gave us a perfect imitation of these noises, and it 
took us back very forcibly to a morning on th-e marsh. 
We still have a little game here, and if the laws could be 
enforced it would last, but as fast as laws are made some 
way is invented to get around them. There's only one 
thing to do, and that's stop the sale of game. 
W. E. Warren. 
Reclamation of Shifting Sand Dunes. 
The protection of valuable property from the encroach- 
ment of shifting sand dunes is becoming an important 
problem in some portions of the country. The regions 
most severely affected are the Atlantic and Pacific 
coasts, the lake district of Michigan, and the Columbia 
River district of Washington and Oregon. > 
Two field parties from the Bureau of Forestry are at 
work on this problem. One will investigate the worst 
dune districts along the Atlantic coast, and will study 
carefully the grasses, shrubs, and trees that can be used 
either for temporary or permanent retention of the sand 
dunes, and will also inquire into other methods of hold- 
ing the active dunes, or changing their direction. Very 
successful work in holding the sand by grass and shrub 
planting has already been done by the State of Massa- 
chusetts on a portion of Cape Cod known as the "Pro- 
vince Lands." 
The problem along .the Columbia River is somewhat 
different from that along the Atlantic Coast, owing to 
the different origin and character of the sand. It is ex- 
pected, however, that the control of the sand there, like 
that of the coast sand, can be effected by means of grass 
or shrub planting, and afterward by forestation. Pri- 
marily the object of controlling the sand is to protect 
valuable property which is endangered by the dunes. 
The bureau has undertaken this work in order to give 
practical assistance to persons who have requested its 
aid in the protection of their property. 
She Bear and Mother Moose* 
Wellesley Farms, Mass. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
Vvhen in Maine last May at my camp, I visited a bear 
hunter who had quite a collection of bearskins. In our 
talk he described the various methods used in trapping 
which are well known, but one of his experiences was very 
interesting. 
With another woodsman, they saw a cow moose and 
her two calves in a shoal water bay. The cow was evi- 
dently disturbed by something, and they quietly watched 
her. She faced the woods, but gradually worked her 
young into the water. Shortly a bear was seen coming 
in for the calves. The cow waited until the bear was close 
and deep in the water, when she rose on her hind feet 
and with her forefeet struck the bear as hard as she 
could, knocking her down and then pounding her with 
her feet until the hunters found the skin unfit to pre- 
serve. The men did not dare to meddle, because they 
could not shoot. 
Another interesting experience of another hunter was 
as follows : Setting his bear trap, he used as a clog an . 
old sled shoe of oak. Coming up the old logging road 
he saw what at first he thought was a man with a big stick 
in his arms, but coming closer he saw that it was a bear 
carrying his clog. He got the bear, but one must feel 
sympathy for such an animal, Evidently the black bear 
of Maine is no. fool, and no fool can trap him. 
C. A. D. 
§^nie §Hg und §mu 
— ^ — 
Proprietors of shooting resorts will find it profitable to advertise 
them in Forest and Streak. 
Big Game and Little, 
Boston, Aug. 16. — Megantic Club sportsmen have the 
advantage of sportsmen who propose to spend the month 
of September in Maine. In Canada the open season on 
moose, deer, caribou and partridges, begins Sept. i, while 
in Maine the law is off on partridges Sept. 15; on deer, 
Oct. i; on moose, Oct. 15, while caribou are under a 
close season from Oct. i, 1899, for six years. Now the 
Megantic Preserve is partly in Canada and partly in 
Maine, with its fishing waters largely in Maine, and 
since the close season on trout and landlocked salmon in 
Maine does not begin till Oct. i, the Megantic Club hunter 
has the month of September for both hunting and fishing. 
Club members and their guests will take advantage of 
this situation. The Megantic Club register is already 
about full for September, and the guides are about all 
engaged. Secretary L. Dana Chapman has most satis- 
factory reports concerning the fishing so far this year. 
Returning members and guests express themselves as 
greatly pleased, not only with the fishing they have en- 
joyed, but also with the management, and the care that 
is being taken to conserve the fish by requiring that all 
the fish not actually required for the club tables be re- 
turned alive to the water. Among the members and guests 
lately returned from the preserve may be mentioned 
Henry W. Butterworth, wife and family, of Philadelphia ; 
George Hayward, of Gardner, Mass. ; G. N. Proctor, 
Fitchburg, Mass.; Harry T. Brown, of Winchester, 
Mass.; William. L. Quimby, and party of friends, of Bos- 
ton ; George A. Gibson and son, of Boston. 
Several Boston gunners went down to Chatham to-day 
to be gone till Monday. They hear of some good flights 
of birds, and want to be among them. A Boston gunner, 
A. T. Brown, returned yesterday with the report that he 
had seen a flock of eight curlew, an unusually large num- 
ber for this coast. He got a long shot at them, getting 
three. But the Sunday law is troubling again, and the 
officers were out last Sunday, as well as the gunners. 
One of them, a Boston broker, saw a man coming down 
the beach of whom he was suspicious. He secreted his 
gun behind a blind and walked off the other way. The 
suspicious personage passed along, and our Boston gun- 
ner went for his gun, and also turned off in another 
direction along the beach. Soon he saw a man coming, 
and really it looked like the first man he had seen. There 
was no opportunity to turn aside, and he came boldly 
up and met the stranger. The stranger asked the man 
with the gun if he was out shooting, and he allowed that 
he was out walking. The stranger asked the gunner his 
name, and was answered, "Brown." The stranger sug- 
gested that "It's a very common name," with a twinkle 
in. his eye, as much as to say, "I don't believe it." The 
gunner then asked for the stranger's name, and he turned 
back the lapel of his coat and showed a badge. It cost the 
gunner about $15 to settle the matter quietly. The gun- 
ners tell me that they dread the jobs that are constantly 
being put up on them by other gunners — sometimes 
friends having practical jokes — even more than the)-- dread 
the officers. Other gunners who are strangers will get 
tin imitations of badges and play officer to anybody they 
happen to see near the blinds on Sunday, even though 
they ma3' have their own guns secreted not far awaj'. In 
this way they can easily dislodge hunters from blinds or 
desirable positions, and the dislodged gunners dare not 
return. One Boston gunner tells me of a job he had put 
up on him last year by other gunners, and he was a good 
deal annoyed, and is watching his opportunity to get even 
with the same party. Special. 
Jefferson County Fish and Game. 
Watertown, N. Y., Aug. 10. — On Lake Ontario from 
Cape Vincent to the county line we have the finest small- 
mouth black bass fishing in the world, and along its shores 
and the St. Lawrence River vast flocks of wildfowl con- 
gregate and feed, aft'ording fine sport during the fall 
and winter months. Since the spring shooting has ceased 
large numbers rem.ain here and nest along our creeks and 
inland lakes. Even the young of the wild goose, that 
most wary of birds, has been seen on Black River Bay 
this month. Within the borders of this county we have 
hundreds- of acres of grouse and woodcock cover, where 
but a few years ago these birds bred in countless numbers, 
v.'here they are still to be found, but in rapidly diminish- 
ing numbers each year. 
Trout streams are abundant, and would if the law was 
properly observed afford fair fishing for years to come. 
With the big-game hunting and the trout fishing of the 
Adirondacks and Canada just across our border, we are 
offered opportunities which no other county can give. 
Wise laws are enacted by the State for the presentation 
of our fish and game, and thousands of dollars are appro- 
priated each year to secure their enforcement. 
Why is it that the violators of these laws go unpunished 
year after year? Is it because there has been no< expres-. 
sion of public sentiment in favor of these laws? I be- 
lieve that a large majority of the citizens of this county 
are in favor of their rigid enforcement, and if we have 
any laws that are not right and just they should be re- 
pealed. I believe that a large majority of the residents 
who fish and hunt respect these laws, but there are a 
few persons in this city and in each town in the county 
Avho violate these laws without fear of punishment. The 
law protecting song birds is a dead letter, and even within 
the city limits they are slaughtered without mercy. Every 
day parties are seen leaving this city with guns to hunt 
in the surrounding country. Already complaints have 
come to me of the killing of young partridge and ducks. 
The law limiting the length of black bass that may be 
legally taken to ten inches has been openly disregarded, 
and thousands of bass are killed each year that should 
have been returned to the waters alive. Black bass were 
peddled from house to house in this city last spring two 
weeks before the season legally opened. 
Last winter the law permitting licensed netting in Chau- 
mont Bay was extended to permit fishing during the 
month of May, at a time when the bass return in large 
numbers to spawn. Not satisfied with this extension 
some of the fishermen permitted their nets to remain in 
the waters a week or ten days in June in direct violation 
of the law. 
The annual killing of our game birds before they are 
able to fly has begun and unless the law abiding sportsmen 
of this county act promptly, we can expect the usual 
result, plenty of empty shotgun shells and few birds in 
our covers. 
I would suggest that a petition from each town and a 
personal letter from each sportsman be addressed to- Gov- 
ernor B.. B. Odell, Albany, N. Y., asking for his aid and 
influence in securing a proper enforcement of the fish and 
game laws in this county. It would show that public 
opinion was in favor of their enforcement and would 
secure active support from the -Governor. 
W. H. Tallett, 
President Jefferson County Sportsmen's Association. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
"Where to Go for Prairie Chickecs. 
CHICAGO) 111., Aug. 9. — A letter Just at hand from one 
of the best-posted gentlemen in the Northwest contains 
the following cheering news regarding the game prospects 
in the State of Minnesota for the coming season : 
"In regard to the good points for chicken shooting, I 
think I am safe in saying that Minnesota this year will 
furnish the finest chicken, grouse, quail and duck shoot- 
ing that the State has furnished for years. This is not 
an idle boast, but comes from every quarter of the 
State where game abounds. I think the foremost places 
in the State this year are on the line of the Northern 
Pacific Railway, beginning at Ulen — in fact, we might be- 
gin at Detroit — and then say Lake Park, Winnipeg Junc- 
tion, Ulen and clean up to Fertile — and Fertile is a good 
place, too. Red Lake Falls, on the same line, and Thief 
River Falls, still further up, are also good. Then if you 
want to go far enough the Great Northern line, beginning 
at St. Vincent, which is the boundary between Canada 
and our State, then coming toward St. Paul, through 
Hallock, Kennedy, Stephen and Argyle, and Warren ; 
then Crookston: then coming down the Great Northern 
to Ada, and Feltcn, then down to your old hunting 
grounds, Campbell and Tintah. And, of course, any- 
where around Fergus Falls is good hunting. Then com^ 
