[Nov. 8, 1902. 
FOREST AND * STREAM. 
S67 
The Serpent's Tongue, 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
In mj'- dissertation on the rattlesnake I omitted one 
significant item of my observation, which is, that there 
seems to be a strong suggestion of a degree of sensi- 
tiveness in the tongue that enables the snake to discern 
the nature of objects without getting in contact with 
them. The tongue appears to be an important organ 
in all snakes, and is brought into play with great fre- 
quency when curiosity is excited. It is never brought 
into contact with any object of inquiry so far as I have 
observed, and I believe must have sensorial functions 
that we know nothing about. 
Sensational writers about rattlesnakes all give prom- 
inence to the eye and its efifect on observers. The eye 
is in reality small and inconspicuous. I have found some 
difficulty in getting a clear view of it at short range; 
it is a dull yellowish color, with a vertical slit for pupil, 
overshadowed by a prominence above, and, like aquatic 
reptiles, they are well advanced toward the nose end. 
There is also mvtch said about the strong odor of rat- 
tlesnakes, which I believe to be wholly imaginary. They 
may give off an odor at certain times and under cer- 
tain conditions, perhaps, but with a .somewhat inti- 
mate association with a number of specimens I have 
never perceived any odor, though my olfactories are 
quite sensitive. 
The young squirrel is building a nest in a broken 
jug, and robs my desk of the tissue paper I use for 
pen wipers. Coahoma. 
[There is in the first volume of the Wo.odcraft Mqga- 
sine an interesting article on this subject by the well- 
known naturalist, W. H. Hudson, whose observations 
agree with those of our correspondent. Hudson writes: 
"Doubtless those who invented this use for the organ 
were misled by observing snakes in captivity, in the 
glass cases or cages in which it is usual to keep them; 
observing them in such conditions, it was easy to fall 
into the mistake, since the serpent, when moving, is 
frequently seen to thrust his tongue against the ostruct- 
ing glass. It should be remembered that glass is glass, 
a substance that does not exist in nature; that a long 
and sometimes painful experience is necessary before 
even the most intelligent among the lower animals are 
brought to understand its character; and, finally, that 
the delicate, sensitive tongue comes against it for the 
same reason that the fly buzzes and the confined wild 
bird dashes itself against it in their efforts to escape. 
In a state of nature, when the snake_ is approached, 
whether by its prey or by some large animal, the tongue 
is obtruded; again, when it is cautiously progressing 
through the herbage, even when unalarmed, the tongue 
is exserted at frequent intervals; but I can say, after a 
long experience of snakes, that the exserted organ never 
touches earth, or rock, or leaf, or anything whatso- 
ever, consequently that it is not a tactile organ." 
Nor, he adds, does the structure of the tongue give 
support to the supposition that the organ can be sensi- 
tive to "an emanation from an object which might in 
some unknown way convey to the brain its character, 
whether animate or inanimate, cold or warm blooded, 
bird, beast, or reptile, also its size, etc." Two uses 
are suggested for the extruded tongue, one that it 
serves as a warning, and another that it is a lure; and 
the reasons which give ground for these theories are 
set forth at length in a record of the author's field ob- 
servations.] 
Wild f Animals of. the North, 
From Richardson's "Fauna Boreali-Americana; or the Zoology of 
the Northern Parts of British America." 
What we in America call elk, was commonly called 
by the Hudson's Bay people of early days, red deer, 
on account of its resemblance to the European red deer, 
which, however, it exceeds in size. Richardson places 
the northern limit of this animal at 56° or 57° parallel 
of latitude, and says that it is not found to the east- 
ward of the line drawn from the south end of Lake 
Winnipeg to the Saskatchewan. He adds that to the 
south of Lake Winnipeg it may perhaps extend further 
to the eastward. Of coupse it is well known that in 
old times it did extend far to the eastward, and the spe- 
cies was probably found occasionally in Michigan and 
Wisconsin, up to about 1870, and perhaps casually some- 
what later. He reports that two male wapitis were 
found near Edmonton-house lying dead, with their horns 
locked into each other. But, indeed, the range of the 
elk was quite to the southward of most of Richardson's 
journeyings. 
Thisj also, is true of the mule deer, which he mentions 
only to say that he has not seen specimens. He men- 
tions as a variety of the mule deer one called Columbian, 
wliich is known to be quite a different species. 
The white-tailed deer was also rather out of Richard- 
son's line of travel. He quotes Douglas as to some of 
its habits, and says that the native tribes call these deer 
by ineans of blowing into a hollow tube, which produces 
a sound like the animal's voice. With such a tube, 
''aided by the head and horns of a full-grown buck, 
which the hunter carries with him as a decoy, and which 
he moves backward and forward among the long grass, 
alternately feigning the voice with the tube, the un- 
suspecting animal is attracted within a few j-ards in the 
hope of finding its partner, when, instantly springing 
up, the hunter plants an arrow in his object." 
The antelope's range, too, was chiefly south of the 
country traversed by Richardson, who gives its north- 
erly Hmit as about latitude 53", and calls them merely 
■^ummer visitors to the north branch of the Saskatche- 
wan. "They come every j^ear to the neighborhood of 
Carlton-house, when the snow has mostly gone. Soon 
after their arrival the females drop their young, and they 
retire to the southward again in the autumn, as soon as 
the snow begins to fall. Almost every year a small herd 
lingers on a piece of rising ground not far from Carlton- 
house, until the snow has become too deep on the plains 
to permit them to travel over them. Few or none of 
that herd, however, survive until the spring, as they are 
persecuted by the wolves during the whole wintc"." 
It is known that in recent times, in severe weather. 
there is a great migration of antelope to the north 
down into the valley of Milk River, and in past years 
hundreds have been butchered there in most disgraceful 
fashion. 
Richardson says that the MandanSj on the Missouri, 
are said to capture antelope in pounds, and it is suffi- 
ciently well known that this was formerly done by 
certain tribes west of the Rocky Mountains, as well as 
by other tribes of the plains. 
One of the early descriptions of the white goat, though 
of course, by no means nearly the earliest, is given by 
Richardson, with a figure which shows admirably some 
of its characteristics, but gives no notion whatever of 
its foi-m or appearance. The artist has drawn a high- 
headed, alert animal, which is as different as possible 
from the actual mountain goat, and whatever account 
Richardson gives of its habits is borrowed from others. 
Neither did Richardson know much about the moun- 
tain sheep, though Mr.- Drummond met with them and 
reported that, "In the retired parts of the mountains, 
where hunters had seldom penetrated, he found no diffi- 
culty in approaching the Rocky Mountain sheep, which 
there exhibited the simplicity of character so remark- 
able in the domestic species; but that where they had 
been often fired at, they were exceedingly wild, alarmed 
their companions on the approach of danger by a hiss- 
ing noise, and scaled the rocks with a speed and agility 
that baffled pursuit. He lost several that he had mor- 
tally woitnded by their retiring to die among the se- 
cluded precipices. Their favorite feeding places are 
grassy knolls, skirted by craggy rocks, to which they 
can retreat when pursued by dogs or wolves. They are 
accustomed to pay daily visits to certain caves in the 
mountains that are encrusted with a saline efflorescence, 
of which they are fond. The same gentleman mentions 
that the horns of the old rams attain a size so enormous 
and curve so much forward and downward, that they 
effectually prevent the animal from feeding on level 
ground. The flesh of the Rocky Mountain sheep is 
stated by Mr. Drummond and others, who have fed on 
it, to be quite delicious when it is in season, far su- 
perior to that of any of the deer species which frequent 
the same quarter, and even exceeding in flavor the 
finest English mutton." 
Richardson's remarks on the buffalo are, in part, de- 
voted to quotations concerning the earlier history of the 
buffalo, but are still very interesting as giving dates of 
extermination in certain portions of the East, and also 
as giving the northward distribution of the species which 
we now know as wood bison. He says, "Warden men- 
tions that at no very distant date herds of them existed 
in the western parts of Pennsylvania; and that as late 
as the year 1766 they were pretty numerous in Ken- 
tucky; but they have gradually retired before the white 
population, and are now, he says, rarely seen to the 
south of the Ohio, or on the east side of the Mississippi. 
They still exist, however, in vast numbers in Louisiana, 
roaming in countless herds over the prairies that are 
watered by the Arkansas, Platte, Missouri and upper 
branches of the Saskatchewan and Peace rivers. Great 
Slave Lake, in latitude 60°, was at one time the north- 
ern boundary of their range; but of late years, accord- 
ing to the testimony of the natives, they have taken 
possession of the flat limestone district of Slave Point, 
on the north side of that lake, and have wandered to the 
vicinity of Great Marten Lake, in latitude 63° or 64°. 
As far as I have been able to ascertain, the limestone 
and sandstone formations lying between the great 
Rocky Mountain ridge and the lower eastern chain of 
primitive rocks, are the only districts in the fur coun- 
tries that are frequented by the bison. In these com- 
paratively level tracts there is much prairie land, on 
which they find good grass in the summer, and also 
many marshes overgrown with bulrushes and carices, 
which supply them with winter food. Salt springs and 
lakes abound on the confines of the limestone, and there 
are several well-known salt-licks where bison are sure 
to be found at all seasons of the year. They do not fre- 
quent any of the districts formed of primitive rocks, and 
the Hmits of their range to the eastward within the 
Hudson Bay Co.'s territories may be nearly correctly 
marked on the map by a line commencing in longitude 
97° on ,the Red River which flows into the south end 
of Lake Winnipeg, crossing the Saskatchewan to the 
westward of Basquiau Hill, and running from thence 
by the Athapescow to the east end of Great Slave Lake. 
Their migrations to the westward were formerly limited 
by the Rocky Mountain range, and they are still un- 
known in New Caledonia and on the shores of the Pa- 
cific to the north of the Columbia River; but of late 
years they have found out a passage across the moun- 
tains near the sources of the Saskatchewan, and their 
numbers to the westward are said to be annually in- 
creasing. In 1806, when Lewis and Clark crossed the 
mountains at the head of the Missouri, bison skins were 
an important article of traffic between the inhabitants 
on the east side and the natives to the westward. Further 
to the southward, in New Mexico and California, the 
bison appears to be numerous on both sides of the 
Rocky Mountain chain. 
"The bison wander constantly from place to place, 
either from being disturbed by hunters or in quest of 
food. They are much attrjicted by the soft tender grass 
which springs up after a fire has spread over the prairie. 
In winter they scrape away the snow with their feet 
t oreach the grass. The bitUs and cows live in separate 
herds for the greatest part of the year, but at all sea- 
sons one or two old bulls usually accompany a large 
herd of cows. In the rutting season the males fight 
against each other with great fury, and at that period 
it is very dangerous to approach them. The bison is, 
however, in general, a shy animal, and takes to flight 
instantly on winding an enemy, which the acuteness of 
its sense of smell enables it to do from a great dis- 
tance. They are less wary when they are assembled 
together in numbers, and will then often blindly follow 
their leaders, regardless of, or trampling down the hunt- 
ers posted in their way. It is dangerous for the hunter 
to show hifnself after having wounded one, for it will 
pursue him, and although its gait may appear heavy 
and awkward, it will have tio great difficulty in over- 
taking the fleetest runner. While I resided at Carlton- 
house, an accident of this kind occurred. Mr. Finnan 
McDonald, one of the Hudson's Bay Co.'s clerks, was 
descending the Saskatchewan in a boat, and one even- 
ing having pitched his tent for the night, he went out 
in the dusk to look for game. It had become nearly 
dark when he fired at a bison bull, which was gallop- 
ing over a small eminence, and as he was hastening for- 
ward to see if his shot had taken efifect, the wounded 
beast made a rush at him. He had the presence of mind 
to seize the animal by the long hair on its forehead 
as it struck him on the side with its horn, and being a 
remarkably tall and powerful man, a struggle ensued, 
which continued until his wrist was severely sprained 
and his arm was rendered powerless; he then fell, and 
after receiving two or three blows became senseless. 
Shortly afterward he was- found by his companions lying 
bathed in blood, being gored in several places, and the 
bison was couched beside him, apparently waiting to re- 
new the attack had he shown any signs of life. Mr. 
McDonald recovered from the immediate effects of the 
injuries he received, but died a few months afterward. 
Many other instances might be mentioned of the tena- 
ciousness with which this animal pursues its revenge, 
and I have been told of a hunter having been detained 
for many hours in a tree by an old bull which had taken 
its post below to watch him. When it contends with a 
dog, it strikes violently with its forefeet, and in that way 
proves more than a match for an English bulldog. _ The 
favorite Indian method of killing the bison is by riding 
up to the fattest of the herd on horseback and shoot- 
ing it with an arrow. When a large party of hunters 
are engaged in this way on an extensive plain, the 
spectacle is very imposing, and the young men have 
many opportunities of displaying their skill and agility. 
The horses appear to enjoy the sport as much as their 
riders, and are very active in eluding the attack of the 
animal, should it turn on its pursuer. The most geti- 
erally practiced plan, however, of shooting the bison, is 
by crawling toward them from the leeward and in favor- 
able places great numbers are taken in pounds. When 
the bison runs it leans very much to, first, one side for 
a short space of time, and then to the other, and so on, 
alternately. 
"The flesh of a bison in good condition is very juicy 
and well flavored, much resembling that of well-fed beef. 
The tongue is reckoned a delicacy, and may be cured 
so as to surpass in flavor the tongue of an English 
cow. The hump of flesh covering the long spinous 
processes of the first dorsal vertebrse is much es- 
teemed. It is named bos by the Canadian voyagers, and 
wig by the Orkney men in the service of the Hudson's 
Bay Co. The wig has a fine grain, and when salted 
and cut transversely it is almost as rich and tender as 
the tongue. The fine wool which clothes the bison 
renders its skin when properly dressed an excellent 
blanket; and they are valued so highly that a good one 
sells for three or four pounds in Canada, where they are 
used as wrappers by those who travel over the snow 
in carioles. The wool has been manufactured in Eng- 
land into a remarkably fine and beautiful cloth, and in 
the colony of Osnaboyna, on the Red River, a warm and 
durable coarse cloth is formed of it. Much of the 
pemmican used by the voyagers attached to the ftir 
companies is made of bison meat procured at their 
posts on the Red River and Saskatchewan. One bison 
cow in good condition furnishes dried meat and fat 
enough to make a bag of pemmican weighing 90 pounds. 
The bison which frequent the woody parts of the coun- 
try form smaller herds than those which roam over the 
plains, but are said to be individually of a greater size." 
The Sellick Moose* 
MoNCTON, N. B., Oct. 27. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
Moncton is a town of 12,000 inhabitants, surrounded by 
good hunting woods for partridges and moose. Several 
parties have killed moose thirty miles outside of town 
hmits. One party, Mr. W. F. Hmnphrey, _M. P. P., left 
here at 10:30 A. M. and returned with his moose next 
day by 3 o'clock. The carcass was in the market by that 
time. , . i c 
The farmers about this district complam bitterly of 
the deer, and occasionally moose, destroying their crops. 
This summer I was starting on a fishing expedition, and 
I was not more than three miles from the town m the 
adjoining countv of Albert, when I saw a deer grazing in 
the field along the road with horses and cows ; he was 
there when we left. Houses not more than 200 yards 
distant, with men working near at hand. 
We have here a hunter, Sellick by name, who has four 
or five moose in captivity. They are inclosed m a large 
block of woodland fenced, and the animals have logs 
about six feet long attached to a rope around their necks, 
which prevents their escaping. An hour's drive brought 
me to his place. Sellick went a short distance m the 
woods with me, cautioned me to keep out of sight, and 
called his large bull moose, who answered the call at 
once Sellick put a haher on his head and tied him to 
a tree While this was going on he was perfectly quiet, 
but the moment I put in appearance the scene was 
changed It was with great difficulty Sellick could control 
liim—in fact, he ordered me to get out of sight after a 
very few minutes. • xt. 4. ' 
I believe Sellick has sold two calves m the States, 
realizing good prices. ._ J- W. P. 
Separation. 
From the volume of poems entitled "Tangled in Stars," hy 
Ethelwyn Wetherald. 
He went upon a journey 
And she was left at home; 
And yet 'twas he who stayed behind. 
And she that far did roam. 
For though he went by mountain 
And wood and stream and sea, 
A little cot enwrapt in green 
He saw perpetually. 
And she within the green leaves. 
Not knowing that he stood 
Forever by her, dreamed her way 
With him by mount and wood. 
Now heaven help these lovers, 
And bring her safely home, 
Or lead him back along the track 
Where she, e'en now, doth roam. 
