112 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
[Aug. 6, 1904. 
"The trip was pleasant and uneventful, and I arrived 
at brother's toward 5 P. M. The weather being warm, I 
put the horse in the orchard, where there is a shed, and 
he could lie down if he wanted. In the morning he was 
gone, and had leaped the live hedge several feet high." 
He could not have crossed the bridge at Oudenaarde, 
for the gates of the town are shut at night. Pasha must 
have swam the river Scheldt, very deep and rapid there, 
and made his way home on the back track that night. 
Mother told him it served him right ; he had no busi- 
ness to take the horse away from home for so long a 
time, and the old gentleman replied, in his philosophical, 
quiet way, he could not blame him for liking me better 
than himself, as I had brought him to a good home. After 
that he took good care to tie Pasha, or shut him in a 
stable, when out on his trips in the country. Mother, 
who was strongly attached to Pasha, and I had many a 
quiet laugh over the occurrence afterwards, but father 
did not like to be reminded of it. 
Julius the Fox Hunter. 
Whippoorwill and Night-Hawk* 
Oleona, Pa. — Editor Forest and Stream: My reasons 
for believing that the night-hawk and the whippoorwill 
are one species are as follows : The first seventeen years 
of my life were spent on the summit of the Alleghanies 
in northern Pennsylvania, where I saw thousands of 
night-hawks, but never heard the notes of a whippoorwill. 
Later in life, while engaged in lumbering operations 
along the river bottoms, I saw an equal number of night- 
hawks, listened to their one-note cry while in flight, and 
at the same time heard whippoorwills calling all about me. 
The movements, habits, and markings of the bird men- 
tioned in my last article were so precisely like Nuttall's 
description of the night-hawk that I can not believe that 
the two are of different species. 
I have a theory that the whippoorwill, on high ground, 
is songless. Perhaps this, or something as yet unobserved 
by the naturalists, is responsible for the belief in two 
species. 
From the one observation before mentioned, I am posi- 
tive that the whippoorwill haunts the upper air and fre- 
quently plunges perpendicularly toward the earth, the 
plunge being accompanied by a whizzing of wings pre- 
cisely like that attributed to the night-hawk. 
E. D. L. 
[We suggest that our correspondent procure speci- 
mens of night-hawk and whippoorwill for comparison. 
An examination of the two birds in the hand will tell him 
the story far more convincingly than any description in 
words.] 
Crows and an Owl. 
'Brooklyn, N. Y., July 25. — Editor Forest and Stream.: 
Perhaps some reader can explain to me the following 
performance: Last fall while hunting birds in the 
northern part of the State, I came out from a swamp 
into the open field and noticed a great number of crows 
(I counted over five hundred) flying over the field, all 
cawing at the top of their voice. Apparently they had 
some object at which all this commotion was directed. 
Being interested, I watched them till, they reached a 
neighboring grove. Walking over in that direction I 
managed, with great care, to work my way very near to 
them. They had evidently, rooted out from his morning 
sleep an owl, and now he sat upon a limb, looking rather 
sleepy, nevertheless, while this army of crows circled 
around him cawing and making a peculiar clicking noise. 
None, however, approached nearer than a yard or two of 
the old fellow. I watched them till the owl flew away, 
followed on all sides by the crows. Now, what I would 
like to know is, what is all this tomfoolery about, and 
how can they afford to waste the early morning hours so 
idly busy? F. H. C. 
[It is well known that most birds, but especially jays 
and crows, when they discover an owl in daylight, attack 
it, or at least venture as near as they dare, and by their 
cries and complaints rmke the owl uncomfortable, arid 
call all the birds in the neighborhood to the spot to join 
in the tumult. The habit is so well known that formerly 
persons wishing to kill crows were accustomed to attract 
them by putting up a stuffed owl as a decoy. 
The following lines from Nutall's "Manual of 
Ornithology" (1832) refer to the little screech owl, other- 
wise known as the mottled or red owl: "When perceived 
by the smaller birds, they are at once recognized as their 
insidious enemies ; and the rareness of their appearance 
before the usual roosting time of other birds augments 
the suspicion they entertain of the feline hunters. Frciti 
complaints and cries of alarm the Thrush sometimes 
threatens blows; and though evening has perhaps set in, 
the smaller birds and cackling Robins reecho their shrill 
chirpings and complaints throughout an extensive wood 
until the nocturnal monster has to seek safety in distant 
flight."] 
Frog Ptovender. 
Prince's Bay, N. Y. — When I was a boy eight or nine 
years old, I was detailed by my mother one day to watch 
the ofd hen with her brood of little chicks. From twelve 
they had in a few days dwindled down to four, and as 
careful as my mother could be, she could not find out 
what took them. There was a spring loosely stoned up 
in the meadow a short distance from the house, and from 
the spring there was formed a little pool at the edge of 
some alders close by. I had a tame trout in the spring, 
and I wanted to go and feed it, but mother said, "No, 
you watch that hen and chickens and don't let me hear 
any more about trout to-day." Pretty soon my chance 
came. The old hen was making her way down toward 
the spring, and I was loitering along behind. I stood 
not more than twenty feet away, watching the hen drink, 
and then the chickens ran up and took a drink from the 
pool. All at once the old hen showed fight, and I thought 
that. I had found the enemy, and gathered a few stones 
for the cat; but no, instead of the cat I saw a monstrous 
bullfrog, and he gulped one of those chickens down be- 
fore I realized what was going on. I drove the hen and 
remaining chickens back to the house and told the folks 
what had happened, but they did not believe it until the 
frog was captured and cut open. 
The foregoing was told to me by my father, who is 
now nearly eighty years of age. The incident took place 
at the foot of Mt. Tom, in the limits of the now prosper- 
ous city of Holyoke, Mass. So it seems that nearly three 
score and ten years ago- frogs were cause for comment 
on what they picked out for provender. *** 
Kentucky .Sports. 
From Audubon's "Ornithological Biographies," 1831-39. 
It may not be amiss, kind reader, before I attempt to 
give you some idea of the pleasures experienced by the 
sportsmen of Kentucky, to introduce the subject with a 
slight description of the State. 
Kentucky was formerly attached to Virginia, but in 
those days the Indians looked upon that portion of the 
western wilds as their own, and abandoned the district 
only when forced to do so, moving with disconsolate 
hearts further into the recesses of the unexplored forests. 
Doubtless the richness of the soil and the beauty of 
its borders, situated as they are along one of the most 
beautiful rivers in the world, contributed as much to at- 
tract the Old Virginians as the desire, so generally ex- 
perienced in America, of spreading over the uncultivated 
tracts, and bringing into cultivation lands that have for 
unknown ages teemed with the wild luxuriance of un- 
tamed nature. The conquest of Kentucky was not per- 
formed without many difficulties. The warfare that long 
existed between the intruders and the redskins was san- 
guinary and protracted; but the former at length made 
good their footing, and the latter drew off their shattered 
bands, dismayed by the mental superiority and in- 
domitable courage of the white men. 
This region was probably discovered by a daring 
hunter, the renowned Daniel Boone. The richness of its 
soil, its magnificent forests, its numberless navigable: 
streams, its salt springs and licks, its saltpetre caves, its 
coal strata, and the vast herds of buffaloes and deer that 
browsed on its hills and amid its charming valleys, 
afforded ample inducements to the new settler, who- 
pushed forward with a spirit far above that of the most 
undaunted tribes which for ages had been the sole pos- 
sessors of the soil. 
The Virginians thronged toward the Ohio. An ax, a 
couple of horses, and a heavy rifle, with store of am- 
munition, were all that were considered necessary for the 
equipment of the man, who, with his 'family, removed to 
the new State, assured that in that land of exuberant 
fertility he could not fail to provide amply for all his 
wants. To have witnessed the industry and perseverance 
of these emigrants must at -once have proved the vigor 
of their minds. Regardless of the fatigue attending 
every movement which they made, they pushed through 
an unexplored region of dark and tangled forests, guid- 
ing themselves by the sun alone, and reposing at night 
on the bare ground. Numberless streams they had to 
cross on rafts, with their wives and children, their cat- 
tle and their luggage, often drifting to considerable dis- 
tances before they could effect a landing on the opposite- 
shores. Their cattle would often stray amid the rice 
pasturage of these shores, and occasion a' delay of several 
days. To these troubles add the constantly impending 
danger of being murdered while asleep in their encamp- 
ments by the prowling and ruthless Indians, while they 
had before them a distance of hundreds of miles to be 
traversed before they could reach certain places of ren- 
dezvous called Stations. To encounter difficulties like 
these must have required energies of no ordinary kind ; 
and the reward which these veteran settlers enjoy was 
doubtless well merited. 
Some removed from the Atlantic shores to those of the 
Ohio in more comfort and security. They had their 
wagons, their negroes, and their families. Their way 
was cut through the woods by their own axmen the day 
before their advance, and when night overtook them the 
hunters attached to the party came to the place pitched 
upon for encamping, loaded with the dainties of which 
the forest yielded an abundant supply, the blazing light of 
a huge fire guiding their steps as they approached, and 
the sounds of merriment that saluted their ears assuring 
them that all was well. The flesh of the buffalo, the bear, 
and the deer, soon hung, in large and delicious steaks, in 
front of the embers ; the cakes, already prepared, were de- 
posited in their proper places, and under the rich drip- 
pings of the juicy roasts were quickly baked. The 
wagons contained the bedding, and while the horses 
which had drawn them were turned loose to feed on the 
luxuriant undergrowth of the woods — some perhaps 
hoppled, but the greater number merely with a light bell 
hung to their neck to guide their owners in the morning 
to the spot where they might have rambled — the party 
were enjoying themselves after the fatigues of the day. 
In anticipation all is pleasure, and these migrating 
bands feasted in joyous sociality, unapprehensive of any 
greater difficulties than those to be encountered in forcing 
their way through the pathless woods to the land of 
abundance; and although it took months to accomplish 
the journey, and a skirmish now and then took place be- 
tween them and the Indians, who sometimes crept unper- 
ceived into their very camp, still did the Virginians 
cheerfully proceed toward the western horizon, until the 
various groups all reached the Ohio, when, struck with 
the beauty of that magnificent stream, they at once com- 
menced the task of clearing land for the purpose of estab- 
lishing a permanent residence. 
Others, perhaps encumbered with too much luggage, 
preferred descending the stream. They prepared arks 
pierced with port-holes, and glided on the gentle current, 
more annoyed, however, than those who marched by land 
by the attacks of the Indians who watched their motions. 
Many travelers have described these boats, formerly 
called arks, but now named flatboats. But have they told 
you, kind reader, that in those times a boat thirty or 
forty feet in length by ten or twelve in breadth was con- 
sidered a stupendous fabric; that this boat contained 
men, women, and children, huddled together, with horses, 
cattle, hogs, and poultry for their companions, while the 
remaining portion was crammed with vegetables and 
packages of seeds? The roof or deck of the boat was not 
unlike a farm-yard, being covered with hay, plows, carts, 
wagons, and various agricultural implements, together 
with numerous others, among which the spinning-wheels 
of the matrons were conspicuous. Even the sides of the 
floating mass were loaded with the wheels of the different, 
vehicles, which themselves lay on the roof. Have they/ 
told you that these boats contained the little all of eachi 
family of emigrants, who, fearful of being discovered by 
the Indians, under night moved in darkness, groping their 
way from one part to another of. these floating habita- 
tions, denying themselves the comfort of fire or light, lest 
the foe that watched them from the shore should rush 
upon them and destroy them? Have they told you that 
this boat, was used, after the tedious voyage was ended, 
as the first dwelling of these new settlers? No, kind 
reader, such things have not been related to you before. 
The travelers _ who have visited our country have had 
other objects in view. 
I shall not describe the many massacres which took 
place among the different parties of white and red men 
as the former moved down the Ohio, because I have 
never been very fond of battles, and, indeed, have always 
wished that the world were more peaceably inclined than 
it is ; and shall merely add that, in one way or other, 
Kentucky was wrested from the original owners of the 
soil. Let us, therefore, turn our attention to the sports 
still enjoyed in that happy portion of the United States. 
We have individuals in Kentucky, kind reader, that 
even there are considered wonderful adepts in the man- 
agement of the rifle. To drive a nail is a common feat,, 
not more thought of by the Kentuckians than to cut off a 
wild turkey's head at a distance of a hundred yards. 
' Others will bark off squirrels one after another until 
satisfied with the number procured. Some, less intent 
on destroying game, may be seen under night snuffing a, 
candle at the distance of fifty yards, offhand, without ex- 
tinguishing it. I have been told that some have proved 
so expert and cool as to make choice of the eye of a foe- 
at a wonderful distance, boasting beforehand of the sure- 
ness of their piece, which has afterwards been fully- 
proved when the enemy's head had been examined. 
Having resided some years in Kentucky, and having- 
more than once been witness of rifle sport, I shall present 
you with the results of my observation, leaving you to> 
judge howfar rifle shooting is understood in that State.. 
Several individuals who conceive themselves expert in 
the management of the gun are often seen to meet for the 
purpose of displaying their skill, and betting a trifling 
sum, put up a target, in the center of which a common 
sized nail is hammered for about one-third of its length.. 
The marksmen make choice of what they consider a 
proper distance, which may be forty paces. Each man 
