July 22, iQos.] FOREST AND STREAM. 0 7 
Ifi M 
(MMiMlAHIMW 
j 
s lil ^ 
i 
A Kangaroo Hunt. 
But a short time after my arrival in Melbourne, Aus- 
tralia, I fortunately made the acquaintance of a party 
who owned a sheep run, at the foot of the- Australian 
Alps. So soon as he discovered my love for field sports 
he gave me a cordial invitation to accompany him, on his 
return home, and enjoy a kangaroo hunt, which he would 
get up for my delectation. I promptly accepted his kind 
offer and irnpatiently waited until he had finished the de- 
tails of selling his Crop of wool, and purchasing supplies 
for his run, to last for tiife ensuing tWeive montiis. lil d 
few days we started with the wagons, filled with pro- 
vender, etc., and passed in the vicinity of the famous 
Fern Tree Gully. We camped over night but a short dis- 
tance from this noted locality, and my host and self can- 
tered through the whole of it. I had seen and admired a 
number of these trees, in the public squares of Melbourne, 
but the conglomeration of them at this far-famed locality 
fairly astounded me.- About noon on the following day 
we passed a small w^ayside tavern where I had my first 
interview with the white-backed piping crow. The land- 
lord had a pet one, which flew about the premises, and 
when its master called it it perched on his shoulder, while 
he walked out into an adjoining inclosure, where he 
5prinkled several handfuls of grain. The crow imme- 
liately fluttered off to the, fence hfid beg.Hn to .Call for the 
members Of .its SpedieS, which dWelt ip the iiBighbofiloofl, 
In ,a very shoft time quite d large flo.ck had aSsenibled 
which quickly deVoufed the grain, while the pet showed 
his gratification by sundry highly pitched notes, resumed 
his perch on his owner’s shoulder, and accompanied him 
aack to the house. Singular to relate, but a short time 
subsequently, while passing along the streets of Sydney 
)ne evening, I caught the sound of something whistling 
,‘Sherman’s March Through Georgia,” and tracing it to 
n barroom I entered, and at the cost of a glass of ale, 
earned from the bar-maid that several years previously 
1 panorama of the American war had been exhibited in 
:he city, and the music caught the town and very natur- 
dly nearly every one w'as whistling it, consequently the 
)et white-backed piping crow caught the tune and had 
ivhistled it regularly ever since. 
The sheep run was located at the foot of the Australian 
Alps, along the slopes of which it was my host’s intention 
::o introduce me into the process of kangaroo hunting. 
His first movement was to dispatch several of the natives 
>11 his employ to hunt up a posse of their fellow country- 
nen to serve as beaters, and as this would take several 
lays, he proposed that I should ,g0' with him on one Of 
liis customary Visits tb one of his shepherds on an out- 
)utiyiUg run. We aceompanied the wPgoU^ which took 
jut stores to last for sevCral wfeehs. Oh out arrival I 
.vas surprised- to find that the shepherd’s Sole companions 
were the collies, which assisted him in the care of the 
lock. His abode consisted of a small shanty, which 
! mdd be lifted on to a wagon and moved as the occasion 
;quired. The intelligence of the collies was amazing, 
hey seemed to know just what was expected of thenl 
id attended to the care of the flocks with all the skill 
id judgment of a human being. Finding everything in 
lod order we made but a short stay with the shepherd, 
id hurried back to headquarters, anxious to commence 
ir foray on the kangaroos. 
The morning afler our return the native contingent be- 
wail to arrive, and by nightfall the entire posse, number- 
ng about fifty, put in an appearance, consequently early 
n the forenoon of the following day we started to climb 
he slopes of the mountains, and by noon arrived in the 
/icinity of our game, as war scouts, -who kept a small 
listance in advance, hurried back and reported to us. A 
emporary camp was formed and all the preparations com- 
ileted for a foray early on the following morning. 
We were away betimes, going directly up the ascend- 
ing land for about a couple of miles, when we turned 
harply to the right, and after proceeding some little dis- 
ance secreted ourselves in the undergrowth and fever- 
shly awaited the appearance of the_ game, which would 
)e driven in our direction by the natives, who were slow- 
y advancing in a semi-circular cordon, thus forcing the 
uiimals into our immediate neighborhood. My host and 
nyself were located some distance apart, and the scheme 
vas to compel a greater portion of the game to pass 
hrough the space betw'een us. I had impatiently awaited 
ts appearance for some time, when my attention was 
taught by a flash of brownish color, but a short distance 
o my right, and I was taken by surprise by the appear- 
tnce of a pair of lyre birds, busily engaged in scraping 
[uite a depression in the ground, similar to those formed 
)y our common barnyard fowls. My_ attention was so 
'ompletely fixed by the actions of the birds that I became 
iblivious to my original purpose, when I was startled 
| )y a continuous thumping approaching in my diiection, 
vhich caused a responsive action under my ribs ^ and 
Tightened the birds, so that they immediately disap- 
leared. Instantly becoming watchful, I did not have 
ong to wait before I spied a small group of kangaroos, 
vhich were evidently the advance guard of the throng, 
lounding along in full sight, but too- far away to insure 
i sure shot. . , , t i j .4 
In spite of my anxiety to begin a fusillade 1 concludea 
o wait for an opportunity which would insure a, success- 
ul termination. I did not have to remain quiet but a 
very short time before my locality became fairly alive 
■vith fleeing marsupials. Fortunately for me, my host got 
n the first shot, which caused the throne of thoroughly 
rrightened animals to swerve in my direction, giving me 
in excellent opportunity to single out a sure shot, about 
ivery time that I pulled the trigger. By making a firm 
i'.and against what I thought were precarious shots, 1 
pulled the trigger six times, while the game were flying 
oast me, and managed to gather up three red and t*wo 
great kangaroos, as the result of my broadside. I had 
just finished dragging my game into a heap and was con- 
gratulating myself on my good fortune when my com- 
panion put in an appearance, accompanied by three na- 
tives, carrying one red and two great kangaroos, which 
made his bag. In a short time a number of other natives 
joined us, who shouldered my portion of the game and 
we tramped back to our camp much- pleased with the re- 
sult of our sport. 
After Our return I was entertained by an exhibition of 
boomerang throwing by the natives, and completely taken 
aback by the dexterity of a young colonist, who far ex- 
ceeded the aborigines in the dexterous handling of this 
singular weapon. At lii§ requfeSt 1 stood alongside of him 
while he- cast one from him, and wds forced to make an- 
expeditions side movement in order to escape being struck 
by it on, its whizzing return. 
The next morning we moved our camp several miles 
along the foot of the hills and started the scouts out 
to hunt up a fresh instalment of game. Early in the 
afternoon two of them returned and reported the dis- 
covery of an emu’s nest but a comparatively short dis- 
tance away, and I accompanied them to- it, not for the 
purpose of plunder but simply to- make an examination 
of it and -its .surroundings. On our near approach the 
male bird sprang up from the nest and ran away, thus 
verifj-dng -what 1 had read, that the male performs the 
duties of incubation. After closely inspecting the nest, 
which contained eleven dark green eggs, without dis- 
turbing it or its surroundings, we withdrew and left the 
male to resume his assumed duties. 
On our return to camp we found that a majority of 
the scouts had returned and reported that there was a 
strong probability of making a good drive on the follow- 
ing morning, as they had found quite a number of indi- 
cations of game in the neighborhood, besides seeing sev- 
eral speciments. 
W e hurried off early the next day to the blinds, which 
had been selected for our concealment on the previous 
day, and anxiously waited for the appearance of the 
kangaroos. My patience was not severely tested, as in a 
short time a batch of black wallabys put in an appearance 
and gave me an opportunity of getting four shots, three 
of which were successful. Making so good a beginning 
caused me to imagine that I would make a heavy bag 
during the drive, but I was much mistaken, as my volley 
frightened the game off in the direction of my friend, and 
I only succeeded in dropping one great kangaroo during 
the remainder of the drive. I had just finished gathering 
up my game when my friend turned up with four great 
kangaroos and one black wallaby as his booty, and we 
retufngd to camp thoroughly satisfied with the result of 
our hunt. 
The next da^' saw uS at the homestead and I began to 
make preparations for my return to Melbourne when my 
host informed me that on the following morning he 
would furnish me with an interview with a duck bill 
(Ornithorhyncas paradoxurus) as the finale of my visit. 
No one but a naUiral history enthusiast can imagine my 
feelings at this announcement, and I freely acknowledge 
that for the remainder of the day my actions would have 
convinced anyone that I was somewhat mentally unbal- 
anced. After spending a restless night ve started early the 
next morning on about a mile’s ride in Order to reach a 
small creek which was the habitat of the duck bill. A 
brisk canter soon brought us within about a hundred 
yards of the spot frequented by the animal, when we dis- 
mounted, tied our steeds to some overhanging branches, 
and stealthily crawled down the banks of the rivulet until 
we reached a screen, which was formed by weaving to- 
gether the foliage of numerous living shrubs. Hastily 
handing me his binoculars and pointing out the nook 
where the animal usually made its first appearance, my 
friend wished me success and hurried away leaving me 
in a somewhat discomposed state. Hastily bracing up I 
leveled the glasses on the nook and impatiently awaited 
developments. In a short time there was a series of small 
ripples and a pair of mandibles gradually appeared fol- 
lowed by the body of the animal, which seemed about 
eighteen inches in length and of a dark brown color. It 
immediately began dabbling with its bill along the muddy 
margin of the stream, evidently in search of aquatic in- 
sects, until it approached within about thirty feet of me, 
when an incautious movement on my part caused an im- 
mediate disappearance of the animal, much to my annoy- 
ance and sorrow. After waiting for some time for the 
reappearance of the frishtoned animal I gave up my vigil 
in despair and h’irried back to- my friend, .breakfasted, 
bade him farewell, and started for Melbourne much 
pleased with my trip. Frank J. Thompson. 
An am’wing anecdote ilbistrating Chinese politeness 
i« lold in “Chinese Life in Town and Country.” recently 
miblished by the Putnams : “A Chinaman, wearing his 
finest p-own of silk, called at a house where he happened 
to disturb a rat which was regaling itself out of a iar of 
oil standing on a beam over the door. In its flight the rat 
11^.■^et the oil upon the visitor, ruining his fine raiment 
When the host appeared the visitor suppre=sed his rage 
'.md said : ‘As I was entering your honorable dwelling, 
I frightened vour honorable rat.- and while it was trying 
to escaue it tigset your honorable jar of oil over my poor 
and insignificant clothinm This exulains the contempt- 
ible condi<^ion in which I find myself in your honorable 
presence.’ ” 
“Oh yes, he’s quite an enthusiast. He goes in for 
thino-s in real earnest.” 
“Yes. if some one were to send him on a wild goose 
chase hf’d sppaV of himself afterwards as a sportsman.” — 
HhUadelcyhia Press, 
Game Protection. 
The Year Book of the Department of Agriculture for 
igo4, which has just come from the Government Printing 
Office, contains a review of game protection in 1904, by 
Dr. T. S. Palmer, of the Biological Survey. Of the game 
law decisions of the year, he w iles: 
“Rarely, if ever, have so many important questions in 
game protection been decided in a single year as in igo.p 
Eleven game decisions of more or less general itilere.st 
were rendered by the higher courts in Arkansas, Cali- 
fornia, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska 
and New York. In Arkansas the provision ab-olulely 
prohibiting non-residents from hunting in the Stale was 
held by the Supreme Court to be unconslitiiiional in so 
far as it interfered with land owners hunting on their own 
premises (State v. Mallory, 83 S. W., 95.5). In lliiiois an 
equally important license decision was rendered by the 
Supreme Court of Illinois in the case of Cummings v. 
The People (71 N. E., 1031). In ibis decision tlie right 
of the State to discriminate against nun-resideiils was 
also sustained, and in addition it was decided that lands 
owned or rented as game preserves were not farm lands 
in the meaning of the law, and hence owners and tenants 
were not entitled to hunt without a license. I'he Colo- 
rado decision (Hornbeke v. White, 76 Pac., 926) iiplwld 
the constitutionality of the game law of 1899. This ca.se, 
the first game case in the State ever carried to the Court 
of Appeals, involved the possession of 300 deer hides, and 
resulted in a vindication of the authority of the State to 
maintain its title in the game and to prescribe the condi- 
tions under which game should be killed or held in pos- 
session. 
“Two important decisions were handed down in Minne- 
sota, one sustaining the right to prevent trespass on pri- 
vate land used as a duck pass (L. Realty Co. v. Johnson, 
too N. W., 94), the other considering the question of ex- 
cessive fines (State v. Poole, 100 N. W., 647). In the 
latter decision a fine of $10 to $25 for each bird illegally 
in possession was held to be not excessive, even though 
the minimum fine for the possession of 2,000 ducks would 
amount to $20,000. 
“The Supreme Court of Nebraska likewise handed down 
two game decisions, one holding, among other things, 
that a fine of $S for each prairie chicken unlawfully in 
possession was not excessive (McMahon v. Slate, 97 N. 
W., 1035), the other that the provision of the game law 
authorizing confiscation of guns and other hunting para- 
phernalia was unconstitutional in so far as it ptruiiiled 
such property to be confiscated without due process of 
law. (McConnell v. McKillip, 99 N. W., 505.) 
“Two adverse decisions were rendered in New York, 
one by the appellate division of the Supreme Court in a 
case involving the possession of thirty-six snow buiuu.gs 
(The People v. Cohen, 86 N. Y. Supp., 475 ). 3 "^ Bie 
other by the Court of Appeals, finally dismissing the case 
against the Arctic Freezing Company (The People v. 
Bootman, 66 N. E., 1113). The latter had been before 
the courts since 1901 and had attracted widespread atten- 
tion on account of the large fines involved. 1 he main 
question at issue was whether the State law applied to 
game imported from other States. The court held that, 
although the law in force at the time the seizure was 
made did not apply to imported game, nevertheless it was 
competent for the State to enact such a law. This has 
already been done in chapter 141 of the acts of 1902. 
“During the calendar year 330 mammals and 271,3^ 
birds were imported into the United States under permit. 
Among the mammals were eleven beaver from Cantida 
and 106 squirrels from Europe. Of the birds 232.617 
were canaries, 942 pheasants, 3.568 quail, 1,043 other game 
birds, and 33,172 miscellaneous species. Among the last- 
mentioned species were several from India seldom 
brought to the United States, a horned screamer and 
several other rare species from Souih America, and a 
Somali ostrich (Struthio nwlydophanes) , the first ever 
brought to this country. Two shipments of fifty Mada- 
gascar weavers (^Foudia madognscai'iensis) are also of 
interest, as they belong to a species which might become 
inj urious should it once gain a foothold in this 
country. 
“Several entries, both of eggs and birds, show the prog- 
ress of efforts to stock covers with foreign game birds, 
chiefly pheasants, partridges, quail, capercailzie and black 
grouse. The total number of eggs imported w^as 2.858, 
of which about 660 were those 'of partridges and the re- 
mainder those of pheasants. Among the consignments 
of game birds was one containing 192 Hungarian part- 
ridges, destined for South Carolina. In spite of repeated 
attempts, the introduction of the European partridge into 
the United States has not yet been satisfactorily accom- 
plished, and experiments with eggs are not more success- 
ful than with birds, less than so per cent. of those im- 
ported in 1904 having hatched. 1 he importation of Chi- 
nese quail for market purposes, in California was prac- 
tically stopped early in the year by the enforcement of a 
provision in the State law prohibiting the sale of the=;e 
birds Two shipments of Mexican quail, one for Cali- 
fornia, the other for Bowling Green, Ky.. also_ de.serve 
mention. By far the most intere.iting game birds im- 
ported, however, were about too capercailzie and twenty- 
five black grouse. These birds were liberatod on Grand 
Island Mich., which a private corporation is converting 
into an important game preserve. Tliis experiment marks 
a notable step in the introduction of the capercailzie into 
America, and its result will he watched with even greater 
interest than that made by the Fish and Game Commis- 
sion of Ontario in 1903- 
“The interest in private preserves continues to increase 
in all sections gf the country. The record of the year 
shows the establis]|iment of at least twenty--five private 
preserves in a dozen or more States, In California, par-. 
