Dec. i6, 1905.] 
/ 
FOREST AND STREAM 
491 
The Yellowstone Park in J870. 
Mr. Nathaniel P. Langford, of St. Paul, sometimes 
known as the Father of the Yellowstone Park, has just 
given to the public an extremely interesting original docu- 
ment, pertaining to the history of that national play- 
ground. 
It is remembered that Mr. Langford was one of the 
first party entering the mysterious region, afterward the 
National Park, that had a due appreciation of its wonders 
and that took steps to impress upon the people of the 
United States a knowledge of these wonders. During the 
whole trip Mr. Langford kept a full diary of the happen- 
ings of each day, and it was on this diary that he relied 
for the articles that he wrote, the lectures that he de- 
livered, and the information that he conveyed to Congress 
and to various officials at Washington, the whole finally 
leading up to legislation which, in March; 1872, set aside 
the National Park as we know it to-day. After thirty-five 
years Mr. Langford has at last published this diary just 
as it was written, and it forms a document of extreme 
interest not only tO' all who have visited the Yellowstone 
Park, but to every student of Western history. Here are 
set forth the varying points of view taken by these early 
travelers in that wonderland, and is traced the growth 
of their astonishment and enthusiasm for the marvellous 
country through which they were passing, and here we 
note that at last they return to the towns from which 
they started, to be laughed at and disbelieved when they 
told their tales of wonder, just as old Jim Bridges, and 
before h'm old John Colter, used to be laughed at for the 
stories they told of the wilderness. 
The diary is prefaced by a very interesting, historical 
introduction which brings the Park down from 1870, 
through the strenuous twent}^ years that followed, to the 
present time. While saying comparatively little about 
his own share in setting aside and preserving for the 
nation the Yellowstone Park, Mr. Langford is careful to 
give due credit to many olher men, each of whom, had 
some part in the good work. Among these may be espe- 
cially mentioned in early days Assistant Secretary of the 
Interior R. B. Cowen, and, far better known. Senator 
George G. Vest and William Hallett Phillips, and in later 
times Major H. M. Chittenden, long the engineer of the 
Park, and the author of most interesting volumes on the 
W est. 
The book is illustrated by a number of portraits of men 
connected with the work and with a number, of antique 
sketches, wdiich are interesting. It will be for sale. 
Price, $1. 
Frightened Animals,^ 
Cherryvale, Kan. — Editor Forest and Stream: Two 
weeks ago a correspondent a.sked for reports on the 
action of small game m dodging the assault of hawks 
.and other birds of prey. 
Some years ago tw'O of us were hunting quail and 
rabbits in the northern part of Kansas, and were walk- 
ing along the railroad track wdien we came to a section 
gang, and inquiring of the foreman if he could direct us 
where the other party could .get a jack rabbit to take to 
his home in Chicago, he pointed to an adjoining field, 
and stated “there was a large one that lived in the field, 
if a hawk, that had been after him for two weeks, had 
not got him.” While talking he pointed to a large hawk 
in the distance and said: “If he comes this way we 
can soon tell if he has yet caught the jack.” The hawk 
came sailing on and when over the field made a swoop 
down upon the ground, and as -he rose in the air a jack 
rabbit darted out of the stubble and ran in our direction 
and the hawk made two darts at the jack in plain sight 
of us. As it would near the jack he would flatten him- 
self out upon the ground, and as the hawk passed over 
him he would spring up and run toward us. Thus elud- 
ing the hawk he came quite near us, trying to get into 
some very tall rank grass and weeds by the side of the 
railroad. As the hawk was making his fourth dive a 
load of No. 4 shot from my 12-gauge Parker ended the 
destruction of game by that field robber, and before I 
could object my friend had killed the jack. 
We noticed that the jack would squeal whenever the 
hawk darted at him, but a close examination of the back 
and ears of the jack showed that he had not been 
touched by the talons of the hawk. 
This being the only time that I was ever close enough 
to carefully note the action of the hunted, I look forward 
Avith anticipation to the reports of other brothers of the 
field, who have had more and better opportunities to note 
the acts of self-defense on the part of the hunted. 
W. F. R. 
Food of the Rtiffed Grouse. 
A FEW days ago Mr. Carl Von Lengerke, the New 
York agent for the Polk Miller Drug Company, gave us 
a quantity of leaves and acorns taken from the craw of 
a ruffed grouse, which he had recently killed in Sullivan 
county, N. Y., asking that they might be identified. The 
specimens being sent to the New York Botanical Garden, 
in Bronx Park, New York city, were there determined 
to represent five species as follows : Some hair moss 
(Catharinea augustata Brid.), leaf buds of the black 
birch (Betula lenta L.), leaves of the hemlock (Tsuga 
canadensis Carr.), leaves of the false mitrewort {Tiar- 
ella cordifolia L.) and fruit of the black oak {Queretts 
velutina Lam.). 
While acorns seem to be rather large for a ruffed 
grouse to swallow, yet we know very well that these are 
a favorite food for many gallinaceous birds, as turkeys, 
grouse and quail. We have all frequently seen the craw 
of the ruffed grouse stuffed with beech nuts or with 
chestnuts, and know that nuts or mast form a large part 
of the autumn food of these birds, just as in old, times 
similar mast used to nourish the vast hordes of passenger 
pigeons whose wonderful flights over the country are 
now but a memory. 
Game in the Yellowstone. 
Regarding the game in the park, their habits, con- 
dition, variety, number, their treatment and the results 
thereof, the acting superintendent gives the following 
interesting account: 
“The proper time to see and study the wild animals 
of the park is during the winter, or after the snow has 
fallen on the mountains to such a depth as to drive them 
down into the lower country. Up to the present time 
there have been no proper accommodations in the park 
during the winter for taking care of those who would 
like to come in at that season, but in the near future it 
is probable that this trouble will be remedied by the 
building of a suitable hotel at Mammoth Hot Springs, 
within five miles of the main entrance of the park. 
After the snow has fallen it is not necessary to go any 
further into the park than this point in order to see 
all of the wild animals that are to be found within its 
limits at any season, with the exception of the bear. 
It has been only within the last two or three years 
that these animals could be seen in such close proximity 
to the Mammoth Hot Springs, and the reasons for this 
fact are due to a few simple changes in the park man- 
agement, as follows: 
"First. No dogs are allowed to run at large in the 
park, and when they are brought in by campers or 
others passing through they must be carried in wagons 
and kept tied up when in camp. It is a fact that any 
I ind of a dog running at large, while he will probably 
t!o no harm to the game, will run it all out the section 
where it is ranging. 
“Second. A fence about four miles long has been 
built along the northern line of the park, which ex- 
cludes all stock that for a number of years has grazed 
within the limits of the park and completely used up 
the grass, which is now preserved for the wild animals. 
No stock of any kind is now permitted to run at large 
in the vicinity of the Mammoth Hot Springs, and where 
they formerly grazed during the summer elk and deer 
can now be seen feeding during the winter. 
“In order to be successful in keeping wild game on 
any reserve, it is absolutely necessary either to preserve 
their natural feed for them or to supply them with 
hay, and even where the natural supply of feed is pre- 
served, it is well to have a supply of hay on hand, in 
order to help out the weaker animals each spring, for 
ihere is always a period when the old grass is nearly 
all gone and before the new grass is ready for use whicli 
is very trying for all wild animals. It is for this reason 
ihat an effoiT has been made to a limited extent in the 
park to feed certain kinds of game each spring. The 
aniitials so fctl are the sheep, the deer, and the antelope, 
a.nd the results have been remarkabLe_ in at least two 
ways — it has rendered them exceedingly tame and 
caused them to recognize man as their friend instead 
of an enemy; and while they will not permit one to 
puich them, they can be approached witbiu a reasonable 
distance at anv time without llieir slunving tlie least 
o. gn of teat It has also resulted in a great nnprove- 
ment in their physical condition, and starts them off 
in the spring, when the females are about to have their 
young, in such good shape that few are lost from any 
cause. 
“Tliree years ago a deer was seldom seen anywhere 
about the Mammoth Hot Springs, and only occasionally 
a few tracks could be seen in the snow, showing where 
they had crossed over the parade ground of Fort Yel- 
’h wstone during the night. As a matter of experiment, 
: '-d "dill a hope - that som.e of these animals which 
p, i--.sfd through the post might be mduc.ed to come 
around where they could be seen, a few bales of alfalfa 
hay were scattered about the parade ground. The re- 
sult was remarkable, for on the second day after the hay 
had been put out about a dozen blacktail deer ap- 
peared. The next day this number was doubled, and 
from day to day the number increased, until finally they 
numbered considerably over 100. It was ■ extremely 
interesting to see how quickly these animals lost all 
fear of human beings, and even when the evening gun 
is fired within ico yards of them they pay little or 
no attention to it, but show much interest in the lower- 
ing of the flag from the staff, wdiich is located in the 
center of the feeding ground. 
“The mountain sheep, which are supposed to be the 
wildest of all of our western animals, have also shown 
the same friendly disposition under the same conditions 
and have become even tamer and more fearless than 
the deer. These animals are becoming very rare and 
are difficult to find in any section of the country. It is 
therefore desirable that the few in the park should be 
carefully preserved, and their number increased as 
rapidly as possible. There are now about 100 of these 
animals that make their home at all times entirely 
within the limits of the park. 
“Next to the mountain sheep the antelope are proba- 
bly the most interesting and attractive animels that we 
have in the park, and, like the sheep, they are rapidly 
disappearing throughout the West. The park herd 
consists of about 1,500 animals, and seems to be in- 
creasing in numbers quite rapidly. This increase is 
due to the fact that they are protected not only in the 
park, but throughout the State of Montana. The sum- 
mer range for the antelope is well up on the Yellow- 
stone River and entirely within the park, and in old 
days their winter range extended far down the Yellow- 
stone, and they seldom remained in this section after 
the first heavy fall of snowc The valley of the Yellow- 
stone north of the pavk is now completely taken up by 
ranchers, and their wire fences running in every direc- 
tion have completely shut off the old winter range of 
the antelope, and they are now compelled to remain 
at all times entirely within the limits of the park or 
A ery close to its borders. Last fall 800 antelope were 
counted upon the alfalfa field near Gardiner, and at 
the same time a number of smaller bands could be 
seen in the foothills above the field and on the, slopes 
of Mount Everts, on the Opposite side of the Gardiner 
River. 
"The elk are by far the m(.)st numerous of all the 
large game and it is a \'ei'v difficult matter to determine 
exacily, or e\’eii appnj.Kimately, how many there are. 
During ilw summer nearly all of the elk pertaining to 
the neighboring sections of Wyoming, Idaho, and Mon- 
tarni, range entirely within the limits of the park; but 
during the winter it is probable that at least one-half 
c f this number goes out into the neighboring States, 
but, owing to the rapid settlement of the country and 
the coiise(|uent decrease in the amount of feed, their 
oniside '.'r winter range is decreasing from year to year, 
and each year the\' a greater inclination to re- 
main within or near the borders of the park. 
“Fcav people knoAv or realize that each year the bull 
elk shed their w'onderful antlers. Many of these shed 
antlers have been collected from time to time and are 
used as fences for protecting the lawns about the 
Mammoth Hot Sorings, but their use, for such pur- 
poses has been discouraged for the reason that the 
average tourist, seeing them lying about in such num- 
bers, imagines that there has been a terrible slaughter 
of elk in the park. The bull elk begin shedding their 
horns usually about the first of March, but sometimes 
they lose them much earlier, and others carry them 
until sometime in May. During the period when they 
are shedding and while the new horns are growing, the 
bulls are usually found in bands of various sizes, sepa- 
rated entirely from the cows and living peaceably among 
themselves. Later on, when their horns become fully 
developed, which is about the last of September, a 
change comes over their peaceful natures; they sepa- 
rate and are ready for a fight at any time. This is the 
beginning of the rutting season, and each bull makes 
an effort to gather into a herd all of the cows that _he 
can persuade to stay Avith him, and it is the most in- 
teresting period during which to- study the habits of the 
elk. The bulls are easily located at this season by their 
whistling. This is a peculiarly weird sound, Avhich 
commences with a high, shrill whistle and ends with a 
roar. It is apparently used as a call for his band of 
cows or a challenge to other bulls. It is frequently 
answered by the younger bulls, which roam about some 
distance away from the herd of cows, but the challenge 
to fight is seldom accepted. 
“A large band of elk, some 400 or 500 in number, 
makes its winter home close to the Mammoth Hot 
Springs. As long as the condition of the snow will 
permit, they remain on the south side of the ridge 
just back of the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, but oc- 
casionally they can be seen trooping down from this 
ridge, passing within a few hundred yards of the hotel, 
on their way to a lower feeding ground, and whenever 
this happens, it is said, you can look out for a big 
snoAvstorm. In passing from one feeding ground to 
another the elk encounter very deep snow, and this 
they pass through in single file, the strongest of the 
bulls taking the lead so as to break the trail, the leaders 
falling out one after another as they become exhausted. 
“There are a number of moose in the park, but they 
are seldom seen, as they range chiefly along the upper 
Yellowstone River and in the southeastern corner of 
the park, Avhich is a very inaccessible country at present, 
owing to the lack of roads or trails. The killing of these 
animals is now prohibited in the State of Wyoming, 
and it is hoped that they will rapidly increase in num- 
bers and also move further up into the park. 
“When the park Avas first set aside as a Government 
reserve there was quite a large herd of buffalo within 
its limits, but as there was no law or regulation pro- 
hibiting hunting for a number of years after its estab- 
lishment, this herd Avas soon reduced to a very small 
one, and what Avas left of it was driven back into the 
most inaccessible part of the park and into _ an ex- 
ceedingly unfavorable country for buffalo to winter in. 
There are now about thirty of these animals, left, and 
they have been located for a number of years on the 
head of Pelican Creek. The only way that tli,ey can 
keep alive during the Avinter is by grazing on the few 
places kept open by the hot springs, for their range_ is 
very high and snoAv falls there very deep and remains 
until late in the spring. They could be driven out of 
that locality and possibly a feiv of them caught up, but 
it is more than likelv that a greater part of them would 
be killed in the attempt. Instead of attempting to catch 
up the old ones, men are sent out early in the spring 
for the purpose of capturing the young calves, which 
are brought into Mammoth Hot Springs, raised by a 
domestic cow, and then turned out in an inclosure with' 
the tame herd. With a view to preventing the buffalo 
from becoming extinct, in the year 1902 Congress ap- 
propriated $15,000 for the purpose of starting a new 
herd in the park. With this fund a herd of twenty-one 
animals Av^as purchased and the necessary inclosures in 
Avhich to keep them were constructed. The herd pur- 
