AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
279 
tail hoary brown; length of the intestines three feet six 
inches; stomach filled with small shell fish. This is the 
Spirit Duck of Pennant, so called from its dexterity in 
diving, (Arct. Zool. No. 487,) likewise the Little Brown 
Duck of Catesby, (Nat. Hist. Car. pi. 98.) 
This species is said to come into Hudson’s Bay about 
Severn River in June, and make their nests in trees in the 
woods near ponds. The young males during the first year 
are almost exactly like the females in colour. — lb. 
WILD ANIMALS IN THE ILLINOIS COUNTRY. 
The buffalo has entirely left us. Before the country 
was settled, immense prairies afforded pasturage to large 
herds of this animal, and the traces of them are still re- 
maining in the “ buffalo paths,” which are to be seen in 
several parts of the state. These are well beaten tracts, 
leading generally from the prairies in the interior of the 
state, to the margins of the large rivers; showing the course 
of their migrations as they changed their pastures periodi- 
cally from the low marshy alluvium to the dry upland 
plains. In the heat of summer they would be driven 
from the latter by the prairie flies; in the autumn they 
would be expelled from the former by the mosquitoes; in 
the spring the grass of the plains would afford abundant 
pasturage, while the herds could enjoy the warmth of the 
sun, and snuff the breeze that sweeps so freely over them; 
in the winter, the rich cane on the river banks, which is 
an evergreen, would furnish food, while the low grounds, 
thickly covered with brush and forest, would afford pro- 
tection from the bleak winds. I know few subjects more 
interesting than the migration of wild animals, connect- 
ing, as it does, the singular display of brute instinct, with 
a wonderful exhibition of the various supplies which 
nature has supplied for the support of animal life, under 
an endless variety of circumstances. These paths are 
narrow, and remarkably direct, showing that the animals 
travelled in single file through the woods, and pursued 
the most direct course to their places of destination. 
Deer are more abundant than at the first settlement of the 
country. They increase to a certain extent, with the 
population. The reason of this appears to be, that they 
find protection in the ^neighbourhood of man, from the 
beasts of prey that assail them in the wilderness, and from 
whose attacks, their young particularly can with difficulty 
escape. They suffer most from the wolves, who hunt 
in packs like hounds, and who seldom give up the chase 
until a deer is taken. We have often sat, on a moonlight 
summer night, at the door of a log-cabin on one of our 
prairies, and heard the wolves in full chase of a deer, 
yelling very nearly in the same manner as a pack of 
hounds. Sometimes the cry would be heard at a great 
distance over the plain; then it would die away, and again 
be distinguished at a nearer point, and in another direc- 
tion; now the full cry would burst upon us from a neigh- 
bouring thicket, and we would almost hear the sobs of the 
exhausted deer; and again it would be born away, and lost 
in the distance. We have passed nearly whole nights in 
listening to such sounds; and once we saw a deer dash 
through the yard, and immediately pass the door at which 
we sat, followed by his audacious pursuers, who were 
but a few yards in his rear. Immense numbers of deer 
are killed every year by our hunters, who take them for 
their hams and skins alone, throwing away the rest of the 
carcass. Venison hams and hides are important articles of 
export: the former are purchased from the hunters at 
25 cents a pair, the latter at 20 cents a pound. In our 
villages we purchase for our tables the saddle of venison, 
with the hams attached, for 374 cents, which would be 
something like one cent a pound. There are several ways 
of hunting deer, all of which are equally simple. Most 
generally the hunter proceeds to the woods on horseback, 
in the day-time, selecting particularly certain hours, 
which are thought to be most favourable. It is said, that 
during the season when the pastures are green, this ani- 
mal rises from his lair precisely at the rising of the moon, 
whether in the day or night; and I suppose the fact to be 
so, because such is the testimony of experienced hunters. 
If it be true, it is certainly a curious display of animal in- 
stinct. This hour is therefore always kept in view by 
the hunter, as he rides slowly through the forest, with his 
rifle on his shoulder, while his keen eye penetrates the 
surrounding shades. On beholding a deer, the hunter 
slides from his horse, and, while the deer is observing the 
latter, creeps upon him, keeping the largest trees between 
himself and the object of pursuit, until he gets near enough 
to fire. An expert woodsman seldom fails to hit his game. 
It is extremely dangerous to approach a wounded deer. 
Timid and harmless as this animal is, at other times, he 
no sooner finds himself deprived of the power of flight, 
than he becomes furious, and rushes upon his enemy, 
making desperate plunges with his sharp horns, and 
striking and trampling furiously with his fore-legs, which, 
being extremely muscular, and armed with sharp hoofs, 
are capable of inflicting very severe wounds. Aware of 
this circumstance, the hunter approaches him with caution, 
and either secures his prey by a second shot, where the 
first has been but partially successful, or, as is more fre- 
quently the case, causes his dog to seize the wounded ani- 
mal, while he watches his own opportunity to stab him 
