FOREST > AND * STREAM 
339 
is the buoyancy of the animal increased. My opinion in re- 
gard to this is further strengthened by the statement of prac- 
tical tanners who inform me thut it is impossible to keep a 
deer skin submerged in a tan vat except by placing heavy 
weights upon it. Other hides, such as ox or horse hides, 
placed on top, will not answer the purpose. No matter how 
niauy of these you place on top in a few hours the deer skin 
will work out from under them and float at the top. 
I read an article in your paper last year in which the state- 
ment was made that a deer in the red coat, if not killed too 
quickly after taking water and allowed to become blown, 
would not sink ; and following this idea, more with a view to 
test its truthfulness than otherwise (for it was contrary to my 
own convictions), one day last August I drove a buck twice 
across a lake and then to the middle, where I shot him, and he 
immediately sank, and in trying to grasp him I upset rather a 
cranky canoe, and after about an hour’s work paddling said 
canoe to shore, sitting astride the bottom with my legs dang- 
ling in the water and my body as wet as a drowned rat, 
mourning the loss of a fine double-barreled breech-loader and 
some other hunting implements, had I then met the writer of 
that article 1 am somewhat afraid my remarks to him would 
have been the reverse of complimentary. 
I write this in a spirit of friendly caution to brother sports- 
men who may not have many opportunities of killing a deer, 
and to whom the loss of a fine buck by sinking would be per- 
haps a matter of more regret than the loss of my gun was to 
me, aud advise them that the only rule safe to be followed is 
tills : If a deer is in the blue coat, kill him whenever you 
please; but if in the red, drive him ashore aud kill him when 
he is lauding. 
It is due to others, holding contrary opinions to mine, to 
say that the deer I speak of are the black-tailed deer of the 
Pacific Coast, as my experience is principally coufined to them; 
but I may mention that many huuterB of my acquaintance 
agree in this theory as applicable to the white-tailed deer east 
of the Rocky Mountains. 
Yours truly, Mowitch. 
[We must acknowledge that the views advanced by our 
correspondent arc new to us, and also that they seem very 
plausible. — E d.] 
MORE ABOUT DEER. 
THB1R HORNS AND HABITS. 
Willis, Texas, April 16, 1878. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
“Do deer bury their horns?” I Bay emphatically they do 
mot. I mean the red deer of this county. Of what tame deer 
may do in confinement I can say nothing ; but wild deer do 
not make a funeral of their antlers after shedding, nor do they 
knock, butt or rub them off against trees, nor do they crawl into 
some secret cavern or cross-barred jungle to drop them, but drop 
'them, when ready to come off, at any place and at any time. 
•Generally they are dropped off as the animal is lying down 
quietly, ruminating his food, which is usually in a nearly 
open space on a dry hill or knoll, the kind of places old bucks 
prefer lying when in an undisturbed locality, or when the 
•weather is warm and pleasant; but when it is cool or cold, he 
repairs to a thicket for protection from cold and may drop his 
horns there ; but he docs not seek such places to hide, shed, or 
bury his horns. It is only a matter of chance about that. When 
the horn is about to turn loose from the head there ensues an 
itching process at the base of the horn, just as in the gums of a 
child, when its teeth are becoming loose, and this itching 
often causes the buck to rub the place against a tree on that 
account, and during the operation the horns sometimes fall off, 
then the place Meeds a few drops, and a scab forms over the 
wound, which itself scales off in a week or two, and in the 
course of a mouth or six weeks the new or young horn begins 
to peep out, which, in this climate, is about March 1. The 
buckB shed their horns here from Christmas Day to the middle 
of February. They then drop them, sometimes one, and 
sometimes both together. I have found them both ways. 
They drop them on the top of the ground or leaves, mul pay 
no further aitention to them, except to give a farewell look, 
smell or lick. The buck is uow quite poor and shabby, aud 
cowardly in his gray or drub suit, and is apt to seek the com- 
pany of a lot of does aud yearlings, and with them remain 
until ssy 15th April or along in May, when the docs begin to 
have their fawns. Now the old bucks begin to grow their 
horns, shed off their old gray winter clothes, and put on a 
thin coat of beautiful red or bay, and then get themselves to- 
gether in herds of from two to ten or more, and thus remain 
until the horns are full grown, the velvet shed off, and the 
running or rutting season begius. This takes place the last of 
September in this region, and extends through to October and 
November. Then they quurrel and fight, and separate as 
though entire straDgerB to each other. The old bucks, of 
course, receive about all the attention of the does at this 
time, but the spike, or forked horn, insists on staudiug in 
sight, pawing the ground, rubbiug the saplings and looking 
“lonesome” and mad. And as to the spike buck doing all the 
rubbing of the bark oil Baplings, that's all bosh. All bucks do 
the rubbing and barking of saplings, and twisting their over- 
hanging branches into withes with their horns; all paw and 
dig up the earth; all chase the docs, and all fight. We call 
the places where they wouud the trees “rubs," and the places 
dug aDd pawed “scrapes." 
They visit their scrapes nearly every day, and paw and 
stamp aud cut up nil sorts of antics. But the “scrape ” is not 
confined to the visits of one deer. 'I'he bucks, does aud all, go 
to them, and paw and prance, and drop their excrement, aud 
especially urine, in and around these scrapes, aud others come 
along and do the same ; this iB kept up during the running 
season, and from persons seeing these scrapes or the deer paw- 
ing at them, has no doubt sprung the idea that, “deer bury 
their horns," and theBe are the places where the funeral ob- 
sequies take place. 
This nibbing of the horu9 is done during the running season 
alone, and not, as many thiok, that the buck does it to get the 
velvet off. Deer do not rub the velvet off. The velvet is 
simply a delicate skin, covered with a soft dove-colored bristle 
or hair. This skin possesses nerves and blood vessels, aud has 
all the functions and vitality of aoy other skin of the body 
uutil the antlers are fully developed, then this skin dies around 
the base of the horn, aud, all vitality and circulation being cut 
off, the “ velvet skin" splits up and peels off in strips and 
shreds and falls off itself, the deer having nothing to do with 
rubbing it off, for at that time the antler has lost all sensibili 
ty from base to poiDt. If you think the old buck docs not 
rub the bark off sapliDge, you examine any old buck’s horns 
two weeks after the running season has begun, and you will 
find the rougar or rough parts about the front of the buse of 
the horns all filled with particles of green bark. Many a time 
have I sat near these scrapes at daybreak with rifle awaitiDg 
an old buck, and seldom failed to get him between the dawn 
of day and sun-up— and have killed three or four in one 
morning in this way. Some would be chasing a doc, some 
playiDg, some walking moodily along as though they had been 
keeping late hours last night. 
Now, about the “ fawn and his spots.” A fawn docs not 
lose his spots as loDg as he is a fawn, which time is from the 
birth until he sheds entirely his reel spotted coat, and then 
patB on his blue winter goods. He then becomes a “year- 
ling ’’ deer. The spots are confined to the original or fawn- 
colored coat that he wears first, and are never lost until that 
whole coat is entirely removed, although become very pale 
toward shedding time. The “Pawnee chief ” is nearer right 
than any of you, though he is modest in what he says ; and in 
conclusion, I trust that my brother sportsmen will not blame 
me too severely for differing so widely from them. But if 
there is any merit in an experience of years in the woods, day 
and night, in all seasons of the year, and hunting these spleu- 
did animals with nil the eagerness and zeal of the sportsman, 
and quietly and dispassionately watching all their characteris- 
tics, movements ana actions, with all the anxiety of a natur- 
alist, then it appears that I should know whereof I speak. 
0. L. J. 
Migrations of tiib Chappie.— I n your last number I no- 
ticed an article from " Yell," headed “ What a Crappio Is,” 
which evidently describes with accuracy a fish well known 
here. Our river, the Big Barren, is a tributary of Gicen, and 
it of the Ohio. These fish appeared here about thirty or 
thirty-five years ago, aud are generally believed to be a lake 
tisb, reaching the Ohio and tributaries through the Eric Canal. 
I hey also appearing simultaneously with the Alexander 
Campbell reformation in the West, were, according to tho vary- 
ing designation of this movemeut in different localities, called 
Cainpbelld.es, Now lights, Reformers, Christians, etc. In 
some localities on Green River they are also known as calico 
perch, bachelor, tin mouth, etc. They are a fine pau fish, 
gregarious, nearly always iu schools, uud love deep still water. 
Bowling Green , Kg., May 26, 1878. S. W. C. 
A GuonsR’s Family.— An Albany, N. Y., correspondent 
writes that a grouse at Tribe's Hill, uear that city, having ap- 
propriated a lien's nest full of eggs, has hatched out a brood of 
chickens, and is uow caring for them. We have chronicled 
several cases of a similar nature before. 
AkkIVAIS AT TUB PniLADULFlIIA ZOOLOGICAL GAHDBNr FOn WEBB 
Endino Tuk-day, May sj>.— One broail-wluged buzzard, Hutu, i*nn*yl- 
vanicum, presented ; one Iiog-nosed snake, lltlerodonplatgrhinua, pre- 
seuteil • ouc Pine snuko, I'ituojiM* tntlano/enau, prcscnieii ; one glass 
snake. Opheoiaurusvmlralis, presented ; one opossum and seven young, 
Didelphys virginlanu*, presented; ouu scarlet Ibis, this rnfcrn, pre- 
sented; two copperheads, Agh's/roifon ewitortnx, presented; oucGt. 
horned owl, liuOo oirginianus, presented. 
Arthur K. Drown, Gon. Supt. 
« - «♦■ ■ - - 
Animals Reozivkd at Central Park Mknaukrib kor Wkkk End- 
ing May One bjack-eared marmoset, Uapals jacehus, presented by 
Mr. G. S. MoWuHers, N. Y. City ; one opossum and Uvo young, Did el. 
phy* xirejintana, presented t>y Mr. Frank K. Kinney, N. Y. city; two 
Sobaslopol geese, Amur domsstieiui, prescutod by Mr. William simp- 
sou, Jr., N, Y. City; oao Angora goat and young, Capra Mrcu* ; six 
black swans, Cgnus attains, bred In the muuugcrle. 
W. A. Conklin, Director. 
ijcntuil. 
l o CoiiRBsi'oNDBNTO.— Tbosa desiring as to proscribe lor tlielr dogs 
a 111 pleai'O take note of and dezcrlbo tho following points lu oaoh ani- 
mal: 
1. Age. 'J. Food and ruodlclno given. 3. Appoarunco of tho oyo 
of the coat ; of tho tongue nud lips. 4. Any changes lu tho uppcnrauco 
of tho body, a* bloating, drawing In of the dauks, oto. 6. breathing, 
tho number of respirations per mluutc, arid whether labored or not. 
8. Condition of the bowels and seorutlons of the kldnoys, color, etc. 7. 
Appetite; regular, variable, etc. B. Tomporature of the body as indi- 
cated by the bulb of the tlioraioiuelcr whuu placed bo tween the body 
and tho foreleg. 9. Glvo position of konnol and surnmudlngu, outlook, 
contiguity to other buildings, and the uses of tho latter. Alau give any 
peculiarities of temperament, movements, etc., that may bo noticed, 
sign of Buffering, etc. 
— .§■ » 
THE DOG CAREFULLY CONSIDERED. 
UOW MANY SHEEP D0E8 HE KILL? nOW MANY TEHSONS DIE OP 
HYDBOPnODIA ? 
To confess to aa affection for the dog — 
“ Man’B faithful friend, 
The Orst to weicomo, tho foremost to defend," 
is to do more than to acknowledge tho influenoe of a feeling 
common to all. The boy who grows up without experiencing 
the delight of canine proprietorship has had no childhood to 
boast of. Although Tray has his faults, his virtues so greatly 
overbalance them that he will always retains hia old place in 
the affections of man. lie wus made for man, and has coma 
to slay. 
SALMO SPILURUS. 
THE SALMONID^E OF TEXAS. 
Houston, Texae, May 15, 1978. 
Editor Forest and Strbam: 
I am much disappointed at not getting the continuation la this num- 
ber, May 2, of the letters on bass fishing. What objeotloa your anony- 
moaB correspondent has to urge against them I cannot possibly see. 
At any rate, we here who get your Journal, were not only Interested 
In, but exceedingly anxious for, the continuation of these letters. Re- 
cent railroad extensions from the City of Houston have opened up 
facilities for pursuing the piscatory art which has given a new and 
vigorous impulse to this noble sport. Bass and trout are the prlnolpal 
fish taken at these new places, and any praotlcal information In regard 
to tho method of capturing them would be thankfully received. It Is 
now Bport to tho most of us, our fishing having been confined hereto- 
fore, for the most part, to tho streams adjacent to tho city, and the fish 
taken being those common to these streams— tho buffalo, the cat, an 
occasional trout, but principally perch. By the way, I see a communi- 
cation from Mr. N. A. Taylor, in tills number, In regard to the Salmo 
/ ontinalis In Texas. During my student life in New Haven, Conn., I 
Invariably spont tho summer vacation In pedestrian tours through tho 
country. Angling was our chief source of amusement. On these 
trips I have lifted many of the speckled beauties from the sparkling 
element, and hence know them well when I see them. During the 
late war I was assistant surgeon of thfSecond Texa9 RUles, and accom- 
panied an expedition through the northwestern portion of Texas and 
New Mexico. If my recollection serves mo at thla distance of time, 
that being isfll, I think I have taken the ^afmo/tmfinaKs from the 8an 
Felipe Springs, twenty-five taUes above Fort Clark, 01 this, however 
-Length, 14 Inches. 
I will not be positive. I was stationed at Fort Hudson, on tho Devil’s 
River, and have a distinct recolleotlon of having tuken the speckled 
trout from this stream. At Fort Davis I remained several montbB, 
during which time I caught many trout from the Llmpla. This was 
In Texas, and covers my fishing experience lu that portion of tho State. 
After crossing the line, however, Into New Mexico, I have seen muny 
fine specimens of speckled trout taken from the Rio Benito at Fort 
Stanton, and from other mountain streams In the Territory. I add 
this simply to establish a fact which seems to be In dispute, and which 
I can do by positive knowledge and actual expsrlenco. Tbero may be 
some little difference In regard to the size and color of the spots on the 
fish, but the variation Is so slight from their New Eoglaud cousins os 
not to make It remarkable. Hoping to see a continuation of the “Prao- 
tlcal Lessons on Bass Fishing,” I remain. 
Yours respectfully, J. W. Danibl, M. D. 
[The origin of the question whether speckled trout of tho 
family of Salmonidcc existed in Texas, arose from a disputed 
statement made in “ Hallock’s Gazetteer." Ample testimony 
has been printed in Forest and Stream, from army officers 
and others, supporting the assertions of the Gazetteer, and 
what is now added above is a valued substantiation for which 
we feel very grateful. The Gazetteer is exceptionally ac- 
curate and can generally be relied on with perfect faith. In 
further confirmation we print herewith a portrait of the fish 
itself : Color, yellowish brown above, spotted with black ; a 
red band on each side of the chin,— E d.] 
Dr. Alexander Hadden, of this city, is a discreet admirer of 
the race. In a paper read by him ut a recent meeting of a 
section of the American Institute, tho doctor traced the dog's 
history, and extolled the brute'B fidelity to hiB human master, 
his intelligence, and his usefulness. Tho paper is an interest- 
ing one, but of too great length to warrant its publication iu 
full in these columns. Dr. Hadden has a theory, as will bo 
seen by that part of his address reproduced below. 
The principal cause which seems to lower tho dog in tho 
esteem of many is hydrophobia. To show how little this wus 
to be feared, Dr. Iladdon gives abundant statistics. In tho 
year ending June 30, 1870, there were 333,100 deaths from 
all cuuscs in the United States. Of these G3 are attributed to 
hydrophobia; tbus iu a population of over 40,000,000, out of 
28,721) deaths in this city duriDg 1874, only five arc credited us 
due to hydrophobia. Iu 1875 there were 30,709 deaths, none 
from hydrophobia. In 1870, out of 20,122 deaths but five are 
set down to hydrophobia. During the twenty-five years 
ending in 1872 there were in England and Wales 11,220,724 
deaths, 373 of which were credited to hydrophobia. How 
many of these reported deaths from hydrophobia were from 
other diseases simulating that malady cannot be estimated. 
The cat, the fox and the wolf should be credited with causing 
some of these deaths. “Surely,” adds the doctor, “this 
statistical review must convince uny reasonable mind that tho 
persecution now carried on against this noble, sensitive and 
loving servant of mankind is almost senseless and highly 
unjust.” 
The agricultural reports are not so favorable to this animal. 
The U. 8. Commission of Agriculture gives, in his report of 
18G5, a shocking statement of the ravages of this brute 
among the flocks. He gives the return from 373 counties of 
twenty-three Stutes of the number of sbeep killed by him 
during that year as follows— 77.854 ; and estimates the whole 
number killed in the United States during the same period to 
be about 500,000, and the loss to the growers to be about 
$ 2 , 000 , 000 . 
Since 1805 no report of these facts has been made, but 
