474 
THE VACATION SEASON. 
hunters of this region, but ruffed grouse or pheasants are abundant notwithstand¬ 
ing the fact that these noble game birds, both old and young, are destroyed in large 
numbers by foxes and wildcats which are exceedingly numerous here. Rabbits are 
common but, like the grouse and other species of ground-nesting birds, they also suffer 
greatly from the depredations of foxes, wildcats and weasles. The Varying Hare 
(Lej^us arnericanus ) an animal which presents a curious phenomenon of becoming 
white in winter, although attired in a brownish coat in the summer season, is a fa¬ 
miliar and unusually fleet-footed inhabitant of the extensive laurel thickets in the 
mountain ridges west of Emporium. 
This animal, commonly known as “white rabbit”, affords capital sport when 
hunted with good hounds. From ten to a dozen black bears are captured in the 
neighborhood of Emporium every season, according to reports received from relia¬ 
ble informants, but bear hunting parties in this, or almost any other, portion of 
Pennsylvania, much oftener return home empty-handed than otherwise. 
Deer are quite plentiful. Mr.M. M.Larabee, a gentleman whose thirty years’experi¬ 
ence as a collector and student of natural history has enabled him to become thor¬ 
oughly familiar with the life histories of the birds and mammals of his region, says, 
that until within the last five or six years from one hundred and fifty to three hun¬ 
dred deer were killed and shipped from Emporium during the hunting season of 
each year. Now not over fifty of these animals on an average are annually sent to the 
market from this point. One fact concerning the Cameron county hunters deserv¬ 
ing of particular note, is that they will not allow deer to be hunted with dogs (which 
is contrary to the laws of Pennsylvania); and furthermore when the shooting season 
is over they do not kill or permit any one else to destroy deer or other game as is 
unfortunately the case in some other good hunting localities of our state. Porcu¬ 
pines or, as many term them, “Hedge Hogs” are very common in the wooded dis¬ 
tricts. 
Tho Northern raven and pileated woodpecker, resident species, are frequently 
met with in this locality, but both are so shy that it is an extremely difficult task to 
capture them. Brook trout are numerous in the streams of Cameron and adjoining 
counties. Although many streams could be particularized by name, two, viz. : 
Cowley run, about six miles from Emporium, and Cook’s run about four miles dis¬ 
tant from the same town, are particularly noted for the fine trout fishing they afford. 
Clinton County 
has been noted, for many years past, as a favorite hunting ground for deer, black 
bear and pheasants or ruffed grouse (Boiiasci umbellus). It may be reached by 
hunters from the eastern and western portions of the state via the Philadelphia and 
Erie railroad, w r hich traverser, through the center of the county, a distance of 52 
miles. Tho favorite hunting grounds are on the Scootac range of mountains, 10 
miles southwest of Glen Union station ; Hall’s run, 8 miles southwest of Renovo ; 
Round Island, 4 miles west of Keating station; Hammersley’s Forks, 12 miles north 
of Westport station • Youngwoman’s creek, 10 miles north of North Bend station. 
The latter two places are contiguous to the famous hunting grounds of Potter county, 
where there is a continuous stretch of forest lands for 75 miles. In 1885, according 
to reliable informants, 2,200 deer were killed in Clinton and Potter counties. Since 
then the number slain has largely diminished annually, and at present black bears 
are believed to be more plentiful than deer. During the winter of 1890 and 1891 sev¬ 
eral hundred bears were reported to have been trapped and killed in the western 
part of the county. In the same region wildcats aro quite frequently met with, also 
the pine marten and fisher, but both are rare and seldom taken by hunters or trap¬ 
pers. The pileated woodpecker resides, during all months of the year, in this ex¬ 
tensive and attractive wooded district. Raccoons and porcupines are abundant, but 
tho opossum is of rare occurrence. 
In the fall of 1890 pheasants were very plenty along Baker’s Run, near Glen Union 
station ; on Youngwoman’s Creek, near North Bend station ; on Sandy Run, 6 miles 
