Nov. 16, 1912 
FOREST AND STREAM 
639 
PARKER GUNS 
Wear Weil, Shoot Well and Handle Well 
Wear well because they are made of the best material by the most skillful craftsmen. 
Shoot well because they hold the charge compactly together at extreme ranges. 
Handle well because the greatest attention has always been paid to the distribution 
of wood and metal, to insure perfect balance and the most symmetrical outline. 
Twenty-bore Parkers have set the pace for small bores in America, and are growing 
in popularity every year with the most progressive sportsmen. 
For further information regarding guns in gauges ranging from 8 to 28, address 
PARKER BROS. Meriden, Conn. 
New York Salesrooms, 32 Warren Street 
New 
Model 
27 
War Hit *r'- s 
The only gun that fills the demand 
for a trombone (“pump ) action 
repeater in .25-20 and 
.32-20 calibers. 
Shoots 
high ve¬ 
locity smoke¬ 
less cartridges, 
also black and low pres¬ 
sure smokeless. Power¬ 
ful enough for deer, safe to use in 
settled districts, excellent for target 
work, for foxes, geese, woodchucks, etc. 
Its exclusive features : the quick, smooth working “pump” action; 
the wear-resisting Special Smokeless Steel barrel; the modern 
solid-top and side ejector for rapid, accurate firing, increased safety 
and convenience. It has take down construction and /oory Bead 
front sight; these cost extra on other rifles of these calibers. 
Our 136 page catalog describes the full 772ar/i/l 
line. Sent for three stamps postage. Write for it. 
777arl/fi firearms Co. 
27 WILLOW STREET, 
NEW HAVEN, CONN. 
(Patented. Feb. 20. 1912.) 
/^LEAR VISION means a sure shot. The bright rays of the sun, or the haze ofa 
dark day can’t affect your vision if you wear KING’S SHOOTING GLASSES. 
Made of Akopos Crystal, our exclusive product and infinitely superior to amber. 
Non-magnifying. Postpaid, $1.50 to $7.00. Prescriptions ground to order. 
The KING and the KING-BUSCH-STELLUX Binoculars have wonderful magnify¬ 
ing power, are handsomely finished, durable and scientifically correct. Endorsed by 
the leading sportsmen of America. You save $10 to $25 buying direct from us. 
Write io-day for Booklet and Prices 
THE F. W. KING OPTICAL CO. 
Cleveland, Ohio 
was he bound ? I stood as rigid as a statue and 
watched the progress of the animal; his beauti¬ 
ful coat was something to marvel at. The long 
guard hairs were tipped with black, while the 
rest was a deep nut brown that seemed to change 
when the light fell on it. The eyes were like 
beads and flashed as they were turned inquisi- 
tivelyr from side to side. 
Presently, as I watched, I heard a faintly 
perceptible murmur in the brush to my right, and 
turning I saw a rabbit race into view with long 
graceful leaps. His course lay directly past me, 
but he saw me not, and darted by as though 
badly frightened. The muskrat in his blunder¬ 
ing trail had risen on his haunches with a quick¬ 
ness that was admirable, and now sat back in 
the deep snow showing his teeth in a most men¬ 
acing manner, calculated to drive fear into the 
heart of the tab-footed cousin of the wild. The 
rabbit perhaps would have kept right on, but 
suddenly stopped at a bush and began to gnaw 
the bark, at the same time keeping his eye on the 
alien. What would have happened it is uncer¬ 
tain to say, but at that moment afar off among 
the woods a beagle hound sent his prolonged, 
mournful bay echoing through the lonely aisles 
and then the spell was broken. The rabbit froze 
in his tracks, listening with wide ears quivering 
forward, and then noiselessly, as another howl 
melted into echoes, disappeared in a snow- 
wreathed tangle of brush. 
After the rabbit had vanished the muskrat 
continued on his way and was presently lost to 
view. Then for the first time I moved from my 
position, yielding to the notion that I wanted to 
know what lay on the muskrat’s back trail. So 
I set out, following the back route as *it lay 
printed on the white mantle. I knew very soon 
from the general direction of the trail that the 
animal had stopped at the wood brook. At the 
side of a large oak the muskrat had rested, and 
I judged from the number of tracks around that 
he had been very restless. In a slight swale the 
snow had drifted over the trail, but I could 
make out its indistinct course without undue 
searching. And then as I neared the stream, 
slowly and silently I made my way, half crouch¬ 
ing through the snow. There are always things 
occurring in the great realm of nature, but only 
one schooled in the ways of the wild may obtain 
a glimpse of the wild kindred in their haunts 
and truly study them. Over a snowy bank I 
peered, holding to a bush that I first tested for 
strength and any stir that it may arouse. The 
creek lay below, the water showing black against 
the heavy snow that was around the edges. In 
one long sweeping glance I took in all the details 
of the scene. At first I could detect no move¬ 
ment whatever, and then my eye rested on the 
sinister water that lay below. Suddenly a ripple 
appeared on the surface, and as it receded it was 
followed by another and then a little black head 
appeared, the owner of which was a black- 
furred mink. Impaled on his teeth was a large 
frog that was endeavoring to free itself from 
the deadly clutch, but its efforts were fruitless. 
The mink reached the edge of the ice and laid 
its victim down, watching it with savage intent¬ 
ness. The frog, bitten through the head, made 
an effort to escape, but the mink pounced upon 
it once more and bit it viciously, causing it to 
squirm piteously. I then noticed a number of 
other dead frogs lying in the snow at intervals 
in various stages of devastation. Again the mink 
dove silently into the water and returned to the 
brim .presently with another of the inert hiber- 
nators. I noticed where the muskrat trail led 
down to the ice. Would the mink find that trail, 
and if so, would he follow it? Why not! Sud¬ 
denly the mink turned his eves in mv direction 
and watched my snow bank fixedly with his bead¬ 
like eyes. His sensitive nostrils trembled as he 
scented the air, but with the wind blowing to¬ 
ward me. he was fooled. Then apparently satis¬ 
fied he turned to the muskrat trail as though he 
had known all the while that it was there and 
had left it for further consideration after his 
frog-killing feat. With lithe leaps he followed 
it until it brought him to the rise and almost on 
a level with me. But iust at that moment my 
bush crocked warninelv. and it was all over. 
Like a shadow the mink disappeared. Again all 
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FOREST & STREAM, 127 Franklin St., New York. 
FOR ARCHERY SUPPLIES 
Write for Archery Catalogue. 
E. I. H0RSMAN CO. 365 Broadway, N. Y. 
Forest and Stream is read every week by 
the most prominent sportsmen in America. 
No Shortcomings 
The Smith Gun has no shortcomings—not one. The 6 Hunter 
brothers, with inventions, precision, workmanship and experience, 
kept after shot gun shortcomings for 22 years, until they had wiped 
out the last and least important one. 
14 6 Times 22 Years Experience” gives the shooter of a Smith 
Gun the fullest possible pleasure in the field, and the maximum 
game in his bag. 
Ask your dealer to show you the new L. C. Smith 20-gauge. 
Send for Catalog. 
HUNTER ARMS CO., 90 Hubbard St., FULTON, N. Y. 
L. C. SMITH GUNS 
