FOREST AND STREAM. 
773 
Nov. 14, 1908.] 
. lere the Nez Perces Indians crossed in 1877. 
e drove on by them, and while still near, the 
If indulged in an early luncheon of fresh milk; 
|(5 mother being the largest buffalo in the bunch, 
large in fact that at first sight we thought 
r a bull. When we looked back, the last we 
w of them they were going up the hill from 
e river into the Hayden Valley. These are 
- first wild buffalo I have seen in some time. 
There are now seventy-four buffalo in the 
ne herd on Rose Creek. Of these fourteen 
e calves. A cow got hurt in some way during 
B season and had to be killed, but this is not 
unted in the seventy-four. 
In front of the town of Gardiner on the 
alfa field there are now about 300 antelope. 
>yotes kill them quite frequently and some 
ople claim that they hear wolves at night 
well as coyotes. At least there is no increase 
the number of antelope over those that used 
come down to the field when it was first 
irted. T. E. H. 
s The Death from Skunk Bite. 
In connection with the reported death from 
.ink bite, an account of which was printed 
Forest and -Stream of Oct. 31, we wrote to 
i . C. E. Yount for fuller information on the 
itter, suggesting that no evidence had ever 
m advanced either to demonstrate the exist- 
jpe of a hydrophobia skunk or to show that 
1 inks were always rabid. Dr. Yount's full 
)ly is given below: 
. Prescott, Ariz., Oct. 27. — Editor Forest and 
earn: I consider that a prompt reply is due 
u, as from your questions I gather that you 
! ik to elucidate a belief which still confuses 
: mind of many, particularly in this section of 
: United States. I, too, have sought to prove 
experiment that there is no such thing as a 
| /drophobia skunk” per sc, but I believe that 
skunks are, like a few other animals, very 
iceptible to rabies, that no particular species 
skunk is more susceptible than another. This 
merely opinion; I have not yet proved my 
iition by experiment. 
j "irst, I will now answer your question seri¬ 
al: J. W. Scantlin, the trapper, died here 
t. 12 from rabies. Clinically, the symptoms 
re classic of the furious rabies. He was bit- 
above the left eye while asleep, Aug. 28, by 
large skunk, not the small variety, or so- 
led “hydrophobia skunk” of these parts. The 
ink was killed by Scantlin by choking, as he 
e it from its furious grip on his flesh. He 
I te to Prescott the next day and turned in his 
ts to the county clerk, and a special effort 
i i made to secure cash for them from the 
inty that he might start at once' for the 
ffeur Institute at Chicago. Ample funds 
'e at once available, through the special effort 
the Yavapai county officials, but for reasons 
>wn only to himself he returned to his traps, 
istance of possibly seventy-five miles. Forty- 
days after the bite the first symptoms of 
ies developed. He again arrived in Prescott 
the forty-second day and died on the forty- 
rth day, having suffered indescribable agonies 
il relieved by powerful narcotics, 
i econd, I have not seen other fatal cases be- 
ed to be hydrophobia. 
hird, the seven-year-old daughter of Mrs. 
John Myers did die from hydrophobia after hav¬ 
ing been bitten, while asleep, by a skunk. The 
kind of skunk was not recognized, as it was dur¬ 
ing the night when the child was bitten. This 
child was treated at the Pasteur Institute at 
Chicago, but the delay in getting there and the 
severity of the bite may explain the fatal ter¬ 
mination. We have had several other cases of 
skunk bite within the last two years which have 
JOHN BURROUGHS CARRYING A LIVE SKUNK BY ITS 
TAIL. 
gone to Chicago for treatment and did not de¬ 
velop rabies. 
In view of the frequency of rabies among 
skunks—you will note that most authorities class 
the skunk among the very susceptible animals— 
and their ferocious and unprovoked attacks upon 
man, the medical fraternity of this county hope 
to secure legislative action this year, classifying 
the skunk with the predatory animals and thus 
with a bounty on them at least lessen the num¬ 
ber of these pests. 
Any assistance you may render us through 
your valuable magazine will be greatly appre¬ 
ciated by my confreres and me. 
C. E. Yount. 
White Squirrels. 
A Wilkesbarre, Pa., correspondent writes us 
that within the last two weeks two white squir¬ 
rels have been shot near there. 
Albino squirrels are not often seen. 
Fun with a Skunk. 
West Park, N. Y., Nov. 7— Editor Forest and 
Stream: The annual skunk crop of West Park 
is now ready for market and is being harvested. 
Mornings there is an odor in the air which 
tells unmistakably of a capture the night be¬ 
fore. I like the smell; I like the sight of the 
ever-lengthening row of pelts drying in the 
fruit-house loft. There is a feeling of the 
primitive and close to nature about it that is 
delightful these golden autumn days. 
The other evening on returning from making 
a call, I ran down to my lower hen-house to 
shut the slide for the night and in so doing 
almost .stepped on a skunk. Some people have 
said tne skunk is protectively colored, but if 
this is so, it is for the protection of the public 
and not the skunk. I had no difficulty in seeing 
this one, my only trouble being in keeping out 
of an entangling alliance with him. He ran 
into the hen house, whereupon I shut the slide 
After divesting myself of my “glad rags” and 
procuring lantern and traps, I returned. 
I set the traps in the door, raised the slide 
and went in to drive out the skunk. I found 
the hens much interested, each one craning her 
neck and looking fixedly at the skunk. The 
old rooster alone, always ready when outside 
to scan the sky for crow or hawk, took no 
notice. 
1 he skunk on his part went for the glass 
eggs in the nest boxes, clattering them about, 
rolling them on the floor and finally going for 
them with his teeth. In spite of my telling 
him he would ruin his teeth, he continued to 
bite them until the grating noise set my own 
on edge. He was a young skunk and un¬ 
doubtedly had never seen an egg, so was it 
instinct or reason that made him persist in try¬ 
ing to eat these glass ones? All attempts at 
driving him out failing, I procured a wire and 
snared him. 
The next morning I told my father about it, 
and openly hinted that he might carry my 
captive by the tail while I took pictures for the 
disbelievers of Forest and Stream. Having 
carried two skunks this summer while in the 
Catskills, he was glad of a chance to carry an¬ 
other. Reaching into the barrel, lie took the 
skunk by the tail and marched proudly forth, 
posing while I made time exposures, then 
carrying him back to his barrel. 
Now ye doubters, hark ye! Either now 
speak, or else forever after hold your peace! 
Julian Burroughs. 
Stole Lighted Candles. 
Cos Cob, Conn., Nov. 7.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: I should be very grateful if, through 
your columns, I can ascertain first, who is 
“Prowler,” Fredericton, N. B., who wrote for 
your columns some years ago. Second, in what 
issue was it that he described an adventure in 
which appeared a woodsman, a fur hunter and 
a flying squirrel which stole one or two lighted 
candles? Ernest Thompson Seton. 
[“Prowler” was F. H. Risteen, long dead. Can 
anyone supply the desired reference?— Editor.] 
The Forest and Stream may be obtained from 
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supply you regularly. 
