Vagaries of Forest Trees. 
I.—The Spruce Tree. 
Without being a student of arboriculture, 
Hth its more intricate knowledge of the family 
selationship of trees, there is open to every 
pver of the woods a wide range of pleasure in 
imply observing the more conspicuous habits 
( f trees. 1 he attention, once directed to some 
If the interesting features, follows of its own 
:cord with much eagerness the course of ob- 
prvation until the forest resolves itself into an 
isemblage of trees with typical shapes, strange 
igaries and curious eccentricities. 
The spruce tree is an interesting point of de- 
irture, because of its general gracefulness of 
ltline and attractiveness. It is very circum- 
ect of its type and once acquainted with its 
tneral features, even the novice will have no 
ijfficulty in distinguishing it from the other ever- 
I.IKE FINGERS OF A CHILD'S HAND. 
fjens. let this very ease of acquaintance will 
<^d to the discovery of its odd habits. In cer- 
Ei localities the spruce is found growing on 
f tops of boulders rather than nestling be- 
i : ; them for protection. Starting as a seedling 
nthe moss or light soil, which has accumulated 
'i the surface of the rock, it finds nourishment 
i ugh in this for a time. But as it increases 
isize it sends its roots over the side of the 
cider into the soil. Clear away some of the 
qt moss and you will see the roots standing 
I around the rock like the fingers of a child's 
ed around an apple. On the largest boulders, 
< n the trees have attained full size, the roots 
: llke g u y ropes to hold the trunk in place, 
i.his fashion may be found huge trees stand- 
bolt upright on rocks. On a large granite 
1; , resting- on edge and presenting a diamond- 
ned facade, a spruce was found perched on 
i' outer angle, appearing from a distance as if 
i'ended in mid air. 
ven in its vagaries, however, the spruce is 
i to its natural gracefulness. As its boughs 
oate from the trunk in uniform angles, stretch¬ 
out in their long curves, so in its pose upon 
the rocks it spreads its roots in symmetrical 
lines. Each tree has its own originality of beauty, 
eliciting fresh admiration from the familiar ob¬ 
server. George' Haws Feltus. 
[to be continued.] 
Report of American Bison Society. 
1 he second annual report of the American 
Bison Society, 1908-1909, confirms the gratifying 
announcement that the success of the Montana 
National Bison Reservation and its herd is as¬ 
sured. 
The story of the establishing of the range by 
Congressional action has often been told, and 
it is known by many people that this range was 
established and the money appropriated to fence 
it on the Bison Society’s pledge to stock it. 
For this purpose the officers decided that 
$10,000 was required, and within the year, 
through the energy of Mr. Hornaday and the 
other officers of the society, this sum with a 
handsome balance has beeh raised. A summary 
of the amounts subscribed by the various States 
is interesting. This shows that of the $10,560.50, 
the State of New York subscribed more than 
$5,200; Massachusetts more than $2,300; Minne¬ 
sota more than $1,000; Pennsylvania, $500; Mon¬ 
tana, $366. From these sums the subscriptions 
by States dribble off to $1, which was the total 
contribution of two or three States, while a 
number of States gave nothing. Louisiana and 
\eimont each contributed $1. Special attention is 
called to the good work done by women in help¬ 
ing to raise this fund, one hundred and twelve 
women having contributed $1,227. Subscriptions 
were received from Canada, England and France. 
The services of Forest and Stream and the 
Boston Transcript are also mentioned. 
Besides the fund now accumulated, the society 
has had some gifts of bison. James J. Hill has 
given three animals, while Mrs. Chas. E. Con¬ 
rad, the Blue Mountain Forest Association, John 
E. Dooly, James Philip and Mr. and Mrs. Chas. 
Goodnight have each given a pair. There is 
every prospect, therefore, that within a year 
a fine herd will be feeding on the Montana reser¬ 
vation. Moreover, it appears that the sum ap¬ 
propriated by Congress is sufficient to pay for 
twenty-eight square miles instead of twenty 
square miles, so that the Montana buffalo pro¬ 
ject starts under singularly favorable auspices. 
Dr. Hornaday wisely suggests that at least 
twenty-five antelope should be put on this range 
with the buffalo. 
The report contains an interesting and very 
fully illustrated report by the secretary of his 
lecture tours and of his trip last summer and 
fall to see the buffalo herds in the West. 
A report of the third annual meeting, the 
treasurer’s report, the society’s constitution and 
a list of members of the Bison Society complete 
an interesting volume. 
The Forest and Stream may be obtained from 
any newsdealer on order. Ask your dealer to 
supply you regularly. 
Birds About a Texas Home. 
Grand Saline, Texas, June 19.— Editor Forest 
and Stream: Some people seem divinely en¬ 
dowed with the art of expressing their thoughts 
in writing. I have no talent for writing, but 
when it comes to thinking and feeling I am 
right there. 
At this period in the year and in this particu¬ 
lar section there is much joy to be had by those 
who love to watch the beautiful little feathered 
friends that literally make our homes a paradise 
of song. From our veranda, night and morn¬ 
ing, I can hear the piping of bobwhite on all 
sides, and at nightfall the plaintive call of the 
Carolina whippoorwill, which is not a whippoor¬ 
will at all and is locally called a “chip-off-the- 
white-oak,” can be heard on all sides. 
Early in the spring a pair of bluebirds found 
themselves a home in a hollow gate post in the 
yard, and soon after they had started their 
domestic duties the female, having completed 
IN SYMMETRICAL LINES. 
her little nest and deposited four light blue eggs 
and started the task of incubation, there came a 
mishap—one of the scapegraces from the old 
world. The English sparrow found our little 
bluebird’s home and promptly proceeded to play 
havoc with it. When my little boy told me that 
he had seen a sparrow partly in the door of 
the little house I knew that the household of 
my little friends had been invaded. I took off a 
piece of the post and there, too plainly, could 
be seen the havoc that had been wrought by 
the vagabond. The nest had been torn up and 
was deserted by its builders. 
A' pair of mockingbirds have a nest in the low 
hanging bough of an oak right in front of the 
door, and it is amusing to see them attack the 
dogs and cats that pass along the street. They 
pay no attention to a horse or a person, but let 
a dog or cat come in view and they at once 
give battle. Flying down they will strike the 
dog sometimes on the end of the tail. The dog 
will stop and look around as much as to say, 
Who are you that you should be bothering a 
self-respecting dog?” Then he will start off 
again and the bird will repeat the performance. 
