t" .-. FORESTRY PAMPHLETS West Virginia Vol. II First Biennial Report of the Forest, Game and Fish Warden of West Virginia, 1909-1910. Second Biennial Report of the Forest, Game and Fish Warden of West Virginia,, 1911- 1912. Snout Beetles that Injure Nuts. Bulletin 128, West Virginia University Agricul- tural Experiment Station, Morgantown. Notes on the Habits of Mice, Moles and Shrews. Bulletin 113, West Virginia University Agricultural Experiment Station, Llorgantown. V A gric . - Forestry7 . M ain Library WEST VIRGINIA FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT OF Forest, Game and Fish Warden 1909-10. J. A. VIQUESNEY Forest, Game and Fish Warden BELINGTON, W. VA, DIVISION of )RESTKY COLLEGE OF & AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY OF CAUF0RNIA NEWS-MAIL COMPANY CHARLESTON 1911 LETTER OF TRAN£MITTAL. December 16th, 1910. To His Excellency, HONORABLE WILLIAM E. GLASSCOCK, Governor of West . Virginia. SIB: — In compliance with the law, I have the honor to transmit here- with, my first biennial report as Forest, Game and Fish Warden of West Virginia, covering the fiscal years — 1909 and 1910. Respectfully submitted, J. A. VlQUESNEY, Forest, Game and Fish "Warden. 381885 LIST OF OFFICERS IN FOREST, GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT J. A. VIQUESNEY, Forest, Game and Fish Warden, Belington, W. Va. W. B. RECTOK, Chief Deputy, Belington, West Virginia. H. M. LOCKEIDGE, Chief Deputy, Huntersville, West Virginia. LOCAL APPOINTED DEPUTIES. BARBOUR COUNTY. A. G. Nutter Philippi, W. Va., Route No. — . M. D. McCoy Volga, W. Va. rioute No. 2. E. A. Wenzel Belington, W. Va. F. M. Hymes Belington, W. Va., Route No. 2. C. W. Boyles Philippi, W. Va., Route No. — . William Glasscock Junior, W. Va. J. C. Pitman Lillian, W. Va. L. J. R. Sandridge Belington, W. Va., Route No. — Jno. B. Dilworth Philippi, W. Va. BERKELEY COUNTY. R. H. Keller Bedington, W. Va. J. J. Dailey Martinsburg, W. Va., Route No. M. K. Butts Hedgesville, W. Va., Route No 9. BOONE COUNTY. S. J. Burgess Seth, W. Va. Allen Workman Chap, W. Va. BRAXTON COUNTY. W. H. Berry Button, W. Va. R. G. Yoak Gassaway, W. Va. R. T. Colebank Button, W. Va. BROOKE COUNTY. Henry Pasters Collier, W. Va. J. D. Colson Collier, W. Va. O. L. McCoy Wheeling, W. Va. CABELL COUNTY. Will Grover Huntington, W. Va. F. H. Merrick Huntington, W. Va. E. M. Lusher Huntington, W. Va. Sterling Price Guyandotte, W. Va. CALHOUN COUNTY. J. K. Douglass Stinson, W. Va. C. L. Alfred Rilla, W. Va. Fiy.ST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. CLAY COUNTY. A. J. Johnson Cresmont, W. Va. FAYETTE COUNTY. > E. C. Payne Gentry, W. Va. H. I. Kincaid Page, W. Va. G. A. Shuck Pittman, W. Va. W. H. Cart Jenkey, W. Va. W. A. Harrah Backus, W. Va. E. E. Huddleston Export, W. Va. Wm. H. Bragg Thayer, W. Va. C. A. Fox ; Crickmer, W. Va. John S. Hedrick Danese, W. Va. A. A. Williams Gentry, W. Va. Samuel Goode Wriston, W. Va. G1LMER COUNTY. Asa Self Sand Fork, W. Va. GRANT COUNTY. C. C. Lyon Maysville, W. Va. Jno. M Reail Bismark, W. Va. Luther Getz Gormania, W. Va. G. M. Stump .• Landes, W. Va. W. H. Ours Corner, W. Va. William Roby Maysville, W. Va. J. K. Boggs Petersburg, W. Va. GREENER IER COUNTY. H. M. Dawson * . . . Alvon, W. Va. Chas. Bell Lewisburg, W. Va. J. P. Gilmer Falling Springs, W. Va. A. S. Johnston Anthony, W. Va. Andy Wright Ronceverte, W. Va. Richard Hodge Alderson, W. Va. Kelley McMillion Caldwell, W. Va. Floyd Gladwell Trout, W. Va. John P. Carron Anthony, W. Va. Rudolph Fertig Neola, W. Va. B. O. Summerville Falling Springs, W. Va. H. D. Moss , Fenwick, W. Va. Raymond Parks Neola, W. Va. HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. J. B. Brady Wappocomo, W. Va. J. Walls Brill Mutton Run, W. Va. G. G. Santymire Forks of Capon, W. Va. W. J. Kaylor Spring Gap, W. Va. HANCOCK COUNTY. D. F. Kinsley Newell, W. Va. Edgar Minnich New Cumberland, W. Va. Harvey E. Ellenberger Hollidays Cove, W. Va. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WABDEN. HARDY COUNTY. E. N. Locke Moorefleld, W. Va. F. A. Wilkins Needmore, W. Va. HARRISON COUNTY. B. W. Harbert Shinnston, W. Va. C. A. Cummins Lost Creek, W. Va. T. G. Nicewerner Clarksburg, W. Va. W. A. Batton Bridgeport, W. Va. M. A. Samples Salem, W. Va. Robert Shuttlesworth Romines Mills, W. Va. J. C. McWhorter McWhorter, W. Va. Wm. Post Clarksburg, W. Va. Ralph Gawthrop Wolf Summit, W. Va. JEFFERSON COUNTY. R. H. Appell Charles Town, W. Va. W. S. Shell Shepherdstown, W. Va. KANAWHA COUNTY. Andrew Thompson East Bank, W. Va. J. W. Pritt Derrick, W. Va. M. F. Adkins Chelyan, W. Va. T. B. Crews Guthrie, W. Va. S. B. Wintz.. Charleston, W. Va. G. W. Stump Clendenin, W. Va. W. G. Beane St. Albans, W. Va. A. R. Shepherd , Charleston, W. Va. J. F. Pierce South Charleston, Vv '. Va. D. H. Hudnall Eskdale, W. Va. D. C. Smoot Dunbar, W. Va. James Young Cedar Grove, W. Va. B. S. Morris . ... .Blue Creek, W. Va. Upshur Higginbotham Charleston, W. Va. LEWIS COUNTY. G. L. Watson Crawford, W. Va. Lloyd G. Woofter Alum Bridge, W. Va. LINCOLN COUNTY. Clemon Hager •. ...(....... ) LOGAN COUNTY. A. J. Perry Logan, W. Va. MARION COUNTY. Levi P. West Fairmont, W. Va. MARSHALL COUNTY. Calyin Hunt Rosbys Rock, W. Va. W. P. Richmond Meighn, W. Va. Chalmers Connelly , Kansooth, W. Va. Samuel E. Chambers Glen Easton, W. Va. G. W. Roller Captina, W. Va. C. E. Parriott Captina, W. Va. FIKST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. MASON COUNTY. H. S. Wolfe Point Pleasant, W. Va. MERCER COUNTY. A. B. Kingan Goodwill, W. Va. A. M. Belcher ,.... Littlesburg, W. Va. E. G. Levisay Princeton, W. Va. MINERAL. COUNTY. W. I. F. Blackburn Emeryville, W. Va. S. B. Vanorsdale Pattersons Creek, W. Va. Frank Carpenter Ridgeley, W. Va. John Himes . . . . Piedmont, W. Va. Jno. A. Cleavenger Piedmont, W. Va. MINGO COUNTY. W. O. Rutherford Williamson, W. Va. W. A. Hatfleld Glen Alum, W. Va. A. W. Dameron Williamson, W. Va. MONONGALIA COUNTY. Elmer F. Jacobs Morgantown, W. Va. Marshall M. Hartley Morgantown, W. Va. A. T. Walker Morgantown, W. Va. Marshall B. Johnson Hoard, W. Va. Wm. Martin Pentress, W. Va. F. C. Walls Pentress, W. Va. Sam'l F. P. Hoard Point Marion, Pa. MORGAN COUNTY. » Arthur Bohrer : Sir Johns Run, W. Va. Wm. H. McCullough Sleepy Creek, W. Va. MCDOWELL COUNTY. J. M. 'Bruster Welch, W. Va. OHIO COUNTY. Enoch Smith Elm Grove W. Va. Lester O. Vermillion ,. . . Elm Grove W. Va. Carl Gordon Greegs, W. Va. Harry Ashton -. . Wheeling, W. Va. NICHOLAS COUNTY. G. D. Moses Mount Lookout, W. Va. S. H. Echols Kesslers Cross Lanes, v. L. A. McClung Levisay, W. Va. Arthur Craig Muddlety, W. Va. J. W. Geho Holcomb, W. Va. Jas. B. Rader Canvas, W. Va. PENDLETON COUNTY. J. R. Adamson . . . . ; Onego, W. Va. W. D. Teter Onego, W. Va. 1910] FOPEST. GAME AND FISH WARDEN. PLEAS ANTS COUNTY. Alexander Brewer Raven Rock, W. Va. POCAHONTAS COUNTY. W. B. Hill Lobelia, W. Va. Geo. M. Jordan Frost, W. Va. Ernest Sharp Frost, W. Va. J. C. Harper Sunset, "W. Va. Jas. A. Reed Seebert, W. Va. Jasper Dilley Seebert, W. Va. Thornton Dulaney ' Onoto, W. Va. French Suttjon Green Bank, W. Va. G. B. Slaven Green Bank, W. Va. Arthur Noel Green Bank, W. Va. Pat Simmons Durbin, W. Va. C. B. Swick Dunmore, W. Va. I. W. Allen Clover Lick, W. Va. Preston Curry Seebert, W. Va. PRESTON COUNTY. C. W. Rosier Colebank, W. Va. Geo. W. Shaffer Masontown, W. Va. Elmer Cuppitt Clifton Mills, W. Va. Jas. W. Ringer Bruceton Mills, W. Va. Henry Shay Newburg, W. Va. PUTNAM COUNTY. L. A. Pitchford Extra, W. Va. Thos. A. Wright Black Betsey, W. Va. S. A. Mason Winfield, W. Va., Route No. 2. Ira Davis Waldo, W. Va. Eli Pitchford Red House, W. Va. Luther Bird St. Albans, W. Va., Route No. 1. RALEIGH COUNTY. N. B. Hendricks Citie, W. Va. M. H. Radford Lanark, W. Va. F. G. Lilly Shady Spring, W. Va.. J. W. Maynor Matville, W. Va. Robert Hunter Dorothy, W. Va. John Murdock lister, W. Va. G. Lacy Daniels Marshes, W. Va. Ed. Stewart Saxon, W. Va. RANDOLPH COUNTY. L. E. A rbogast Bowden, W. Va. J. J. Phillips Coalton, W. Va. Adolph Pflster Adolph, W. Va. Michael Shannon • Adolph, W. Va. Charley Davis Elkins, W. Va. Wesley White Horton, W. Va. Collett Moore Montrose, W. Va., Route No. 2. J. R. Valentine Weaver, W. Va. F. A. Degler Cheat Bridge, W. Va. 10 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. W. M. Harp Harding, W. Va. John B. Isner Davis, W. Va., R. F. D. R. A. Vanpelt Pingley, W. Va. RITCHIE COUNTY. U. P. Jackson Petroleum, W. Va., Route No. 1. ROANE COUNTY. Phil Riddle Reedy, W. Va., Route No. 1. C. E. Wright Spencer, W. Va. SUMMERS COUNTY. H. J. Meades Pence Springs, W. Va. J. J. Bragg Ellison, W. Va. Alonzo Hutchinson Forest Hill, W. Va C. T. Crawford Wiggins, W. Va. J. W. Richmond New Richmond, W. Va. E. P. Beasley Meadow Creek, W. Va. W. F. Echols Hinton, W. Va. TAYLOR COUNTY. Jno. W. McClung Grafton, W. Va. TUCKER COUNTY. Fred Combs Hambleton, W. Va. R C. Weigle Davis, W. Va. W. C. Long Gladwin, W. Va. W. H/ Cosner Elkins, W. Va., R. F. D. TYLER COUNTY. T. A. Mead Middlebourn, W. Va. Clint Maxwell Middlebourn, W. Va., Route 1. J. W. Forester Big Moses, W. Va. B. F. Stokes Friendly, W. Va., Route No. 1. L. R. Maxwell : Middlebourn, W. Va. G. C. Polen Sistersville, W. Va. M. E. Henderson Little, W. Va. UPSHUR COUNTY. C. L. Hillery Buckhannon, W. Va. J. W. Duke Alexander, W. Va. WAYNE COUNTY. J. M. Napier East Lynn, W. Va. Samuel Bartram Fort Gay, W. Va. WEBSTER COUNTY. L. W. Pritchard Haynes, W. Va. W. R. Holcomb Erbacon, W. Va. A. T. Dodrill Bergoo, W. Va. D. H. Hamrick : Webster Springs, W. Va. J. C. H. Cogar Upper Glade, W. Va. 1910] FOKEST, GAME AVD FISH [WARDEN. 11 Homer Woodzeil Webster Springs. W. Va. W. H. Cunningham Webster Springs, W. Va. Walter S. Hamrick Samp, W. Va. W. G. Hamrick, Jr .Bergoo, W. Va. R. Moore Dodril! Webster Springs, W. Va. Geo. L. Ramsey , Fcnbro, W. Va. WETZEL COUNTY. D. R. Young Littleton, W- Va. Evan Lowe Piney, W. Va. E. M. Ruble Folsom, W. Va. WOOD COUNTY. Samuel Creel Roosevelt, W. Va. W. F. Fox Slate, W. Va. William Trippott Oavisville, W. Va. David Matheny WilliamsLown, W. Va. .Jacob Kirsch .Walker, W. Va. D. W. Chidistsr Williamstown, W. Va. W. C. Ba~tlett Parkersburg. W. Va. WYOMING COUNTY. Ballard P. Cock Oceana, W. Va. T. E. Rutherford Pineville, W. Va. Jno. W. Phillips Mullins, W. Va. S. E. Spratt Bnileysville, W. Va. All constables, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and chiefs of police, under the law, aro by virtue of their office— ex -officio deputy Forest, Game and Fish Wardens. FIRST BIKXNIAL REPORT . VA. NUMBER OF HUNTERS' LICENSES ISSUED AND REVENUE DE- RIVED THEREFROM. The Following Table Phows the Number of Resident and Non-Resident Licenses Issued "by tlie County Clerks, for the Fiscal Year Begin- ning May 26, 1909. and Ending November 30th, 1909. COUNTIES. Hosident License. '7:'~ 9^ -• l^ o *> a, 5^-0 w COUNTIES. §2 t3 a, |l Hi m Barbonr 384 588 136 441 349 914 186 249 258 1,607 1 Mingo 286 751 192 240 815 599 896 129 306 Berkeley Monongalia .. 5 Boone Braxton _ _^ Morgan Brooke McDowell Cabell __ _ 2 Nicholas . . Calhoun Ohio Clay Pendleton Doddridge pjeasants Fayette - . Pocahontas 009 471 442 625 824 459 306 430 503 342 486 31 ••> Gilmer 199 83 527 259 227 136 1,198 254 357 1 936 Preston Grant 1 1 1 1 4 Putnam Grreenbrier Hampshire Hancock PaJeigh _ Randolph liicchie 1 Hardy Boane Harrison Sunimprs """* Jackson Taylor 2 1 Jefferson Tucker _- Kanawha Tyler Lewis 527 229 340 1 C'pshur Lincoln "W ayne 302 341 T.' gan . Marion 1,205 683 594 583 340 3 Wetzrt 768 184 1,137 299 1 1 1 Marshall Wirt Mason 1 Wood Mercer _ . \\7yoining' Mveral . 9 .. rotal 27,893.. '.?7,893 resident licenses at 75 cents each $ 20,919.75 S7 non-resident licenses at $15.00 each 555.00 •I'otal revenue from sale of licenses... .__* 21,474.75 FOUKST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. NUMBER OF HUNTERS' LICENSED ISSUED RIVED THERE-FROM. AND REVENUE DE- Tlie folloiving Table Shows the Number of Resident and Non-Resident Licences Issued by the County Clerks, for the Fisjcal Year Begin- ning December 1st, W09, and Ending November SOih, 1910. COUNTIES. Resident License. fil ||| COrNTIES. Resident License. Si |«S Barbour 426 470 197 353 248 1,020 105 l;» 173 1,566 96 98 526 205 286 135 1,390 148 250 1 784 2 2 Mingo 206 745 188 175 586 517 (Berkeley __ Monongalia 5 Boone _ _ _ Monroe Bra xton Morgan 2 2 Brooke McDowell ... Oabell 3 Nicholas Oalboun Ohio 761 63 266 50-4 497 316 376 1,011 272 54 380 Clav Pendleton Doddridge Pleasants J-nvette Gilmer 1 Pocahontas Preston . Trant . 1 1 1 Putnam Grreenbrier Raleigh Hampshire Randolph 1 1 Hancock Ritchie llavdv Roane Harrison 4 Summers • Jackson __ Taylor 459 412 263 330 304 236 486 118 899 7i 6 Jefferson Tucker Kariavvlm . Tyler .. ___ Lewis _. .„ 380 283 306 1,201 490 380 586 389 Upshur Lincoln Wayne _ i Logan .. Marion _ Webster Wetzel o Marshall _ Vfason 1 Hood .. Wvoming .1 Mercer Total Mineral 3 '24,11!) 43 24,119 resident licenses 75 rents each... * 18,089 43 non-resident licenses sj.15.00 each. Total revenue from sale of license sf; 18,73-). 25 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT . VA. STATEMENT OF PROSECUTIONS. The Following is a Statement of Prosecutions Made During the Years JMM and P,)l(), Showing Results in Detail. n D 6 K COUNTIES. • Convicted. Acquitted. | Pending-. Appealed. Jailed. 1 < . g| faM ii if .— 4* fc""* 11 17 1 10 20 4 25 14 5 19 16 14 16 18 1 3 S5 5 8 22 1 15 1 2 11 9 6 3 9 33 ] 36 :i 11- 10 13 1 7 3 3 5 31 4 28 10 10 548 Barbour 9 11 1 2 6 l 9 125.00 230.00 25.00 155.00 228.25 25.00 405.00 135.00 125.00 155.00 125.00 247.00 210.00 295.00 10.00 30.00 365.00 45.00 105.00 375.00 10 00 $ 50.00 135.00 25.00 84.00 72.60 25.00 295.00 135.00 125.00 100.00 100.00 109.30 185.00 175.00 10.00 20.00 185.00 25.00 70.00 300.00 Boone Braxton __ Brooke 8 17 1 •> i Cabell 2 1 3 1 Calhoun "Fayette __ _ 23 9 4 2 5 1 4 Gilmer Grant _ Greenbrier 1C 9 14 5 7 4 1 Hampshire Hancock _. g Hardy — _ 15 15 1 1 8 Harrison 4 Jackson _ _ Jefferson 3 Kan awn a 21 3 1 1 1 Lewis Lincoln _ 3> Logan _ 23 1 Marion _ . _ 1 1 Marshall 4 11 85.00 10.00 35.00 130.00 35.00 35.00 35.00 45.00 95.00 200.00 85.00 10.00 35.00 80.00 35.00 35.00 Mason 1 Mercer •7 Mineral n Mingo _ ' 2 Monongalfa .-_ g •3 Monroe 1 2 g 17 1 1 1 9 1 1 McDowell 20.00 55.00 200.00 Ohio Pendleton __ _ __ .__ __ 7 Pleasants Pocahontas 30 6 16 6 8 430.00 130.00 250.00 175.00 145.00 25.00 60.00 305.00 130. '00 250.00 85.00 145.00 25.00 55.00 Preston 1 Putnam Raleigh _ 9 10 i 1 2 Randolph _. 1 Ritchie Summers - A 0 1 Taylor $ Tucker ___ 7 130.00 25.00 105.00 430.00 25.00 380.00 100.00 50.00 130.00 "~90'.W S70.00 25.00 300.00 82.90 40.00 Tyler __ _ 1 5 1 1 1 1 Upshur _ Wayne __ 22 9 Webster 1 •21 7 5 3 4 3 S Wetzel 3 Wood __, __ Wyoming „ 2 23 1 TOTALS - 401 124 17 7 , ! cftfjf 1 ll fci i !«JU 83 "3 en 9 fi 1 "52 c 00 i ^ =« 0^ Appropriations Anticipated Totals , Disbursed , Balance of appropria- tion in treasury Warden expended in ex- cess o£ appropriation $ 2,966.66 900.00 $ 1,000.00 250.00 $ 1,500.00 500.00 $1,009.42 250.00 $ 2,250.00 900.00 $ 1,200'. 00 400.00 $ 800.00 250.00 $ 3,866.66 | 2,897.03 969.63 $ 1,250.00 $ 750.17 499.83 $ 2,000.00 $ 1,497.29 502.71 $ 1,259.42 $ 1,642.43 $ 3,150.00 $ 2,550.00 600.00 $ 1,600.00 $ 587.11 1,012.89 $ 1,050.00 $ 896.88 188.12 . 383.01 NOTE:— The amount of $383.01 as shown above in Incidental Account of Warden was paid by him personally, the appropriation not being sufficient to pay same. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 19 MAP SHOWING LICENSE LAWS IN 1910. The Above Map Shows States and Provinces which Reqwre Resident^ to Obtain Hunting Licenses. Inclosed names indicate States which permit residents to hunt on their own land without license. Nova Scotia has a $5.00 resident license and exempts landowners. Note taat many of the States adopt the Fremch method of exempting land owners, while some, particularly in the west, follow the English method of requiring everyone who hunts to obtain a license. 2(J FIBST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. STATEMENT OF FISH PLANTED IN WATERS OF WEST VIRGINIA BY THE U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES DURING- FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30 TH, 1909. Location. Waters. Fry CATFISH. Inwood Back Creek Inwood Hog Creek . Inwood Mill Creek . Wellsburg Ohio River Total RAINBOW TROUT. Charleston Everett's Run Cloverlick -Clover Creek Curtin Cranberry River Davis Blackwater River Elkins Little Black Fork River Jeningston Laurel Creek Keyser Alder Run Pond Keyser New Creek May Greenbrier River Mill Creek Middle Fork R iver Moatsville Flowing Spring Monitor Beamer's Pond . Pine Grove H°Pe Reservoir Porterwood '. Pleasant Run Seebert Cranberry Run Seebert Stamping Creek Sewell V.... Mann>s Run White Sulphur Springs Spring Branch , Wildell ljaurel Ruri Winterburn . _ Greenbrier River, E. Branch Total Fingerlings yearlings adults. 300 200 200 850 1,550 4,200 3,000 2,450 25,200 3,800 21,300 800 2,800 5,000 6,000 1,200 1,200 1,750 4,200 5,000 2,500 3,400 223 5,000 11,000 110,023 BROOK TROUT. Barton Greenbrier River . . Burner . . • Clubhouse Run Burner Harper Run Burner Little River Burner Span Oak Run Capon Springs .Laurel La.ke Capon Springs Yellow Spring Run Charleston Everett's Run .... Cloverlick Clover Creek Durbin Meadow Run Elkins . Little Black Fork . Fort Springs Turkey Creek Pladwin Nicholas Lane Run . Lowell Kelley's Creek . . . . Marlinton Dover's Creek Mnv Glade Run May Orndorf Run May ..White Camp Run . Mill Creek . Cassity Fork Creek 6,000 1,000 1,000 1,500 800 2,100 1,000 300 2,500 800 5,200 1,000 1,200 700 500 1,500 1,200 1,200 2,000 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 21 Location. Waters. Fingerling? Fry yearlings adults. Mill Creek Mill Creek Morgantown & Kingwood Junction.Flag Run . Paw Paw Critton Run Point Mills Battle Run Seebert Bruffey Creek Seebert Cranberry Creek Seebert Hill Creek Sir Johns Run . .Co1^ Run Surveyor Cone Creek Pond Terra Alta BiS Wolf Creek Terra Alta Dority Creek Terra Alta ' Roaring Creek Terra Alta Snowy Creek- North fork Terra Alta Snowy Creek-South fork. . . . . Terra Alta Ward* ell Creek , '. Webster Springs Elk Rjver Webster Springs Leatherwood Creek White Sulphur Springs . .Spring Branch Whitmer Grandy Creek Wildell Elk Run Wildell Greenbrier River — West fork Wildell Mikes Run Winterburn Buffalo Fork Winterburn Greenbrier River Winterburn . . .Ram Bottom Run 2,000 2,000 1,500 2,000 400 24,000 800 700 500 1,600 1,500 2,000 2,000 2,000 1,500 3,500 1,500 380 1,000 1,500 2,500 1,500 800 800 500 Total 89,980 CHAPPIE ANI, STRAWBRERY Hampshire County Inwood Inwood Great Cacapon River Back Creek ........ Hog Run .......... Total 960 160 160 1,280 ROCK BASS. Reader Haught's Pond Wellsburg Cross Creek . . Total 82 500 582 SMALL MOUTH BLACK BASS. Harpers Ferry Potomac River Romney Potomac River, S. Branch 12,000 Springfield Potomac River, S. Branch 12,000 Wellsburg .' .' Buffalo Creek 15,000 White Sulphur Springs :. . .Greenbrier River 1,000 115 Totals 39,000 1,115 LARGE MOUTH BLACK BASS. Chapmansville ^Guyandotte River Cove Run Sandy Creek Curtin Gauley River Elm Grove . , Wheeling Creek Fort Spring Second Creek Gladwin . Glady Creek 300 22 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. Vv. Fingerlings Location. Waters. Fry yearlings adults. Grafton Tygarts Valley River 400 Hampshre County Great Cacapon River 650 I nwood Back Creek 575 Inwood Hog Creek 125 Inwood Middle Creek 200 Inwood Mill Creek 250 Wappocomo Potomac River, S. fork 400 Winchester . , Hogue Creek 250 Total 4,415 Mi BKFAM (SUNFISH.) Cove Run Sandy Creek 75 Falling Waters Emerson's Pond 100 Total 175 PIKE PERCH. Buckhannon Buckhannon River . 300,000 Philippi Buckhannon River 300,000 Romney * Potomac River, S. Fk 800,000 Wellsburg Ohio River 400,000 Total 1,800,000 Recapitulation. Catfish Fingerlings Fry yearlings adults. 1,550 110,023 Brook trout 89,980 . 1,280 , 582 Small mouth bass 39,000 1,115 4,415 Bream (Sunfish) 175 Pike Perch .... 1,800,000 Total . 1,839,000 209,120 1910] FOKEST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN, 23 STATEMENT OF FISH PLANTED IN WATERS OF WEST VIRGINIA BY THE U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES DURING FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1910. Location. Waters. Pingerlings Fry yearlings adults. CATFISH. Bedington Emerson's Pond Benwood Riedel's Pond Grafton Otter Creek Pond Nuttall Chaleybeat.e Spring Pond . Romney Potomac River, S. .Branch, Total CARP. Moundsville Jones Pond RAINBOW THOUT. Blake .Loup Creek Hampshire County Front Run , Hampshire County Yellow Stream Gap Holly Junction Elk River Keyser Patterson Creek . . , Marlinton Elk River , Midvale .Middle Fork River Rippon Weist's Pond .... Seebert Cranberry Creek . . Spring Creek . . . . Sinking Creek .... Stonewall Piney Creek Surveyor Clay Pond White Sulphur Springs Howard Creek .... White Sulphur Springs Spring Branch . . . Wildell Greenbrier River Wildell Laurel Run Wright Piney Run Total BKOOK TROUT. Berkeley Cold Run Beverly Beaver Creek Burner Harper Run Burner Little River Burner Mountain Lick Run Burner Span Oak Run Burner Lake Carroll Capon Road ' laurel Lake Davis Blackwater River Hampshire County Mutton Run Harman , Spruce Run Harton Candy Creek Huttonsville ,Elk River Huttonsville .Files Creek Huttonsville Mill Creek Huttonsville Rifles Creek Keyser Pattersons Creek, N. Fork Marlinton, ;Cochrans Creek Marlinton iElk River, Crooked Fork. . Marlinton . . .Indian Draft Creek Marlinton ..Mill Run May ^Greenbrier River 150 250 250 250 550 1,450 15 1,500 3,650 3,650 750 4,300 2,500 7,500 1,000 38,500 3,000 21,000 500 3,000 2,000 5,000 5,000 24,000 126,850 800 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,000 2,000 1,000 500 2,500 3,750 1,000 3,000 500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,200 750 750 2,500 1,000 3,000 24 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. Fingerlings Location. Waters. Fry yearlings adults. May .Orndorf Run 1,000 May .White Camp Run 1^000 Midvale Cassity Fork Creek . . 3,000 Raleigh Piney Creek 14,000 Renick Spring Creek _ 500 Rippon Bullskin Run 1,500 Seebert Cranberry Creek 6,000 Terra Alta Big Run 1,000 Terra Alta , . '. . Big Wolf Creek 2',000 Terra Alta Buck Lick Creek l',000 Terra Alta Dority Creek 2 500 Terra Alta Klsey Creek 2,000 Terra Alta Kinsinger Creek 'gOO Terra Alta Laurel Run 1,200 Terra Alta . . . . Little Wolf Creek . 3^000 Terra Alta Muddy Creek 1*500 Terra Alta Roaring Creek 2,500 Terra Alta Salt Lick Creek , . 4,000 Terra Alta Snowy Creek 6,700 Terra Alta Spruce Run 1,000 Terra Alta White Oak Creek '. 2,000 Webster Springs Elk River— Buck Fork 600 White Sulphur Springs Laurel Creek 1,000 White Sulphur Springs Spring Branch 59,000 l',000 White Sulphur Springs Turner Creek 1,000 Wildell Elk Run 4,000 Wildell Mike Run 2,000 Wildell Snorting Lick Run 2,000 Totals 59,000 105,050 CliVPPIE. Bluetom Holley's Pond 150 Philippi Middle Fork River 400 Salisbury Salisbury's Pond 200 Total 750 ROCK BASS. Fairmont Little Lakes 650 Port Gay . Sweet Lake 200 Preston County Kelley's Pond 450 Wellsburg Cross Creek 500 Total 1,800 SMALL MOUTH BASS Hampshire County . Great Cacapon River 45,000 Harpers Ferry Potomac River ' .' 1,200 Renick Cuberson Creek 9,000 Renick Greenbrier River . 24,000 Ronceverte Greenbrier River 800 Sistersville ., . Middle Island Creek 100 Springfield Potomac River, S. Branch 15,000 Totals . 93,000 2,100 1910] FOREST, GAME AXD FISH WABDEN. 25 Fingerlings Location. Waters. Fry yearlings adults. LAKGE MOUTH BASS. Belva Peters Creek 150 Bretz Decker's Creek 4,000 Caddell -Cheat River ' 4,000 Chapmansville Guyandotte River 240 Charleston Elk River 200 Elm Grove Big Wheeling Creek . 400 Fairmont Monongalia River 400 Fairmont T. .' Tygarts Valley River 400 Felton Tygarts Valley River 400 Glenalum Tug River 150 Grafton Tygarts Valley River 400 Hampshire County G~eat Cacapon River 900 Harpers Ferry Potomac River 1,150 Little Falls Monongalia River 400 Morgantown Decker's Creek 200 Morgantown Monongalia River 640 Orleans Roads Potomac River 1,000 Paw Paw Great Cacapon River 200 Philippi Middle Fork River 400 Philippi Tygarts Valley River 400 Ripley Mill Creek Romney Potomac River, S. Branch ........ 560 St. Albans Coal River 400 Springfield Potomac River, S. Branch 300 Star City Donkard Creek 400 Sutton Elk River 1,400 Weston Monongalia River, West Fork 600 Woodland . ...Fish Creek . 400 Total 20,170 BREAM (SC/NFISH.) Bedington Emerson's Pond 500 Weston . .Walnut Fork Pond 200 Total 700 PIKE PERCH. Fairmont Tygarts Valley River . 500,000 Morgantown . . . .Cheat River 800,000 Total 1,300,000 YKTL.OW PERCH. Milton Newman Springs 10° Rippon Bullskin Creek ; 1,000,000 Totals _ 1,000,000 100 26 FIEST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. RECAPITULATION. Fingerlings Fry yearlings adults. Catfish n. 1,450 Carp 15 Rainbow Trout 126,850 Brook, trout 59,000 105,050 Crappie 750 Rock Bass 1,800 Smallmouth black bass . 93,000 2,100 Large mouth black bass 20,170 Bream (Sunfish) 700 Pike Perch .• 1,300,000 Yellow Perch 1,000,000 100 Totals 2,452,000 258,985 GRAND TOTAL, Fingerlings Fry yearlings adults. All species planted in 1909 1,839,000 209,120 All species planted in 1910 2,452,000 258,985 Total of 2 years . 4,291,000 468,105 J910] FORKST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 27 HISTORY OF GAME AND FISH LAWS. The Game and Fish laws are older than the State of West Virginia. It was found necessary, even in colonial days, to pass certain laws, concerning deer and certain kinds of game. In the year 1677, Con- necticut, in the year 1699, Virginia, and in the year 1705, New York en- acted some laws restricting the hunting of deer in certain ways. In the beginning of the eighteenth century, protection was extended to birds; at first, however, to only a few species, and for short periods — during their hatching time. A statute in the State of New York, in the year 1709, was the first measure, that provided close seasons for deer, turkey, heath hens, part- ridges or ruffed grouse and quail. Special laws for the protection of insectivorous birds, was not considered necessary, until middle of the 19th century. In chapter 101 of the Code of Virginia, of 1849, we find considerable protection thrown around certain kinds of game, but it remained for our own State, in the year 1869; to pass the first law extending protection to all species of birds, except a few of the injurious kinds. Whilei this law has been upon our books for more than forty years, yet with nd organized force or attempt to enforce its provisions, the small boy robbed the birds nests and made strings of beads out of the egg's, while the larger class of boys and men, destroyed in numerous ways — not only our game birds, but even our insect eating birds, and most beautiful songsters. The Legislature, in the year 1897, created the office of Game and Fish Warden, and very materially strengthened the law, affording better protection to all of our animals and birds). Without sufficient appropria- tion, however, to provide for a sufficient deputy service to enforce the law, the destruction of our game, birds and fish went ruthlessly on, and with the rapid development of our State, bringing in a class of men who did not hesitate to dynamite our streams or destroy our most valuable insectivorous birds, roving over our forests and fields1, without permission from the property owner, was deemed sufficient reasons to enact more stringent laws to protect our forests, game and fish. The law enacted in 1909, did not, as many people seem to think, take advanced steps of other states, in protecting our game and fish, and providing revenue, by collecting a license fee sufficient to mjake this department self-sustaining, but was, modeled after the laws of other great states, such as New York, Maine, Illinois, Iowa, and many others that had already tried such lawte and found them to be a success— in preserving their natural resources, with which they had been so lavishly provided. And although it may be — that public sentiimient didp not respond freely to some of the provisions of this law, yet it will, and must be admitted by all persons, who have made this question a study, and who desire to see the great blessings that have been so bountifully bestowed on us by nature, conserved for future generations, that this law should have been enacted ten years ago. With a few amendments, making some sections of this law clearer in FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [w. VA. meaning, and a few changes that may be necessary, Wtest Virginians can well feel proud — that our law compares most favorably with the most progressive states in the Union, along the line of protecting and con- serving our natural resources. So it will be seen, that for more than a century — it has been the policy of law-makers, to throw some protection around our game, birds acid fish, and in many respects, our own State law has been as strict and drastic for many years, as it is at the present time, but without some organization, whereby the law could be enforced, it remained a dead letter on the statute books. The trend of public opinion throughout, the whole country, for many years, has been decidedly in favor of protecting our game, but legislators have been slow in providing sufficient funds to carry on this work. And not until the license system was introduced, whereby game and fish departments could be made self-sustaining, by col- lecting sufficient funds from the hunters to carry on this work, have our game laws ever been made a success. No law is automatic, but must be entrusted to some special constituted auhority, for enforcement, or it will be a nullity. No state, after adopting the license system, has ever repealed the law, which proves that in all the different methods that have been inaugu- rated to provide ways and means for this work, the only fair and suc- cessful one is by the license system. West Virginia as a Game State. It is often remarked that West Virginia is neither a game nor fish State, and that it is useless to spend time and money in trying to pro- tect our game and fish, our forests or streams. With over eleven million of acres of forest lands, admirably adapted to raising deer and other game animals and birds, and with a variety of altitude ranging from 240 feet, at the lowest point at Harper's Ferry, to 4,860 feet at the highest mountain peak, in Pendleton county, we are blessed with a diversified climate, and our valleys, hills and moun- tains afford the most beautiful hunting grounds to be found in any coun- try, and our great mountain range, for picturesque beauty, is not sur- passed in the whole world. While it is true that conditions have materially changed, since the Indian chased the buffalo through the unbroken forests, and w£ are not blessed with the abundance of game that we had centuries ago, but according to the statements of Dr. T. L. Palmer, Washington, D. C,, who is in charge of game preservation, under the Department of Agriculture, and the one man in the whole United States who is informed on this subject, West Virginia is the best adapted and suited for raising deer, of any state east of the Rocky Mountains. It cannot be denied that for the wild turkey, the grouse, the bob-white, and all small gamie ani- mals and birds, that we are far in adcance of many of the other states. While many states aw already spending vast sums of mpney, in re- stocking their fields and forests, we have but to retain our present laws, and rigidly, but sensibly enforce thiem, and without spending a 1010] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 29 dollar for re-stocking, except in a few localities, will soon be rewarded by having a hunters paradise. Assuming that we ha,ve 1000 deer yet remaining in our State, and figuring under the rigid protection given them under our law, that they will double in number every year, which they will do if properly pro- tected; it is interesting to see that at the end of ten years:, it will be possible to count them by the hundreds of thousands. The State of Maine, that fifteen years ago numbered the deer only by the hundred, as we do now, can now allow fifteen to twenty thousand dieer killed; every year, and still increase their supply by the thousand each year. "What is true of Maine a»ad other states, can, and will be true of West Virginia, by a proper enforcement of the law we now have. The killing of game should, as has been done in our own State, be taken out of the hands of commerce, and be made entirely sport, and by thus eliminating the pot or market hunter, it will soon be demonstrated that West Virginia is the greatest game state in the whole Union. RestocTcinp Our Streams. The time has come, when most states must resort to artificial means if they hope to retain their supply of either game or fish. Many states have already established fish hatcheries of their own, and are planting millions of fish in their streams each year, while West Virginia has siot even taken advantage of the generosity of the Government, to ask for their pro-rata share of fish for stocking purposes, that the Government will furnish free of charge. No state in the whole Union is so bountifully blesed with pure clear streams of water, a? West Virginia, and these crystal streams of water, taking their rise in the lofty mountain peaks, and wending their way through miles of unbroken forests to larger streams, that ultimately reach the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, afford scenery, tfcat in picturesque beauty is not surpassed in America, and offers the most de- lightful fishing places to be found in the whole world. According to information furnished by Hon. Geo. M Bowers, United States Fist Commissioner, we have in our State, over one hundred spe- cies of fish, and nrnonp- them, some of the most valuable food and finest game fishes in the United States. The most important of. the srame fishes, are the two species of black bass, viz.: the small mouth and large mouth bass. The principal food fishes are the wall-eyed pike, nmrcallonge, rock bass, white cat, channel cat, white perch, and the different kinds of suckers. The brook or mountain trout, is possibly the finest and most interesting fish found within our State, and a week's vacation along some mountain stream, where the foot-steps of man seldom trod, in quest of this beautiful spotted beauty, is more to be de- sired than the fountain of youth, hunted for by Ponce do Leon, in the land of Florida flowers. This fish is a native of our mountain streams, and while the march of industrial development, and the ruthless methods of the dynamiter for a time threatened its destruction and extinction, for the past few years, it seems to be gaining, and by proper re-stocking and 30 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. careful protecting, it will again be possible to have plenty of these fish in our mountaini streams. By close observation, we find many streams, which on account of lum- ber and other industries, were for a time practically depleted of fish, are again re-stocking themselves, and promise, in the next few years, with proper care, to bo fine fishing streams. If we will pay the same attention to re-stocking our streams and pro- tecting our fish, that we give the planting a.nd cultivating of our crops or orchards, there is no question but what we wil get satisfactory results. If the farmer were to take a crop from his land year after year, without try- ing to re-seed the ground when it needed it, he could not reasonably expect the harvest time to be abundant, neither can we expect to take from our streams, year after year, thousands of fish, without some effort to re-stock and keep up our supply, and at the same time expect our fish to keep up in number. There may bo some contention that the revenue raised from the sale of licenses, should not be used for the purpose of protecting or re-stocking our streams, yet we can siee no serious objection, to this, as most hunters are also fond of fishing, and the two sports are so intimately associated, that to build up one, helps the other. And until the time which will come, when our fishing industry will be of sufficient magnitude to attract thous- c»Tnj<5 ,>f tourists from othrr state*, ancl w>e can iliou chv^e a li^.-nse for fishing, as well as hunting, the revenue raised from hunters' license, must be used for the thr -unfold pun.^? that of protecting our forests, mine and fish. While the Government has done a great deal for us in the past two years, in the Way of re-stocking our streams, arid while our able United States Fish Commissioner should receive the most grateful thanks of every cittern of the State — for this aid, yet us co"Up:rd with most other states, we have done comparatively nothing along this line and we must awaken, to the great opportunity that presents itself, if we keep pace with our neighboring states. In the past two years, we planted 4,291,000 fry, and 468,] OH firigerlings and yearlings. The State of Pennsylvania planted more than 200,000,000 in the year 1909, and the State of New York— 530,000,000 in the year 1910. Our State should have a fish hatchery of her own, but unitil that 4ime, w>e should at least be progressive enough to ask for, and take care of the quota that we are entitled to receive from the United States Government. A sufficient appropriation should be made from the Forest, Game and Fish Protective Fund, to employ a competent and experienced man to assist in properly planting our fisih, with which our streams are stocked, for unless this is properly amd carefully done, we cannot hope to get the best results. Tlie License Feature. For many years, different states have been charging a non-resident li- cense fee for hunting, but not until recently, has the resident license been a.loplcd by a majority of the states. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 31 So beneficial has it been found — to charge a license fee, in order to make the game departments of the different states self-sustaining, that data col- lected from the different states, shows, with, one exception, the State of Georgia, that every state in the Union charges a nonresident license fee, and all the states but eleven, have a resident license fee A careful study of the license laws, of every state in the Union, leads us to believe that the law-makers of our State, have struck :i happy medium between two ex- tremes found in many other states, both a* to pri.-3 of license, and other reqiiirviments. A majority of the states charge the same resident license fee that is charged in West Virginia — that of $1.00, yet several states charge more; some as high as $5.00 for certain kinds of resident license, while one state — Vermont, only charges 50 cents. The license law of our own State, seems to favor the property owner or farmer, for the reason that it allows him to hunt upon his own land or the adjoining land of his neighbor, by securing proper permission, without requiring him to take out a license The sportsmen seem to be well pleased with the license feature, for no sportsman would think of objecting to paying a fee of one dollar for a license, which gives him the right to hunt all over the State, when lie real- izes that by so doing, the game will be protected and perpetuated so that he will always have something to hunt. The only objection that is heard, regarding the license fee of the law, comes from the fellow that believes that hunting and fishing is an inherent right or privilege intended for all men — by the Creator of the universe, and vouch-safed to them by the Constitution of the United States; and that Legislatures and Game Wardens are usurping their divine and constitutional rights1, by saying that they cannot do as they please, and kill when and what they please, of all the wild creatures of the earth. But all considerate men must, and do agree, that no game law can ever be effective— ^without sufficient funds to carry into effect — its provisions, and what other means could be devised, fairer to all interests, than to charge a nominal license fee of one dollar, from those whio desire to hunt, and thus raise sufficient revenue to carry on this great work. The revenue raised from the license fee, since the law became effective, is sufficient to protect our forests from fire, afford ample protection to our fish and game — where needed, and with government assistance, fill our streams with fish. The money that has been raised through this license system, should not be appropriated for any other purpose, than for the protection of our forests, and the protection and propagation of our gam>» and fish. The man who pays his license for the privilege of hunting, pays it cheerfully — if it will be used to increase the game supply for future years and future gen- erations, but this whole system will result in failure, if appropriated or used for any other purpose. The subjects of Forest, Game and Fish are so1 closely identified, that the Legislature wisely connected them together. Unless we protect our forests from fives, that have been so destructive in the past, it will be impossible to retain our gamie, in our beautiful mountains, and unless we save the forests, our fine mountain streams; will certinly go dry, making it impossible to propagate fish in them. So FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. the money received from the license, may be wisely used for any of the subjects so closely connected tinder this law. Ir. i:i certainlv better to make a department of this character self-sustaining, by collecting sufficient revenue direct from the people who derive the pleasure and benefits there- from, rather than by taxing all persons in general, and appropriating from the general fund in the State Treasury, to carry on this work. While the amount of money raised by the sale of license, which consti- tutes the Forest, Game and Fish Protective fund, amounting to the sum of $40,209.00, on the 30th day of November, of the present year, might seem to be more than would be needed to carry on this work, yet many states are raising from five to tfjn times more than this amount, every two years, and are using it all in building up the game and fish indus- try, that is becoming the most valuable asset that they have. All this revenue can well be spent in strengthening our warden ser- vice, protecting our forests, re-stocking our streams with fish, propa- gating and increasing our game and birds, and in many ways that will be beneficial. Warden Service. A game department, without efficient and adequate warden service, cannot be as successful as it should be. Game {Warden should be made a profession, not merely a "job". The subjects embraced under the laws in West Virginia, including that of Forests, Game and Fish, are so varied and manifold that it requires the best energies and broadest! knowledge that can be possibly put into it. With the whole department, composed of but three salaried officers, and the office work alone requiring more time and attention than can be given it by this number of men, it has been impossible to give as, much time to field work as should have been done, and at the samo time keep up the office work. The office should be supplied with suffi- cient clerical help, so that at least two of the salaried wardens can spend all of their time in field work, and thus, in a measure at least, keep in touch with conditions throughout the whole State. In many states, the warden service — on salary, number more than one hun- dred, some states having established a civil service requiring all ap- plicants to pass a civil service examination — to be eligible to appoint- ment. Whether the revenue raised in the short time our license system has been in vogue, will justify an increase in our salaried deputies, must be left to the good judgment of our Legislature, but I would most earnestly urge that sufficient funds be appropriated from the revenue raised by the sale of licenses to pay the per diem, at a reasonable rate, of special deputies, during the dry seasons of the yea/r, so that omn for- ests may be protected from fife, and for special service — when needed, to protect our game and fish. While many deputies throughout the State, both appointed and 1910] FOBFST, GAME AT\TD FISH WARDEN. 33 yet it must be remembered that they wiere actuated in most cases, from the standpoint of the sportsman aiid the desire to see our law enforced, rather than from a mercenary motive, and we can never hope to have the best of warden service, until we devise some means, and make suffi- cient appropriations to carry on this work as has already been done by most states. While it might be urged that one-half of the fine, is sufficient remuneration for the services rendered by deputies, yet if if we depend on this system, as the only pay that the deputy receives1 for his work, it will often result, as has been the case in the past, of the deputy resorting to piensecutions as well as prosecutions, and thus; making the law unpopular and ridiculous. However, imperfect as our warden system is, in this State, much hasi has been accomolished under it, and by the aid of the many sportsmen throughout the State, much more will be accomplished in the future. Pollution of Streams. The pollution of streams, is not only claiming the best thought and attention of the people of our own State, but of all civilized coun- tries. The pollution of our streams has a broader significance than the mere destruction of tish, and if this pollution cannot, in some way, be checked, ere another decade, our once beautiful clear streams of pure crystal water, that is considered one of our greatest assets, will be so1 contaminated, that they will not only be cess-pools of disease, but will be wholly unfitted for use — for man or beast. In attempting to enforce the statute, relative to the pollution of streams, we have been met bj two opposing elements, both of whdch seem to take the extreme view of the subject. One of the elements* comprised the industrial interests of the State, such as our coal opera- tions, paper mills, tanneries, and many other industrial concerns, that have, in the past, found it most convenient to convent these streams into sewers, and thus more easily get rid of the refuse from their in- dustrial plants. Many of these people have argued most strenuously, that it would retard; the development of the State, to in any wjay OT manner, attempt to stop this pollution. The other extreme element, was composed of the people in general, who said that the industrial concerns were not only killing our fish, but were actually ruining the water supply of our whole State, and in- sisted that it was the duty of the officers to shut down every industry in the State — that were in any way injuring oun water supply, or kill- ing our fish. With criticisms coming thick and fast, from these two opposing ele- ments, the only conclusion we could reach, was to begin in the middle and work both ways. After consulting the Fish Commissions of sev- eral other states, who had been struggling with these problems for many years, we were convinced that much could be done to riemedy this evil, and to an extent, at least, purify our streams, and in so doing, not seriously cripple a single industry. 34 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. Through the kindness of Hon. Geo. M. Bowers, United States Fish Commissioner, many tests have been made to determine whether or" not the water U owing frioin industrial plants was actually deleterious to fish life, and in this way. proceed wiith this work in an intelligent1 manner. In investigating these sources of pollution, it has always been ascer- tained that the men at tlie head of these industrial concerns, were not polluting the streams with any criminal (intent, but were using these streams for sewers, merely as a matter of convenience, and for the rea- son that no great effort has ever been made to stop this pollution; but they have always expressed a willingness to stop polluting the streams, , where it was possible to do so, and a great many of the tanneries and paper mills have, during the past twelve months, constructed settling pools, and provided every device possible, to take care of this pollution. While these settling pools may not be sufficient to completely purify the out-put of pollution from these plants, yet if they are made suffi- ciently large, so that the lime and other poisonous substances may have time to settle, and then the water released from these pools — only dur- ing a high stage of water in the stream into which it empties, many, of the poisonous substances can be eliminated, and the pollution re- duced to such a degree, that it will neither in June fish or materially1 effect the purity of the water. Several tests were made by the United) (States Fish Commissioner, during the past twelve months, of water ta- ken from these settling pools, and were found to not be injurious to fish, although they were kept in the water for three and four days at a time, while the samples of water that were taken directly from thet out-flow from the plants, killed fish within a few minutes, after being diluted with pure water in the iratio of one part of the sample fur-* nished, to nineteen parts of pure water. The most difficult problem in this connection, is the pollution caused by coal mining. A Ion? many of our streams wiill be found numerous coal mines, from which sufficient sulphur or iron water flows, to kill all animal life in these streams for miles, and even make the water un^ fit for domestic purposes. It is not claimed by the coal operators — that it is entirely impossible to take care of this poisonous water, yet they do claim that coal cannot be economically mined in W^est Vir- ginia, if they are compelled to do this. It is even contended by some eminent lawyers, that pollution from a coal or ore mine, could not be restrained undei the statute, for the reason that these ingredients were placed in the ground by nature, and that water seeking its level, must flow into our streams. He this as it may, the case of West Virginia; vs. The Southern Coal nnd Transportation Company, which was tried in the Circuit Court of Barbour County, in June, 1909, and is now pending in the Court of Appeals, will, when decided, determine the con- struction of this statute In this case, the defendant — the Southern Coal and Transportation Company, a mining corporation, was indicted and convicted for polluting and killing the fish in Stuart's Run, by al- 193 OJ FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 35 lowing the water Irom their mining operations to flow into same, which case was taken to the Supreme Court, and has not yet been; passed upon by this Court. It has not been deemed advisable to make further prosecutions along this line, until a decision is had in the case referred to, as upon this decision, rests the whole question as to what may be done in enforcing this statute against the coal operators. If it is determined that coal cannot be mined in West Virginia, at a profit, and at the same time take care of this pollution, and it is believed that the mining of coal will be of more benefit to our State than our water supply, then the only course left — is to exempt certain streams of water, that must necessarily be used for this purpose, and from the stand-point of propagating fish — abandon them altogether, for it is only a waste of time and money, to attempt to re-stock the streams of West Virginia with fish, if they are to be killed almost every year, by pollution from our coal mines. Some definite policy must be pur- sued in this particular; if this pollution cannot be controlled, then the only thing left to do, is to abandon such streams, and devote our efforts to the re-stocking of streams that are not contaminated by mining op- orations. It has been easy to enforce the law against the pollution of streams with paw-dust, for the reason that this constitutes a violation, without proving that it is deleterious to fish life, but all other pollu- tion must be proven to 'J)e deleterious to fish, and, consequently, re-r quires the water to be analyzed, and then passed upon by an eipert, who can say whether or not it will kill fish, or an actual test made from a sample of the water to ascertain results. Protection of Insectivorous Birds. If nothing e.'se had been accomplished by the restrictions of the Forest, Game and Fisli Laws, the protection that it has given to our insectivorous song bii.ls, from the thoughtless boy and roving for- eigner, who killed, without distinction, every living wild creature with hair or feathers, that came within his vision, it would be worth many times the amount that it has cost. It is impossible to describe, .in a few sentences, the great good done to the agricultural and horticul- tural interests of our State, by the insectivorous birds that destroy* thousands of insects that have become so detrimental to these inter- ests. These insectivorous birds are now being recognized by both agricul- turalists and horticulturists, to be one of the greatest assets that we have, and \vord comes from every county in the State — that these birds have almost doubled in number, in the past eighteen months. There must be an awakening to the fact — that the preservation ot these insectivorous birds is the only safeguard from destructive rav- ages on vegetation by insect pests. Mr. Butcher, President of the Na- tional Audubon Society, in a recent report, says "The foundation of the wiealth of the country, is biased on its agricultural and forestrjf 36 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. products, and without birds, such products would be impossible. The annual loss from in«ect amd rodent pests, at the present time, is esti- mated to be $ SO 0,0 00,0 00. When the public begins to think about these figures, and realizes that this annual loss may be reduced by such work as ours, I leel sine that an adequate support will be forthcoming. If it is not, this generation is simply robbing children yet unborn. This is a terribl^ charge, but it is a true one. If we permit the herit- age of wild birds, that still exists, to be wasted and destroyed — we are robbing our children. We are simply trustees, and should seek to en- large the estate in our care, rather than squander at. The public, as trustee, is in honor bound to preserve the wild birds for> those that! follow us." Effect of Keeping Boys in School. Section 19 of the Forest, Game and Fish Laws, provides: "No hunters' license shall be issued to any minor under the age of fifteen years, without the consent in writing?, from the parent or guardian of such minor, such 'consent to be filed with the Clerk issuing such li-» cense." Aside from the fact that by keeping guns out of the hands of boys of tender years, many accidents are avoided, there is another great benefit derived from this particular section, that perhaps few people have ever thought of. During the \vmter of 1909, the writer's attention was called to the fact, by Frof. A. F. Shroyer, Superintendent of Schools of Barbour county, that ono of the best features of the law, was the pro- vision that prevented boys under the age of fifteen years, from hunting without the consent of the parent or guardian, and remarked, at that time, that the attendance, in many schools of his county, had been ma- terially (increased for this reason. In reply to a letter written to this gentleman, on the 17th day of November, of the present yean, asking for an estimate of the number of boys that had 'been kept in school by the effect of this law, Prof. Shroyer says: "Making a very conserva- tive-estimate, I will say that at least fifty boys have been kept in school, by the game law. ' By studying the question of attendance, and notic- ing the difference since we have had this law, I am inclined to think that my estimate is low. In some sections, I think it will average one pupil to the school." Taking the minimum estimate in this case, and assuming that the same rule would hold good in all counties through- out the -State, and figuring on the percentage of school children in Barbour county, as com pare d to the number in the whole State, we would add more than one per cent, to the attendance in our schools, or nearly 4,000 boys kept in school, instead of roving over the forests in search of game.' Sale and Shipment of Game. Despite the fact that it appears to be a hardship on the man thaH 1910] 'FOREST, GAME .AND FISH WAEDEN. 37 does not enjoy the spoTt of hunting himself, or on account of being busy, not having the leisure time to do so, to say that he cannot pur- chase game with which to provide delicacies .for his table, yet the pro- hibition of sale of game, is the one thing that will cause same to increase, and make it possible to again have it plentiful in the State. The pot hunter cannot be checked in any other way, so effectively, as to deprive him of a market. As long as game was allowed to be sold within our State, it provided an excuse to smuggle it out of the State, and it was very difficult to enforce the law in this respect. While it may be a hardship to our hotels and restaurants, and even, tc many of our good citizens, to deprive them of the privilege of pur- chasing game on the market, yet it is better to be deprived of these? delicacies for a time and again have game plentiful, when the law can be changed in tnis respect, than to entirely deplete our forests and fields by permitting the army of pot or market hunters to continue their destructive work. The shipping of game should never be permitted again, from our State, and the disbanding of the great army of pot or market hunters, that made this a system of commercial gain, rather than sport and re- creation, was the only solution of the question to save our game and fish from total depletion. All states West of the Mississippi River, except two, North and South Dakota, prohibit export of all game protected by local laws, and these permit the export of only plover, woodcock, and cranes. East' of the Mississippi, laws prohibiting the export of all game, or, in some cases, all but one or two unimportant species, are in force in all the states, except a small group along the coast from Massachusetts to Maryland and four Southern States — North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Ken- tucky. Forty-three states and territories, and most of the provinces of Can- ada, now prohibit sale of all or certain kinds of game at all seasons. Increase of Game and Fish. Although less than eighteen months have passed since our present law became effective, the increase in all kinds of game, birds and fish is so noticeable, that word comes from every section of the State, that game is becoming more plentiful. For the first time in many years, the pretty girey squirrel made his appearance daring tiic present year, and thousands of them were killed, during the past season, yet thousands still remain throughout the wood- ed sections of the Slate. The deer that had been decreasing at an alarming rate, for many years, seem to now be increasing, and will, no doubt, if properly protected for a few years, again become plentful. The wile; tarkey, the ruffed grouse and the bob-white, are multiply- ing very fast, and the short open season, together with the other pro tection that has been thrown around them, will cause them to again be as plentiful as they vere 3'ears ago. 38 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. There is no question but what the law has 'had a decided effect, in in- creasing oar fish supply. The dynamiter, the seiner and fish trapper, did more damage to our fish, than it was possible to do by the angler — with hook and line only, and while there may be some of these viola- tions yet going on, they have been materially lessened, and fish of all kinds, have made a nice increase in most of our streams. Taking iff Gun Out of the Hands of the Foreigner. The foreign element, that is so fast multiplying in many sections of the State, has become the most destructive element to our game, birds end fish. They have not hesitated, in the past, to ruthlessly destroy, without distinction, every living creature of the animal or bird kingdom. In many sections, where a great number of these men were employed on public works, they had not only depleted the forests and fields of our game birds and animals, but had also destroyed every song bird within a radius of miles around. To them, the Sabbath Day was not a day of worship, but looked for- ward to as one to be spent in sport, hunting, fishing, shooting, and in a general wa:7 terrorizing- the whole neighborhood. These parties did not hesitate to dynamite a stream, for the purpose of securing a fow fish, and had no regard for the thousands of fish that were killed by these explosions. Word comes from every section of the State, that the law has had a wholesome effect In stopping thesa violations, and it has wrought much good in thus practically taking) the gun. out of the hand of the unnaturalized foreigner, by providing that he must first secure a non-resident license before he can hunt, and ty providing that he must secure a written permit from the property owner, before he can hunt or fish upon his premises. Prosecutions and Fines. The most gratifying feature of the operation of our laws, has been the careful observance by our citizens — of its provisions. "While there may have been many violations of the law that wene not detected, yeti the enforcement of same has been reasonably rigid, and considering the number ot licenses sold, and the thousands of inquiries answered, regarding the different features of the law, and the comparative few cases that we have had in the courts, leads us to believe that the law has been well obeyed. It has been the policy of the department, to endeavor to educate the people to xhe necessity of the law, and to war.n them against the vio- lation of its provisions, rather than let the violations be made and then prosecute the offender I have, at all times, instructed my local depu- ties, take a broad view of all the questions, and while I desired that' the law be rigidly enforced and (its dignity always upheld, yet I have never deemed it wise to pay too much attention to little trifling mat- 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FJSH WARDEN. 39 ters, and I fully realize that some prosecutions have been made, that were trifling in the extreme, and should have gone unnoticed. The fish dynamiter, the game >hog and other wailful violators of the law, should have no mercy shov\n them, and should be prosecuted with- out fear or favor, but to prosecute fon a trivial offense, is the hard mat- ter to guard against- -under a system of deputy service, where a part of the emoluments are the remuneration 'received for service. On account of the law being new, and not thoroughly understood by many local deputies' and Justices of the Peace, before wOiom most of these prosecutions have been made, the acquittals have been more nu- merous than should have been. Some justices, who have not felt fa- vorably inclined toward the law, or some of its provisions, have even dismissed cases because they judicially determined that the law was! unconstitutional, while others gave no other reason for; acquitting cer- tain violators, than that they did not feel like imposing a fine, be- cause the party was poor, or because of the friendship that they en- tertained for the person who was being prosecuted. All of these mis- takes will grow less, as the deputies and justices become morie familiar with the statute. Fifteen thousand copies of the law have been distributed, since the statute became effective, and every means possible, have been used to familiarize all persons with its provisions. Forest and Forest Fires. Conservation and protection of forests, is not only claiming the best thought and attention of our own citizens, but is one of National importance. Experts calculate that at the present rate of cutting, the great forest areas of the United States, will be almost exhausted ini twenty years. In view of the fact, the Government has undertaken the administration of the forests remaining on its land in the West, and has set apart more than 1:40,000 square miles of its land for this pur- pose, which territory would make ten states the size of West Virginia. But large as the National forests are, they are only a little more than one-fifth of the total iorests of the United States, and if we are to pre- serve our great and valuable forests, states and individuals must take up the work and see that our forests are not needlessly wasted. If the timber famine, which threatens the whole country, is to be averted, then some system must be devised, whereby the question will be handled by individuals, as the Government is handing its forest lands; by stopping useless waste, cut mature trees only, let the sap-- lings stand, and protect same from fire. There are many things which are necessary and important in our forest areas, but protecting them trom fire is the principal thing to be done, and, in fact, if this is not done, other things will be of little avail. It cannot be denied, but that a state has the right, and it might be urged, that it is the absolute duty of every state, to take this matter1 in 40 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. hand and protect our great forests from lire, and see that in other ways, they are not destroyed. Protection against fire is a public necessity, and should not be left to the care of private individuals. Few states In the whole Union, has so much to gain by protecting; their forests, as West Virginia, and few states have done so little in this direction as we have. The State of West Virginia has less than 25,000 square miles, and 18,000 square miles? of this is forest. This includes, howiever, cut over and burned over tracts, many of them having but little value at the present time; and some of them having been burned over so many times, that they are ruined for all time. To the thoughtless individual, a law looking toward the protection and conservation of the forests of West Virginia, might seem foolish at this time, but to the close observer, or the one that has made these matters a study, it is conceded to be one of the greatest problems that confronts us. The white pine, ^vhich a few years ago extended in a broad belt across the State, following the parallel ridge of the Allegheny range, is almost a thing of the past, and the hemlock and spruce are now going the way of the white pnie. One has but to witness the tracts that are now being cut in West Virginia, especially the ones where pulpf wood has been taken off, to grow sick at heart, to see the once beautiful forest areas, which afforded a scenery that is not equaled by even far- famed Switzerland, stripped of every living particle of timber, and left unprotected and unguarded from the forest fires, that year after year, burns over these tracts until they are Completely ruined for all future time. The situation is not yet hopeless, but to say the least, is discourag- ing, and the time is here when some forest policy should be put into effect, and something (?one to save the valuable assets, if it is ever' done; a few more years, it will be forever too late. Until after the passage of the law in 1909, no effort had ever been made, by the State, to even protect our forests from fires, and while) this law may not be, and is not far enough reaching, yet much has been accomplished by an organized effort, to control and extinguish forest fires. Data collected by the United States Government, for, the year 1908, shows that we had, during that year, 710 forest fires, burning over' 1,703,850 acres of timber land, doling damage to forest products of our State, to tne amount of $2, 90? ,850; while in the year 1909, we only had 70 forest fires, burning ever 94,322 acres, with an aggregate dam- age of $107,053.10, making a difference of damage for the two years, of $2,796,458.50; and during the year 1910, the number of forest fires numbered 223, burning over 90,407 acres, damaging forest products to the amount of $43,874.09, and costing the sum of $3,677.52 to ex- tinguish them. "A stitch in time saves nine" is true perhaps, to a greater extent, in 1910] FOEEST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 41 controlling a fire, than under any other circumstances, and if this part of the work is to be made more effective, some of the provisions of this statute should be strengthened. Our forests, if rightly taken care of and preserved, will be of untold benefit to the future of our great State. The benefits to be derived] from our forests, are varied and many; some of the most important, being as follows: They constitute a home and breeding place for our game, animals and birds, they regulate and protect ouir source of water supply, and by holding the surplus water in check, insure its even and regular flow. By protecting the water supply, fish life is sustained, pure water is insured, the soil better irrigated and made more productive. Wood- lands help to regulate tomperatare, and it is believed to have an appre- ciable effect in increasing rain fall in different localities. They add oxygen to the air, and help purify it, and for the health and enjoyment of man, they form the most complete panacea of human ills, and the! most perfect place for recreation known. Upon the forest protection, in the next few years, rests the success or failure of the many auxiliary benefits that are mentioned above, and every dollar wiisely spent in this work, will be as bread cast upon the waters, and will be returned to us in after years. Some objection has been made, because the law makes it encumbent on the county, in winch the fire occurs, to pay for the cost of extin-* guishing same; claiming that this should be paid out of the general fund. It can readily be seen that this would be unfair to the many counties that do not have forest lands, as the protection of forests* more directly benefits the counties in which the forest is protected,, than all counties in general—in preserving the forest products and maitaining values in this land, which are a subject of taxation. Much annoyance has been caused by County Courts refusing to allow claims for extinguishing these fires, or fixing the per diem remunera- tion so low, that it was very hard to get men to help fight these fires. Wbule the County Court should have the right to audit all accounts rendered them by deputies, for extinguishing these forest fires, and certainly should not pay them unless fqund to be absolutely correct, yet the service could be made more effective, if there was a fixed price of $2.00 per day, for each day spent by persons summoned to help ex- tinguish these fires. Game and Fish a Valuable Asset. The best illustration we have of making game and fish a valuable! asset to the State, is demonstrated by the State of Maine. Fifteen years ago, the game and fish industry of that state, was at a low ebb, but by careful protecting, under a rigid law, it is the most gigantic industry of the whole state, outranking in importance, the combined products of her cotton, woolen and pulp mills. 42 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA.' The tourists, who visit this state annually, in search of sport and recreation, is conservatively estimated to number 350,000, spending in this state each year, $18,000,000 to $20,000,000. During the years of great panics and business depression in the United States, the State of Maine was eery little effected, because of the amount of money left in the state by visiting tourists. The records of the express companies, show that about 17,000 Vir- ginia deer, and 500 moose, are each year taken cut of the state by> visiting tourists, to decorate their homes, and thus constantly advertise the great hunting resources of the state, and thereby induce their friends and neighbors to spend their hunting vacation in this state. West Virginia has a larger wooded area, than the state of Maine, and is admitted to be better adapted to the raising of deer. If by pro- tecting our game, and affording good hunting to our own people and to sportsmen from other states adjoining us. we can even keep a part of this money here, we will certainly be amply rewarded for our money spent in doing this. Many other states have awakened to the importance of this industry, and are energetically working to make their hunting and fishing, at- tractive, and are thus bidding for the patronage of these sportsmen and fishermen, who will spend thear money in the places where the best sport can be found. Game and Fish Propagation. As stated elsewhere in this report, it is believed that we have suffi- cient amount of game left in the State, for re-stocking purposes, yet there can be no question, but what there should be an effort made to get this g.ime distributed more evenly over the State. Many counties have thousands of ruffed grouse and bob-white, while other counties have hardly enough of these birds left for stocking purposes. Arrange- ments can be made to trap these birds in sufficient quantities, where; they are very abundant, and ship them to sections where they are now scarce, or eggs or young birds can be collected and sent to these locali- ties, and thus, In a very short lime, have these birds plentiful all over the State. While it is deemed more advisable to spend our money in protecting our game, rather than in re-stocking, and also more certain of better re- sults, to re-stock with our own native birds, rather than spend too much money in experimenting with the importing of foreign game birds, yet it would be well to take up the proposition on a small scale, and introduce some of the birds into our State. We think also that it would do con- siderable good to purchase a number of deer, which can bte done at a very reasonable price, and thus assist in building up this industry. The* wild turkey could likewise be increased very rapidly, if proper attention! would be given to re-stocking. The common bronze turkey, of which the wild turkey is the progen- 3910] FOREST, GAMK AND FJSII WARDEN. 43 itor, will, if allowed to roam over the mountains, again become wild, and by mixing with the wild turkey, within a few years, the descend- ents will become as wild as the turkey now found in our mountains. While all of these propositions should be handled with care, and in a way that every dollar expended will do the greatest good to the greatest number, yet the revenue that is raised by the sale of hunters license, should be used for the purposes set out in this report, and by so doing, the revenue can be increased from year to year. While a limited number of fish can be obtained from the United States Government, yet if we are to make West Virginia a real ujHto-daite fishing State, we must at once stock up our streams, and bring this in- dustry up to an efficiency tluat will compare with other statesi in thisl respect. The State of Colorado, that procures less than double the amount of revenue raised in West Virginia, is now maintaining six fish hatcheries and running the other expenses of their Game and Pish Commission, from the revenue raised by the sale of hunters' license. Many other states, less favorably suited than West Virginia, are maintaining from six to ten hatcheries, and planting millions of fish every year. If we could establish one hatchery, and two or three small collecting stations, where fish eggs could be collected, wie could build up our fish- ing industry to a wonderful extent. On account of not having lakes or large rivers, we will never be able to compete wiith many states, in raising fish from a commercial standpoint, but from the stand-point ofi sport and recreation, no state in the Union, can excel our Wjest Virginia streams in propagating trout, bass and other game fishes. Fish culture has passed its experimental stage, and can be carried on to a successful issue, and it is imperative to use this artificial process of propagation, if we are to make a success at the business. Since the farmer has been given the privilege of saying, by the grant- ing of permits, who and who cannot hunt upon his premises, he is taking a great deal of interest in feeding and protecting thie quail or bob-white, during the severe cold spells in winter, and numerous letters were received during the winter of 1909, where whole coveys of these birds had been sheltered and fed, and to this, as1 much as anything else, we may attribute the great increase in these birds. Many farmers do not desire these birds killed at all, believing that the good they do in destroying insects, pays well for feeding and sheltering them for a few days during the winter months. Every farmer should fix some shelter for these birds, and furnish a little feed for such times when the snow gets too d(eep for them [to range for themselves; he will not only be doing a righteous act, but will be repaid many times for what he has spent, by retaining the bob-white on his land, to destroy insects the coming season. An old brush heap covered with straw or fodder, will provide all the shelter needed, and a few hands full of small grain, will supply food sufficient for several days. Many states provide in their appropriation, considerable sums of money to purchase feed and take care of birds through the winter months, but the farmers of our own State, if properly awakened to the greatt 44 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. protection to their crops, afforded by these birds in destroying insects, will respond most generously to this worthy cause. Permit Requirements. The permit requirements, under the law, have possibly caused more comment and dissatisfaction than any other provision. Hunters, in the past, believing that universal custom which has pre- vailed from time immemorial, gave them the absolute right to hunt upon any and all property, without regard to w/homl it belonged, had be- come careless, and a source of great annoyance to many property own- ers. These hunters have, in the past, not hesitated to invade the fields and orchards of the farmer, and by tramping out his1 crops, leaving down his fences, shooting among his stock, allowing dogs to chase his sheep, tearing down his stone piles,- setting fires to his woodlands and appro- priating to their own use such fowls and domestic animals as they could capture and carry away, even shooting near his residence, isometimiesi maiming members of his family, that it seemed right and proper, to givte the land owner some protection from this annoyance, and the law, in regard to the permit requirements, was made rather rigid. The great damage done to our forests, in the past, was chargeable, to a great extent, to careless hunters who unthoughtedly left camp-fires burning, and thus, in many cases, originated these fires. It is con- tended by the hunters, that the permit requirement should only extend to the enclosed lands, and that the unenclosed lands should be free for all to hunt or fish upon, unless these lands are posted. From the standpoint of game protection, the law, as it now stands, is a success, but from the stand-point of raising revenue by the sale of hunters license, all must admit that many licenses would be sold, if the pern-iit requirement only extended to enclosed lands. It is also true, that in many cases it is very difficult to obtain permits, for the purpose of hunting on these unenclosed lands, for the reason that many large tracts of these mountain lands, ane owned by non-resi- dents and large corporations that are often hard to locate, and it is* very troublesome to obtain a permit to hunt upon these lands*. As is stated elsewhere, we believe that the protection of our forests from forest fires, is one of the best features of the law, and thait the mo?iey raised from the sale of hunters' license, should be used in pro- tecting the forests;, as well as protecting our game and fish. Nwv, if the sportsman assist in this work, by contributing to this fund, we can see no good reason why he should not be permitted to hunt in. the forests that he helps to protect, if there is no serious objection by the property owner, without being required to secure a written per- mission. If the unenclosed lands are to be protected, under the permit pro- vision, the owtoers should, at least, be required to survey their land and plainly mark the lines, so that hunters can tell where and when they are trespassing. It might be well to modify this requirement of the law, 1910] FOBEST, GAME A^D FISH WAEDEN. 45 requiring owners of unenclosed lands to post same, if they desired it protected from trespassers, and not require a permit from; the property owner, unless same is done. Opsn and Closed Seasons. The open and closed season for certain birds and fish, seemis to be one that can never be settled in this State by a general provision ap- plicable to the whole State. The great variance fln altitude and climate, makes this a very difficult problem. In some sections, the spawning season for the different kinds of fish, vary from ten to forty days, and many reports have been received, during the past year of fish being caught during the open season, that had not yet deposited their eggs. There is no doubt but that the open season; should be changed in some localities correcting this, but not having completed data, at the present time, it would be impossible to make any intelligent recommendation, as to when and where these changes should be made. The open season on quail, seems to be unsatisfactory in various parts of the State, it being claimed that the birds, as a rule, are not fully matured during the month of November, and the consensus of opinion seems to be that the open season should not begin until the 15th or 20th of November, and continue until the 25th day of December, or 1st day of January. Our present law provides that snipe cannot be killed between the first day of March and the fifteenth day of October following. This was prob- ably an inadvertent mistake, as under the old lawl, the present closed season was the open season. As the law now stands, it prohibits the shooting of snipe altogether, as they migrate South, before the season!, opens on the 15th day of October, and do not return again until afteri the season closes on the first day of March. In most sections of the State, the farmers and horticulturists seemed well pleased that protection has been taken off the rabbit, as, in the past, these animals have done much damage to such interests. However, in some sections,, it is contended that there should be a closed1 ^easpn on the rabbit, as well as the squirrel. Little objection has been made to the open and closed season on other animals, birds and fish, except the ones mentioned. Dams and Fish-Ways. Section 45 of our law provides "that no person, firm or corporation, shall build, erect, keep or maintain in any river, creek or water course in this State, which shall in any way or manner prevent or obstruct the free and easy passage of fish up or down such river, creek or other* water course, without placing, building or erecting on such dam or other thing, a good and sufficient ladder or way so planned or built, as to allow all fish to easily ascend or descend the same; and said ladder 46 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. or way shall be constructed upon plans and in a manner and at a place satisfactory to the Forest, Game and Fish iWiarden of the State of West Virginia." Under the law, only six months was givem, in which to complete this work, which time was entirely too short, considering that plans and specifications had to be made and distributed to the numerous owners oi dams throughout the State. The improved Gail Fish-way System was adopted for use in this State, which, by careful investigation, was found to be the most satisfactory now in use throughout the United States, as well as many other coun- tries. This plan is also adopted and recommended by the United States Commission of Fisheries. Much complaint was made that the time given under the law was not sufficient, in which to complete this work, and it was deemed best to ask that no prosecutions be made for a violation of this section, until after the 26th day of November, 1910, thus extending the time for one year longer than was given under the law. More than two hundred dams have been located, which 'are deemed to be a violation under this statute, and every owner of such dam has been furnished plans and specifications of the fish-way adopted, wtith instructions to build same. Many fish-ways have been erected during the time, and a number have been inspected and found to be satisfactory, but a number of parties have failed or refused to comply with this statute, and to the regret of the department, must be prosecuted for this violation. The excuses offered for these failures are almost as numerous as the failures themselves, possibly some of them well founded, but im a majority of the cases investigated, it has been found that the dams in question were an actual obstruction, in a few cases, flood gates so arranged, so as to form a complete fish trap, which enabled the owner to profit by same in catching the fish as they ascend or descend the stream. For the department to make a personal investigation of the more than two hundred dams, scattered throughout the State, was found to be an impossibility, and if this had been properly done, no time could have been given to any of the other various duties of this office. A careful record has been kept of all these matters, and when fully completed will be of much value in helping to distribute fish im our many streams. Dynamiting of Fish. The fact thai the dynamiting of our streams was made a felony, has had a wholesome effect in stopping this pernicioius habit, and a closer watch has been kept on this particular offense than any other one. for the reason that it i? believed to be the most despisable crime, and the one showing the greatest criminal intent under our law. There can be no excuse or reason for anyone placing dynamite or1 any other explosive in a stream, for the reason that the few fish that he 1910] FOREST, GAME A;J.»> FISH WARDS.N. 47 may hope to get by so doing, is only a small number compared to the great number that are killed by the explosion. This practice, in the past, has clone more permanent damage to our fish industry, than all other violations combined. A few complaints have been made, as to suspicion of unlawful dyna- miting, and considerable time was spent in trying to obtain sufficient evidence to make prosecutions, but these offenses being usually com- mitted during the night time, and by a class of parties that will resort to almost anything for the purpose of evading the law, has made it \ery difficult to secure a conviction. [With a sufficient appropriation that would provide for special deputy service, to make careful and proper investigations in such matters, this crime can be broken up altogether. Work of Office. Fully realizing that the old saying, that "self praise is half scandal" to be true, it would not be deemed proper to discuss at length, the routine duties of our office work, nor the many perplexing questions arising under the enactment of a law of this character, were it not for the fact that we fully realize that the character and volume of work cannot be appreciated, except by those who are thoroughly familiar with similar departments. A system of book- keeping has been inaugurated, whereby every detail and transaction of the office will be preserved, so that in the future, intelligent comparisons can be made, and thus ascertain what legislation will be beneficial and work necessary in conducting this department. The preparation and distribution of the various kinds of blanks, nec- essary for making the different reports, claimed considerable time, care and attention The great number of deputies, appointive and ex-officio, justices of the peace, Clerks of the County and Circuit Courts, and other county and State officials, from whom we receive reports and communi- cations, makes the clerical work in office, of greater magnitude than could be imagined by anyone not thoroughly informed as to these details. Besides keeping in touch with at least two thousand officials, wherein financial matters a'ncl reports come in question, the various correspond- ence, relating to every conceivable subject, at many times, has reached such proportion?, as to be scarcely believable by those not familiar with the many conflicting opinions arising from the enactment of a statute of this character. Tt is not unfrequent to receive from 100 to 200 letters a day, covering every question that could be dreamed of from a request for a copy of the Forest, Gam^ and Fish laws, to a demand for an official opinion on various sections of the statute, over which, disputes among neighbors would naturally arise, or perhaps an imperative demand that some one be dispatched immediately to a distant seeticfn of the State, for the purpose of closing down a number of coal operations or industrial plants- that were polluting some stream and killing the fish. 50 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. The word ''treasurer" in the same section, should be made to read "treasury," to conform to the manner of making other remittances. In the same section, the law provides that the Clerk shall receive twenty-five cents, as his fee for issuing said license, which was evidently meant to be his full remuneration for taking the affidavit to the api- plication, issuing the license, affixing the seal of the Court, and all other services performed. The general law provides, however, that the Clerk is entitled to cer- tain fees for taking affidavits, affixing the seal, etc., which makes the two statutes conflicting. Realizing the trouble that might arise under these conflicting statutes, a letter was addressed to each of the Comity Clerks, before this law became effective, suggesting to them that the one fee of twenty-five cents, should be the only remuneration received for all services in connection with the issuance of such license, and with tw'o or three exceptions, this rule was adhered to throughout the State. It was certainly intended that $1.00 should cover all cost of license for the resident hunter, and the law, if possible, should be made clear in this respect. affidavit of applicants for resident hunters' license, and would often cause persons to procure licenso that do not do so; on account of not having some officer near at hand, before whom they can make the application. Considerable confusion has arisen over the provision in section 44, by allowing minnow seines to be used in the creeks or rivers of the State. Persons have been found along the streams of our State, with minnow seines from fl?n to fifteen feet long, which might be used for1 seining large fish, as well as minnows, but it has been impossible to! convict on account of the provision of law making it lawful to use minnow seines. Acknowledgments. In closing this report, I desire to express my sincere thanks to your excellency, for the honor conferred upon me in my appointment as For- est, Game and Fish 'Warden, and the kind consideration that my depart- ment has always received at your hands. To Attorney General 'Wni. G. Conley, who has always willingly rendered official opinions construing questions of our statute, as well as to all other State officials, who have in numerous ways assisted me, I feel under many obligations. Hon. Geo. M. Bowers, United States Fish Commissioner, deserves great credit for not only stocking our streams with fish, but for his valuable assistance in making numerous tests of water flowing from industrial plants, to ascertain whether or not such water wlas deleterious to fish life. Dr. T. S. Palmer, of Washington, D. C., in charge of game preservation in the United States, has most generously furnished bulletins and in- formation that has been valuable in many ways. v All departments of Forestry, Game and Fish, in the different states, 1010] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 51 have cheerfully furnished their reports and laws, enabling us to make comparisons and draw conclusions in all these matters. Special credit is due the Clerks of the County Courts, in the care and patience exercised by them in the issuance of hunters license. Also to the Prosecuting Attorneys for their valuable assistance in helping to enforce tha law. Ail other county officials have ever been ready to fruhish amy information or data to assist in this work. The Justices of th* Peace, in most cases, have dealt with the violations arising under the law, in a careful and conservative manner. However, in a few instances, some decisions might be considered very erroneous. The newspapers, throughout the whole State, have greatly assisted by publishing data furnished them, for the purpose of enlightening 'the masses on different provisions of this law. My two chief deputies, H. M. Lockridge and W. B. Rector, have been careful, painstaking officers, and have performed their work to my en- tire satisfaction, as has Miss Ethel McCoy, book-keei>er and stenographer. The many local appointed deputies have performed their work as well as could be expected, taking into consideration the unsatisfactory way of remunerating them for their services; several of them doing most excellent work, for which they deserve special mention, if space would permit. Much good work has also been done by the Constables and other ex-officio deputies. The West Virginia Game and Fish Protective Association, a state organization, has done much in the past few years toward educating the people to a higher idea of game and fish protection, as has the Wjest Virginia Forestry Association, in their efforts to arouse interest in the protection of our forests. The local and county Sportsmen and Fishermen's Associations, have materially aided in not only creating enthusiasm along the line of game and fish protection, but have, in many cases, been of much benefit in; helping to make prosecutions. To all of the persons and organizations mentioned above, as well as to all sportsmen, fishermen and law-abiding citizens of West Virginia, who by word or act have assisted in upholding and enforcing this law, I tender my grateful appreciation and most heartfelt thanks. Respectfully submitted, J. A. VlQUESNEY. Forest, Game and Fish Warden. IN THE VELVET.— Through Courtesy of the Allegheny Sport sine Vn Association. WEST VIRGINIA SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT OF THE Forest,, Game and Fish Warden 1911-1912 plowrrr o^K DIVISION or FORESTRY 1 COLLEGE Of A AGRICULTURE UKIVCRSITY CF CALIFORNIA J. A. VIQUESNEY Forest, Game and Fish Warden BELINGTON Vnion Publishing Co., Charlest LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. CHARLESTON, W. VA., November 11, 1912. . To His Excellency. HONORABLE WILLIAM E. GLASSCOCK. Governor of West Virginia. SIR: — In compliance with the law, I have the honor to transmit herewith, my second biennial report as Forest, Game and Fish Warden of West Virginia, covering the fiscal years 1911 and 1912. Kespectfully submitted, J. A. VIQUESNEY,. Forest, Game and Fish Warden. BLUE-BIRD FEEDING YOUNG IN ARTIFICIAL HOME. — Through Courtesy Pittsburg Sporting Magazine, * * IN THE OPEN." LIST OF OFFICERS IN FOREST, GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT J. A. VIQUESNEY. Forest, Game and Fish Warden, Belington, W. Va. W. B. RECTOR, Chief Deputy, Belington, West Virginia. H. M. LOCKRIDGE, Chief Deputy, Huntersville, West Virginia. LOCAL APPOINTED DEPUTIES. BARBOUR COUNTY. A. G. Nutter -..Philippi, W. Va., Route No. — . M. D. McCoy Volga, W. Va., Route No. 2. E. A. Wenzel Belington, W. Va. F. M. Hymes Belington, W. Va., Route No. 2. C. W. Boyles . Philippi, W. Va., Route No. — . J. C. Pitman . Lillian, W. Va. J. W. Thornhill Belington, W. Va. BERKELEY COUNTY. R. H. Keller Bedington, W. Va. J. J. Dailey Martinsburg, W. Va., Route No. — . M. K. Butts Hedgesville, W. Va., Route No. 1) David Dunn Martinsburg, W. Va. BOONE COUNTY S. J. Burgess Seth, W. Va. Allen Workman Chap, W. Va. BRAXTON COUNTY W. H. Berry Sutton, W. Va. R. T. Colebank Sutton, W. Va. BROOKE COUNTY. Henry Pasters Collier, W. Va. J. D. Colson Collier, W. Va. O. L. McCoy - - _ .Wheeling, W. Va. CABELL COUNTY. F. H. Merrick Huntington, W. Va. E. M. Lusher, Huntington, W. Va. Sterling Price Guyandotte, W. Va. CALHOUN COUNTY. J. K. Douglass Stinson, W. Va. M. S. Matheny, Arnoldsburg, W. Va. John W. Pugh Grantsville, W. Va. CLAY COUNTY. A.J.Johnson,.. ...Cresmont, W. Va. SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. FAYETTE COUNTY H. I.4Kincaid i --Page, W. Va. G. A*. Shuck ^ ...Pittrnan, W. Va. W. A. Harrah B'uckus, W. Va. E. E. Huddleston Export, W. Va. C. A. Fox Crikmer, W. Va. A. A. Williams...- Gentry, W. Va. Samuel Good? Wriston, W. Vs. GILMER COUNTY Asa Self Sand Fork, W. Va. GRANT COUNTY. C. C. Lyon Maysville, W. Va. Jno. M. Reall Bismark, W. Va. G. M. Stump Lades, W. Va. W. H. Ours Corner, W. Va. William Roby Maysville, W. Va. J. K. Boggs r Petersburg, W. Va. J. W. Brock,--- Gormania, W. Va. Michael Kessel Sterby, W. Va. Ed. J. Cosner.--. Bismark, W. Va.__ GREENBRIER COUNTY H. M. Dawsori Alvon, W. Va. Chas. Bell Lewisburg, W. Va.- J. P. Gilmer Falling Springs, W, Va. A. S. Johnston Anthony, W. Va. Andy Wright Ronoeverte, W. Va. Richard Hodge Alderson, W. Va. Kelley McMillon.. Caldwell, W. Va. Floyd Gladwell Trout, W. Va. John P. Carron Anthony, W. Va. Rudolph P. Carron Anthony, W Va. Rudolph Fertig Neola, W. Va Raymond Perks Neola, W. Va. Chas. B. Bell. Lewisburg, W. Va. John Peters Ronceverte, W. Va. C. C. Perry Greenbrier, W. Va. HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. J. Walls Brill Mutton Run, W. Va. S. B. Vanorsdale Green Springs, W. Va. HANCOCK COUNTY. D. F. Kinsley Newell, W. Va. Edgar Minnich New Cumberland, W. Va. Harvey E. Ellenberger Hollidays Cove, W. Va. HARDY COUNTY E. N. Locke Moorefield, W. Va. Norton Snyder - Wardensville, W. Va. Wm. E. Bradford Wardensville, W. Va. HARRISON COUNTY. Hon. Frank R. Moore, Clarksburg, W. Va. J. B. Bosley : Lost Creek, R. 2, W. Va. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. HARRISON COUNTY— Continued. T. J. Steerman Clarksburg, W. Va. John McNemar Adamston, W. Va. B. W. Harbert __Shinnston, W. Va. T. G. Nicewerner Clarksburg, W. Va. W. A. Batton Bridgeport, W. Va. M. A. Samples Salem, W. Va. Robert Shuttlesworth Romines Mills, W.Va. J. C. McWhorter McWhorter, W. Va. Wm. Post Clarksburg, W. Va. Ralph Gawthrop _.Wolf Summit, W. Va, JEFFERSON COUNTY. • Chas. E. Harris Charles Town, W. Va. R. H. Appell Charles Town, W. Va. KANAWHA COUNTY. Andrew Thompson East Bank, W. Va. J. W. Pritt Derrick, W. Va. M. F. Adkins Chelyan, W. Va. T. E. Crews N_ Guthrie, W. Va. S. B. Wintz 1 Charleston, W. Va. G. W. Stump _' Clendenin, W. Va. W. G. Beane St. Albans, W. Va. A. R. Shepherd Charleston, W. Va. J. J. Pierce South Charleston, W. Va.. D. H. Hudnall Eskdale, W. Va. D. C. Smoot Dunbar, W. Va. B. S. Morris Blue Creek, W. Va. L. C. Massey... Charleston, W. Va. Hon. Fred N. Can- Charleston, W. Va. John Dyke.___'_ Charleston, W. Va. LEWIS COUNTY. J. J. Watson Crawford, W. Va. G. L. Watson : Crawford, W. Va. Lloyd G. Woofter Alum Bridge, W. Va. LINCOLN COUNTY. demon Hager Spurlockville, W. Va. LOGAN COUNTY A. J. Perry Logan, W. Va. Lee A. Dingess Halcyon, W. Va. MARION COUNTY. Levi P. West. Fairmont, W. Va. MARSHALL COUNTY. Calvin Hunt Rosbys Rock, W. Va.. W. P. Richmond Meighen, W. Va. Chalmers Connelly Kausooth, W. Va. Samuel E. Chambers. Glen Easton, W. Va. G. W. Koller Captina, W. Va. C. E. Parriott Capitina, W. Va. MASON COUNTY. H.S.Wolfe-— ..Point Pleasant, W. Va_ SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. MERCER COUNTY. A. B.Kingan Goodwill, W. Va. A. M. Belcher Littlesburg, W. Va. E. G. Levisay Princeton, W. Va. MINERAL COUNTY. Ben Day Blaine, W. Va. W. I. F. Blackburn Emeryville, W. Va. Frank Carpenter Ridgeley, W. Va. Jno. A. Cleavenger Piedmont, W. Va. MINGO COUNTY. W. A. Hatfield---. Glen Alum, W. Va. A. W. Dameron Williamson, W. Va. MONONGALIA COUNTY. Elmer F. Jacobs Morgantown, W. Va. Marshall M. Hartley Morgantown, W. Va. A. T. Walker Morgantown, W. Va., R. F. D. Marshall B. Johnson / Hoard, W. Va. Wm. Martin-.- Pentress, W. Va. F. C. Walls--.- Pentress, W. Va. Samuel F. P. Horad Point Marion, Pa. MORGAN COUNTY Arthur Bohrer Sir Johns Run, W. Va. Wm. H. McCullough Sleepy Creek, W. Va. MCDOWELL COUNTY. J. M. Bruster Welch, W. Va. OHIO COUNTY. Harry Voitle, Greegsville, W. Va. Geo. E. Bayha 915 McCullough St., Wheeling, W. Va. Enoch Smith Elm Grove, W. Va. Lester O. Vermillion Elm Grove, W. Va. NICHOLAS COUNTY. Geo. W. Williams Summersville, W. Va. G. D. Moses Mount Lookout, W. Va. L. A. McClung Levisay, W. Va. Arthur Craig Muddlety, W. Va. J. W. Geho Holcomb, W. Va. PENDLETON COUNTY. J. R. Adamson Onego, W. Va. PLEASANTS COUNTY. Alexander Brewer Raven Rock, W. Va. POCAHONTAS COUNTY. C. B. Swicker, Dunmore, W. Va. W. Arthur Noel Green Bank, W. Va. D. E. Kisner Glady, W. Va. J. F. Ashford-. ...Durbin, W. Va. o ft GO II 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. POCAHONTAS COUNTY— Continued. S. T. Ruckman Durbin, W. Va. C. Bixler Burner, W. Va. Ezra Wooddell '.' Dunmore, W. Va. W. B. Hill Lobelia, W. Va. Geo. M. Jordan - Frost, W. Va. Ernset Sharp Frost, W. Va. Jas. A. Reed Seebert, W. Va. Jasper Dilley Seebert, W. Va. French Sutton Green Bank, W. Va. G.'B. Slaven Green Bank, W. Va. Pat Simmons Durbin, W. Va. I. W. Allen Clover Lick, W. Va. Preston Curry Seebert, W. Va. PRESTON COUNTY. J. W. Bell Rowlesburg, W. Va. C. W. Rosier Colebank, W. Va. Geo. W. Shaffer Masontown, W. Va. Elmer Cuppett Clifton Mills, W. Va. Jas. W. Ringer Bruceton Mills, W. Va. PUTNAM COUNTY H. E. Thomas ....Burdett, W. Va. L. A. Pitchford Extra, W. Va. Thos. A. Wright Black Betsey, W. Va. S. A. Mason Winneli, W, Va., Route No. 2. Ira Davis Waldo, W. Va. Eli Pitchford . . -Red House, W. Va. RALEIGH COUNTY. N. B. Hendricks Citie, W. Va. H. M. Radford Lanark, W. Va. F. G. Lilly Shady Spring, W. Va. J. W. Maynor Matville, W. Va. Robert Hunter Dorothy, W. Va. John Murdock Lester, W. Va. Ed. Stewart, Saxon, W. Va. E. C. Payne _. Winding Gulf, W. Va. RANDOLPH COUNTY. L. E. Arbogast Bowden, W. Va. J. J. Phillips Coalton, W. Va. Adoplh Pfister . Adolph, W. Va. Charley Davis '. Elkins, W. Va. Wesley White _• - Horton, W. Va. Collett Moore Montrose, W. Va., Route No. 2. J. R. Valentine Weaver, W. Va. F. A. Degler Cheat Bridge, W. Va. W. H. Mabie Mabie, W. Va. Harold Mouse , Elkins, W. Va. Route No. 2. B. GjGoddin Elkins, W. Va. W. M. Harp Harding, W. Va. John B. Isner Elkins, W. Va. R. F. D. R. A. Vanpelt 1 Pingley, W. Va. RITCHIE COUNTY. U. P. Jackson.. ..Petroleum, W. Va., Route No. 1. 10 SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. SUMMERS COUNTY. Amos M. Vandale Elton, W. Va. H. J. Meades Pence Springs, W. Va. J. J. Bragg Suck Creek, W. Va. Alonzo Hutchinson - Forest Hill, W, Va. C. T. Crawford Wiggins, W. Va. J. W. Richmond New Richmond, W. Va. E. P. Beasley Meadow Creek, W. Va. W. F. Echols Hinton, W. Va. TAYLOR COUNTY. Jno. W. McClung Grafton, W. Va. Clarence Dilworth, Grafton, W. Va. Geo. W. Jeffrys Grafton, W. Va. L. A. Shelton Grafton, W. Va. J. M. Warder Webster, W. Va. TUCKER COUNTY. Fred Combs Hambleton, W. Va. R. C. Weigle Davis, W. Va. W. C. Long Gladwin, W. Va. W. H. Cosner Davis, W. Va., R. F. D. TYLER COUNTY. T. A. Mead Middlebourn_, W. Va. J. W. Forester Big Moses, W. Va. B. F. Stokes Friendly, W. Va., Route No. 1 L. R. Maxwell Middlebourn, W. Va. G. C. Polen Sistersville, W. Va. M. E. Henderson Little, W. Va. UPSHUR COUNTY. J. W. Duke Alexander, W. Va. WAYNE COUNTY. J. M. Napier East Lynn, W. Va. Samuel Bartram Fort Gay, W. Va. P. H. Brumfield Dunleith, W. Va. S. J. Ward Ceredo, W. Va. WEBSTER COUNTY. L. W. Pritchard Haynes, W. Va. W. R. Holcomb Erbacon, W. Va. A. T. Dodrill Bergoo, W. Va. D. H. Hamrick , Webster Springs, W. Va. J. C. H. Cogar t Upper Glade, W. Va. Issaac Cogar Skelt, W. Va. Homer Woodzell Webster Springs, W. Va. W. H. Cunningham Webster Springs, W. Va. Walter S. Hamrick Samp, W. Va. W. G. Hamrick, Jr. Bergoo, W. Va. R. Moore Dodrill Webster Springs, W. Va. Geo. L. Ramsey Penbro, W. Va. WETZEL COUNTY. John McEldonney New Martinsville, W. Va. D. R. Young Littleton, W. Va. Evan Lowe- .". Piney, W. Va. E. M. Ruble-- ...Folsom, W. Va. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 11 WIRT COUNTY. A. S. Tanner, Creston, W. Va. WOOD COUNTY. W. F. Cox Slate, W. Va. David Matheny Williamstown W. Va., Jacob Kirsch Walker, W. Va. D. W. Chidister Williamstown, W. Va. W. C. Bartlett Parkersburg, W. Va. WYOMING COUNTY J. J. Swope Pineville, W. Va. Ballard P. Cook Oceana, W. Va. T. E. Rutherford Pineville, W. Va. Jno. W. Phillips-. ... ^.Mullins, W. Va. S. E. Spratt .__! Baileysville, W. Va. All constables, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and chiefs of police, under the law, are by virtue of their office — -ex-officio deputy Forest, Game and Fish Wardens. 12 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. NUMBEE OF HUNTERS' LICENSES ISSUED AND REVENUE DERIVED THEREFROM. The Following Table Shows the Number of Non-Resident Licenses Issued by Issued by the County Clerics, for the Fiscal Year Beginning Decem- ber l&t. 1910. and ending November SOih. 1911. COUNTIES. Resident License Non-Res- ident License COUNTIES. Resident License Non-Res- ident License B arbour 17 24 Berkeley 6 Monongalia 15 Boone - - - 4 Monroe ' - - - 28 Braxton - - - 30 Morgan - . . . . 3 3 Brooke - 0 McDowell 107 1 Cabell --- 38 Nicholas - ,. 21 Calhoun 4 Ohio 21 Clay g Pendleton 5 Doddridge 5 7 Fayette 124 47 5 Gilmer 11 Preston 31 Grant 2 Putnam - - - 12 Greenbrier 33 Raleigh 75 Hampshire - _ 4 1 Randolph - 33 1 13 Ritchie 3 Hardy 12 11 33 0 14 Taylor 31 19 Tucker 27 Kanawha 91 i Tyler *J,. - - - 5 96 10 Lincoln 11 Wayne - - - 29 37 Webster 16 16 Wetzel 25 Marshall 9 Wirt 2 18 Wood 41 o 3 31 jl Total... 1,253 23 1,258 Resident Licenses, 75 cents each $ 943.50 23 Non-Resident Licenses, $15.00 each • 345.00 Total Revenue from Sale of Licenses $ 1,288.50 w 02 ;r. K* O> ^ ^5 to -M O ^V>i? O -=. °^ •S ° "^ K^J ^1 3 g .s 6 :«%^' if H ^3 ^& O O i! w £r J "H g^ «wt3 fc^ §s S| 1^ z >, §^^ 2 Bl g 02 tS^ o^o W cs rr W ^ § >^oO O H o « to « 5° tS O a; si o S QJ pQ o ^i^ II 1 5 >H -P ft &c c.5 EH to 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 13 or/loiv»stoN of FORESTRY COLLEGE or Jt AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY Of CALIFORNIA NUMBER OF HUN TEES' LICENSES ISSUED AND REVENUE DERIVED THEREFROM. The Following Table Shows the Number .of Non-Resident Lecenses Issued by the County Clerics for the Fiscal Year ending September 30, Non- Non- COUNTIES Resideat Resident Licenses COUNTIES Licenses 2 1 Hampshire 2 Total - - 5 5 Non-Resident Licenses $15.00 each, $75.00 SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. STATEMENT OF PROSECUTIONS. The Following is a Statement of Prosecutions Made During the Tears 191] and 1912, Showing Results in- Detail. 1 1 COUNTIES. 1 1 : 1 g 1 < 1 I Fines Collected . 4 B arbour - - - 2 3 2 75.00 $ 9.10 1 Berkeley --- 1 1 25.00 4 Boone .-- - - - 2 2 35.00 35.00 1 Brooke 1 2500 2500 4 Cabell 1 3 1 2500 2500 jl Clay 1 7 Fayette 6 1 145.00 145.00 4 3 1 45.00 45.00 4 Grant 1 3 10.00 4 4 t2 1 1 10.00 10.00 1 Hardy 1 11 7 4 90.00 86.00 g 7 2 100.00 100.00 5 5 80.00 80.00 11 9 2 1 J2 110.00 30.00 fl 1 35.00 35.00 10 10 240.00 240.00 t* 2 2 25.00 25.00 19 19 190.0 150.00 10 1 9 10.00 10.00 t2 1 1 t 10.00 2 2 1 1 5.00 7 g lia 70.00 70.00 t3 McDowell 3 75.00 75.00 McDovell 4 1 85.00 85.00 4 1 3 75.00 to 5 5 tl \ 10.00 10.00 3 Pendleton 1 2 10.00 10.00 fl Pocahontas - - - -- 1 25.00 25.00 9 4 120.00 60.00 f2 2 29.00 2 Raleigh . « . 10.00 12 Raleigh - - -- 2 35.00 25.00 t4 Randolph -- j 2 75.00 40.00 7 - . 1 40.00 40.00 16 Ritchie 1G 234.00 100.00 3 3 30.00 20.00 5 Tucker 4 1 105.00 85.00 10 Tyler 4 i 2 40.00 20.00 3 1 2 25.00 25.00 12 11 1 125.00 95.00 3 I 10 Wetzel - --- - 5 2 95.00 85.00 jl Wood 1 10.00 3 Wood 2 1 25.00 25.00 24 21 1 210.00 »120.00 yoni g 272 Total 187 62 21 2,848.00 2,065.10 f— Cases Tried in 1910, reported in 1911. t — Sent to the Peuitentary for Six Months. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 15 LIST OF FOREST FIXES OCCURING IN THE STATE. The Following is a List of Forest Fires Occuring Within the State During the Year 1911 Which were Extinguished by Deputy Wardens; the Cost of Extinguishing Same., Approximate Damage, Etc. No. Fires 2 6 1 2 7 4 2 1 2 2 2 11 1 3 2 10 1 4 1 1 COUNTIES. Acres Burned Over Value of Timber, etc. Destroyed Amt. ex- pended ex- tinguish- ing Fires Barbour .. -_-.-_ 50 4,325 300 505 2,700 3,100 205 400 100 60 300 5 2,000 11,400 2,403 12 650 9,965 2 7;500 140 2,533 200 1,050 200 5,000 $ 475.00 2,875.00 500.00 1,075.00 1,500.00 4,000.00 210.00 1,200.00 $ 82.00 126.50 14.00 Boone - _.-.-_ ___ Clay - - - . -- -- Fayette - - - - -..._._ Grant . _...._ .. 173.16 100.10 6.62 Greenl>rier _ - .._ . Hampshire - _ ___ Lewis . _. - - - - _ . . .- - Lincoln _..--. . __._._-_ 5.00 8.45 19.25 .83 56.00 252.20 28.00 75.00 200.00 10.00 1,500.00 8,246.70 3,250.00 70.00 525.00 12,145.00 591.79 12,030.00 7.>.00 1,035.00 2,080.00 5SO.OO 15.00 3,000.00 Nicholas Pocahontas Preston Putnam - ' Raleigh - - - - - 42.30 727.80 Randolph - - - tTyler ' - ... Upshur -- - - . -_. 74.55 11.00 139.00 27.00 67.00 20.05 Wayne Webster Wetzel t Wyoming tWyoming . - Wyoming - . 80 Total. .. 55,155 $ 57,313.49 $ 1,981.16 t— Occured in 1910, reported in 1911. t— Oc«ured in 1909, reported in 1911. 16 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. LIST OF FOREST FIXES OCCUEING IN THE STATE. The Following is a List of Forest Fires Occuring Within 1he State During the Year of 1912 Which Were Extinguished1 by Deputy Wardens; the Cost of Extinguishing Same, Approximate Damage, Etc. No. Fires COUNTIES. Acres Burneu Over Value of Timber, etc. Destroyed Amt. ex- pended ex- tinguish- ing Fires 2 1 1 1 13 4 1 2 3 3 2 B arbour 230 4,000 25 200 1,245 ' 2,540 1,500 150 95 12 4 $ 80.00 550.00 12.00 100.00 655.00 2,252.00 3,040.00 175.00 325.00 25.00 20.00 S 24.00 10.00 10.95 5.90 136.09 64.00 28.62 16.30 5.00 8.00 Berkeley Boone Calhoun Grant ... Greenbrier. ----- ------- Hampshire. _-. -- .. , -_ ..- .. Pocahontas - - - Randolph - -- -- .-_ .. - Wayne 33 Total 10,001 $ 7,234.00 $ 308.86 NOTE: — The above report is only for nine months, i. e. up to and including September 30th, 1912. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 17 STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS. The Following is a Statement of the Receipts and Disbursements in Connection with the Office of Forest, Game and Fish Warden, for the Tears 1911 and 1912. Apprqpriations • WARDEN. CHIEF DEPUTY WARDENS. Salary Mileage and Traveling Postage and Printing Inciden- tals and Contingent Salary Mileage and Traveling Postage andj , Inciden- tals. Balance 1910 $. 69.63 $ 249.83 $ 271.00 $ $ $ 612.89 $ Overdrawn 1910 633.01 2,300.00 300,00 3,600.00 96.88 1,000.00 Appropriations, 1911, 1912.. 3,600.00 500.00 SOO.OO Totals $ 3,669.63 $ 749.83 $ 271.00 $ 1,666.99 $ 3,300.00 $ 1,412.89 121.89 903.12 Expired Grand Totals $ 31669.63 $ 749.83 $ 271.00 $ 1,666.99 $ 3,300.00 $ 1,291.00 $ 903.12 18 SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT. [W. VA. DISB UE SEMEN TS . Warden. Salary. Mileage. and Traveling Postage and Printing. Inciden- tals. Salary Month of December 1910 $ 150.00 $ $ $ Incidentals Month of December 1910 121.26 32.25 Traveling Expense Month of December 1910 Mileage Month of December 1910 50.13 Salary Quarter ending 3-31-11 450.00 Incidentals Quarter ending 3-31-11 104.70 Traveling Expense Quarter ending 3-31-11 172.40 100.87 Mileage Quarter ending 3-31-11 Postage & Ptg. Quarter ending 3-31-11. 226.75 Salary Quarter ending 6-30-11 450.00 Incidentals Quarter ending 6-30-11 83.25 Traveling Expense Quarter ending 6-30-11 77.60 87.05 Mileage Quarter ending 6-30-11 Salary Quarter ending 9-30-11 450.00 361.39 Incidentals Quarter ending 9-30-11 Traveling Expense Quarter ending 9-30-11 86.35 107.55 Mileage Quarter ending 9-30-11 Salarv Quarter ending 12-31-11 450.00 Incidentals Quarter ending 12-31-11 .. 242.36 73.95 Traveling Expense Quarter ending 12-31-11 Mileage • Quarter ending 12-31-1 1 109.74 Salary Quarter ending 3-31-12 . 450.00 Incidentals Quarter ending 3-31-12 .-_.— 143.93 101.20 103.57 Traveling Expense Quarter ending 3-31-12 Mileage Qyarter ending 3-31-12 Salary Quarter ending 6-30-12 450.00 Incidentals Quarter ending 6-30-12 _ 6.77 169.55 Traveling Expense Quarter ending 6-30-12 Mileage Quarter ending 6-30-12 138.00 Salary Quarter ending 9-30-12 450.00 Incidentals Quarter ending 9-20-12 388.95 99.90 75.27 $ 2,113.30 Traveling Expense Quarter ending 9-30-12 Mileage Quarter ending 9-30-12 Totals c $ 3,300.00 $ 929.69 $ 226.75 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 19 DISB UESEMENTS. Chief Deputy Wardens. Salary. Mileage and Traveling Inciden- tals. Salary, Month of December, 1910 $ 150.00 $ $ Mi'eage and Traveling Month of December 1910 3.72 Incidentals Month of December 1910 10.50 Salary Quarter ending 3 -31-1911 . 450.00 Mileage and Traveling Quarter ending 3-31-1911 .__-._ 92.49 Incidentals Quarter ending 3-31-1911. 150.00 Salarv Quarter ending 6-30-1911 _ -_ . . ' 450.00 Mileage and Traveling Quarter ending 6-30-1911-- - - - - - . 129.13 Incidentals Quarter ending 6-30-1911 - -_- .- 233.22 Salary Quarter ending 9-39-1911 450.00 Mileage and Traveling Quarter ending 9-30-1911 - _ . 284.76 Salary 'Quarter ending 12-31-1911 450.00 Mileage and Traveling Quarter ending 12-31-1911 77.65 Incidentals Quarter ending 12-31-1911 93.37 Salary Quarter endinCT 3-31-1912 450.00 182.44 Incidentals Quarter ending 3-31-1912 150.00 Salary Quarter ending 6-30-1912 450.00 Mileage and Traveling Quarter ending 6-30-1912 263.74 Incidentals Quarter endino- 6-30-1912 266.03 Salary Quarter ending 9-30-1912 450.00 Mileage and Traveling Quarter ending 9-30-1912 212.49 Totals-.. $ 3,300.00 $ 1,246.42 $ 903.12 EECAPITULA TION. Receipts and\ Disbursements. WARDEN. CHIEF DEPUTY WARDENS. Salary Mileage and Traveling Postage and Printing Inciden- tals and Contingent Salary Mileage and Traveling Postage and Inciden- tals. Balance Appropriations Disbursements- $ 3,669.63 3,300.00 $ 749.83 929.69 $ 2.71 226.75 $ 1,666.99 2,113.30 $ 3,300.00 3,300.00 $ 1,291.00 1,246.42 $ 903.12 903.12 Balance . $ 369 63 $ 44.58 ^ . Overdrawn- $ 179.86 $ 224.04 $ 446.31 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA STATEMENT OF FISH PLANTED IN WATERS OF .WEST VIRGINIA BY THE U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES DURING FISCAL TEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1911. Location Waters RAINBOW TROUT. Austen Raccoon Creek Ellamore Middle Fork River Jennington Cheat River, Laurel fork Locust Locust Creek Marlinton Elk River, Big Spring fork Montrose Leading Creek Mt. Carbon Ratliff's pond Pleasantdale Greens Run Rowlesburg Big Wolf Creek Rowlesburg Flag Run Rowlesburg Keyser Run Rowlesburg -.Little Wolf Creek. .f Rowlesburg Salt Lick Creek Webster Springs Clover Creek White Suplhur Springs Howards Creek Total BLACKSPOTTED TROXJT. Durbin Greenbrier River, West Branch Monroe County Laurel Creek White Sulphur Springs Howards Creek Total BROOK TROUT. Albright Dority Run Albright Roaring Creek •_ Belington Johnson Mill Run Burner Club House Run Burner Harpers Run Burner Little River Burner Span Oak Run Capon Springs Hemelrights Run Elkins Middle Fork River Huttonsville Beccas Creek Huttonsville Elk Water Run Huttonsville Ralston Run Keyser Block House Run ._ Marlinton Laurel Run M arlinton Roaring Run M arlinton Slaty fork Creek Moorefield P Clear Brook Neola Anthony's Creek Neola Meadow Creek Orleans Road Rockwells Run Parsons .Mill Run Pickens Big- Sugar Creek Pickens Buchanan Creek Pickens Buchan River, Devils Fork Pickens Buchanan River, Left Fork Pickens Buchanan River, Main fork Pickens Buchanan River, Marsh fork Pickens Elk River Pickens_-. .__ Fall Run. _. No. Planted 2,000 7,500 5,000 2,500 2,500 1,200 500 4,000 1,200 900 600 900 900 5,000 1,250 35,950 30,000 13,300 16,000 59,300 600 GOO 240 1,600 1,600 2,400 1,600 800 8,000 400 400 400 400 240 160 400 200 625 400 400 240 320 400 240 320 480 400 1,640 320 ]910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. BROOK TROUT. Location Waters No. Planted Pickens Little Sugar Creek 240 Pickens Middle Fork Run 240 Pickens -- Sugar Creek * 480 Pickens Cherry River, North Branch 4,000 Richwood Cherry River, South Branch 4,000 Richwood Little Laurel Creek 3,200 Terra Alta Big Laurel Run 500 Terra Alta Daugherty Run 500 Terra Alta Lick Run 300 Terra Alta - Little Laurel Run 400 Terra Alta Mountain Run 400 Terra Alta Muddy Creek 600 Terra Alta Philadelphia Run 400 Terra Alta Pine Run 300 Terra Alta Salt Lick Run 400 Terra Alta Wardwell Run 400 Trout Roaring Creek 2,000 White Sulphur Springs Howards Creek 852 Winterbury Buffalo Fork River 1,600 Winterbury Greenbrier River 2,400 Total 49,037 SMALLMOUTH BLACK BASS. Berkeley Springs Cacapon River 30,000 Berkeley Springs Mountain Creek 18,000 Charles Town Shenandoah River 18,000 Martinsburg Opequon Creek 30,000 Total 90.0JJ LARGEMOUTH BLACK BASS. Alderson . Wolf Creek . 200 Belleville Big Pond Creek 36 Belva Gauley River 300 Beverly Tygarts Valley River 36 Capon Road Great Cacapon River.! 240 Chapmansville Guyandotte River 60 Charleston Elk River . 60 Clarksburg Elk Creek ~. 300 Danville Echol's Pond 1 40 Erbacon Scott's Pond 40 Guyandotte Guyandotte River 15 Guyandotte Mud River 8 Holly Junction Elk River 64 Lo^an Guyandotte River... 800 Midkiff Guyandotte River 223 Rippon Shenandoah River 400 Romney Potomac River, South Branch 200 St. Albans Coal River 0 Spencer ' Spring Creek . — 36 Springfield Potomac River, South Branch 200 Webster Springs Davis' pond 125 West Hamlin Mud River 500 Total 3,403 PIKE PEHCH. Buckhannon... Buckhannon River 650,000 22 SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. Recapitulation. Rainbow Trout Black Spotted Trout-- „ Brook Trout Smallmouth Black Bass_ Sun Fish (Bream) Pike Perch-.. Total. No. Planted 35,950 • 59,300 49,037 96,000 3,403 650,000 893,690 STATEMENT OF FISH PLANTED IN WATERS OF WEST VIRGINIA BY THE U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES DURING FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE SO, 1912. RAINBOW TROUT. Location Waters No. Planted Fairmont — _ .Sweet Springs Pond 800 Hawksnest ...Mill Creek • 900 Huntington-._ Camden Park Lake 600 Ingleside East Pond 100 Midvale Middle Fork River 10,000 Oakland, (Md) Totten Pond 100 Porterwood Pleasant Run 800 Spring Creek Carper's Pond 200 Total 13,500 BLACKSPOTTED TROTJT. Marlinton Barkeley Run 7,500 Marlinton : Knapp's Creek 7,520 Total 15,020 BEOOK TTOU.T Belingtcn •_ Johnsons Mill Pond "_ S60 Belingtc.n__. Viquesney Pond— 300 Burner--- Clubhouse Run 1,500 Burner. . Harper Run : 1,000 Burner--- Little River 4,000 Burner _-_.Span Oak Run--_-_. 1,500 Cowen-.._ .-Williams River, Middle fork 4,000 Durbin Meadow Pond 900 Elkins--. Chenoweths Creek 200 Gladwin _ Glady Fork Creek 6,400 Glady - Glady Fork Creek, East fork 200 Glady G lady Fork Creek, Right fork 200 Hancock-.. Meadow Branch 4,000 Barman... - Teter's Pond 300 Horton --Big Run 300 Horton • - - Dry Fork River, Gandy fork 960 Horton - Seneca Creek 400 Huntington _-Kessler Pond 700 Huttonsville - - Scott's Pond. _ . 200 Jenningston Laurel Fork Creek 400 Kerens-- Clifton Run 200 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 23 BROOK TROUT Location Waters No. Planted. Keyser Mill Run 200 Kingston - Paint Creek 5,000 Marlinton Knapp Creek 95 Marlinton Stoney Creek 600 Midvale Cassity Fork Creek 3,000 Midvale Long Run . 3,000 Midvale Middle Fork River 10,600- Midvale Pleasant Run ._: 1,500 Montes Red Run 1,500 Morgantown Monongahela River 2,000 Porterwood Pleasant Run : 300 Richwood Cherry River 6,000 Romney Mountain Run 1,600 Seebert Sugar G4ove Pond 500 Sitlington Galfords Creek 2,500 Sitlington Story Run , 1 ,500 Springdale Sewell Creek 300 Tunnellton Little Sandy Creek 800 White Sulphur Springs Dutch Run__ 48,568 White Sulphur Springs Howards Creek 5,227 White Su.lphur Springs Mill Creek- . . 800 Winterburn Greenbrier River, Buffalo fork 3,000 Winterburn ----Greenbrier River, East fork 10,300 Total 136,910 CRAPPIE. Berkeley Springs Cacapon Creek , 85 Buchkannon Buckhannon River 85 Shepardstown Potomac River 1,962 Total 2,132 ROCK BASS. Berkeley Springs Cacapon Creek 500 Shep ar dstown Potomac River _ - , 4, 502 Wood land Yoho's Pond 435 Total . 5,437 SMALLMOUTH BLACK BASS. Charleston Elk River 25,00 Elkins Tygarts Valley River 15,000 Elm Grove Big Wheeling Creek 15,000 Grafton Tygarts Valley River 10,000 Morgantown Dunkard Creek _ 24,275 Pennsboro Hughes River, N. fork _' 18,000 Raleigh - Piney Greek... 20,000 Romney Potomac River, South branch 750 Sistersville Middle 'island Creek 10,000 Wellsburg Buffalo Creek 15,000 Total 153,025 BLACK BASS (Large Mouth) Buckhannon Buckhannon River_ 600 Charles Town Shenandoah River 600^ Harpers Ferry Potomac River 800 Harpers Ferry Shenandoah River. _ 600 Hendricks Dry Fork River 800 Holly Junction. Elk River 800 Martinsburg Opequon Creek 600 Millville--- ..-Shenandoah River--. 600- 24 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. BLACK BASS (Lerge Mouth) Location Waters No. Planted Moorefield -.Potomac River, South branch... 750 Phillippi ..-Tygarts Valley river ... 600 Shepherdstown Potomac River 6,675 Weston West Fork River , 600 Webster Springs Elk River, Black Fork _ _ 530 Total 14,525 SUNFISH (Bream) • Berkeley Springs Warm Spring 100 Mannington Park's pond 100 Paw Paw Arnica's pond 200 Shepherdstown---- Potomac River... 22,165 Total 22,565 PIKE PERCH. Buckhannon Buckhannon River 500,000 Charleston-.-- . Elk River :.. 1,000,000 Gassaway Elk River 1,000,000 Romney Potomac River 500,00 Total 3,000,000 Recapitulation. Rainbow Trout.-. 13,500 Black Spotted Trout 15,020 Brook Trout 136,910 Crappie 2,132 Rock Bass 5,437 Smallmouth Black Bass T 153,025 Largemouth Black Bass 14,525 Sun Fish (Bream) %_ • 22,565 Pike Perch "_ 3,000,000 Total 3,363,114 GRAND TOTAL. All species planted in 1911 . 893,690 All species planted in 1912 3,363,114 Total for 2 years. _. 4,256,804 g a 0.2 81 ai W 0, gee k» 02 a . 01 ^ rd O -M 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 25 A FEW THINGS ACCOMPLISHED. The most noticeable improvement in game and fish conditions is the favorable sentiment of the masses, and the general belief that a game law should be obeyed and observed just the same as any other law. Where you found one true sportsman ten years ago, today you find a dozen. It is a well settled fact that no law can be enforced, or made a success, without moral support and a generous public sentiment in its favor. This support and sentiment has im- proved much in the past few years. The dynamiting of streams, which was once regarded as a legal way of catchr ing fish, is now looked upon as a crime second only to murder, and a man who would engage in a crime so heinous would now be barred from decent society and the association of sportsmen and fishermen. A few parties have been con- victed and sent to the penitentiary for this violation, and this has had a salutary effect in preventing further violations. The prohibition of the sale of game and the shipping of same from the state has done more to protect it than any other provision of the law. Much care and attention has been given to the enforcement of this statute and it has been violated in very few instances. The polution of streams and the ways and means to eradicate same, has required more attention than any other subject, but conditions in many places have been greatly improved. The subject of polution is discussed at length in another part of this report. The increase of deer, squirrels, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse and bob- whites has been very noticable throughout the whole state, although a great number of bob- whites were destroyed during the severe weather and deep snows of the winter of 1911. Much direct good has been done by an organized effort to prevent and con- trol forest fires, and enough money has been saved in the forest products of the state in the past four years to pay all expenses of running the State Govern- ment for the last sixteen years. A complete and itemized report is given else- where, relative to forest fires and the amount of property saved by preventing and controlling same. The West Virginia Fish and Game Protective Assocition, which was organ- ized on November 14th, 1906, has already done much to help educate the masses to a better appreciation of our fish and game laws. This organization has, within the past year, added more than two hundred new members, and in the near future will endeavor to form a local organization in every county In the State. The West Virginia Audubon Society, with headquarters at Parkersburg, was organized in the month of October, 1911, and has already done much along the line of bird study and protection. Some of the most enthusiastic bird lovers and protectionists to be found in 'the whole state are at the head of this organ- ization and its success is assured. It is the intention of the society to carry the work of bird study into every school house in the state, and instill into the lives of our school children the great good to be accomplished by taking care of our birds. The stocking of streams has been given all the attention possible, and the 26 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. United States Fish Commission has been quite generous in 'furnishing fish for this purpose, and have aided very much in making tests of pointed water, and in many other ways. The number of fish planted during the years 1911 and 1912 was 4,256,804. A great deal of time was spent in endeavoring to have tire Statute complied with regarding the building of fish-ways on dams, and it was found necessary to make some prosecutions for failure to comply with this law. There is still complaint that some dams are not yet properly equipped with .fish -ways, but all the time that was possible was given to this work. Prospects for both game and fish are improving in West Virginia. Many of the cut-over forests are now growing up in a thick undergrowth which makes an ideal covering for all kinds of game and birds; and streams that were pract- ically ruined during the time that the timber was being cut are again becoming fine fishing streams, and with proper restocking will soon be as fine for angleing as they were in the past. The prosecutions made for violations were not as numerous as for the years 1909 and 1910, but this is only an indication that the law is being better under- stood and obeyed. All officers, as a rule, have been vigilant in helping to en- force the law. : '.-..- To enforce the laws, as some people would have it done, would require an army of deputies as numerous as the State Militia. This cannot be done with our present system of deputies. According to the Good Book we should each use the talents given us. This has been done. If the Legislature saw fit to limit the amount of this work, it is not the fault of the officers. We have done all possible with the means at our command. Four years under the new Forest, Game and Fish Laws has wrought a great change in conditions throughout the State. A few more years under the same conditions, with a better understanding of the object of such restrictive legis- lation, with the masses more liberally educated to the idea of true sportsman- ship, and West Virginia will be as the Great Creator intended it — the sports- man's paradise. Game Laws Distributed. Several thousand copies of the Forest, Game and Fish law have been dis- tributed each year and an effort made to inform the people as to the provisions- of same, and thus prevent violations of the law rather than prosecute for same. Five thousand warning notices were posted each year, giving the open and closed seasons on game, and other information on the law, which were found to be very effective in furnishing information in abbreviated form, and thus, preventing violations. The warning notice is as follows: WARNING! Information on Forest, Game and Fish Laws. When, how and where you may Hunt and Fish. OPEN SEASON. Game. DEEK. — (with horns over four inches long) Oct. 15th to Dec. 1st. SQUIB- 19:10] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 27 REL— (Gray, Black, Bed, Fox) Sept. 1st. to Dec. 1st. RABBIT and all fur bearing animals, no closed season. SKUNK — is protected in counties where protection hss been approved by majority of voters. It is urlawful to pursue deer \vith dogs at any time. Birds. QUAIL— (Virginia Partridge) Nov. 1st. to Dec. 1st. RUFFED GROUSE— (Pheasant) Wild Turkey Oct. 15th. to Dec. 1st. PLOVER, SAND PIPER, WOOD COCK, REED BIRD, RAIL, (Ortalon) July 15th to Dec. 20th. SNIPE — Oct. 15th to March 1st. DUCK — (except wood duck) GOOSE, BRANT, Sept. 1st. to April 20th. Foreign game birds, wood duck, no open season. English Sparrows, Owls, Hawks, Eagles, Crows and King Fishers, may be killed at any time ; all other non-game birds are protected at all times, BAG LIMITS — 12 quail, 6 ruffed grouse, 2 wild turkeys in a day or 96 quail 25 ruffed grouse, 6 wild turkeys in a season. Fish. JACK SALMON (commonly called Jack fish or white salmon) June 15th. to April 15th. TROUT or landlock salmon, April 1st. to Sept. 1st. Black, green, willow and rock bass, pike or pickerel, June 15th. to April 15th. In Brooke, Hancock and Ohio counties, the open season on the last named fish is from May 29th. to April 15th. UNLAWFUL. To hunt or fish on Sunday; to hunt or fish on enclosed or improved lands of another, without written permission; to sell or buy, or transport out of the State, or serve at hotel or restaurant — protected birds, game or fish; to main- tain a dam or other thing which obstructs the easy passage of fish up or down the stream, without suitable fish-ways; to allow to enter any stream of wrater, saw-dust or other matter deletrious to fish ; to catch fish, kill birds or game out of seaeon ; to use seines except in the Ohio river, when properly registered; to kill or catch game fish, except with rod, hook and line, or by tr.ot line; to set out forest fires; to catch fish under size, ar prescribed by law; to catch by seine, net, bait,, trap or snare, or any kind of device — wild turkey, ruffed grouse or quail; to shoot or discharge fire arms across any public road, or with- in 400 feet of any school house, or on the lands of another — within 600 feet of an occupied dwelling house; to hunt without lice^e, unless you are a citi2en of West Virginia. To carelessly wound or kill any human being, or any live stock constitutes an offense punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars, and a jail sentence of one year. FELONY. To use any dynamite, or other explosive mixtures for the purpose of kill- ing fish. I earnestly ask the co-operation of every citizen of West Virginia, in help- ing to enforce, the lawr. Any information of violations given will be appreci- ated, and the name of the informer will be kept strictly confidential. J. A. VlQUESNEY, B ding ton, W. Va. Forest, Game and Fish Warden. 28 SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. Amendments Recommended. Abolishing the resident hunters license was, in my judgment, a long step backward. I most earnestly recommend its re-enactment, along similar lines as found in the Acts of 1909. Section 44 of the present law provides that, ''It shall be lawful to catch fish of the sucker variety, known as sucker, carp, mullet, and red horse, by gig, spear, looping or in any other way at any time." This provision of Section 44 should be repealed. Many people construe this to mean that such fish may be killed on Sunday or by dynamiting, seining, or in fact in any way at any time. This could not be true for the reason that the same section of law provides specifically that such things cannot be done. Believing that fish should only be caught by hook and line I think that this part of section 44 should be repealed. There should be a limit on the number of trout taken in a day, by any person, which limit should be about twenty-five. I also favor raising the minimum length to be taken from five to six inches. The open season on quail seems to be unsatisfactory in many of the counties of the State, it being claimed that, as a rule, the birds are not fully matured on the first of November. This is certainly true in the southern counties of the state. Possibly there should be a division made in the state and the open season made later in the southern part. Many s'uggest that the season should not open until November 15th, and close December 25th. There should be a bag limit on squirrels. Fifteen or twenty of these animals should satisfy even a ' ' game hog ' ' for a day ;s limit. Reports have been received where thirty and even forty of these animals have been killed in a single day by one person. Our present law provides that snipe cannot be killed between the first day of March and the fifteenth day of October, following. This was probably an inadvertant mistake, as the law "prior to 1909 made this period the open season. Considerable trouble has been experienced by some of the County Courts not fixing a per diem price to be paid parties who are summoned to ex- tinguish forest fiies. Section 52 fixes the price to be paid deputies at $2.00 per day, but leaves the matter in the hands of the County Court as to the per diem wages to be paid to those summoned for this purpose. Twenty cents per hour is small compensation for fighting fire and the price should be fixed, which would save much dissatisfaction and make the service better. The "Dog Law." Chapter 62 of the Code of West Virginia, which relates to fish and game, has embodied therein the provisions of the Statute commonly known as the "dog law," which has no relation whatever to the forest, game and fish law. The intermingling of these laws often leads to the impression that the •"dog law" and the "game law'' are one and the same, and it has taken much time to explain to a number of people that it is not the duty of a forest, game and fish warden to look after the various offenses arising under this part of the Statute. Whether the dog law be a good or bad thing, it is certainly true that legis- lators who have enacted laws for the proper control of this quadruped, and 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 29 Courts and Officers who have attempted to enforce and execute these laws, have, as a rule, met with rebuke and opposition, and it is to be regretted that this law is made a part of Chapter 62 of the Code. Repealing of Resident License a Mistake. % It is of but little use to lock the stable door after the horse has been stolen, or to grieve over split milk, and it may seem a waste of energy to at this time discuss the repealing of the $1.00 resident hunter's license, but to one who has made the subject of game protection and propagation a study, and com- pared the systems and methods of dealing with this question in the different States, it must be apparent that if there was a single mistake made by the Legislature of 1911, that this was it. From a position in the front among the States that were showing a pro- gressive spirit in the protection and propagation of game and fish, we have, by the repeal of the resident license law, taken a position among the few States, that through political and ulterior motives have yet failed to take this pro- gressive step, which has proven a success where ever tried. Thirty-eight States are now charging a resident liqense, and West Virginia is the only State that has ever repealed the law after having once adopted it. It may be true that there was some objection to the resident hunter 's license by a certain class of individuals, for seldom do we find a new Statute agree- able to all classes of people, before time is given to demonstrate its usefulness; and this would have been certainly true, if the license fund for the years 1909 and 1910, amounting to the sum of $40,209.00, had been appropriated and made available for use in protecting our forests, game and fish, and thus turning back to the sportsmen their own money to aid in restocking our forests and streamss. However, if this fund is to be used for other purposes and not for the purpose it was intended, as directed by the Statute of 1909, then of course it was right and proper to repeal the law, for the reason that by this system money was being taken from the pockets of the sportsmen and nothing given in return. The only equitable or fair method that has in the past, or will in the future, prove a success in any state in building up and bettering game conditions, is the license system, and no State has ever, or wrill ever make a success of this problem in any other manner. The whole basic principle of game protection is to have game to shoot and fish to catch. We can have neither if we persist in depleting our forests and streams and make no effort to restock same. To restock costs money. How can this be raised? It is apparent that if the Legislature will not even allow a law to stand, permitting the sportsmen to raise such a fund, that they would not be willing to appropriate for such purposes from the general fund in the State Treasury. The farmer who furnishes the land on which to hunt, and provender to feed the game, did not, under our law, have to procure a license. The sportsmen who paid the license seem unanimous in favor of the license system. Then who is objecting? Not the farmer. Not the sportsmen. Possibly a few thought- less individuals who have not given this question the proper consideration, and who deem it their cohtsitutional privilege to shoot when, where and what they please of all the wild creatures of the earth, without thought of a future supply, or Avith no regard for others. 30 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. Outside of the money benefits derived from the license system, there are many other features that should commend it. It raises the standard of hunting, precludes boys too young to handle a gun and keeps them in school, identifies the hunter to the farmer, makes it possible for the officer to determine between the resident and the non-residen^ hunter, and aids in many ways in enforcing the law. To make the enforcement of the law a success and build up the game and fish industry, the resident hunter's license should be again established, and after paying the expenses of conducting the department, the remainder of the fund should be used to restock with game and fish. Foresi Fires. No organized effort had ever been attempted in this State to control the forest fires until the enactment of the law of 1909, and while the system is yet imperfect, the money that has been saved in forest products in the past four years is astonishing. Data collected on forest fires by the United States Forest Service for the year of 1908 was alarming in the extreme, and to avert some of this destruc- tion the law of 1909 was enacted. The following is taken from the Govern- ment report of 1908 : "The first serious fire occurred August 28th, and from that time there was no cessation for three months. Every county in the state was visited by fire, but i'n some instances only a few acres' burned. The total number of fires reported was 710; the number of men called out to fight was 5,821 ; the cost to the County treasuries, so far as reported, was $646; the expense in- curred in fighting fire by individuals and companies was $89,100; the area burned was 1,703,850 acres, the standing timber burned was 943,515,000 feet, board measure, worth $2,903,500. The lumber, tan-bark, and improvements burned were valued at $490,175; the injury to undergrowth and soil was placed at $1,703,850, and the loss from forest fires in the state made the grand total of $5,097,825. More than one-tenth of the whole surface cff the state was burned over, and one-fifth of the forest area. Three per cent of the estimated standing timber in West Virginia was destroyed, including the small as well as the large ; and the amount burned was two-thirds as much as the cut of all the mills in the state in 1907." The total number of fires which occurred during the years 1909 and 1910 was 293; number of acres burned over 182,730; value of timber and forest products destroyed $150,927.19; amount expended in extinguishing fires $4,983.28. Total number of fires in the years 1911 and 1912 was 113; number of acres burned over 65,156; amount of timber and forest products destroyed $64,547.49; amount expended in extinguishing same $2,290.02. Thus it will be seen that for the entire four years we had a total of 406 191 OJ FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 31 fires; acres burned over 247,886; value of timber and other forest products destroyed $215,474.68; amount paid for extinguishing fires $7,273.30. Comparing the above figures with those for 1908 it will be seen that more than $5,000,000 has been saved annually by reducing this fire destruction, and in the four years enough has been saved to pay all expenses of running the state government for the past sixteen years. It might be said that the year 19.08 was extremely dry and for this reason the fire loss was greater. This is true, but the year 1911 was equally as dry, and had it not been for the special effort in fighting these fires the loss would certainly have been as great as for the year 1908. The United States Department of Agriculture, recognizing the great damage done to the forests of our nation by forest fires, are now co-operating with several of the states in carrying on this important work, West Virginia being one of the states By the following general order issued by the Post Master General it will be seen that it is the duty of all postmasters, rural and star route carries to report forest fires discovered along their routes to persons designated by State and National authorities to receive such information. POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. Fourth Assistant Postmaster General. Washington, June 8, 1912. To the Postmaster. SIR: — Your attention is directed to the following order issued by the Post- master General underrate of May 31, 1912: "ORDER NO. 6315. "The following instructions are promulgated for the guidance of the postal employees concerned: ' ' In accordance with the request of the Secretary of Agriculture, this Departmect has arranged a plan of co-operation with State, and National Forest officers whereby rural and star route carriers shall report forest fires discovered by them along their -routes to persons designated by the State and National authorities to receive such intelligence. "Co-operation with State officers will be given in the following States: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and California. "The National Forest officers will be cooperated with in the following States: Florida, Arkansas, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and California. "The State and National authorities wil linform postmasters t as to whom the discovery of fires should be reported, and each rural carrier should be directed to co-operate to the fullest extent with such authorities in the manner agreed upon, namely, that the carrier shall report a fire to the nearest State fire warden or National Forest officer on his route, or, if no such warden or officer lives on the route, to arrange through some responsible citizen to have him notified, by telephone, if possible. Star route contractors and carriers are included in the plan of co-operation and should be requested to report the discovery of fires in the same manner as will be done by the rural carriers. 32 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. "Postmasters in or near National Forests are also directed to report fire* to the nearest Forest officer." Kespectfully, P. V. DEGRAW, Fourth Assistant Postmaster General'. With the assistance that can be obtained from the Post Office Department, as indicated by the above letter, it will be possible to check many fires in their early stages and thus save much expense and great loss. Polution of Streams. No other question has required so much earnest thought and investigation as has the polution of the streams of West Virginia, and while we ca'n say with pardonable pride that much has been done in the past four years toward bettering conditions and purifying our streams, yet it must be admitted that much remains to be done before the desired results are accomplished. • Looking to the purification of streams, a careful comparison made with con- ditions existing in other industrial States leads to the conclusion that as much or more has been done in West Virginia, in the same length of time, than in any other State. If all of the correspondence, data, and reports of investigations made, relative to the polution of streams in the last few years, were compiled and published it would fill a large volume, but it is not possible in this report to discuss at length the manifold and numerous cases coming under this section of our Statute. To show, however, the difficulties encountered in these cases, there is appended hereto the correspondence had with regard to the tannery at Elkins, which is one of the many sources of polution to be found within our State. - There is no question but that this, as well as many other industries of our State should have taken some action, before this, to reduce the polution flow- ing into our streams, but it will be' seen from this correspondence that while it has been determined that a portion of the poisonuos matter could be elmi- nated, yet no way has been devised whereby our streams may be entirely cleansed from this polution. In dealing with the polution question the displeasure of a few of the oper- ators of industrial plants has been incurred on account of insistent demands that conditions be made better; likewise, criticisms have been numerous from many good citizens of the State because more drastic action has not been taken, and industries- that were poluting certain waters persecuted, as well as prose- cuted, many of them going to the extent to say that every tannery, paper mill and coal mine in the State should be enjoined and closed down, rather than have our beautiful streams of water ruined; but it has been our intention in all such cases to take a sensible and conservative view of these matters, and while everything possible has been done to reduce this polution, yet it has been deemed unwise to go to the extent of crippling or ruining 'an industry, espec- ially when no permanent good could be accomplished by so doing. The State of Pennsylvania, the conditions of which in this respect are very similar to those of our own State, has been grapling with this question for 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 33 many years, and are still no nearer a solution of the many difficulities than we are, even though it will be seen that the owners and operators of tanneries are co-operating with the officials to work out a satisfactory solution of these problems. The tannery interests in the State of Pennsylvania are closely indentified with those of West Virginia, and it is candidly believed that the same plan of equipment agreed upon there will, within a very short time, be installed in the West Virginia tanneries. The polution caused by the drainage of coal mines is recognized as one of the most troublesome problems confronting us at the present time, as no plan has yet been devised whereby the polution can be stopped at a cost that will not interfere seriously with the economical mining of the coal. The advice of the Government experts, as well as the officials of several other states has been sought in these matters, and many tests have been made with the water flowing from coal mines and other industrial plants, to ascer- tain what was and what was not poluting our streams, but the only con- clusion that can be reached after a diligent effort along this line is, that it will require years of time and treasure, of money to solve these questions. The report of W. B. Eector, Chief Deputy, who made many tests of polu- tion, during the year 1911, which was presented to the grand juries of the different counties, will show the effort that has been made along the line of investigation and prosecuting for the polution of streams. In many of the counties where the source of polution seems to be greatest, it has been im- possible to secure an indictment, much less a conviction, which clearly demon- strates that local sentiment is so strong in favor of the various industries that it makes it difficult to successfully enforce this Statute as it now exists, and it is hoped that the next session of the Legislature will amend the law and put the enforcement of same on a broader plain than the mere subject of killing or injuring fish. While the poison that is entering our streams is injurying the fish, at the same time it is destroying one of the most valuable assets of the whole State — our splendid supply of water — and is affecting the property rights, health, happiness and life of the citizens of the whole State, and when our law makers see fit to place the investigation of this matter, as well as the enforce- 'ment of the law, on the broad plain that the demands require, and appropriate sufficient money to successfully carry on this work, then, and not until then, will satisfactory results be obtained. ELKINS, W. VA., March 24, 1910. HON. J. A. VIQUESNEY, DEAR SIR: — Allow me to call your attention to a fact I observed last Fri- day, and which still exists today. The Valley Eiver from a point where the W. M. E. E. crosses it one mile north of Elkins, is, as to about one-half of the stream, black as ink, and from Eoaring Creek Junction down to Belington, the entire stream is black, and this condition exists nearly to Philippi a distance of about twenty-five miles. At Philippi last fall we had the river stocked with fish. It is manifest that this pollution of the river comes from the tannery at Elkins, above that tan- nery, the river is clear as a crystal, as it should be. This condition will certainly destroy all fish, as well as our river for all 34 SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. domestic uses, the water of which is used for the town supply at Philippi. I beg to direct your attention to this condition, in the hope that you might be able to find some means as game and fish warden to remedy this pollution of a beautiful and useful river, before it is too late. With all good wishes, I am, Most truly, SAM'L V. WOODS. March 28th, 1910. HON SAM'L V. WOODS, PMippi, W. Va. DEAR SIR: — I have your letter of the 24th inst., and note carefully all you say concerning the pollution of the Tygarts Valley river. I took a sample of the pollution flowing from this tannery last summer, and had same analyzed, but it seems that I obtained this water at the time when it was not so impure as it usually is, and am not satisfied with analysis. I have made arrangements with the U. S. Fish Commission to make an actual test of any samples of wrater that I might send them from this state, and ascertain whether or not it is deleterious to fish life, but was requested ±>y4the Commissioner sometime ago, to not send them any samples until after first day of April. I will take a sample of this* water, within the next few days, and have an actual test made, and will then take some steps to prevent this pollution. I have been told by the Fish Commissioner of the State of Pennsylvania, that the tanneries in that state are taking care of this pollution, and that they are* having no trouble with their tanneries. I am going to make a trip to Harrisburg, within the next month, and find out just how they are doing this, so that I may be able to intelligently make suggestions to" the tanneries and paper mills in, our own state, and if possible, reduce this pollution. I have not deemed it best to act hastily or foolishly in these matters, as I receive a great many letters from people urging that it would be very foolish to injure any industries for the sake of protecting the few fish that we have in this state, but as you suggest in your letter, there are things of more concern in this pollution than simply killing the few fish, and if we permit these things to continue for a few more years, our splendid streams of pure water will be entirely destroyed. I am determined to take some action, not only in stopping the pollution of the Tygarts Valley, but several other streams in the state, and assure you that I appreciate your letter and suggestions along this line. And while I realize it is a very difficult task, yet I believe a great deal can be done within the next year, in this direction. Thanking you again for your letter, and soliciting your further suggestions, I am, Very truly yours, J. A. VIQUESNEY, Warden. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 35 April 14th, 1910. W. B. RECTOR. ESQ., Chief Deputy, City. DEAR SIR: — Please go to Elkins today or tomorrow and investigate pollution of the Tygarts Valley river by the Elkins Tanning Company. Also collect a sample or two of the water they are allowing to flow into the river and ex- press same to Hon. G. M. Bowers, United States Fish Commissioner, Washing- ton, D. C., for the purpose of having tests made to ascertain whether or not this pollution is killing fish. Yours very truly, J. A. VlQUESNEY, Warden. April 16th, 1910. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Warden, City, DEAR SIR: — Complying with your request of the 14th inst. in regard to the pollution of the Tygarts Valley river by the Elkins Tanning Company, beg to advise you that on yesterday I made an investigation at this plant, collect- ing two (2) samples of the water they are allowing to enter the river, which samples I have labeled, sealed and expressed to Hon. Geo. M. Bowers, United States Fish Commissioner, Washington, D. C. designating them as "Randolph No. 1" and "Randolph No. 2." "Randolph No. 1," — This sample was col- lected in 5 one gallon jugs, and was taken from a stream flowing from the sluceways of the Tanning Company directly into the Tygarts Valley river, at a point about eight (8) feet from the edge of the river. This pollution was of a very dark brown color, extremely nauseating, and wras flowing about a seven (7) inch stream. "Randolph No. 2" — This sample was collected from a sewer running from the plant emptying into a small drain that carries same down to the river, north of the sluceways. This sample did not have the appearance of being deleterious, although the grass near the opening of this sewer and down along the drain had the appearance of receiving a highly colored pollution, at some recent time in the past. Yours very truly, W. E. RECTOR, Chief Deputy. April 22d, 1910. HON. GEO. M. BOWERS, Washington, D. C. D.EAR SIR: — On April 15th, I had some samples of water sent your depart- ment from Elkins, West Virginia, which I would like to have you test and ascertain whether or not these samples will kill fish. I could not get large jugs for both samples, so had to send sample No. 1 in five one gallon jugs. Yours very truly, J. A. VlQUESNEY, Warden. 36 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. May 10, 1910. MR. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Forest, Game and Fish Warden, Belington, W. Fa. SIR: — Your letter of the 22nd ultimo, and the samples of water shipped from Elkins, W. Va., on April 15, for the purpose of determining whether or not these samples are fatal to fishes, have been duly received. The sample marked ' ' Randolph No. 1 ' ' was tried with the fingerlings. of steelhead trout. Diluted with 19 parts of water, so that 20 parts of the test dilution contained 1 part, or 5 per cent, of the original sample, the fish were killed in about 3 hours. Diluted to 1 part in 30, or 3 1-3 per cent, the fish fish were killed in 2 days. Weaker dilutions had no effect though kept under observation for 3 days. The sample marked "Randolph No. 2," is not very highly poisonous. This sample undiluted kill steelhead trout within about 3 hours. "When diluted with 1 part of water to 3 parts of the sample, 75 per cent of the test thus con- sisting of the sample, the trout are still alive after 3 days. The Bureau would like to learn the source of these samples, or what manu- facturing processes they emanate from. The express labels attached to the two samples, with your designation as "Randolph No. 1" and "Randolph No. 2" are enclosed herewith, as pos- sibly of use to you. The trials made .were carefully controlled by placing the same number of fingerling steelhead trout in similar containers and volumes of clean water, and these trout were not injured, so that the results given above are due to the poisonous action of the samples. Respectfully, GEO. M. BOWERS, Enclosures. Commissioner. May 14th, 1910. HON. GEO. M. BOWERS, Commissioner of Fisheries, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: — I have your report of the 10th inst., giving results of two sam- ples of water sent you sometime ago from Elkins, and beg to thank you very much for your report in this matter. This pollution comes from the Elkins tannery, and has killed practically all of the fish in the Tygarts Valley river, for many miles below Elkins. I will immediately take steps to stop this pollution. I have just returned from a tour of several counties of the State, making investigations as to the different streams of water, and as to the kind of fish suitable for these streams. People are now taking a great deal of inter- est in helping to stop the pollution of our streams, and are very anxious to have them re-stocked with fish. I informed them of your kind offer to furnish some bass for this purpose — this coming fall, and I can assure you that it will be very much appreciated by all sections of the State. If you can furnish us a good supply of bass for this re-stocking, I believe that we will now be able to protect them both from pollution and unlawful fishing. THE MORNING CATCH. — Through Courtesy Pittsburg Sporting Magazine, "!N THE OPEN." 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 37 Kindly advise about what time in the fall these fish should be planted, and I will later make up a list of the streams that we desire to re-stock with bass, and advise you. I think that we have some of the finest bass streams in West Virginia to be found in the whole United States, and with your help — we can make this State the fisherman Js paradise. Thanking you again for your help in many ways, I am, Yours very truly, J. A. VIQUESNEY, Warden. May 14th, 1910. HON. H. G. KUMP, Prosecuting Attorney, Elkins, W. Va. DEAR SIR: — I am herewith enclosing you letter from Hon. Geo. M. Bowers, who made a test of two samples of water taken from the output of the Elkins tannery, which will -be self-explanatory. There has been no question in my mind for a long time, but what this tan- nery was killing the fish for many miles below it. In fact, there is not a fish for many miles below it. In fact, there is not a fish to be seen for miles in the vicinity 01 Belington. I would be very glad to have you advise as to what should be done in this matter. Kindly return letter of Mr. Bowers to me. Yours very truly, J. A. VIQUESNEY, Warden. ELKINS, W. VA., May 16, 1910. HON. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Forest, Game and Fish Warden, Belington, W. Va. DEAR SIR: — Your favor of the 14th inst., enclosing letter of Fish Commis- sioner Bowers, relative to samples of water taken from the out-put of the Elkins tannery, received. I take it that your idea would be to proceed against the tannery by way of indictment under Sec. 2768, W. Va. Code of 1906. The pollution of the streams of our State is a matter that demands attention, and I assure you that I will lend you every possible assistance to protect the fish and keep the streams pure. In connection with the matter now before us, I desire to enquire how the samples were procured and forwarded to the Fish Commissioner. If you can furnish me with such evidence as will sustain a conviction, I will take hold of the matter at once. Please let me hear further from you in regard to this matter. As per your request, I return the Fish Commissioner's letter herewith. Very truly yours, H. G. KUMP. 38 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. May 23rd, 1910. HON. H. G. KUMP, Prosecuting Attorney, ElTcins. W. Va. DEAR SIR: — Replying to your letter of the 16th inst., relative to sample of water taken irom the out-put of the Elkins tannery, beg to say that I see no other way to proceed against these people, other than by indicting them for this offense. I have also taken occasion to write them, asking that this be corrected, and if not, think I will proceed against them by injunction. These samples were taken by my chief deputy, Mr. W. B. Eector, and -for- warded under seal, to the U. S. Fish Commissioner. It seems to me that his evidence, together with letter of the Fish Commissioner, should be sufficient to bring an indictment. I think then we will have to take the deposition of the party at Washington, who made this test, in order to sustain the indictment. Any information or help I can give you along this line, I will be glad to do. Yours very truly, J. A. VlQUESNET, Warden, June 4th, 1910. ELKINS TANNERY COMPANY, ElUns. W. Va. GENTLEMEN: — Sometime in the month of April, I procured two samples of water which flows from your plant, and had same tested by the U. S. Fish Commission to ascertain whether or not there was anything in this water deleterious to fish life. Some days ago I received the' report from the Com- mission, saying that one part of the sample sent them, diluted with 19 parts of water killed fish within three hours; and one part of the sample diluted in 30 parts of water, killed fish in two days. There have been numerous- complaints made to me, during the time I have been in office, saying that your plant Avas polluting the river, and asked me to take some steps in the matter. It is not my intention to in any way cripple industries in our State, if I can avoid doing so, but I am of the opinion that this pollution can be taken care of without allowing it to enter the river in its present condition. I must insist that some steps be taken at once, to take care of this pollution or I will be compelled to institute proceedings to stop it. Many tanneries in the State, that formerly polluted our streams, have made arrangements to filter the pollution before it is allowed to enter the stream, and have reduced the pollution until it is not deleterious to fish life. Kindly advise me what steps will be taken to remedy this pollution. Yours very truly, J. A. VlQUESNEY, Warden, 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 39 ELKINS, W. VA.. June 6, 1910. MR. J. A. A^IQUESNEY, Warden, Belingion. W. Va. DEAR SIR: — Yours of the 4th inst., received and we note what you say therein. We do not know where you procured the two samples of water that flows from our plant, but we have recently made considerable improvement in re- lation to the settling ponds. We might say the old settling poftd was very small, and in the month of April, 1910, we changed the settling ponds, espe- cially as to the two places that flowed from the tannery to the river, in the rear of the tannery, and came into the river about one hundred yards below the plant. We changed that and have made a large settling pond, and have it all flow in the one pond, and the water in the river has been very much im- proved. We do not desire to pollute the stream, and are ready and willing to do anything that will improve the conditions of the plant if we know what to do. We have a number of other tanneries outside this State, and we have done more here, and are doing more to keep from polluting the streams, than we are at any of our other tanneries. However, we are ready and willing to do anything within ' reason that will prevent the pollution of the river. If you have any suggestions to make we wrould be glad to receive them. Yours very truly, ELKINS TANNING Co., By .EUGENE SMITH, Supt. June 13th, 1910. ELKINS TANNING COMPANY, ElTcins, W. Va. GENTLEMEN: — Replying to your letter of the 6th inst, beg to say that the sample taken from your tannery in the month of April, was taken directly from the sewer or sluce-way, which flows from your settling pond, and there can be no question, but what you are allowing to enter the Tygarts Valley river, this water which is so poisonous to fish. I appreciate the fact that you are making some effort to better conditions, but it seems to me that there must yet be something materially wrong in your system of taking care of this pollution. I have recently taken samples from the Cherry river, or rather from the tanneries and paper mills at Richwood, and had them tested at Washington, under the same system that your samples were tested, and found nothing In these samples that proved deleterious to fish life. These tanneries have provided very extensive settling pools, and I am of the opinion that, the pollution at your plant can be handled in the same way. I will have my chief deputy, Mr. H. M. Lockridge, call on you within the next few days and talk this matter over, as he has made the investigation of several other tanneries in the State. I do not desire to create any trouble with any industries in the State, or to be foolish in enforcing our laws, relative to the protection of fish, but I be- lieve that all these things can be worked out satisfactorily, and am willing to be reasonable, and if tanneries, paper mills and other industries that cause 40 SECOND BIENNIAL KEPORT ' [ W. VA. pollution, will do the same thing, I believe that we can accomplish great re- sults within the next few years. I have not made a personal examination of your plant but my idea is — that your settling pool must be large and very extensive, and that the water from this pool shouTd only be turned into the river at a time when the stage is very high and the volume of the river so great — that the poison from the tannery will not be sufficient to pollute the river to such an extent that it will kill fish. I noticed "only a few days ago, that the river at Belington, within a few hours, turned almost as black as ink, and it is a fact that where we once had thousands of bass at this place, that there is not a single fish to be seen in the river, for at least twenty miles. So in the face of these things, I am con- vinced that there is something wrong with the industries on the Tygarts Valley river, and I must insist that it be corrected. Thanking you very much for your letter, and assuring you that I am willing to do all in my power to help you correct this, I am, Very truly yours, J. A. VlQUESNEY, Warden. ELKINS, W. VA., October 15, 1910. HON. J. A. VIQUESNEY, State Game Warden, Belington^ We&1> Virginia. £EAR SIR:— Kef erring to the matter of the pollution of the Tygart's Valley river by the Elkins Tannery, I wish to say that if you are still of the opinion that this matter needs attention and if it has not been corrected I will be glad to take such steps as you wish in accordance with the law, to correct the matter. Very truly yours, H. G. KUMP. October 17th, 1910. MB. H. G. KUMP, Prosecuting Attorney, Elkins, W. Va. DEAR SIR: — Eeplying to your letter of the 15th inst., beg to say that there has been considerable improvement made in conditions at the Elkins Tannery, but I do not think yet that they are doing what they should to take care of this pollution. They put in a. small settling pool in the spring, but it was so small that it was of no benefit, so I asked them to put in a larger one, which they agreed to do, and which I understand have done; possibly you know more about it than I do. The condition of the water at this place, has been very good most of the summer, but I notice from Roaring Creek Junction up to Elkins^-— it is very much discolored, and I have had a great many complaints from citizens con- cerning it. • Of course, if they are keeping the pollution out at this time, it might be 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 41 better to not prosecute them criminally, but if they persist in still polluting the stream, I would like very much to have them prosecuted. Yours very truly, J. A. VlQUESNEY, Warden. June 8, 1911. W. B. EECTOR, ESQ., Chief Deputy, City. DEAR SIR: — I would like to have you spend your time for the next two or three months in making investigations of the pollution of streams, with a view of making a determined effort to better the conditions, in this regard throughout the state. I have decided that to collect samples and have tests made at Washington will be too expensive, as it will require us, in order to make an indictment, to summon the party making these tests, before the grand jury, and to again make a trip from Washington in order to make a conviction, which is out of the question at this time. I believe that the only cheap and practical way to make tests in the future is to obtain a small seine and spend a few days collecting sufficient fish to make our own tests. I therefore suggest that you fix up our small pond neai the freight depot, and place the fish that you collect in this pond so that you can have sufficient fish when you desire to make a test. You can then take these fish direct to the industry causing the pollution, and make the test there, or if cheaper to do so collect a jug of water from each of the plants and send them into the office and you can then make several tests at one time, keeping an accurate record of each test so that we can have something substantial on which to base a prosecution. I also suggest that you send some of these samples to the Department of Fisheries, Washington, D. C., so that we can compare the two tests made and be certain that we are right in our own investigations. I think it is best also, where you can possibly do it, to have a witness present to see you make each of these tests. I suggest that you* first investigate all pollutions, including coal mines, tanneries, paper mills and all other industrial plants which are polluting the streams, in the counties of Barbour, Eandolph, Tucker, Taylor, Preston, Marion, Harrison and Upshur, and we can then ascertain whether or not it will be expedient to make tests in other counties of the state. Keep an accurate and complete account of all the work you do, and tests you make, and furnish a copy to me for my office files. Yours very truly, J. A. VlQUESNEY, Warden. HON. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Warden, City. DEAR SIR: — I beg to hand you herewith my report on investigations of the pollution of streams in Barbour, Eandolph, Tucker, Taylor, Preston, Marion, 42 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. Harrison and Upshur counties, with the information furnished the Grand Juries in the different counties. June 12, 13, 14, 15, 1911. Preston county, (Scotch Hill Section). No. 1. Collected a sample of pollution near the divide, on the Newburg side, from a small stream running down alongside the road from a mine used occasionally to secure coal for domestic use. The stream was of a yellowish or sulphur color and was flowing a 1% inch stream, empties into Raccoon Creek, thence Three Forks Creek, thence Tygarts Valley river, at Grafton. No. 2. — Collected a sample at a small wooden bridge crossing Maple Run, on the "Old Hotinspiller Farm." This sample includes all waters from the Scotch Hill Section, (except No. 1) and from Maple Run empties into Sandy Creek, thence Tygarts Valley river. No. 3. — Collected a sample from a 1% in. stream flowing from the "David Waddell Mine." This pollution flows into Maple Run, near its head. This mine being operated for domestic use, and having a car of crop coal standing near the mouth of mine. No. 4.— Collected a sample from a 2% in. stream flowing from a marsh of about 150 sq. yds. No. 5. — Merchants Coal Company. This sample collected at an opening near the "Gene Phillips Farm and Dwelling." This stream was seven (7) inches in diameter and very highly colored, and a short distance below the opening it empties into a small stream of pure water, which are the head- waters of ' ' Caintown Creek, ' ' and enters Sandy Creek about three miles below. This opening from which this pollution flows is 1% or 2 miles back of Tun- nelton, and was opened to let this water out, as the coal dips to it. The coal is being taken out at Tunnelton. No. 6. — This s-ample taken from "Raccoon Creek" about three hundred feet belowr a well near the road, and includes the pollution from Gorman, Hiorra, Hites, Austin and West End. This Creek was flushed from heavy rains in this territory prior to taking this sample. The Scotch Hill Section contains quite a number of abandoned openings most of which are in the tops of hills, and. quite a few were found to have no water whatever running from them, and the samples were taken from those worth noticing. In addition to covering about two thousand acres of this property, I carefully encircled the section below where all streams would flow, and wish to state that No. 1 into Raccoon — Three Fork, and No. 2, (contain- ing Nos. 3 and 4) into Maple Run — Sandy, comprise all coming from Scotch Hill territory. These samples Nos. 1 to 6 inclusive were sealed and expressed to Hon. Geo. M. Bowers, U. S. Fish Commissioner, Washington, D. C. July 25, 1911. No. 104. I made another investigation near the opening of the Merchants Coal Co., making a fish test at the same point that No. 5, was taken from, — Nine (9) Sun Perch dying in 50 minutes, seven (7) more in l!/4 hr. and a large sun perch in 2% hrs., — this stream was flowing a 7 in. highly colored stream, into Caintown Creek thence Sandy Creek, thence Tygarts Valley river, and I also took a two gallon samrjle of this pollution and under my own seal, shipped the same to Hon. Geo. M. Bowers, U. S. Fish Commissioner, Washington, D. C., and on Dec. 6th, 1911, gave the in- 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 43 formation concerning these tests to the Grand Jury in session at Kingwood, but received no indictments. July 20th., 1911, Harrison county, No. 101. Made a Fish Test in the 8 in. stream flowing from the Phillfps Sheet & Tin Plate Go's Plan.t, ten feet inside the fence opposite the trestle of the Traction Company using eight (8) fish two to six inches long, all of which were dead in one (1) minute. This water was dark in color and was flowing into Homers Creek and thence into Elk Creek. July 21st., 1911. No. 100. Made a Fish Test in the left prong of stream coming from the same plant as No. 101, near the same point, which killed twelve (12) fish in thirty (30) seconds. No. 102. This sample was collected from the right hand prong flowing from the same plant as 101. No fish used. July 21st., 1911. No. 58. Fish Test made near the Despard Mine of the Consolidation Coal Co., at a point before entering Murphy Run, from thence to Elk Creek. The fish used during this test were all dead in 1 1/3 hrs. The stream was about 2% in. in diameter, and while not highly colored showed much sulphur on the bank and rocks along its course. July 21, 1911. No. 103. Collected a sample from water flowing from the plant of the Washington Carbon Works. The plant was not running at this- time, but the sample taken w7as running in the water course, and was very hot, coming from the power house. July 22, 1911. No. 59. Collected a sample from a three (3) inch inter- mittant stream being pumped from the Columbia Mine of the Consolidation Coal Co. The fish used in this test were alive after 1 1/3 hrs. test, and were at that time transferred to a 2^ inch stream from the old opening belonging to the same company, all of the fish being . found dead in this test in forty (40) minutes. The above samples Nos. 100, 101, 102, 103, 58 and 59, were after being prop- erly sealed, expressed to Hon. Geo. M. Bowers, U. S. Fish Commissioner, Washington, D. C., and the information concerning these tests given to the Grand Jury in session in Harrison county, but received1 no indictments. BAEBOUE COUNTY. July 26th., 1911, Barbour Co. No. 105. On this date I made a Fish Test and collected a sample from the stream entering the Tygarts Valley river at Arden, running from the Tygarts River Coal Company. The water was highly colored and flowing about 2% inch stream. Nine fish measuring 2% in. to 5 % in. in length were all dead in 51% minuates. July 27, 1911. No. 108. On this date I made a Fish Test and collected a two gallon sample, in a twelve inch blackish stream flowing from the ovens and mines of the Midland Coal & Coke Co., at Midland (Boylen, P. O.), and after two hours of the test all' of the fish wrere lively and in good condition. The test was made about 100 yards above where this stream enters Taylors Drain, through which it flows into Hackers Creek and thence the Tygarts Valley river. July 28, 1911. No. 109. On this date I made a Fish Test and collected a sample from a 1% in. stream flowing from the property of the Philippi Coal 44 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. and Mining Co., into Ford Kun, near Meriden. The water, while perfectly clear seemed to be high in minerals killing all the fish, and the sample being shipped to Belington under seal, was tested on September 9th, killing eight chubs in twrelve (12) minutes and a small %cat-fish in fifteen minutes. Aug. 2, 1911. No. 113. On this date I collected a sample from a 2 in. pol- luted stream flowing into Beaver Creek at a point below the tipple of the Davis Coal & Coke Co., mine No. 3, near Weaver, in Barbour county, and made a test of the pollution in Belington on Sept. llth., the test killing 8 chubs in fourteen minutes and two catfish in eighteen minutes. The information gathered from these tests> viz: Nos. 105, 108, 109 and 113, were presented to the Grand Jury of Barbour county and, upon information, three indictments were secured. RANDOLPH COUNTY. Aug. 8th, 1911. On this date I made a Fish Test near the river, below the sluce-ways of the Elkins Tanning Company, from which sluce-ways a ten (10) inch, highly colored, very nauseating stream was entering the river. Placing two chubs 4~y2 in. and 5 in. and a sucker 6%. in. The chubs were dead in 2 minutes, and the sucker in 4 minutes. These fish were in excellent condition when entering the test. July 27th, 1911. No. 106. On this date I made a Fish Test and collected a sample from a very highly colored stream 4 in. in diameter ,running from the plant of the Davis Colliery Co. at Harding, into the Tygarts Valley river, Chubs and Suckers 2y2 in. to 4% in. being used,' and showing restlessness and weakness in 5 minutes and all were dead in 29 minutes, the pollution breaking and curling up the skin on the fish used. July 27th, 1911. No. 107. On this date I made a Fish Test near the river, below the sluce-ways of the Elkins Tanning Company, from which sluce-ways a six (6) inch highly colored, very nauseating stream was entering the river. The 8 Chubs and Suckers 2*/2 in. to 5l/2 in. long used in this test were all found dead, when the test was examined in 2% minutes. Aug. 21st, 1911. No. 112. On this date I collected a sample of water irom a stream flowing from the Davis Coal & Coke Go's Mine No. 2, flowing into Beaver Creek and thence into the Tygarts Valley river and on Sept. llth, 1911, made a test in Belington, with Chubs and Cat-fish, the Chubs dying in 20 minutes and the Cat-fish in 30 minutes. — No. 115. On this date I collected a sample from the same stream and at the same point as No. 107, (Elkins Tanning Co.) and on Sept. llth, 1911, made a test in Belington, the test killing eight suckers, chubs and cat-fish in four (4) minutes. Aug. 31st, 1911. No. 121. On this date I collected a sample of water from the stream flowing from the sluce-ways of the Elkins Tanning Co. into the Tygarts Valley river and Sept. llth, 1911, made a test in Belington, using Chubs, and Cat-fish and all were dead in seven (7) minutes. Aug. 22nd, 1911. No. 114. On this date I collected a test sample of water from the stream flowing from Mine No. 1 of the Davis Coal & Coke Co., Weaver, and on Sept. llth, 1911, tested the same by the use of 10 Chubs and Cat-fish, about 3 in. long, the Chubs were dead in 18 minutes and the Cat-fish in 33 minutes. A BOB-WHITE'S NEST IN THE MEADCW. — Through Cour- tesy Pittsburg Sporting Magazine, ' ' IN THE OPEN." ON POINT. — Through Courtesy Pittsburg Sport- ing Magazine, "!N THE OPEN." 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 45 HAEEISON COUNTY. Aug. 3rd. 1911. I made a Fish Test in a 2 in. stream flowing from the mines of the Consolidated Coal Company at Gypsy, using seven (7) Chubs, which were dead and the skin loose upon them in 1 hr. and .50 minutes. Aug. 4th, 1911. I made a Fish Test and collected a sample from the left hand prong stream flowing from the Phillips Sheet & Tin Plate Go's plant, above where the sulphur stream enters. Placed the Cat-fish and Chubs into the six (6) inch dark, warm stream, and they were dead in 2*/6 minutes and one minute respectively. The sample having been allowed to cool, a 5 in. Cat-fish placed therein was dead in 9 minutes, a 4% in. Chub in 7Vz minutes and a 4% in. Eock Bass in 6 minutes. Aug. 25th, 1911. No. 116. I investigated and collected a test sample from (he stream flowing from the Despard Mine of the Consolidation Co., into Mur- phy Eun, thence Elk Creek, shipping the same under our own seal to Beling- ton and on Sept. llth, 1911, making test by pacing therein 10 Chubs and Cat- fish 2 in. to 3^ in. long, all pronounced dead in ten (10) minutes. Aug. 25th, 1911. No. 117. I investigated and collected a test sample from the left hand prong of the stream flowing from the plant of the Phillips Sheet & Tin Plate Co., shipping the same under our own seal to Belington, and on Sept. llth, 1911, making test by placing ten (10) Chubs and Cat-fish 1% in. to 3% in. long therein, and they were dead in four and five minutes, respectively. Aug. 24th, 1911. No. 118. I investigated and collected a test sample from the left hand prong of the stream flowing from the plant of the Phillips Sheet & Tin Plate Co. at 8 P. M., shipping the same under our own seal to Belington, and on Sept. llth, 1911, tested same by placing ten Chubs and Cat-fish 2% in. to 3% in. long therein ,and the Chubs were dead in 7 minutes and the Cat-fish in 12 minutes. Aug. 28th, 1911. No. 119. I investigated and collected a test sample from the plant of the Grasseli Chemical Company, shipping the same under our own seal to Belington and on Sept. llth, 1911, tested same by placing Chubs and Cat-fish therein, and all were in fine condition at the end of six (6) hours. MARION COUNTY. Sept. 13th, 1911. No. 122. At 8 o'clock A. M. on this date I had the pumps started at the Monongah Mine No. 6 of the Consolidation Coal Co., and collected a test sample, and on Sept. 20th, 1911, made a test by placing six Chubs and Cat-fish therein, all of which were alive and fine at the end of four hours. Sept. 15th, 1911. No. 123. At 4:30 P. M. I made an investigation and secured a sample for test, from Mine No. 2 at Monongah, the property of the Consolidation Coal Company. The pumps were started at this mine and threw a large stream through a 12 in. pipe. On Sept. 20th, 1911 made a test of this sample in Belington by using Chubs and Cat-fish and all wrere alive at the end of four hours. UPSHUE COUNTY. Aug. 30th, 1911. No. 120. I investigated and collected a test sample from 46 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. a twelve (12) inch stream flowing into the Buckhannon river from the plant of the Buckhaflnon Chemical Company at Chemical, this water was warm and from information obtained I infer it was coming from the condensor. I could find no other outlet for pollution from this plant. The test sample was sealed under our own seal and shipped from Buckhannon to Belington and on Sept. llth, 1911, tested with fish for six hours at the end of which they were all in fine condition. Sept. 18th, 1911. No. 124. I investigated and collected a test sample from a four (4) inch stream flowing into the Buckhannon river from the plant of the Wm. Flaccus Oak Leather Company, Buckhannon,- shipping the sample under our own seal to Belington and on Sept. 20th, 1911, tested the same with minnows and cat-fish 1% in. to 3% in., the minnows were dead in 17 minutes and the cat-fish in 50 minutes. The fish used in the control at this test were in fine condition when returned to the Pond at 9:50 A. M., or twTo hours after beginning the test. The information of these two tests were presented to the Grand Jury in Upshur county, but received no indictments. TUCKER COUNTY. Aug. 10th., 1911. No. 110. I investigated, making a Fish Test and col- lected 2 test samples flowing from the plant of the Parsons Pulp & Lumber Co., at Parsons. The test was made below where the acid highly colored waste and the clear wastes mixes. The water was not warm at this point. Seven (7) inch Chubs and Suckers were dead in 2% minutes. On Sept. llth, 1911, the clear sample taken tested and found not delerious while the highly colored sample was sent to Morgantown for analysis. Sept. 19th, 1911. No. 125. I investigated and collected a test sample of the pollution flowing into the Black Fork river from the plant of the Parsons Pulp and Lumber Co., at Parsons. The pollution f)f highly colored acid that on Aug. 10th, 1911, was flowing over their sluce-ways back of the plant directly into the river, was now found to be running through the sewer through the town of Parsons emptying into the Black Fork river near Wamsleys Kun. Test sample taken from a man-hole near the Canning Factory, sealed and shipped to Belington and on Sept. 23rd., 1911, tested same by placing five cat-fish 3% in. long therein, and all were dead in 14 minutes. The information of these tests were presented to the Grand Jury of Tucker county and one indictment procured. I also made other investigations among which was the Woolen Mills at Webster, in' Taylor county and the Eosemont Mines in Taylor county, also Mines Nos. 40, 63 and 66 of the Consolidation Coal Company and at Meadow- brook, Shinnston and at the Chemical Works near Meadowbrook and at Kites. West End, Gorman, Hiorra and Austin in Preston county, but in most of these cases no pollution was found at the time, and in a few instances where found was tested and found to be not seriously injurious. In all tests, whether at the industrial plant or at Belington the tests were- made, by following the plan of the Government, i. e. the same number and kind of fish was placed in similar containers and volumes of clear or unpat- 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 47 luted water, as that in which the test water was placed, and in procuring and making these tests a witness was used. W. B. RECTOR, Chief Deputy Warden. July 29th, 1911. HON. GEO. M. BOWERS. United States Fish Commissioner, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: — I beg to thank you for your letter of the 27th inst,, with tests of samples of water sent you some days ago. I have sent you several samples in the last week, but of course, if you cannot make tests of them, it will be all right. I have conceived the idea of making my own tests, at the point where the pollution flows into the different streams, and have been doing this for the past two weeks with minnows and such other fish as I have been able to catch; in this way, I think that I will be able to make some prosecutions which will be effective, but to be sure that I was right in making tLese tests, I decided to have you make tests of the same waters and see how they would correspond. I find but little difference in the samples already tested, except the difference in time of killing the fish, but as some of these samples where we made the test, contained warm water right from the industry plants, it would be natural that it would kill fish quicker than if the water was reduced in temperature. If it is conveient, I would like to have a test made of the water from tannery at Elkins, as I intend to indict this company at the next term of our court. ^Ve made a test of this water at the same time we sent you the samples, and it killed fish for us in two and one-half minutes. Thanking you very much for your help in the past, I am, Yours very truly, J. A. VlQUESNEY, Warden. July 31, 1911. MR. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Forest, Game and Fish Warden, Belington, West Virginia. SIR: — In reply to your letter of ( July 29 you are informed that the Bureau has no means of 'determining whether the specimens of water already examined include that from the tannery at Elkins, but in any event it will be impossible for the Bureau to make further experiments at this time. Respectfully, GEO. M. BOWERS, Co-mmfa&ioner . 48 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA, August 1st, 1911. •HoN GEORGE M. BOWERS, Fish Commissioner, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: — I have your two letters of the 31st. ult. and beg to thank you for same. I desire to ask your advice as to pollution from coal mine drainage, and whether or not you have any suggestion as to the manner of controlling it so- that it will not be deleterious to fish life. Would a settling pool, such as is used by tanneries, paper mills, etc., do any good in purifying the water that flows from coal mines? We now have a case of this kind pending in the Court of Appeals that went up from Barbour county, and in the trial of the case in the Circuit Court sev- eral experts were introduced by the defendant Coal Company and it seemed to be the unanimous opinion that coal could not be economically mined in West Virginia if the operators were compelled to take care of the water and so treat it that it would not be injurious to fish. I have talked to several State Fish Commissioners and none of them have been able- to tell me in what way this water can be so purified so as to not be deleterious. If you can give me any advice or information on this subject I assure you that I will appreciate same. Yours very truly, J. A. VlQUESNEY, Warden. August 3, 1911. MR. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Forest, Game and' Fish Warden, Belington, West Virginia. SIR: — In reply to your letter of the 1st instant you are informed that it is the opinon of the Bureau that settling pools such as are used by tanneries, etc., might in some cases be found of use in the purification of water that flows from coal mines. The best results are to be secured only by the combination of filtration, neutrilization, precipitation and decomposition. Your attention is called to the report of the Department of Fisheries of the State of Pennsylvania, lor 1910, pages 53-55 and pages 117-118, as an illustration of what may be accomplished by these methods. As the condition with which you have to contend cannot be very different, it is suggested that the State "Commissioner of Fisheries, W. E Meehan, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is in a position to give you some very pertinent information on the subject.- Respectfully, GEO. M. BOWERS, Commissioner. August 1st, 1911. HON. W. E. MEEHAN, Commissioner of Fisheries, Harrisburg, Pa. DEA SIR: — I am, at present, having a great deal of trouble with the mm FALLS OF THE BLACKWATER. NEAR DAVIS. — Through Courtesy of the West Vir- ginia Geological Survey. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 49 pollution question in West Virginia, and especially with the pollution from coal mines. I recognize that this is a very difficult proposition to handle and feel I need the advice of those »who have had to deal with the coal mine pollution problem. I am today writing to several of the Commissioners of the different States, who are similarly situated, in regard to the pollution, as we are in West Virginia. I will appreciate it very much if you will write me in detail and fulty the methods and manners you use in dealing with pollution problems, and espe- cially the pollution from coal mines. With kind regards, I am, Very truly yours, J. A. VIQUESNEY, Warden. August 2, 1911. MR. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Forest, Game and Fish Warden, Belington, W. Va. DEAR SIR: — I regret to say that thus far no method has been discovered by which sulphur water from a mine can be purified, to an extent that will not kill fish. The P. & K. Eailway Company is experimenting with sulphur water, and it has succeeded in so reducing the amount of sulphuric acid that the water can be used in locomotive boilers. We are expecting to carry on experi- ments ourselves this winter and hope to make some headway. The prevention of culm waste can easily be accomplished by the mining com- panies putting in a series of basins large enough to allow the polluting material to settle ,and we are taking this matter up with the coal washeries. I must confess therefore that we have not made much progress with the pollution from coal operations. Concerning tanneries, the waste from tannic acid is prevented in Pennsylvania and so is the waste from the fleshings, and within the" last few months the Elk Tanning Company has devised a filter plant that will take out at least 90 per cent of the pollution from the washings, and these plants are being installed in the different tanneries of the state as rapidly as possible. The wraste from the washings is among the most offensive and destructive. The filter plant consists first of a basin with a three-eighth inch mesh screen placed about four feet from the bottom. This catches the heaviest of the organic material in the water. The water that comes through the screen is then pumped into a very large filter bed, having from four to six feet of cinders, the water entering at the bottom and carried to the top by small pipes and sprayed over the top. The water is then filtered into a second filter bed in the same manner as into the first, and from that into a third. By that time nearly all the organic matter has been taken out and nothing but a little tannic acid water is left. We have entirely stopped sawmills from emptying into the streams, with the exception of a -few isolated cases, which are stopped as soon as our attention is drawn to them. Thus far there is no known method of purifying entirely the waste from a sulphide paper factory, but the pollution can be greatly reduced. The pollution from paper mills using the soda process can be easily stopped by filtration and neutralization. 50 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. Notices were served two weeks ago on a large number of industrial establish- ments polluting the Allegheny river above Pittsburg, because in most instances nitration has been found to be effective. I ought to say, perhaps, that what is known as the cess-pool or filtration by digging a pit, is not accepted as a purification method by the Department of Fisheries, for the reason that the gravel or sand between the cess-pool and the streafh must, in a. very short time', become thoroughly saturated with filth and the water be polluted as bad as ever. Sincerely, W. E. MEEHAN, Commissioner of Fisheries. August 5, 1911. HON. W. E. MEEHAN, Commissioner of Fisheries, Harrisburg, Pa. DEAR SIR: — I have your letter of the 2nd. inst., and beg to thank you very much for your careful explanation in detail of your mode of treating pollution. Hon George M. Bowers has advised me that your report for 1910 would be interesting on the subject of pollution. I cannot find that I have yet received one. If you will kindly mail me a copy of this report I will be under renewed obligations. Thanking you again, I am with personal regards, Very truly yours, J. A. VlQUESNEY, Warden. PHILIPPI, W. VA., Feb. 7, 1912. HON. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Belington, W. Va. >. . MY DEAR SIR: — The Elkins Tannery must be pouring refuse and poisonous water into the river. The water here for the past two weeks, has been black and not fit for use. We cannot do good work with it at our laundry and it is unfit for domestic use. I have it in my home, we can taste the poison in it. Something must be done. The people here are going to get up a petition and send it to the Governor and Attorney General, unless something is dona at once. I write you so you may know what will be done. Is there a J. P. in Randolph county who will do his duty if arrests are made? A Justice has jurisdiction in such eases. Somebody ought to be fined every day until the poison water is taken care of. Many of the citizens of this town have no other water to use. I am one of them. Trusting you may be able to give us speedy relief, I am, Very truly yours, J. F. CHENOWETH. February 9th, 1912. MR. J. F. CHENOWETH, Philippi, W. Va. DEAR SQUIRE: — I have your letter of the 7th inst., and note all you say there- in concerning the pollution from the Elkins Tannery, and beg to say in con- 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 51 nection therewith, that I have been doing all possible — to prosecute these people for this offense. During last Fall, we took several samples of this water and made a test with them, and it developed that each sample killed fish in a comparatively short time. All of this information was given to the last Grand Jury, at Elkins, but the jury only found one indictment, which indicated to me that some influence might have been brought to bear to prevent the jury from in- dicting them in all of these cases. I have never been able to ascertain why it was that one indictment would be found against the company, where several similar offenses were presented, each of them certainly violations of the law. As to trying theSe cases before a Justice of the Peace, it would certainly be more than foolish ,as the company would promptly appeal them to the Cir- cuit Court, in case they were found guilty. I find the same conditions existing in another county, where I have attempted to make prosecutions for polluting tsreams. You are certain to get up againht the local influence, and, as a rule, find men on the jury who believe that the industry is worth a great deal more to the locality than the fish, and, consequently, it is very difficult to even procure an indictment for this offense, much less a conviction. There might be a chance of securing an injunction against an industry of this character, under the Forest, Game and Fish laws, and enjoin them from operating, but I consider it at least, a very hazardous risk, and besides, there has been no appropriation whatever for suits of this character, and, in fact, I am paying rny own expenses and will be compelled to do so from now until the first day of October, on account of the appropriation being insufficient to take care of my general expenses. I think it far better for the corporations of Belington and Philippi to join together and enjoin this industry, if it is considered best to do so, on account of them polluting the water and making it unfit for domestic use, as this would be a much broader ground and safer to go into court on, than the mere fact that the water is killing fish. As to the people getting up a petition to the Governor and Attorney General. I do not object to that in the least, and if it can be of any service in purifying the stream, it should be done. I have had several talks with Governor Glass- cock about theee pollution cases, and he understands fully the difficult problems that we are facing in all of these matters. I am willing, anxious and ready to do anything in my power to correct this, and think I will again, present the evidence I have before the Grand Jury next week at Elkins, and see if we cannot secure some more indictments against this company, and, if possible, will try to have the case tried, on which we made an indictment during last court. I feel certain, however, that we must get this on a broader plain, than the mere killing of fish, before we could hope to be successful in making these prosecutions in counties where the local interests are opposed to prosecuting their own industries. I am inclined to think that the town authorities of Belington, would be willing to join the Philippi people in making this fight — if it is deemed best to do so. Tharking you very much .for your letter, I am, Yours very truly, J. A. VIQUESNEY, Warden. 52 SECOND BIENNIAL KEPORT [W. VA. August 9th, 1912. MR. H. G. KUMP, ElJcins, W. Va. DEAR SIR: — I was at Elkins yesterday and had a talk with Mr. Kisler, one of the owners of the tannery, relative to. their pollution and he is making arrangements to immediately construct a large settling pool for the purpose of taking care of this pollution, and in view of this fact I think it would be well to not press their indictment, and if they make satisfacory arrangements to take care of this pollution to, in the end, either dismiss this indictment or to let them confess and be fined the minimum fee. This tannery has caused me a great deal of worry on account of the numer- ous protests that have been made against it, and while I have always felt that there should be something done to stop this pollution, yet I disliked very much to do anything that would cripple the industries of your town, and I think that as they have at last agreed to take care of this matter we should show our appreciation by being as lenient with them as possible. Thanking you very much for the assistance you have given me in this matter, I am, Very truly yours, J. A. VIQUESNEY, Warden. August 30, 1912. MB. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Belington. W. Va. MY DEAR SIR: — We have been planning ever since our meeting at Elkins, W. Va., what^ arrangement we could put in at the tannery at Elkins that would be most effective in taking care of the sewerage which gives cause for com- plaint. You will remember, no doubt, that in talking the matter over at Elkins we spoke of the fact of our willingness to do whatever we possibly could to take care of this sewerage, and we know you appreciate our position in this whole matter. In response to numerous complaints recently received by Pennsylvania tanners from the Pennsylvania Fish Commissioner, Mr. N. R. Buller, we arranged a meeting with Mr. Buller on Wednesday morning of this week. There were two other tanners present, with myself, and one of them was Mr. Beach, the president of the Elk Tanning Company, which is a local sub- sidiary corporation of the Central Leather Company. We went over the mat- ter fully with Mr. Buller and finally it was arranged that the most effective way of taking care of this matter was to arrange a meeting of the different tanners of the state, in combination with Mr. Buller, and whatever assist- ants he may bring with him, at one of the tanneries in this state and then have a thorough discussion and complete a plan to work on. There seems to have been no arrangement up to the present time that will thoroughly clear the pollution from the sewerage of the tannery, and while some of the ar- rangements now in effect at several tanneries do the work to a certain degree, the result is not yet thoroughly satisfactory. We hope by this combined ef- fort at the meeting, and in the consequent erection and operation of a plant, 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 53 following the results of this meeting, to arrive at something that will be thor- oughly practical and satisfactory. Mr. Buller left a few hours after the meeting on Wednesday for Denver, and he will communicate with us immediately on his return from this trip and set a date on which we will have this combined meeting at one of the Pennsylvania tanneries. I am quite sure that all the tanners are ready and willing, and even anxious, to settle this pollution problem to the satisfaction of the authorities, and our only fear has been that whatever we might do in the way of installation of any known equipment might not in the end solve the problem. It is more than likely that a test plant will be put in at one of our tanneries on account of its peculiarly adapted location for such work. I thought I would write you immediately about this proposed action here in Pennsylvania and ask your opinion whether it would be best for us to wait for the installation of any particular equipment at our Elkins tannery until after we have proved out the efficiency and practicability of the test plant to be installed at the particular Pennsylvania tannery. As this test plant will be the result of the combined thought and judgment of all the Pennsylvania tanners' and the Fish Commissioner's organization, it certainly promises very much better results than would be brought about by a plant built and operated on the knowledge and experience of our own particular concern. I would be very glad to have you write me in regard to this matter, as we want to satisfy you in every way possible, and we appreciate you courtesy in this whole matter and want you to know and feel that we want to do every- thing possible to bring about results that would be satisfactory to you and to the people in the locality about our tanneries. Your* very truly, - KISTLER, LESH & Co. By S. Kistler. September 2, 1912. KISTLER, LESH &Co., v Lock Haven, Pan. GENTLEMEN: — I have your letter of the 30th ult. and note carefully all you say therein concerning the tannery at Elkins, as well as the contemplated conference to be held at one of the tanneries in Pennsylvania, and beg to say in reply thereto, that while I was very anxious to get something done at once towards stopping the pollution of the Tygart's Valley river, of course, I would not desire that you do any unnecessary wcwk, or work that would not in the end prove effective. I have given this question more thought and attention than any other matter connected with my department, and am fully aware of the many dif- ficulties to be encountered in working out a satisfactory way of treating there pollutions, and am fully convinced that we need a united effort of all interests concerned, working in harmony to accomplish the ends desired. I certainly am willing to await the results of your conference, and if at this conference it is decided that it is necessary to install a test plant to finally determine on the best mode of future procedure along this line, I think 54 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. then that it certainly would be sensible to wait until the matter is finally de- termined as to the best method to be pursued. I have great faith in the final purification, to an extent at least, of the streams of this and other states, and while I do not think it possible to en- tirely eradicate this pollution, yet it must in time be greatly reduced. I have been thinking of making a tour of the State of Pennsylvania for the purpose of inspecting the tanneries and comparing methods there with those used in West Virginia, regarding the ways and means employed in tak- ing care of pollution, and if it would not appear that I am getting out of my jurisdiction, or "butting in" where I had no right to do so, I think that I would like very much to be present at your meeting and get the benefit of the experience and judgment of the many who will be present, who I fell certain are better qualified by experience to pass upon these matters than I am. If it is satisfactory with the Pennsylvania Commissiocer and all concerned, if it is possible for me do so, will be glad to make a trip to this meeting, and learn what I can along this line. Thanking you for your letter, and hoping that this matter may, in the end, be satisfactority worked out, I beg to remain. Very truly yours, J. A. VIQUESNEY, Warden. LOCK HAVEN, PA., September 5, 1912. MR. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Warden, Belington, W. Va. DEAR SIR: — Your esteemed favor of the 2nd inst. relative to the sewerage proposition at Elkins, W. Va., received and carefully noted. Our Mr. S. Kistler, who has had this subject under his personal supervision, is at present out of the city, but will likely return home within the next week or ten days, when we will immediately refer your communication to him for his attention. In the meantime you will please accept our thanks for your willingness to co-operate with us in working out some scheme that will prove effective so far as the sewerage disposal at our plant is concerned. Very truly yours, KISTLER, LESH & Co. By W. O. Bentley. LOCK HAVEN, PA., September 24, 1912. MR. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Belington, W. Va. DEAR SIR: — Your letter of September 2 was on my desk on my return home this morning from an absence of several weeks. I found on my desk at the same time, a letter of notification that the meet- ing with Mr. N. E. Buller, the Pennsylvania, fish warden, will be held at Eidgeway, Friday, October 4, and I have just sent in my letter stating that I will be at that meeting. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 55 I am very glad, indeed, to have you write that you would like to attend this meeting, as I believe it will be very instructive and satisfactory to all con- cerned, and we hope for a large attendance of the tanners of Pennsylvania to go over this sewerage matter. I do not know any further plans, than that the meeting will be held on the date mentioned, and it may be that you will want to write to Mr. N. K. Buller in regard to his plans about the meeting and make yours suit with his. We will be very glad if you can attend the meeting. I also thank you sincerely for your very nice letter in regard to our Elkins plant, and assure you again that we appreciate your fairness and good will. Very truly yours, S. KISTLER. October 2nd, 1912. KISTLER, LESH & Co., Lock Haven, Pa. GENTLEMEN: — Keplying to your letter of the 24th beg to say that on ac- count of other engagements it will be impossible for me to attend the meeting at Eidgeway on the 4th inst. I would be very much pleased to have you write me fully after this meeting as to the conclusion reached by the tanneries of your state as to what they will do to take care of the pollution. Yours very truly, J. A. VlQUESNEY, Warden. LOCK HAVEN, PA., October 10, 1912. MR. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Belington, W. Va. MY DEAR SIR: — On Friday, October 4th, we held a meeting of the tanners of this state with Mr. N. B. Buller, Fish Commissioner of Pennsylvania. The discussion disclosed the fact that there were no known methods of so treating tannery sewage as to entirely eliminate certain organic matters con- tained in the sewage. It developed the fact, however, that by certain handling of the liquids from two-thirds to three-fourths of the solid matter could be eliminated, and after going over the entire proposition, Mr. Buller said that he would be satisfied if the tanners of this state would handle their wastes from the tannery in such shape that three-fourths of the solid matter would be eliminated from the liquids going into the streams, and we would have to work together in the hope that before long some method could be found that would eliminate the organic matters. I was present at this meeting and had with me our chief chemist, Mr. W. P. Maxwell, and while we have had little chance since then to talk of our own situation at the different plants, we both having been away practically all of last week, this coming week we expect to be home together an-, we will then line up an equipment for the Elkins plant which we will put in "promptly. "VAth this equipment we feel sure that we can satisfy you and the neighborhood. , I am very sorry that you did not get to this meeting, but it showed that 56 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. the tanners were willing to do anything possible along the line of remedying the pollution of streams, and Mr. Buller was very reasonable in the matter and appreciated the difficulties under which we are working the same as you do. I will keep you informed as to the progress of our work at Elkins. Very truly yours, S. KISTLER. October 14th, 1912. MR. S. KISTLER, Lock Haven, Pa. DEAR SIR: — I have you favor of the 10th inst. and note with much interest all you say concerning your meeting in regard to the pollution by tanneries in Pennsylvania. I assure you that I feel certain that you will now be able to construct a system at Elkins that will be satisfactory to all concerned. Thanking you for your letter, and assuring you that I stand ready and will- ing to do all in my power to assist you, I am, with kind regards. Respectfully, J. A. VIQUESNEY, Warden. October 23, 1912. MR. S. KISTLER. Lock Haven, Pa. DEAR SIR: — I beg to inform you that the Tygart's Valley River is almost as black as ink all the distance from Elkins to Belington. This discoloration was first noticeable at Belington yesterday evening. Am sorry to again have to call your attention to this, knowing that you are making arrangements to correct the matter as speedily as you can, but thought possi- bly that this might be taking place without your knowledge. With kind regards, I am, Respectfully, J. A. VIQUESNEY, Warden. LOCK HAVEN, PA., October 25, 1912. HON. J. A. VIQUESNEY, Belington, W. Va. DEAR SIR: — Your letter of the 23rd has been received and I regret to note that the Tygarts Valley River is again in a discolored state. I am taking this up at once with our Elkins plant. We have just started work at Elkins on the erection of a new building, and the reason we have delayed the work on the settling tanks at that plant is that the erection of this building and one to go alongside of it make necesr sary the relocation of our present sewers for handling the wastes from the tannery, and our idea was to get these buildings located so that wye would then be able to shift our sewers to suit their location and the location of the new settling arrangements. I will take the matter up with our superintendent at Elkins so that he gives this present trouble his immediate attention, and I 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 57 trust that our plans for the rearrangement of the entire layout at Elkins will te agreeable to you so that we can go ahead with the work as we had planned, and as we get the new building under way we can then start in to rearrange our sewer arrangement. I would be glad if you will write me in regard to this, as I want to meet your wishes in every way possible. Yours v.ery truly, S. KlSTLER. GREAT INCEEASE OF INSECTIVEEOUS BIEDS. From almost every county in the state comes the cheering news that a great increase can be noticed in numerous kinds of insectivorous birds, and this information naturally raises the question as to the cause of this increase. Many reasons might be assigned which have some bearing on this subject, but the principal reason for the improved conditions, is a better understand- ing, by the human race in general, of the economical value of these creatures to the various agricultural interests of this country. Too much credit cannot be given to the National Audubon Society or to the various state organizations, for the campaign of education that they have relentlessly waged for bird protection, and every citizen in our state that feels an interest in the protection and preservation of our feathered songsters should become a member of the West Virginia Audubon Society, with head- quarters in the city of Parkersburg. It may be that the extinction of some species of our birds is attributable to long, cold winters, deep snows, rainy seasons and beasts and birds of prey — in fact it is natural for man to blame the decrease in the numbers of both our birds and animals to every conceivable reason except himself. After a careful study of this question, giving due regard to every effectual agency that tends to extinguish the wild life of our fields and forests, it is our ultimate conclusion that humanity is the main factor in the diminution of our birds and animals, or to sum it all up and name the different forces that work against bird life, in order of their importance, we must admit that man tops the ladder by many rounds. In this "land of the free and home of the brave," numbering many mil- lions of human souls, with almost every man and boy demanding his consti- tutional right to kill when, where and how he pleases every wild creature that wears hairs or feathers, no wonder that it is necessary to pass stringent laws for the protection of these defenseless ceratures, and to form Audubon societies for the purpose of educating the boys and girls to a better understanding of protecting birds. This education should be carried into every school in West Virginia, as it means more to the future prosperity of our agricultural and horicultural pur- suits than any other subject. Statistics show 'that the annual loss to the country through insect pests amounts to 'about $800,000,000, and to bring home the significance of this colossal sum, it is said that there are about 600 colleges in the United States, whose buildings and endowments have been centuries in accumulating, and the value of these college and university buildings is only $260,000,000 58 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPOET [W. VA. and the endowments $219,000,000, the combined amount being just a little more than one-half the amount destroyed each year by insects. If all these col- leges and universities were to be destroyed, including the endowments of same, the insect tax for one year would replace all the damages and leave a surplus of $320,000,000. The school children of this country number about 20,000,000 and the cost of their education has become the heaviest tax that is levied upon the re- sources of our country, yet it can be truthfully said that it costs more to feed our insects than it costs to feed, clothe and educate our 20,000,000 of school children. What can be done to check this great destruction to our natural resources? The answer comes from a million people who have made these matters a care- ful study — save and protect the birds. The great army of insects that infest this country would, were it not for the check placed upon their increase by the wise provisions of nature, within a short time destroy all vegetation and this old green earth would become a barren and fruitless desert. The robins, thrushes, whip-por-wills, blue jays, woodpeckers, yellow ham- mers and many other kinds of birds were intended by the All Wise Creator to hold in check such insect pests as the cut worm, caterpillar, potato bug, grasshopper, hessian fly^tree borer and the hundreds of insects that in a single year would destroy practically all the crops that we grow. The class of birds known as seed eating birds are the sparrows, doves, finches and the like. We do not fully appreciate the great amount of noxious weeds destroyed by seed eating birds in West Virginia. Estimating the num- ber of such birds that inhabit our state at 20,0000,000, which is a very con- servative estimate, and allowing one ounce of weed seed for each bird's daily rations, they would consume in six months, nearly one hundred and twenty thousand tons of food, or six thousand car loads, allowing twenty tons to the car. The stomach of a bird is -so wonderfully constructed that it will digest a full gorge of food every two hours, which enables it to consume each twenty-four hours at least twice its own weight in food. The birds of West Virginia are of more value than all the cattle, sheep and hogs found within our state, and the thoughtless individual who would ruth- lessly destroy one of these little creatures, which were put here £or a definite purpose, is not only interferring with the infinite wisdom of Creation, but is taking from useful action a great factor for good that is beyond his power to replace. If he who cause two blades of grass to grow w7here one formerly grew, is a benefactor to mankind, how much more honored should he be who can save from extintion and annihilation the birds, the most beautiful and useful of God 's creation. It is very difficult to place a money valuation on birds, for upon them de- pends man 's continual existence upon the earth. Without the birds vegetation would soon be destroyed by insects; without vegetation the water supply of the earth would soon dry up and we would have to resort to cannibalism for sustenance until the weak were destroyed by the strong, and in a short time til animal and vegetable life would perish from the earth. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 59 Let the word go forth from every printing press and school house in the land that the human race can only be perpetuated on the face of the earth by an organized effort to save our birds. PEIVATE GAME PRESERVES But little has yet been done toward establishing game preserves, either pub- lic or private, in West Virginia. About the year 1887, a large tract of land was leased on Cheat Mountain, and a club organized known as The Sportsmen 's Association of Cheat Moun- tain. A handsome and commodious club house was erected at a beautiful spot along Cheat river, and for more than twenty years this club was visited by the members and invited guests, and the records kept at this club house disj close the fact that hundreds of deer were killed on this preserve each year and shipped to Pennsylvania and other states, the members of the club being almost exclusively non-residents. It was not necessary at the time this pre- serve wTas established to stock same with game as the mountains were teeming with thousands of bear, deer, wild turkey and all other wild animals and birds native to our state. Had some restriction or limit been placed on the killing and shipping of this game from our state twenty years ago, we would still have an abundance of these wild animals. Quite an effort, however, has been made by this association to restock the streams on their preserve with fish. A fish hatchery was built, and has for several years been under the supervision of Franz A. Degler, who is superin- tendent of this club, and who is a recognized authority on fish culture. Thou- sands of trout are placed in Cheat river -each year from this hatchery. Within the past year Hon. Wm. Seymour Edwards has become the moving spirit in this organization, and it is understood that in the future he will re- organize same and make an effort to restock the preserve with game and fish. The Allegheny Sportsmen's Association was organized and incorporated during the present year, and have already acquired by lease and purchase some 25,000 acres of forest land in Pocohontas county, West Virginia, and Bath and Highland counties, Virginia, and have already begun stocking the forests with large and small game and the streams with fish. The principal object of this association is to demonstrate the possibility of propagating deer, elk and other large game in West Virginia, with a view of finally restocking the whole state with same. It is also intended to establish a hatchery and game farm on this preserve. The deer and elk that have al- ready been taken there are thriving and doing well. Col. Elihue Hutton, of Randolph county, is at present fencing a part of his forest land and will stock it with deer and elk the coming winter. Several requests have been received by this office, during the past few months, asking for places where deer could be purchased and it is believed that many small preserves will be established in the near future, and the wooded sections of our state utilized for the raising of deer. The farmer with a ten or twenty acre wood lot could raise sufficient deer each year to furnish meat for a good sized family. Private preserves should be started in every county of the state where suf- ficient wooded land can be found, and if properly managed, will furnish a 60 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPOET [W. VA. remunerative investment for those interested, and at 'the same time be of much value in assisting to rehabitate our state with big game, as well as pro- tect our native game and fish. EAISING OF BIG GAME IN WEST VIRGINIA Can the raising of big game be made a success in West Virginia? If this question was answered in the affirmative, without giving some reasons why, but few would believe that the adventure would be profitable. The raising of domesticated deer, in the United States has never been at- tempted on a large scale, but sufficient tests have been made to ascertain that it can be made a success, as well as the raising of cattle and sheep. If this can be made a success in the states that have tried it, there is no reason why it cannot be done in West Virginia, Possibly three-fourths of the states have embarked in the raising of do- mesticated and semi-domesticated deer, and the wonderful increase made in many of the parks and game preserves is significant and encouraging. In ten years, between 1892 and 1902, deer in Buckland Park, the Warren county (New Jersey) preserve, belonging to Chas. C. Worthington, increased from nineteen to -about four hundred head. About six years ago the Otzinach- son. Eod and Gun Club of Clinton county, Pennsylvania, placed about ninety deer, mostly does, in their 4,000 acre park. These had multiplied, in the year 1908, to nearly two thousand head. At Pollon, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, a private game preserve of 5,000 acres, contains, approximately, 5,000 deer. This land is fenced with a wire fence eight feet high, strung on posts some twenty feet apart, the posts being from six to ten inches in diameter, with twenty barbed wires strung on same, with upright wires every two feet, fastened with clamps. With this large number of deer, averaging one deer to each acre of land, not a single deer has ever escaped from the enclosure. This preserve was started only a few years ago, with a few tame deer bought from different localities, and have lived entirely from the shrubbery and food furnished by the forests, and have not been fed during either the summer or winter. At the age of about seventeen months, the doe bears her first young, usually only one fawn; after that, however, they are almost certain to bear twins, and often triplets. The increase per year, is rated at one and one-half, and you can conservatively figure on your stock doubling every year. Suppose we then start with one hundred deer, and double the number every year for ten years. It is interesting to note that our herd would number more than 100,000 head. It is estimated, by the United States Agricultural Department that there are 250,000,000 acres of untillable land in the United States, that is not even suitable for raising horses, cattle or sheep, but which could be utilized for raising Angora goats or deer. There is no qestion but that West Virginia has a comparative large portion of such land, and might be turned into excellent use for these purposes. If thousands of acres of our wild mountain land, from which the timber has been cut, making it entirely useless for any other purpose, were stocked with deer, in a few years we would not only again have an abundance of these ani- mals, but they could help clear the underbrush, and make our mountain land 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 61 suitable for sheep and cattle grazing. The deer will do more in helping to keep the filth and small growth down on wooded lands than the Augora goat. They will eat the brush as low and twice as high. The flesh of the deer is very valuable for food, while the antlers and the skins are important articles of commerce; the antlers not only being used as curiosities, for decorations, but are also used extensively in the manufacture of hanflles for knives, forks and other instruments. The dietic value of the flesh of the deer is greatly enhanced, for the reason that it is easier to digest than any other meat, and is especially adapted to invalids who require a nourishing, yet an easily digested food. In a recent published table in the ' ' Scientific American ' ' showing the time required to digest certain kinds of food, it is shown that grilled venison only requires one hour for complete digestion, while beef steak and mutton, pre- pared in the same manner, requires three hours, and veal and pork requires more than five hours. The market price quoted on venison, in New York City, in the year 1910, was from thirty to thirty-five cents per pound, while the maximum price for a whole deer, was $43.75 wholesale. West Virginia is the natural home of the deer, and it can be raised here as easily, and with less expense than sheep, and will multiply as fast; and from a commercial stand point, bring five times as much. So I unhesitatingly say — that deer can be successfully raised here, not only from the stand point of the hunter and sportsman, but from a commercial stand-point. The raising of elk and other large game can also be made a success, and fifteen head of these animals were brought into the state during the present year by the Allegheny Sportsmen's Association, and are doing fine in their new home in Pocahontas county. Negotiations are already being made with the United States to secure a few car loads of these animals from Jackson 's Hole, or Yellow Stone National Park, during the coming winter. NATIONAL FOREST EESEEVES IN WEST VIRGINIA. On account of the peculiar location of the State of West Virginia, perhaps no state in the Union needs a larger forest reserve, but no action has yet been taken by the state to purchase or control any forest lands, neither has any law been passed controlling the cutting of timber so that our cut-over lands may again be reforested. This is a deplorable condition, but nevertheless true, and the effects may be seen by traveling over many railroads of the state and looking at the cut- over areas, that are almost depleted of vegetation and practically useless for all time to come. However the national government, having made a careful study of these conditions and realizing, especially, the great danger that we are facing on account of the drying up of the fountain heads of our great commercial streams, sometime ago under the Weeks Law, made an appropriation for the purpose of making investigations looking to the purchase of large areas of wooded lands in several states. Among the states that have properly qualified or passed laws, allowing the 62 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. United States Government to purchase land for the purpose mentioned are Maine, New Hampshire, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia, and the counties in West Virginia in which this land will be purchased are parts of Pendleton, Hardy, Eandolph and Pocahontas. For many years the United States Congress has been endeavor ing ^to have a law enacted and appropriations made for the purpose of purchasing sufficient forest reserves to insure an even supply of water to our navigable rivers, but were not successful in having such bill become a law until a recent session of Congress. Anticipating the passage of such a law by the United States Government, the West Virginia Legislature of 1909, in conformity with the suggestions of Governor Dawson, in his biennial message, passed a bill which gives the United States Government the right to acquire such property. This bill comprises Chapter 61 of the Acts of 1909, and is as follows: "An act to empower the United States of America to acquire lands in West Virginia, by condemnation or otherwise, for a national forest reserve, and granting to the United States all rights necessary for the proper control and regulation of such reserve. "•Sec. 1. That the consent of the legislature of West Virginia be and is hereby given the acquisition by the United States, by purchase or by con- demnation with adequate compensation, of such lands in West Virginia as in the opinion of the federal government may be needed for the establishment of such a national forest reserve in that region; provided, that the state of West Virginia shall retain a concurrent jurisdiction with the United States in and over such lands so far that civil process in all cases, and such criminal process as may issue under the authority of the state of West Virginia against any person charged with the commission of any crime without or within said jurisdiction may be executed thereon in like manner as if this act had not been passed. ' ' Sec. 2. The power is hereby conferred upon Congress to pass such laws as it may deem necessary to the acquisition, as hereinbefore provided, for incor- poration in said national forest reserve of such forest covered lands in West Virginia as in the opinion of the federal government may be needed for this purpose. "Sec. 3. The power is hereby conferred upon Congress to pass such laws and to make or provide for the making of such rules and regulations, of both a civil and criminal nature, and provide punishment therefor, as in its judg- ment may be necessary for the management, protection and control of such lands as may be from time to time acquired by the United States under the provisions of this act." The question of forests with their manifold benefits to the continued exist- ance of mankind on earth, would fill volumes and cannot be properly dis- cussed in an article of this character, but the benefits to be derived by our state and nation by establishing a national forest reserve in the territory mentioned is so apparent that it deserves at least some passing comment. The basic idea of the Federal Government in acquiring these reserves is to regulate the flow of water in the streams originating in these forest areas, which eventually form the navigable streams of our nation. But the con- 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 63 trol of such forests by the Federal Government would be of benefit in other matters, such as helping protect our forests from fire; maintaining an even flow of our streams, thus making them better for fish culture and furnishing better protection to our game and birds. While these lands will not be game preserves in a strict sense, yet with the protection from fire and under the patrol and care of the United States Government, it will, at least, make a refuge where game and birds can be protected from the pot hunter. The pub- lic will have the right to hunt and fish upon these lands, in accordance with the state laws, where they are located. One has to but take a glance at the map of the portion of the United States which comprises this adventure, to be impressed with the wisdom of the government in acquiring same. Along these two great ranges of mountains the water sheds are formed that control the supply of water for all the Eastern part of the United States. The position that West Virginia occupies in this undertaking is unique and more important than that of any other state affected, for the reason that two of the greatest navigable streams in the United States take their rise in the Appalachian Mountain ranges, in the counties that are covered by this proposi- tion. While there are 282 navigable streams in the United States it is shown by statistics that two West Virginia rivers, the Monongahela and Ohio, carry al- most 25,000,000 tons of freight each year, or about one-fifth of the whole ton- nage carried on navigable streams in the United States. For this reason the protection of forests in West Virginia is of immense importance to the nation's inland commerce, for without this protection the time must come when these great navigable streams of commerce will fail on account of the drying up of the fountain heads of these streams-. The government's aid in creating forest reserves in West Virginia w411 mean, even more to us than maintaining a water supply for commercial purposes and should not only be encouraged by the State aid in every way possible, but corporations, firms and individuals should be reasonable in quoting prices on land which they have for sale in these designated regions. It is the purpose of the commission to obtain lands that can be purchased for a low or reasonable price, and not pay any fancy price for land for this purpose. There are thousands of acres of such lands in the mountain ranges mentioned that are scarcely valuable enough to justify the owners in paying taxes on same, which can be* used to great advantage in this work and should be turned over to the Federal Government at a nominal price. By establishing these forest reserves an even supply of water will be main- tained for all time, and the great freshets and floods that have been increas- ing in the last few years, will be held in check; the soil that is now held in place by these forest tracts will be retained and used in reforesting the cut-over areas, and the care that is taken of the tracts of the Federal Govern- ment will inspire others to take similar care of their forests, and in numerous ways the state will be benefited. Thousand *of acres of land in West Virginia that have been cleared would be worth more in its primitive condition and every available acre of forest land in the state, unless it is very valuable for agricultural purposes, should be retained as a forest reserve. 64 SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. The United States forest service officials are doing a great work in educating the people to see the great good to be accomplished by protecting the forests. This is now regarded as one of the most helpful branches of the Department of Agriculture. This department undertakes the study and solution of forestry problems, that cannot be handled by the states and individuals, and by sending out literature is creating an influence among all classes that will aid in pro- tecting and conserving these great gifts of nature. Many states have spent large sums of money to build up their forests that have been recklessly and needlessly destroyed. We have in West Virginia several millions of acres of forest lands, and if properly cared for, either by state or government aid, it will be of untold benefit to future generations. GAME AND FUR BEARING ANIMALS OF WEST VIRGINIA. The rapid development of the State of- West Virginia in the past few decades has, to a great extent, lessened the number of both game and fur bearing animals, but most of the species that inhabited our forests when same were the haunts and happy hunting grounds of the Indians are still found here, although many of them in limited numbers. An article read by Thaddeus Surber, before the annual meeting of the West Virginia Fish and Game Protective Association at Charleston in the year 1909, gives a brief annotated list of 57 species of mammals native to West Virginia. Prof. Fred E. Brooks, of the West Virginia Experiment Station, also contributes an article on the distribution and habits of our known native species of mammals to the West Virginia Board of Agriculture for the year 1910. These two articles cover the subject completely and are of so much interest that both of them are used in this report. THE MAMMALS OF WEST VIRGINIA. Notes on the Distribution and Habits -of All Our Known Native Species. BY FRED E. BROOKS. W. VA. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, MORGAN- TOWN, W. VA. Within the memory of many persons still living several interesting mammals have become extinct within the territory of West Virginia. At present others, that were once abunlant, are becoming so scarce that it is an event of more than local interest to See or capture a specimen. Judging the future by the experinece of the past we may conclude that within the next few years several of these that are cow so rarely met with, will, like those first mentioned, cease to exist here. * The progress of civilization with its attendant influence has wrought this change in the wild animal life of this State. The clearing away of the forests, lumbering operations, forest fires, and the trapper and hunter have followed up and harrassed the wild animals that once abounded in our forests until the last representatives of several species, hemmed in on every side, have made their last stand and fallen, or have stolen away to join their more 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 65 fortunate fellows in the greater security of forest strongholds to the north and the west. So far as the writer is aware, no systematic effort has been made to record collectively the names, distribution and habits of the native mammals of West Virginia except in the case of a briefly annotated list by Thaddeus Surber, of White Sulphur Springs, that was published in the report of the West Vir- ginia Fish and Game Protective Association, for 1909. It is rather surpris- ing that this important branch of zoology has been neglected so long by our West Virginia naturalists. As an opportunity for the scientific investigator and collector the field is full of interest while to the economic nature student it is no less attractive. A large part of the living of the early settler was derived from the meat and furs of wild animals while his crops and flocks were menaced constantly by squirrels, deer, bears, wolves and other wild mammals. Present day conditions have changed the relation which the wild animals formerly bore to man but at the same time they have created new problems of a similar mature. There are many mammals, especially among the rodents, that thrive and multiply in cleared, or partly cleared lands. Some of these have become sources of great annoyance on account of the damage- that they do to cultivated crops; others, by reason of the numbers of tree seeds and nuts which they destroy, must have considerable influence on for- estry conditions; still others devour vast numbers of injurious insects and thus have a beneficial effect on the farm and in the forest. Altogether, both as regards the injuries they do us and the benefits we derive from them, wild mammals have had and continue to have an important part in shaping conditions under which men live, especially in agricultural districts. For several years the writer has at odd times collected data on this subject- and ventures to publish herewith a list of the known living and recently ex- tinct mammals of the State together with brief notes o,n the different species. The notes record a few original observations and many that are borrowed from other persons. With regard to many species only the most meager information seezns to be obtainable. This paper is published, not with the hope of adding greatly to our present knowledge on the subject, but, rather, to create if possible an interest Avhich will promote hunters, trappers and other observers to report any unusual or interesting occurrence of mammals that may be noticed in any part of the state. The abnormal increase or decrease of any species, the chance occurrence of rare forms, notable injuries done to farm crops or live stock by wild animals are all of interest and should be recorded permanently. It is hoped that the reader of these notes may be sufficiently interested to report any observations along this line to some one who will preserve the notes f^pr the use of future students of our State's biology. Virginia Opossum, Did'elpM& virginiana Kerr. Common in all parts of the State except in the higher mountain regions. In recent years has invaded the lower part of the Canadian zone, and, with the clearing away of the forests, may ultimately be found over the entire State. My most boreal records are of two killed by Mr. Frank Houchin at Cranberry Glades, Pocahontas county, in the winter of 1'908-09. The opossum is valuable for its fur, for food and as a scavenger. It is a robber of birds' nests "and an unwelcome visitor of poultry roosts. On the whole, it may probably be regarded as more beneficial than injurious. 66 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. Virginia Deer, Odccolieus americanus Exr. The Virginia deer and its northern subspecies, O. a. borealis, or northern Virginia deer, were once abundant in all sections of the State. It is still rather plentiful in some of our forest wilds and is justly esteemed as our finest game animal. Probably those that r"emain here are of the northern subspecies which is larger than the true Virginia * deer, with heavier horns and shows a greater contrast between the red summer coat and gray winter coat. The respective ranges of the two have never been worked out carefully within our limits. In early days venison and buckskin were almost indispensible articles in the home of the settler. Fortunately, deer were so plentiful that the supply of these commodities was usually ample. Many stories are told by old hunters which illustrate the former abundance of this animal. Mr. Van Buren Arbogast, who still lives at Durbin, Pocahontas county, has tilled, according to records he has kept, over 600 deer. Hu Maxwell states that in 1841 three men named Mace, Harper and Stalnaker, living in the upper end of Eandolph county, entered into a partnership to hunt to raise money to pay for land. They killed in one season 169 deer and 49 bears and carried the meat to Clover Lick where they sold it at three cents a pound. (History of Eandolph County, p. 296.) Emerson Carney, of Morgantown, writing to Forest and Stream, says that as late as 1900 a hunter named John Burner killed during the season 35 deer and 3 bears, besides other small game, all in the mountains of Pocahontas county. Such wholesale killing is, of course, deplorable and, at present, is impossible on account of the scarity of deer. The protective laws which we have at pres- ent, if continued and enforced, will doubtless result in the near future in an increased number of this and other species of game animals. Elk or Eastern Wapiti, Cerrus canadensis Exr.. This animal, although for many years extinct in our limits, was once of rather common occurrence in our higher mountain regions. Mr. Van Buren Arbogast, of Durbin, can remember when his father, Moses Arbogast, saw a herd of seven elk in that region in 1845. He remembers also that his father killed an elk on the head of the West Fork of Greenbrier river but does not recall the year. John P. Hale, in his book entitled "Trans-Allegheny Pio- neers," states that probably the last elk killed east of the Ohio river was killed by Billie Young, on Two Mile creek of Elk river, about five and a half miles from Charleston, in 1820. Hu Maxwell, in his history of Eandolph county, however, shows that elk were killed in West Virginia after that date. He states that one was shot by the wife of Thomas B. Summer field at a deer lick near the Sinks of Grandy, probably about 1830. Abraham Mullenix killed one near the same place sometime near 1835. About the year 1840 an elk was killed in Eandolph county near the mouth of Eed creek. According to Maxwell three elk were killed in Caanan valley (now Tucker county), by the Flanagans and Joab Carr about 1843. This is the last killing of elk in West Virginia that is recorded, so far as I am able to learn. The killing of the three in Caanan valley was two years previous to the seeing of the herd of seven, near Dnrbin, by Moses Arbogast and it is probable that others were killed later of which no records were kept. 1910J FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 67 American Bison or Buffalo, Bison bison Linn. There is little doubt that the buffalo once roamed in considerable numbers over the greater part of the State. Early historians record that these ani- mals were found in large herds along the valleys of the Ohio and Great Kanawha rivers. f ' It is said that vast herds of buffalo summered in Kanawha valley, in an early day, within reach of the Salt Springs, or 'Big Buffalo Lick/ as it was then called, and in the fall went to the grass regions of Ohio and Kentucky and the cane brakes of Kentucky streams. Their routes were — for Kentucky, down through Teay's valley, and for Ohio — down Kanawha to Thirteen-mile Creek, and over to Letart, where they crossed the Ohio river. Colonel Crogan, who came down the Ohio in a boat in 1765, encountered a vast migrating herd crossing at Letart." (John P. Hale in Trans-Allegheny Pioneers, p. 62). Hale says that the last buffalo killed in that region was by Archibald Price, on the waters of Little Sandy creek of Elk river, aobut twelve miles from Charleston, in 1815. Maxwell tells of a buffalo cow and calf that were discovered at a deer lick in Webster county about 1825. The calf was killed at the lick and the cow was followed to Valley Head, Randolph county, where she was shot. It is believed that no buffalo were killed in this State after that date. Carolina Gray Squirrel, Sciurus cwolinen&is. Gimelin. The common gray squirrel of all parts of the State except the higher mount- ain regions. This squirrel is somewhat migratory and will be excessively abundant in a locality for a while and will then become very scarce and remain so until the food supply, or some other condition, causes it to return. Valuable as a game animal. Frequently damages grain, especially corn in the roasting-ear. Black individuals of this species are occasionally found. Northern Gray Squurel,Sciurus carolinensis leucotis Gapp. Considerably larger than the Carolina gray squirrel and confined in its range to the higher mountains where in some places it is common. In October, 1896, I was with a hunting and collecting party that killed about thirty very fine specimens in a chestnut woods on the summit of Young's mountain, Pocahontas county. Black individuals occur also in this form. It was former- ly believed that the black squirrels belonged to a distinct species but it is now known that the black is but a color phase of the gray forms. Northern jt-ine or Red Squirrel, Sciurus hudsonicus gymniows Bangs. Very abundant in the spruce forests of our mountains. Feeds on seeds of spruce and hemlock. I observed them feeding extensively on buckeyes on the slopes of Black mountain in 1896. Southeastern Red Squirrel, JScwrus hud'so7iicas laquax Bangs. Occasionally met with in considerable numbers in the hilly and less ele- vated portions of the State -but is usually somewhat rare. Frequents open decidious woods and tree-bordered lanes. A chattering, meddlesome little busy-body that does not fear the passerby and never fails to fling him a challenge of some sort. Northern Fox Squirrel, Sciurus rufivemtris neglecvus Gray. Was once somewhat common but is now rarely met with. Inhabits decidious woods. Surber has taken a few spcimens near White Sulphur Springs. I have seen it at French Creek and in a beech woods near Edray. 68 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. It is possible that the western fox squirrel, S. rufivenier, may occasionally occur in the western part of the State. The fox squirrels, like our other species, need further study in order to determine their respective ranges. Ground Squirrel or Chipmunk, Tamias siriaius Linn. May be met with from the low river valleys to the spruce woods of our highest mountains. Occasionally becomes very abundant and sometimes does considerable damage by pulling young corn plants in the spring in an effort to get the grain of seed-corn on the root. Woodchuck or Ground Hog, Arctom-ys monax Linn. Common in most agricultural districts and is occasionally met with in for- ests remote from human habitations. Feeds on corn in the roasting-ear, which it procures by breaking down the stalks; is also fond of pumpkins, young beans, grass and other cultivated crops. Frequently gnaws and scratches the bark of young -fruit trees. Sometimes used as food and its hide is tanned in rural districts by crude, home-made processes, the tough light-colored leather which is obtained being used for gloves, strings, etc. \' ; Virginia Flying Squirrel, Sciuropterus volans Linn. Probably common in all parts of the State but is rarely seen on account of its nocturnal habits. A handsome and harmless little mammal which sleep* by day in hollow trees and comes forth at night to feed on nuts, seeds, etc. Has remarkable flying capacity for a mammal. Beaver, Castor canadensis sp. Once common but probably long since extinct within our limits. Hon. Andrew Price, of Marlinton, has informed me that there is a well- authenti- cated case of a beaver being killed in .Pocahontas county about 1907 but he supposes: it to have been an individual that had escaped from captivity at some unknown place. The many streams, mountains, and other natural features within the State that have the word "beaver" as a part of their name, indicates the general distribution of this mammal here in an early day. The same inference may be drawn in the case of elk, buffalos and other locally extinct mammals, from the number of times their names occur in the geography of the State. Cloudland Deer Mouse, Peromysous maniculatus nubiterrac Rhoads. Found only in the Canadian zone where it dwells in crevices of rocks, old logs and other hiding places in the dense, evergreen forests. I have trapped it at Spruce Knob, Cheat Bridge, Cranberry Glades, and in great numbers at "Hanging Rock," an old hunters' camp on the mountain ridge between Cherry and Cranberry rivers. This species has a much shorter tail than the deer mouse found on the lower levels and the color of the back and sides is more of a sooty brown. White Footed or Deer Mouse, Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis Fisch. This common and handsome little mouse of decidious woods is more often known by the name of "woods mouse" than any other. It is found in all parts of the State below the spruce belt. It lives in the woods but occasionally invades cleared lands where it sometimes enters houses, especially new build- ings near woodlands. The upperparts and sides are russet or fawn-colored and the underparts are pure white. The ears are large and the eyes large and 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 69 .bright. It is a nocturnal species, moving about by day only when disturbed. It is usually harmless although it sometimes steals a little grain and it is a great 'gnawer when it chances to enter a house. Surber 's Harvest Mouse, Reitlwodontomys lecontii impiger Bangs. The first specimens known of this form of a common, southern harvest mouse were taken at White Sulphur Springs by Thaddeus Surber. Specimens have since been collected in one or two other localities. This tiny mouse lives in open fields and is inoffensive in its habits. In 'its general appearance it resembles a white-footed' mouse but is much smaller. Pennsylvania Wood Eat, Neotoma pennsylv arnica Stone. This, our only native rat, was once far more common in West Virginia than it is at present. However, it is still abundant in a few localities. In early days it frequently came into the houses of settlers and had a habit of carry- ing away dried fruits and almost any other small object that it could get hold of. It was found to be very abundant at Franklin in the winter of 1909-10 where a large colony was living in a ledge of rocks near the town. They were present, but less plentiful, in the vicinity of Circleville. E. A. Goldman, of the U. S. Biological Survey, (N. A. Fauna No. 31) lists 11 specimens from Franklin, 1 from Hillsboro and 21 from White Sulphur Springs. It is remarkable that this rat, which for so many years had been a familiar animal to the early settlers of this section of the country, remained unknown to science until the year 1893 when Mr. Witmer Stone obtained a specimen in Cumberland county, Pa., and described it, bestowing the technical name given above. The Pennsylvania wood rat is somewhat larger than the common gray Nor- way rat. The upperparts are gray and the underparts white. Eyes large and bright, ears large and tail long and hairy. It constructs large nests of sticks and other rubbish in which it lives. A strong odor pervades the locality where a colony has its home. The food is nuts, dried fruits, grain and other vegetable matter. It also feeds on flesh and has a habit of gnawing old bones. It cannot be regarded as being seriously harmful. Eed-backed Mouse, Evotimys carolinemis. This mouse has been taken in nearly all localities where I have trapped in the spruce belt of this State. It is probably found also in the upper Transition zone. It was very abundant along the borders of Cranberry Glades and on Kennison mountain, Pocahontas county, in the summer and fall of 1909. Surber says of this mouse, ' ' Common in Canadian zone, in some places abund- ant. " The back is bright chestnut and the belly whitish. The tail is 1^ inches long, the entire length of the mouse being about 5% inches. It is active both day and night and in dark spruce forests may frequently be seen during the day running about over the ground or along moss-covered logs reminding one, in its motions, of a chipmunk. It feeds on nuts, seeds, wild fruits, leavei, insects, etc. This mouse is an interesting and inoffensive little animal. Common Meadow Mouse, Microtus penn-sylvanicus Ord. Probably better known to the average dweller in the country than any other animal of its class except the common house mouse. Found in all the cleared parts of the State; less frequently in the woods. Loves moist places and if 70 SECOND BIENNIAL BEPORT [W. VA. usually most abundant in the vicinity of water, though it ascends dry hill- sides and inhabits upland meadows in great numbers. I once trapped a specimen within a few yards of the summit of Spruce Knob, Pendleton county, the highest point in the State. This mouse spends most of its life above ground in runways which it ex- tends on the surface through grassy and weedy places. Its globular nests of fine grass are placed both above and under ground. There are usually underground burrows about its haunts which it is quick to enter when pursued by an enemy. The form of this mouse is thick and stout, with strong jaws. The upper parts of the body are gray -brown and the under-parts light gray washed with yellowish. A full-grown specimen is 5^ inches in length, the tail being 1^ inches in length. It feeds on vegetable matter and occasionally on insects. Frequently found in corn shocks that have been left standing in the field, where it feeds on the grain. Most of its food consists of grasses and is .prob- ably less injurious than is usually supposed. Eock Vole of Yellow-cheecked Meadow Mouse, Microtus chrotorrMnus Miller. Until recently this mouse was not known from any locality south of the Catskill mountains in New York. On August 8th, 1909, I trapped a specimen of the species near Cranberry Glades. It was caught under the side of a half-decayed log that lay on the bank of a stream a few rods above where the stream entered the glade. Afterward other collectors secured several specimen! in the same locality. This is a rare mammal and but little is known in regard to its habits. Northern Pine Mouse, Microtus pinetorum scalop&oidv$ A. & B. This very injurious mouse has been collected at White Sulphur Springs, Terra Alta, French Creek, Morgantown, Buckhannon and Peterstown and probably occurs in considerable abundance in all sections below the spruce belt. As compared with the common meadow mouse, this species is smaller, the tail shorter, the fur finer and shorter and it lives almost exclusively under- ground. It travels in burrows, made by itself and by moles, and feeds on fine roots, root bulbs, the bark of wood roots, etc. It often eats potatoes, lily bulbs and the bark from the roots of }oung fruit trees. The most injurious iu its habits of all the native mice. Muskrat, Fiber zibeihicus Linn. Common along water courses and in swampy lands throughout the State. Frequently forages in truck patches and gardens adjacent to streams of water. Its skras are sold in such numbers that it has become the most valuable fur- bearing animal found in the United States. Cooper's Lemming Mouse, Synaptomys cooperi Baird. This mouse, by a casual observer, might be mistaken for a common meadow mouse. Its tail, however, is much shorter, being only five-eighths of an inch in length, and the fur is softer and fuller. It is a rare mouse in most locali- ties. Surber has collected it at White Sulphur Springs. I trapped several specimens in mouse roads through the beds of sphagnum moss in Cranberry Glades and have taken it also along a little woodland stream at French Creek. It is said to feed on the stems of grasses, clover, etc. It is not seriously in- jurious in its habits. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 71 Meadow Jumping Mouse, Zapus lino's onius Zimm. I have records of this mouse, or its subspecies, americanus, from French Creek and Sherrard. Unfortunately no skins have been preserved and the records are indefinite. Woodland Jumping Mouse, Zapus insignis Mill. I have collected this beautiful little creature at French Creek, Cranberry .Glades and at the foot of Turkeybone mountain ,in Kandolph county. It is said by Surber to be fairly common, but locally distributed, in the Canadian zone. I have found it very rare except in the vicinity of Cranberry Glades, where, in the summer of 1909, it seemed fairly abundant. The jumping mice are about the size of the common house mouse but have tails almost twice as long. They are reddish-brown or yellowish-brown above and pure white beneath. The hind feet are very large, the head small and the form and coloring throughout graceful and delicate. The woodland jumping mouse may be distinguished from the meadow jumping mouse by its slightly larger size, larger ears and by having a white tip to the tail. When dis- turbed the mice of both species make prodigious leaps but in -spite of thii are rather easily caught as they do not seek holes in which to hide as do moit mice when alarmed. Their manner of jumping is responsible for the name "kangaroo mouse" by which they are frequently known. In the fall^ai cold weather approaches these mice find some snug nest in which they curl up and sleep over winter. So far as is known at present they are entirely harmless. Canada Porcupine or "Hedgehog," EretJiizon dorsaium Linn. There is little doubt that the porcupine was formerly found in considerable numbers in our higher mountain regions but it has now become very rare 'or entirely extinct. I have several uneonferred reports of porcupines being- seen or killed here in recent years. Dr. J. W. Hartingan, of Morgantown, has informed me that several years ago Mr. Thule Dolton killed a porcupine in a stone ledge near his home in Monongalia co-unty. Dr. Hartgian purchased the specimen for fifty cents and had the skin mounted. Afterward some boys stole the specimen and carried it away. Authentic records of the occurrence of this species .are very much desired. Virginia Varying Hare; White Babbit, Lepsus aniericanus virginianus Har, This interesting species is our only representative of a large group of vary- ing hares that inhabit practically all the northern and western parts of the North American continent. In summer the coat of this rabbit is rusty brown and in the winter white. In its distribution in West Virginia it is confined to the laurel beds and dense spruce woods of the higher mountain districts. Occasionally, during long continued cold weather, these rabbits will appear about settlements, in the vicinity of high mountains, where their presence create! no little interest. The Bureau of Biological Survey has recorded but one West Virginia specimen. This was collected at Travelers Kepose, Pocahontas county. Dur- ing several collecting trips made to the higher parts of this State I have kept a constant lookout for white rabbits but have never seen a specimen. It 'is- reported by hunters as being rather abundant in places on Shavers mountain,, also on Black mountain. Mr. George Leichter has informed me that he 72 SECOND BIENNIAL BEPORT [W. VA. was with a party of hunters in the fall of 1908" that killed three on Bed Run, a tributary of Cranberry river. W. O. Johnson, of Romney, reports that he has seen a number during recent years in Caanan valley, Tucker county. This rabbit is considerably larger than the common cottontails. It is shy and a swift runner so that it escapes both the eye of the hunter and the fleetness of the dog. Reports on its occurrence in different localities are much desired. Eastern Cottontail, Sylvilagus floridamis mallurus Thomas. The eastern cottontail rabbit is apparently confined, chiefly, in its distribu- tion in West Virginia to the regions east of the Allegheny mountains. The common cottontail of our eastern and southeastern counties probably belongs to this subspecies. It is occasionally found west of the mountains, as Mr. W. E. Nelson, of the Biological Survey, records 9 specimens from Wetzel county (N. A. Fauna No. 29.) There is little doubt that the western part of its range overlaps that of the next subspecies. In addition to the specimens from Wetzel county, Nelson records 8 from Pendleton county and 2 from Greenbrier county. Mearn Cottontail, Sylvilagus floridawus inea/rii&i Allen. This subspecies is indistinguishable from the one just described except on close examination of a number of specimens representing both. The ears of Mearn 's cottontail are slightly shorter than those of the eastern cottontail, the hindfeet being longer and the upperparts paler and more grayish. Its range in West Virginia, as given by Nelson, is the western part of the %State. New England Cottontail, Sylvilagus trcmmtionalis< Bangs. A comparatively narrow strip of country extending from Maine south to northern Georgia is the range of this rabbit. In West Virginia it is found chiefly along the Allegheny mountains. The Bureau of Biological Survey has recorded 2 specimens from Travelers Repose and 4 from Greenbrier county. Surber says it is tolerably common throughout the mountain region of the State. As compared with the two rabbits last described, this species is of about the same si2e, the ears are smaller, there is a distinct black spot between the ears and more pinkish buffy about the head and sides. There is- also a marked difference in the shape of the skull. It is said to be more of a forest-inhabit- ing species than the others. So nearly do the three resemble each other, however, that the average hunter might bag examples of all and never suspect that he had anything more than ' ' common Tabbits. " The ranges of these species and subspecies have never been worked out care- fully for this State. From a scientific standpoint it is desirable that this be done but economically it matters little since the habits of all are very similar Panther or Adirondack Cougar, Felis couguar Kerr. The panther is believed by many to be extinct within our limits but "there is a probability that a few still exist in our more secluded forests. I have several reports of panthers having been seen in recent years which seem impos- sible to discredit. It must be confessed however, that after tracing down numerous "panther stories" the proof of their presence in the State at this time is not entirely convincing. This big cat once roamed through all the forests of West Virginia and fed SCENE ON THE LITTLE BLACKWATER EIVER. — Through Courtesy of the West Virginia Geological Survey. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 73 on deer and smaller animals. It seldom attacked man but frequently killed domestic animals. Canadian Lynx, Lynx canadensis Kerr. There is little doubt that this species once frequently straggled into West Virginia from the forests farther to the north but it is doubtful if it ever occurred here in great abundance. It is admitted to this list on the strength of statements made by old hunters of its former occurrence in our high mountains and on its known range in Pennsylvania which extended to the southern border of the State. Wild Cat or Eastern Bay Lynx, Lynx ruffus Gueld. Once abundant everywhere but now met with commonly only in our larger and more remote forest districts. Occurs rarely and irregularly in many old farming districts. Wild cats are a terror to the harmless wild life of the forest. They catch great numbers of smaller mammals and birds that frequent the ground. They have even been known to kill deer. Poultry, young pigs and lambs often fall a prey to them. Their fur is of but little value and in their habits there is ilttle to recommend them to the mercy of the farmer of hunter. Gray Fox, Urocyon cintreoarg 'enteus Schreber. Originally this was the only fox found by the pioneers of West Virginia. It was distributed generally, though preferring the less elevated sections of the State. It is still common in some places and entirely absent in others. Surber pays it is increasing in abundance in the mountains. Its thievish habits in the poultry yard and its lust -for game and song birds makes it deserving of the bad name it bears. Eed Fox, Vulpes fulvus Des. It is probably something more than a century since the red foxes began to be noticed in West Virginia by the settlers. There are still many old hunters living who can remember their first appearance in certain sections. It is believed to have invaded the State from the north but from just how far north it originally began to spread southward is uncertain. There are some naturalists who believe it has descended from red foxes imported form Europe in colonial times. Eed foxes are now met with in some localities where no gray foxes have been seen for years, in other localities the grays are present and the reds absent while in still other localities both are more or less common. The valuable fur of the red fox has led to its being persistently sought after by hunters with hounds, traps and guns and the wonder is that any are left. Domestic fowls, birds and small mammals are its food. Gray Wolf or Timber Wolf, Canis mexico/nus nubilus Say. An inhabitant, in early days, of all parts of the State, now almost cer- tainly extinct within our limits. What is supposed to have been the last gray wolf in West Virginia was killed in Randolph county by Stofer Hamrick in January, 1900. Otter, Lutra canaden&is Schreber. This animal although once fairly common has now almost disappeared from our State. It is still met with occasionally along some of the larger moun tain streams. Fur very valuable. 74 SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. Common Skunk or "Pole Cat," Mephitis mephitis putidw, Cuv. Bather abundant in all parts of the State. Found in the farming districts of the lower elevations and more rarely in the forests of our higher mountains. I found one lying dead in a path through the dense spruce woods on the sum- mit of Black mountain in October, 1896. Have trapped them near the head of Williams river in a forest remote from any human habitation. Were abundant in the vicinity of Cranberry Glades in the winter of 1908-9. -This is one of our few wild animals that is constantly variable in color, ranging from almost pure white to black. It is usually nocturnal in its activities but may be seen occasionally wandering about in old fields in the evening before darkness has fallen. The young are very pretty little creatures but they soon become unapproachable on account of the disgusting odor which they emit when disturbed. This skunk occasionally raids poultry roosts and does some damage also by robbing the nests of ground-dwelling birds. These injuries are more than compensated for, however, by the value of its fur and by its destruction of noxious insects. At some seasons of the year its chief food, in farming districts, consists of white grubs, May beetles, crickets, grasshoppers and other insects that it finds about the surface of the ground. In the summer and fall of 1909 skunks dug out and destroyed innumerable underground nests of one of the common yellow jackets, (Ve&pa vulgarise), in the central and western sections of the State. Alleghenian Spotted Skunk, Spilogale putorius Linn. Recorded only from the lower parts of the southern and southeastern sec- tions of the State. Thaddeus Surber has taken it at White Sulphur Spring* where he says it is very rare. Alexander Wolf, a fur buyer of Huntington, says he gets a few skins of this species every year, mostly from the valley of the Big Sandy river. At Franklin, Pendleton county, spotted skunks have been rather common for several years. 17 skins of this skunk were seen in two stores at Franklin in January, 1910. T. J. Bowman, who lives near that town, caught four in two weeks trapping in the winter of 1909-10. A skin of one of these is in my possession. It is reported by trappers as being found all along the -valley of the South Branch of the Potomac although it is everywhere out- numbered'by the larger species of skunk. The pelts of the striped- skunks sell in the country stores at about 50 cents each while those of the common skunk are worth several times as much. The spotted skunk is but little more than half the size of the more common species. It is rather handsome, being black with spots and broken stripes of white along the back and sides. The bushy tail has a white tip. It has the offensive odor common to skunks, which it is very free to make use of when disturbed. Hunters have told me that when chased by dogs it will some- times climb a straight tree to a height of 50 feet or more. This animal commonly goes by the name of "civit cat" which is a misnomer, as that name belongs more oppropriately to the American civit cat, a raccoon like animal that inhabits Mexico and the southeastern part of the United. States. Notes on the range of this skunk in West Virginia are desired. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 75 Mountain Mink or Black Mink, Putorws vison Schreber. Found only in our more boreal regions. Surber says it occurs only in the spruce belt. Frank Houchin has taken it in the vicinity of Cranberry Glades where, he states, it wanders farther and more constantly away from streams of water than the brown mink described next. Smaller than the brown mink and the color a darker shade of brown, in some cases being almost black. Brown Mink or Common Mink, Pulorius vison lutreocephalus Harlan. The common mink of hilly regions and lowlands in all parts of the State. Frequents water courses, large and small, but is especially fond of hunting along the banks of small woodland streams. Their long journeys are made mostly by night but they may occasionally be seen moving about by day. Ai a boy, I trapped many minks and regarded no bait for the purpose as being so good as a piece of freshly killed rabbit. Occasionally visits chicken roosts but most of the food consists of small mammals and other forms of animal life that it finds along str-eams. New York Weasel, Putorius noveboracensis Emmons. The common weasel found in almost every locality. In the colder mountain districts white individuals are found occasionally in winter. Farther north the color is always white in winter and brown in summer. In the Austral and Transition zones of this State the color is brown throughout the year but the winter pelage is a lighter shade of bro.wn than that of summer. Kills poultry, rabbits and other small mammals and birds. Its victims are often bitten about the head or throat and only the blood taken. Pennant 's Martin or Fisher, Mustela pennanti Erx. Fifty years ago it was not uncommon for the fisher or "black fox" to be taken in our forests. Of late years it has become very rare and may extinct within our limits. Mr. E. C. Barrett, of -Beckley, has informed me that he bought three fisher skins from Moses Stover, one in 1871, one in 1872 and one in 1873, paying for them $3.00, $3.50 and $5.00. Stover caught the three animals on Clear Fork of Big Coal river. These were the last heard of in that section of the State. In an early day fishers were often caught in log traps set by trappers for bears. They are accredited by old hunters of being so active that they could take the bait from a log bear-trap and spring out before the cover of the trap dropped into place. They also annoyed trappers greatly by following linei of traps of other kinds and stealing the bait, without getting caught. Eaccoon or. Coon, Procyon Lotor Linn. Found in considerable numbers in many parts of the State. Abundant in the larger forests. A lover of roasting-ears. Coon hunting by night with dogs, ax and gun has furnished delightful sport to the boys and men of almo«t every rural district. The fur is valuable. Black Bear, Ur&us americanus Pallas. Once common but now restricted, as a rule, to the forest covered mountain*. Stragglers are occasionally seen in the more populous farming districts where their presence causes great local excitement. The bear was an animal of considerable economic importance to the early 76 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. settler. It furnished him with fur and meat and in return killed his pigs, sheep and other live stock. Eeports of depredations in farming districts situ- at^ed near to large wooded tracts are still heard. Twenty-five sheep belong- ing to Mr. W. 0. John scon were killed by bears in the Caanan valley in the year 1908. Common Shrew or Masked Shrew, Sorex personaiua Geoff. S. H. Found in marshy places and damp woods in the higher parts of the State. I- have collected it at Pickens, French Creek and Cranberry Glades. This is the smallest of our mammals. Including its relatively long tail, it measures only a little over four inches in length. Most of its life is speat under ground. Its food is chiefly insects and other low forms of animal life. Like all the shrews, this species may be regarded as being beneficial on account of the injurious insects which it devours. Smoky Shrews, Sorex fumeus Miller. This shrew has been taken wherever I have trapped in suitable places within the Transition and Canadian zones. It is often found in company with personatus but is rather more abundant than that species. Have collected it at French Creek, Cranberry Glades, Terra Alta, Pickens, Oscela, and in other localities. The Smoky shrew is slightly larger than the common shrew but otherwise resembles it quite closely. Its habits are much the same. These shrews, on account of their diminutive size and retiring habits, are rarely seen even in localities where they are abundant. Their size, very small eyes, pointed nose and soft, silken fur will serve to distinguish them from all species of mice, and their long tails from the two shrews described next. Short-tailed Shrew, Blarina brevicauda Say. Common everywhere in woods, fields and about gardens and lawns, may be distinguished from moles by its much smaller size and small, mouse-like forefeet. Eats great numbers of injurious insects. Little Brown Shrew, Blarina parva Say. Has been collected at White Sulphur Springs by Thaddeus Surber. Smaller than the short-tailed shrew. Sepia brown above and ash gray beneath. Habits are supposed to agree with those of other shrews. Naked-tail Mole, Scalpos aquaticus Linn. I have no records of this mole from West Virginia but from its known dis- tribution in other states it should be found in our counties lying east of the Allegheny mountains. Very similar to the next species except that the tail is not hairy. Brewer 's Mole or Hairy-tail Mole, Parascalops breiveri Bach. The common mole of all our region east of the Allegheny mountains, live underground and feeds almost exclusively, on an animal diet. Earthworms are one of its favorite foods although it takes grub-worms and other sub- terranean insects. In making its burrows through the soil it frequently casts out the earth and forms small mounds on the surface of the ground. Its large, hand-like forefeet, pointed nose, small eyes and silken fur are too well known to require further description. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 77 Star-nose Mole, Cond-ylura cristaia Linn. Found in damp places in the Canadian and Transition zones. 'l collected one specimen on the bank of Big Bun, Pendleton county, and saw one other near Osceola in June, 1908. Dr. John L. Sheldon, of the West Virginia Uni- versity, caught a specimen near Morgantown a few years ago. This mole is darker in color than the other two., described and has a peculiar formation of radiating filaments on the nose which gives the species its name. Little Brown Ba.t, Myotis lutifugus LeC. Common in all parts of West Virginia. Apparently very little collecting of bats has been engaged in in this state, and the published notes in regard to their distribution here are very meager. I have found this species abundant at French Creek and Morgantown. Say's Bat, Myolus subulaius Say. Two specimens of this bat were collected at Aurora by Dr. C. Hart Merriam, of the U. S. Biological Survey. Silver-haired Bat, Lasionycteris noctivagans LeC. This bat is distributed from the Atlantic to the Pacific but probably doe« not breed south of the Transition zone. Surber lists it from the forest* of the State. Georgian Bat, Pipi&trellus subflavus Cuv. Surber says this species is very common in some sections. Brown Bat, Ve&periilo fuscus Beau. Found in all parts of the United States south of the Boreal zones. Surber reports it as common. Eed Bat, Lasiurus borealis rMull. Inhabits eastern parts of North America. Surber says "somewhat com- mon. ' ' In addition to the native species of mammals above we have the common house mouse, Norway rat and black rat which are European immigrants to America. The house mouse and Norway rat are excessively common and the black rat less abundant. SOME REMARKS ON THE GAME MAMMALS OF WEST VIRGINIA. With an Annotated List of all Species Found in the State. BY THADDEUS SURBER, WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. VA. Owing to its geographical position and the altitude of its mountains natural- ists recognize three life zones in West Virginia. The Boreal or Canadian Zone comprises all .those mountain tops which rise above 3,000 or 3,500 feet and therefore includes the entire black spruce belt and this zone is surrounded on all sides by the Transition Zone which comprises all the less lofty mountain! of the entire eastern and southern half of the state. The remainder of the state, consisting of all the western and northwestern counties is included within the Upper Austral Zone. We can therefore easily understand that not only the fauna but the flora also is of widely diversified character. 78 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPOET [W. VA. Characteristic mammals of the Canadian zone are the white hare, jumping mouse, red-backed mouse, New York weasel, black mink, fisher and red squirrel, the first four species being restricted1 to this zone. As we descend from the Canadian into the Transition Zone wTe find the two species of cotton-tail rabbits, the little dark northern form inhabiting the cold northern slopes of the mountains, the southern form, which is characteristic of the Austria! zone, prefering for its habitat the southern slopes of the mountains and the open fields, while the little striped skunk, harvest mouse and opossum, characteristic of the Upper Austral region, push upward into the Transition from the south- ern -and western sections of the state. Consequently we find the Transition zone the most productive of species, both the northern and southern forms here overlapping in their geographical ranges. By means 01 collections made in the state during the past twenty years I have been able to assemble a list of 57 species and subspecies of mammals, the game and fur bearing consisting of 30 species while the remaining 27 species consists of mice, bats, moles and shrews. This list does not include two important species of big game which became extinct early in the nine- teenth century, the last buffalo having been killed on a branch of Elk river in 1815, while the last elk was killed early in the 40 's in Randolph county, though the last animal of this species killed in the Kanawha Valley was shot about 51/2 miles from Charleston in 1820. Taking our animals in the order of their importance we must first consider the Virginia deer. This is by far the most important, in fact, with the exception of the bear, the only big game we can boast, and. the mountains of the eastern section of the state are its natural home, where it formerly roamed in almost countless numbers. About fifteen years ago it looked as though it would only be a matter of time till it became extinct, but within the past five years it has increased greatly in numbers in certain sections, and my opinion is that if the sale of venison is absolutely prohibited and the season for killing it shortened to one month its former abundance would in great measure be restored. The destruction of our magnificient forests by the lum- berman and fire has resulted jn the growth of an immense area of scrub, almost impenetrable thickets of it, to which deer naturally resort, and if some legislation looking to the abolishment of forest fires is had in the near future, the deer, which has changed to this environment, will increase very rapidly. The deer of the black spruce region are much larger than those found in the lower ranges and compare very favorably with those found in Maine and New York, and they invariably have dark Thrown antlers, whereas those from the lower ranges of the Alleghenies have very light colored antlers. Now that deer farming is being taken up in various sections of the country it is to be earnestly hoped that some enterprising sportsman, or game club will take it up in this state, as there are thousands of acres of mountain land apparently no good for any purpose but which would prove wonderfully productive along this line. It has been proven that twenty deer can be kept at the cost of one cow. The only other species of big game found in this state is the black bear but it is such an elusive animal that it is hard to guage its relative abundance, when such abundance depends almcst wholly on the supply of mast in the region it inhabits, for if the mast and berry crop is a failure he-re it will 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 79 migrate even as far as the Cumberland mountains from, for instance, such a region as the Cheat mountains, in search of it. It is an animal which loves to frequent dense thickets, but unless those thickets are in proximity to an abundance of favorite food it is useless to look for them there. Till quite recently I was under the impression they were actually increasing in numbers, or at least holding their own, but this season and last I have been compelled to modify my opinion somewhat. While they are destructive to sheep and hogs to a limited extent I believe the damage actually done is over estimated. An animal closely related to the bear is the raccoon, a great favorite with those sportsmen who enjoy night hunting with properly trained dogs. This animal actually increases with the settling up of the country and is found in close proximity to even our larger towns. Those found in the black spruce belt are very large and some of them nearly black, yet I saw one taken in that region a few years ago which was a pale straw color, a form of albinism. ' Another favorite with sportsmen of nocturnal proclivities is that famed southern animal the 'possum, which, in West Virginia is found in the mount- ains up to an altitude of 3,000 feet, but very seldom, if ever beyond. Of the rabbits (or more properly hares) this state is blessed with three forms, the rarest being the big white fellow restricted to the Canadian zone in the black spruce belt above ^4,000 feet altitude. It is^as gray as its smaller kin in the summer season. With the destruction of our spruce forests it is gradually becoming extinct and will be replaced in the' course of time by the little northern cottontail. The large southern cottontail rabbit is found every- where over the western and northwestern half of the state and occurs with the smaller and darker northern form on the mountains about White Sulphur Springs and beyond, the two forms however frequenting different surroundings. The greatest enemy of the cottontails is the fox, and the gray fox on the mountains near White Sulphur have almost exterminated them. Thousands of young rabbits are destroyed every spring by forest fires occuring at that season, but later on fires do comparatively little damage to the adults. Of the squirrels the most desirable, and at the same time the rarest form, is the big handsome fox squirrel. The form inhabiting this region is re- stricted at the present day to the oak groves of the eastern counties from about Greenbrier northward and is found nowhere else, except in Dauphin and Cum- berland counties, Pennsylvania. It should be protected by the game laws of the state for an indefinite period. The most common squirrel, however, is the southern gray squirrel occurring over a greater portion of the state, but the herds of squirrels which, at regular intervals, migrate here, are mostly of the northern form. Of these migratory thousands a certain number are coal black (melanistic), but I have never observed this dark phase among specimens of the southern form. Squirrels do not migrate great distances, but apparently overflow from one region into another in search of food, made necessary by the failure of the nut crop in their home woods, and those which escape the ceaseless slaughter of countless hunters are apt to return the following season to the region from whence they came. The woodchuck, or ground hog, is probably more common in the limestone region of the state than elsewhere, and is hunted to a considerable extent, af- fording as it does most excellent rifle practice. With the exception of the beaver and porcupine it is' our regular rodent. 80 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. Years ago the wolf and panther were found in considerable numbers, but are now nearly extinct, very few indeed remaining, and these only in the wildest, unsettled districts of the Yew mountains. At the present time the beaver is probably extinct, yet it is just barely pos- sible a few yet linger as •" bank beaver" in the most secluded sections, for a few still linger in southwestern Virginia and Western North Carolina. An- other of our most valuable fur bearing animals, the otter, is fast nearing ex- tinction. Next in value to the beaver and otter is that southern representa- tive of the famed sable, the fisher marten or black fox, a few of wrhich still linger in the black spruce belt; they are extremely wary, shun the neighbor- hood of civilization, and are almost entirely arboreal in habits living to a great extent on the red squirrel. The large brown mink is still comparatively common, except in the Canadian zone where it is replaced to a great extent by the smaller black mink. Living almost exclusively on fish, wrhere it can procure them, it is one of the greatest enemies of our trout, and should be exterminated along all streams inhabited by this game fish. An animal of even more' aquatic habits than the mink is the muskrat, but it does no damage to fish, its principal food consisting of aquatic plants and grasses, with an1 occasional inroad on the corn field; it is probably most annoying as an expert excavator of pond and ditch embankments. This state is cursed with a goodly number of both red and gray foxes, the latter being the most common. With the assistance of the wild cat these two animals destroy more' small game, both furred and feathered, than all the hunters in the state combined. In the eastern section of the state compara- tively little fox hunting is done owing to the scarcity of good hounds, conse- quently the gray fox has multiplied so rapidly that the doom of the rabbit, wild turkey and grouse is foreseen at an early date unless something is done to check them. Before the hounding law went into effect, and sheep owners ' ' had thrown a fit, ' ' so to speak, foxes were held in check, as fox hunters were then not afraid of starting deer if their hounds accidently ran into one's haunts, and then again the law did not stand behind every sheep owner in the state simply because he wanted to kill somebody's hound, for an offense more often fancied than real. Kegarding our small mammals not much can be said. They perform their several parts in the balance of nature, some being beneficial, others distinctly harmful to agriculture. Perhaps the most interesting forms are the little striped skunk (our most beautiful animal), the jumping mouse or "jerboa," the lemming mouse, brown shrew (the tiniest of our animals) and the star- nosed mole. For publication with these remaks, an annotated list of mammals of the state is attached herewith, which it is hoped will prove of some value as a means of future reference. 1. Virginia Opossum (Didlephis virginiana). Common over greater por- tion of the state except in the Canadian zone. 2. Virginia Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Common in eastern central counties. 3. Common Cotton-tail Babbit (Lepus floridanus mallurus). Common ev- erywhere, except in sections of the Canadian zone. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 81 4. Northern Cotton-tail (Lepus floridanus transitionalis) . Is tolerably common throughout the mountain region. 5. White Babbit (Lepus amerieanus virginianus). Bather rare, being re- stricted to the Canadian zone. 6. Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatus). Extremely rare. 7. Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius). Mr. Fred E. Brooks re- ports it from sections of the Canadian zone. 8. Woodland Jumping Mouse (Zapus insignis roanensis). Fairly common, but locally distributed in the Canadian zone. 9. Cooper's Lemming Mouse (Synaptomys cooperi). A rather rare mam- mal wherever found, occurs at White Sulphur. 10. Bed-backed Mouse (Evotomys carolinensis). Common in the Canadian zone, in some places abundant. 11. Common Meadow Mouse (Microtus pennsylvanicus). Occurs every- where in the agricultural districts, abundant. 12. Pine ivlouse (Microtus pinetorum). Common in the Austral and Tran- sition zones but not in the Canadian; of subterranean habits; common. 13. Muskrat (Fiber zibethicus). Common along all the streams. 14. Allegheny Cave Bat (Neotoma pennsylvanica) . Abundant in some sections of the Alleghenies, living in caves in the mountain cliffs, and as good, or even better, than the gray squirrel for food. 15. Surber's Harvest Mouse (Beithrodontomys lecontii impiger). Known to occur only in the neighborhood of White Sulphur Springs, but no doubt occurs more commonly in the Austral zone. t 16. White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). Abundant all through the mountains and elsewhere over the state. 17. Canadian White-foot Mouse (Peromyscus canadensis spJ). Has been reported by Mr. Fred E. Brooks as occurring in Greenbrier, Pocahontas and other counties of the state, but so far I have failed to secure it. 18. House Mouse (Mus musculus). 19. Brown Bat (Mus norvegicus). 20. Black Bat (Mus rattus). These three species of introduced, or Old World, forms, are everywhere abundant and a nuisance. 21. "Beaver (Castor canadensis). Probably extinct. 22. Woodchuck; Ground Hog (Archtomys monax). More or less common throughout the state, particularly the limestone region. 23. Ground Squirrel (Tamias striatus). Abundant throughout the moun- tainous section, less common elsewhere. 24. Northen Fox Squirrel (Sciurus rufiventer neglectus). Bare, and re- stricted to the hardwood forests along the Alleghenies. 25. Southern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). Common; abundant at certain times. 26. Northen Gray -Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis leucotis). Common at times in the higher mountains; black squirrels belong to this form. 27. Northern Bed Squirrel (Sciurus hudsonicus gymnicus). Comparatively abundant in the black spruce belt. 28. Southern Bed Squirrel (Sciurus hudsonicus loquax). More or less rare. 82 SECOND BIENNIAL KEPORT [W. VA. 29. Flying Squirrel (Sciuropterus volans). Common throughout the state; nocturnal in habits. 30. Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda). Abundant in the mountain region and probably common throughout the state. 31. Little Brown Shrew (Blarina parva). Several specimens have been taken at White Sulphur Springs, and it undoubtedly occurs more commonly throughout the Upper Austral zone. 32. Long-tailed Shrew (Sorex personatus). Occurs abundantly through the Caradian zone but not below 3,500 feet. 33. Smcky Shrew (Sorex fumeus). Kather common in the colder parts of the Transition and more commonly in the Canadian zone. 34. Silver, or Naked-tail Mole (Scalops aquaticus). There is a doubt as to the occurrence of this s;ec:cs, yet its occurrence is probable in the Upper Austral zone. 35. Hairy-tailed Mole (Parascalops breweri). The common mole of the state; found everywhere. 36. Star-nosed Mole (Condylura cristata). A curous animal of aquatic habits, but found sparingly in the higher mountains. 37. Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus). Our most abundant species, oc- curring everywhere about buildings. 38. Large Brown Bat (Vespertilio fuscus). Common. 39. Georgia Bat (Pipistrellus subflavus). Very common; in some sections almost as much so q,s the little brown species which it closely resembles. 40. Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans). A somewhat rare form living more in the forest than the other species. 41. Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis). Somewhat common, and the handsomest of our bats. 42. Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus). Has been reported as occurring in this state but is a very rarp, migrant. 43. Otter (Lutra canadensis). Formerly common in the mountain region but now becoming rare. 44. Common Skunk (Mephitis putida). Common everywhere. 45. Little Striped Skunk, Civet Cat (Spilogale putorius). Very rare. Specimens have been taken only in the vicinity of White Sulphur Springs, but it undoubtedly occurs throughout the Kanawha valley and other sections of the upper Austral zone. 46. Black Mink (Putuorius vison). Occurs only in the black spruce belt and is more or less rare even there. 47. Brown Mink (Putorius vison lutreocephalus). Common throughout the mountain region. 48. New York Weasel; White Weasel (Putorius noveboracensis). Speci- mens have been reported from Hampshire county, but it is undoubtedly rare. 49. Common Weasel (Putorius noveboracensis notius). More or less com- mon in some localities, but not so much so as formerly. 50. Fisher, or Black Fox (Mustela pennanti). Very rare now; formerly occurred in some numbers in the black spruce region. 51. Eaccoon (Procyon lotor). Common more or less throughout the state. 52. Black Bear (Ursus americanus). Still found in some numbers in the mountainous sections but becoming less numerous than formerly. 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 83 53. Eed Fox (Vulpes fulvus). Bather common in some sections in the mountains. 54. Gray Fox (Urocyon cineoargenteus). Very common in the mountains and increasing in numbers. 55. Gray Wolf (Canis occidentalis). Almost extinct. A few may still occur in the black spruce belt. 56. Wild Cat; Catamount (Lyox rufus). Common throughout the moun- tainous section. 57. Panther (Felis concolor). Extremely rare even in the most remote sec- tions of the mountains. ARTIFICIAL PROPOGATION OF FISH AND ITS APPLICATION TO WEST VIRGINIA WATERS BY ROBERT K. ROBINSON The artificial propagation of fish in America was undertaken not a great many years ago. It was in 1864 that Seth Green, who has been justly called the "Father of American Fish Culture," constructed the first fish hatchery^ on the banks of Caledonia Creek in the State of New York, not far from the present city of Rochester. There in a little one-room building Mr. Green clearly demonstrated the possibility of raising fish in almost countless num- bers, by artificial methods. Therefore Seth Green's name will go down in American history as the discoverer of methods and the founder of an industry of great importance to the people of- this country. Inspired by Mr. Green's success, others took up the work of fish culture as a private enterprise. Notable among those interested in fish culture in its early days was Livingston Stone, who in 1876, at Charleston, N. H., established the first commercial fish hatchery in the United States. It remained, however, for Seth Green to give fish culture its greatest importance. This was done by developing methods for hatching fish of commercial value, or perhaps better known as the principal food fishes. This branch of fish culture soon began to develop, and several of the states soon took it up. The state of New Hampshire first established a fish commission in 1864, followed closely by the state of Massachusetts, and in 1871 the "United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries, through the efforts of Prof. Spencer F. Baird, was- created by Congress." From that time on up to the present, fish cultural work has been extended and has now become of such importance that practically every northern state, from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans, has its own fish com- mission and numerous hatcheries. The United States Bureau of Fisheries, as it is now known, has kept abreast of the times and is now operating some thirty-six permanent and ninety auxiliary and collecting stations, located in thirty-three states. During the past few years, under the efficient direction of lion. George M. Bowers, a native of West Virginia, the bureau of fisheries hpg rapidly developed, and the output of eggs and fish now exceeds three and one-half billions annually. 84 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. West Virginia has been very properly called the "birthplace of rivers." Almost innumerable streams, originating in the mountains, have their source at the very top of lofty mountain peaks, and flow in all directions, some send- ing their waters into the Atlantic ocean and some into the Gulf of Mexico. Amid these mountains and along these beautiful streams are scenes of nature unsurpassed in America. It is rather remarkable that some of these rivers were not stopped in their course to pause here and there to form great lakes and beautiful ponds, but nature has seen fit to allow them to proceed unmo- lested to the sea. The absence of large lakes in, and of similar bodies of water bordering on the state, has eliminated commercial fisheries of any particular value from West Virginia. However, there are to be found over one hundred species of fishes in the waters of the state, among them some of the finest and most valuable game and food fishes inhabiting the waters of the United States. The most important of the game fishes are the two species of black bass, viz., the small-mouth black bass and the large-mouth black bass; the brook trout, and the rainbow trout. The principal food fishes are the wall-eyed pike, white cat, channel cat, rock bass, white perch, suckers and a few others of value. All of these, with the possible exception of one or two, are supplied upon applica- tion to the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries, Washington, D. C. The black basses are quite well distributed throughout the state and are sought after by anglers as much, if not more, than any other game fish in the state. Dr. James A. Henshall, the author of the "Book of the Black Bass," in writing of this species, states: "The black bass is eminently an American fish; he has the faculty of asserting himself and jnaking himself completely at home wherever placed. He is plucky, game, brave and unyielding to the last when hooked. He has the arrow rush of the trout, the untiring strength and bold leap of the salmon, while he has a system of fighting peculiarly his own. He will rise to the artificial fly as readily as -the salmon or the brook trout, under the same conditions; and will take the live minnow, or other live bait, under any and all circumstances favorable to the taking of any other fish. I consider him, inch for inch and pound for pound, the gamest fish that swims. ' ' This fish, however, is not native to many streams of the state. It wras introduced into the headwaters of the Potomac about 1853, and later in other streams, and is now to be found in the principal streams of the state. The small-mouthed' black bass (Micropterus dolowieu) is found principally in the streams of the higher altitudes of the state. Streams of swift current and rocky bottom, like those of the Cheat river and Greenbrier river, are con- ditions favorable to this fish, while the large-mouth black bass (Micropterus salmoides} is more generally found in the lower altitudes and in streams of a more sluggish current. In the streams directly tributary to the Ohio river the large-mouth black bass is found to be more abundant than elsewhere in the state. The average size of the small-mouth black bass, caught in the streams of the state, is about one pound, while the largest caught, of which the writer has any authentic record, weighed five pounds and nine ounces. The average weight and size of the large-mouth bass will perhaps exceed slightly that of the, small-mouth bass. As there appears to be some difficulty, by many anglers in the state, in dis- tinguishing between the two species of black bass, the following is a short description as given by Jordan and Everman : Smallmouth black bass : 1910J FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 85 ''Mouth moderate, the maxillary in adult not extending beyond eye; scales small, about 17 rows on cheek; young more or less barred or spotted; never with a black lateral band." Large-mouth black bass: "Mouth very large, the maxillary in adult extending beyond eye; scales rather large, about 10 rows on cheek; young with a black lateral band." The rock bass (Anibloplites rupestris} can hardly be considered a game fish, yet it is not held in disfavor by the small boy nor even by the fisherman of more mature years. The rock bass appears to be especially adapted to many of the streams of the state and! should be more widely distributed. It attains an average weight of about one-half pound, and is a very desirable pan fish. The next in importance of the game fishes are the trouts, of which there are two species in West Virginia, viz., the brook trout (Salveliniis fonUnalis") and the rainbow- trout (Salmo irideus'). The brook trout, or mountain trout as it is locally called, is native to the wa- ters of West Virginia. It is found only in the smaller tributary streams and the extreme headwaters of some of the rivers in the mountain region of the state, and it most abundant in the counties of Tucker, Kandolph, Pocahontas, Webster, Nicholas and Greenbrier. The rainbow trout, an introduced fish, has about the same range in the state as the brook trout, although it is found in the lower headwaters of several of the large rivers and in some cases appears to have become firmly •established in and to be encroaching upon the territory occupied by the small- mouth black bass. The raibow trout is a most excellent game and food fish, attains a larger size than the brook trout, and is adapted* to waters of higher temperature. It prefers the deeper and more sluggish parts of a stream, and is generally caught on the artificial fly, or live minnow, at the heads of the pools. The best time for taking this fish appears to be between sundown and dark. One specimen, weighing six and one-half pounds, was taken from a small stream at Sweet Chalybeate Springs, Virginia, but the average weight is only about three-quarters of a pound. With the exception of the wall-eyed pike and some of the cat fishes, the coarser food fishes inhabiting the waters of the state have been left mostly to maintain themselves. Plants of wall-eyed pike (locally known as salmon) made in streams tributary to the Kanawha river appear to have been successful and it is believed the species are becoming more abundant in this river. A more general distribution of wall-eyed pike in the streams of the state will doubtless prove beneficial. What has been said of the wall-eyed pike may also be said of the cat fishes except that the cat is more generally distributed throughout the state. Three principal species of cat fish — the Mud cat, Blue cat, and Channel cat — are to be found in its waters. The twro former species inhabiting practically all of the larger streams, while the channel cat is found only in the cooler and swifter waters where there is a rocky bottom. Such common varities as the sucker and carp are found in nearly all the streams of the state, but the red horse is confined mostly to the Ohio river and streams tributary thereto. While these coarse varieties are of less value as food than the bass and the pike, yet they enter into the general food supply to a much greater extent than is generally believed, and their protection by law during the spawning period would result beneficially in two directions — by 86 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. increasing their numbers, and by prohibiting all fishing, and the consequent destruction of large numbers of the more valuable species during the closed season. One of the most important questions before the people of West Virginia is the conservation of the natural resources of the state, particularly the forests. Upon the solution of this question naturally rests the final success or failure to successfully stock and maintain the fishes in the streams of the state. Greed and indifference along these lines has wrought destruction and brought about a rapid decline in the supply of fresh water fishes in almost every state in the Union, West Virginia being no exception. It has only been within the last few years that this decline in the supply of these fishes has been arrested in some of the states by the extensive fish cultural work conducted by the Federal and State governments. Under such conditions as in many states exist, we should not expect the fishes of our waters to survive, much less increase in numbers. I know of no state where the stocking of streams with fish produced by artificial methods applies so well as it does in West Virginia. Until recent years the more common food fishes were abundant, but with the great industrial development of the state, of which we are justly proud, have come evils which have wrought destruction, practically destroying aquatic life in many streams and working great injury in others. The logging methods have undoubtedly seriously effected the condition of many streams, while drainage from mines and refuse from tanneries have destroyed and rendered uninhabitable the aquatic life in many others. In some cases the pollution of streams may not seriously effect the ^ife of the fish inhabiting them, but the indirect effect — the destruction of the natural food upon which they subsist, is as detrimental as though life of the fish were directly affected. When a stream is once prop- erly stocked with the fish best adapted to its waters the abundance of fish to be thereafter maintained will, undoubtedly, be in direct proportion to the natural food supply and the protection given them. Therefore the three di- visions of this subject, natural fish propagation, natural food supply, and pro- tection, are about equally important. The condition of the streams of the state, in general, appear to be slowly improving, and especially is this true in regard to the smaller mountain streams. Many streams draining various territories, and in which trout and other fishes formerly existed, are no longer polluted, lumbering and mining op- erations having ceased. Such streams can be easily stocked, and restored to their once former condition with regard to fish life, with the assurance that reproduction will resume normal condiitions. It is also true that in the ab- sence of polluting materials, or substances, the natural food upon which the fish subsist will again re-establish itself and the stream will also become nor- mal in this respect. It is pleasing to note the changing conditions for the better. By artificial propagation and with the aid of natural reproduction, the time is not far distant when the fishing can be practically held good, and the streams which have been fished out can be restocked with assurances of success. But such conditions must be largely brought about and maintained by the artificial propagation of fish suited to such waters. Protection, however, is of very great importance in maintaining the fish in the streams of the state, and. upon this largely depends success in restocking 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 87 the streams. West Virginia DOW has an excellent game and fish law, in fact, the best the state has ever had. It is not only a good law, but by the present system it is being better observed and better enforced than ever before. Some provisions of that law, doubtless, could be strengthened to the advantage to the people of the state in the better protection and preservaion of the game and fish, but never should it be weakened in any of its provisions. The longer this law is in force the more it should gain in the favor of the citizens of the state. In conclusion, a bright future may be predicted for the sportsmen, and the people of West Virginia in general, who are interested in game animals, birds, and fishes. The problems are numerous and difficult, but they will be solved. The interests of the lumberman, the miner, and the tanner and the sportsmen will alike be protected by wise legislation on the part of the State Legislature. There is every reason to believe that this good work now begun will be con- tinued with success. GAME BIRDS OF WEST VIRGINIA No better article has ever been written on the game birds of West Vir- ginia than that by Rev. Earl A. Brooks, which was read at the Charleston meet- ing of the West Virginia Fish and Game Protective Association, in the year of 1909. Rev. Brcoks has made the subject of birds and their habits a life study, and is, without doubt, the best informed man in the country on this subject. The article referred to is as follows: ''In our most recent law for the protection of birds, which was passed by the Legislature in 1907, it is said, 'For the purpose of this act the following only shall be considered game birds; the Anatidee, commonly known as swans, geese, brant, and river and sea ducks; the Rallidae, commonly known as rails, coots, mud-hens and gallinules; the Limicolae, commonly known as shore birds, plovers, surf birds, snipe, wood-cocks, sandpipers, tatlers and curlews; the Gallinae, commonly known as wild turkeys, grouse, prairie chickens, pheasants, partridges and quails.' "Technically speaking, therefore, and from the standpoint of our law, the games birds of West Virginia are all included in the two large families and the two great orders of birds mentioned above. It is the purpose of tEis paper to speak in some detail of these orders and families mentioning many of the species, and dwelling at some length on the gallinaceous birds, which to most of us, are the game birds par excellence. While it is true that in some parts of the State, especially in the migration seasons, some water birds and shore birds are found, and a few of our sportsmen are interested in duck shooting and snipe shooting, by far the greater number are interested in Ruffed Grouse and the Bob-white, for these are the birds that abound in all the great hill and forest- region of West Virginia. These are the game. birds in which most of UB find greatest delight, whether we pursue them with intent to kill, or whether we follow them that we may know more of their life history as they spend their few imperiled days in field or in forest, searching for food and reproduc- SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. ing their kind. And so, though I shall not pass by the other great groups of game birds, I shall speak at greater length of those birds that are included in the other Gallinae. " Taking up these orders and families according to the arrangement adopted by the American Ornithologists' Union, we come, first of all, to the Anatidae. In the terminology of bird students this is the name of a family which in- cludes such well known species as ducks, geese and swans. My list of West Virginia Anatidae, brought up-to-date, comprises twenty-two species of ducks, three species of geese, one species of brant, and two species of swans, though some of my records have been made with a degree of doubt. These various kinds of ducks, geese and swans are given below, with brief annotations. But, before I begin the discussion of this family, I wish to acknowledge my indebt- edness to Messrs. T. A. Morgan and A. Sidney Morgan and T. Z. Atkeson, who have studied the water fowl of this state for many years along the Great Kanawha and Monongahela rivers, and have gained a knowledge of such birds which is worthy of all commendation. The Morgan brothers have come to be very familiar with the habits of ducks and other birds which haunt the rivers and marshes of south-central West Virginia. In these men we see an example of what may be accomplished, even in boyhood days on a farm, by close obser- vation and constant application to some task in hand. And now I give the list of ducks, geese and swans which I have compiled by my own efforts, and by references to the observations of many others. ' ' 1. American Merganser. Mr. Thad Surber, who has given attention to some of the water fowls in the southeastern part of the state, says: "Common during winter. Seen on Greenbrier river.' The Morgan brothers say, 'Have killed three.' "2. Eed-breasted Merganser. Very rare. In all their hunting along the Great Kanawha, the Morgan brothers have taken but one specimen. While a student in the West Virginia University, I examined a part of a specimen of the Eed-breasted Merganser which had been killed somewhere in the 'Eastern Pan-handle,' and sent to the Experiment Station for identification. "3. Hooded Merganser. By far the most common of the fish duckg. Recorded from many parts of the state. "4. Mallard. This progenitor of our common domestic duck is found along all our water courses. ' ' 5. Black Duck. Mr. G. Eifrig, in his most excellent notes on the birds found in the northern part of Mineral county and along the Potomac river near Cumberland, gives several records of the occurrence of this species. Re- corded by Surber, Doan and Morgan brothers. ' ' 6. Gadwall. Rare. ' ' 7. Baldpate. The Morgan brothers have taken many birds of this species, "8. Green-winged Teal. Not very common. Occurs occasionally in the migration seasons. 1 ' 9. Blue-winged Teal. Far more common than the other teal. ' ' 10. Shoveller. The Morgan brothers report that they have seen flocks of fifteen or twenty along the Great Kanawha. "11. Pin-tail. Rather common. ' ' 12. Wood Duck. This beautiful duck is the only one that breeds in West 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN." 89 Virginia, so far as records show. It has been recorded from Kanawha, Put- nam, Upshur, Mineral, Monogalia and Greenbrier counties. "13. Red-head. Has sometimes occurred in great numbers in this state, though usually uncommon. "14. Canvas-back. Very rare. "15. American Scaup Duck. Mr. T. A. Morgan says this species is more common in the northern part of the state than it is along the Great Knnawha. Mr. Eifrig's observations confirm Mr. Morgan's opinion. ' ' 16. Lesser Scaup Duck. Very common along the Ohio. I have seen these birds in immerse flocks along that river in migration seasons. "17. Einged-necked Duck. Not common. "18. American Golden-eye. Rare. "19. Buffle-head. Many records for this species in West Virginia. "20. Old Squaw. Very rare. "21. Whit-winged Scoter. Very rare. Taken by Sidney Morgan on Great Kanawha. "22. Ruddy Duck. Occasional migrant. Reported from TJpshur ,and said by Morgan brothers to be common on Great Kanawha. The three species of geese reported as occurring in our state are the White- fronted Goose, the Snow Goose, and the Canada Goose. The records for the Snow Goose, however, are very doubtful. "The Whistling Swan has been taken several times in our state. The other species, the rare Trumpeter Swan, is doubtful. In the State Historical Rooms, in the Capitol Annex, there is .a beautiful mounted specimen labeled ' ' Trump- eter Swan." The identification of this speciment is questionable. "The next family of game birds to claim our attention is the Rallidae. The members of this family are not generally known, even by those who spend much time in pursuit of other game birds. Some of the Rails are among the most difficult birds to study, and have been considered birds of mystery. The most common representative of this family is the American Coot, commonly known as 'Mud-hen.' I have observed this species in many places in the state. As game birds, the Rallidae are scarcely deserving of a place in West Virginia records, for many of the species are rare, and few are taken for food purposes. Coots are occasionally killed and eaten along the Ohio river. I shall give, however, in brief, the names of the eight species that have been recorded by West Virginia observers. "1. King Rail. Clapper Rail. Virginia Rail. "4. Sora, or Carolina Rail. "5. Yellow Rail (?). "6. Florida Gallinule. "7. Purple Gallinule. "8. American Coot. "We shall now consider now, for a few minutes, the order Limicolae. At least forty-two species belonging to this great order are found in eastern Northern America. Of these sixteen species have been found in West Virginia. The order comprises several families, such as the Phalaropes, Snipes and Sand- pipers, and Plovers. Those who are present will note at once that these bird* 90 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. are species that haunt swamp, and river bank, and sea shore, and the lack of favorite feeding grounds, within the bounds of this state, will explain the fact that so few species, out of the great number of species to be found in the eastern part of the United States, are found in our state. Tn any state that has considerable extent of sea or ocean beach, the list of shore birds is much larger. "In the brief time at my disposal, I can do no more than name the species that represent this order in West Virginia: "1. Northern Phalarope. "2. American Woodcock. "3. Wilson's Snipe. "4. Stilt Sandpiper. "5. Pectoral Sandpiper. "6. Bonaparte's Sandpiper. "7. Least Sandpiper. "8. Greater Yellow-legs. 1 ' 9. Yellow-legs. * "10. Solitary Sandpiper. "11. Willet. "12. Bartramiam Sandpiper. "13. Spotted Sandpiper. "14. Golden Plover. "15. Killdeer. "16. Eing Plover. "Nearly all these species are very rare in our state, but few of them being known to the average bird-student and hunter. The entire family hardly needs to be given a place among the game birds of West Virginia, for few are seen and still fewer are taken. With proper protection the American Woodcock may increase in abundance until it becomes a game bird of great importance to West Virginians. This species should be protected most carefully. "After passing by these species which seems to be of lesser importance to the hunter of game birds in West Virginia, we come to that order of birds which is very small in number of species, but very great in number of in- dividuals. I speak now of the Gallinaceous birds, the Order Gallinae. Three species represent this order in our state. They are the Buffed Grouse and the Bob-white, belonging to the Grouse and Bob-white family, and the Wild Turkey belonging to the Pheasant family. Eight here I may as well stop that I may try to clear up some of the endless -confusion in the names of the different species belonging to this order. The correct names of the three species have just been given. But, the truth is, these correct names are not often used. If they were, there would be much less confusion. It is just as easy to learn the correct name of a bird or flower or tree as to learn an incorrect name. Why not have these names right now, and then remember them and use them? Let us notice these names, one by one "(1). 'Pheasant.' This is the name of a large family of birds compris- ing at least ninety species. 'With the exception of the Yucatan Turkey and the four races of our Wild Turkey, the some ninety species included in this family are inhabitants of the Old World, and are most numerously represented in southern Asia, where are found the Peacock, many of the Pheasants, and the 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 91 Jungle Fowl, from which the varieties of our domesticated fowls have de- scended ' (Chapman). The Wild Turkey is a true pheasant. Unfortunately the name has been applied to our common Ruffed Grouse. The Ruffed Grouse does not even belong to the Pheasant family, and it should not bear this name. ''(2). 'Patridge. ' This name was given originally to an Old World .species. In our own country it now applies to certain western species, and with some degree of accuracy, it may be applied to our common Bob-white. However, it is better to cease using this name altogether as applying to any of our eastern game birds. In the north, the name 'patridge' is given to the Ruffed Grouse, and in our section, the Bob-white is often called 'partridge' or 'patridge.' "(3). 'Quail.' This name is especially applicable to the European Mi- gratory Quail, but, because of resemblance between the two species ,the name has been transferred to our little Bob-white. "Let us cease this mixing names. The Bob-white shall be called by the name he gives us every time he sings, and shall not be called 'partridge' or 'quail.' Let the Ruffed Grouse bear his own dignified name, and no longer be belittled by having the name 'partridge' thrust upon him in the north, or the name 'pheasant' attached to him in the south, as if he were some great gob- bling or screaming or cackling fowl, as the true pheasant is, instead of the modest, dainty creature of our deciduous forests. Let us remember, too, that the only wild bird, in this section, that belongs to the pheasant family, is the Wild Turkey. "And. now, all that I shall have to say further, applies to these three Gal- linaceous game birds, the Bob-white, the Ruffed Grouse, and the Wild Turkey. These are of great interest to all of us. First in order comes the little Bob- white. This species is common throughout the state, excepting in the moun- tain portions. In some of the higher elevations1 of the state this species is found in small numbers, and may, after a while, become quite common. In many places it is abundant. It seems wonderful that after all these years of little protection and ruthless slaughter, there are yet so many of these splendid little game birds to cheer the fields, and help the farmer, and fill the hunter's bag. All this- is evidence that, with protection, this species may become even more common and may remain as a useful game bird for generations yet to come. I plead for reasonable protection for this little bird! Last year, in the" paper which I read before your association, I mentioned this bird, and dwelt, at some length, on his habits and his usefulness. I think there is no necessity jus>t now for writing any more concerning our friend, the Bob-white, though our memories incline to dwell upon his songs and the many pleasant days spent in old West Virginia fields in his companionship, and our pens are inclined to continue so pleasant a theme. Before taking up his larger cousin, the Ruffed Grouse, I wish to give you a quotation from a recent publication of the Bio- logical Survey, which was written by the late Sylvester D. Judd : " 'Bob-white is prolific. A pair of birds under favorable conditions will raise a dozen young in a season. Then, too, it is long-lived, for a bird kept in captivity is known to have reached the age of nine years. The outlook for the future of this species is most satisfactory, provided it is given even a small amount of care, with proper legal protection. The Audubon societies, with a 92 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. membership of 65,000 to 70,000, which cherish the Bob-white for esthetic and humanitarian reasons, the sportsman who loves the whirr of its brown wings, and ,the farmer, whose enemies it destroys and whose resources it increases, can do much to favor the bird in its natural environment and to protect it by adequate and effectively enforced laws.' "It is with much pleasure that I turn now to speak of the Ruffed Grouse. The Bob-white is attractive in song, appearance, manners, and in every way. Yet its home is in the fields. It is pleasant, of course, to the nature-lover to roam over the fields, briar-grown though they may be, but it is more pleasant to betake one's self to the woods and there rest and look and study and won- der, in the home-place of the wildest of birds and mammals. The Ruffed Grouse is distinctly a bird of the woods, imparting the spirit of the wilderness to every sylvan retreat that it inhabits. Only once in a long while does it leave the v:oo(?s to come into the outer borders- of some old field or apple orchard. "The Ruffed Grouse is common in nearly all parts of the state, though it is very rapidly decreasing in numbers in many sections. During four years residence in the Ohio valley, a few miles above Parkersburg, I found this species quite rare. In the higher parts of .the Allegheny Mountains this bird is not usually very common. In several summers past I found it to be quite rare in the Yew Mountains, the Spruce Mountains, and in the Black Alle- gheries. In the great hardwood region of the state it is usually quite common, and one does not often travel far in any woodland without being startled now and then by the sudden flight of this bird. Great numbers of these fine game birds are killed every year in the central part of the state, and, unless some effective protection is given them, the places where they are now common will see them no more. ' ' All sportsmen are interested in the drumming of the Ruffed Grouse. This strange performance is carefully described and illustrated in the last number of Bird-Lore, by Mr. Edmund J. Sawyer. His article is entitled, 'The Drum- ming of the Ruffed Grouse.' I quote from his writing quite freely, for I have seen ro better discription of this act. After speaking of his method of build- ing a blind, Mr. Sawyer says, ' In the morning the drumming is generally first heard at daybreak, but a Grouse will often spend the night on or near his drumming log and drum from time to time through the night. In order to witness the drumming in the early morning, therefore, I spent the night in my blind. To watch the Grouse in the afternoon period I entered the blind about three o'clock. It was sometimes two or three hours later before the bird first appeared, and occasionally I waited in vain till sundown. 1 ' ' After once seeing a Ruffed Grouse drum, even from a distance of forty feet, it was difficult for me to conceive how any one could be mistaken at that distance as to the bird's way of performing the act. For the beating of .the wings may be easily followed at first — though ^heir exact outline, of course, is lost during each lightning stroke, and may be seen to remain essentially the same, only faster, till the end. 11 'We will suppose now that we are in a blind, say twenty feet from a drumming log. After being repeatedly deceived into expectation by chip- munks, red squirrels, mice and Chickadees, we hear another rustling in the dry leaves which our strained attention does not mistake. It is a measured patter of running feet or a slow tread just heavy enough to crunch the leaves at every 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 93 step or two, and occasionally snap a dry twig. The next instant a cock Grouse hops to the top of a log; his head is erect; his feathers lie close to his sides/ and for a creature as wild as any that haunts the woods, his whole manner shows only serenity, and a modest self-satisfaction. The next instant he turns cross-ways of the log, the head is raised, the feathers of the neck and black ruff extended by the same act, the tail is spread, and at the same time the wings beat the air three or four clearly distinct times with a muffled whir at each beat — such is the force of the stroke — and then hang straight down for an instant, and also between the strokes just described. Now begins the part of the drumming which is so familiar to many as a distant rumble and char- acteristic wood sound. As the interval between the strokes, which at first is about a second, gradually shortens, the bird assumes a more and more horizon- tal position until at the end, when the drumming has become one prolonged whir of the constantly moving wings, the head sets down close to the shoulders. In the latter part of the drumming the outline o-f the wings is entirely lost in a gray haze which, however, serves to show the extent of their motion; they- are held just free from the sides and fluttered rather than flapped at the close of the act. In the first part of the drumming it may easily be observed that the tips of the wings are brought as far forward as the feet and backward about to a horizontal position. The tail lays flat on the log, if the latter is large. ' ' ' The drumming ended (the entire act lasts about ten seconds) the Grouse immediately raises his head and raises and expands his tail by one motion, which seems involuntary as if from the exhilaration of his late effort, the tail slowly falling again to its usual position. The bird may now stand motionless, apparently listening several moments until the drumming begins again as be- fore. I have heard or seen at close range at least a hundred of the perform- ances. Each of these could be described as above, excepting a very few times when, after a few preliminary wing beats, the bird suddenly stopped, being interrupted by some unusual sound such as the bark of a dog, scream of a hawk, snapping of a twig in my blind, or even a sight of me. ' " 'The drumming of this Grouse is especially interesting to the naturalist. To the hunter it is an alluring call that leads him on into the depths of the woods. And, when drawn thither into the home of the Ruffed Grouse, the real sportsman will find him one of the most interesting of all our game birds. ' ' The Ruffed Grouse affords grand sport; indeed, with not a few sportsmen, it holds higher place even than Bob-white. In flight it is one of the swiftest of up- land game birds, and considerable skill, a quick eye, and a steady hand are needed to shoot it on the wing. Most shots must be made in cover, and the bird's habit of putting a tree between itself and the sportsman as it flies away adds to the difficulty." — (Juoo.) "In the presence of so many true lovers of the woods and the wild game that resorts there, I need not make a plea for the further protection of so splendid a bird as the Ruffed Grouse. Already the fate of the Pinnated Grouse and the Heath Hen warn us of the danger of the extinction of such birds as these. The Pinnated Grouse has gone forever from this section, and the forty or fifty Heath Hens now huddle together for very life in their last stronghold, Martha's Vineyard Island. Shall the increasing scarcity of our beautiful Ruffed Grouse be a real sign of its approaching doom, or shall it be for us a 94 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [ W. VA. warning that will bring real protection and that will preserve for us a bird that is the joy of hunter and naturalist alike? "And now remains the Wild Turkey. It is the largest as well as the noblest of our game birds. Once common in our woodlands, nourished by the millions of nuts that fall from our forest trees, the food of pioneer hunters and! ex- plorers, a very king of the forest, he has now been almost conquered and has withdrawn to the most inaccessible parts of our mountains. Throughout the state, the Wild Turkey is now rare. Occasionally, report brings us word that one has wandered out of the woods or has come down out of the mountains and has been shot. "The turkey question is one of great interest. Scientific men have spent much, time in the discussion of the various races of the Wild Turkey. The bird is interesting to us as the progenitor of the common domestic turkey. Of this Dr. Judd says, 'The common tame turkey is a descendant of birds taken to Europe from Mexico by the Spandiards early in the sixteenth century. The wild turkeys of the United States originally occupied a large area extending from the coast of Massachusetts, west to Colorado and south to Florida and the Mexican border. While they are of the same species as the Mexican bird, they have been modified by the varing conditions of their environment into four forms, distinguished by differences in color. The best known of these is the common wild turkey of the Mississippi Valley and the eastern states. The others are the Florida Wild Turkey, the Eio Grande Turkey, and the Mer- riam Turkey of the southern Bocky Mountains, from Colorado south through New Mexico ard Arizona.' It is said that the common bronze turkey is a descendant of the wild turkey of the east. It is not necessary, however, to discuss the descent of the domestic turkey, nor to trace the varying races of the Wild Turkey, within the limits of this paper. My purpose is, in closing, to call ycur attention once more to the game qualities of this great bird. Large, with flesh of excellent quality, comparatively hardy, increasing with fair rapidity, the Wild Turkey is a game bird of greatest importance. "Occasionally, when I have gone into the mountains, the gobble of the Wild Turkey has been heard; now and then have I picked up a feather which some noble bird has lost. But the species is becoming ever rarer, and after' a few more invasions of its home; after a few more are killed and exported from the state; after a few more of these vanishing game birds are wantonly slaughtered; and after a few more fires sweep over the wooded forests of West Virginia, where the Wild Turkey makes his last nesting place, this bird of bronzed feather and majestic stride will be gone from our woods forever." 1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 95 THE NQN-GAME BIEDS OF WEST VIRGINIA. BY EARLE A. BROOKS, West on, West Virginia. Speaking in a very inclusive and general manner, the non-game birds in- clude a great number of the water birds, the birds of prey, and our common land birds, such as the climbing and perching birds. The game birds, which include Ducks, Geese, Swans, Rails, Coots, Gallinules, Woodcock, Snipe, Sand- pipers, Plovers, Ruffed Grouse, Bob-white, and Wild Turkey are described in another paper in this report. The paper on the Game Birds of West Virginia wa« read, a few years ago, before the West Virginia Fish and Game Protec- tive Association, and is here reproduced. The present paper was written ex- pressly for this publication and is a summary of our knowledge of the non- game birds of this state. Of course, within the space of these few pages, only the briefest mention of our one hundred and ninety-eight species and Bub-species can be given. A brief outline of the orders, families, and specie* is about all that can be presented at this time. The comprehensive list of non-game birds, which is given below, though it is very much abbreviated, will serve as a guide to students and lovers of wild life, and may help some one to learn for himself a few of our common West Virginia birds. The list which follows is systematically arranged according to the American Ornithologists' Union check list of North American Birds, and includes every species and sub-species of non-game birds ;thus far reported within the bounds of our state. This scientific list is followed for the sake of those who wish to study further any bird mentioned below, by consulting any of the standard works on birds: /. Order Pygopodes. 1. Family Colymbidae — (1). Holboell's Grebe (Colymbus bolboelli} . A very rare diving bird. (2). Horned Grebe (Colymbus amitus). I have seen several speci- mens of this beautiful bird. Quite common at times along our larger rivers. (3). Pied-billed Grebe (Podtilymbus podiceps). This is the common little "Diedipper" of our inland streams. 2. Family Gaviidae — (1). Loon (Gavia imme). An exceedingly small bird with an exceedingly loud and sweet voice. The eong of this bird is one of the characteristic sounds in the dark spruce woods. Nests in the mountains. Bather common in other parts of the State. (5) Long-billed Marsh Wren (Telmatodytes palustris). Bare. Family Certhiidae: — (1). Brown Creeper (CertMa famttiaris americana). Fairly com- mon in winter, fall and spring. Family Sittidae: — (1). White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) . Common resi- / dent. (2). Bed-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) . Common in the mountains, but not elsewhere. A very interesting species. Family Paridae: — (1). Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor). Our most common titmouse, and a forest species of great numbers and of economic importance. Its clear, loud song is very attrac- tive. (2). Chicadee (Penthestes atricapillus) . The northern Chicadee, which is found in our higher mountains. (3). Carolina Chicadee (Penthestes carolinensis) . The common form in most sections of the State. Quite common all the year round. Family Sylviidae: — (1). Golden-crowned Kinglet (Eegulus satrape). A very small bird found in the mountains in summer and throughout the State at other times in the year. The erectile crown of gold is exceedingly bright. (2). Buby-erowned Kinglet (Eegulus calendula). Both the common and the scientific names of this species describe it very well. Common only during migration. (3). Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea). Another small 106 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPOET [W. VA. bird. Summer resident. Generally distributed throughout West Virginia. Family Turdidae: — (1). Wood Thrush (HylochicMa musielina). John Burroughs says the voice of this bird sounds like a golden horn. Very musi- cal. Common in summer in Transition and Carolinian Life Zones. (2). Veery (HyUooicJilt fuscescens). The sweetest singer of all. A bird of wonderful voice. This song is heard at its best along the banks of our mountain streams. Bather common in the mountains. (3). Olive-backed Thrush (Hylocichla ustulate swainwni). Com- mon in migration. Earely nests in our highest mountains. (4). Hermit Thrush (Hylocichla guttata pallasi). ' One of our rarer thrushes. Occasionally spends the winter this far • north. A sweet songster. (5). Robin (Plamesticus migratorius) . One of our most common and useful birds. Occasionally winters here. (6). Bluebird (Sialia sialis). A common resident. Well-known for its beauty, song, and usefulness. WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION MORGANTOWN, W. VA. BULLETIN 128 MARCH, 1910 Snout Beetles That Injure Nuts BY FRED E. BROOKS [The Bulletins and Reports of this Station will be mailed free to any citizen of West Virginia upon written application. Address Director of Agricultural Experiment Station, Morgantown, W. Va.] THE REGENTS OF THE WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY HON. M. P. SHAWKEY Charleston, W. Va. HON. J. B. FINLEY Parkersburg, W. Va. HON. GEORGE S. LAIDLEY Charleston, W. Va. HON. G. A. NORTHCOTT Huntington, W. Va. HON. M. C. LOUGH Fairmont, W. Va. President of the Board of Regents M. P. SHAWKEY. President of the University D. B. PURINTON Treasurer THOMAS E. HODGES THE BOARD OF CONTROL. HON. JAMES F. LAKIN Charleston, W. Va. HON. JOHN A. SHEPPARD Charleston, W. Va. HON. THOMAS B. HODGES Charleston, W. Va. STATION STAFF JAMES H. STEWART, A. M Director and Agriculturist BERT H. HITE, M. S Vice Director and Chemist W. M. MUNSON, PH. D Horticulturist W. E. RUMSEY, B. S. AGR Entomologist N. J. GIDDINGS, M. S Bacteriologist HORACE ATWOOD, M. S. AGR Assistant Agriculturist FRED E. BROOKS Associate Entomologist FRANK B. KUNST, A. B Assistant Chemist CHAS. E. WEAKLEY, JR Assistant Chemist J. H. BERGHUIS KRAK Assistant Chemist O. C. BECK, B. S Assistant Chemist A. L. DACY, B. Sc Assistant Horticulturist W. J. WHITE Bookkeeper M. A. STEWART Librarian ALICE ENGLE .' Secretary B. D. WHITE Herdsman THEO. F. IMBACH. . . . Greenhouseman Larger Chestnut Weevil, a and c, female Weevils; b, female bor- ing hole in bur in which to insert an egg. All natural size. Snout Beetles That Injure Nuts FRED E. BROOKS INTRODUCTION The forests of West Virginia are rich in native nut-bearing trees and shrubs. At least twenty-seven species are found that bear nuts which are used as food by man or by the animals that are of value to man. The nut-bearing trees furnish also the bulk of hard-wood timber that is produced in the State. With the probable exception of the beechnut, all the more common varieties of nuts, and, presumably, those that are less common as well, are attacked by the larvae, or grubs, of over a dozen different species of snout beetles. Some of these larvae feed on the husks and inner tissues of immature nuts and others on the kernels of nuts that are more nearly ripe. Young walnuts and hickorynuts are frequently attacked soon after the blossoms fall from the trees and the infested nuts drop to the ground be- fore they are half grown. Chestnuts, acorns and some other va- rieties sustain the greatest injury as they approach maturity. It is not unusual for chestnuts that are kept a week or two after gathering to become from 50 per cent to 75 per cent ''wormy" and acorns often suffer to even a greater extent. The infested nuts are rendered unfit for food and in many cases are so badly eaten that they will not germinate when planted. The injury which these insects do to a valuable article of food and their direct detriment to natural forest development, in causing the failure of many nuts to germinate, make the group an important one from an economic standpoint. 146 This bulletin is published as a report of an investigation of this class of insects which has extended over a period of several years. Special effort has been made to acquire information re- garding the egg-laying habits of the different species, their life histories, seasonal abundance, natural enemies, methods of reduc- ing or preventing loss and to collecting a large number of speci- mens for systematic study. The work has been carried on in con- nections with other entomological investigations and the writer is aware that many phases of the study have been passed over too hurriedly to obtain accurate and final conclusions. It is is es- pecially desirable that in the future a more careful study be made of the larvae and pupae of the species considered. THE NUT INDUSTRY IN WEST VIRGINIA. The most important feature of the nut industry in West Virginia is the production of native chestnuts. There are sev- eral counties that, during favorable seasons, market from 40 to 75 tons each of these nuts. A portion of this crop is gathered from forest trees but most of it probably comes from chestnut groves consisting of second-growth trees that have been allowed to stand in old fields. The nuts bring, in the local markets, an average of about four cents a pound, or $80 a ton, and are a source of considerable income in many localities. The improved varieties of European and Japanese chest- nuts are beginning to be grown in several places in the State and give promise of great success providing they can be kept sufficiently free from insects. Shellbark hickory trees flourish in many sections and almost every neighborhood has its one or more famous, old hickory trees that are noted locally for the nuts which they bear. Although no great quantity of hickorynuts are marketed, the nuts are, nevertheless, gathered very carefully, often being regaded as too good to sell, and are kept for home and local use. Walnuts, but- ternuts and hazelnuts are also furnished to the market in a lim- ited way and are gathered in larger quantities for home use. 147 There is much land in the State that is at present put to little use but which is admirably adapted to the production of various kinds of nuts. As the demand of the market for this commodity increases there is no good reason, apparently, why West Virginia should not undertake to furnish its full share toward supplying the wants of this market. WHERE AND How THE INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED. Most of the observations herein recorded on the habits of these insects were made at French Creek, W. Va., where many of the important host of the different species abound. In the study of life histories the insects were kept under observation in their natural environment and in breeding jars in the labora- tory. The most accurate knowledge of the insects was obtained by observing them in the ground under nut-bearing trees, where they undergo a part of their development, and by ascending into the branches of trees to observe their behavior there ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. The writer wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to Dr. F. H. Chittenden, of the Bureau of Entomology, United States Department of Agriculture, for his courtesy in naming difficult specimens and for offering valuable suggestions regarding meth- ods of studying the group. Thanks are also due Mr. Nathaniel Bacon, Talcott, W. Va., who has plantations of chinquapin and hazel and who took great pains to furnish data and specimens of the weevils that attack the nuts of these plants. NATIVE NUT-BEARING TREES AND SHRUBS OP WEST VIRGINIA. According to Millspaugh's "Flora of West Virginia" and to the unpublished notes of A. B. Brooks, Forester for the West Virginia State Geological Survey, the following native, nut-pro- ducing trees and shrubs are found within the State. Further study of our species may result in a few additions to this list. 148 With the probable exception of one or two species, all the nuts in the list are attacked by one or more of the ^nsects under consideration. Butternut or White Walnut, Juglans cinerea L. Black Walnut, Juglans nigra L. Bitternut or Swamp Hickory, Hicoria minima Britt. Shellbark or Shagbark Hickory, Hicoria ovata Britt. King Nut or Bottom Shellbark Hickory, Hicoria laciniosa Sarg. Mockernut or White-heart Hickory, Hicoria alba Britt. Pignut or Broom Hickory, Hicoria glabra Britt. Little Pignut, Hicoria glabra var. odorata Sarg. Hazel, Corylus Americana Walt. Beaked Hazel, Corylus rostrata Ait Beech, Fagus Americana Sweet. Chestnut, Castanea dentata Borkh. Chinquapin, Castanea pumila Mill. Red Oak, Quercus rubra L. Pin or Swamp Spanish Oak, Quercus plaustris Muench. Scarlet Oak, Quercus coccinea Muench. Black or Yellow-bark Oak, Quercus velutina Lam. Bear or Scrub Oak, Quercus nana Sarg. Spanish Oak, Quercus digitata Sudw. Black Jack or Jack Oak, Quercus Marilandica Muench. • Shingle or Laurel Oak, Quercus inbricaria Michx. White Oak, Quercus alba L. Post or Iron Oak, Quercus minor Sarg. Burr or Mossy Cup Oak, Quercus macrocarpa Michx, Swamp White Oak, Quercus platanoides Sudw. Chestnut Oak, Quercus Prinus L. Yellow Oak, Quercus acuminata Sarg. "ANNUAL" AND "BIENNIAL" OAKS. In this paper reference is made repeatedly to "annual" and "biennial" oaks, the distinction being between those in which the acorns ripen in one year and those which require two years to ripen their acorns. 149 It is scarcely necessary to explain that several of our com- mon oaks blossom in the spring and set acorns that ripen the following fall. Other oaks form acorns at the time of blooming which grow but little until the following spring. They then begin to develop and during the ensuing autumn mature and drop from the trees. The following lists show our species of native oaks be- longing to each class. ANNUAL-FRUITING OAKS. White, Post or Iron, Bur or Mossy-cup, Swamp White, Yellow and Chestnut Oaks. BIENNIAL-FRUITING OAKS, Red, Swamp Spanish or Pin, Scarlet, Black or, Yellow-barked, Spanish, Bear or Scrub, Black Jack or Jack, and Laurel or Shingle Oaks. , CLASSES OF INSECTS THAT INJURE NUTS. Nuts are attacked by a great variety of insects but the most serious injuries are done by moths and snout beetles. Thr larvae of several species of moths may be found in chestnuts, beech- nuts and acorns, particularly in nuts that have their shells bro- ken so as to permit easy entrance to the kernel by the insects. The damage wrought by the class of insects known as snout beetles, however, is greatly in excess of that done by ail other kinds combined. The term "snout beetle" is applied to the adults of the group of insects which forms the subject of this paper on ac- count of the peculiar structure of the head, the front part of which is prolonged into a snout or proboscis. In some species this snout is short and stout and in others it is long, slender and wire-like. In the females of some of the nut weevils it is longer than the rest of the body. The mouth, which is armed with a minute but strong pair of jaws, is situated on the apex of the snout and the appendage is used for piercing or punctur ing various kinds of plant tissue to obtain food and to provide an opening in which to deposit eggs. The fourteen species of snout beetles which have been found 150 feeding on nuts in West Virginia represents two groups, or genera; ten species belonging to the genus Balaninus and four to the genus Conotrachelus. For convenience, the species of Balaninus are referred to in this publication as " weevils" and those of Conotrachelus as "curculios". NAMES OF THE INSECTS AND NOTES ON HOST PLANTS. The following list gives the names of the nut-attacking snout beetles that have been studied in this State together with references to the nuts for which they show a preference. Common names have heretofore been given to but a few of the species and the names used here are merely suggested *as possessing some de- gree of appropriateness. The common names of the first four species in the list have been used in the past but only that of the second has been officially adopted. , Larger Chestnut Weevil, Balaninus proboscideus Fab. Chestnuts and chinquapins. Chestnut Weevil, B. rectus Say. Chestnuts and chinquapins. Hickorynut Weevil, B. caryae Horn. Hickorynuts of sev- eral species. Hazelnut Weevil, B. obtusus Blanch. Hazelnuts. Common Acorn Weevil, B. quercus Horn. Acorns of red, black, scarlet and other biennial oaks. Mottled Acorn Weevil, B. nasicus Say. Found here most abundant on red oak, more sparingly on other biennials. Has been bred elsewhere from acorns of white and chestnut oaks. Straight-snouted Acorn Weevil, B. orthorhynchus Chittn. Equally abundant on red, Hack and scarlet oaks. Sooty Acorn Weevil, B baculi Chittn. Common on red, black and scarlet oaks. Less common on white oak. Confused Acorn Weevil, B. confusor Ham. Abundant on chestnut oak. Kare on white cak. Spotted Acorn Weevil, B. pardalus Chittn. Abundant here on white oak and less abundant on chestnut oak. Has been rear- ed in other localities from acorns of biennials and other annuals. 151 Walnut Curculio, Conotrachelus juglandis LeC. Black wal- nuts and butternuts. Hickorynut Curculio, C. affinis Boh. Hickorynuts. Larger Acorn Ourculio, C. naso LeC. Acorns of annual oaks. Lesser Acorn Curculio, C. posticatus Boh. Acorns of annual oaks. Has been bred elsewhere from galls on hickory and from hickorynuts. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTIONS. Students who desire technical description of the foregoing species are referred to the following named publications. B. proboscideus, B. rectus, B. caryae, B. quercus, B. -nnficus. Horn, Geo. H. Proceedings, Am. Phil. Soc., Philadelphia, Vol. 13, p. 458-460. Hamilton, John, Canadian Entomologist, Vol. 22, pp. 2-8. B. obtusus. Blanchard, Frederick, Bui. Brook. Ento. Soc., Vol. 7, p. 107. Hamilton, John, Canadian Entomologist, Vol. 22, p. 6. B. orthorhynchus, B. ~ba,culi, B. pardalus. Chittenden, F. H., Proc. Ento. Soc., of Washington, Vol. 10, Nos. 1-2, p. 19-26. B. confusor. Hamilton, John, Canadian Entomologist, Vol. 25, pp. 309- 310. C. juglandis, C. affinis, C. naso, C. posticatus. Le Conte, John L., Proc. Am. Phil. Soc., Vol. 15, pp. 226, 232. Those desiring to consult works on the biologies of the spe- cies are referred to the following publications which are of spe- cial value. Chittenden, F. H., The Nut Weevils, Cir. 99, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Dept. of Agr., Washington. 1908. Pierce, W. Dwight, The Biologies of the Rhynchophora of N. A. Ann. Kept. Neb. State Board of Agr., pp. 249-307, 1906-7. 152 THE NUT WEEVILS. The nut weevils of the genus Balaninus are elongate beetles that measure, exclusive of the snout, from about one-forth to nearly half an inch in length. The snout is stiff and slender and varies in length from half as long as the body in the males of some species to considerably longer than the body in the females of others. The prevailing color of the upper parts of the body is rich, light brown mottled and spotted with lighter shades. In a few species the color is dark brown to which the lighter-colored, scale-like hairs give a grayish appearance. The under parts of the body are uniformly lighter in color. The nut weevils are represented in this country by more than twenty described species. About a dozen occur in the east- ern part of the United States and of these at least ten are abun- dant in West Virginia. So far as is known at present, all the members of this genus feed on nuts. Of the species that have been studied in this State, two feed on chestnuts and chinqua- pins, one on hickorynuts, one on hazelnuts and six on acorns. The fleshy, cream-colored grubs, or " worms ", so abundant in freshly-gathered chestnuts, and less frequently noticed in other nuts, are the larvae of these weevils. The different species of this group closely resemble one an- other. In a miscellaneous collection of the beetles, it is a difficult matter to arrange all the specimens specifically. While the bee- tles are alive, and their habits and movements .can be observed on the trees, the resemblances are not so great. If one becomes familiar with the beetles while they are engaged in their occupa- tion of egg-laying he soon discovers peculiarities which enable him to recognize the species on the trees without resorting to close examinations for structural differences. LIFE CYCLE "!N A NUT SHELL." The normal life cycle in this locality for all the weevils de- scribed in this bulletin is about as follows. Beetles issue from the earth in July and August, several weeks after blossoms have 153 disappeared from nut trees, practically all the individuals of one species leaving the ground at near the same time. Egg-lay- ing continues from the time the meat in the nut begins to form until the nut is full grown. Eggs hatch in from one to two weeks. Larvae feed on kernel of nuts, some species reaching full growth before or near the time the nuts drop and others maturing much later. Full-grown larvae leave the nuts through large, circular holes which they eat in the shell. The larva, after leaving a nut, does not enter other nuts but penetrates the soil for an inch or more where it fashions a small cell, by twist- ing the body about, in which it passes the winter unchanged. In June, July and August the larvae change to pupae in which stage they remain for two weeks, more or less, and then trans- form to adults. They remain in their cells as adults for several days, or, often, until a warm rain softens the earth, and then emerge and go .to the trees. EXCEPTIONS AND VARIATIONS. There are some very decided exceptions to the rule of the life cycle as given above. Occasionally individuals of at least two species- will change from larvae to adults, either late in the fall or early in the spring, and issue from the ground in May. I liave spent much time in searching in the ground under chest- nut, oak and hickory trees in April and May for these early maturing beetles but so far have found examples of only the chestnut weevil and the confused acorn weevil. This act of early transformation seems to occur most frequently with the latter species as I have found, in all, about a dozen specimens in the earth under chestnut oak trees in May. I have also col- lected the beetles frequently during the same month in jaring plum trees to catch the plum curculio. Their occurrence on the plum trees has probably been accidental as the particular trees from which they have always been collected are growing near an oak woods where the beetles breed in great abundanc?. On May 22nd, 1906, I found one female chestnut weevil in 154 the ground under a chestnut tree. This is the only adult of this species that I have taken in the field so early in the season but a little later I have captured several from the blossom catkins of chestnut. This is several weeks in advance of the appearance of the bulk of beetles of this species. Another departure from the normal life cycle is the case of a small per cent of larvae which remain for two years in their cells in the earth and then transform to beetles and issue from the ground in company with those that develop from the previous season '& generation of larvae. This provision is eviden- tly an arrangement of nature to carry the species over a year when a total failure of the nut crop may occur. It is plain that if all the insects of a kind matured during any one year and found no nuts in which to lay their eggs the species would perish from the earth because there would be no means of reproduction. Such a fate does occasionally overtake a large per cent of the individuals of one generation but the few larvae that always remain unchanged in the ground over two winters are able to provide successors the following year. In breeding the insects in the laboratory it has been found that occasionally an indivi- dual will remain as a larva until the third summer after it quits the nut. This insures the perpetuation of the species even though all the nut trees should fail for a year or two to bear and furnish food for the insects. EARLY STAGES OF THE WEEVILS. The eggs, larvae and pupae of the different species bear a close resemblance to one another. The eggs are small, elongate, translucent white, with a polished surface and fragile shell. There are slight variations in the size and shape of the eggs of the different species but in most cases the distinctions are hardly preceptible. A considerable variation in the shape of the eggs produced by one individual is quite apt to occur. The larvae differ somewhat in size and in the tints of color but they are all robust, white, creamy-white, or yellowish-white 155 grubs with red or brown heads. The pupae occupy cells in the earth made by the larvae and are usually of lighter color than the larvae. Both stages, in most of the species, need fur- ther study before they can be differentiated with any degree of certainty. BEHAVIOR OF THE ADULT WEEVILS. The beetles of some of the species of nut weevils may be met with in the field at any time from early in the spring till late in the fall. They are most abundant, however, in July. August and September. Both sexes feed, usually, on the husks or the kernels of the nuts in which they deposit their eggs, but they occasionally depart from this custom and obtain a little food from other parts of the plant. One male larger chestnut weevil was found at French Creek feeding on a Kieffer pear. The food is gotten by boring with the beak into the tissue and swal- lowing some of the juices and solids that are encountered in making the puncture. The beak is stiff, and the mouth at the extremity consists in part of a strong pair of jaws. The head, to the front of which the beak is attached, is rounded behind and fits into a concavity in the front of the thorax forming a union like a ball and socket joint. The construction of this joint permits the head to revolve for more than a fourth of its circumference. In piercing a nut the beetle presses the point of the beak against the surface and by rotating the head drills an opening to the desired depth. This organ makes a surprisingly efficient instrument for this work for the insect is able to pierce even the horny shell of the mature pignut which may be a tenth of an inch in thickness and almost as hard as bone. The eggs are placed at the bottom of these galleries made with the snout. Several writers on the habits of these weevils have believed that after a female has completed her egg-gallery in a nut she deposits an egg at the mouth of the opening and then turns around and pushes the egg into place with her snout. I have watched repeatedly the egg-laying operations of all the weevils 156 mentioned in this bulletin, with the exception of the hazelnut weevil, and have never seen any of the insects use the snout in placing the egg. All the species are provided with long, jointed ovipositors which can be inserted to the full length of any punc- ture which the snout may make and these ovipositors are used for placing the eggs in the exact spot where they are to remain during incubation. When not in use the ovipositor is telescoped together and withdrawn into the body. It is visible to the obser- ver of the live weevils only for a moment preceeding its insertion into the egg-chamber and then quite frequently only the tip is shown. The different species have their favorite kinds of nuts to which they adhere with considerable regularity. For example, the two species that feed on chestnuts and chinquapins do not appear to attack any other nuts in the east, although Hamilton records an instance of the chestnut weevil being bred from acorns in Arizona. (Canadian Entomologist, Vol. 22, No. 1.) The hickorynut and hazelnut weevils each infest only its one favorite class of nuts and among those that confine their attacks to acorns there are some species that show a decided preference for certain varieties of acorns. Several species prefer the bien- nial acorns and are rarely found on the annuals while just the reverse is true of other species. This peculiarity of taste among the acorn weevils is most noticable in a locality where all the spe- cies of oaks are bearing at one time. Such a condition permits the beetles to exercise their special preferences to the fullest extent and each species will be found in greatest abundance on the one or more kinds of oak that it likes best. In years when a part of the varieties of oak fail to bear the beetles are less par- ticular and all the different acorn-attacking species have a ten- dency to collect on the bearing trees,their prejudices of taste being overcome apparently by their desire to feed and oviposit. In ovipositing the beetles exhibit characteristic differences of procedure which are interesting. Some species deposit their eggs in half -grown nuts while others wait until the nuts are nearly or quite mature. The different species select different 157 points on the nut for making their attacks and some place only one egg in a puncture while others make branched punctures which may contain a dozen eggs. Some are very shy and can scarcely be approached while engaged in egg-laying without becoming frightened from their positions while others are so unsuspicious that they will sometimes allow themselves to be handled with the finger without pausing in their work. The beetles are slow to fly, preferring to drop to the ground and feign death or to scurry behind some object when disturbed. The operation attending egg-laying is a long and laborious one and when begun late in the afternoon I have seen the female leave her unfinished work at the approach of darkness and seek shelter for the night on the underside of the nut and then resume operations at the same opening on the following morning. During cool, dark weather the beetles remain in their hiding places resuming activity only on warm days. THE LARGER CHESTNUT WEEVIL, Balaninus proboscideus Fab. This is the largest of the nut weevils and it is also one of our most abundant and destructive species. It attacks chestnuts and chinquapins, laying most of its eggs early in the season so that at the time the ripe nuts drop from the trees the full grown larvae, or "chestnut worms", as they are commonly called, are abundant in the nuts. I have found a few eggs of this species as late as the 30th of September. The larvae from eggs deposit- ed so late in the season do not leave the nuts until late in the winter. The beetle is yellow, spotted and mottled with rich, brown shades. The average length of the insect, not including the snout, is nearly half an inch. The snout is long and slender, measuring, in the female, about five-eighths of an inch and in the male about half that length. It is straight at the base with a slight curve at the point. As the insect moves about carrying the huge beak projecting forward it presents a rather grotesque appearance. The character distinguishing this from all other 158 species of the genus is the first joint above the elbow of the an- tenna which is longer than the second. In the four years during which I have watched this insect the beetles have always appeared on the chestnut trees early in August, or about two weeks after chestnut blossoms disappear normally from the trees. By the middle of August they are usually abundant and may be found collected about the young chestnut burs. From the middle to the 25th of the month, or, at about the time the tender kernel begins to form in the nut, egg-laying begins and is continued for a period of from five to seven weeks. As the fall advances the beetles gradually decrease in numbers, the last of the generation disappearing late in Octo- ber, often, not until several severe frosts have occurred. I have found two adults on the trees as early as August 8th and one year collected several from open chestnut burs on October 26th. These are my earliest and latest seasonal records of finding the adults. The following table shows the dates and progress of the transformation from larvae to adults of over a hundred indi- viduals under perfectly natural conditions. The table shows the state of development in which the insects were found at seven different times during the summer in the soil beneath bearing chestnut trees. TABLE SHOWING DEVELOPMEENT OF LARGER CHESTNUT WEEVIL. Date. Larvae. Pupae. Adults. Remarks. July 1 18 0 0 (Pupation not begun.) July 8 10 5 0 (Pupation begun.) July 26 31 11 8 (Pupae beginning to change to adults.) Aug. 1 12 0 9 (All pupae changed to adults.) Aug. 10 29 0 4 (Adults leaving ground.) Aug. 23 16 0 0 (All adults out of ground.) Aug. 28 13 0 0 (All adults out of ground.) The above records were obtained in 1906. There seems to be some variation in the time the insects mature and leave the ground in different years but this variation is not great. The table indicates that the change from larva to pupa begins about 159 July 8th and that pupation ceases before the last of July. In the year that the observations were made all the beetles had is- sued by the 23rd of August and for a few weeks thereafter only the biennial larvae occupied the ground. As the new generation of larvae does not begin to leave the nuts and enter the ground until October, the 70 larvae that were found in the ground from August 1st to August 28th must have been hold-over individuals that would not have changed to beetles until another year. The beetles of this species are comparatively sluggish in their movements and are rarely seen in flight. In ovipositing, the female secures a foothold among the spines of the bur and proceeds to drill a hole which extends directly through all the coverings that envelop the forming kernel. When the kernel is reached she withdraws her snout, turns around and inserts her ovipositor in the opening and passes an egg to the bottom where it reposes in the silken fiber immediately surrounding the kernel. After the egg is de- . posited the beetle crawls away and pays no further attention to the puncture. One female was observed to spend 56 minutes in the acts attending the deposition of a single egg. The attack may be made at any point on the surface of the bur but perhaps occurs more frequently near the stem. If the bur is opened after the egg is placed and the nut removed the egg may usually be seen through the opening in the shell. This slight wound in the shell soon heals over, however, and shows only as an obscure scar in the ripe nut. When the larva is full grown it gnaws a circular hole, one- eighth of an inch in diameter, through the shell and escapes. This species breeds in chinquapins, native chestnuts and in the im- ported chestnuts which are now being grown in this country. 160 THE CHESTNUT WEEVIL, Balaninus rectus Say. 4, _ Chestnuts are frequently gathered that appear sound at first but within ten days or two weeks thereafter become exces- sively "wormy." Where these "worms" come from has often been a matter of conjecture on the part of those who handle nuts. It is a common belief that they originate from the "sting" of some insect administered at the time the trees are in bloom. As a matter of fact, they hatch from eggs that are in the nuts at the time the nuts are gathered. Most of these eggs are deposited by this chestnut weevil a short time previous to the dropping of the nuts from the trees. This beetle resembles very closely in a general way the one just described. The shape and color are similar and the beak, like that of the other, is long and conspicuous. It may be dis- tinguished from the larger chestnut weevil by its smaller size, slightly darker color, greater curvature of the snout, and by the first joint of the antenna beyond the scape which is longer than the second. On the tree, this beetle is shyer and more active than the larger species. The length of the adult insect is from a fourth to a third of an inch. The snout is almost as slender as a horsehair and is curved from the base to the tip. The snout of the female is about four-fifths of an inch long and that of the male about half that length. As previously stated, beetles of this species may be found occasionally early in the spring. It is not known that these early arriving individuals produce eggs. The bulk of the beetles come from the ground much later in the season ; later, by several days, than the larger chestnut weevil. Observations of the insects in the field have shown that in this locality pupation usually takes place between the first and fifteenth of August. In 1906, 1 found three newly emerged males on the trees on August 28th and on the 30th of the same month two females were found. In 1907, several fresh males and females were found on the trees on Au- gust 26th. A few days after the dates given the beetles became very numerous. I have never found the sexes paired on the 161 trees before the middle of September and have not found eggs nor oviposition in progress before September 24th. In the locality where these observations were made, the ear- lier chestnut trees begin to open their burs about September 25th and it has been on these trees that I have always found the bee- tles first engaged in oviposition. When the four lobes which compose the spiny envelope, or bur, of the chestnut begin to separate, preparatory to turning back to release the ripe nuts, the first effect is a deep groove in the husk along the line where the lobes unite. In grooves of this kind, where the spines are out of the way and where the husk is thin, the beetles collect first to drill their holes into the nuts for the purpose of depositing their eggs. Later, when the burs are open, they get at the kernel, in which their eggs are deposited, by perforating only the brown shell of the nut. The female, in ovipositing, first pierces the kernel of the nut almost or quite to the center and then turns around and inserts an egg to the bottom of the opening with her ovipositor. This done, she again 'turns and uses her beak to make a branch gallery within the kernel leading off from the first opening. This branch receives an egg, like the other, and the operation con- tinues until from a single, minute opening in the shell a dozen branches may extend into the nut each containing an egg. In one case I found thirteen eggs in a set but the customary number is from five to eight. In order to ascertain whether the egg is pushed into place with the beak, as has been claimed often, I removed females sev- eral times just after they had laid their first egg and before they had time to reinsert their beak into the opening. In every case I found the egg in its permanent position at the bottom of the gallery showing that after the nut is pierced the ovipositor alone is used in placing the egg. The egg is similar to that of the larger chestnut weevil ex- cept that it is smaller and slightly more elongate. The shape is oval-oblong and the color shining, pellucid white. 162 The hole made through the shell in ovipositing and the gal- leries and eggs within the meat are so small that they are scarce- ly visible to the naked eye. No foreign flavor is imparted to the nuts by the fresh eggs, and, as their small size prevents their be- ing seen except on close examination, they are often eaten unwit- tingly by those who go chestnutting in the fall. This is a case where ignorance is bliss, for the punctured chestnuts retain their sweet flavor for a while and no harm comes from the uncon- scious swallowing of the eggs which the nuts contain. The larvae remain in the nuts until they have attained full growth and then make their exit through holes which they eat in the shell. The holes made by this species are circular, like those made by the larger weevil, but are smaller, the difference in size being sufficient to enable one to distinguish them from the others. Most of the larvae emerge from the nuts late in the fall but a few remain with their food until mid- winter or even until the warm weather of spring. THE HICKORYNUT WEEVIL, Balaninus caryae Horn. This enemy of one of our favorite nuts has been known for more than a, quarter of a century but it has come into special prominence since the development of the pecan industry in the southern states. In the states farther north the insect attacks shellbark and other varieties of hickorynuts and seems to be more numerous than formerly. Dr. Chittenden has recorded that in some of the southern states the loss to pecan nuts amount- ed to 75 per cent of the crop in 1903 and 1904. The greatest in- jury to these nuts has probably occurred in Georgia, Mississippi and Texas. The shellbark is the only native hickorynut that is used ex- tensively as food in West Virginia, and this variety is seldom more than 20 per cent affected by the weevil. Other varieties, such as the pignut and mockernut, are often destroyed to the ex- tent of from 50 to 75 per cent of the crop. The large, circular holes frequently found in the shells of hickorynuts are made by the larvae of this weevil in escaping. Nut Weevils, a and b, Hickorynut Weevils; c, Confused Acorn Weevil; d, Hazelnut Weevil. All natural size. 163 The beetle is intermediate in size between the two chestnut weevils. The beak is long and prominent but is a trifle shorter than in either of the species that attack chestnuts. The color of the beetle is dull, dark brown with a grayish tinge in fresh speci- mens due to a sparce covering of whitish, scale-like hairs. The larva is yellow with a red head and is similar in shape to those of the other species. The beetles appear on the trees in July, my earliest record being for July 29th, 1908, when eleven were caught on the low- er branches of a pignut hickory. On August 8th, 1906, I found the punctures of the weevils quite abundant in the husks of hickorynuts but these punctures were shallow and had evidently been made for feeding as they contained no eggs. My first ob- servation of oviposition was on August 23rd, 1906, when a fe- male was seen to deposit an egg in a nut of the white-heart hickory. Oviposition has been observed on August 23rd, 25th, 27th, 30th and September 14th and 24th. Evidently, in this locality, most of the eggs are produced from August 25th to September 25th. At the time of oviposition the nuts are approaching ma- turity, and, as the eggs are placed within the meat of the nut, it is necessary for the beetle to make an opening through the husk and shell for the insertion of the egg. This it does, after the manner of its kind, by drilling a hole with its snout to the desired depth in the nut. Other nut weevils in depositing their eggs have to contend with the spines of the chestnut bur, the glutinous involucres and hard shells of the hazelnat and the woody cups of acorns but this species has the greatest obstacle of all to overcome in the form of the thick, horny shell of some of its favorite varieties of hickorynut. Its manner of accom- plishing the task is interesting and may be explained best by de- scribing the operation as it was observed on September 14th 164 1909. At a few minutes past noon a female was seen to take a position about half an inch from the point of a nut of the pignut hickory. After turning around several times with the point of the beak moving over the surface of the nut she found a place for making a beginning that seemed to suit her. She then ele- vated her body by extending her legs to their full capacity and with the point of the beak pressed against the nut began a slight up and down motion at the same time rotating the head. Grad- ually the point of the beak sank into the husk. As she worked dust-like chips fell although the snout was not removed from the opening. At the end of an hour and 15 minutes the beak was buried to the eyes. When the hole could be made no deeper the beak was withdrawn for the first time and the beetle turned around, the tip of the ovipositor appearing as she turned. In two or three seconds, by an accurate sense of touch, the ovipositor found the spot and was thrust into the orifice. During the depo- sition of the egg, which occupied a little over a minute, the bee- tle remained motionless. After the egg was placed she resumed her former position and again inserted the snout into the open- ing. She immediately began the drilling motion, with the beak about two-thirds buried, and rapidly worked it in to its full length. This was done in forming a branch to the original gal- lery. In less than thirty minutes the branch was completed and a second egg deposited. The operation was again repeated and after the third egg was deposited the insect crawled away from the nut. The entire operation occupied 2 hours and 14 minutes. The husk of the pignut is thin but the inner shell is thick and almost as hard as bone. This shell was a tenth of an inch in thickness at the point where it was penetrated in the operation just described. The egg is clear, translucent white, with a shining surface. It is exceedingly delicate in texture and can with difficulty be removed from its place in the nut without breaking. They vary considerably in size and shape. The length ranges from .027 of an inch to nearly .04 of an inch and the width is about .02 of an inch. All are oblong, some being eliptical and others ovate. Ir- 165 regularly-shaped and lop-sided specimens are frequently found. The time required for the egg to hatch was not ascertained. I have not found more than three eggs in one nut though that number has been observed several times. Four or five larvae are frequently found in one nut and eight are recorded by Ham- ilton. It is likely that in some cases more than three eggs are deposited in a puncture but where as many as seven or eight larvae occur they probably represent more than one set of eggs. The larvae begin to gnaw their way out at about the time the nuts are dropping but many do not escape until mid-winter and many others die within the shell. Several were observed leaving nuts, that had lately been placed in a warm room, on January 6th. The beetles, when not engaged in feeding or oviposition, have a habit of hiding in dead leaves that are brown and curled and that can be found adhering here and there to the branches. I have examined infested trees on dark days when it seemed that practically every beetle present was hiding in these leaves. Al- most every leaf that was in the proper condition contained one or more beetles. I tried hanging bunches of dead leaves to the lower branches and succeeded in trapping many of the insects by that means. Old gunny sacks were tried in the same way but to no purpose for they did not attract the beetles. It is possible that trapping with bunches of dead leaves, or some similar de- vice, might be practiced with benefit in cultivated orchards of pecan and hickory. Other weevils of the group hide in much the same manner but not to the extent of this species. THE HAZELNUT WEEVIL, Balaninus obtusus Blanch. The hazelnut industry is not large in West Virginia and yet in some sections the nuts are gathered in considerable quan- tities from the wild bushes and are sold in the local markets or stored for home use. They are very highly prized on account of their rich flavor. Wherever the nuts grow, in this State, they are attacked in varying degrees by the hazelnut weevil. In some 166 cases the injured nuts amount to nearly half the crop and in others not more than 5 per cent are affected. The injury is simi- lar in its nature to that done by the weevils attacking other nuts, the meat of the nut being eaten by the stout, whitish grub which, when full grown, escapes through a round aperture in the shell. The work of this weevil has been recognized for many years but the species has been confused with others and it was not until recent years that it was found to make the hazelnut its exclusive food. The species was named and described by Frederick Blanchard, in 1884, from specimens secured in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. It has been found as far west as Minne- sota and Texas and it probably occurs throughout the eastern states wherever the hazel grows. The beetle is similar in color to the two that attack chestnuts but may be distinguished readily from them by its shorter, more robust form and by its very much shorter beak. It is about one- fourth of an inch in length, the beak of the female being half as long as the body and that of the male still shorter. Most of the information which I have gotten pertaining to the habits of this species has been given to me by Mr. Nathaniel Bacon, of Talcott, W. Va., who has a hazel plantation and who is a careful observer of nature. The beetles seem to oviposit earlier in the season and to be somewhat shorter lived than the other species. On July 29th, 1908, Mr. Bacon sent me a box of hazelnuts in which there were many larvae and a few eggs of the weevil. Three weeks later, — August 13th, — I visited Mr. Bacon's place and together we made a thorough search for the beetles by examining the bushes and by jarring them over sheets. We spent about half a day in the search and Mr. Bacon continued to look for the insects at inter- vals for several weeks thereafter but not a beetle was found. At the time I examined the bushes there were many larvae and a few eggs in the nuts but the beetles that had produced them had disappeared. On August 30th the infested nuts were dropping prematurely and the larvae issuing from them. On September 18th, Mr. 'Bacon wrote that he had just made a careful search 167 for the larvae in two bushels of nuts but that all had eaten their way out and disappeared. In a lot of .26 ' ' wormy ' ' hazelnuts sent me by Mr. Bacon, 23 larvae had left the nuts on September 14th and only three remained. Eighteen of the exit holes were within one-eighth of an inch of the point of the nut and only two were directly on the side. Mr. Bacon sent me one beetle which he collected from the bushes on July 23rd. Hamilton, writing of observations made at Allegheny, Pa., states that he did not obtain the beetles by beat- ing hazel bushes previous to June 20th nor after July 15th. Harris records that paired adults have been found on hazelnuts in July. It seems from this evidence that most of the eggs are deposited in July and that the beetles disappear soon thereafter. The eggs are eliptical in shape, the surface smooth and shining and the color translucent white. The single egg meas: ured was .04 in. long and .028 in. wide. The act of oviposition was not observed in this species but eggs were found occupying small cavities in the shell, only one egg being found in a place. Feeding punc- tures were found exending into the kernel but the egg-punctures penetrated only through the shell and the eggs were found with- in the shell but nearer the inner than the outer surface. In most cases, but not always, the egg-punctures were found about the point of the nut where the shell is accessible without first boring through the involucre. At the time the larvae hatch the tender kernel is just be- ginning to form and in several nuts larvae were found that ap- peared to have been feeding on the delicate fiber that occupies the cavity of the nut previous to the formation of the kernel. The hole made by the beetle in the shell to receive the egg does not entirely heal over and it was observed by Mr. Bacon that the full fed larvae in forming their exit holes enlarge these old wounds, where the shell is defective. After the larvae quit the 168 nut they enter the ground where they remain until the succeed- ing summer. THE COMMON ACOEN WEEVIL, Balaninus quercus Horn. This is the largest of the weevils attacking acorns. In size, it is similar to the hickorynut weevil but in color it more nearly resembles the larger chestnut weevil. The spots on the back are smaller than in the latter species, however, and are not so bright and conspicuous. The snout is very slender and is curved at the point. In the female, it is nearly half an inch in length, or, about a fifth longer than the body. In the male, it is about two- thirds as long as the body. The pygidium, or last abdominal segment, of the male is deeply concave with the concavity smooth and shining and surrounded by a rim of silken hairs. This pec- liar character enables the species to be separated very readily from all other members of the genus. This species seems to attack only the acorns of the biennial oaks and in my collecting has always been found more abundant on red oak than on any other tree. The acorns which it attacks are late in maturing and the beetles are correspondingly late in appearing. My earliest record for adults is July 30th, when four newly transformed beetles were found in the ground under a red oak tree. My first specimen from the tree was taken Au- gust 23rd. During September and until the middle of October the beetles are abundant on biennial oaks. Egg laying beings about the first of September and continues very active for four or five weeks. In ovipositing the beetle pierces the acorn to the full length of her long snout and then makes many branches . leading off at an acute angle from the first puncture. Eggs are placed at the extremity of only a part of the branches and these are deposited at intervals during the long and tedious task °^ excavatmg- After the eggs are all in place the beetle deposits a small mass of ex- /^7 r? /? LJ Is U^ Acorn Weevils, a, b, c and d, Straight-snouted Acorn Weevil pre- paring a place for its egg; e, Acorn Weevil that has lost its foothold on the nut and hung by the snout until dead; f, Sooty Acorn Weevil; g, Common Acorn Weevil and parasite Urosigalphus armatus; h, Com- mon Acorn Weevils; i, Spotted Acorn Weevil. All natural size. 169 crement over the opening in the shell which is pressed and plas- tered down with the tip of the abdomen, thus sealing the en- trance to the eggs. When the excrement is dry it is of a whitish color and forms a spot on the acorn which is easily seen. So far as I have observed, only one other of the weevils has this habit of sealing the egg-chamber. This is the straight-snouted acorn weevil which is described later. , , The eggs are translucent white, like those of the other spe- cies, and are very irregular in shape. The drawing shows several forms that were produced by one beetle. Two eggs were measur- ed, one being .02 x .03 inch and the other .02 x .04 inch. The larvae of this species devour the entire meat of the acorn, leav- ing the nuts late in the fall or during the winter through a cir- cular exit hole and enter the ground for hibernation. THE MOTTLED ACORN WEEVIL, Balaninus nasicns Say. In the localities where I have collected this is the least com- mon of all the acorn-infesting weevils. I have never seen more than two score of the beetles on the trees and these have all been on biennial oaks. Hamilton bred it from acorns of white and chest- nut oak and more sparingly from those of scarlet oak. I have found it ovipositing in red oak and, more sparingly, in scarlet and black oak acorns but never in any other variety. The white and chestnut oaks are certainly not preferred in the locality where my observations were made. The beetle is slightly smaller than in the species last des- cribed and the back of fresh specimens is brown, beautifully mot- tled with clay yellow. The spots are large and have a tendency to form bands across the wing covers. The beak of the female is from one-fourth to three-eighth of an inch in length, or, about the length of the body. The beak of the male is half as long as that of the female. Hamilton, in Pennsylvania, took the beetles by beating oak branches from about the 10th of May till near October. I have taken them at French Creek, from August 8th till September 28th. The beetles are quite likely present in this locality both 170 before and after the dates on which I have recorded them, but, being somewhat scarce, have been overlooked. They are more abundant on the trees, however, in September than at any other time and that is the season when oviposition is most rapid. In disposition, this beetle is one of the shy- est of the group and while engaged in egg-laying is easily frightened from her work. I have watched oviposition on three different occasions. Each time the side of the acorn was attacked. Twice the beetle bored through the edge of the cup into the kernel and the third time she made ner entering puncture through the shell only, just beyond the border of the cup. In preparing thus a place for its egg, the insect first bores a hole directly into the nut which reaches almost to the center of the kernel. It then makes several branches, beginning in the kernel and leading obliquely away from the first opening. This done, it makes another gallery which leaves the original opening just at the point where the kernel and shell meet. This gellery extends into the kernel but curves gradually until it arrives at the inner surface of the shell at a point about one-fifth of an inch from where it began. Into the farthest extremity of this curved gallery the beetle places a single egg and then departs. In one case the side-gallery in which the egg was placed was directed toward the base of the nut so that the egg rested beneath the cup and in the other two cases it extended toward the point of the nut. The egg is pellucid white and its form may be eliptical, oval or pyriform. In one example the dimensions were; — length, .025 inch, width, .015 inch. The time required for the egg to hatch was not determined and the larvae was not differentiated from those of the other spe- cies with which it associates. 171 THE STRAIGHT-SNOUTED ACORN WEEVIL, Balaninus orthorhynchus Chittn. This is one of our common species on biennial oaks. I have found it in about equal numbers on red, scarlet and black oaks but have never found it on the annuals. This species has been recorded from "West Virginia and Texas only. It was first des- cribed in 1908 by Dr. Chittenden. The color is dull, yellowish brown in fresh specimens and dark, reddish brown where the vestiture is rubbed off. There are usually numerous spots of lighter color on the back but these are very small and indistinct. The female is three-tenths of an inch in length and the snout, which is straight with the excep- tion of a very slight curve near the point, is the same length as the body. The male averages distinctly smaller than the female and the snout is only half as long as the body. The beetles are found on the trees from about the middle of August until the acorns drop in the fall. In preparing a place in the acorn for her egg, the female has the peculiar habit of be- ginning her puncture on the side of the little tip or beak that projects at the apex of the nut. In more than thirty acts of egg laying that I have recorded this rule has not been de- ;^X7 sj n parted from. The hole is drilled from the CJ C/(J side of this beak directly to the kernel and at that point branches and extends between the kernel and shell as deep as the length of the snout will permit. After each branch of the egg-gallery is completed an egg is deposited at the bottom. A female that was watched on September 7th, 1907, spent 45 minutes in preparing a place for and depositing her first egg and then added other eggs at intervals of 21, 14, 9 and 23 minutes, the whole operation lasting for an hour and 52 min- utes. Not more than six eggs have been found in one set. After the last egg is inserted the beetle deposits a liberal quantity of 172 excrement over the hole in the shell which hardens in drying and effectually seals the eggs against the attacks of enemies. It is only with a good deal of difficulty that the beetles are able to get a hole started in the horny texture of which the point of the acorn is composed. In order to effect a beginning they are obliged to extend all their legs to the utmost and even then stand "tip-toe" to get the beak in proper position to use it to advan- tage. I have found two of the females that, while working in this strained position, had lost their foothold on the nut just after the point of the snout had become buried in the shell, and, not being able to regain their footing, they had hung by their snouts and died. This species is unsuspicious and the females will allow them- selves to be approached closely while egg laying without showing any signs of alarm. I have several times cut off a branch bear- ing an acorn on which a female was working, and, without dis- turbing the insect in the least, have carried it five hundred yards and obtained a photograph. The egg is the same translucent white as in others of the group. It is more elongate than some of the others Ibut varies considerable in size and shape. One measurement gave ; — length .035 inch, width .015 inch and another, length .03 inch and width .015 inch. Eggs deposited on September 10th hatched on Sep- tember 18th or in eight days after being laid. The larva is white with a pale, reddish brown, sometimes almost white, head. When full grown it escapes from the acorn through a hole in the side and enters the ground. THE SOOTY ACORN WEEVIL, Balaninus baculi Chittn. The dark gray or sooty color of this weevil, with the entire absence of yellow or brown, will serve to distinguish it from all others of the group that are found in this region. Dr. A. D. Hopkins found it on black oak at Kanawha, W. Va. and Chitten- den on white oak at Ithaca, N. Y. I have seen it ovipositing in red, scarlet, black and white oak acorns but have always found it most abundant on the biennials. 173 The species is widely distributed in the eastern states and occurs as far west and south as Nebraska, Indian Territory and Mississippi. It was not differentiated from others, however, un- til in 1908, when Chittenden described it as a new species. The beetle is almost black with a dusky gray aspect due to short, whitish hairs which are scattered thinly over the body and which form minute spots on the back. The length averages about a third of an inch and the beak of the female is two-thirds as long as the body, that of the male being half as long as the body. I have found the newly developed beetles in the soil under red oak trees on August 18th and 19th and have observed the mature insects on the trees from August 28th to October 18th. The egg-puncture is made through the side of the nut, either through the cup and shell or through the shell alone. The beak being short, the meat of the nut is penetrated only by a shallow wound, and, frequently, when the bee- tle bores through both cup and shell, the open- ing extends only to the surface of the kernel. The gallery is made to branch several times and in the ends of from two to four of these branches eggs are placed. The egg is very delicate, transparent white, elongate, pointed at both ends and measures .03 inch long and .025 inch wide. The larva is similar to the others in appearance and behavior. THE CONFUSED ACORN WEEVIL, Balaninus confusor Ham. During the four summers which I have observed this spe- cies in an oak woods at French Creek it has always been very abundant on chestnut oak when that variety was bearing. The trees which it frequents are surrounded by four other kinds of oaks but I have found it only once on any of the varieties ex- cept chestnut oak. The one case was in 1906 when chestnut oak acorns were very scarce. At that time a few beetles were found ovipositing in white oak acorns. 174 Hamilton reared it from acorns of bear oak and there is little doubt that further breeding from infested nuts, which is the most accurate method of determining the host plants of any of the species, will show that other kinds of acorns are sometimes attacked. Hamilton records also the remarkable rearing of this species from a gall on a golden-rod. The beetle resembles the mottled acorn weevil except that the beak is much shorter, it being, in the female, from a fourth to a third shorter than the body and in the male about half as long as the body. On May llth, 1906, I found three beetles of this species in the earth under a chestnut oak tree in the woods. A few days later four others were found in a similar situation. I have fre- quently jarred them from plum trees in May and early in June and have found them on chestnut oak on July 14th. They begin to oviposit in acorns about the middle of August and continue on the trees until the middle of October, the 16th of October being my record for the last adults on the trees. In boring holes into the acorns for oviposit- ing, the cup is rarely, if ever, perforated. Most of the punctures are made through the shell just beyond the border of the cup. This is especially true of the punctures for the first eggs of the season. Later, the nut may be attacked near the point. Oviposition is performed by first making a branched gallery that extends into the meat of the nut as far as the beak will reach. After this, several side-galleries are made which extend into the kernel and then curve back to the shell, piercing it for about half its thickness. These lat- eral branches number from one to five and an egg is placed in the end of each. The point where the egg reposes shows as a slightly discolored spot on the outer surface of the acorn and if the shell be removed the eggs may be found sticking in its inner lining. .The egg is smooth, creamy white, irregular in siz^ and 175 shape. It averages from .03 to .04 inch long and .02 inch wide. The larvae often feed in the acorns until late in the winter and convert the meat of the nut into dust so that it will not ger- minate. THE SPOTTED ACORN WEEVIL, Balaninus pardalus Chittn. In this locality the beetles of this species show the same pre- ference for acorns of the white oak that those of the last describ- ed species show for the acorns of chestnut oak. Frequently I have found this species swarming in white oak trees when not one could be found in nearby oaks of other kinds. Chittenden has reared it from acorns of swamp white oak and black oak. In a general way, this beetle more nearly resembles the con- fused acorn weevil than any other species. The size and shape are very similar and the length of the beak is practically the same in both insects. The color of this species is a darker shade of brown and the spots on the back are smaller and more clearly marked. The large mandibles of the male are a distinguishing mark. The beetles are common on white oak trees from about the first of August until the acorns drop in the autumn. The operation attending oviposition is very sim- ilar to that of the species which attacks the acorns of chestnut oak. The female makes a branched gal- lery extending toward the center of the acorn and then, through the same opening in the shell, directs a branch to one side in which the egg is placed. So far as has been observ- ed, none of the egg-punctures are made through the cup. The eggs are not distinguishable from those of several other species. THE NUT CURCULIOS. The group of snout beetles commonly known as curculios is made notorious by the habit which some of the species have of attacking orchard fruits. Several species of the group attack 176 nuts and some of these resemble very closely that formidable enemy of the fruit grower, the plum curculio. In their life his- tories and general characteristics the likeness of the different species is still futher borne out. As compared with the nut weevils, the curculios are smaller and the snout much shorter. The more important species pass the winter in the adult or beetle form and deposit their eggs in young nuts early in the summer. The two species that attack walnuts and hickorynuts often cause a heavy drop of the immature nuts. Very frequently trees of black walnut and of some varieties of hickory lose half their crop as a result of injuries inflicted by these insects. The infested nuts drop while they are quite small and for that reason the injuries are more apt to escape notice than when nuts are attacked that are more nearly mature. THE WALNUT CURCULIO, Conotrachelus juglandis Lee. During the month of July the ground beneath bearing black and white walnut trees will frequently be found well covered with little nuts that have recently fallen from the branches above. An examination of these nuts will show a crescent-shap- ed scar on the side of each and on cutting the nut open a small, whitish larva with a brown head will be found usually on the discolored tissue. A snout beetle known as the walnut curculio is responsible for this condition of the nuts. The beetle is about one-fourth of an inch long and the snout, which hangs down or is folded back beneath the thorax, is less than half as long as the body. The back has a rough appearance which is due to several humps and ridges. The body is thinly covered with short, dingy-yellow hairs which form indistinct bands on each side of the prothorax and across the wing covers just behind the middle. The first eggs of the season are deposited usually in young black walnuts about June 10th to 15th and oviposition contin- ues for more than a month. In preparing a place for her egg, the beetle hollows out a cavity or pocket in the walnut about me- Nut Curculios. a and b, Hickorynut Curculios; c, Walnut Cur- cUio; d, larvae of Hickorynut Curculio in nuts; e, larvae of Walnut Curculio in nuts. c, slightly enlarged. All the rest natural size. 177 tenth of an inch deep which extends obliquely beneath the skin. In this cavity the egg is placed and the beetle then proceeds to pack the space about the egg with bits of husk which she tears from the surface near where the opening was started. When the egg is well sealed in she enlarges the place from which she has torn the packing into a crescent-shaped incision, a little over an eighth of an inch long, which partly surrounds the egg. As the beetle works she freely voids liquid excrement which forms a dark stain on the surface of the nut about a fourth of an inch from the wound. This stain on the nut is often more conspicuous than the wound. Before the beetles have finished their egg-laying the walnuts are nearly half grown and the husk is so solid that excavating, as carried out so elaborately at first, becomes so difficult that the beetle, evidently to avoid labor, changes the form of her punc- ture and deposits the last of her eggs in shallow pits on the side of the nut. These eggs are placed in groups of three or four and have no crescent marks about them and are not protected with the plug of chips. The egg is oblong-oval in shape, the color being creamy white. The surface is finely granular and has a ground-glass appearance. Length, .04 inch, width, .025 inch. Specimens that were observed hatched in four, five and six days, the average time being five days. The larvae are dirty white with brown heads and are less robust and more active in their movements than those of the weevils. After the larvae have fed for about ten days or two weeks the nuts drop and the larvae complete their growth in from one to two weeks thereafter. They then abandon their feeding place, enter the ground for a short distance and soon pupate in small cells which they fashion in the earth. The beetles issue from the ground during August and September, and, presuma- bly, spend the interval of warm weather about the trees. When fall approaches they hibernate, and reappear the following spring in time to attack the walnuts soon after the blossoms have dropped from the trees. 178 THE HICKORYNUT CURCULIO, Conotrachelus affinis Boh. This insect injures hickorynuts in very much the same man- ner as the walnut curculio affects walnuts. As a rule the nuts when attacked are a little further developed than is the case with the walnuts, but the larvae appear and do their feeding before the kernel begins to form. The infested nuts drop when not more than two-thirds grown. The beetles seem to show a preferance for the nuts of pignut hickory, and some of the other less valuable varieties, but they also injure shellbark nuts con- siderably. Superficially r the beetle bears a close resemblance to the walnut curculio, the most noticeable difference being that the broad band across the wing covers of the former are much lighter, in some individuals being almost pure white. The size and general structure of the two are very similar. Egg-laying begins near the last of June and extends over a period of about four weeks. In 1906, oviposition had ceased apparently on July 15th but in 1907, when the season was about two weeks backward, egg production seemed to be at its height on July 20th. The eggs are placed in small cavities which ex- tend less than half way through the husk of the nut. In one operation of egg-laying which was observed, the beetle spent 47 minutes in preparing a pocket for the egg, one minute in de- positing the egg and 15 minutes in filling the space about the egg with scrapings from the husk. The last part of the act was performed after dark and was observed by the aid of a lantern. The beetles seem especially active in the early dark of the even- ing and it is probable that many of the eggs are deposited at that time. The egg is oblong, eliptical in shape, surface smooth and glossy and the color clear white, the embryo showing through the shell. The dimensions of several specimens averaged; — length .04 inch, width .025 inch. One egg kept under obseva- tion hatched in five days. The larvae are yellowish white with brown heads. In their 179 feeding they convert the entire interior of the nut into fine, granular excrement. Several nuts on the trees that were marked at the time eggs were deposited in them dropped in from 15 to 20 days there- after. The larvae remain in the nuts for a week or two after they drop and then make their exit through holes eaten in the shell at the point where the wound was made in depositing the egg. They enter the ground to a depth of from one to two inches and soon change to pupae. A few individuals were found that pupated in the nut. These were supposed, at first, to belong to another species but proved on reaching the adult stage to be the same as those that trans- formed in the ground. Most of the young adults appear in August and September. My record for the first individual to issue in breeding jars is August 12th and for the last October 10th. The winter is passed in the beetle stage. Mr. W. Dwight Pierce reared beetles of this species from fallen hickorynuts in Louisiana in July, 1906. (Entomological News, Vol. 18, 1907, p. 362.) ACORN CURCULIOS. In addition to the several species of Balaninus that depre- date on acorns, a large number of two species of curculios were reared from infested nuts of white and chestnut oak. The habits of the two species are somewhat similar and in color and struc- ture they are much alike. Both deposit their eggs in acorns in the fall and the larvae issue from the nuts during the succeed- ing winter and spring and enter the ground, where they trans- form to adults about mid-summer. THE LARGER ACORN CURCULIO, Conotrachelus naso Lee. This beetle is about the size and color of the walnut curculio, the most conspicuous difference being the longer and more slen- der snout. The color is dull brown mixed with black. On the 180 back are several small spots of a lighter shade due to the dirty, white pubescence that sparcely clothes the body. On September 24th, 1907 I watched one of these beetles de- positing eggs in a chestnut oak acorn. It had selected an acorn that had the shell cracked so that there was no covering to pene- trate in getting at the meat. The insect spent 15 minutes in making an egg chamber of the desired depth. She worked with considerable energy and every few seconds her beak would be withdrawn from the opening with a chip of the meat held in the jaws. These chips were placed in a small heap by the side of the opening and, when the excavating was done and the egg inserted, the chips were packed loosely about the egg until the cavity was filled. One of the beetles was seen feeding on a chest- nut but no eggs were deposited in this nut. This species was reared from both white and chestnut oak acorns, the beetles issuing from the earth in June and July. It has been bred in Texas from acorns of post oak. The egg is creamy white, oval, .03 inch long and .015 inch wide, the surface being delicately granular. A dozen or more eggs may be deposited in one acorn. THE SMALLER ACORN CURCULIO, Conotrachelus posticatus Boh. This beetle is smaller than the one just described, the snout being shorter and stouter. The color and general appearance of the two species are similar. The adults were not observed on the trees and no eggs of this species have come under my observation. They were reared abundantly from chestnut oak acorns. The adults issued from the ground in breeding jars during June, July and August. F. M. Webster has reared this species from white oak acorns and E. A. Swartz records that the larvae dwell within the galls of certain Phylloxera on hickory leaves. W. D. Pierce has bred it from prematurely fallen hickorynuts in Louisiana. 181 NATURAL ENEMIES. The nut-infesting snout beetles are preyed upon by several kinds of insects and larger animals, but these natural enemies are not sufficient to keep them within the bounds of inoffensive- ness. The habits of these snout beetles are such that it seems im- pobable that we will ever be able to carry on a very successful warfare against them, and, since we can do so little in the way of holding them in check, it is interesting to know what nature is doing to retard their multiplication. One of the most important of their enemies is a medium- sized, four-winged fly, a bracon parasite, known technically as Urosigalphus armatus Ashm. This parasite is a foe of the nut weevils and issues from the ground along with the beetles in the summer. It seems especially fond of the larger chestnut weevil and while the beetles of this species are laying their first eggs in the young chestnut burs the parasites fairly swarm among the branches. On August 28th, 1906, from a low-hanging chestnut branch that bore about seventy-five burs, I collected, in thirty minutes, 24 of the weevils and 26 of the parasites. Since that time they have been seen in equal abundance on numerous occa- sions. This parasite has a long, external ovipositor, almost equal in length to the beak of the weevil. After the weevil has pierced the nut and inserted its egg, the parasite finds the same orifice, thrusts in its ovipositor and deposits an egg. The grub that hatches from the egg of the parasite feeds internally on the "chestnut worm," and although it opens hostilities soon after the weevil is hatched, it appears to cause its victim no serious inconvenience until the* following year at just the time the weevil larva would pupate. Then the parasites kills and almost entirely devours the weevil. In the cell which the chestnut worm prepared for its own transformation quarters the parasite con- structs a cocoon, four-tenths of an inch in length, within which it changes to the winged stage. Having reached maturity, it soon 182 works its way to the open air and flies to the trees to prepare for another brood of parasites by laying its eggs in the weevils punc- tures. The parasite has a wasp-like apperaance but if caught in the hand it will not sting although it gives off a very offensive odor. About 25 per cent of the larvae of the larger chestnut wee- vil are parasitized by this species and, apparently, a considera- bly smaller per cent of these of the other species of Balaninus. It seems probable that the habits of plastening over their egg-punctures and of hiding their eggs in the side branches of the main galleries, which are practiced by some of the acorn weevils, are devises for outwitting this parasite. A smaller bracon parasite, known as Sigalphus curculionis Fitch, was reared in abundance from the larvae of the hickory- nut curculio and in lesser numbers from those of the walnut curculio. A number of small, brown ants, Lasius aliena Fors., were found that had broken into the earthy cell of a larva of the larger chestnut weevil and were devouring the insect. Another species of ant somewhat larger than the one mentioned first and known as Aphaenogaster aquia Buck., was found with a number of part- ly eaten Balaninus larvae stored in its nest under a stone in the woods. Still another species, a small, red ant, Solenopsia de- bilis Mayr., was found attacking larvae of the walnut curculio within young black walnuts on the ground. Several specimens of two parasitic flies, about the size of the common housefly, were bred from the nut enemies. One of these, Metadexia basalis G.-T., was bred from the larva of the hickorynut curculio and the other, Myophasia aenea Wied., was reared from white oak acorns infested with the larvae of B. pardalus and C. naso. From which species the fly came, was not determined. The larva of an undetermined click-beetle was found feed- ing on a larva of one of the nut weevils, and on another occa- sion a nymph of the spined soldier-bug. Podisus maculiventris, 183 was found with a live, adult larger chestnut weevil impaled on its beak, which it soon killed. , Perhaps the most important enemy of 'these snout beetles, especially of the nut weevils, is the short-tailed shrew, a little, insectivorous mammal that lives in the ground. These little shrews are not often seen but they are exceedingly abundant, especially in woods and in shady and weedy places in fields. They are very fond of the fat, juicy grubs of the snout beetles, and while these grubs are in the ground undergoing transfor- mation or hiding for the winter; they are found by shrews and devoured by thousands. In the ground beneath nut-bearing trees a labyrinth of burrows will be found frequently that have been made by the shrews in their search for insects. In such places not more than 10 per cent of the larvae that enter the ground in the fall can be found the following spring. That the shrews are chiefly responsible for their disappearance is shown by the numbers of the mammals that can be trapped in such places and by their fondness of the larvae when in captivity. It has been found that a shrew in 24 hours will eat a quantity of the larvae greater in weight than that of its own body. On one occasion, I saw a shrew devour 70 large "chestnut worms" within a space of five minutes. For further notes on this feeding habit of the shrews, see Bulletin 113, W. Va. Agr. Expt. Station. METHODS OF CONTROL. This is a difficult group of insects to deal with so far as remedial measures are concerned. The internal feeding habits of the larvae, and to a great extent of the adults also, together with the fact that most of the activities of the more injurious species are carried on in the tops of large trees, places them be- yond the reach of our ordinary insecticides. All the species, being native to this country and having their wild food plants, propagate their kind in the woods and furnish from that source an abundant supply of recruits to 184 take the places of any that may be destroyed in cultivated nut orchards and groves. The case is not hopeless, however, and some very satisfactory results are being obtained by a few per- sons who are producing and handling nuts on a large scale. FUMIGATION WITH BISULPHIDE OF CARBON. This ma- terial may be obtained at most drug stores at a cost of about 25 cents a pint in small quantities. Fumigation with it is re- commended for nuts when they are first harvested. The treat- ment kills many of the larvae within the nuts before they have attained much size, and renders the nuts more salable, although it may be a question as to whether or not the consumer should be pleased with this manner of hiding the defective kernels. In using this treatment, a light box or barrel is provided of a size sufficient to accommodate the quantity of nuts to be fumigated. The nuts are placed in the receptacle and a shallow dish set on top of them. Into this dish the bisulphide is poured, from half an ounce to an ounce being used for each bushel of nuts. The receptacle 'containing the nuts should be furnished with a tight fitting lid and this should be put in place at once after the liquid is poured into the dish. The nuts should then be left undisturbed for from twelve to twenty-four hours. The bisulphide of carbon volitlizes very rapidly and the gas which is thrown off, being heavier than the atmosphere, settles to the bottom of the vessel, penetrating the shells of the nuts and killing the insects within. The tighter the receptacle con- taining the nuts the less bisulphide will be required and the more effective will be the treatment. It may be necessary to repeat the fumigation in about ten days to kill the young larvae that hatch from eggs that were in the nuts at the time of the first treatment. The bisulphide of carbon has a very disagreeable odor but this passes off quickly after the nuts are exposed to the air. In using this material care should always be taken to keep fire away as the gas is very inflammable. DESTROYING INFESTED NUTS. The larvae of most of 185 the species of weevils and curculios remain in the nuts for some time after the nuts drop to the ground. If such nuts are gathered carefully and thoroughly and the worthless ones fed to hogs or burned many larvae will be destroyed and the genera- tion of beetles that would injure the next season's nuts be greatly reduced. CULTIVATION. Cultivation of the soil about nut trees is not often practiced in this section of the country, but, where practicable, spring and summer cultivation may be counted on to destroy many of the insects by breaking up their hiding places in the earth and exposing the larvae and pupae to the air and to natural enemies. TRAPPING THE BEETLES. On a previous page of this paper the habit which the adult hickorynut weevil has of hid- ing in dead leaves that adhere to the branches is alluded to. The tendency to hide in these brown, curled leaves is so great that in at least one instance when a medium-sized bearing hickory tree was examined, practically every dead leaf on the branches that could be reached by climbing contained one or more beetles. On that occasion none was found in any other situation. In a small way, I experimented with hanging twigs covered with dead leaves to the branches and on the body of the tree at about the time the beetles were most abundant. I had no difficulty in trapping a considerable number of beetles in this way, and found that the insects could be destroyed very easily by dipping the leaf traps into hot water. It is possible that in pecan and hickory groves much good might be accomplished by trapping in this way with bunches of dead leaves or with some other device that would afford shelter for the insects. The method might be extended to some of the other species of nut weevils but, from our knowledge of their habits, it may be said that the hickorynut weevil is the most promising species for experiments of this kind. WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY AGRICULTURAL EXPERIHENT STATION MORGANTOWN, W. VA. BULLETIN 113. JANUARY, 1908. Notes on the Habits of Mice, Moles and Shrews. (A PRELIMINARY REPORT.) BY FRED E. BROOKS. [The Bulletins and Reports of this Station will be mailed free to any citizen of West Virginia upon written application. Address Director of Agricultural Experiment Station, Morgantown, W. Va.] THE REGENTS OF THE WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY Name of Regent. P. 0. Address. HON. C. M. BABB Falls, W. Va. HON. J. B. FINLEY Parkersburg, W. Va. HON. D. C. GALLAHER Charleston, W. Va. HON. E. M. GRANT Morgantown, W. Va. HON. C. E. HAWORTH Huntington, W. Va HON. C. P. McNELL Wheeling, W. Va. HON. L. J. WILLIAMS Lewisburg, W. Va. HON. T. P. JACOBS New Martinsville, W. Va. HON. J. R. TROTTER Buckhannon, W. Va. President of the Board of Regents J. R. TROTTER President of the University D. B. PURINTON Treasurer A. R. WHITEHILL Auditor . . .W. J. WHITE STATION STAFF JAMES H. STEWART, A. M Director and Agriculturist BERT H. HITE, M. S Vice Director and Chemist W. M. MUNSON, PH. D Horticulturist W. E. RUMSEY, B. S. AGR Entomologist HORACE ATWOOD, M. S. AGR Assistant Agriculturist FRED E. BROOKS Associate Entomologist FRANK B. KUNST Assistant Chemist LEICESTER PATTON ? Assistant Chemist CHAS. E. WEAKLEY, JR Assistant Chemist W. J. WHITE Bookkeeper M. A. STEWART Librarian ALICE ENGLE Stenographer B. D. WHITE . . Herdsman White-footed Mouse, Peromyscus leucopus. This species lives in the woods and does not often enter houses. Very abundant in most parts of West Virginia. Notes on the Habits of Mice, Moles and Shrews. (A PRELIMINARY REPORT.) INTRODUCTION. On every ordinary farm in West Virginia there is a host of little mammals that live in nests, runways and burrows above, or just below, the surface of the ground. These mammals repre- sent the smallest of our fur-bearing animals and comprise several species of mice, moles and shrews. Including the common house mice, the white-footed or deer mice, and the jumping mice, which only occasionally use the surface or underground runways, we have within the borders of the state not less than fifteen distinct species of these little mammals. The several species which for the sake of convenience are here grouped together, in reality represent two widely separated classes of animals. All the true mice are rodents, or gnawing animals, of the order Glires and are both herbivorous and carniv- orous in their feeding habits. The group is represented by such larger animals as rabbits, squirrels and woodchucks. The moles and shrews belong to the order Insectivora and in feeding are almost strictly carnivorous. They have no very near relatives among the larger mammals but in a general way may be likened to the minks and weasels. 90 DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES. Several of the species are limited somewhat closely in their geographical ranges to certain life-areas; thus in the Canadian zone of our higher mountain regions the dominant forms are, as a rule, different from those commonly met with in the Austral zone of our lower elevations. In all situations, however, from the spruce forests and moss beds of our higher mountain tops to the grass and grain farms of our lower valleys, there may be found representatives of the mice, moles and shrews, some of them, usually, in great abundance. In their habits and manner of living they are, as a rule, secluded and unobtrusive, and a person may take daily walks through fields and woods that are thickly populated with half a dozen different species and rarely catch a glimpse of one of them. A little investigation, however, will surely reveal their burrows and paths extending through the ground or beneath lodged grass, decaying weeds and leaves, fallen logs, stones, or rubbish of any kind that may be lying on the ground. These burrows and paths form one of the most universal and unmistakable evidences of the presence of these animals. Unfortunately, some of the species have other ways of attracting our attention. The house mouse, for example, is always obtrusive and claims notice in a hundred well-known and obnoxious ways, the meadow mice occasionally raid our orchards, gardens, flowerbeds and grain fields and the moles throw up conspicuous mounds and ridges of earth in yards and lawns and in other grassy places. Notwithstanding the abundance of the animals there will sometimes be long periods during which the depredations of the meadow mice and the upheavals of the moles will scarcely be noticed on the farm. At the same time the well- beaten roads and burrows will remain, and, winter and summer, will form an intricate system of passages and runways, often extending to all parts of the farm and showing that the animals are still present and active, although for the time being they have ceased to be troublesome. It is obvious that at such times they do not discontinue, or even 91 reduce, their feeding and the nature of the food taken during these periods of propitious behavior should not be without inter- est to the farmer. Soils that are frequently cultivated and fields of closely cut grass are the least subject to infestation by any of the species except the mole. Sod ground is one of the favorite hunting resorts of this latter animal. ABUNDANCE. The seclusion in which these animals live makes it difficult to form an intelligent idea of the numbers in which they actually occur. Their abundance undoubtedly far exceeds the popular notion in regard to the matter, and, if it were possible to give here the figures representing the exact mouse, mole and shrew population of West Virginia, the statement would probably be more often discredited than otherwise. For several years I have been devoting considerable time to a study of the distribution and habits of these little mammals in different sections of the state. In pursuing this study I have necessarily collected hundreds of specimens, principally by trapping. In systematically collecting over one piece of ground for several weeks at a time some estimate will naturally be formed as to the number of individuals that frequent a given area. I have several times, and under varying conditions, col- lected in this systematic manner and as the work has been carried on I have from time to time revised and extended my estimates as to the average number of animals occurring per acre in the localities studied. Of the total number of all species found in the average locality, it may be estimated that half will be moles and shrews and the other half mice. 92 FOOD HABITS. It has been demonstrated by several experiments that some of the more common of these animals, such as the common meadow mouse, Brewer's mole and short-tailed shrew, will con- sume a quantity of food daily, equal to or greater than their own weight. It has also been shown, for all the species that have received any considerable amount of study, that their feeding habits have a more or less direct bearing upon agricul- ture. The moles and shrews, as has been stated, feed almost exclusively on -animal matter, and on account of the number of insects which they consume that are detrimental to the growth of farm crops they may be regarded as being among the more useful of our wild mammals. The mice are in the main vege- table eaters and attack a great variety of plants that are useful to man, and for this reason may be classed as injurious. This classification of the mice, however, is arbitrary, and the group needs further specifical study before it is established that there are not some exceptions to the commonly accepted rule. The destructive habits of the house mice and meadow mice in buildings, gardens and fields are well-known, and by the mis- deeds of these species other animals, that are so unfortunate as to be mouse-like in appearance, are all but universally judged and condemned. The average dweller in the country is prone to look with disfavor upon any animal that may be termed hawk, snake or mouse, and be the species what it may, if it answers to any of these names and comes within reach of the farmer, its life is apt to pay the penalty. The moles and shrews are good examples of animals that are unwisely dealt with after this fashion. They have proven themselves beneficial to the farmer, and yet the dog, cat, trap, poison, or other agency that will destroy moles and shrews is esteemed almost as highly as though it were equally effective in putting an end to so many house mice. These beneficial animals, the moles and shrews, are usually killed in good faith, for the mistaken idea prevails that they are vegetable eaters and that they share in damaging potatoes, young 93 fruit trees, the bulbous roots of flowering plants, etc., for which the different species of ground-dwelling mice are alone respon- sible. It is not to be wondered at that the moles and shrews are blamed for the mischief done by the meadow mice for they habitually frequent the same sort of places and are very natu- rally judged by the company which they keep. I once caught in ten days seven meadow mice, one white-footed mouse, one Brewer's mole and eleven short-tailed shrews in a single, under- ground runway in a grassy orchard in Upshur County. I have often trapped shrews in the identical runways used by the mice in getting to such articles of vegetable food as are mentioned above, and yet when either the shrews or moles were confined and given only such food, they invariably divested themselves of all unfriendly suspicion by dying of starvation after no more than marking with their teeth the food articles at hand. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE. The economic importance of the mice, moles and shrews may be likened to that of the birds, although they have received less study and their habits are far from being as well under- stood. In so far as the species are concerned the birds, of course, greatly outnumber the mammals; but I believe if an average could be made of the number of individuals of both classes that are present and active in West Virginia at all seasons of the year, the latter might prove to be almost as numerous as the former. The migration of birds greatly reduces their number during the colder half of the year, whereas all the mammals under consideration, with the exception of a few of the less com- mon species of mice which hibernate, are present and active the year round. The amount of injury done by mice in houses and fields will compare very well with the loss on the farm from English sparrows, crows, hawks and fruit-eating birds, while the good accomplished by the beneficial species of each class is also com- parable. The greatest material service of birds to man is, no doubt, the destruction of injurious insects, and, while the birds 94 are busy above the ground in carrying on this work, the moles and shrews are equally busy in their chosen hunting-grounds in destroying similar pests. It often happens that a single species of insect at one stage of its development will inhabit the feeding places of birds and be destroyed by them, and at another stage will live in the ground and furnish food for the mammals. For example, the insectivorous birds will pursue May-beetles, click- beetles and owlet-moths while the moles and shrews will be dig- ging for white-grubs, wire-worms and cut-worms, which are but the immature forms of the same insects. When opportunity offers, however, the moles and shrews will not object to craunch- ing a May-beetle or other adult insect any more than a robin will object to swallowing a white-grub or cut-worm. GENERAL STATEMENTS. There is a notable lack of literature on the life-histories and habits of moles and shrews, as well as of several of our com- mon mice. The meadow mice have received considerable atten- tion from investigators and writers in recent years, and an excellent bulletin has just been published by Mr. David E. Lantz, of the United States Biological Survey, entitled ''An Economic Study of Field Mice." This bulletin gives a com- prehensive account of the distribution, habits and methods of combating three species of meadow mice ; namely, — the Common Meadow Mouse, Microtus pennsylvanicus. the Prairie Meadow Mouse, Microtus ochrogaster, and the Pine Mouse, Microtus pinetorum scalopsoides. The bulletin may be read very profit- ably by any one who is interested in these rodents. The secretive ways of these little mammals make it a diffi- cult matter to observe accurately their habits, and there is yet much to be learned pertaining to the economic importance of most of them. This paper does not set forth the final results of the work along this line which has been planned by the ento- mological department of the Experiment Station. It has been prepared partly by compilation and partly from original obser- vations, and is being sent out with the hope of stimulating an 95 interest in a subject which is certainly of great importance to farmers and which in the past seems to have been unduly neglected. The illustrations used are from photographs and drawings made especially for this publication. Some of them were pro- cured only after the expenditure of considerable time and patience. It is hoped that they will enable the reader to dis- tinguish between the beneficial and injurious species and assist in creating a wider interest in the matter of encouraging the presence of our animal friends, as well as that of dstroying those species that are hurtful. 96 SHORT.TAILED SHREW. (Blarina brevicauda Say). Called also Mole Shrew, North Eastern Mole Shrew, Large Bob-tail Shrew and Large Blarina. Order Insectivora. Family Soricidse. The short-tailed shrew is taken here as the most common representative of its family in West Virginia. It is distributed generally throughout the State, being found most often in de- ciduous woods, weedy or grassy fields, along fences, or in any location where there is shade or where decaying vegetable matter affords a complete or partial covering to the ground. Its geo- graphical range, as given by Rhodes, is "Canadian, transition and upper austral zones ; Atlantic Ocean to Nebraska and Man- itoba ; Quebec to Virginia ; replaced southward by B. carolinensis, a distinct species." Full-grown specimens are about five inches in length; tail one inch. Form rather stout and pig-like, legs short, nose pointed. Color sooty-plumbeous or lead-colored above, becom- ing slightly lighter below. Fur fine and glossy and varying in depth of color with change of light. Eyes very small and incon- spicuous, ears small and hidden in fur, teeth tipped with dark chestnut. The shrews frequent underground burrows and surface runways and may occasionally be seen traveling openly over the ground in fields and woods, evidently in search of food. They are active both night and day and do not hibernate. When frightened, or while engaged in fighting with other animals, or occupied in family altercations they emit a strong, disagreeable odor. This odor evidently renders them distasteful in a measure to other predacious mammals and birds, as shrews are fre- quently killed by them and left uneaten. in I O tO - I I sr B| 97 The species is very abundant throughout its range. The food is animal matter of a great variety of kinds, but chiefly insects, worms, mice and snails. In disposition they are ner- vous, ill-tempered and rapacious. They do not hesitate to attack animals larger than themselves and in confinement will kill and devour their fellows. Considering the abundance of these animals it seems strange that the name "shrew" has not come into more general use, especially among persons who live in the country and see them often. When referred to on the farm they are almost invariably designated "mole" or "mouse," and the name "shrew" is scarcely recognized as belonging to a North American animal. The shrews constitute a family by themselves, however, and may very easily be distinguished from the moles by their smaller size and mouse-like fore feet, and from the mice by their pointed nose, small eyes and finer fur. By way of emphasizing and amplifying these statements in regard to the characteristics of this species, I cannot do better than to quote at length here from the writings of several recog- nized authorities on the mammals of this country. I). E. Lantz. "The Large blarina (Blarina bremcauda Say) is well distributed in eastern Kansas, and is probably found throughout the state. It is found in the woods and in the fields, and lives in shal- low tunnels, which it makes by pressing the soil aside, after the manner of a mole. These tunnels may often be seen on the surface of the ground. The color is uniform dark plumbeous above, a little more ashy beneath, the feet brownish. When full grown it is about four and a half to five inches in length. ***** Our knowledge of the shrews is meager. They are mostly nocturnal in their habits and, therefore, seldom seen. We know that they feed almost entirely on insects and, from observation of specimens kept in confinement, we suspect that they destroy other small mammals, and even that they sometimes kill and devour other shrews. At least, they are cannibals when in confinement, and only the strongest survive in a cage. In trapping and poisoning small mice I have often come upon partly devoured specimens, and have sus- pected that shrews were responsible for the work. "There can be no doubt of the usefulness of this genus in destroy- ing noxious insects. Shrews should not be destroyed. Unfortunately, 98 cats and owls do not discriminate between shrews and mice, even if the farmer does; and so the shrews are likely to become less plentiful as settlement becomes more dense. I have frequently found dead shrews in hollow trees occupied by the screech-owl." (Bull. 129, Kansas Experiment (Station, p. 394, 1905.) Samuel N. Rhodes.. "This species (Short-tailed Shrew) stands pre-eminent above all others of our mammals in its abundance and universality of distribution in all conceivable situations. Not a place have I trapped over in the two states (New Jersey and Pennsylvania) but what it was among the first species to be caught. It is found in our deepest, coldest mountain ravines, on the stony, barren moun- tain top, in the banks and valleys of low tidewater streams and the maritime marshes, and delights in roving from the cool sphagnum bogs of the New Jersey cedar swamps, where the temperature may be below 60 degrees, to the hot sand barrens of the adjoining fields with a midday heat of 110 degrees. Forest and plain, sand and clay, barren or fruitful fields, back woods and dooryard, heat and cold, wet and dry, day and night, have common charms for this little cosmopolite. "It is supposed by some observers that the fetid odor emitted by certain glands of this species, more particularly the male, causes its rejection by all preying animals, as cats, dogs, foxes, minks, skunks, weasels, owls and hawks. To a degree this is true, and I have found them lying dead in open places in the woodland or along lanes, paths and roads where they had evidently been dropped by foxes, and owls, as the wounds in the body showed. That they are not always rejected may be seen by examining the lists of stomach contents and pellets or rejects of several species of hawks and owls. Some cats and dogs will eat them. The most offensive males may be rejected, and I doubt not this odor has a deterrent effect upon would-be offenders, acting as a preservative of the species. The more I observe and inquire into the economy of the large mole shrew, the more I am convinced that it is locally the most potent factor in preserving the economic equilibrium among the smaller mammalia which the Creator established as conserving the highest good of the greatest number. "It is surprising how few, even among very intelligent people, have the remotest conception of what constitutes a shrew. I venture that ninety per cent, of the persons I have conversed with on the subject have had no other idea of shrews than the kind depicted in Shakespeare's comedy, and when I gravely state to them that I have caught so many shrews the effect is rather amusing. Though rarely seen, even by the most curious observers of nature, the subject of this article far outnumbers any other species of native mammal found in eastern North America. Like other members of the family it is 99 insectivorous, depending almost wholly on animal food for subsistence, and with its near kinsman the mole, which it greatly resembles, is supposed to feed principally on worms. "****** In view of their great numbers we natu- rally query what economic relations they bear to man and to nature. Undoubtedly the purely mechanical effect of their universal burrowing and rooting in the soil is an important factor in that economy. It is known that they subsist to some extent on vegetable food, chiefly nuts, but they do only indirect damage to agriculture by disturbing the roots of plants. On the other hand, there is little doubt that they destroy an amazing number of noxious grubs, beetles, and worms, and it is probable that the part they play as underground scavengers is important. They also do much in checking the increase of the native mice of our meadows and woodlands. "Of the domestic habits of the mole shrew we know very little, and that, in a general way, would seem to point to anything but conjugal felicity or fidelity, and their fraternal relations may safely be set down as far below par. "****** The mole shrew builds a nest of grass and leaves in dry, underground situations, to which it resorts not only for its own shelter, but for that of its young. Four to six young compose a litter, and, as with our native mice, the young are born at all seasons of the year, though less frequently in winter." (The Mam- mals of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, pp. 193-195, 1903.) Witmer Stone and William E. Cram. "There is a class of little beasts common enough throughout all our Northern States, yet hardly known by name or otherwise. Resembling the mice in outward ap- pearance; in their manner of living and getting their food they may almost be said to copy the habits of the weasels. They have the lithe, supple bodies, and short legs of the weasel tribe without the character- istic slimness of form; their flesh, like that of the weasel's is dark, and strong smelling. This might be attributed to their similarly carnivorous habits, if it were not true that the flesh of most meat- eating animals is comparatively light-colored and tender. "It might even be objected that the shrews are not truly carniv- orous but insectivorous, the fact that they are actually the smallest of beasts rendering them powerless against all but a very few of their kindred. "But ravenously fond of all kinds of flesh they certainly are, and I believe that the young of ground-nesting birds and perhaps young mice are frequently eaten by them. It would not greatly surprise me to discover that they occasionally attack creatures larger than them- selves. Of the several distinct species that should be found in most of the Eastern States, I have found but one really abundant. This 100 one is catalogued as the mole shrew, and is found almost everywhere in great numbers. ***** They are obstinate, savage little brutes, but are unquestionably of immense service to the farmers, spending their lives in a most vigorous pursuit of insects of all kinds. " * * * * Their keen noses enable them to scent meat at a considerable distance, and when they h.ave succeeded in finding any that may have been left by larger hunters, they fall upon it raven- ously, tearing at it and devouring it with all the ferocity of wolves. "One that I caught in a trap had already, when I found it, dis- posed of the raw meat, which had served as bait, and when confined in a cage immediately seized upon whatever meat was offered it, whether raw or cooked, without discriminating between kinds. Beef, pork and cold chicken — all went the same way, while the fury of his appetite was being appeased. Both in eating and drinking the pro- jecting taper-like nose or trunk was turned up in order to enable him to use his mouth more freely, for a shrew's mouth opens from beneath almost like that of a shark. The sensitive trunk is doubtless of service in poking about beneath the leaves and in soft earth after worms, of which the mole shrew is particularly fond. "Many of them take up their winter quarters in cellars where they forage around in dusky corners for worms and insects, or help them- selves to whatever meat is left within their reach. Their holes are dug in the surrounding soil and are probably being multiplied and extended throughout the winter in search of worms. "***** None of the shrews appear to hibernate, and whether the mole shrew ever passes the winter in burrowing about in the ground beneath the frost, or not, is hard to determine. The genuine moles are believed to occupy themselves in this manner all winter long and, of course, it is quite possible that the mole shrew may do likewise, but I have my doubts about it. "At all events, numbers of them are out on the surface of the snow, even in the very coldest weather, when the ground beneath is like a stone. Part of their food at such times is obtained by gleaning after the owls and foxes and other hunters of the woodland. If they depended on this alone most of them would starve long before spring, as even in warm weather they require food oftener than almost any other creature of their size, and though insects in small numbers are always to be found on the snow, these would hardly suffice to appease a mole shrew's hunger. I believe that they get the greater part of their food at this season by burrowing about among the dead leaves beneath the snow in the forests, gathering the dormant insects that habitually pass the winter in such places." (American Animals, pp. 180-182. 1902.) Theodore Roosevelt. "When a boy I captured one of these mole- 101 shrews and found to my astonishment that he was a bloodthirsty and formidable little beast of prey. He speedily killed and ate a partially grown white-footed mouse which I put in the same cage with him. (I think a full-grown mouse of this kind would be an overmatch for a shrew.) I then put a small snake in with him. The shrew was very active, but seemed nearly blind, and as he ran to and fro he never seemed to be aware of the presence of anything living until he was close to it, when he would instantly spring on it like a tiger. On this occasion he attacked the litttle snake with great ferocity, and after an animated struggle in which the snake whipped and rolled all around the cage, throwing the shrew to and fro a dozen times, the latter killed and ate the snake in triumph. Larger snakes frequently eat shrews, by the way." (Scribner's Magazine, Vol. XLII, No. 4, p. 385, Oct. 1907.) Robert Elliott. "Short-tailed shrew, Blarina brevicauda (Say). More mole-like in appearance than any member of the next genus. (Sorex.) Besides destroying innumerable injurious insects in the course of a year, this industrious mammal is a persistent enemy of mice, following them into their burrows and killing them there. Com- mon in Ontario. "***** That the distinction between a shrew and a mouse is not more clearly known is a decided misfortune to both the farmer and the shrew. Meadow mice feed on the farmer's crops and are generally treated as they truly are — that is, unmitigated pests. Shrews feed on insects and (in the case of one species, at least) on those very mice the farmer so cordially dislikes. Yet to the average farmer every little furry creature that runs through his fields is merely a mouse, nay, even worse than that, if any distinction is made at all, it is usually against the poor little 'shrew-mouse' — an unreasonable prejudice allied to superstition." (Twenty-seventh An- nual Report, Entomological Society of Ontario, pp. 19, 20, 1896.) A. Franklin Shull. " * * * * Two articles of food of Blarina have been so far mentioned, namely, snails and voles. (Meadow mice) * * * * The only quantitative evidence obtained in the field in regard to the vole diet was found at the nest mentioned above as having been made exclusively of the hair of this animal. Beside this nest, thrust into the loose peat, were the bodies of two freshly killed meadow voles and that of a third half eaten. In addition to those there were several handfuls of hair in which were mixed legs and tails enough for about twenty voles. I could not know how long it had taken to accumulate this mass. The hair was still moist but was packed so close that moisture would be retained a long time even in the dry soil in which the nest was located. 102 "To determine more accurately the quantity of mice and other foods eaten by the shrew, experiments were made in the laboratory. A shrew was kept in confinement for over five weeks, in a wire cov- ered cage in which earth was placed to a depth of about. 10 cm. When practicable, live food was furnished. Among the various foods tried were meadow voles and house mice (Mus musculus), May beetles (Lachnosterna) and their grubs, moth . larvae, other insects and pupae, earthworms, snails, sowbugs, carrots, crackers, roots of grasses and other plants. None of the last three articles were ever touched as food. ****** other in- sects such as various ground beetles, giant water bugs (Benacus), and HydropMlus triangularis, were furnished. All were eaten, but the ground beetles were the favorite. Other larvae of insects besides Lachnosterna were readily taken, even the "woolly bear of Pyrrharctia isabella.. Sowbugs were eagerly devoured. When live food was not to be had, beef was furnished, and was eaten readily. I made only two stomach examinations. One stomach contained an insect larva mutilated beyond recognition; the other the remains of a meadow vole, recognizable by the hairs swallowed with the flesh. Vegetable foods were invariably rejected, though Professor Reighard has captured the shrew in traps baited with nut meats scented with anise oil, and the specimens taken still had fragments of the nut meats in their teeth. « * * * * Too little ^ heretofore been known of the short- tailed shrew to make an estimate of its econmoic importance practic- able. Stomach examinations 'are almost wanting, my own work includ- ing but two. However, from data concerning the quantities of food in laboratory and field, I have attempted an estimate of the economic importance of Blarina. * * * * p0r example one month's rations of voles alone would be 20; of house mice 30; of adult May beetles, 450; and so on. " * * * * *Estimating the number of shrews as I have done at four per acre, it appears the number of meadow voles devoured by them on a farm of 100 acres in a year is 100x4x12x8=38400. Since this number can scarcely be supplied, the capacity of the shrews for keeping the voles in check is not strained. Where this quantity of voles can not be found, either other foods must be eaten in equivalent amounts, or the shrew is capable of subsisting on shorter rations or the estimated four shrews per acre can not exist. Farmers should take note of the economic value of Blarina. In their zeal to rid their premises of noxious animals, they sometimes kill indiscriminately anything that looks like a mouse. One of these animals evidently kills many more voles in a year than the farmer himself. 103 * * * * The short-tailed shrew is so well protected from its enemies that no animals appear to depend upon it for food. ' It is abundant and widely distributed. In security it devours such quan- tities of voles and insects that its economic importance is considerable; and since, unlike the other common shrew, Sorex personatus, it is almost exclusively carnivorous, there is little to detract from its economic value." (The American Naturalist, Vol. XLI, No. 488, pp. 495-522, Aug., 1907. Prom observations made in Michigan.) E. A. Samuels. "The animals of this family (Shrews) are small, some of them the most diminutive of mammals. Their habits are generally nocturnal, and none of one species hibernate, I believe, as individuals are often seen in the winter busily engaged in searching for insects in their various forms, in and beneath piles of stones and rubbish. The shrews inhabit the woods, fields, and gardens, and being possessed of voracious appetites, they are continually active in de- stroying numerous noxious insects, of which their food almost entirely consists; consequently they are all eminently beneficial to agriculture, and are certainly worthy the protection of the farmer." (Report of Commissioner of Agriculture, p. 267, 1864.) Ernest Ingersoll. "All the shrews are ceaselessly active, wander- ing about underneath leaves, old grass, and logs, and boring their way into loose loam or the punky wood of decaying stumps, in search of earthworms, grubs, beetles, slugs, and similar prey, including young mice and the fledglings of ground-nesting birds, and varying this fare by bites from soft-shelled beechnuts, tuberous roots, etc. They are astonishingly quick of hearing; are bold, pugnacious, and fierce, often killing and eating other shrews; difficult to keep alive in captivity, utterly untamable, and easily frightened to death." (Life of Animals, p. 70, 1907.) SHREWS AND "CHESTNUT WORMS." My attention was first attracted to the abundance and economic value of the shrews in the spring of 1906. At that time I was making a study of insects that feed on nuts of various kinds and, in working out the life-histories of the several species under consideration, I found it desirable to add to my supply of " chestnut- worms/ ' " hickorynut-worms " and " acorn- worms. " During the previous fall I had had no trouble in finding large numbers of these worms in the ground beneath nut-bearing trees 104 where they had gone to hibernate and to transform later into mature insects. In making a search in similar locations in the spring, I found that there remained only a very small per cent, of the number that was known to have entered the ground in the fall, the missing ones having evidently been devoured by some small animal whose burrows traversed the ground beneath the trees in every direction.* Several mouse-traps were set in these burrows and in less than a week the traps caught over twenty short-tailed shrews under a single chestnut-oak tree. Some of the shrews were captured alive and kept in confinement and would feed ravenously on the worms with which I supplied them. One ate seventy-two large chestnut-worms, Balaninus proboscideus, in less than five minutes, while another gorged itself with nearly all the flesh of a full-grown white-footed mouse in the morning and in the afternoon of the same day ate thirty chestnut-worms at one meal. A few white-footed mice were also caught in the traps but the larger number of shrews taken, and the avidity with which the captive individuals ate the worms given to them, seemed to justify the conclusion that the shrews had been the principal agents in destroying the worms. In many places, too, the ani- mals in searching for the insects had apparently worked over the soil thoroughly between the burrows, which indicated the operations of shrews rather than of mice. The mice when caged, however, would also eat the worms and no doubt they had aided to some extent in the good work done by the shrews. Near the oak where the shrews were caught there stood a large chestnut tree that had produced a heavy crop of nuts the previous season. Beneath this tree I selected a spot at ran- dom and drove four stakes enclosing a plat of ground measuring six feet on either side. The plat was then marked off into blocks of one square-foot each and by removing the surface of the ground carefully with a trowel, one section at a time, a diagram was made of the location of all the burrows found. The figure below shows the distribution of the burrows on the thirty- 105 six square-feet of ground. That burrows of the same kind in the surrounding soil were being used extensively by the shrews, I proved in the manner mentioned above, and by subsequent trapping near the same place. Diagram showing burrows used by short-tailed shrews in search- ing for insect food. The burrows occurred in thirty-six square-feet of ground under a chestnut tree in the woods. (Original.) In many places the mechanical condition of the soil showed that the animals had turned aside from their well-beaten roads and had worked through the ground without leaving any per- 106 manent displacement of the earth behind. In this way prac- tically all the surface of the ground, to a depth of two or three inches, had been worked over and in removing the earth with the trowel only one chestnut-worm was found. From the num- ber of chestnut burrs and wormy nut shells that were scattered over the ground at that point, it seemed probable that many more worms than this had originally entered the soil. If this were true the greater part of them had undoubtedly fallen a prey to shrews. The interest awakened by these observations led me to in- quire more fully into the habitats and general characteristics of these small mammals. As the inquiries have progressed many new lines of interest pertaining to the subject have suggested themselves which, for practical and scientific reasons, it has seemed profitable to follow up. Some of the questions bearing upon the economic status of the shrews have already been an- swered by investigators, but there yet remain many points, espe- cially in regard to their feeding habits, that are unsettled. The economic status of the shrews depends largely upon the quality of food which they consume. They are known to feed largely on insects and mice and have therefore been designated by nearly all writers on the Soricidae as being highly beneficial. This designation is most likely entirely proper, and yet the prob- ability that the shrews also feed on beneficial insects and birds' eggs and fledglings should not be lost sight of. The harm which they do in this way may offset in a measure the good resulting from their destruction of injurious species. In endeavoring to obtain accurate data as to the insect food of the shrew, I have worked along three lines : 1st, examinations of the stomach contents of specimens collected in the field; 2nd, studies of the foods preferred by individuals in captivity, and 3rd, observations on the species of insects that live habitually, either as larvae, pupae or adults, in such places as are frequented by shrews. In view of the fact that these investigations are as yet far from complete, and that it is the present intention to 107 publish the final results of the work at some future time, it seems desirable to give here only a few of the more significant obser- vations that have thus far been made. DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE IN WEST VIRGINIA. In one of the quotations on a preceding page, S. N. Rhoads states that in Pennsylvania and New Jersey the short-tailed shrew is the most abundant of all native mammals, and Shull in another quotation estimates their average number per acre, for a point near Ann Arbor, Michigan, at four individuals. These observations entirely coincide with my own made in West Virginia. . I have found them very plentiful in fields and woods about Morgantown, in the glade lands and woods near Cowen, Webster County, in an old garden in Buckhannon, in a cellar and various outdoor situations at French Creek, and in other localities. On October 17th, 1907, I lifted a small board that had been left lying on a bed of grass that grew in the corner of a fence enclosing an orchard at French Creek. A well beaten runway was noticed beneath, extending nearly the full length of the board. With the hope of catching mice or shrews, I set a mouse-trap in a little depression in the soil which I scooped out so as to bisect the runway, and then replaced the board. Within the next six days the trap caught nine shrews, and during the same period one other was caught within a rod of the place. This was proof that at least ten shrews had visited that partic- ular rod of ground in one week, and there was good reason for believing that still others had been about the traps, but had not been caught. The trap under the board was baited with grains of corn and meat so as to attract both mice and shrews, but at the time only the one species was taken, though afterward several meadow mice were caught at the same place. This is only one of many examples that might be given to illustrate the abundance of the shrews in West Virginia. 108 ACTIVITY BY DAY. Some writers suppose that the shrews confine their activities chiefly to the night, but I have found them but little less diurnal than nocturnal in their habits. They will enter traps almost as often by day as by night, especially if the traps are covered. Most of their operations are under cover, but they will fre- quently come to the surface and move about openly. Their tracks in the snow indicate this habit, and it is not unusual to see them making such excursions by daylight. I can recall two occasions when I watched individuals running about over the short grass of a pasture field and have frequently seen them in the woods traveling in like manner over fallen leaves. On April 28th, 1906, while collecting insects in a wood- land near Morgantown, I found an open, sunny spot where I stood quietly for some time to sweep for passing butterflies. While thus engaged, a rustling nearby in the dead leaves^ at- tracted my attention, and on approaching noiselessly the spot from which the sound proceeded I saw three short-tailed shrews running about over the leaves, evidently foraging for insects. They were hunting within a few feet of each other, and several times were seen to rush excitedly about as though in pursuit of some lively game. A slight noise made by striking my foot against the ground caused them to dive instantly under the leaves, but a moment later they reappeared and continued their search. I watched them thus for some time, but was too far away to distinguish what insects they were catching, if inieed they were after insects. At another time, however, in Upshur County, I saw a shrew while similarly engaged flush a large, black cricket. The shrew made several frantic, but well-directed leaps for the cricket, caught it, and immediately darted out of sight beneath the leaves. The precision with which the shrew jumped toward its prey led me to suspect that the sense of sight is more perfect than the diminutive eyes indicate. 109 FOOD HABITS. Insects. — I have never given a hungry shrew flesh of any kind that it would not eat. Insects of all sorts are devoured by them when in captivity and there is no good reason for believ- ing that any of them would be refused by shrews when at large. A great per cent, of the common injurious insects of the orch- ard, farm and garden, as well as many beneficial species, spend normally one or more stages of their existence in just such places as the shrew selects for its hunting-ground. A list of the injurious species would include such well-known pests as grasshoppers, seventeen-year locusts, cut-worms, wire-worms, corn ear- worms, canker-worms, ''rose-bugs," white-grubs, May- beetles, cucumber-beetles, plum-curculios, grape-curculios, grape- root-worms, potato-beetles, chestnut-worms, and many others, and of the beneficial insects such species as ground-beetles, tiger- ' beetles, certain species of parasitic hymenoptera, diptera, etc. No doubt examples of all these are eaten with more or less frequency by shrews. The following table shows something of the feeding capacity of the shrews : FOOD CONSUMED BY SHORT-TAILED SHREW. B. brevicaudal Date. 1907. Articles Eaten. Weight. July 22, (24 hrs.) 1 young rat, 1 young indigo bird Not recorded July 23, (24 hrs.) 1 young rat, 111 rose chafers, M. su'b- spinosus . . Not recorded July 24, (24 hrs.) 1 young rat, 8 peach-tree borers, 1 cut worm, 1 butterfly Not recorded July 25, (24 hrs.) 1 large beetle, Pelidnota punctata, 1 bumble-bee, 2 small fish Not recorded Oct. 19-22, (64 hrs.) 2 shrews, 28 large grasshoppers, 6 small white-grubs, piece of gray squirrel 57 grams Oct. 23, (24 hrs.) 38 large white-grubs, (Allorhina and Lachnosterna) 37 grams Oct. 24, (24 hrs.) 119 chestnut-worms, (Balaninus) 7 grams Oct. 25, (24 hrs.) 117 chestnut-worms (Balaninus) 7 grams Oct. 26, (24 hrs.) 16 large white-grubs, (Allorhina) 21 grams 110 The shrew used in the October test was only partially grown, weighing but 13 grams, whereas the weight of a full- grown specimen will sometimes exceed 20 grams. On the 23rd day of this month the shrew ate a quantity of white-grubs equal to nearly three times its own weight. This was evidently an over-feed, as during the two succeeding days it acted stupid and reduced 'its food to about one-fifth the quantity eaten on the 23rd. On the 26th it appeared to be regaining its normal health and ate more freely. The daily average of food taken was a little over 19 grams, a quantity equal to about one and a half times its own weight. Mice. — It has been conclusively demonstrated by Shull that shrews under natural conditions will kill and devour mice. Their ability to overcome full-grown white-footed mice has been ques- tioned, and, since meadow mice are considerably larger and more powerful than the white-footed kind, it would seem that they, too, would be more than a match for the shrews. I have made but few field observations along this line, further than to notice that shrews will devour dead mice which they find in traps. On several occasions I have confined full-grown shrews and white-footed mice together in a cage, and always the shrews have killed the mice, but sometimes they have succeeded in doing so only after a prolonged and bloody fight. I have never matched a full-grown shrew against a full-grown meadow mouse, though I have seen a shrew kill and devour a meadow mouse consid- erably larger than itself, I recently placed a shrew, about two-thirds grown, in a box with a mature and very large meadow mouse. They lived together for about a week before they were separated, but the relationship between the two seemed at all times to be decidedly strained. Each seemed to fear the other, although the mouse was at least four times the size of the shrew. I fed the two a great many grasshoppers, of which both were very fond. The one that got hold of a grasshopper first would keep it without personal violence being resorted to by the other for its pos- session. When the mouse was eating food that the shrew desired, the latter would often take a position near at hand, usually at Ill the mouth of one of its burrows in the moss with which the box was partly filled, and indulge in a peculiar and rather amusing performance. With its mouth wide open and its snout and lips drawn back so as to expose its sharp teeth it would throw its head rapidly from side to side and give forth a peculiar, song- like chatter consisting of a series of rapidly repeated chirps, pitched on a high key, and varied every few seconds with a long-drawn, rasping note on a lower key. While thus engaged it would assume a perfectly fiendish look and express in the most realistic manner all the anger and envy and hate that was in its little heart. House mice, white-footed mice and meadow mice, when con- fined in a cage with shrews, will often manifest the most abject terror, and will jump and rush about as though panic stricken until exhausted. The evident hate and fear with which they regard the shrews indicate that they recognize in them a natural and puissant enemy which for reasons of personal safety they must avoid. Birds. — All the information that I have been able to obtain indicates that the nests of certain terrestrial song-birds are some- times robbed by shrews, although it must be admitted that positive evidence is wanting. In captivity the shrews will eat the eggs and young of small birds and there are good circum- stantial reasons for believing that under natural conditions they will do the same whenever opportunity offers. The fact that several species of mice are also believed to molest birds' nests makes it a difficult matter to prove an actual case against the shrews. Several years ago in early spring, I found the nest of a black and white warbler, Mniotilta varia, containing eggs, at the root of a beech tree in the woods of Upshur County. A few days later the nest was found empty, with a conspicuous hole about an inch in diameter through the bottom. An examination of the hole showed it to be the terminus of a small burrow that led off through the ground beneath the nest. This opening through the bottom of the nest seemed to account fully for the 112 disappearance of the eggs, and was so like the work of a shrew that I had little doubt as to its origin. During the spring and summer of 1907, I kept the eggs and young of several species of ground-nesting birds under close observation. A number of nests of such birds were found, and photographed, and subsequently visited at frequent inter- vals in order to note any signs of molestation by shrews or mice. In two instances nests were robbed in such a manner as to indi- cate the work of shrews. One of these nests also was that of a black and white warbler, and in this case was located beneath a small, overhanging stone in the same woods as the one de- scribed above. When first found it contained two half-fledged birds. The nest was at once photographed, and a week later was revisited, when the young birds were found to have disap- peared. By turning back the mass of dead leaves about the nest a distinct burrow was found approaching it from beneath and penetrating the bottom. It is possible that at the time the nest was disturbed the birds might have attained size enough to have escaped their enemy by flying, but be this as it may, some little mammal had undoubtedly made an attempt upon them. The other case was that of a whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferous, whose two eggs were found in the woods on a bed of forest leaves on June 14th. The eggs were photographed and within twenty-four hours afterward some little mammal mined up through the leaves directly under the eggs and broke both of them, devouring the contents and most of the shells. A mouse-trap was forthwith set at the opening, and two days later a shrew entered the trap and was caught. This seemed to estab- lish a pretty strong case against the shrew. It is worth men- tioning, however, that the next night after the trap was set a mouse of some kind visited it and left several pellets of excre- ment on the wood piece that held the wire mechanism together The broken birds' egg that served as bait was taken, but the trap was not sprung. The excrement was evidently that of a white-footed mouse, certainly it was not that of a shrew, as there is a marked difference in the appearance of the excrement of the two animals. The act of the mouse in visiting the spot Strong evidence against the shrew. Above, undisturbed nest of Whip-poor-will. Center, showing eggs broken by some little mammal that had mined up through the leaves beneath. Below, shrew caught Nest of Black and White Warbler, supposed to have been robbed by shrews a few days after the photograph was made. Nest is just below the overhanging fern in the center of the picture. Young Short-tailed Shrew watching a meadow mouse from the mouth of its burrow in the moss. This shrew was in captivity when the photograph was made. 113 so soon after the eggs were taken, pointed to it as the original offender, but the opening beneath the eggs resembled more nearly the operations of a shrew. Vegetable Foods. — Instances of shrews eating vegetable matter have several times been recorded, but the known cases of such food being taken by the species under consideration are very rare. I have had specimens in captivity, when deprived of other food, to store a considerable quantity of grains of corn and nut meats about their nests, but could never discover that they ate of either. In two cases shrews have died of starvation with an abundance of corn, nut meats, and potatoes in their cages. I once found a branched piece of fibrous root in the stomach of a shrew, but the root was thread-like and less than an inch long, and might easily have been swallowed by accident in taking other food. It is quite certain that so little vegetable substance of any kind is normally eaten by them that the question is hardly worth considering from an economic standpoint. NATURAL ENEMIES. The strong odor which the shrews exhale seems to inhibit larger animals of prey from eating them except when other food is scarce. It is doubtful, though, if this odor often pre- vents their being killed by such animals, for it seems to be the practice of several species to kill and then throw them aside. It is a common thing for domestic cats to bring shrews in from their hunts and leave them lying about uneaten. Foxes ar"3 known to have the same habit, and this may also be true of some species of birds. In the summer of 1893 I found the den of a red fox that proved to be the home of an old female and five half -grown cubs. The den was under a large stone and all about the place were scattered feathers, bones and other remnants of animal food, the most conspicuous being the dead bodies of short-tailed shrews. I did not count them, but there must have been twenty or thirty in sight. The mother fox had evidently brought them 114 to her cubs, but as food more to their liking was abundant, they had used the shrews only to play with. Dr. A. K. Fisher, in " Hawks and Owls of the United States, " records the finding of short-tailed shrews in the stomachs of the following species of hawks and owls : red- tailed hawk, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, sparrow hawk, barn owl, short-eared owl, barred owl, and great horned owl. Shrews of two nearly related species were found in the stomachs of the long-eared owl. In the winter of 1898-99, Thomas H. Montgomery, Jr., observed the feeding habits of long-eared owls and short-eared owls at West Chester, Pa. It was ascertained by him that both species feed to a limited extent on shrews of the genus Blarina (American Naturalist, Vol. XXXIII, No. 391.) / In a bulletin published in 1906 by the Pennsylvania Depart- ment of Agriculture entitled "The Serpents of Pennsylvania, ' ' H. A. Surface, the author, states that shrews have been found by him in the stomachs of the spotted water snake, pilot snake, rattle snake and copperhead. In most cases the shrews were not specifically identified. With the clearing up of the country these natural enemies are being thinned out, thus giving the shrews a better oppor- tunity to multiply. This advantage is no doubt . overcome, to some extent at least, by the necessary practices of agriculture, which interfere with the breeding and feeding places of the shrews, and thus tend to decrease their numbers. / CONCLUSIONS. In the several localities where the short-tailed shrew has been studied, it has proven to be exceedingly abundant and a persistent destroyer of some of the worst pests of the farmer. In all probability it has the faults of robbing the nests of song birds and of devouring certain beneficial insects, but the good that it does in its constant pursuit of injurious insects and mice, far more than compensates for the loss resulting from these 115 undesirable habits. From our present knowledge of the species we may therefore conclude that it should be protected and en- couraged under all ordinary circumstances. OTHER SPECIES OF SHREWS IN WEST VIRGINIA. In addition to the one described, the following shrews have been, or are likely to be, found in West Virginia. Brown Shrew, Blarina parva (Say). Smaller than brevi- cauda. Dark-brown in color when mature, young iron-gray Distribution similar to brevicauda. Much less common. Common Shrew, Sorex personatus (Geoffrey). This and the following species have long tails. Probably confined in dis- tribution to higher mountain regions. One of the smallest of mammals. Smoky Shrew, Sorex fumeus Miller. Larger than per- sonatus. Similar in distribution. 116 BREWER'S MOLE. Parascalops breweri (Bachman). Also called Hairy-tailed Mole and Eastern Hairy-tail Mole. Order Insectivora. Family Talpidae. INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION. Three species of moles are supposed to inhabit West Vir- ginia. Two of these, Brewer's mole and the star-nosed mole, Condylura cristata, have been collected by naturalists in several localities of the State. The third species, known as the "com- mon mole/' Scalops aquations, undoubtedly occurs here, but I have never found it, nor can I obtain any positive evidence that it has been seen by others. Mr. Thaddeus Surber, of White Sulphur Springs, informs me that he believes he took this mole at Caldwell, Greenbrier County, in 1888, but is not positive in regard to the matter. The common mole is more widely distrib- uted than either of the other species referred to and is on record from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Mary- land, and many other eastern states. Since it has been found in all the states bordering on West Virginia, it may very con- fidently be looked for here, by future collectors, especially in the southern and eastern portions of the state. Brewer's mole is selected to represent its family in this paper because it is the only species that I have so far collected, and, as a consequence, is better known to me than any other. This mole is a little less than six inches in length, tail one and a fourth inches and covered with hair. Color, slate-brown with a silvery gloss; fur fine and short. It has the enormously enlarged fore-feet, diminutive eyes, and flexible, proboscis-like snout common to the moles. Brewer's mole and "mole-hills" on a grassy lawn. 117 From the other two species mentioned, it may be distin- guished by the following characteristics. From the star-nosed mole, by its shorter tail and the absence of radiating appen- dages on the end of the snout, and from the common mole, by the profuse growth of hair on the tail. I have taken one specimen in which the hair on the end of the tail was white, but the color of all others that I have col- lected was dark throughout. With old individuals, white spot- on the head, breast, feet and tail are said to be not uncommon. DISTRIBUTION. This mole is a northern species, but it follows the Allegha- nies southward as far as North Carolina. In Pennsylvania it extends its range a considerable distance into the lowlands, espe- cially on the western side of the mountains. The same is true of the species in this state, but farther south it seems to be restricted to the mountain regions. My observations on the moles have been confined principally to the hilly regions in the central part of this state. The locality, where most of my col- lecting has been done, is about thirty miles west of the main ridges of the Alleghanies and has an elevation of near 1,600 feet. Of about twenty-five moles collected in this locality in 1907, all were Brewer's moles. GENERAL HABITS. Brewer's mole, like other species of its class, spends its life underground hunting animal food and nesting. It is doubt- ful if this species ever comes willingly to the light. I have never caught a glimpse of one except as some disturbing influ- ence in its life brought it to the surface. When the ground is moist and soft it works near the sur- face and frequently throws up ridges and hills of earth several inches high. In dry weather when the ground is hard, and in cold weather when the surface is frozen, it mines at a greater depth. 118 I have never found its nesting-place, and if descriptions of the nest and young of this species have been published, I have overlooked them. At French Creek, Upshur County, I found this mole work- ing in the soil of a grassy lawn, in fertile earth about a barn and other outbuildings, in an old woodyard where decaying chips formed a deep moist soil, in grassy orchards and in open places in the woods. An individual, or a pair, would frequently be found operating in one small patch of ground for a week or more at a time. This activity at a certain place would be indi- cated by the daily appearance of new ridges and hills. I have never found more than two old moles working such a digging at one time, although in favorable spots, when the original operators were captured, others would soon appear and take their places. The surface disturbances of the soil seemed to occur most frequently in the early morning and late evening, and I came to the conclusion that the moles are more active by day than by night. I have several times seen the earth in the hills heaving, as a result of the activities of the animal within, during a downpour of rain at mid-day. When a fresh digging was discovered, it was seldom very much trouble to capture the one or two moles that were operat- ing it by standing guard over the place for an evening or two with a long-handled shovel. When the motion of the soil in one of the hills showed that the mole was near the surface the shovel would be thrust under it and the mole thrown out with a shovel- ful of earth. I have on several occasions delved into a hill with my naked hand and secured a mole. In capturing them in this way I was surprised to find that they would not bite, as a mouse or shrew would most certainly have done under similar circumstances. At one time I caught a mole when about half a mile from home. I placed in in my coat pocket for safe keeping, but it proved to be so lively that to prevent its escaping, I was forced to hold it with my hand. It struggled and scratched most vigorously but did not bite, although held without regard to the proximity of the mouth. 119 FEEDING HABITS. The mole, like the shrew, has often been charged with eat- ing vegetation of various kinds. Investigations have shown that the common mole does swallow a very little of such material but it is a question if this vegetable matter is not usually intro- duced into the stomach accidentally with animal food, or by swallowing the stomachs of herbivorous insects. Probably very- few stomach examinations of Brewer's mole have been made. In several instances, however, the stomach contents of the com- mon mole have been determined and the results published. The common mole and Brewer's mole are very similar in habits and since data as to stomach examinations of Brewer's mole are wanting it may not be out of place to give here some accounts of what has been found in the stomachs of the nearly related species. In 1894, Prof. H. Garman, of the Kentucky Experiment Station, examined the stomach contents of fourteen common moles, caught in the vicinity of Lexington, Ky. He found that 1 ' every one of the fourteen moles had eaten animal food. Eleven of the fourteen had eaten earthworms and insects. Three had eaten insects alone. "In the stomach of seven, traces of vege- table tissue were found." (7th Annual E/ept. Ky. Exp. Sta. pp. 41-45, 1894.) Two years later (1896) Mr. Harry Wilson collected thirty- six stomachs of the same species in Pennsylvania. In deter- mining the contents of these stomachs, the collector was assisted by competent experts. Of these thirty-six stomachs, one was empty, 27 contained earthworms in connection with other material, 7 contained earth- worms alone, 27 contained insects, 9 contained insects alone, 10 contained traces of vegetable matter and none contained vege- table matter alone. One mole had eaten six small fragments of green leaf, and another had eaten pieces of a grain of corn. (Bull. 31, Pa. State Dept. of Agr., 1898.) Prof. L. D. Dyche, of the University of Kansas, examined the stomachs of sixty-seven specimens. Food was present in 120 only fifty of these, the nature of which was as follows: earth- worms 43.2 per cent., ground beetles 22.7 per cent., grubs and larvag 22.8 per cent., vegetable matter 3.7 per cent., other ma- terial, largely insect eggs and ants, 7.6 per cent. (Trans. Kas. Acad. ScL, Vol. 18, pp. 183-6.) Several years ago Mr. L. E. Adams published a very inter- esting paper on the European mole, Talpa europaea, a species with habits similar to some of our American moles. He shows that the nests of partridges and pheasants are often robbed by this species and has the following to say in regard to the quan- tity of other food which it consumes. "The accounts of the short periods of starvation necessary to kill a mole are borne out by my observations. On one occasion I caught a vigorous mole, quite unhurt, and fed him at intervals during the day with about a third of a pint of worms, besides which he had several drinks of water. At night, about eight o'clock, I dug about a third of a pint of worms, and put them into his den (a packing case with earth at the bottom) and left him. In the morning I found him very feeble, thin and cold. I took him up in my hand and put his nose to some water, which he seemed to- enjoy, but he was too feeble to tackle a worm, and presently, after a gentle convulsion, he died in my hand. I found on dissecting him that the stomach was absolutely empty, in spite of the fact that he had eaten every worm left for him." (Mem, and Proc. Manchester Lit. and Phil. Soc. Vol 47, part 2, 1902.) OBSERVATIONS IN WEST VIRGINIA. In my observations on Brewer's mole I have never found any evidence to indicate that it destroys the nests of birds, except that in captivity, the moles will eat small bird's eggs. When confined in a cage they feed on almost any kind of flesh that may be given to them and when two or more are put to- gether, the stronger individuals kill and devour the weaker. I kept one large mole in a box half filled with earth for thirty-three days. It was fed daily on earthworms, insects, and flesh of other kinds, of which it ate a surprising quantity. Sev- 121 eral potatoes were kept in the box during most of the period but the mole did not once sample them. In the space of twenty- four hours, beginning at noon, June 12th, this mole ate 50 large, white grubs, (Allorhina and Lachnosterna) one "chest- nut worm" (B. proboscideus} , one wire worm, one cicada nymph, 45 larvse of ''rose bugs," (M. subspinosus} and 13 earth- worms. The insects eaten weighed 42 grams and the earthworms 24 grams, making a total of 66 grams. The mole itself weighed 50 grams, or about four-fifths as much as the food taken. It should be mentioned here that it was the custom of this mole in eating earthworms to take one end of the worm in its mouth and then draw the body between its claws in such a way as to force out all the earthy matter from the digestive organs. The weight, therefore, given for the earthworms, is likely a little too great, as this discarded portion would have weighed a few grams. However, after Deducting it from the quantity given, that remaining would still weigh more than the mole itself. The mole had been well supplied with food up to the time the test began, and I believe that the figures given represent a fair daily average of the food consumed by the mole. If cor- rect, a single mole would eat in the course of a year something like 40,000 insects and worms, which would weigh over 50 pounds. At noon, on June 14th, I caught a mole and confined it in a box similar to the one in which the mole just described was kept. The mole was caught by hand and was not injured in any way. Water, but no food except potatoes, was given it. Early on the following morning it died of starvation. One of the potatoes was found to be slightly scratched as by the mole's teeth or claws, but, if any had been eaten, the amount was very small. No trace of potato was found in the stomach. Later, another mole in captivity died in a similar manner when given nothing but potatoes. The results of these experiments agree with what economic zoologists long ago found out, that the accusations made against moles of eating potatoes and other vegetables in the field, are 122 almost, or entirely, groundless. They also agree with the ac- count given by Adams on a former page, showing the inability of moles to undergo more than a very brief period of starvation. CONCLUSIONS. The foregoing observations on the food of moles show that so little vegetable matter is eaten that this habit need not be taken into account in considering the relation which they bear to the farmer. This relation must depend largely upon the kinds and quantity of animal food that they consume. The action of earthworms in the soil is usually supposed to be beneficial to the soil, and if this be true, the destruction of such worms by moles is an injury to the farmer. Further- more, in a few cases insects that are known to be beneficial in their habits have been found in the stomachs of moles, thus showing that in this respect they are injurious to the farmer, In most cases, however, the insects found in the stomachs were species of noxious habits. Of the fifty mole stomachs examined by Wilson and Gar- man, earthworms were present in 45 and insects in 38. Garman estimates that in his examinations earthworms composed two- thirds and insects one-third the bulk of food taken. Wilson does not estimate the relative quantities of each, but from his •explanatory notes it would seem that a similar ratio might apply in his case. Dyche, in his examinations, found that earthworms composed 43.2 per cent, and insects at least 53 .per cent, of the food. Over 22 per cent, of the insects he desig- nates as "ground beetles" and these may probably be consid- ered as being beneficial on account of their predacious habits. If we are to regard earthworms as being a benefit to the soil, then the stomach examinations of the 117 moles show that at least two-thirds of their food may consist of animal life that •is helpful rather than injurious to the farmer. This would seem to justify the destruction of moles in any way possible, but it should be remembered that the function of earthworms is not very well understood and that the good re- A "broom-sedge" field where meadow mice nest in great numbers. Potatoes partly eaten by meadow mice. 123 suiting to the soil from their presence may have been overesti- mated. It is also possible that, if these. worms were allowed to increase without check, their abundance would in time ren- der them obnoxious, even though their presence in smaller num- bers may be desirable. It has been shown, furthermore, that the mole actually de- stroys large numbers of white grubs and other insects which are among the very worst pests of the farmer, and it is highly probable that the good that is done in this way far more than makes up for the loss of the innoxious and beneficial species. In deciding for or against the mole, its habits of disfigur- ing lawns with mounds of earth, injuring plants by burrowing about the roots, and devouring beneficial forms of animal life, may be balanced against the good resulting from the better aeration and drainage of the soil due to its burrowing and to its destruction of insect pests. It is quite true that the work of the mole is not entirely advantageous on the farm, but the good service it renders in ridding the ground of injurious insects is probably sufficient reason for submitting peaceably to the annoyance which it sometimes occasions, and giving it such protection as is possible. FIELD MICE. Order Glires. Family Muridae. The different species of "field mice" or "meadow mice" that are found in all parts of the country, are almost entirely responsible for that damage done to plants of various kinds, the blame for which is partly bestowed upon moles and shrews. Of late years, these mice seem to have been multiplying abnormally in some sections of West Virginia. Serious damage has been done in orchards, gardens, potato fields and other places. The mice have girdled many young fruit trees in some of the finest young orchards in the state. Complaints of this kind have come from Berkeley, Lewis, Marshall, Mason, Pocahontas and Upshur Counties. 124 Mulched trees, or trees growing in orchards where cover crops are used, are more liable to injury. Damage to strawberry plantations and to various kinds of garden crops have been reported from several localities. Irish potatoes and sweet pota- toes have been especially subject to attack. In the spring of 1907, several instances were noted of seed potatoes having been eaten after they were planted, and before they had had time to germinate. This injury in some cases was so serious that the ground was rep lowed and used for other crops. A few complaints were heard of injury to newly planted corn fields by the mice burrowing along the rows, from hill to hill, and eating the seed corn before, or soon after, germina- tion. In several cases, however, where fields were examined that were supposed, on account of the sickly appearance of the young plants, to be suffering from the underground attacks of meadow mice, it was found that the trouble was due to wire- worms and corn root-aphids, instead of mice. i 11 BROOM-SEDGE" FIELDS AS BREEDING PLACES. For a number of years there has been spreading over the cleared lands of some sections of the state, a kind of wild grass commonly known as ''broom sedge." (The correct name for this plant is Vir- ginia beard-grass, Andropogon Virginicus). The plant seems to prefer thin land and is partial to old pasture fields. It makes a dense and luxuriant growth in summer, and the yellow, leafy stalks remain standing into the winter until broken down by heavy snows. These "broom-sedge" fields make ideal breeding places for field mice. I have found scores of their nests, com- posed entirely of the blades of "broom-sedge," hidden near the ground among the denser growths of the same plant. Serious injury to planted crops has several times been noticed in fields lying adjacent to these "broom-sedge" fields. Examinations of such places showed that the mice had evidently invaded the cultivated areas from their protected retreats and breeding places among the "broom-sedge." The green stalks 125 of this wild grass furnish a considerable portion of the food of the mice, as can be seen by the great number of cut-off, and partly eaten, stems and blades that are to be found about their nests and along their runways, where the plant grows. The practice of burning over these "broom-sedge" fields in the fall, as soon as the growth is dry enough to ignite, has been followed in some localities. This practice is objectionable for several reasons, but where such fields are breeding great num- bers of meadow mice which threaten injury to near-by culti- vated crops, it may be advisable to burn them in order to clean out the mice. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF FIELD MICE. The Bulletin entitled "An Economic Study of Field Mice," by David E. Lantz, which is mentioned on a preceding page of this paper, gives a concise account of two species of these animals that are found in West Virginia. The following excerpt of that bulletin is presented as representing the best information that has been published on the subject. "The present paper deals with the habits of the common field mice of the United States. Small as these pests are, they inflict enormous injury upon the crops of the country. The aggregate loss to the farmers from this source averages not less than three million dollars annually, and in some years is much greater. The major portion of this loss is preventable and the object of this bulletin is to acquaint farmers, orchardists, nurserymen, and others with the most practicable preventive methods. "Field mice of the genus Microtus have stout bodies, blunt rounded muzzles, small eyes, and short ears — often completely concealed in the fur. The tail is short and hairy; the soles of the feet are naked or clothed with short hairs, and have five or six foot pads. The incisors are broad and not grooved. "About 165 living species and subspecies of Microtus have been rec- ognized (1904), of which about 78 are North American. The genus is of wide distribution, covering practically the greater part of the northern hemisphere outside the tropical zone. The range of a single species is often remarkably great. Thus the typical form of the common meadow mouse of the United States (M. pennsylvanicus) occurs over a large 126 part of at least twenty-five States, from Maine to the Dakotas and southward almost to 35 degrees nortli latitude. "While the food habits of the various species of short-tailed field mice are remarkably similar, their breeding and general habits differ greatly. The variety of habitats is most striking. Some species prefer high ground, while others live in low, moist places. Occasion- ally the same species inhabits both sorts of localities. Some species live in forests, others in the open prairies. Some burrow under the ground like moles, while others make smooth paths or trails upon its surface. "Except in cold weather, nearly all species can temporarily adapt themselves to moist surroundings; but a few seem to be almost as aquatic as the nearly-allied muskrat. "The nests of field mice are compact bunches or globes, composed of grass blades and other dry vegetable fibers. They are placed in depressions in the ground, in shallow burrows, or supported on grass stems above the ground. In brush piles the writer has found them nearly a foot above the ground. Sometimes they are placed under flat stones or logs or under shocks of grain. The structures are so slight that a day's sunshine will dry them out after a storm, and yet they are so compact that the animals pass the coldest weather snugly housed in them under the snow. Trails, often of great length and worn smooth by constant use, lead to neighboring feeding grounds. "While most surface nests are for shelter only, sometimes the young, especially of swamp species, are produced in them. However, the young of most kinds are born in underground nests and are rarely seen unless uncovered by accident. They are at first hairless and blind. "The common meadow mouse of the United States is one of the most prolific of our species. Estimating the normal increase at six young, with four litters in a season, and assuming that there were no checks upon the increase, the results are appalling. A single pair and their progeny in five seasons would amount to nearly 1,000.000 indi- viduals. This calculation is under mark, since it is based on the assumption that the young do not breed until about a year old. The animals, however, mature very rapidly, and the spring young un- doubtedly breed in the fall of the same year. "In summer the principal food of these mice is green vegetation and unripe seeds of grain and grasses. As the season advances, ripe grain and seeds take the place of the immature; and in winter bulbous and other roots are in part substituted for stems and leaves. When convenient, and green vegetation is lacking, the bark of trees and shrubs becomes a staple food. It is mainly in winter that the apple orchards and young forest trees suffer from attacks of mice. 127 "The quantity of green vegetation eaten by a single adult field mouse in the course of a year has been calculated at from 24 to 36 pounds. When one considers in connection with this estimate the great numbers of these animals in our meadows, swamps, and forests, the total quantity of food consumed by them appears so enormous as apparently to exceed the productive capacity of the soil. A thousand meadow mice in a meadow would require at least 12 tons of grass or other vegetation to maintain them for a year. THE COMMON MEADOW MOUSE. Microtus pennsylvanicus (Ord). The most familiar of American species of Microtus is the common meadow mouse (M. pennsylvanicus). The average measurements of adults are about as follows: Total length, 6.6 inches; tail vertebrae, 1.8 inches; hind foot, 0.83 inch. The tail is always at least twice as long as the hind foot. The fur is long and overlain with coarse black hairs. In summer the ears overtop the fur. In winter the fur is longer, and of a duller color, and almost conceals the ears. The usual color above is a dark brown, against which the black hairs are not conspicuous. This shades off gradually into gray or tawny on the under parts. "The vast range of this species has already been given. This mouse has its natural habitat in moist meadows and grassy borders of swamps, but it habitually extends its range into neighboring culti- vated fields, waste lands, and open spaces on the border of timber lands. Wherever it occurs, it is normally the most abundant rodent. Nearly all meadows are full of the animals. "In swamps meadow mice nest in burrows in dry tussocks or in bunches of grass above the surface of the moist ground. The nests are composed of grass or fibers of weeds made into balls, loose and of coarser materials outside, but compact and of finer stuff within, each having a small opening on the side near the bottom. From this opening two or more trails diverge, one usually leading into an under- ground tunnel which opens at some distance from the nest. Nests intended to receive the young are lined with the softest of accessible materials. "The species under consideration never live in barns or out- buildings. Its nearest approach to human habitations is the stackyard or piles of wood or boards left on the edge of orchards or fields near houses. "The common meadow mouse is especially noted for long winter excursions from its summer abode, hiding its movements under cover of deep snow. The journeys of the animals are not suspected until 128 the snow disappears, when the trails can be traced to great distances. They reach wheat, rye, clover, and timothy fields and often extend into orchards, nurseries, lawns and gardens, all of which are injured by the animals. Haystacks or shocks of corn and other grain are sure to suffer it left out over winter." THE PINE MOUSE. Microtus pinetorum scalopsoides (Aud. & Bach.). "This pine mouse, called also the mole-like vole, has a wider dis- tribution than the typical southern pine mouse (M. pinetorum), and therefore is chosen as the representative of the group. The following account of its habits applies equally well to all pine mice. "This animal has the wide, flat skull, the short tail, the small ears, and the short, dense, glossy brown fur characteristic of all the pine mice. The average measurements of three New York specimens, as given by Bailey, are as follows: Total length, about 5 inches; tail vertebrae 0.78 inch; hind feet, 0.64 inch. "Owing to their peculiar habits pine mice are not so well known as are meadow mice. Their natural habitat is the forest, although tEey are by no means restricted to pine woods or forested areas. While often inhabiting pine woods and the edges of adjacent fields, they live also in forests and copses of deciduous trees, usually on uplands. "The life of pine mice is largely spent in underground tunnels, which so closely resemble those of the mole that generally they are mistaken for the work of that animal. The ridges of loose soil over the tunnel are exactly like those thrown up by the mole, but the inner diameter of mouse tunnels is less. Some of these burrows are utilized as nesting places. Nests are built also at the surface of the ground, under fallen logs, brush heaps, flat stones, fences, or other shelter. The number of young at birth evidently averages, less than is usual in the genus Microtus. "From their homes in woods and thickets pine mice invade fields, orchards, nurseries, dooryards, and gardens, passing always through underground runways. Living in concealment, neither their presence nor the injury they inflict is suspected until the latter is past remedy. Bulbs, planted hopefully in autumn, appear not at all in the spring, or only in the shape of sickly plants, whose life substance has been gnawed away. Nursery and orchard trees here and there put forth no leaves, and an examination of the roots discloses the nature of the damage. "Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and other vegetables are eaten by pine mice, both while growing and when stored in pits or lying in piles in the field or garden. Potatoes partly matured or White-footed mouse and its favorite food. The nut shells were found about the nest of a white-footed mouse in a crevice of a large rock in the woods. The common House Mouse, Mus musculus. Three young rats, after having been fed for forty days on "Azoa," new kind of rat and mouse exterminator. 129 left long in the ground after maturity are eaten, and the injury is attributed to moles, because tunnels supposed to be the work of moles lead to the place of damage. I have investigated numerous cases of such injury and have invariably found either that the tunnels were made by pine mice, or, if mole tunnels, that they were frequented by mice. Traps set in the tunnels at the potato hills captured pine mice, and the starchy material found in the stomachs of those caught proved that they, and not moles, had been eating the potatoes." REPRESSION OF FIELD MICE. TBAPPING. "Trapping is a simple way to destroy field mice, but it is seldom resorted to because few people have patience to follow it up persist- ently and to look after the necessary large number of traps. When field mice are abundant it is essential to use many traps and to con- tinue trapping for several weeks. Equipped with a hundred or more effective traps, a good trapper should be able to make decided inroads upon the numbers of the pests, if not to practically exterminate them over a limited area. "Trapping has special advantages for small areas, such as lawns, gardens, and vegetable or nursery pits and packing houses, where a limited number of mice are present, and wherever, for any reason, there are objections to the laying out of poison. POISONING. "All things considered, strychnine is the most satisfactory poison for field mice. Although a very deadly substance, it is less dangerous to handle than either phosphorus or potassium cyanide. Its extreme bitterness renders it less liable to be mistaken for a harmless drug. Nevertheless, every precaution should be taken in handling it. The strychnine salt most used commercially is strychnia sulphate. This is the best for poisoning purposes, since it is soluble in boiling water, while the alkaloid requires the presence of an acid for its solution. To disguise the bitterness of the poison when employed for rodents, sugar is used, or the strychnine may be mixed with its own bulk of commercial saccharine. "For poisoning field mice various baits may be recommended, such as wheat, oatmeal, and corn, among the grains, and seeds of various plants, as the tomato, dandelion, sunflower, and others. The bait should be soaked over night in a poisoned sirup, which may be prepared as follows: 130 "Dissolve an ounce of strychnia sulphate in a pint of boiling water; add a pint of thick sugar sirup and stir thoroughly. The pre- pared sirup may be scented by a few drops of oil of anise or rhodium, but this is not essential. A half ounce of borax is said to keep the mixture from molding. "The above quantity (a quart) of sirup is enough to poison a half bushel of wheat or corn, but smaller proportional quantities of grain and sirup may be mixed as needed. If after thorough mixing the solution is not sufficient to wet all the grain, add a little water. After standing over night, if the grain is too wet, a little dry corn meal will take up the excess of moisture. If oatmeal is used as a bait, when the mass is wet throughout with the sirup, it may be used immediately. "Because of the danger of destroying native birds, such as quail, sparrows, and others, the poisoned bait should not be placed in exposed situations, but under shelters which will admit mice but exclude birds. Wide boards lying upon thin cross pieces of wood are excellent for the purpose. For pine mice baits may be placed in the underground tunnels without endangering birds. For other mice pieces of drain tile about one and a half inches in diameter may be laid along the trails, and the baits inserted into the tiles with a long knife or spoon. Tiles are recommended by the French Minister of Agriculture, but old tin cans with flattened ends or small openings are excellent substitutes. "In winter the following plan is especially recommended for orchards and nurseries: "Cut small twigs from branches of apple trees (suckers are excel- lent for this purpose) and either dip them in the strychnine sirup or apply the sirup to them with a brush. Scatter the poisoned twigs near the trees to be protected. This plan is excellent for either field mice or rabbits, and it entirely obviates the danger of poisoning birds or domestic animals." (Bulletin No. 31, Biological Survey, 1907.) Various other methods of repressing field mice are discussed in the bulletin just quoted, together with a general exposition of the whole subject. It is quite likely, that of the two species of mice described, the pine mice, where abundant, are much more harmful than the meadow mice. Where field mice are troublesome, however, it is not always an easy matter to determine which of the two species may be responsible for the damage done. The meadow mice are known to subsist largely on useless, wild plants and 131 weed seeds. They also furnish food for a great many rapacious, birds and mammals, such as hawks, owls, foxes, raccoons, opos- sums, skunks, weasels and minks, which without the mice would be forced to turn their attention more largely to useful song and game birds or domestic fowls. So close an observer of wild animals as Samuel N. Rhoads believes that no sufficient grounds have yet been found to justify the destruction of the common meadow mouse, but that the pine mice deserve to be killed. INSECT FOOD OF MICE. There may usually be found scattered about the nests and along the trails of meadow mice a great many legs and wings of grasshoppers, large beetles, and other insects. It is probable that some of these insect remnants are the discarded portions left by shrews, but I believe that meadow mice may also be responsible for a part of them. In captivity they will pounce upon, and greedily devour, almost any kind of insect that may be placed in their cages. One meadow mouse that I kept in a cage ate, from October 24th, 4 p. m., to October 26th, 9 a. m., a period of 40 hours, 68 large white grubs, two crickets, nine large grasshoppers, and 46 grams of potato. The insects eaten weighed 49 grams. More potatoes than the mouse could eat were kept in the cage during the feeding test, but all the insects that were supplied were eaten, and the mouse seemed to prefer them to the potato. This experiment was not carried on for a long enough time to make it of much value, but the results are given for what they are worth, as illustrating the fondness of mice for insect food. "AZOA. (RAT VIRUS). " There has lately been placed on the market, by one of the leading chemical manufacturing firms of the country, a new kind of rat and mouse exterminator, called "Azoa (Rat Virus )." The material is described by the manufacturers as follows: 132 "Azoa (Rat Virus) is a disease-producing virus that when eaten iby a rat or a mouse, infects with a disease that kills in from eight to fourteen days. Owing to the cannibalistic nature of these rodents, the disease is transmitted from one to another until all the rats and mice in a particular locality have been destroyed." . A test was made of this new remedy on rats and mice, both in captivity and at large, but without any apparent dis- comfort to the animals. One of these tests may be described as follows : A supply of the "Azoa" was obtained direct from the laboratories of the manufacturers. On July 27th, 1907, while the material was yet fresh, three young Norway rats were caught, and kept confined, in a large, wire rat-trap. Begin- ning with the date given and for a period of forty days there- after the "Azoa" was fed to the rats at intervals of a few days until ten seventy-five-cent bottles had been consumed. The rats ate the cracked grain with which the virus was mixed very readily, and other food was denied them each time the "Azoa" was given until every particle was eaten. At the end of the forty days the rats were still apparently in a healthy condition, and were removed from the trap and killed with a club. OTHER MICE THAT HAVE BEEN, OR MAY BE, FOUND IN WEST VIRGINIA. SHORT-TAILED MICE. Cooper's Lemming, Synaptomys cooperi Baird. A northern species of short-tailed mouse that follows the Alleghanies south as far as North Carolina. Is likely to occur in swampy places in the higher parts of the State. Red-backed Mouse, Evotomys gapperi (Vigors). A northern species that extends its range into West Vir- ginia. Smaller than the common meadow mouse. Frequents swamps and evergreen forests. 133 LONG-TAILED MICE. House Mouse, Mus musculus Linnaeus. The common long-tailed, gray mouse of dwelling houses and barns. Introduced into America many years ago from th3 Eastern Continent. A widely distributed and well-known pest. White-footed Mouse, Peromyscus leucopus (Rafinesque). Also called Deer Mouse and Wood Mouse. An attractive and common little mouse found in woody places throughout the state, except in the Canadian zone. Feeds on nuts and seeds and is also fond of insect and other animal food. Canadian White- footed Mouse, Peromyscus canadensis (Miller). Found in the forests of our higher mountain regions. Col- lected by A. B. Brooks in the mountains about Hanging Rock, in Greenbrier, Nicholas and Webster Counties, in 1904. Col- lected at Cheat Bridge, Pocahontas County, in 1906. Surber's Harvest Mouse, Reithrodontomys lecontii impiger Bangs. The smallest mouse found in West Virginia. The first specimens known of this species were collected by Mr. Thaddeus Surber at White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. The Meadow Jumping Mouse Zapus hudsonius Miller. A handsome little mouse with an extremely long tail, some- times found in meadows and other cleared lands of West Vir- ginia. I found a family of five or six, living in a shock of corn- fodder in Upshur County several years ago. Edw. and Win. Behrens report that this mouse was quite common in a meadow at Sherrard, Marshall County, in the summer of 1907. This species, like the following, hibernates in cold weather. Woodland Jumping Mouse, Zapus insignis Miller. A beautiful and rare little mouse that is sometimes found along the streams of deep woods in West Virginia. I have seen but two live mice of this species. One was in the moun- tains near Cleveland, Webster County, in the summer of 1894; the other I shot on April 27th, 1906, at French Creek, W. Va. 381885 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY U.C.BERKELEY LIBRARIES