New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-10-18

of division.
l. First is the Western District, embracing al
that rich table land West of the Gcnesee, which
in its Southern part rises to elevation of from
a thousand to twelve hundred feet above the sea
and rapidly subsidies on its Western border to the
leve! of the lakes,-and that most beautiful sec
tion Eastward Of this, filled with lakes and abound
ing in all the wealth of the temperate zone, extend
ing to the sources Of the Mohawk on the East. Il
is connected by its valleys and water courses with
the basin of the St. Lawrence, and thus contains,
to some slight extent, animals common 20 them
both. 1t is not as rich in Quadrupeds as some
other portions. Three out of five Bats noticed IN
the State are found within its limits. The New
York Bat is the most common through the State,
though the Heary Bat is the largest. The Little
Brown Bat is the one which SO abeunds through
out the Western District and which affords such
fine sport TO children of Summer evening, dart
ing through the dusky air or dimly lighted room,
in his great game of catching flies Nearly all
kinds of Squirrels also abound The Black SPUR
rel is especially plentiful and is, in fact, almost the
only hunters game in that portion of the State
A keen eye, quiet step, and sharp aim, with
rife, are needed and these in the Autumn when
leaves begin fall and grain is ripe bring
ofttimes in few hours. The Little Grey Squirrel
is also found, though not SO abundantIy This
species, like the other, feed on nuts, seeds &c.,
that is, VIXEN they get an honest living and do not
depredate upon the farmers corn: and it must be
confessed their morals are lax in this respect.
When their food fails they migrate for more.
Wiser than the classic Tityrus they do not deem
other lands just like their OWE:
"Non sic parvis componere magma solebant"
Some mysterious power-is it the wind, or the sky
or their mother Nature HAS Whispered to them
that in other lands over mountains and across
rivers they may find the food they lack in their
own So upon the mission in clouds, like locusts
or the knghtserrant that sought the sepulchre, DO
they start. Backman in the late autumn of 1903,
saw myriads of them between Waterford and Sar
atoga They had not wei learned their task, bui
this did not dismay them. Though they had never
taken lessons in the Swimming Schools, they fear
lessly plunged into the Hudson, and sought the
opposing shore. Despising the rules, of course
thousands were drowned and the others were 80
wearied and wet that the record ccolly tells us,
q they were easily killed with clubs. We see in
he papers now notices of similar emigration and
crossing of the Allegheny. Various kinds OF the
Family Moe.ilidaA found in this Western Dis
riot of which tho genera r1ePntr,s muctou and
+utorlus are found in this State. 10 the first be:
ongs the Skunk whom We would rather know un-
Ter its scientific name, Mephitis Americaua,
Who would suspect the creature to be poetic In ms
temperament yet he seems to resemble somewhat
that class of people who fondly apostroPh'ze the
moon, call the stars sweet names and natter 'n7
night by lavish praises of her "ebon brow, Tor
mr. Surveyor tells us that he IS nocturnal in MS
habits and is often seen sporting about in bnght
moonlight night" We pray to be delivered from
his plav-fellowship! Qnite as noteworthy is t'e
remark that " the flesh, when carefully prepared
is very sweet. ga person in my helgnoorhooa
took nineteen from one burrow and sailed them
for family use-during the winter" Curiosity
hunters NAV be thankful for the information that
BIr. De Kay dates from /" The Locusts In queens
County. If his neighborhood' is everrun by
gaping strangers, hereafter, we cannot wei hei IT,
We coincide most heartily in a closing remark Oh
the Surveyor concerning this sportivc creature d
and rejoice in the fact that he is regarded as a
G. snh;ec, for determination" We have not room
TO tell all we have learned from this report con-
corning the other quadrupeds that lnhaolt tie
Western District Allthe fercer classes nave aus
appeared with the Indians, though some OF the
smaller creatures are still left for the amusement
of the hunter The mink is found in almost every
part Of the State and the muskrat is also common.
Traps arc often placed their holes and they mus
easily taken. Often too they are shot from ooa's'
or in the winter they como upto breathe through
holes cut in tho ice for their special acco!n'nooa
ton Their burrows arc in high banks Win the
entrance under water. Often, in tho morning or
the evening, the wandercr beside q still stream
may see at the end Of long ripple reaching olt
into the water, the of a muskrat, silently
swimming across if he finds himself detected lie
dives beneath the surface and remains there some
times eight or ten minutes and then rises far away
But we must leave the Western District.
L. The Northern District comprises that great
truncated triangle whose base is the Mohawk INV
err, with the St. Lawrence on its western slde ana
on the East the glorious, l-girt Lake ChSn'fia'n.
On its eastern side is great wild tract, OF thou
sand square miles, resting. all silent and unvlslied,
beneath the bright sky which shines and smiles
upon its mountain majesty with as loving look
as upon the haun:s of men. Wehave never trod-
den its wilds; but good friends of oars, who love
its freshness and its glory, have teld us how tor
DAVIS thew have wandered among its hills and thick
forests. crossing its frequent sun-lighted lakes in
light skifs beneath which, inverted, they reposed
..,.....l nc much rs the gnals and great