Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-12-02
Taking Wild Animals.

In conversation with gentlemen who had
crossed the plains 10 California, he informed us
OF curious mode of shooting the antelope His
party had often tried to shoot one, but they were
so tImorons that they never could get within
Shooting distance Of them. They met parly IN
which was United States officer, and TO him
mentioned the difficulty of getting shot at an
antelope.
" Oh, !" said he~g it is the easiest thing in the
world; will shogyou how to doit
Next day they met troop of antelopes. and
the officer approached as nearas he thought pru-
dent before they would take flight; He then
laid down on the ground, waved handkerchief
and made some antiasmovemeuts. The ante
lopes having their 6ifhpssf curiosity, excited.
approached gradually aeare ana hssfTtF 70 see
the row untiithey. We're within thirty rods, when
bang! went the rife, and down came tne
buck. BY maneivring in this manner with
troop of anteIopes the party never afterwards
had much trouble in alluring them to come in
the range of the deadly American rife.
Theirs are various modes Of entscfng and cap
turing insects. fishes and other animals.
The naturalist catches many kinds of night.
moths (maes only by exposing light in his
room.
Fishes are enticed by light; and a French.
man invented complex machine, with lamps,
reAectors and nets, to catch them. Salmon are
caught by one man holding blazing torch close
to the water and another striking the mesmerzcd
fish with spear; this plan of taking fish is used
in many of our lakes.
Birds are also thus attracted, as in the practice
Of low belling, where the birds are wakened by
a bell, and Iured by fame into net.
AS to animals, it seems providential thing,
that, while the fercer animals, as lions, tigers,
&C., are afraid to approach fire, many other kinds
useful for food, are attracted by it.
The Chinese catch rats by holding light be-
fore their holes, and kill them when they come
TO look at it.
In reference to curiosity in general, oil animals
are inqusltlve, AMI attracted by any peculiar
action or sight to which they art not accustomed, i,
away. The Lrplanders kill reindeer By laying
themselves on the ground, and throwing them
selves into various postures, when the animals
come close enough to be shot with an arrow.
The Persians kill deer by means of dressing
themselves in the skin of one, or hiding them
selves in bushes and initiating the chalange
cry; another male hears it, answers it and rushes
out, when il is shot with an arrow.
Deer are often aued in the forest by torch
of pitch pine and then shot.
In Russia they kill wolves in the following
manner. They go out into the forest on a moon
light night with a sledge, behind which wins 4
OF straw IS dragged by a rope twenty Yards long
and nip its ear to make it squeal. The wolves
flock together, mistake the straw for the pig
dash at it, and are shot from The sledge,
In some countries swallows are trained TO fly
about rooms and kill the flies, etc. In some
countries people keep n cat, owl or hawk tied
up in garden to protect quantities of seeds
peas, or fruit If one could train hawks to fly
about or over fields of grain, and fasten four OF
five to posts so that thoy could be seen, it wonld
be great protection.
The iondness of rats for rhodum and oil OF
annseed, of cats for valerian and catmint is
well known, and often entices these animals to
their destruction.
Rubbing the boots with annsced is said 10 be
common trick of dog sealers, to enlice dogs
1t is said that by rubbing the hands with as
sale)da, fish viii let you take them out OF the
water. The dislike of bulls and turkey cocks
to red coors might, where these creatures are
wild, be made means Of procuring them. There
are some things used to drive rats away tlom
premises, or to antipath,ze them. 1t is said
that common mullen, and also garlic bulbs
sprinked in stacks, or put where they frequent
will drive away rats and mice elder. and wal
nut leaves, both in their natural state and as q
decocton, will prevent the attacks Of flies botf
sn animals and meat, and drive them away
Scientific american.