The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-04-23
Letter from Omaha.
OMAHA, Neb., April 9th, 1870.

DEAR WING AS we are Just emerging
from Winter, and the cid, familiar sound
Of the Robin, blue-bird, and the red-wing
salutes us in the morning, we feel like re-
turning thanks that those ornaments of the
fields and forests are not confined to any
particular locality. but allowed to roam
where they feel most welcome. We have
not yet gone too far west to find the turtle
dove. They seem to inhabit even the most
remote localities. All of this small class of
the feathered tribe Of the west go unme-
lested-prairie hens and sage hens are small
enough to be noticed by sportsmen on the
plains. Along the various rivers ducks.
geese and swan abound, and are much
sought after by sportsmen. The Missouri
and Elkhorn rivers afford some very good
fish, such as buffalo and huge catfish, with
some few others, but singular as it may
seem, eelS do not live west of the Ohio. and
would he regarded as a great curiosity. l
want say they never saw an eel The riv-
ers west of the Platte seem to contain few
if any. other than trout of two varieties
known as trout and salmon trout the lat
ter very much resembling the salmon in
color but not in size. There are here and
there found, also, the bull-tish :; but the
water being generally very clear and cold,
other than the trout do not seem to choose
those resorts.
The brave and much admired American
grey eagle seems to be monarch of the
mountains, and appears to admire the iron
horse, with his long train, passing along
beneath his dominions, as he scars far
above, and with his piercieng eye, scans
the advance of civilization. The large
black eagle far exceeds the grey eagle in
size. but seems to be sluggish and unsocial,
while the mountain eagle, so called, is a
more active and sprightly bird of very
vicious habits. The -honored ravens,
which fed the Patriarchs in the Wilderness,
when nearly famished with hunger, find
the Rocky Mountains congenial to their
habits, and are sometimes captured and
held as one of the rare relics of scriptural
times. They are not much different from
the crow. only in form, which is more deli
cate, with very large wings and beak ;
showing they were selected as the messcn-
gers for good on account of their strength
and power of flight. 1t would be consid-
cred sacrilegious, even among mountain
GERS, to kill one of those birds, or turtle
dove. Our common partridge. or quail, do
not venture beyond the Missouri. on ac-
count of the severe winters, and the vari-
Gus enemies inhabiting the plains. They
cannot find sufficient protection, and con-
sequently but few are found west of the
Alleghanics. How wisely has the great
Director of the universe allotted each, even
Of the feathered tribe, to his proper place,
beyond which it seldom ventures. How
unlike rebellieus man. Foxes of almost
endless variety are very numerous,
large red. the grey, the black, and the sill
yer grey: and those are crossed variously
until their furs become very valuable as
curiosities. A genuine silver-grey will
sometimes command $4,000. Wolves are
very numerous, and of several varieties
prairie, cayote, black, and timber, or Rocky
Mountain, crossed in every way, SO that
their identity is sometimes hard to deter
mine. The finest beaver, as well as mar
tin, mink, muskrat, and even skunk, are
all articles of merchandise more particu-
larly in Utah Territory. There the winters
are not SO severe, and the wild animals
seem to congregate more during the season
for catching them. Strichnine is used ex-
tehsively to trap them. Wonder if ser
sey Lightning" known in the States, would
not answer a good purpose? I venture
they would turn away in disgust. Moth
ing but human beings seem calculated for
so obnoxious fluid.
Thursday, the It'll, was gay day among
the American citizens of African descent
in Omaha. A large procession was formed
at Turner's Hall, which paraded through
were made, some of which were said to be
quite eloquent. The whole day being set
apart for the celebration of so important
an event as the passage of the 10Th Amend
ment, it was thought fit by the participants
to close the exercises with grand ball in
in the evening, at the Hall, where many
bellies and bucks INDUCED in the amusement
of the light fantastic toe We did not
hear of single instance of discord, and
all seemed to enjoy themselves to the fullest
extent.
The emigration west has become very
heavy. Many of the emigrants are direct
from Europa great many from Denmark,
and other parts of Germany-while few
are from Italy. The emigration from Eng
land is mostly for Salt Lake City; and the
coos Of Erin ara deStinad for nl,hlic works