New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-07

show all the rich shades that lie between mink and
blue. small geranum. Of very b. ght orange
color. warns and enlvons the delicate earl ct with
! frequent dazzling points Tie larger lcgrminons
plants, Of which there is great variety stand apart
at great distances, in small cumps. Those which
! grow on the rough and sandy sides OF the sleeper
" draws are often % a very brilliant crimson.
Among the flowers which come a little later. The
! cactus is prominent OF this the large yellow sort
| is the most frequent, but the ball cactus. with
bright red flowers is not uncommon. The 81 nsitiye
| plant is noticeable. with its large pink flower
shaped like ball, and with a very spicy fragrance
As the summer advances. yellow becomes Tie
ruling color in conformity to the undIsputcd will Of
tho ever burning SUM- and the hot sunfower lead,
| a numerous company of various size and shape
The taller grasses in the fall, put strong tiLs
of red and purple, from which the wind shakes ont
| rich waves OF changing color. Whoever marks the
brilliant contrast at the edge of the bIackened track
of prairie fire will be startled al the strength and
variety of color which the sober plain contains.
BEASTS OF THE FIELD.
The buffalo Of this section has already passed into
history. The smoother bcefier cattle Of civilization
feed on his former pastures, aud bis bones have
been gathered by needy settlers aad shipped by
carloads to Eastern factories His walogng
places and deep trails remain. bu: the blue
stem grows rank in the disuscd basins and the miro
that he loved is covered with sod. The antelopes
stu linger though every year moro rare. Nothing
Is moIe inspiri,ng than to come upon bunch Of
these alert and graceful animals Their sudden
surprise shows no trace Of panic They turn for a
second their hIgh-TaIsed heads with keen inquiry
toward the intruder and when one concentrated
effort OF eye and ear and has revealed his I'M
safe character, in flash they arc gone with an
easy speed that does not hide their perfect uncm-
| ippit (lul less Dpp ne
is the more abundant jack rabbit. He is much less
careful of his attitudes. and doesn't mind allowing
that he is occasionally scared lie knows well.
nevertheless, that it takes very good dog to catch
him. and his great hind legs strike the ground lth
a nervous force that is beautiful to see. As he
rises through each flying jump his headquarters
seem TO gam on his head, bringing him into a
uca.ly vertical position, and with his long black
tipped pointing straight upward, he looks
back at his painting pnrsuer with spirited expires
sion Of keen. strong life. The English and scotch
settlers Of Victoria have brought into the country
some we-brcd grey hounds, and the lively sport of
cour-ing easily had on these pTaires. Foxes
not found here but coyotes still plenty, coming
about the buildings at night with great holiness.
Their sneaklng abect gait has the ignobe swltncss
of foul spirit, aud the chase after them would
need some more potent motor than the sineWs OF
foAhounds and English hunters. Always keeping
the high ground, from which their outlook Is vide
and cleaI they can rarely be surprised by ambush
or crafty approach \ lOng-range rifle Is the only
thing that can stop them.
SONGS IERS AND GAME BIRDS.
OF fcathered things there is a varied coll elton,
plcturcsquey fitted TO the character OF the country
Grim pondercus buzIards float heavily in the thin
air. HAWKS rise ut every side. Fursy. important
little owls sit in motioness groups in the pralre-dog
towns. and hy up with scoldng screams at the
intruders approach. The crazy kill-dcer cries like
lost soul at the dryness Of the prairie. which lie
mady mistakes for the CuTlew and piOyer.
slender, wind-like creatures. whistle plaIntIyely
through their recdv throats Dense locks OF chat
terng spaFrows fly about IN wonderfully shifting
manGuyres and the occasional pralrlehen rises
with startling whr from her scanty shelter. In
the strips of stunte1 trees that border the small
creeks the shelter-lOving kinds are found. Tho
groves are 50 very small. in the vast area OF bare
plain that they collect a swarm of birds of many
kinds. which make lively chorus. Here the
brown-thrasher hides, and sings his best. scornng
to he beaten by the hooking bird that pracises his
sweet fantasies by day and by night Blackblrds
of several kinds keep up their Chinese music
Turtle-doves mourn melodIously, and loud quail
whistle clear, and various smaller warblcrs new 20
Eastern eye and ear, gil the intervals with their
thin silvery melody. Along the rdadsides |
marvelled 70 meet the kincbirl. For there
rail-ences in this country and thought that tins
lack would be fatal 10 the beaui iiul dandy. But
even he can adapt himself to Western needs, and hc
sweeps with perfect pride as ever 10 his perch
on the unstable sunlOwer This Is his chief accom- =
plshment. to sit down with air" ami he repeats
his graceful performance he fits along beside the
horscman with persistence that must win alien
ton from all but the dnest eye.
in spling and tall, geese and ducks make passing
visits to the streams and the wheathelds ana sand
hill cranes spend weeks at the shoay smoky River
These last are hard to shoot for their long nechs
are always stretching up for an outlook; but 1t Il
worth while to spend a day crawling over the
buis if only for the sake OF a near view OF Their
uuhampered grotesqueness. But tine bird that
IN arits the most grateful mention Of kansan u tho
meadow Lark. that leads unrivalcd. the chorus Of
the PLAINS. His Is not that plaintiyc strain that ills
with its sweet sadness the moist meadows OF New
England. Somehow the Nestern wind has swept
away those melancholy humoIS, and hs song, with
all the pure rich tone of his pathetic cOuslnsIs full
of the livclicst gladness. The air rings " tn tho
clear notes that rise nom every weed on the prairle
and the biz yellow breasts OF the performers SHINE
bright with the JOY that Is IN them. Al evening.
when the concert IN the groves IS londrSt, The
meadow lark will sometime leave his fellows On
the plain, and choosing high perch on tee, show
what he can do IN the way OF fantastic SOLO lIny
the hooking bird may fear for his supremacy Tor
though the lark must yield to him IN ingenious M
ventiOn, the rich depth OF his clear strong notes
would gain him many votes IN triai. Al sucn
times his song Is longer than when lie sings among
his mates on the prairie, aud he does not Tear "
venture in curious experiments OF improvisation
Presumption though it be for him TO try 10 mock
the mOckingb bird his Tashucss never lets fall note
that is not beautiful Oh it, own account.
CHARACTERISTIC SETTLERS.
So much have written in the attempt 10 describe
the natural life and conditions OF this section It's
people are hardly formed and settled enough iof
classification The community. ever changing n
its members is in a state of transition from The Old
mad days when Hays City's cemetery took It's ap-
proprate name. Boot Ill.," to a settled future
when the restless ever moving home,toader shall
nave given place TO men who will stay. The Ger
man p,u.iops ro IN dav most durable mart OF