The sun., 1889-11-29
4 CHOICE OF ENEMIES.
ouAIIs GIvea by q Hawk TO the Protection
OF n Man with Gus.

OF n Man with n 3un.
SCRANTON, Nov. 2S.-Erastus B. StIllwell
OF Benton township had an interesting expert
ence while hunting quail early this month. His
pointer dog Spot was with him, and man and
dog were tramplng across field Of rye stubble
toward strip OF woodland. Several rods to
his left there was "a bushy ravine. along the
sides OF which soft maple trees were thick
Forty or fifty rods 10 his right there was
dense piece OF pine and hemlock timber
Directly over tho ravine q large hawk was
lowering when Mr.. Stillwell reached the centre
Of the field. He stopped and watched it for a
moment, and while he was standing the hawk
dived into the middle OF the ravlne. near the
edge OF the clearing 1t was after quail, but
1t failed to strike one. and out from the cover
few flock OF fourteen quais In an instant
The frightened birds pointed for the pine and
hemlock, the nearest shelter from danger.
with the hawk In hot pursuit After they had
flown short distance the qualls swerved from
the course, circled toward Mr.. Stillwell, and
settled down on the stubbe right in front Of
him. where they lay on their sides and painted
from fright 1t seemed to Mr.. Stllwell as
though instinct told the qualls that the men
would protect them from the hawk, and that it
would be impossible for them to reach the
cover OF the woods before their relentless
enemy swoopedidown upon them
~,
Mr.. Stillwell took Off his hat and placed 1t over
ono OF them: 1t lidp,t sttempt TO- fly away
The hawk was flying around few yards ard feS above g
one oi the quail before long. Spot stood behind
acted as though he didn't know what to make
OF the strange conduct Of the qua!ls, Mr.. Still:
tumbIed. striking the ground fiteen feet or so
from where the qpails lay. Then the hunter
stu to what the u you'd d and
MT. Stilwell lifted his hat from the other quail.
Spot was as GOOD BIT bewdered % Over H the S aetlon On
ot the birds; and Il was two or three hours be-
In the summer OF 1886 Q fine white crotch
tailed swallow was hatched on the farm Of
.hne for IN be whe
and Farmer Hunt and his folks thought 50
It. In this they didn't succeed very well. but
the other swallows were carefully projected on
went South In the fall the white swallow was
all right In the following spring the white
oyHGw returned Hnd the family thSS%Eht more
ed Farmer Hunt to jet him catch 1t. but the
farmer woulldn,t let him do SO. During the
summer OF 1883 the white swallow was around
Farmer Hunts barn again. and last spring the
family watched with good deal Of interest for
has been greatly missed ever since.
While trout fishing ifs, 4 in Bowmans m Greek last
summer samuel TOnpklnS OF Gr6enil6lu was
startled by hare. that leaped from the bank.
plunged headlong into the stream. swan to the
opposite shore, and bounded into the thcket.
The hare was being pursued by q fox. and a
few seconds later Reynard sprang into the
creek. within reach of Mr.. Tompkins's rod. and
after the hare. The fisherman hit the fox with
his rod. and the blow upset Reynard's calcula-
tions. Instead OF going straight ahead the ioN
Topped around in the water. gave a shrill bark.
whirled about, scrambled up the bank. and
darted into the woods as though his life was in
danger.
Jack Birdsall OF the Dutch Flats had queer
experience while fishing for trout In the head
watars OF Tunkhannock Creek last July. A
muskrat dived into the stream few feet in
front OF Birdsall and scared all the trout away.
1t soon came to the surface with a bulbous
root Of some kind crawed upon the crotch Of
o limb that hung In the water. and munched
the root Then it dlved again. and Bird
sail hipped his hook over to the crotch
turned to the crotch to cat the second
twitch., settled the hook into the muskrat's
lip. and yanked the little animal into the water.
After he had played the muskrat up and down
tho creek for several minutes the little animal
managed to get a foothold near the bank. Onoe
out OF the Water the nuskrat had the advan-
tage. for Brdsall couldn't Jerk him around
quite SO we'll on dry lard. and the result was
that the muskrnt steered for his hut, snapped
Birdsall,s smell off and took it aud the hook
along with him.