Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-10-17
STORIES OF ANIMALS


STORIES OF ANIMALS.
Queer Creatures Of Di0srsnt Species MAKE
| Things Lively In Connccticut
Edwin Casswell, veteran otter and
fox hunter of Exeter and Lebanon,
gained distinction the other day by
trapping an eighteen-pound black
fox. 1t is not known that black fox
was ever killed in Connecticut before,
and black foxes are said to be very
rare. even in the regions in which they
are Indispensable northern part Of
America and northern Asia The fox
had silky black hair. Casswell had to
use much care in approaching it, al
though its leg was held in big steel
trap. 1t leaped furiously at the hum
ter. growing and swapping like
dog, while the iron trap clattered
against the swamp tussocks Mr.. Cass-
well killed the animal with club.
A curiosity attracts great attention
in Webster. 1t looks like fresh
water sunfsh, but it is not that, for it
Is gelatinous mass that shakes like
a custard. 1t was taken from David
Wellington's ice pond in Ferryville,
and is about eight inches in dame
ter. F. p. Baker show it in his drug
store window.
In Newinton musk-ats will not allow
Mr. Samuel H. Kilbourne to raise
many pond-lily blossoms in his private
pond. Usually he has acres of the
fragrant floating blossoms, but as fast
as the cups open this year the water
rats eat them. The cultivation of good
lilies brings in quite revenue to Con-
necticut farmers. They sell the flow
ers to boys. who find a lucrative mar
ket for them at the railroad stations
and in villages and cities. If some
one will tell how muskrats may be ex-
terminated, lily-raisers will pay him
well for the receipt A steel trap can't
do much destruction amid the host OF
water rats. Along many brooks they
make hard-beaten paths for nocturnal
travel, which diverge from the banks.
interlace each other a hundred differ
emit times, and usually lead under a
sweet-apple tree or in a field of rye,
oats or corn. The rats burrow along
the stream, undermine its banks, and
are nuisance in every way.
Rattlesnakes steadily increase in
Connecticut A few years ago it was
rarely that one was killed in the State,
but no less than score have been
killed in Connecticut this season. At
Middletown hunter makes money at
catching the reptiles and selling the
hides, and he extracts the oil and sells
that. too Not few persons have mar
rowly escaped being bitten by rattlers
this year.
Mrs. Elizabeth Porter and daughter
had a perilous adventure while sitting
under large oak nsar the Highlands.
They were startled 6y whirring
sound directly behind them and not far
away, but moments reflection con-
WINGED them that it was only the buzz
ling of an insect. But the sound was re-
peated many times, and it seemed to
grow louder They arose and discov-
cred monster rattlesnake coiled in
the grass few feet from them that
evidently was making ready for
deadly spring. Mrs. Porter was bold.
She darted away, caught up dried
tree bough, and. running back, hit the
RATHER a powerful blow. At the same
instant the serpent sprang at her, but
the stick repealed his advances, and,
with an angry rattle, he glided off into
the thick grass. Both ladies screamed
and ran.
At Bristol a bird has built its nest
in the top of the hood over the electric
light on Main and Summer streets and
is raising brood, which is fed with
the flies and other insects that are
lured to and that fit and tumble about
the Aaring flame. The old bird makes
a long day of it, and both she and the
little ones are well kept. All day until
nine or ten o'clock at night she wheels
about the white light, dashing up and
down in pursuit of the train of insects
that ceaselessly revolve beneath the
| iron hood. As fast as she catches an
insect she is back in the nest, and the
young birds celebrate each capture
| .-:xl N " Snn