Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-07-23
Tricks N HUNTING.


Curious Methods Of D~es v.ue Game Used
In the Chase.
The hunter in every land has long
used deception and rtise to enable him
to get within reasonable distance oil
his game. Hunting by initiating the
animal to be caught is very common
among the natives of man3 tribes. In
Africa we find the curious dwarfs.
the Akkas, discovered by DIR. Schwein-
furth. hunting ostriches in this man.
ner- An ostrich skin is taken and
drawn over one Of the hunters. who
supports the neck either with stick
or one arm. a bow and arrow being
held ready for use Fitted in this way
the human ostrich moves over the
plain, pretending to feed, and imiiat-
ing the motions of the live birds so
well That in many cases they approach
clio ely enough TO bring them down
with a well-aimed arrow.
A family OF these little people, who
ere not over four or five feet in height,
was recently brought to Europe, and
In Berlin gave representation before
taking ostriches. which wa, considered
very ingenious.
The ostrich. though stupid. Is not
always deceived. and an IN ,tanee is
related where one Of the birds b CON-
ing enraged. either al The supposed
bird or the hunter. rushed at it and al
single kick knocked over The un-
fortunate Aka and tore his ostrich
skin in shreds while trampling him
under foot. and it was with consider
zbie difficulty that the bird was driven
OF and the bogus ostrich rescued.
Some curious tactics have to be
adopted in hunting the crocodile in
eastern countries One method among
the native tribes is to fasten native
baby fat. plump one--to stake
near the shore. and when the huge
reptiles. attracted by its screams. con g
out OF the water. they are shot. la
other places the hunters attach
branches to their heads and crawl
along until they are within reaching
distance This is often attempted
binds are often merely boats covered
with branches; the wind taking The
latter carries il down among the un.
suspecting birds.
Very few animals are caught
mapping. unless the hunter displays re-
markable talents in deception. When
herd of elephants is feeding it invaii
ably is protected by guasd If watch
full sentinels. So with mcnkeys.
When they are devastating corn
field the sentinels are stationed about
to give warning at the slightest noise,
when the whole band will go pel-m II
over the fields in the direction of the
forest
have often noticed this among
birds. especially the California quail;
the moment | approached the sentinel
bird would pipe up and tell all the
rest that danger was nigh. The most
striking example of this guardian
ship | observed on the Pacific coast.
about four mics south OF the town of
Santa Monica. A mile away | saw IA
flock of pure-white cranes. and wish
ing to secure one | rode up the beach
upon the ocean side. there left nv
horse, and began my walk over the
sand dunes. The majority of the flock
were in secluded portion of a little
bay, presenting the appearance from a
distance of It white sheet upon the
dark shore.
When within an eighth of mi e of
them | found that there were half a
dozen sentnels posted at various
places. Every slight elevation near
the flock bore a very wide-awake
bird, and my only q ance to APP.
proach them was by hiding behind
the sand hills and crawling from one
to another. This did fo~ at least
half an hour. making perhaps two
hundred feet. and then | ventured to
look up. fairly held my breath, as
not ten feet away was beauti
white .entinel. He saw me immedt.
ateiy, gave note OF warning, and at
the moment the air was filled with
waving wings and the long white
necks of the birds.
1t is very evident that the bi;ds have
a language understood by themselves.
This system of placing sentinels is
one of the best evidences OF it. and
shows that our featherrd friends are
far more intelligent than we gene al.
~ suppose, Phil. delphia Times.
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