The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-11-02
THE FISH ER.

l 1 llt llSIfEI OI tlliauL S IudItGH WdS q
 rare animal hundred years ago, and day it is still more rare If you ask old hunters whether they ever saw a l fisher, or as some of them call the crea- | ture, a "blackcat," you will receive comparatively few answers in the af-
 firmative. Most of them will have heard
 of him, some of them will tell you that | "there used to be fishers around such and-such place, about forty years ago." and here and there you will find
 man who has caught one or was pres
 ent when 1t was killed. When you do | find such a man he will probably have a thrilling tale to tell of the fierce fight | the animal put up" for his life, and | of wounded dogs which carried the marks of the fishers teeth to the end of their days.
 Last week journeyed to Norumbega Park, some twelve miles from Boston, for the sole purpose of seeing what is
 said to be the only fisher in captivity. The animal was in his den when
 arrived, but on his owner stirring him
 up with long pole, he darted out into
 the open, crouched like cat, and drew
 up his lip, exposing his long canine
 teeth in savage defiance. His general
 appearance betrayed his relationship to
 the weases; the same length and 1.-the
 ness of body, the glittering eyes and
 the same robust, cunning and ferocity
 Of expression embodied in an animal
 whose size and strength rendered those
 attributes doubly dangerous. In length
 he was something over three feet, in-
 cluding his tail, which measured per-
 haps fifteen inches. His body was cov-
 cred with long dark-brown fur, which
 looked black in some lights and reddish
 in others. His head was rather small
 with short ears, and small yellowish-
 brown eyes. His legs were short and
 strong, curved claws. Altogether he
 was an animal one would hardly like to tackle with bare hands, and his owner admitted that 1t was necessary to be
 watchful when inside the inclosure, as the fisher when irritable would not hes itate to attack man if the latter were off his guard
 Remnants marten formerly inhabited wide extent of country, including a large part of Canada, the New England states, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, but it was prabably never very common in any part of it's range. He Is still found in the wilder parts of the country, chiefly in the we'll wooded, mountain ous districts He lives by the chase, preying upon almost any other animal which he is able to capture and over power. Wild mice of several species are included in his bill-of-fare, as are also rabbits, hares, ruffed grouse and other game. But he is not restricted to hunt ing on the ground for he is a splendid climber and a rare traveller through the tree tops. He pursues squirrels up the trunks and amongst the branches and often succeeds in running them down.
 That he does not capture them more frequently is due to the fact that the | squirrels are much lighter in weight Ca l full grown male fisher will weigh eight l or nine pounds) and can often escape | immediate death by running out | the fine twigs which will not l bear their heavier enemy.
 On one occasion fisher was seen to | chase a pine marten through the trees, ! and though the result was not observ- ed, it Is hardly likely that the animals were running for exercise. It is said | also that the fisher will attack and kill | l raccoon, and if this is true it speaks wonders for the strength and ferocity | If the former, for q, healthy coon is an awkward customer even for a good dog. But the strangest statement concern nE the fishers menu Is that it often in dudes the Canada porcupine, a crea- .ure which very few animals can at ack with success. The latter is killed. t is said, by being bitten in the ab- fomen, though why the porcupine should accommodate the fisher by pre- ,enting to him his vulnerable spot it Is lard to imagine
 Remnants marten is hunted for his UT, which is of very fine quality. It is n prime condition in the winter and 1t this season it is easy to track the ,nimal by his footsprints on the snow, o his hiding place, usually hollow n some large tree often at a consid- rable distance from the ground. He s then driven from his retreat either " shooting or by chopping down the