The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-20
WILD BIRDS OF ALASKA
Ducks and Geese Are Plentiful anc
So Are Other Game.

So Are Other Game.
Troub, Jan. 19.-In conversing with j. P
| Fitzgerald, well known marine engineer
who has put in several seasons on the
Yukon river, some interesting accounts
We're heard of the game in our frozen
country of the north
The first sisnt of bird life, barring
| the ptarmigan, in the spring is the old
black crow said Fitzgerald ITO those
who remain in the frozen country all
winter there is no more welcome sight.
unless it be the first boat up from civ
ilization. The crow gets up about the
middle of May while The wild fowl come
along toward the close Of the month.
BY June the country is alive with
ducks of all kinds. besides geese and
brant. They come by the thousands to
nest. Many of their eggs are stolen by
the Esquimo and uncountablc numbers
of the birds themselves are killed. For
the warm season We are blessed with
bird songs of all kinds The forests
along the river ring with the melody of
the feathered tribe, while the tunless
buzz Of the mosquito tries TO drown it
out
The finest wild fowl We have is the
elder duck. White as the snow capped
mountains and as fine in flavor as any
duck that swims. The native Indians
tan the skins and make beaut full gar
ments from them. We used always to
skin the elder ducks before cooking
The long feathers are pIucKed out lcav-
ing the snowy down as thick and soft
as only down can be. Canvass-back and
red-head ducks are plentiful and are
of very good favor when feeding in the
tundra marshes. The tundra marsh is
simply dense, messy growth. and
when walking up it your foot sinks in
to cold snow water that runs down from
the mountains These places afford great
breeding and feeding ground for wild
fowl
The bear and caribou are very plen-
tiful. Even the rabbit and the SOUR
rel is i'm evidence. In the dormant stage
of nature the forests are Dirdless except
for the ptarmigan. pronounced tarmigan.
This excellent species of the grouse is
about the size of the common ruffled
species. but changes its color as the sea-
sons shift In winter it is pure white.
When the ptarmigan is alarmed 1t
gives a call that sounds very much like:
Come here, Come here
Then gives another call something like
cookoo. As one approaches the game it
will call out sharp and shrilI
Go back, Go back
Really. one would imagine the COM
mand to come frof human lips. so nearly
is it in imitation of the voice OF some
scoIding old woman
This bird is fine eating and there are
millions of them TO be found along the
rivers and in the valleys. The natives
bring them into Dawson and the different
trading posts. and give hundred for a
little ammunition or a bit of tea and
sugar. On our trip down last October. the
last OF the season, we were loaded down
with the ptsrmigan. At every stop the
natives came 20 us with back loads or
dog packs of the beautiful birds. which
they had trappsd We got them in tra1e
for supplies at about cent apiece. We
got so many that we filed UP one OF the I
We fed the passengers on [
ptarmigan cookeu in every way known 10 4
the cook and the COOK books Some of
them said if the trip lasted much longer
they would begin 10 sprout wings. II IS
great sport to hunt this bird IL you are
well equipped Tor it ! have enjoyed much
Of it and hope TO do so again before the +
incessant slaughter cleans them out q +
course. IL viii take time 10 do that. but
when they can be had for cent apsece (
from natives, in A country where fresh 1
meat is scarce. one can see their finish
It's too bad, but there are no game laws
in Alaska
The rare and beautiful black fox. wiih 4
the silver tip. Is fairly plentiful ia may
parts Of the country but are hard 20 4
capture. Fur traders pay a. high as slgs 4
Tor the fines; peits OF the silver tip. The /
fur l. beautiful indeed
Il used 20 eRjoy the sae shosifrsg ~
the summer time The trout 81 Aissxa
are gorgeous f. every reSPec. II strikes
re that more people ~ho have IN. ,ssrse
and The naears should spend Z couple 81
months in the heart Of The Spea seesssi
and enjoy the Hnest ard most varied
sport extant The stLdy 81 tie e-,IIntrs
: alone worth = trip cut 70 visit =