belief which led them into the double error of supposing that I was just from "the States," and might therefore be desirous of purchasing one of those hairless, rat-tailed, New Mexican curs, which the Americans are in the habit of designating as "cast-iron dogs "an animal much valued in those regions as a sort of four-legged warming-pan, to which purpose these unlucky animals are frequently applied. The not very flattering conversation which ensued among its owners (who were anxious to cheat me, if it were possible), as well as their astonishment upon discovering that I had fully appreciated their remarks, afforded me no little amusement, which I finally enhanced by delivering my opinion of themselves and their "costumbres."

I was not sorry when we at length reached the Mora, the literal meaning of which is "mulberry; " but, though that fruit is found in its vicinity, I am inclined to believe, with Gregg, that it owes its appellation to some early settler of that name, from the fact that the New Mexicans always call it Rio de lo de Mora. Here we found the train, or rather trains-for they were three in number, though now consolidated, for the greater security which an increase of numbers would afford-only waiting for our arrival to make their final preparations and take up their line of march.

I must not forget to remark, that, during our short detention here, I noticed some very peculiar effects of mirage, or, as they are termed in prairie parlance, "false ponds; " as also the appearance of one of those whirlwinds, which are common not only to the "great prairies," but to the sandy wastes of the "California Basin." So far as the whirlwind is concerned, the explanation is a simple one, the moving column being nothing more than a collection of the particles of dried grasses or dust, which have been taken up and carried forward by the eddying currents of air as I have seen water-spouts upon that less substantial plain, the ocean. The mirage is, however, not so easily accounted for. It has ever attracted attention, and excited much speculation, as well as no small difference of opinion, among the voyageurs upon the great prairies. For myself, I am inclined to concur in the opinion of a traveler, who says: "The philosohy of these 'false ponds' seem generally not well understood. They have usually been attributed to refraction, by which a section of the bordering sky would appear below the horizon. But there can be no doubt that they are the effect of reflection upon a gas emanating, perhaps, from the sun-scorched earth and vegetable matter. Or it may be that a surcharge of carbonic acid, precipitated upon the flats and sinks of these plains by the action of the sun, produces the effect. At least it appears of sufficient density, when viewed very obliquely, to reflect the objects beyond; and thus the opposite sky, being reflected in the pond of gas, gives the appearance of water. Ав а proof that it is the effect of reflection, I have often observed the distant trees and hilly protuberances which project above the horizon beyond distinctly inverted in the pond; whereas, were it the result of refraction, these would appear erect, only cast below the surface. Indeed, many are the singular atmospheric phenomena observable upon the plains, which would afford a field of interesting research for the curious natural philosopher."

PRAIRIE HUNTING.

The bison is peculiar to America, and probably before the arrival of Europeans roamed over most of the continent, as the early voyagers frequently mention "wild bulls," and there is no other member of the ox tribe known to be native.

It has always been an animal of great value to the Indians, furnishing them with food, clothes, and dwellings; in fact, the Indians of the plains are entirely dependent on the buffalo, and when he fails in his annual migrations, they are reduced to starvation.

It is believed that all attempts to mingle permanently the blood of these desert-born cattle, with that of the domestic breed have proved unsuccessful. Like the offspring of the red and white races of man, they cannot be depended upon as civilized or tamed, but are apt, at the first chance, to take to the woods again.

Although a large and apparently formidable animal, the bison seems to be inferior in courage and ferocity to the wild cattle of Europe and Asia. It flies at the sight of man, and although when brought to bay will make a furious charge at the hunter, with a good horse this is easily evaded, and so mounted, a man can pick out the fattest of the herd with very little danger, Indeed, a scamper among the buffalo is now the common finish to a sporting tour in America, by the young gentlemen of England and their Boston and New York imitators. Salmon fishing in Nova Scotia, grouse shooting in Illinois, and buffalo hunting on the plains all requiring enough pluek to keep the Cocknies out.

The range of the buffalo is still very extensive, from the Rocky Mountains on the West to within two hundred miles of the Mississippi on the East; and from Texas on the South to Lake Winnipec on the North.

The elk, or wapiti, is to be found, like the buffalo, on the great plains west of the Mississippi, which he seems to prefer to the timbered country.

There is great need of a standard work on American Mammalia. We have large and satisfactory books on our Ornithology; something has been done, and more is doing, on Icthyology, while the only work we have on the quadrupeds of America is that of Dr. Godman, which is much behind the present state of science.

The animal under consideration has been frequently confounded with the large deer of the timbered country, the cariboo, and this last again with the reindeer. The distinctions between these species have been ably pointed out by Mr. Herbert in his work on American Field Sports. The elk is domesticated without much difficulty, and has, we believe, frequently been trained to harness, for which its strength and speed are well adapted; while its clean and graceful limbs and splendid antlers would make a pair of elks, going a three-minute gait along the avenue, a real sporting team. To the parks of our country gentlemen the elk would form an appropriate ornament, while their flesh affords a delicious venison. The hunting of the elk and cariboo affords the finest sport

which is to be had on this continent. The watchfulness and speed of the animals, with their courage and ferocity when brought to bay, render it anything but a holiday recreation, but one demanding great knowledge of woodcraft and skill with weapons, as well as courage and endurance. The deer we do not propose to inflict upon the reader any descripion of this well-known animal, found in all parts of the Union, from Cape Cod to the Columbia river, but merely to describe some ways of hunting him.

First driving with hounds. It is usual in this mode of hunting deer, to station the sportsmen at certain stands or passways, where the deer are expected to pass on being roused by the hounds. Armed with a double-barrel, heavily loaded with buck shot, the patient hunter must remain for hours or days immovable and silent, waiting for his game to be brought to him. There may be one chance in six that he may see the deer; one in ten that the deer will pass his stand, and one in fifteen that, if a beginner, he will have presence of mind to fire; and one in twenty that, if all the other chances occur, he will kill his game. This driving is the favorite method at the South, where the indolent gentry, wishing to kill time and procure an appetite without much exertion, keep negro hunters and drivers to do the work, while they sit all day on a log smoking.

Second: coursing with Greyhounds. This is brilliant sport, superior to any hunting in America, except, perhaps, the regular Carolina fox hunting in the pine woods. You go out upon the prairie, well mounted, with your dogs in the leash. They are a cross between the greyhound and some heavier and fiercer race, and, if right, will run into and pull down a buck single handed. It is a fine morning in December, and the surface of the prairie, blackened with the autumnal fires, is covered with patches of white frost. The air is clear and bracing, and as we ride out of town and emerge upon the open prairie, our horses, anticipating the well-known sport, prance gaily about. Our company consists of about thirty horsemen; some armed with pistols, others with rifles or double guns. We have five large half-bred greyhounds, tawny and brindled, with deep chests and strong limbs; three couple of fox-hounds, who ever and anon utter their impatient bay; two or three terriers and a crowd of curs. We push out into the prairie, steering south, towards Blue Island, where we expect to find a herd of deer. (This is supposed to be in 1840.) On arriving at the timber, five or six hunters, with the dogs, take the lead, and the rest of the field follows as it best may through the timber. We keep along through the grove for a couple of miles, when the word is given that the deer are ahead, and we are desired to spread ourselves so as to drive them out of the grove on to the large prairie south, where the dogs can run to advantage. Here let us remark, that it is dangerous to let greyhounds run in the timber, as they are very apt to kill themselves by running against trees. Slowly and carefully we proceed, with the fox-hounds in advance, their deep voices showing the route we are to pursue. At length, we come out of the grove, and spy the deer, ten or twelve in number, bounding away over the prairie about a mile off; not much alarmed, as yet, and occasionally stopping to look behind at their pursuers.

"Now, men," says our leader, "spread yourselves, and go!" The greyhounds are slipped, and start at full speed, followed by the crowd of shouting riders and yelling curs. The deer take the alarm at once, and, after making two or three very lofty bounds, as if to try their limbs, they set off at a rate which would seem likely to carry them out of sight very soon. We go at our best pace for about a mile, when the field begins to grow select. First, the big gray, with the butcher on him, gives out, and a canter is all that can be got out of him. Next the bay colt and the black mare, hired from a livery stable, and ridden by two spruce looking young clerks, are brought to a trot, blowing heavily. Now those three Germans, rigged out "en grand chaseur," with guns strapped to their backs, game bags large enough to hold a well grown fawn, and hunting horns round their necks, have pulled up their tired nags, which have hardly got a puff in either of them, and proceed with great deliberation to light their pipes.

"Halloo! Mike! is your mare done?"

"Sure and I have no call to them craturs wid the horns, and why would I be breaking the ould mare's heart this way?" said the Irish drayman, who, being of a sporting turn, and owning a nice gray mare which was quite fair for a quarter race, had engaged her in a business for which she was not quite able.

Five or six more begin to show "bellows to mend," and gradually to drop astern, as we get along into the prairie, and it is evident that the deer are making for the next grove, some five or six miles further. We had run them about three miles at a killing pace, when the state or things was as follows: About a quarter of a mile behind the deer are the greyhounds, running on a line about ten feet apart. A quarter of a mile behind them are the fox-hounds, ciose together, and tails well up, with a breast-high scent and a full cry. Just behind them comes Major D., on a thorough-bred chestnut horse, who goes as if he could keep that stride to the Mississippi. Then, side by side, came Dr. C., on a powerful bay Morgan, who looked as if the pace was a little too good for him, and the writer, on a mare of the Major's raising, called Creeping Kate; she was by his sorrel horse, which is directly decended from Henry and Eclipse. No wonder, then, that she can run a little, though she is over ten years old. Straggling behind these come half a dozen of the best mounted of the field. the rest, with the cur dogs, are nowhere. "Will they get to the grove, Major?" said I. "Not all of them, I reckon," he replied, turning half round in the saddle, "if those greyhounds are good for anything." "I'll answer for old Spring," said I, "that is the brindled dog on the right; he will make his rush directly, and then you will see the fur fly."

Just then, as if by mutual agreement, the five greyhounds extended their front so as to be on the flanks of the flying herd, then increased their speed, till in ten minutes they were abreast; then they began to close up with the deer. Now the chase is most exciting-deer and dogs are both doing their best, while we have to ply the spur to keep our places in the hunt. At this moment old Spring makes his rush, seizes the big buck by the haunch and capsizes him; the other dogs follow his

example, and the prettiest kind of a skirmish ensues-deer and dogs rolling over in the snow, kicking, striking, biting, and growling. Those of the deer who were not seized by the greyhounds scattered in all directions, and Dr. C., pulling up his not unwilling horse, got a double shot at about sixty yards. One he knocked over and the other he missed Seeing a young buck going off alone on a course which would cross my track, I start to head him off. He bears off to the right, but after a run of two hundred yards, I close up within twenty yards of him, and give him a ball from my pistol, behind the shoulder; he falls, and I ride up to give him a shot in the head, and have dismounted for the purpose, when up he jumps with his hair all standing the wrong way, and comes at me. Fortunately, however, I have a loaded pistol in my belt, with which I give him a ball through the brains. Then cutting the deer's throat, and having with some difficulty persuaded Kate to allow the carcass to hang across her back, I mount to ride in search of the rest of the party.

The whole thing was over, I soon saw, as I approached the group of horsemen near the grove. The greyhounds had killed three, Major D. had shot one with his pistol, Dr. C. had one, and two of the ousiders had killed one each; eight in all, out of a herd of eleven.

Third: still hunting. This is precisely what the English call "stalking," and signifies going forth alone (or, if attended by a dog, he must keep at heel till you have wounded your game), to do battle against the monarch of the woods; to set man's knowledge and skill agains e instinct of the animal. You walk slowly and quietly along through the woods, like a ghost, leaving no sound of your footfall; your eyes glance constantly round; sometimes for five minutes you stand still in the shadow of a big tree trunk, to the color of which your dress corresponds so nearly, that, when not in motion, you are invisible. A stranger of an imaginative turn of mind, on meeting you in the forest so employed, would take you for the spirit of old Daniel Boone, or Natty Bumpo, moving West, out of the way of the settlements. Truly this, and not angling, is the "Contemplative Man's Recreation."

The object of all this spirit-like gliding, is that you may get a sight of the deer before he sees you. It is a question of precedence. If the deer sees you first, and his eyes are quick, he quietly slips off, and you must glide after another. If you get the first sight, and it is astonishing to what a pitch of accuracy the eye may be educated, you stand still, and, like Austria, wait the progress of events. If the deer comes straight towards you, of course the game is your own, if you can keep still till he gets within shot. But if, as is most probable, he takes another course, you must fly from tree to tree, and from cover to cover, with the quickness and invisibility of an owl or an Indian, till you get within shot, when your rifle must do the rest.

This is the favorite manner of hunting deer in the western forests: a man needs nothing for it but a rifle and a good pair of legs and eyes; the latter especially, for a near-sighted man can never excel at this sport. Those, however, who try it, become so fond of it as to despise all other hunting. We have seen deer stalked, with great success, by means of a