53 



I^T^ODUCTIO^. 



EADING sportsmen, lovers of the rod and gun, will, we 

 believe, find much to interest them in this volume. 



The publishers have endeavored in its prepara- 

 tion, to present all the prominent subjects that are of 

 practical value to those who find pleasure in the 

 forests or along the shores and streams of New Eng- 

 land and the Maritime Provinces. They have also 

 hoped to contribute in some degree, to a more intimate 

 acquaintance with the natural history and habits of 

 the animals, birds and fishes, sought by the hunters and anglers in the 

 sections treated of. 



In presenting most of the subjects, the form of dialogue has been 

 employed, in which are interwoven numerous incidents of actual occur- 

 rence, in the many years' experience of the author. While disclaiming an 

 attempt to produce a pretentious volume, we believe that the great increase 

 in the number of sportsmen who wish to acquire increased knowledge of 

 the habits and peculiarities of our various kinds of game and fish, warrants 

 the issue of such a work as we have prepared. The topics treated of by 

 the various well-known writers are so numerous and of so wide a scope, 

 that they preclude the possibility of obtaining information upon many of 

 them without consulting a number of volumes, while, so far as we are aware, 

 several have never been presented by writers of sportsmen's books. 



Our grateful acknowledgment of the most generous co-operation and 

 assistance we have received from the eminent writers who have contributed 

 to the work is due ; we also tender our sincere thanks to those who have 

 furnished us photographs for many of the illustrations, as well as to those 

 who have kindly permitted us to make use of some of their attractive cuts, 

 for the embellishment of the book. 



It was suggested that an interesting and pleasing feature of the work 

 would be the addition of a number of portraits of the devotees of the rod 

 and gun, men whom we have been delighted to meet, not only in the 

 hunter's camp and by the lake and stream, but in their homes and among 

 the busy and social scenes of every-day life. 



Acting on this suggestion, we invited a number of those who belong 

 to the great fraternity of sportsmen and those who are otherwise interested 

 in our game, birds and fish, to allow their portraits to appear, and the 

 collection that we are able to present will, no doubt, prove an interesting 

 addition to the volume. 



SAMUELS & KIMBALL, Publishers. 



M844828 



