FANCIERS' JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 



59 



red ribbons upon the right leg. Telegrams were immedi- 

 ately sent to James Bond, the farmer at Rivereliff (Mr. 

 Hubbell being at his business establishment in Philadelphia), 

 announcing the despatch of the birds, and requesting in- 

 formation immediately upon their arrival. Accordingly, 

 shortly before five o'clock, the following telegram was re- 

 ceived : 



RlVEKCLIFF, August 16th, 1873. 



Ariel and No. 6 arrived at four. The other two birds 

 came shortly afterwards. Jambs Bond. 



It will thus be seen that Ariel performed the journey of 

 sixty-four miles in the remarkable time of thirty minutes. 

 " No. 6 " is not inferior ; and, indeed, when we consider the 

 unavoidable delay caused by his first scrutiny of the ground, 

 it appears very much as if Ariel would have to look sharp 

 after his laurels. — Graphic, Aug. 18th. 



shot at whenever they attempted to al ight. This plan seems 

 to be an improvement on the one adopted by our duckers. 

 The probability is, if the ducking business is pursued in its 

 present mode for a few years more, that the game killed will 

 not justify the outfit necessary to engage in the business suc- 

 cessfully. If the gunning days were reduced to two in the 

 week, and those two succeeding days, considerable protec- 

 tion would be afforded the ducks, while under the present 

 law there is next thing to no protection." 



gifluuistu feinutttunt. 



DECREASE OF DUCKS ON THE CHESAPEAKE. 



A Belaik paper, in speaking of the gradual thinning out 

 of the wild ducks on the Chesapeake, gives some hints for 

 the preservation of the game. The writer says : 



" The present season thus far has not been remarkably 

 successful for the duckers, many of whom make the better 

 part of their living by shooting ducks on the Susquehanna 

 fiats. It is a disputed question among sportsmen whether 

 the sink-boat gunning on the flats is not gradually driving 

 the ducks away from their accustomed feeding grounds, to 

 seek more secure locations. The sink-box men contend that 

 of the millions of ducks which visit the Chesapeake and its 

 tributaries in their migratory excursions, the few hundreds 

 or thousands which are killed on the flats are not missed, 

 and that the loss by the guns of the sportsmen is many times 

 made up by the natural increase of the birds in their North- 

 ern breeding grounds. 



" On the other hand, those opposed to the sink-box shoot- 

 ing contend that any wild animal which is persistently dis- 

 turbed and killed on its feeding grounds, will most assuredly 

 desert their old haunts and seek other quarters where they 

 will be less exposed to danger and steady annoyance, and 

 although the actual killing of the birds may not be sufficient 

 to diminish their numbers, the constant warfare kept up on 

 them will tend to induce them to seek new and safer routes 

 and resting places in their periodical pilgrimages north and 

 south. The theory of the latter party seems the more plau- 

 sible, and the fact of the gradual diminution of the ducks 

 goes very far toward substantiating it. 



"The arrangement entered into by the Havre de Grace 

 duckers to shoot every other day, and which has been em- 

 bodied into a law regulating the duck shooting on the flats, 

 is intended as a protection, which, by giving the birds a 

 short respite from danger, it is hoped they will be encour- 

 aged to continue to visit their favorite grounds in the same 

 countless myriads as in former years. But the complaints 

 that they leave the flats and take up their course for regions 

 further south after a much shorter sojourn than formerly, 

 seems to indicate that these old haunts on the Susquehanna 

 flats are getting too warm for the canvas-back. In respect 

 to three days' shooting and four days' respite, Seth Green, 

 who is a standard authority on all subjects connected with 

 sporting, suggests that the three days' shooting should be 

 consecutive in place of alternate, leaving the birds four days 

 of quiet in which to feed and recover from the fright of being 



HOUSEHOLD RECIPES. 



Beef. — A good and cheap beef stew can be made from the 

 second or third cut of neck piece, which wash and divide 

 into small pieces and cover with hot water, cooking slowly 

 and steadily three hours, or until very tender, adding water 

 and skimming when necessary ; salt to taste during the last 

 hour of cooking. When nearly done, and the water reduced 

 to a sufficient quantity for thin gravy, I sprinkle over it black 

 pepper to taste, and sometimes cover with a crust, made as 

 for short biscuit, rolled to about half an inch in thickness, 

 and call it a "pot-pie," which we relish with any sort of 

 vegetables, in winter or summer. 



Mashed potatoes can always be warmed over by browning 

 in a hot oven, or on a griddle, and will be equal to those 

 newly cooked for breakfast, or a hurried meal. 



A quick dish for breakfast. — Pare, over night, a sufficient 

 quantity of apples and cover with cold water. In the morn- 

 ing quarter them, and fill the pan or kettle two-thirds full, 

 to which add half a cup of warm water, a large pinch of salt, 

 nutmeg, sugar to taste, and spread over them a soft dough, 

 mix the same as for biscuits, but rather thinner, cover 

 lightly. 



Should there be any dough left, add a little flour and bake 

 as biscuits; which to be eaten warm should be made with 

 one quart flour, two teaspoonsful cream of tartar sifted with 

 it, one level teaspoonful salt, one tablespoonful of butter (or 

 warm suet well worked in), mix with milk and water, in 

 which a teaspoonful of soda is dissolved. 



Cold Beefsteak can be transformed into an economical and 

 palatable dish, by chopping it finely and adding a pint or so 

 of water and cooking until reduced to the consistency of 

 hash; to which add butter or cream and a little milk, salt, 

 pepper, and boil up once and serve with baked potatoes and 

 buckwheat cakes. 



Cold steak has generally been regarded as a doubtful con- 

 sideration, while waiting for disposal, and Rover generally 

 gets the benefit of the doubt. 



Ginger Crackers. — One pint of molasses, one cup of sugar, 

 quarter pound butter, one tablespoonful ginger, flour enough 

 to roll out and cut. To make soft gingerbread, vary the above 

 by adding a cup of hot or cold water, a teaspoonful of soda, 

 and two eggs. 



A quick and rich Toast is made by soaking slices of stale 

 bread in milk, to which has been added a well-beaten egg 

 and a small pinch of salt; fry to a rich brown, in butter. 

 Another way for stale bread : soak the crumbs in milk, when 

 10ft add one teaspoonful soda, salt, flour, for a good batter, 

 and a well-beaten egg ; fry as griddle cakes. 



