r.OREST AND STREAM. 



37 



such business, the illegal shooting goes on without stop or 

 hindrance. Young mallards and geese tbnt hatched here are 

 of full size, and are also fulling victims to the insatiable pot- 

 hunters. Abe Daootah. 



Nevada.— Game of every description is said to be abund- 

 ant, this season. TUa seaBon opens on the first of nest, month, 

 and a surfeit of sport is in store for the gunner. 



— Mr. Chas. A. Zimmerman, of St. Paul, has printed some 

 fine water colors of his "Tight Shell" and "Trying for a 

 Double," which are having an extensive sale at $8.50 per 

 pair. He- will soon follow with, another picture entitled " A 

 Clean Miss." 



Penetration Tkst— JYdiv Rochelle, N. F., Aug. A,— Mr. 

 Editor : Bettor late than never. 1 am pleased to learn from 

 an advertisement in your columns that Mr. O'NeJ] has brought 

 out a penetration 1 ester for shot. The public have long wanted 

 some Standard rule by which they could test the power of dif- 

 ferent guns, not only in the same place, but, everywhere, and 

 in such a uniform manner that the results might be compared. 

 - Until such a standard is adopted the trial of gtinr, amounts to 

 but little. The modes hitherto employed are very imperfect 

 and unsatisfactory. Let it suffice ; the object of the trial is 

 to find the force of the guu by its penetration power. Now, 

 in a hard, compact mass of paper, the shot meets with an im- 

 pediment, greater than is offered in many kinds of wood, and 

 such that, alter [lie shot has entered a short distance, they 

 are found flattened out almost as much as if fired against a 

 rock, and more so than if fired into softwood- Open the book 

 where they stop, and you will find them "asflatasa pancake," 

 and with a deep indentation in the paper nearly as large as a 

 pen, There they have been brought to a stand, and yet have 

 more huge indentations, thus showing that at the moment of 

 their arrest, they had yet fores enough to penetrate a dozen 

 sheets more if they bad not been flattened. This, then, is no 

 trial of penetration. On the contrary, experiments have been 

 made showing that the greater the force of the gun the less 

 its comparative penetration in the paper, because there was 

 more resistance to the flattened shot by the greater force. This 

 result is but consistent with the rule of natural philosophy, 

 that, the resistance offered to a moving body increases as the 

 square of velocity. Suspending the sheets loosely will remedy 

 this evil somewhat, but yet. this mode has many de- 

 fects I could point out. Besides this, there is no estab- 

 lished rule 1 know of, which determined the kind 

 and thickness of paper hitherto used. Without this 

 and uniformity there can be no accurate comparison 

 of results, and hence I attach very little importance 

 to the trials of guns made in this manner, except when they 

 are tried at the "same paper. I much prefer a soft pine board 

 for these trials, and very thin shingles are better still, for then 

 the shut will not flatten so much. If we try to force a com- 

 rnon pin by a sudden thrust into, a compact book we can 

 pierce but a few sheets of paper, but if the leaves be separat- 

 ed the pin will carry it through its whole thickness. And 

 why ? Principally because the paper yields in rear and gives 

 way to the force or the pin. This shows the principle clearly 

 enough. We must have in our trial testa (if hard substances 

 like paper are used) the sheets or cards so separated and 

 made of such a thickness as to yield to the force and allow 

 the shot to pass on from sheet to sheet without destroying 

 their shape.; and in the first place I would suppose that the. 

 thickness of the paper should be about the diameter of the 

 shot used. Then the back of the card would yield and give 

 way as the shot entered, and thus leave it perfect in form. If 

 the shot are left, perfect, we find the full penetration of the 

 gun ; if flalleueri, I thiuk not, We must have these sheets 

 made with great care ; they must be uniform in material, 

 thickness and weight, and should not be hard enough to in- 



S'ure the shape of the shot. If so made, they may, and doubt- 

 ess will, be used all over the country. Then we can all use 

 them and know how our guns perform in comparison with 

 others. I have once seen Mr. O'-Neil's tester and believe it to 

 he correct, in pnciple ; and if he will make a uniform pad or 

 card to be used with it that can be adopted as a standard and 

 universally employed, we can, I think, have nothing better. 

 The cards need be only far enough apart to give the broken 

 paper clearance. Trials will bring them to perfection. 



Ma.i. II. W. Mkbrhx. 



The Stand aud Target and Penetration Tester. — We 

 have occasion almost every week to reply to questions in re- 

 gard to penetration of shot. Correspondents write us : "We 

 have shot so many pellets of No. or 8, through so many 

 sheets of Sarpefs Magsnune % or leaves of an almanac," and 

 we are requested to tell what kind of penetration this or that 

 may be. We have answered time and again that we knew 

 nothing at all about it. That this method of testing penetra- 

 tion was useless— that it was no test at all. The pad shot 

 into being more or less compact, alters the form of tne shot. 

 Prom a sphere the shot gets converted into a disk, and if it 

 be a disk, the difficulty of penetration is immensely increased. 

 The recent English trials we thought so unsatisfactory in 

 regard to penetration that, we did not publish them, Pattern 

 is a different tiling. Still, in order to save trouble in count- 

 ing, a methodical plan should be adopted. We have before 

 this advised the use of the tester invented by Mr. O'Neill. 

 We have made up our mind not to give replies as to penetra- 

 tion unless some such standard as Mr. O'Neill uses is em- 

 ployed. The following is an exact description of the appa- 

 ratus, which is as simple as can be: 



"A single sheet of paper target of the ordinary size, laid 

 off in selected circles, so that the pattern can be readily 

 counted. The bull's-eye has back of it a box some three feet 

 long supported on legs. In the framework of this box slats 

 are cut, into which pieces of straw-board can be placed at in- 

 tervals of about half an inch. The whole is supported on 

 wooden legs. Now the method of determining the penetra- 

 tion it? exceedingly simple. Each separate piece of card- 

 board, 10.} by 10J inches square, as it is traversed by the shot 

 determines the penetration. At a glance the particular sheet 

 of card-board which has been shot through can be seen. In- 

 stead of carrying into the field a lot of targets, a small pack- 

 age of these card-boards will enable the person experimenting 

 to understand exactly what the penetration of Ins gun is. 

 We consider ] Mr. O'Neill's invention an admirable one, as it 

 does away with former cumbersome methods of getting at 

 penetration. ' '— \Jie.s A tiwrtwenient, 



Gluamino Exes. — Doubt has been expressed by many of 

 onr readers in regard to the often used expressions of nar- 

 rators of hunting incidents, when they talk of "gleaming 

 eyes" in deer or other animals. Eyes do gleam, but only 

 with reflected light. If a cat were put into a close cellar, where 

 all light was excluded, there would be no gleaming. The eyes 



do certainly concentrate and focus any light, but that light must 

 come from some natural or artificial light outside of Hie eye. 

 There can be no phosforescence in an animals eye. The fol- 

 lowing comes from a correspondent fully familiar with the 

 subject, who writes from Muskojee, i/id. Terr.: 



Mr. Editor — In your issue of June 18, I notice an article 

 asking information in regard to the shining in deer and other 

 animals' eyes. I hunted deer for twenty years, and six of 

 those have been in the Nalion. No animal's eyes will shine at 

 mght except light is thrown on them, 1 will give you my 

 experience of night hunting ; yon can have it at its* worth ; 

 we do it on horseback. The party consists of two. The 

 shooter carries the lamp on his- bead, his companion fi Mow- 

 ing Indian file, carries the gun. When the eye is first seen 

 you are at a distance of 150 'yards, and if it is a deer you will 

 see but the one eye : you approach until you ran part the 

 eyes and see two. Then you are in shooting distance, 45 or 

 50 yards. You stop, your companion rises up to your right 



Hold 



side and hands you his gu 

 the eyes, and you invariably 

 heart. A deer never looks at 

 but either lays his head to tin 

 eyes over his most vital part. 

 It is large, very bright, and his quick v 

 like two brands of fire flickering in the 

 coon, oppossum, heaver and owls in a lij 

 light the bettor. On one occasion I 



Adct 



inches below 

 ne through the 



lit to the front, 



Ouch brings the 

 nisily discerned. 

 ig makes it look 

 1. I have Shol 

 The darker the 

 'as out on it turkey 



hi, 



hunt I carried my deer lamp along to guide our way back to 

 camp. Wo were not successful in finding turkey, and con- 

 cluded we would follow up the course of the branch we w< re 

 camped on and kill some beaver. We were following a trail 

 through a green brier jungle when I suddenly parted two of 

 the strangest and largest, eyes 1 ever saw. f felt the lamp 

 rise on my head. But regaining my composure, hailed. 

 My gun was handed me, the eyes seemed to grow larger 

 Two big rings of green now encircled them. I brought, my 

 gun to iny face and pulled both triggers. The eyes disap- 

 peared. We listened. Not a sound was heard. W'a now 

 commenced to converse and try and determine what it was. 

 My companion was an old hunter, but said he never saw such 

 eyes. We walked to the spot to look for signs. Blood was 

 found and brains also on the stump of a tree." Ten feet dis- 

 tant lay the carcass of the largest panther I ever saw. He 

 measure'd Oft. 4in. from tip to lip. We found 18 buckshot in 

 his forehead. The shot was at 28 yards, closer than 1 wish to 

 be to one of those kings of the forest. 1 'cahhe. 



That Offioe Bot.— We are losing our faith. Here is a 

 •boy who, amid the daily associations of this office, was pre- 

 sumably imbibing the moral principles which actuate the 

 Forest and Stkeam- Both by precept and by example did 

 we strive to inculcate in his youthful breast an unswerving 

 regard for the laws of game protection, ll is with shanie- 

 facedness and heaviness of spirit, then, that we give pub- 

 licity to the following. " Robin pot-pie!" No, we refuse to 

 believe it. And why didn't he have a gun when that duck 

 appeared. What right has any boy from this office to be sea- 

 sick when the cod are biting ? It is expedient for that boy 

 that he hurry home. The letter reads: 



Camp Lookout, Hog Island, Me., Aug. S, 1S73. 

 Phaii Fobest and Stream : 



We saw a wild dues day before yesterday, but did not have my gun 

 with me. There is not any shooting here excepting robins. Yesterday 

 1 shot a wild pigeon. We went out cod listing, but all of as got. sea- 

 sick and had to pnt back. I never lelt better in my life than T feel now. 

 1 can row a good deal for a new band at the business. I have eight 

 pages written In my diary. We have not hud a day here yet without 

 rain, but our tent did not get wet through. We have lirst-elaas meals 

 here. This ia what we had tor breakfast one morning : Clam chowder, 

 robin pot-pie, ham, corn beet, potatoes, coffee, biscnl, crackers, etc 



Thad, 



A SPORTSMAN'S CAR. 



WE had the pleasure of a visit last week from Jerome 

 Marble, Esq., of Worcester, who brought to our at- 

 tention a car, which has been constructed under his super- 

 vision as President of the Worcester Excursion Gar Com- 

 pany. The car is built with special atlcntion to the wants 

 of those who may go for a month or two on the plains on a 

 hunting expedition. There is something most fascinating 

 in the. idea of a party going on the prairies, ladies and gen- 

 tlemen, the men and their wives and children, and enjoyin" 

 all the comforts of a home. Such a car would be quite as 

 much a man's domicile, and he could be as happy in it as 

 in a yacht. Probably tho time may come when those, whom 

 the Lord has blessed with riches, will own just such ambu- 

 lant houses, and travel about in them with their retinue of 

 servants, cooks, butlers, ladies' maids aud all, from Alaska 

 to Bangor. The officers of the Worcester Excursion Car 

 Company are: President, Jerome Marble ; Secretary, A. B. 

 F. Kinney; Treasurer, Charles B. Pratt; Directors, the 

 above-named gentlemen and G. C. Houghton, H. H. Bige- 

 low, Nelson R. Scott, E. T. Smith and J. A. Norcross. The 

 construction of the car is as follows : 



The " City of Worcester " was built by Jackson & Sharp 

 Co., Wilmington, Del., in 1876, and wason exhibition at the 

 Centennial Exposition, taking the first prize. It was fitted 

 then only lor a "drawing-room car," without furniture, 

 thus leaving in just the condition for our use. Our plans of 

 interior arrangements were, made with especial rele.ence in 

 fitness for this car, then called the " Delaware." The Bxte 

 rior is furnished in lake color, ornamented with gold leaf 

 aud silver mouldings, giving a very fiue effect. At the 

 front door to the car is tho common platform, with ma 

 hogany steps with brass treads ; the opposite in four aud a 

 half feet wide, entirely surrounded by an iron fence with a 

 ga.te at the rear, and steps to be used when tne car is sta- 

 tionary;. For protection against storm and heat, there is an 

 awning hanging from the hood and reaching to the floor. 

 Ou the platform is a large retrig rator, coal box and water 

 tank. Tim car is 52ft bmg. exclusive of the platforms. 

 •Strength and safely were the ruling thoughts throughout. 

 Miller platform and buffer, and Westinghouj ' ! . 

 Under the ear are four lookers, each iU.vIfl. and 18in. deep, 

 for ice, tool box, vegetable cellar, and general stowage box. 



At the front end of the car is a reading room, furnished 

 with a sola, which can be changed into Iw t o beds. Next to 

 this is the Baker heater, the double pipes sufficient to make 

 the car comfortable in the coldest weather. Then comes a 



' set, for bedding, etc., while on the opposite is a 



ladies' toilet room. Then comes the grand c'rawing-room 

 and dining-room, 34ft; long, furnished wilh six permanent 

 seats, similar to the Wagner sleeping-car seats. The dininir 



table is ion. long, and , Nfeeduam musical cabinet! 



At the sides arc portable, tables lor cards, sewing, etc. This 

 room is lighted by two large silver -plated oil lamps and one 

 large table lamp, the stand of which, heavily weighted with 

 lead, prevents its being overturned by any sudden move- 

 ment of the car. Iu this room there are" twelve double, 

 berths, eight upper and four lower, constructed on tho 

 Wagner plan. At either end are two French plate-glass 

 mirrors, with embossed border. The interior finish is of 

 black walnut, rosewood and mahogany, ornamented with 

 gold leaf, Ihe trimmings in silver plate, upholstered in 

 crimson plush; the curtains of rich silk damask in two 

 colors, green and brown ; the carpet, is of rich velvet, brus- 

 sels. Next is a large closet, and opposite is the gentlemen's 

 toilet. Both Ihe gentlemen's and ladies' toilets are furnished 

 wilh tanks for drinking and washing water, the latter with 

 double-action pumps of the latest pattern. In Ihe butler's 

 pantry and kitchen is a large range, water tank aud pump 

 the whole well supplied with kitchen furniture. In the 

 butler's pantry is a shelf on one side, which turns over and 

 makes a bed with capacity for two persons. This room is 

 connected wilh the. kitchen by a window, and is furnished 

 with a cupboard for the china, shelving and closet room 

 etc. Just outside the kitchen is the coal box, refrigerator 

 and wftter tank mentioned before. Fur convenience and 

 comfort lor n private party of twelve to twenty, there is no 

 traveling carriage iu existence that will compare Wilh it". 

 It is a palatial home on wheels, and does great credit to the 

 builders, who have spared no pains to make it as perfeel a 

 railroad Carnage as possible without regard to cost. 



The originators of this plan of traveling had a car fur 

 nislied by the Northern Pacific It. It. for the past three 

 years, shooting on the line of this road and the St. Paul and 

 Pacific road through the season. It was on the return from 

 the trip two years ago that the thought of starling from 

 home in our own carriage had its origin. Knowing from 

 experience what was required for a trip, we went to work 

 on plans ot the car, and with the assistance of friends 

 bought out what, is found in the " City of Worcester " and 

 we think as perfect a plan as can be put into the same apace 

 in any car. The dedication trip started Tuesday, July 30 

 the Stockholders and their ladies intending to visit Montreal 

 and Quebec, and a portion of the White Mountains. Other 

 trips are arranged, which will keep the car running most of 

 the time until September 1, when it is engaged for a shoot- 

 ing trip to Minnesota and Dakota for two or three months 

 This party will be composed of gentlemen and ladies who 

 propose to spend the time ou the line of the Northern Pa 

 cific and St- Paul and Pacific K. It. They go prepared for 

 all kinds of game, from a snipe to a deer or elk. The car 

 Will be the home of the party for the entire trip. 



GAME PROSPECTS FOR THE SEASON- 



Editor Foekst aud Stream: 



From the evidence gathered during an extended trip the 

 present spring and summer through the West and Southwest 

 no other conclusion can be reached than that the coming 

 season will afford more sport to the fraternity lhan any year 

 since 1868. The winter of 1868-69, 1 believe, was when game 

 was so generally destroyed. There was a liberal slock of 

 quail left over last season, and the winter was remarkably 

 open, with no conditions to destroy the birds. The spring 

 was from two to three, weeks in advance, and the conditions 

 too, all favored the successful rearing of broods. 



Beginning with New Jersey, the fine valleys flanked by the 

 hill ranges have not had such a stock of quail since the period 

 above mcnlioned. All reports confirm this fact. The same 

 is true of Pennsylvania, and there will be good shooting in 

 this State within twenty-five miles of Philadelphia. The 

 entire valley south of the Blue Mountains running west by 

 Reading and Harrisburg is finely stocked with first broods 

 and there are reports of second broods advanced beyond con- 

 tingencies, so auspicious has been the season. 



Sportsmen on the hue of the Erie and Atlantic and Great 

 Western koaos spoke advisedly and flatteringly of iheir pros- 

 pects locally for flue sports the coming fall, as did the mem 

 bers of the Sportsmen's Association of Pitlshurn- They re- 

 ferred to their territory as having furnished reasonably good 

 quad shooting for several past seasons, but this season 

 promises a superabundance of birds on all their favorite 

 grounds, lying on the Pan Handle road toward Columbus 

 and in the buckwheat districts of Washington, Westmoreland 

 and layette counties; the first furnishing the men open 

 shooting ; the latter the more difficult on account of hills and 

 brush, but more birds. Cincinnati sportsmen— aud the fra- 

 ternity is strongly represented there, and show well bred dogs 

 —are elated over the success of first broods, and their escane 

 Irom contingencies until able to care for themselves I met a 

 number of the Louisville and New Albany, Ky. sportsmen 

 and they look for the best shooting for years because of the 

 favorable season. This is too far south for birds to be much 

 affected by severe winters, and their plentifulness depends on 

 the good or bad conditions of the season for brcedin- The 

 most, inviting quail grounds I noted were in the Miami Valley 

 and Included iu a scope of from thirty to fifty miles, of which 

 Zen.ia County is the centre— rolling, well culliviited well 

 watered, and enough cover to satisfy the demands of Hum- 

 lards, still without making the shooting diflienlt. 1 should 

 infer that, the lute shooting of thecover portion of this district 

 would be excellent, or when the. birds had left the more Often 

 parts for its shelter, which they undoubtedly do f ]L VP 

 found few localities that offered a.s -,«>,! ,-,„: j| Omnlin,f 



the same story -prospects never known to be better. It was 

 r V "''-'" ';'!'; "" h --H 7™ ln - ' Jf"« (0 tear the delicate 

 ■■>'. ■'■■■■ note v.li.s.ed from all quarters, and to see tho 

 WhiUHJ P ited tacks m the road and on the fences indifferent 

 hi > , iur i iresence: 1 he large fair grounds at Terre Haute were 

 fairly aken possession of by the quail, and they were as 

 domestic, as chickens. These grounds, though out of condi- 

 tion from lack of funds, will challenge any grounds in the 



