FOREST AND STREAM. 



137 



H. A SI. Job E. R.i said to tan last niglu that if it vrns possible for him 

 to go he would rtoeo: hat he is nut well, and being Very busy there ie 

 scarcely My hope that he iv ill go, lie said in lieu, however, that any- 

 thing that t wished, him or Mr. Towne (Superintendent) to do should be 

 done. Write me promptly, and say if dugs, gnns, and supplies are to be 

 looked all e; b a you can. 



Came? direct, tin account of the shooting, and you tun take your time 

 ... lei me know the exact time of your arrival. 

 Earn mote than p (hat you are ooming with. them. Very 



truly yoUtB, G. W. DoBStAN. 



Subjoined tire letters received from the Winkle. Club, of 

 Lawrence, Kansas, and the Tecuiusch Club, of Tccumseh, 



Nebraska :— 



KjM BBNOE, Kansas. September Slith, 1874. 

 (it^. Haiujxk, Esq., 



Dear Sir:— lour favor or-." tin ■ Inly receive'!, and iuimedi- 



,o the club Ibrtts caoatdetaHon. As i he result of its 



action, I have to report the following programme:— A delegation Of the 



club will meet the "leam" on theit arrival hi St . lah tofl ■-, .m ihem 



te-Kau-, i... 9iatb.eS Loiiisj Eg --.-. City .v "■-;., -,-ti til R inroad'. At 



, i reatflhese to take them to Peabody. 



on the An in-i'ii. T-.peka & Santa Fe Railroad, ai which point we hope 

 to give r L . . - .. _i.ni L ;,,.- shooting, although it is toolaieiulhe 

 season ti class From peabody we will take them np 



the Ka: .-. Bi publican Valley, where we can show 



them more quail i ottn in any other >„ction of the State. We have secured 

 a special rate for them from St. Louis to Kansas City, and through the- 

 courtesy of the Kansas Pacific, and Atchison. Topeku & 8<m Be Mads, 

 are able to furnish transportation for the party free to the above points. 



s. v ral i.l .'in club will accompany rliem, and place a! I hen -. a 

 the dogs we have. 



If this programme is acceptable to the gentlemen, we i\ ill be most 

 huppy to meet them, aud will endeavor to make the trip an agreeable one. 

 We do not propose to bore them with receptions, speeches, etc., Liut v. ill 

 lake :; for granted that they come oat to -.-•• u- as sportsmen, aud as such 

 we. will extend thei beartya] i welcome, and do the besj we 



• hem. 



Ha\e telegraphed yon to-day, ? ad hope for a favorable reply on Mon- 

 day. With much respect, yours truly, 



Fi:ank 8, EARt.K. Secretary Winkle (Ink 



TKCOISKJI. NE1IUASK.A, Scp'.cinbci -.'iiil. 1S7-I. 

 Kditor Iop.bjt and Stueam:— 



The team will be iust in time for splendid duck and geese slnmiiuu 

 in southern Kansas, and deer can almost always be found in the 

 Indian Territory, at or near Cherokee Reservation. Should any of 

 the pari :* con I this y we will he more than pleased to extend io them 

 a hearty -: . i-.u mi greeting, aud if they ducide we will send some of 

 our members io St. Louis to escort them out here. Please accept the as- 

 surance of nor kind regards and wishes for the success of the party in all 

 their undertakings. We woidd be pleased to hear from you in regard to 

 Iheir movements. Truly yours, E, P. Baumjs. Secretary, 



jWe hope lo print next, week some brief account of the 

 success of our friends. — Ed.J 



POT HUNTING ON LONG ISLAND. 



A CORRESPONDENT on Long Island calls our atten- 

 tion to a practice common among the pot hunters of 

 i hat region of "dusking" wild ducks, and by this means 

 slaughtering them in large numbers in the most unsports- 

 manlike manner. The men who indulge in this species of 

 amusement are. as selfish as they are cruel, aud though be- 

 yond the pale of the law — as such a crime is not punish- 

 able by the statutes of this State — yet they are amenable to 

 (he laws of society, and if no other means are available 

 for their punishment we hope our sporting clubs will se- 

 cure the names of these greedy savages, aud ostracise them 

 from the catalogue of sportsmen and gentlemen. The 

 wanton destruction of game is of too frequent occurrence 

 in all portions of the country to be tolerated any longer, 

 for if is permitted to continue, our woods, lakes, and 

 streams will soon be cleared of all animals interesting to 

 the angler or fowler. This crime seems tc be confined 

 principally to farmers iu the vicinity of cities, who slaughter 

 for the market. Game is to them only so much a provi- 

 dential means of increasing their coffers, yet in their sel- 

 fishness they defeat their own purposes, for by their un- 

 natural and illegitimate mode of hunting they soon drive 

 the game from its haunts, so deprive themselves of a last- 

 ing commercial product, and our citizens of the means of 

 spending a few days in the invigorating, heallh-giviug ex- 

 ercise of the chase. Because. Providence has been kind 

 enough to stock our country with an abundance of game, 

 it is no reason that we should destroy the gift as rapidly as 

 possible, aud satiate ourselves at present at the expense of 

 future want. Even tlie naked savages of the plains are 

 too logical to indulge in the wanton slaughter of animals 

 useful to them; then how much more careful should civil- 

 ized man be in the preservation of creatures that prove a 

 source of both pleasure and profit to him. The suppres- 

 sion of the unnatural slaughter of game is a work in which 

 all true sportsmen should unite, so we hope to hear, ere 

 long, that the different clubs throughout the country have 

 banded together for the punishment of those fellows who 

 degrade the ennobling pursuit of the chase, and reduce it 

 to an assassination as vile as it is unnecessary. Should 

 any of our correspondents become acquainted with the 

 movements of pot hunters, we should deem ourselves 

 obliged if they would make the fact known to us, and we 

 shall take such steps as will lead to their deserved punish- 

 ment, if social or criminal laws can do it. 



■♦*♦■ 



CompetiTiveHokts.— The Forest and Stream Sportsman's 

 Club of OlnejY.lliinois, is a pleasant organization named in 

 honor of this journal. Mr. James Gardner is its President. 

 On October 10th the members are to meet to arrange for an 

 annual competitive hunt, to take place soon. We feel 

 obliged to condemn these hunts, as tending to useless and 

 - - - slaughter, not only of game animals, but of such 

 us are not included in that, category. We think, liowever, 

 that a competitive hunt might be arranged on scientific 

 principles, so as to exhibit the skill and field knowledge of 

 :he pat-tics engaged — quantity not being made, a standard 

 of "points," but rather the method of capture or killing- 

 points under an approved method lo count more, of course, 

 for one variety of game than for another. Supposing some 



of our sportsmen contrive a field trial ,on new principles ; 

 one that would excite a noble emulation, without involving 

 cruelty. 



These competitive huuts have been quite in vogue in the 

 southwest, but we think arc now dying out from lack of 

 natural supply of game. 



3portitjg S ms k om $&ro»& 



I REALLY have but little sporting news of any interest 

 for American sportsmen this week, and I am not like 

 Wilkie Collins and Edmund Yates, who can write an amus- 

 ing article about nothing, and make substantial ropes out 

 of sand. As I passed through Loudon 1 saw the photo- 

 graphs of the base ball players in the WiM office window 

 supported on one side by the skull of a red Indian and 

 flanked on the other by a viper iu spirits of wine, aud a 

 pair of antelope horns, whilst an enterprising vender of 

 Dark's cricket paraphernalia had gone in largely for the 

 base ball bats and gear; so I imagine the game has "struck 

 ile" somewhere. .Curiously enough, Beecher and Tilton 

 are everywhere "common talk," and it is not everyone that 

 remembers, singularly enough, that the "Beecher, Stowe 

 and Byron" scandal which monopolized the prurient senti- 

 mental table talkers' conversation a few years ago, was 

 started by a member of this same family. 



The grouse disease, like hydrophobia, and the foot-rot iu 

 fen-its, still baffles the scientific naturalist, and Dr. Far- 

 quharson, a savant of great repute, has been engaged in 

 dissecting a large number of its victims. One ex- 

 hausted bird picked up before its death, he found to be 

 much emaciated, aud a mere mass of boues and feathers. 

 The liver was soft, friable, (query, like that of a calf ?) and 

 of a dirty greenish yellow color, I presume somewhat after 

 tiie style of an old Auglo-Indian's, who has undergone a 

 long course of jungle fever and brandy pawnee. The 

 smaller intestines were found densely packed with tape 

 worm?. The cceca and larger intestines exhibited similar 

 symptoms to those observed in cases of typhoid fever. 

 They contained a moderate uumber of the "strongylus," 

 small microscopic thread-like worms. In three diseased 

 birds received later iu the month of August emaciation had 

 not reached anything like the same extent, but the morbid 

 appearances differed slightly from those previously noticed. 

 Hardly any r of I he tape worms were present, but the smaller 

 parasites were very abundant, and an examination with the 

 microscope revealed them in all the various stages of 

 growth. The tenacity of life exhibited by the entozoa was 

 remarkable. Dr. Farquharson's theory is, that the grouse 

 disease consists essentially of a specific fever, propagated 

 by epidemic or infectious influences, in the same, way as 

 cholera, typhoid or enteric fevers among ourselves. He 

 finds brownish droppings in the spring to be a sure sign of 

 coming disease, and remarks that as the birds are invariably 

 found when dead from the disease in the neighborhood of 

 water, aud even half immersed in it, that this betokens a 

 well-marked feverish condition. The results of his obser- 

 vations go to show that !he disease occurs about every 

 seven years, and generally follows successful seasons, from 

 which it may be argued that overcrowding and underfeed- 

 ing in some manner augment it. Front the Doctor's notes 

 W. B. Tegelmcier, a well known judge of pigeons, and au 

 experienced ornithologist, arrives at the conclusion that 

 the only method to be adopted to rid the moors of this 

 scourge is to shoot down and bury all diseased grouse as 

 early as possible, io prevent their spreading the disorder, 

 and to encourage birds of prey who only destroy the weak 

 and sickly, and thus give great assistance in carrying 

 out the sanitary laws of nature. I shall be glad to hear 

 from any readers of Forest and Stream if the raffed or 

 piunated grouse of your prairies suffer from this disease, 

 and if so.^if it, lakes a similar form, and what means are 

 adopted for its extermination. Editor has my address.) 



Lawn tennis, badinchton, and tilting at the ring, are 

 fast rivalling croquet, but the latter game still seems to hold 

 its own, aud disputes the supremacy of the lawn with bowls 

 and archery. Billiard matches are not very strong at 

 present, aud I believe Cook, our champion player, has 

 started for America. The American game, with four balls, 

 is much played at Manchester and our large manufacturing 

 and seaport towns, where it has been introduced by visitors 

 from the United States, that I fancy our game, which ad- 

 mits of losing hazards, is more scientific, aud though spoilt 

 amongst the professional set by "the spot stroke," it is 

 more interesting to the looker on. The public matches 

 are often played on the "flat" system, and the £200 a side 

 is frequently all talk, whilst the winner had won before 

 they broke the balls. I saw only the other day that the 

 Fidd refused to insert, the account of a match, because it 

 had been played "on the cross," and sharp practice seems 

 inseparable from the atmosphere breathed by markers. At 

 one large underground establishment in London called 

 "Galty's," there are over forty tables in one hall, and in 

 every little country town there is more than one public 

 billiard room. Since the days of wooden beds and no tops 

 to the cues, we have, changed very much for the better, and 

 it no longer takes us six months to turn a single ball. "W. 

 Cooke, whom I have mentioned, is, I believe, a very 

 straightforward man, and I do not wish my remarks to 

 make him appear in any unfavorable light. He is, no 

 doubt, the best player we have ever had, and plays B most 

 marvellous all round game, besides being able to score 

 several hundred in a break, if he ouee gets "on the spot." 

 A short time ago a marker introduced the idea of. "thumb 

 and finger verms cue." spinning the ball between his finger 



and thumb instead of putting it with his cue, but the thing 

 didn't take, and I hear no more of him, though a rival of 

 his still plays, Ibelieve, ahundred up, and gives points, too, 

 with an old umbrella ! 



A grant by Parliament is talked of to pay the Prince of 

 Wales's debts; it is, however, gratifying to learn that they 

 weren't incurred on the race course or at roulette and ecaric, 

 like those of H. R. R. George IY. 



THE GREAT ST. LKtIEK- THE FAVORITE SCRATCHED, ASTJ 

 APOLOGY WINS, 



"George Frederick out of the Leger at 9:7 A. M." Thus 

 ran the laconic announcement which flashed down the 

 wires from London. 



'Tis a great race, this St. Leger, and the last grand ra 

 of the season. Originated in 1776 it has survived the flight 

 of time for close upon a century, and though I he first, race 

 saw but six subscribers, last week their number reached 

 nearly two hundred. Some of the most celebrated turf 

 fights on record have taken place on the Doncaster course, 

 and if George Frederick and Apology had gone to the post 

 as lit as when they pulled off their respective triumphs in 

 the Derby and the Oaks, the St. Leger of 1874 would have 

 been a memorable one. As it is, it is unprecedented in the 

 annals of the turf. 



All through, the hot summer months in the billiard rooms 

 of the London clubs, at Taltersall's at the German Spas, at 

 Baden Baden and gay Paris had George Frederick reigned 

 supreme, since the scarlet jacket of Custance left even- 

 other comer far behind and lauded an easy victory for his 

 lucky owner. At one time happy was the plunger who bad 

 succeeded in booking the short odds of five to two about 

 him, and his backers slept lightly and soundly, for they 

 thought the bread they had cast on the water would -return 

 to them after many days. But there is on the turf a power 

 capable of controlling horses and men, and against which 

 many a gallant thoroughbred has struggled in vain. This 

 power, which uever fails iu its judgment, and whose ways 

 are inscrutable, is the "The Ring," and the ring had said 

 that, he should never win. They had been dead against 

 him from the first, since he had run at Epsom. There was 

 no real reason why he shouldn't win, as he had beaten 

 directly or indirectly every horse in ihe race. Trent, the 

 winner of the greatest French tr.ee, was pounds behind, and 

 yet had beaten Apology. Atlantic, the two thousand 

 guineas' winner had broken a blood vessel, and of all the 

 rank and file which made up the field, not oue of them 

 boast of having been up to bis girths. 



Previous to the race it was rumored that one of his legs 

 had filled, and his owner, Mr. Cartwright, would not risk 

 him, (hough it is said be had backed him freely. Be thus 

 as it may, distance would not at first believe it, and though 

 it came out subsequently that the horse bad hit his leg at 

 exe;cise,the men who had thrown their money to the winds 

 were inclined to be very skeptical. Horror upon horror's 

 bead accumulated when it was rumored that the mare 

 Apology, who was the Public's second string, had pulled 

 up lame. In the height of the panic she. fell back rapidly 

 from twelve to oue, and even fifty to one was laid against 

 her, and an even monkey that she did not start. Eventu- 

 ally she settled dowu to the comparatively long price of 

 four to one as first favorite, and though lame just before 

 the race, managed to win in quickest time ever recorded. 

 It is as well to state that when her owner, an invalid gen- 

 tleman in Lincolnshire, was informed of her mishap lie re- 

 plied that so much money was invested on her that she 

 must start if she had but three legs, and this determination 

 to give people fair play was amply rewarded. 



All Yorkshire went mad on the occasion, for she is bred 

 on the borders of the county aud her owner is, I am told, 

 very popular in the neighborhood, and a good old sports- 

 man of four score years and two. 



After oue failure the starter got them well away. 

 Blantyre taking the lead and cutting out the running at a 

 slapping pace, Atlantic aud Leolinus following and to them 

 succeeding Trent aud Lady Patricia, Yolturnoand Apology 

 bringing up the rear. At the road the mare became ab- 

 solute whipper-in, and here ten fifties were laid against her. 

 Meanwhile Atlantic was pulling hard but soon succumbed, 

 having burst another blood vessel, and from the mile post 

 Leolinus forged ahead, some outsiders being still in the 

 van. Between the six furlong post and the "Tied House,' 

 the mare began to mend her pace aud Blantvre giving war 

 was pulled back and knocked Ladv Patricia out of her 

 stride, Glenalmond also having been forced against the 

 rails by the retiring Atlantic. Trent and Apology had been 

 compelled to make widish tracks, owing to the erratic 

 course taken by Blantyre, but they I&U respectively fifth 

 and sixth round'the bend into thesiraight. Here Ros'trevor 

 .imi Feu D' Amour hung out signals of "distress and Leolinus 

 was leading the field. As they neared the judges' box 

 Johnny Osborne brought up Apology, aud sitting Still on 

 the mare, cantered in a length and a half to the good, Sir 

 R. Bulkelev's Chester Cup winner being second and Trent 

 third. Atlantic walked in with the crowd. Not, a vestige 

 of Apology's lameness was apparent, although she was said 

 to have stood with her leg in hot water all the morning. 

 Such has been the. St. Leger of last week, and it has sur- 

 passed all other Leger in varied phases of excitement. The 

 race lias been won five times in the hist eight years bv 

 mares, including Achievement, Formosa and Hannah, and 

 this goes to (trove the superiority of the gentle sex ut this 

 period of the year. It is a rare thing since Bleak Bonny's 

 time to see a mare running in the Derby. 



The Lincolnshire Field Trials, under the patronage ol 

 the Fennel Club, take place this week. There is a greal 

 dog show at Nottingham, but the absence of "circuit 

 judges," as they are called, from the fact of their attending 

 all the principal dog shows, is lo be deplored, and the con- 

 duet, of the Committee in depending on gentlemen who 

 may be called "amateurs," though original, is scarcely cal- 

 culated to give satisfaction to the exhibitors, aud has caused 

 a fierce discussion in the sporting papers. 



Idstone, Jk. 



