FOREST AND STREAM. 



267 



— William Thornlaw, a noted wing shot, of Yorkshire, 

 England, has sent a challenge 10 Captain A. H. Bognrdus 

 to shoot a match of 1,000 pigeonB for $2,500 aside, give in- 

 take $200 for expenses, the choice of ground to be tossed 

 for ; shooting to be at 21 yards rise and 00 yards boundary. 

 He stipulates that the. gun be held below the elbow lill the 

 bird lakes wing. The match to come off within two 

 months. 



— ■«■ 



I'alatise, Ill.,Xovember2S, 1ST*. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



On the S8tb mst. the Palatine Spooling Clnb held their first match on 

 the old grounds of the Palatine Base Bull Clnb. Although ihe club is 

 principally an amateur one, there were same very nice points matin. The 

 Hon. Sol. P. Hopkins was elected president, F. J. Gilbert, vice presi- 

 dent, and W. W. While, secretary of the club. The principle object of 

 the clnb la to see that the game law of this Stale is rigidly enforced in 

 this section of the county (Cook), aa well as to improve in the art of 

 shooting. The club will have another shoot on Christmas day next. 



f. a. a. 



— « — 



TORTOISES AS GAME. 



Philadelphia., November 18th, 1874. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:—. 



I have noticed in several sporting papers for some time past various 

 articles upon the land tortoise, ascribing to it a peculiar scent, which ia 

 recognized and worked upon by hunting dogs. Some two weeks ago, 

 while on a shooting trip in the interior or this state, I had a young setter 

 dog ont for the first time who had never seen »»me. The first point the 

 youngster made was on a land tortoise, much to my disgust. A few days 

 after this, while hunting with a friend, nis young dog Dash, an animal 

 with a splendid nose, strucka trail in a small woods, and in a short time 

 drew up on a point. This he held bnt a short time, however, and then 

 quit, as iriie badmnde a mistake. A few feet from his stand we found 

 a land tortoise. Determined on investitrutini; this. 1 dragged the creature 

 for some distance over the leaves, then called up the dog and had him 

 pass over the scent. He readily took up the trail, bat refused to make a 

 se oud point. Tin's creature must undoubtedly give forth a Brent ill a 

 manner similar to that, emitted by some game oirds. although it may be 

 in a slight degree. What an excellent chance for good shooting, Mr. 

 Editor, might be obtained over tliis new game; even a novice, by moder- 

 ate coolness, might be able to get ill a right and left without much dan- 

 gerto lue doss and great credit to himself. As for the dogs, a slow old 

 pointer would be the best, but I think that even young and heedless ani- 

 mals would be restrained from chasing by being severely corrected once 

 ortwice; and then after the day's hunt, the display of the spoils, the 

 slimming up of each one's total, not he with the greatest, number would 

 carry oft the palm, but rather the fortunate possessor of the oldest and 

 most valuable of the race, which point could easily be decided by the 

 names and aates of our forefathers cut indelibly upon the horny breast 

 of this new game. J. H. W. 



HINTS FOR CAMPING. 



Akros, Ohio, November 9, 1874. 

 EoiTOn Forest and Stream:— 



During a three years' practice of medicine in Sonlhern Kansas, 1 fre- 

 quently gave to travelers the suggestions herein noticed, and as frequent- 

 ly (if they returned my way) was thanked therefor. If yoa think them 

 of enough importance to publish, they arc at your service. 



The writer made, in the Fall of 18153, a ten days' trip through Southern 

 Kansas, "spying oat the land" for a location in which to practice medi- 

 cine and surgery. The country was new, and as Ihe grasshoppers hud 

 been there, rations were correspondingly scarce. Some days he actually 

 suitered because his unaccustomed stomach could not imcoiiiplannngly 

 bandlc the fat pork and greasy corn bread which alone the free hospital- 

 ity, of the citizens could oiler him. Milk, however, as in most new coun- 

 tries that far South, he found in plenty. And now oomos "the reason" 

 for this letter, founded on an experience obtained by three years' prac- 

 tice of medicine in that country. It is this suggestion to any or your 

 readers who may wish, in the character of the "Solitary Horseman," to 

 explore that, far Southwest country. Let him take with him In I he sad- 

 dle bags (indispensable in a trip of that kind) a pound or two of good, 

 6t>lid, square crackers— "hard tack—" if need be, soda crackers, if ob- 

 tainable at the last little village through which he passes, and in bis coat 

 pocket, securely wrapped, an ounce of salt and a half ounce of ground 

 pepper. Properly packed, the crackers need take but little room, and 

 the man is tobepitied.no matter how fashionable his stomach, who 

 cannot, after a good day's ride, make a satisfactory, and certainly digest- 

 on:, supper off the crackers crumbed in ihe good sweet milk he is sure 

 tto find at uny settlet's cabin, especially when duly seasoned with the salt 

 and pepper he carries with him. 



Persons' of limited orno experience in the West may smile at the sug- 

 gestion that salt and pepper be carried along; but the writer has found 

 many families, rich in acres and herds, who were "just out of salt," uud 

 to whom pepper had been so long absent that it was a cool friend. And 

 many a palatable supper and breakfast has be made off crackers and milk 

 with pepper in it, duly salted, when, bad want of foresight coniiucd hiiu 

 to the "corn dodger," made all too "short" with lard, and the bacon 

 swimming in its unlive grease, which served the raorerngged stomach 

 of his host, he would but weakly have bestridden, his mustang for the 

 next day's ride. 



««»• 



FALL SHOOTING IN MINNESOTA. 



valuable paper I take the liberty of 

 he season's shooting, which is now 



Albert Lea, Freeborn Co., Minn,, November 18, 1874. . 

 Editor Forest and Str 



Being a constant reader 

 sending yon a partial rep 

 drawing rapidly to a close. 



Our pinnated grouse shooting commenced August 15th with the'annnal 

 chicken hunt of the Sportsmens' Club with the successful score*of »7», 

 and sirange to say, very lew were killed within ten miles of our town. 

 Every one interested was on the qui vim, and each side confident theirs 

 would not have to pay for the supper. To have a long day of it, all that 

 possibly conld, started the afternoon before for their camping ground, or 

 some hospitable farmer's tbat happened to be their friend, wi.h the Inten. 

 tion of hunting from field to field home, but rortunately for the birds the 

 rain that commenced falling about dark, did not abate until nearly ten 

 o'clock the next morning, so they were obliged to get a much later start 

 than they tiunld have, done had not the rain prevented; by the time 

 they had hunted their timeout many were as far as twelve miles from 

 home. This year, thanks to the Legislature, the law for grouse shooting 

 did not expire until the 15tn of August, being fifteen days biter than pre- 

 vious years, consequently ibe bird.- were much larger and fewer were 

 killed. Some large bags have been made, three guns in thu neighbor- 

 hood of Rice Lake having killed in one day 220, while the hnndredth 

 with two guns was repeatedly bagged. Bui with all this, there are more 

 old ones to he seen than for a number of years, and the prospects are, 

 "the Lord willin' and the weather flttiu' " next year they will be as thick 

 as blackbirds. 



Our duck shooting has not been a success this Fall, owing to tile tine 

 weather. Ducks were seen in countless nnmbcrs ou ihe lakes, hut the 

 blight, warm rays of the suu induced them lo remain in the open ua.er, 

 far from shoie, and seldom flying, except when compelled to by some 

 boat, and then fijingbut a short distance, rendering decoys useless. But 

 few large bags were made that 1 hoard of, the largest being bagged v\ iih 

 two guns was 204, and as they were mosily mallards, they had about full. 

 Having pulled their boat in a dump of wild rice, which surrounded a 

 small, clear spot of probably ten rods in width, and a lavorite place for 



that noble bird— the mallard— to light, shot them as they would fly over; 

 the dnclts that fell in the open water they secured; while the birds [hat 

 fell in the vice (hey did not attempt to get. knowing it was useless to 

 look for them in the dense rice withoui a dog— such is their story, But. I 

 saw the E04, so can roach for that part Of it. Besides this instance, a hard 

 day's work and few ducks have been Ihe sportsman's ten ml 



Gecseand brant have been very plenty, and a great uumber have been 

 killed on the grain ficids. where they go. morning and evening, to feed, 

 returning lo the lake in the middle of the day, II ia a common sight lo 

 see fully two acres of ground covered with geese, standing so thicker 

 close it would be difficult to see the ground, tint Ihe shyness of this bird 

 forces the hunter to devise all manner of plans for their capture when 

 they flrsl make their appearance, fon can fool Ihem once or twice, by 

 apparaeutly driving by ihem on a Irot, wbi.u 1n reality you are circling 

 round them.drawing nearer all the time.nntil you ure in gunshot. But they 

 soon learn this dodge, and other means are resorted lo. Occasionally a 

 flock will light close lo a straw stack, and when such is the case the 

 ■ .ell rewarded. One parly bagirod ia one day's hunt four- 



teen geese and live sand hill cranes, and the same parly, one week later, 

 succeeded in bagging sixteen geese and fourteen cranes. 



Sand hill cranes can be seen by the thousand on the prairies. But all 

 (his sportis at an end now. Ice two inches thick covers the lakes, and all' 

 that is seen of the aquatic fowl is occasionally a (lock of ducks, of prob- 

 ably half a dozen, skimming the lake in search of an airhole; bnt as 

 these are few and far between, it is reasonaolo to suppose ere this 

 reaches you they will have taken their departure. The ramlliar yonk of 

 ihe wild goose is. at times, heard, but the cold weather makes it disa- 

 greeable hunting, so they are allowed to go their way unmolested. 



Fearing [ huve already encroached entirely too much on your valuabla 

 time, I am, very truly yours, T. VarnoM Ha ich. 



«■€» 



— Herewith our good friend "Jacobstaff" discourseth 

 upon ducks and geese: 

 lion-oil Forest and Stream: — 



With a party of sportsmen from "Jersey" we recently took a tr ip 

 down lo Lime's, in (Jood Ground. We found the jolly gunner waiting 

 for us at Hie station, and were soon nicely located at his comfortable and 

 cozy domk-il. He had ihe day previous put out the boxes and mowed a 

 space on the marsh (the waler being loo high on the bars) I o place his 

 stools— some twenty-two or more live wild geese, tbat by indefatigable 

 perseverance he has brought to an astonishing point of docility, and I 

 might add of intelligence, for they seem to understand (especially one 

 very precocious individual) just what is wanted of them, and seemingly 

 take great delight in calling down their fellow bipeds to destruction. 



Several of the party had never witnessed this interesting ceremony, 

 and were consequently ou the qui vive for the opportunity. But alas! 

 for human hopes, the «ind shifted in the night, and upon turning out we 

 were met by Lane with the unwelcome salutation, "Xo use to try for 

 geese to-day, gentlemen; but we may get some ducks." And what ilioso 

 Long Island gnnners don't know about wiud and weather, aud the flight 

 of wild fowl, I can't tell them, that is certain. 



Instead of the storm (geese are expected to fly just before one), it came 

 off warm and still. Geese did not appear, and ihe ducks, most of ihem, 

 would provokingiy persist in remaining in the centre of the bay. How- 

 ever, we put out our tstools, or wooden decoys, and located ourselves on 

 onr backs behind the weeds and sea grass, while Lane sailed off, as he 

 said, to "stir 'em up." Soon they commenced coming in by pairs aud 

 throes or more, and then a fiuck of broad bills of a hundred and fifty, or 

 more, came right to us, and we had fair shooting for several hours, when 

 the wind dying away, no birds approaching near us, we pulled up and 

 started for home. 



ffintiotml $t<t§Umes. 



Secretaries and friends of Athletic, Ttnte-Balt, Cricket and other 

 oul-door C!u!>- u Hi i mail It contributions .ml later titan Monday 

 in each week. 



I had n 



WHY QUAIL ARE SCARCE ON LONG 

 ISLAND. 



Editor Forest and Stream:— 



The other day I paid a visit to Gocd Ground in quest of ducks, and 

 altera day without luck, returned to Lane's, and there beingyet Iwo 

 hours to sun down, I proposed to try for a few quail. With Lane's deg 

 —a line black and white Spanish pointer— wo sallied out. And now 

 comes ihe point to which I wish to call your attention. We found but 

 one covey, and that contained but six or eight birds. The quail, Lane 

 told us, had been quite plenty, aud he said there had been little or no 

 luence among them. What, then, had become of 

 d on the train at several stations small boys, of from 

 ten to sixteen years of age, coming in, offering for sale buDch.cs of quail, 

 containing from iwo to baif a. dozen each. It did not strike ine at that 

 time that there wonld probably lie no shot marks found on any, or, at 

 least, but few of Ihem; but when I came to travel through the bush uud 

 found theiuultitndinons traps and snares set all over in every direction, 

 I was not at all surprised at the sudden scarcity of this game. 



A parly of spoii.-nien that joined us at Westhainptou (they had been 

 slopping at Raynor's) lold ns that it was even worse down that way, and 

 that m a hedge of only one-eighth of a mile in length, they found by ac- 

 tual count forty-nine of these villainous devices. Now, is there no 

 sportsman's club in that county? or no law by which tiiis outrage can be 

 stopped? lu a region of country so wall adapted for the propagation and 

 rearing of these delicious and gam?y birds ( for they have been, at times 

 very plentiful!, it is a disgrace and a shame (hut they should be so 

 slaughtered, for it not only destroys those lhat are caught in this pot 

 hunting manner, but drives the remaining ones to other haunts, and the 

 timoisnol rat distant, unless something is done, when quail ou Long 

 Island will be as scarce as.its congener, the pinnated gronse. 



Jacobstaff. 



LATE WOODCOCK. 



Salem, Mass., November, 1874. 

 Editor Foeest and Stream:— 



Do you not think it unusual lo have snipe and woodcock with us this 

 time of year? Within four days one of my friends shot a snipe; another, 

 on the same day, flushed two. On the 25;h inst. a friend burning for quail 

 saw a woodcock fly out of a cover where some hounds were working. 

 He thought he would go look for the long hills. He started four, ki.led 

 throe, making, with the one the houuds started, five that he saw. They 

 did not lay well to the dog, were in splendid condition, and the ground 

 from which they were started or Hushed was covered with whitings, as 

 weresomeof the neighboring runs. It seemed to me (I visited the 

 p] i. . Thanksgiving morning) that there had been a flight of woodcock 

 Within fourdays. lu one or two other runs my friend's dog almost g..t a 

 point, showing that the birds had not been gone long. I have frequently 

 killed solitary woodcock much later— even to the middle of December— 



and I started a snipe on the lllli December, also on.- on the - ! KH m-i 



the 23d December. May not the contained dry weather haw made the 

 birds shil i around, and also stay a month latter this year) Two of the 

 birds shot were btrge like females, one was ■•mailer like males. A good 

 many sportsmen think the tail flight 16 composed mostly of males. 



Very respectfully, <fcc, Dry Land. 



There is almost always, perhaps invariably, a laic Fall 

 flight of woodcock from Canada. The birds are smaller 

 and more hardy than October woodcock, owing, no doubl, 

 to their being bred in the more rigorous climale of the re- 

 gion to the north of us. We alluded to this flight of wood- 

 cock in our issue of Nov. 5. Wo do not think that the sex 

 is necessarily indicated by Ihe size.— Ed. 



.—In our efforts to be thorough in all matters appertain- 

 in"; to our sphere we have spared neither time nor expense, 

 a tact which is evident to the most casual reader. The 

 FoitF.sT and BtHBAM is the only paper in the United States 

 that has published complete reports of the winning yachts 

 during the past, year, and the character of the prizes ; and 

 Ihe full score of each game of base ball of any importance. 

 By glancing at the table in the last, number, readers will 

 see in a concise tabulated form the scores of 232 games, 

 and a full analysis of each. A lable of this sort must 

 prove invaluable to those interested in Ihe National game, 

 as it contains every' matter of importance pertaining lo the 

 subject. 



—The New York Caledonian Club held their fourth an- 

 nual handicap Scottish games at June's Wood last Thurs- 

 day. The attendance was quite large, and though (he. 

 ground was slippery, the matches were well contested. 

 One of the most amusing features of Ihe day was Ihe egg 

 race. In this the competitors have each placed before 

 them ou Ihe ground twenty-five glass eggs, laid one yard 

 apart, and he who is able to pick up all his eggs, one* at a 

 lime, and put them in a box at the starting point, is con- 

 sidered the winner. The total distance run* in this race ia 

 upward of two miles. The scrambling after the eggs 

 created much merriment. The utmost good humor pre- 

 vailed among the competitors in all of the games, many of 

 whom were geullemen of wealth and influence, represent- 

 ing the best society of the Scotch citizens of New York. 

 Medals were awarded to the winners in the games. The 

 following received prizes : 



Half Mile Race. 



dames Corsaii 

 John MeMillai 

 JohnTaske 

 Tim ' 



John Tasker 21 



Koberi Williamson 21 



A McLaren 21 



Pulling Light Jfall. . 



Feet. Inches 



J. Tasker 85 



It. Williamson 85 



.1. McMillan 84 



Running High Leap. 



Feet. Inches. 



S, T". Addison... 5 



V. Tasker 5 



.John McMillan 5 



Vaulting with the Pole. 



Feet. Inches. 



A. Tasker 8 



M. F. Mere 8 



G.T.Addison 8 



One Hundred Yard Race. 



Time, 



1. Geo. Ross, .Tr 11} see. 



2. J. lioss 



3. Win. Todd 



Tin 



11{ U William Hume 8min27s( 



4 2. Geo. Tolmie. 



3. A. L. Bulmar 



One .Mile Rucc. 



I. Wm. Parker 5 min JO si 



?. Geo. Tolmie .... .... 



3. A L. Balmar 



Quarter Mile Race. 



No time. 



1, William Todd...... 



2 L. 1). riobert-on 



3. Z. Dikes, Jr 



Sack Race, 



I. I>. B. Fleming 



.'. E. !•'. liuox 



3. II. (.iridium , .. 



Three Mile Walk. 



Time. 



1. T. McEv.cn 2SmluS0.-ec 



•2. Wm, Hum.- 



3. M. M. Forrest .... 



1. D. F. Knox... 



2. Win. Parker... 



3. A. I.. Ba mar.. 



—The furs received by the Hudson Bay Company during 

 the past year at its Northern Department, have been sent 

 to England by my of the Bed Kiver and New York. The 

 business has been more than usually large the past season. 



The Championship Committee of the Professional Asso- 

 ciation met at Earle's Hotel, New York, on November 25, 

 to decide which club was entitled to the penant for 1874. 

 After an examination of the records they easily came to 

 the conclusion that Ihe Boston club exceeded all other of 

 the championship contestants in their record of the sea- 

 son's play, and to that club was ibe emblem unanimously 

 awarded. Taking the record contained in Mr. Chadwick's 

 statislics of the season's play, Ihey made up their estimate 

 on that basis with the appended result, the figures below 

 showing the games actually won and lost, and the games 

 accredited after adding forfeited games : 



Clvbs, Games Won. Won. Lost. Lost. 



Boston 43 17 43 [7 



Mutual 34 22 8r. 25 



Athletic 31 2: 3a 25 



Philadelphia 25 28 31 29 



Chicago.. 18 :io 3" SO 



Atlantic 20 33 22 3S 



Hartford.., 14 SI 18 42- 



II will be seen by the above record that Ibe Muluals and 

 Athletics stand tie for second position, and the Philadel- 

 phians fourth. 



Thanksgiving Day was, as hitherto, taken advantage of 



by the base-ball players to a very great extent, the"fine 

 weather admitting of play on nearly every field. The 

 greatest gathering, however, was at. Prospect Park, Brook- 

 lyn, where not only base-ball matches but cricket and fool- 

 ball were participated in. 



— The following clubs have mado arrangements to join 

 the Professional National Association next year, and' the 

 majority will take part in the championship" campaign of 

 1S75. The Easton club, of Enstoo, Peuu.; the Western 

 club, of Keokuk, Iowa; the St. Louis base ball association, 

 of St. Louis; and the Centennial club, of Philadelphia. 

 The regular clubs will of course resume llieir places in the 

 arena, The list, including the Boston, Hartford, Mutual, At- 

 lantic, Athletic, Philadelphia, and Chieatro nines. This 

 will make eleven professional clubs which will be contest- 

 ants for the whip pennant of 1875. Even now it is not 

 difficult to perceive that the. three leading nines will be 

 those of the Boston, Athletic, and Hartford clubs, the play- 

 ers of which arc as follows: — 



ATHLETIC. BOSTON. HARTFO'tll. 



C3at)U, c White, c. Allison, c. 



Mctirlde. p. Spaldint;, i>. Bond, p. 



Anson, 1st b. O'Konrke, 1st b. Mills, 1st b. 



iMicr. Jtii,. Bin, s. 2d b. Burdock, 3d b. 



Sutton, 3d b. Schafer. M b. Ferguson, 3d lb. 



Force, a. s. Geo. Wriirht, s. s. Carry, s. s. 



Hall, I. f. Leonard. 1. r. York, 1. f. 



EtasW.cf, H. Wright, c. f. Bemsea,cfi 



J&MnlW, r. t. McVev. r f. Miller, r. f. 



Reach, sub. Beuls, sub. - Cnmmiugs, snb. 



—The "Winona Club, of Flatbush, played in 35 games 

 during 1871, of which Ihey won II). Their best played 

 game was in their match with the Aetna Club, which the 

 latter won by a score of 2 to 1. They won games from 

 every club they played with. 



—The Pacific Club, of Philadelphia, closed the season of 

 1874 with the best record of any a nateur club of Philadel- 

 phia, as out of B7 games they "lost but 5. Five oE their 

 games wore won by scores not exceeding 9 runs for tho 

 ■winning aide, showing fino play. 



