316 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



I will sny here, in favor of bToeeli loaders, they ore ( ,.rrcat invention 

 Tor tills kind of gunning mr.ro than any other, us it is no eiu-y matter lo 

 4oed guns with your lio.it pitching i« BVMy way, ami suit VWU4I dying in 

 all diroctione . Of the action, the fide sjnap tinr) ptyjerellolll lit pri 



forrcd, ns when yon mo done yon don't have lo carry In, in. ueVt :1 •■■il 

 pomid- of ditty metal Shells, wull conteil until grtum, from IhO III til I 



salt on bra-**. It is hard work to bring old salts down to hr, . . I, 



hut Ihcy will nil ,-.,n„.(.,ii ,11 time. Th-v say they shoot close, Jline 



don't. I can sue no difference lr ihey .h , i. i -.1, IsTiool. ulS 



pound, 33 1 in li Kim, chin!,. . ;..t ilraollliiH powder, I; oa. shot. In umsfh 

 w-ealherl iieovns.. tho powder J drachm unit sii,,t ; j 1% Mil nothing 

 left of p-ipci -ii-ii. i. ii | loading. I liavu Icin i, ,„i , (i ni !, 



■■' ' BUI Dotil' '"'I ''""I ' " ' i 'II I I I 1(1 I • 111. ■ I" I" ■■,,,, 



g. K., Jr.. 



s.w.i.-.i. December M. 1874. 



lil.IT.O; Korv-t ami s.tkkmii.— 



" i ItSOll Willi interest the criticism- ..f "A II. I!, " ,;...,, •■, „,,|_ 



in- nt t.-jipu Ann." My Ill'tlOlC Is sllll ivorlh lis face, and only Kiel;. .f 



- pWvRiHs more ]Hti«tfay proof. BitOhw ii tn say that the lay of He- 



l.in.1 nt i.'.-ipe Ann and Gups ( 'o.i i, ,i,i,, : i, different; that ihc several 



i" tttl pll i.r.l up by "A. 11. 1'.. ' are such as iiueii , i 



dcislooil-. ih.o boats Oil the duck n-minds arc no! auppDiaifl lo be perma- 

 nently moored lllcre; Unit no careful pinner would ever shoot over 11 

 companion's head. Ami I think you, Mr. Editor, will admit thai breech 

 loaders have established too many points in Ihelr favor to admit of any 

 argument, e-pecinlly wtlli "Hint locks." Those who, helm,. ,,..», hr.v 

 been in a cnunpeil position in n boat, wilh uoth barrels Uinpljf, and now 

 using tircech l...elci , i in perhaps lell which Llicy prefer. Vonrs (rule, 



K. S. N\ 

 «•«> 



THE SINN1SS1PPI CLUB. 

 Editor Fobbst anij Stubam:— 



BoCKFOIll), PI., I>'..;'einl...:r 31. 1HM. 



ttockford is a hands .meciivof ll,n-H souls, aidiated on the beanliful 

 Hock River, in. Northwestern Illinois. The Indian name of this line 

 stream was "SiiiLis.-ippi," and is the name selected for inn- club, just 

 formedfor the protection of fish and k.ouc. This Drganl t ittlon ?! arts 

 with a membership of 100, and anions 1 he number arc niiiiiy itilluentlal 

 and substantial citizens. The uucessily of an active and efficient organ- 

 ization of the kind is apparent to all, more parlieularly to those, who can 

 remember with delight the rich sport enjoyed In the yen, past and ,'onn, 

 when our dear eld "Sinnissippi" abounded in fish, "mid onr prairies and 

 woods were alive with game. We cauuot hope tn restore all the primi- 

 tive glory of that grand old time; but we can and will stop the wanton 

 destrnctlon of flsh and game, by en.'orcin^ the laws already existing in 

 onr State, and will use every effort to have stfll have others enacted to 

 accomplish the desired end. Oar Statu law for tl'a protection of game, 

 ii rigidly enforced, would soon result in icpletiishing our depleted Docks 

 of grouse and quail; but the laws now existing for the prelection of 

 Dsh are singularly deficient in rainy respects and must be remodeled 

 Sreal lungjcanbe accftrnpiished ij vl loot, active dub? throughout 

 the conntiy. an.! we li ... i . he i if their formation in every direction . 

 We will no donht have Dppottnol tea afforded n< after the 1*1 of Jam 

 ary to try ihe metal of onr new club, hill I am confident t tint Its mcinhei 

 will not be found Wanting in zeal to prosecute each and every otTeiid-e 

 There are two large social clubs here, that have their club houses i 

 Twin Likes, Wis., all! annually enjoy a few weeks' in fishing, bo; 

 riding, diuicir.g, ,tc. Of some of the particulars of the 

 may give yon an account at soma future time. Yours, 



SHELLS— PAPER OR BRASS? 



Editor FonnsT and Stream:— 



I have been an attentive reader of much current literature upon this 

 topic from some men who evidently know what they are talking about, 

 and from some others who apparently do not. Moreover, I have had oc- 

 casion to use several thousand shells within two years, which is more lo 

 the point on the port of one who proposes to speak on the subject. I 

 have no objection to brass shells— rather but one objection, which J will 

 etato presently. Theoretically, brass shells have an element of danger 

 tnat paper ones have not; practically, it is no such thing. Has anybody, 

 anywhere, at any time, known of a properly capped hrass shell exploding 

 accidentally outside of a gun? Perhaps a carefully loaded brass shell, 

 which exactly fits the chamber, may shoot a shade better than a paper 

 one, bat I could never sea auy difference. Who has any "facts and fig- 



ores" to prove this'; Is 



aspc 



ct the cvidenci 



about the supposed supu- 



rior shootiug is like that 



which nsed to be t 



nought conclusive regarding 



the belter shooting of m 



usfsh 



loaders as aga 



nst breech loaders. Brass 



shells may be Qhoaper t 



■in i 





the long rnn; with those to 



whom this is a rceomir 



■ill 



lion I have n 



3 argument) we all have to 



cut our coal more or lee. 





mling to onr c 



cih. Inline. ladmitevcry- 



thing that has been or ..- 







f braaa .-hells, an d yet l use 



paper ones almost enure 





r the simple 



Bason ih.it brass shells are a 









Bunce to carry loaded, and a 

 of btasa to be loaded and 



greater nuisance to carry 

 What is the us,, of 1 



,;-"' 



lift ahour. a lot 



cleaned, when all this d 



rty\ 



vorfc can be a 



rifled-} Paper shells can be 



loaded by a macbim 

 any kind and quantity of i 

 is of course no cleaning lo 

 the safest most convente 

 I offing i-ivai-atnsforov.. 

 done away with. Moreove 

 fired, which is not always t. 

 stock in some how. 

 We tors it on thegi 



mud where it may rest in peace; 1 he empty brass 

 being taken to put it in a different receptacle from 

 towards the end or the day we walk about rattling 

 ll, with a pocketful Of useless brass. Were other 

 ingle matter of having to take care of the empty 



the store as well as paper 

 ihly practicable as a rule. 

 hundred brass cartridges 



points all equal, I he- il Ingle matter or havui< 

 shells would decide the case wilh me. 



It is true that brass shells may be loaded a 

 ones; but it is also line that this is noi 

 Who takes into the Held even t he t wo i 

 he may expect to use in a few days' spo 



It is undeniable that paper shells will stick in a foul barrel of toner 

 thon brass ones, ami that the extractor sometimes pushes past them, or 

 Shoves their metal heads off. But I have seen an insufficient extractor 

 klip past the shoulder of a brass shell, too. And when a brass shell 

 does stick this way I here is more trouble .vita it than there is with a 

 paper one, which may onslly be dug out with a jackknife, or w iih i In, 

 tool invented for that purp jse. But the moral of this is chiefly to have a 

 good extractor. 



There is an .-injection to brass shells that I have not seen urged, and 

 which I recommend to their enemies. All brass shells won't tit any 

 breech loader— I don't mean, of course, as tocalibro— but as to the thick- 

 ness of the metal head of tuc shell, which is sometimes too great for the 

 sink in which the shoulder of the shell is received. In such case, either 

 the gun cannot he locked, or else being lucked, cannot be broken down. 

 so lightly is il pinched by the projecting shell. It is au exaggeration of 

 the difficulty that occurs_ when a cap is not properly fitted down on the 

 nipple i anvil. One might say this could always be avoided by select- 

 ing shells lo fit your gun. So it can be; but In proof that such selection 

 is not always praciicahlc, let me adduce this circumstance: 1 bought a 



'.. nrnreechli ider wliioo. worked like & charm empty, I inserted a 

 pair of bin- ■ . i i Idgos - j the msnof at iter of the gum,, and the 



u loekotlbia bill - lit I the force I .lured aa ii [uevi 



- i "Hi" '--I "" " - n [ifbnsfinfl miles 



ri'omJfflw York, and the upshoi i ii btdtobi 



fiythe' f vliliie-c|.lurl.'siulih.''i..'n' 



bad to bine (heir heads wedged down. I suppose paper shells mFght be 

 i "i Has badly, bat. I have never seen or heard of any such. 

 Their metal bends arc made thin enough and the cap in properly ad- 

 justed. 



TllE aininwH.ee ..f uncapping and recapping brass shells is so great, 

 involving such a demand upon the Pauper .ml verbal morality, I hat a, 



'■' '" ■'" I li '< !""■ "I " s teinpciam. oil, or inclined t.. espleloe 



:. ■■' ■ .1 | .li, will avoid it, 



lliave? n..!l„, |,,p,,,i„ii. -„n,...' eniireic." Tl,c(|ualifiea- 



lion i-ns foil, h,-; If I „,„ ..,„„, ,., ., [„,.,:, ,,...,...:, I .,,,,,, I, .„„.„, ,., v 



ample Slock of paj liells, variously loaded, with a fair amount of 



l "— o„. inn n and ., t, ., i.,-,., shells, to conic into use if mymam 



■ '"• 'I amiiin isho gi,,.. ..nl.lhr..igl, nncspeeleil ibinaiul 



ii).oii ii.or -ho ild ineeiwiih an .eeideio. I al-.o , o ry, w hell in the 

 Wc-I.u few 1)raS9 -hells loaded Willi all the powder mv enn will burn. 



"Oh l.i,. k-hol ,,rl Id deiwid-; Ihe sh..t wad glued ill. Illal Ihe 



cap set ill gl ' vimi-hedover. The idea i- lo gel acailrhlgelhiil will 



k. ep well «i hen long nnmu d. will -land rough h mtlling, ami prove |)hic- 



tieally wnlei pr.n.f. 10 lie,, its efficiency in,-, lie implicitly tCliOd upon in 



manipulated and couvooic 



Voiirslnily, 



ihe ease wnh which lliey a 

 n illwflya ready to learn. 



Eia.iorc t'occs. 



SHELLS AMD OTHER MATTERS. 



New- Yokk, December 10, 1..T1. 

 Editor Fouest anp STtiisiu:— 



In mine of 3d of QoLober, inrcgard to toogth of papor -hell- 1 , I ncgleet- 

 od to state the mode tnse for creasing or closing the shells, Which neg- 

 lect called fonli a question from one of your correspondents, "Toodles," 

 and which I shall proceed to answer now, being deterred before from 



Now, "Toodles," I u-e otic of Hall's paleiit creasers, and 1 must, agree. 



shot, docs not work. Yuu can rattle the shot loose 

 even though you p,u./iw/' wads on, and those or one or two sizes larger 

 than the calibre of the shell. The India rubber wads you mention are 

 not in the market that 1 know of. and as the price of the crude material 

 Is over a dollar a pound, it is probable thaj even if thev were made, they 

 would be too costly fur almost any one to use. It might be well to try 



ver the 

 locket, 



theexpeiiine 

 in regard t. 



L, ho. 



n In 



ed, . 



•opened" boring, I claim that 



de. Am I light, 



Like "Toodles,' 



regard to this "o] 



Mr. Editor, can 

 in the Middle Sla 

 exehanaed n 



oiild like lo have some "expert enlighten me" in 

 1" boring. There must be some reason for it, or 

 i :el..p; ::, as most of them do. 

 give us any reason for the general scarcity of game 

 Reports of all the sportsmen with whom I have 

 lug the same old fact. Dry weather has 



jthingto do wilh it, no doubt, or rather makes birds harder to find 

 hut the game don't seem to be there. The markets seem well stocked 

 with pinnated and rulfcd grouse from the We-t; is it probable that they 

 have taken Jlr. Greeley's advice? 



I w as very much amused at the joke a small error in your paper played 

 upon several parries. A gentleman in 2sew York was said to have had a 

 gun made w iih a stock lgj inches from but to trigger. Two men 1 know 

 immediately dc-ired to gel their gnus altered to suit this utuv style, and 

 did so, when lo! in your next issue, the gentleinau in question comes 

 out with a correction, saying that the length of the stock was 1:1J iuches 

 —not such a very short one after all. Probably these searchers after 

 "some new thing" will find out their error when they get a few black 

 eyes. Yours truly, Side Leveh. 



EXTIRPATE THE VERMIN. 



Boston, December 18, IS; I. 

 Editor Forest axd Stream :— 



Having used the dog and gun both in this country and P.ngland for a 

 number of years, I wish to offer a BOgaestion, which Ithink would make 

 all our game birds much more pentiful than they are now, viz; For the 

 State to employ a few men to trap vermin and look alter poachers, of 

 which there are plenty around Boston. I reel curtain more harm is done 

 by cats, skunks, weas.-ls, mink, &c, than can ho done by the gun. 

 Moreover, if it. were known that there were men whose duty it was 

 to arrest any one. found snaring or killing birds out of season, It 

 would keep many from shooting woodcock and snaring partridges dnr- 

 ing the Spring and Summer, that now make a business of it. Yours 

 very respectfully, V. I. G. 



^iitiomil § 3 d$iimtn. 



The first annual convention of the Amateur Association, 

 oi'euni/.cil in December, 1873, was held at Room 14, in the 

 Astor House, this city, on the night of the Kith of Decem- 

 ber, 1874. Though the business to be transact nl need u. 

 have occupied the time of the Convention over two or 

 three hours, it was not. until after 1 o'clock at night that, 

 the session ended, and, as was said by one of tjte ablest 

 delegates present, no meeting had ever been held by the 

 amateurs which was so little credilabie lo them as this. 

 It is alleged that there is a membership of nearly a hundred 

 and thirty clubs it) Ihe Association, but only ihiriy-four sent 

 delegates to this Convention, the meeting being entirely 

 repudiated by the leading college clubs of the country, *a 

 class; of the amateurs who are most to be relied upon for 

 an intelligent and influential representation in a Conven- 

 tion of the kind. The experiment of running this Associa- 

 tion under metropolitan auspices having apparently failed, 

 in the opinion of the majorily of the delegates prcseni, they 

 wisely concluded to transfer the organization to Boston, 

 where probably the best class of reputable amateur clubs 

 exist. At any rate its management lias been a failure here 

 so far, and things certainly cannot be worse than tney 

 have been, no matter where the next Convention meets. 

 The business before the Convention was primarily the 

 election of officers and the preparing the way for the work 

 of the March Convention of 1875, in the adoption of a code 

 of rules at that lime. The officers chosen -. President, Mr. 

 Lamb, of the Beacon club, of Boston; Vice President, Mr. 

 J. G. Myers, of the FJyuway club, of New York, Treasurer 

 Jlr. Dillon, of the Confidence club, of New Hochellc ; Sec- 

 i-etiiry, -Mi Biodgi ' -- ; i" Arlington club, of New TiToik; 

 Judge Ad\ "in. Mi ! ii-eswcl!, of tiic Atlsniics, of ,l;i 

 ... ■ - bland Tin tic gat, pj'eMMJi fyei'i , .. 



, .■'... I, ■ !.,, ■ | , | 



il a ■ c pi i i ■" • fi .'■..,,.. i 



sey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Not a club was 

 represented from Philadelphia, and but one from Boston 

 Harvard, Yrde, Amherst, Cornell, Brown. Princeton and 

 Columbia sent, no delegates, nnr were such clubs as the 

 New York Knickerbockers or the Brooklyn Excelsiors 

 represented. 



—Tii" Centennial club, of Philadelphia, have leased the 

 ground at I'.livcnlh and Wharton sirens. Ab,,ui, 

 iw.i thousand Inarlftfif din will have lo be hauled awnv, 

 I ■ -railed and sodded, and a fence put up before 

 ii will be toady for use. ,Tames E. Chambers, lltcir ener- 

 getic Secretary, is busily engaged in :ni aiigiii;, matters for 

 ihcir Southern Lour in February, 



Weston's Sui ■ ksb.— Edward Payson Weston who (after 

 two failures ai ii„, tfipportrrjmo in New York) began at 

 13:05 A. M., on Monday, the I lib. at the Kink in Newark, 

 a third attempt to walk 500 miles in six days, accomplished 

 the undertaking at lltlM 15 P. M,, Saturday, 25 rain. 45 

 ace, within Ihe prrscni,,,,] lime, seemingly none the worse 

 tor Ihe march, lie; \\ ;-.s buislcrocslv cheered by several 

 thousand" spectators. On Friday evening (when il seemed 

 certain thai lie would succeed) he became fearful of being 

 interfered wilh by unscrupulous person,, who bad bCI Oil 

 his failure, and special precautions were taken by the 

 police. Justice Mills also issued warrants for Ihe arrest Of 

 Joseph Colmrn and several others who wen-, suspected of 

 foul designs. 



—Last week Messrs. W. E, Harding and C. E. San Carde. 

 walked from Taylor's Hotel, in Jersey City, to New Bruns- 

 wick, thirty-three miles, in six hours" and fifty minutes, in- 

 cluding sundry detentions and stoppages. 



— W. Perkins, champion walker of England, backed 

 himself to walk eight miles in an hour on the 31st ins!., for 

 $500. 



—Messrs. James E. Thompson, Henry L. Butler, A. 

 Balrymple ami James Gillies, the committee appointed by 

 the Grand National Curling Club on an intcinalional end- 

 ing match between Canada and the United States, have 

 received enough answers to their circulars from Ihc various 

 clubs in this country to warrant litem in recommending 

 the postponement, of the match to a more favorable season, 

 as, on account of Ihe depressed condition of business, a 

 sufficient number of players cannot be obtained lo success- 

 fully represent the Grand National Curling Club. A mag- 

 nificent medal, to be played for this season, has been pre- 

 sented by Mr. Kirkpattick, and ihe conditions of the com- 

 petion for it and other curling matters will be decided at 

 the next meeting. 



— The great international "bonspc-iP between American 

 and Canadian curlers has been postponed for a year, owing 

 to the fact that players enough cannot be secured to make 

 the affair a success during the present financial crisis. 



—The Now Jersey Athletic Association oilers the follow- 

 ing conditions to those who are anxious to test their physical 

 prowess in athletic pastimes ; 



The Association offers an elegant gold medal for the 

 championship of the United States and Canada, to be con- 

 tested for at the Spring meeting, May 30, 1875, under the 

 following conditions : 



1. Any amateur residing in Canada or the United Stales 

 may compete, provided that he is a member of some re- 

 cognized boating or athletic association, or is indorsed by 

 such association as an amateur. The definition of the word 

 " amateur" is that accepted by the New York Athletic 

 club and the New Jersey Athletic Association. 



2. Each association represented in the entries shall have 

 the privilege of naming one gentleman, who rhall represent 

 the interest of his club in his vote. These gentlemen will 

 decide upon all rules governing the contest, and will form 

 a Board of Appeals for 1S75, to whom all questions as to 

 championship matches are to be referred. 



3. The medal shall be held hy the winner at two con- 

 secutive meetings of the New Jersey Athletic Association 

 (when it becomes his absolute property) and carry with it 

 the title of Amateur Champion of the United Slates and 

 Canada. 



4. Contestants, on entering, must signify in writing their 

 willingness to abide by the rules laid down for the gov- 

 ernment of the contest by the Board of Judges. 



5. The entries will close on April 1, 1875, at which time, 

 after consultation with those who have entered, the dis- 

 tance and rules will be made known, giving the contestants 

 two months for preparation. 



The New Jersey Athletic Association offers this medal 

 with the most earnest desire lo advance public interest in 

 manly sports, and asks the co-operation of all alhletic clubs 

 throughout the country in this effort to bring about a unity 

 of feeling and action in a matter of such importance. 



The New Jersey Athletic Association offers another gold 

 medal for the Championship of the United States and 

 Canada in a 100 yard run, to be contested for at the same 

 place and time, and under the same conditions as the medal 

 first mentioned. 



—The Harrisburg club will have a strong amateur nine 

 next season. John Donnelly and Darragh will play with 

 them, 



—The pupils of "Wood's Gymnasium Academy gave an 

 exhibition of fencing, boxing and athletic exercises last 

 Friday evening. 



—The skating season of 1874-5 was opened when the 

 Capitoline and Union ponds were opened to the public. 

 Since then these resorts have been the only places where 

 skating has been at command in the metropolis, as the 

 Park lakes, cither at the Central of Prospect Park, have 

 not yet been opened to the public. The fact is, on the 

 Capitoline lake the water tloes not exceed l wo feet deep in 

 the deepest place, and the ice forms quicker and thicker 

 there than at the oilier places. At the parks it, averages 

 four feet in depth, and it will not do to allow such a crowd 

 as flocks to the parks when the ball is up to go on the ice 

 unless it is al least four inches thick. On Monday night 

 the Capitoline lake was cleared of snow and flooded, and 

 on Tuesday there was excellent skating thore. On the 

 Union lake there is to be a series of base ball matches on 

 ice, and on the Capitoline lake a match at cricket on skates. 



Skates for the Chinese.— We are now sending skatea 

 to all parts of the world where skating is in vogue. Am- 

 erican skates monopolise the English, French, ami German 

 markets, and now we are sending skates to that land of 

 inventive genius, China. On board the James Condie. 

 which cleared for Yokohoma last Monday, were 1 r; ,- . ,, 



■ " " : ..■ i !■" ■. i , 'A'J.icl. U|i'pn>,l- ■..,., 



| tjfj ' ' 



