328 



FOREST AND STREAM. 





A WEEKLY JOURNAL, 



DevoTrro to Field anii Acjcatic Sit 

 Ftau Cur/nter, rur, Pkoti i ci i o 

 Axn tpii' [KCtniOATlom inMrn a> 



Lin Oct doob IIecbeation and B: 



LNATtTRALlTcSTOnV, 



r Forests, 



,' INTERK-iT 



PUBLISHED Jl Y 



forest and ,§trcati( §itblishiti{j §om$ann, 



17 CHATHAM STREET, (CITY UALL SQFARE) NEW YORK, 

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 135 SOUTH TI11K1J STKKtiT. I'll I'l.ADIOI.PTHA. 



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Tcrmu, Five Dollars a Year, Strictly In Ail win™. 

 A discount of twenty percent., allowed for (fare copies- and upwards. 



Advertising Hates. 



'o regular itdvertisinR columns, nonpareil type. 13 lines to the inch, 3S 

 cents per line. Adverti-vinem* mi outside pase,.Me.i-nu perllne. Reading 

 notices, 50 cents per line. Advertisements in diiubloenluran Sri per cent. 

 SJCt.ra. When- sdvei rtsemr-ms are inserted over 1 mouth, a discount ol 

 10 per cent, will lie. made; over three months, 20 per cent ; over six 

 months, 30 per cent. 



NEW YORK, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1874. 



To Correspondents. 



All communications whatever, whether relating to business or literary 

 correspondence, must be addressed to The Fouest and Stream Pcb- 

 LisriTSB Comfajjt. PcTs-onal or private letters of course excepted. 



All communieationsinrended for publication must be accompanied with 

 real name, as a guaranty of good faith. Names will not be published if 

 objection be made. No anonymous contributions will be regarded. 



Articles relating to any topic within the scope of this paper arc solicited. 



We cannot promise to relnrn rejected manuscripts. 



Secretaries of Clubs and Associations are urged to favor us with brief 

 notes of their movements and transactions, as it is the aim of this paper 

 to become a medium of useful ami reliable information between gentle- 

 men sportsmen from one end of the country to the other ; and they will 

 find our columns a desirable medium for advertising aunouiieements. 



The Publishers of Foeest and Stream aim to merit and secure the 

 patronage and countenance of that portion of the community whose re- 

 fined intelligence enables inem to properly appreciate and enjoy all that 

 is beautiful in Xature. It will pander to no depraved tastes, nor pervert 

 the legitimate sports of land and waler to those base uses which always 

 te.nd to make them unpopular with the virtuous and good. No advertise- 

 ment or business notice of an immoral character will be received on any 

 terms *, and nothing will be admitted to any department of the paper that 

 may not be read with propriety in the home circle. 



We etvunot be responsible for the dereliction of the mall Bervice, if 

 money remitted to us Is lost. 



Advertisements should be sent in by Saturday of each week, if possible. 

 WAHLES UALLOCK, Managing Editor. 



WILLIAM C. HARRIS, Business Manager. 



HAPPV NEW YEAR! 



TO the Tenders of Fokest and Stueam we extend our 

 second New Year's erecting. Much useful and 

 pleasant intercourse have we enjoyed during the twelve 

 months past. Much we owe to many of our patrons, who 

 have identified themselves with the interests of the journal 

 they support by contributions, freely given, to the general 

 fund of information gathered for the common good. It is 

 a pleasure lo conduct a paper where such kindly sympathy 

 is 80 generally manifested, and where words of good cheer 

 and friendly encouragement accompany nearly every mis- 

 sivo received by mail. It will be our aim always to fill up 

 the measure of our recompense to them, and as rapidly as 

 our increased resources will justify the outlay, we shall add 

 to ouv attractions in quantity, quality, variety, and embel- 

 lishment. To the Smithsonian Institution, the State Fish 

 Commissioners, the leading fish culturists, the officers of 

 sportsmeus' clubs, and army officers on t. lie frontier, 

 we are specially indebted for information not other- 

 wise available. Were it not invidious to mention names, 

 we would gladly designate individuals who have ren- 

 dered us most serviceable aid. It is our ambition to 

 produce a journal that shall dignify the efforts of its 

 founders, and bo worthy the support of the estimable 

 class of society for which it caters. When it shall have at- 

 tained that high. Standard of excellence to which we aspire, 

 wo shall bo willing to accept the pecuniary reward that 

 follows success, though we shall ever prefer a good name 

 and fair record to the highest emoluments. 



The recurrence of the New Year is not only a season for 

 friendly greetings, but for good resolves: and each good 

 resolve, whether carried out or not, brings the world one 

 step nearer to the Millenium, and the Era of Perfect Man. 

 If, therefore, our friends would hasten the coming of the 

 beatific day, let them resolve at once to subscribe for 

 Forest and Stream, and recommend it to those who love 

 the pure sports of the. field and whatever tends to elevate 

 man physically, mentally, and morally. As the welcome 

 Holiday, with its joyous festivities, closes upon us, let us 

 determine to make the coming year one of substantial pro- 

 gress in thoso respects, so (hat we may approach as near as 

 possible lo the ideal standard. And with this sentiment 

 upon our lips, as the sun of 1874 goes down forever, we 

 i -ii all a Happy New Year. 



LIEUTENANT WHEELER'S REPORT. 



THE annual report of Lieutenant George M. Wheeler, 

 Corps of Engineers, on the work accomplished by 

 the expedition under his command in California, Nevada, 

 "Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and 

 Montana, has been published by the Government. It, is a 

 very important document, as it presents in a concise form 

 Hie characteristics of the regions surveyed, and their flora 

 and fauna. The collections made of the latter are very 

 large ami important. Iu 1873 the work of the party de- 

 voted to natural history may be deduced from the fact that 

 iliey secured soyen Indian crania, one hundred and sixty 

 mammals, one thousand and two hundred bird skins, five 

 hundred birds eggs, twenty-live birds nests, fifty birds 

 crania, skeletons and sterna, one hundred and forty-fivo 

 reptiles, five hundred and five fish, five hundred beetles, 

 (Colfoptcru;) one hundred and fifty butterflies, (Lepidoptem ;) 

 five hundred grasshoppers, (Ortlioptero;) thirteen lots of 

 llic;, (Oiptcra;) thirteen lots of bugs, (Ilemiptmi;) twelve 

 lots of worms, leeches, larvae, &c, seven lots of ants, 

 {Fonitka,-) flrty.fivo lots (if shells, land and fresh water, 

 twenty-four lots of dragon flies, (MliropterO,') twenty-eight 

 lots of bees and wasps, (llymcuoptera;) twenty-six lots of 

 spiders, scorpions, oce., (Amchnida:) and fifteen thousand 

 plants, embracing at ieast one thousand and five hundred 

 Ipecies. 



This collection contains many new as well as many rare 

 species, seldom to be found in public museums. As in 

 former years, the plan has been continued of distributing 

 the specimens to eminent scientists. The fossils of the 

 regions traversed were also scrupulously sought, so the con- 

 sequence is that several new species of the fauna of the 

 past were found, among the most interesting being four 

 species of the Torodontia. The report on the paleonto- 

 logical collection has been made by Vrof. Cope, and to those 

 fond of that class of information it wUl prove very inter- 

 esting, as the characteristic distinctions and affinities of 

 each animal are given in detail. One of the results of the 

 examination of the field season of 1871, was the discovery 

 of an extensive series of deposits of the Eocene Age, a 

 fact, which would prove that the portion of New Mexico 

 now drained by the Cliama River and its tributaries was an 

 extensive lake of fresh water in the Tertiary period. This 

 lake received the remains of the fauna of its shores, and 

 preserved them in its deposit. 



The upper formation is a moderate thickness of ralher 

 soft marine rocks, containing numerous shells, Ai-ipJmi,i, 

 Gastropoda, and Qejikalopoda, including Oysters, TiamdMfc, 

 and Ammonites, resembling . -I . placenta most, wilh sharks' 

 teeth. 



A considerable number of species of Vertebrate have 

 been obtained, a large majority of which are Mammalia. 

 While it is premature to attempt to determine fully the 

 character of the fauna, enough has been ascertained to in- 

 dicate marked differences from that of the liridger group 

 of Wyoming. It is peculiar in the entire absence of the 

 genus Palmosyopsos, so characteristic of the former, and its 

 replacement by Bathmodon, which has never been recorded 

 form the Bridger formation. The abundant species of 

 Ifyrachyus of the Bridger are here represented by a single 

 one of small size, which occurs but rarely, while its com- 

 panion, Hyopsodus, is very rare, or wanting. While gar-re. 

 mains are abundant in both, the Amudas and Silundin have 

 not yet rewarded the examinations. The characteristic 

 genera of the New Mexican fauna are B dhnodon, Cope; 

 Jlipposyus, Leidy; and Phe.nacodus, Cope, genera which it 

 shares with the Balhmadon. bed of the Greeu River forma- 

 tion of the Bear River, Wyoming. There is in all respects 

 so close a resemblance between these deposits as to lead to 

 the belief in their horizontal identity, and with other 

 reasons, to give to the Southern basin a higher antiquity 

 than belongs to the celebrated Bridger series. The interest- 

 ing fact that the teeth of six or seven species of sharks and 

 one Ostrea have been deposited with the mammalian re- 

 mains indicates that the marine Cretaceous rocks formed 

 the coast-material of this lake, and the earlier period of its 

 deposit is probable on various grounds, to he considered at 

 a future time. The facts are all confirmatory of the view 

 already expressed that the population of the Bridger epoch 

 was derived by migration from a Southern region. 



Perhaps the most important addition to paleontological 

 science obtained during the course of the investigation is 

 the discovery of four species of two new genera, Calamo- 

 don and Ectoganm of Toxodontia, an order which has not 

 been heretofore identified as having existed on the North 

 American continent. 



These important facts in science were not obtained with- 

 out suffering much from hunger, heat and hardship; and 

 the fact that the party prosecuted their mission with enthu- 

 siasm under all adverse circumstances, entitle them to the 

 kind consideration of the scientific world. 



Tally One.— The following note from an advertiser is 

 similar in its purport to others that we have printed from 

 time to time, and to several that we have never published. 

 It is valuable testimony to the usefulness of Fobest and 

 Stream as an advertising medium among sportsmen: — 



Valparaiso, Ind., December 34,18n. 

 Editor Fobest and Stream:— 



Your valued order gees to-day. Since I began to advertise in yonr pa- 

 per my trade has kept me at work ni^ht and day. I guess I will have to 

 take ontthe advertisement, or let my gun rust; have no time for shoot- 

 ing, or any thing else. But, on the second thought, let it ruu.becausel 

 would be a public benefactor, and am nearer that when making a Rood 

 shooting Jacket than any other time Yours truly, 



VV. II. HOLABBID. 



NEWFOUNDLAND, 



ON the first page of our paper will be found this week 

 a very interesting sketch of a trip across Newfound- 

 land, in the year 1822. It is taken from notes forwarded to 

 us by Mr. Alexander Murray of St. John's, Newfoundland, 

 who has just returned from a scientific exploration of I he 

 interior of the island. In it the naturalist will find many 

 important facts, as it show T s the distribution of the indigen- 

 ous flora and fauna, and the hunter and angler will find it 

 a mine of information, as woodcraft, the best means of 

 camping out, exploring dress and equipments, the best 

 mode of securing a fire when no matches can be procured, 

 and how to avoid water or detect its presence by the cry of 

 sea, birds, are given in detail. 



This is the very class of knowledge sportsmen require, 

 so we would advise them to peruse the article wit Ii care. 

 The present sketch will be followed Dy others from week to 

 week, until we have made that interesting country moro 

 familiar to our readers than it is to its own inhabitants. 

 This region is little known here, owing to its distance 

 and comparative isolation, but this we intend to reverse, as 

 it has many attractions for sportsmen and all lovers of prim- 

 itive nature. 



*••* 



THE BREECH LOADER. 



WE resume this week sketches of the principles, pecu- 

 liarities and characteristics of the breech shot 

 gun. The controversy as to the best material for barrels, 

 and how best, it should be worked, which commenced in 

 the infancy of the art, has not yet abated. Opinions are 

 as adverse now as they were then, and scarcely two of the 

 trade can be found to agree. 



Mr. Greener, Jr., in his work on breech loaders, insists 

 upon the superiority of the laminated steel introduced by 

 his father. He says: — 



"It is an established fact that, hard barrels can be made 

 much lighter, that, better shooting can be got of them, that 

 they are more lasting, and that they retain superior shoot- 

 ing qualities longer than those made from soft metal." 



He describes how this laminated steel is made, as fol- 

 lows:— 



"Having collected a sufficiency of mild steel scraps, such 

 as cuttings of saws, waste from steel pen making, old 

 coach springs, and t lie immense variety of pieces arising 

 from the various manufactures of tools, they are cut into 

 pieces of equal dimensions, polished in a revolving drum 

 by their friction against each other until quite bright, and 

 then placed for fusion on the bed of an air furnace. The 

 parts first fused are gathered on the end of a rimilarly fab- 

 ricated rod in a welding stale, and these gather together by 

 their adhesion the remainder, as they become Sufficiently 

 healed, until the bloom is complete. 



"The steel is then removed from the furnace and under- 

 goes the effect of a three-ton forge hammer and tilt, until 

 it forms a large square bar; it is then reheated and con- 

 veyed to the rolling-mill, where eventually it is reduced to 

 the size of rod desired. A certain number are bundled to- 

 gether, welded, and then drawn again in the rolling-mill. 

 This can be repeated any number of times." All of which 

 seems plain and convincing enough. 



"But, on the other hand, J. D Dotigall, o'j St. James' 

 street, London, the inventor of the celebrated Lockfast 

 breechloader, in his excellent work, "Shooting Simplified," 

 says— No. 



He says that steel is the most unfit metal possible to be 

 used, because it is the most treacherous metal used in gun- 

 nery, and he quotes Sir William Armstrong's parliamen- 

 tary evidence on bis own cannon to support the assertion. 

 He says that the term laminated steel is improper. "There 

 is no steel in it. The repeated white heats lo which it is 

 brought remove all carbonization from the metal. No bar- 

 rel of steel thin enough for a fowling-piece could be made, 

 unless at such expense as would be absurd, and would be 

 very unsafe." 



"Mr. Dougall further says that hard barrels do not, but 

 that the soft barrels do, shoot the best and wear the long- 

 est. He prefers barrels made of silver-steel, a metal which 

 like the laminated steel, he says, has no steel at all in it, 

 but only has the name for commercial purposes. He adds, 

 that the "silver-steel barrels are certainly the safest of all. 

 They combine the softness once so much desired in flint 

 guns, with a hard, cold-hammered surface, outside and in- 

 side, and possess an elasticity beyond all barrels whatever. 

 For light guns they are, consequently, incomparably the 

 best." And so Mr. Dougall uses the silver-steel, wilh occa- 

 sionally Damascus, and also the barrels of Liege. 



"Now, who shall decide when these Doctors of Arms dis- 

 agree? What non-professional shall dare assert which of 

 these great guns is wrong? 



"But when criticising barrels, there are certain indicia, of 

 workmanship which should always be observed. They 

 should be well filed, highly polished, and entirely smooth 

 on the outside. On the insids, the}' should be thoroughly 

 smooth, to prevent rust, as the less liable they are to rust, 

 the better they can be kepi, and the longer they will last. 



"To inspect the barrels, hold them up against a steady, 

 not a glaring light, put your eyes at the rear, and turn them 

 very slowly around. If they are unevenly filed, leaving 

 hollows and swells on the surface, the broken rays of light 

 will disclose the fact. 



"Examine the. interiorof them in the same way to see that 

 no asperities have been left by the boring-bit. If nothing 

 of this kind appears, it may be concluded that the barrels 

 are good; for the labor and expense necessary to bring 

 them to this perfection would not be bestowed upon un- 

 worthy material. 



"It has been said that every gun in the world, like every 

 man in the world, has its own idiosyncrasies of temper 

 and of habit. 



"This is to be taken, of course, in the sense in which, it is 

 said. No two barrels shoot exactly alike. Nor does the 

 same gun at all times shoot exactly the same, under pre- 

 cisely similar conditions. 



"Railroad engineers say the same of their engines, and 

 ladies, although nut exactly in those words, say so of their 

 sewing machines. Why this should be, unless it is caused 

 by molecular eluing^s. can not, be conjectured. 



