Thousand Islands, and Mr, Greene Smith -will bring turtles 
and other specimens from Florida. We have made ar¬ 
rangements to publish the arrivals at the aquaria, after the 
manner of those at Central Parle, etc. 
GA.ME PROTECTION. 
Protecting Migratory Birds.— It is a question whether 
any law protecting migratory birds such as ducks and 
snipe during their northern flight, will find favor among 
all sportsmen unless it is one passed simultaneously by all 
States through which the birds pass. The old argument 
is brought forward, “if I don’t kill them some one else 
Will,” and consequently the birds are slaughtered. We 
are not in favor of stopping spring snipe shooting for 
reasons before expressed, that the birds are uncertain in 
their habits, and that if the law is passed there will be 
nothing left for sportsmen to* work their dogs on in the 
spring. And, again, there are so few killed in this State 
that they would not be missed. Still, if New Jersey passed 
such a law we should advocate it in this State also. There 
is this to be said in its favor, that if spring snipe shooting 
was abolished there would be fewer woodcock killed dur¬ 
ing the flight, or while they were preparing to nest. With 
ducks, however, it is different; their flight is regular and 
certain, and if killed or shot at indiscriminately during 
their northern voyage the survivors Will choose another 
route on their return; to say nothing of the decrease in 
numbers. 
The Munroe County Sportsmen’s Club, one of the 
oldest organizations of the kind in the State, held a meet¬ 
ing on the 23d ult., to consider the proposed amendments 
'now before tbe Legislature, when the following resolution 
was passed:— 
“We deem it impracticable for any State to attempt to 
protect, any kind of migratory game bird whose natural 
breeding grounds are not within the limit of said State. 
Further, we see no practical way of protecting all migra¬ 
tory game birds on their flight from their southern winter 
home to their natural breeding grounds in the extreme 
northeast, except by the enactment of a national game law 
which shall bear equally upon each and every section of 
the country over- which such birds pass in their flight. 
We consider it an unjust discrimination against the in¬ 
habitants of this State' to prohibit the spring shooting of 
snipe within its limit, while no such prollibiliou exists in 
the adjoining States and the Canadas. And we further see 
no reason why snipe should be protected to the exclusion 
of ducks, geese, brant, and other migratory game birds; 
and are in favor of the law remaining unchanged until all 
spring shooting of migratory birds is regulated by a na¬ 
tional law." 
Morris County Sportsmen Club.— This association is 
about applying to the New Jersey Legislature for an act 
of incorporation. The club has brought suits against sev¬ 
eral parties for killing quail out of season, and caused 
them to be fined to the extent of over seventy-five dollars. 
—The Hazleton (Pa.) Sportsmen’s Association organized 
the 21st inst. J. C. Tomlinson, President; S.D. Engle, 
Vice-President; Jos. Silliman, Secretary; Geo. Gormau, 
Assistant Secretary; E. S. Doud, Treasurer; Win. Lauder- 
bach, Thos, McNair, Barton Pardee, R. Fitzpatrick, John 
N. Shapley, Frank Pardee, and John P. Toungman, Di¬ 
rectors. 
—The Game Protective Club of Quebec have been doing 
a heavy business lately in prosecuting violators of the 
game laws, no less than fifteen cases having been in hand 
since December. Several of tbe parties have been con- 
| victed and fined. 
, —The law prohibiting tbe killing of moose in the pro- 
I vince of Nova Scotia expires next year; in the meantime 
I moose are again becoming plentiful. A law lias recently 
been passed in New Brunswick prohibiting the killing of 
moose, deer, and caribou for three years. 
—We noticed recently that steps had been taken to form 
a game protective society at Guelph, Canada. The com¬ 
mittee appointed have since made a report which was 
adopted. The society is to be known as the Wellington 
f Game, Fish, and Harmless Birds’ Protective Society. The 
following officers were elected: President, E. V. Thomp¬ 
son, Sr., Guelph Township; Vice-President, James Web¬ 
ster; Secretary Treasurer, Judge Chadwick; Solicitor, 
R. Oliver; Central Committee, Clias. Sharpe, 0. Dunsford, 
and George Newton; General Committee, George and J. 
Atkinson, A. Anstee, E. V. Thompson, Jr., J. West, and 
A. Blythe, Guelph Township; A. R. Davis and Hiram An¬ 
derson, Guelph Town; W. Gay, Elora; John Watt, Fergus; 
P. M. Barker, Orangeville; Dr. Allen, Arthur, and J. 
Broddy, Erin. The Central Committee will appoint a 
General Committee. 
—A very important amendment to the Game Laws of 
Great Britain, as far as Scotland is concerned, has recently 
passed a second reading in the House of Commons, not¬ 
withstanding the opposition of the Government. It ex¬ 
cludes hares and rabbits from the list of game, and gives 
all game over to the tenant unless a special clause in the 
lease, specifying a consideration, reserves itto the landlord. 
If there is damage done beyond the amount of the con¬ 
sideration the landlord must pay it. Instead of country 
justices having jurisdiction over game cases they are to be 
handed over to tbe sheriff. 
•bf Toledo, Ohio, March 25th, 1876. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
The sportsmen are much exercised at the prospect of a 
new bill before tbe Legislature, proposed by the Grangers, 
making#it a penal offence to be found with a gun on any 
one’s premises without permission. Heretofore the law 
was—and no one complained at it—that any one could 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
hunt over fields where no public notice was given. A 
transgression of the law subjected the offender to fine and 
imprisonment. It is to be hoped that there will be influ¬ 
ence enough brought to bear to defeat this bill, otherwise 
good bye to rural sporls in Ohio. In this case the lover of 
field sports can take indulgence only at the will of the 
granger. It may have a tendency to preserve game, if this 
is any consolation. 
The experiment of the Fish Commissioners of this Stale 
has been very satisfactory this spriDg, An early hatch of 
white fish has already stocked the lake, promising abun¬ 
dant reward. The warm weather advanced the young fry, 
and they had to be disposed of by deposit in the adjoining 
waters at a much earlier season than usual, the ultimate 
results of which may be questioned, at the same time giv¬ 
ing no uneasiness in the experiment to the commissioners. 
The hatching of the eggs on the natural bed was in advance 
of those in the hatchery, as in the latter place, the water 
was kept cooler, keeping back the fry; how many days is 
not known, nor, indeed, may not be very material. There 
were some doubts of the adaptability of these waters to the 
successful hatching of white fish. This idea is entirely re¬ 
moved, since the results are equal to the highest expecta¬ 
tion. I was informed to-day by one of the commissioners 
that llie proportion of eggs hatched was fuLly ninety-five 
per cent. This is good enough. 
A meeting of the respective Commissioners of Ohio, 
Michigan, and Wisconsin was had last month in Detroit, 
as 1 understand, to urge a uniformity of law in the pro¬ 
tection of fish. Mr. Wilmot, of Ontario, was expected, 
but not present. He, however, concurs iu the plan propos¬ 
ed, which is:— 
First—It shall t>o unlawful for any distillery, coat-oil refindrj, or gas¬ 
works, to discharge any refuse or offal from tlieir works into auy of the 
lakes or rivers in or adjoining the Slates represented, or into any stream 
putting into them or either of them. 
Second—It shall he unlawful to catch in any ponud, or sweep-net, any 
white;tish, or lake tront, between the fifteenth day of November and the 
tenth day of September. 
Third—It shall be unlawful to use any gill, drag, or float-nel. at any 
time for catching fish in any of the waters heroin mentioned, within ten 
miles of the shore. 
Fourth—It shall be unlawful to catch, kill, or offer for sale nay white- 
fish weighing less that one and a half pounds. 
Fifth-A base shall be established in seven feet of water along the 
shores, and it Bball be uulavvful to extend auy pound net more than one 
inlJe front such base line; provided, that in the indentations of the lakes 
and bays said pound nets may he extended one and one-ffnarter miles 
from said base line. 
The. committee unanimously recommend the passage of laws in con¬ 
formity with the foregoing plan, with suitable penalties to enforce them. 
Dated at Detroit, the 7th of February, 1878. 
John J. Baciley. Jlich., 
Geo. Clark, Mich., 
Wji. Welch, Wia., 
Embry D. Potter, Ohio. 
This bill is already before the Legislature of Wisconsin 
with assurance of success, and soon will be presented iu 
the House iu this State, without a doubt of its becoming a 
law. 
The wise heads in Columbus are tampering with the dog 
law. Not satisfied with present enactments, they seem to 
hold a spite, not only against the sporting fraternity, but 
against every class of dogs likewise. Some mullet-head 
has proposed a tax of three dollars on each dog, besides a 
properly tax per valuation, given under oath, and fining 
the owner of any dog five dollars that may be found at large 
or astray from the premises of such owner, at the same 
time legalizing the privilege to any person and the duty of 
any constable or marshal to kill such dogs astray, for 
which the murderer will be entitled to $1.00 from the county 
treasury. If at anytime it shall appear to the county au¬ 
ditor that a dog has not been returned, ho may return Ihe 
dog himself and proceed in respect thereto as if originally 
made. In case a dog has been improperly assessed to the 
owner of certain premises, the owner thereof may have 
cause of action against the owner of the said dog and re¬ 
cover, and the judgment debtor shall not be entitled to 
any exemption as against the collection of such judgment. 
Here yon have legislation with a vengeance. Tell it not 
in Gotham, It is to be hoped that there is some humanity 
in the Legislature, if there is but little sense. Such a law 
will hardly pass, but no one can premise what are the con¬ 
ceptions in the fertile brains of our wise Solons. B. 
—An act has passed the Legislature of Wisconsin, and 
been approved, of which the following is an abstract:— 
Section 1. It shall not be lawlul for any person, at any time, or in 
any place, upon any of the waters of Lake Koshkonoug, iu this State, 
to shoot at, catch, kill, wound, destroy, or to pursue any duck or other 
slid fowl, by the aid, means, or use of any float, puut-boat, sneak-boat, 
or similar device or structure, however know n or called; nor shall It be 
lawful tor any person to build, or to use, for the pnvpose of hunting or 
shooting duck or other wild fowl upon any of the lakes, rivers, streams, 
or marshes in this State, any sunken or floating boxes or batteries, or 
auy other similar uevice or structure however known or called, or to sail 
for auy wild fowl of any kind in, or shoot ut them from auy vessol pro¬ 
pelled by steam or sails, or from any boat or other structure attached to 
the same. 
Sec 8 . Any person violating any of the provisions of this act shall 
be punished by a flue of not less that twenty-live dollars, nor more than 
fifty dollars for each and every offence. 
The other sections of the act refer to the mode of col¬ 
lecting the penalties. ^ 
Lakeville, Litchfield Co., Conn., March 85th, 1878. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I have been glad to learn, through yonr paper, that an effort is being 
made to have the game laws of the several States amended, so as to 
harmonize more perfectly. Wc of this section, living as we do on the 
borders of three States (Conn,, N. Y., and Mass.,) should bedelighted, 
could such a thing be brought about. It seems to mo that nature her¬ 
self indicates the proper season to begin the Bhooting season of wood¬ 
cock. If the summer shooting could bB abolished (July and August), 
and the season begin, say on September 1st in this climate, we should 
then have full-fledged strong birds to shoot, and more of them. In our 
cold, hilly country the birds are generally through moulting about that 
time, and they generally leave us for a warmer climate about the middle 
of October, though an occasional bird is to be found about spring 
holes in the early part of November. This arrangement would give us 
six weeks of the best shooting, and protect the birds till they are able to 
fly. Our present State law prohibits all shooting till October 1st. That 
may do for sportsmeb near the Sound, but for ns on the hills, who b»vo 
no duck and bay bird Bhooting to speak of, it nearly amounts to no 
shooting at all at woodcock. W. H. Williams. 
—Woodcock are breeding already in large numbers in 
various parts of New Jersey, and also on Staten Island. 
137 
Jpru §ientie1. 
HOW TO TEACH DOGS TO RETRIEVE. 
O NE of the most important considerations for those 
who are raising and breaking dogs to shoot over is 
that of properly leaching them to retrieve. In our opinion 
there is nothing mote vexatious while shooting than, after 
having made a good clear shot, yon find that you have 
dropped your biid across a stream, or deep muddy ditch, 
or iu some dense briery covert where, if your dog is not 
a retreiver, you are obliged to turn your back upon the 
bird and leave it. And this thing must frequently happen 
with those who shoot over a dog not broken to this accom¬ 
plishment. As for ourselves, we had rather miss half a 
dozen shots than leave a dead bird; consequently we in¬ 
variably make it a point to huve our dogs nicely broken to 
retrieve when ordered. 
When we commenced Bhooling on the wing, full fifty 
years ago, and for a few years afterwards, we did not use 
retrieving dogs, taking the same erroneous view of it then 
that is entertained by a few shooters of the present day, 
that retrieving dogs could not be well controlled, aud that 
by frequently having birds in their mouths it injured their 
scenting powers. In looking over an old diary, we fffid 
that it was in the year 1830 we were introduced to a gentle¬ 
man named ’ Cober, a German, then residing in Philadel¬ 
phia, and from him obtained much valuable information 
and instruction in the management of dogs, particularly 
as to the proper mode of breaking them to retrieve, and 
by him we were presented with the first force collar, 
check cord, and puzzle peg we ever saw. 
There are two modes of teaching dogs to retrieve, one of 
which is to take a pup of, say five or six months old, in a 
room, or some place where ho cannot get away, and by 
rolling a hall, or some such object from him, he will soon 
become fond of running after it, pounce upon jt, and 
bring it back when called. After he does this well the 
wiDg of a bird should be attached to the hall, and then, 
after a few lessons of this kind, he will readily bring a 
bird thrown for him. And almost any person with a little 
skill and patience can soon make his youngster fond of re¬ 
trieving in this way. This is what is called teaching a dog 
to retrieve iu play, hut it is by no means the best mode, for 
the reason that if a dog thus broken should mouth a bird, 
and not fetch It properly, and he punished for the fault, it 
would break up its retrieving altogether. Hence the only 
proper way, in order to have a first-class retriever, is to 
break him “untiev the whip,” which is to first let your dog 
know what is required of him in the matter, and then to 
make him do it. It. is hotter, however, before a dog is thus 
broken to retrieve, that he first he partially or fully field 
broken, and that he is not less than teu or twelve months 
old when taken in hand; aud then the first thing to be done, 
if he has a propensity to rush in, pounce upon and bring 
things voluntarily, is to break up all that kind of nonsense, 
and let .him know that there is to be no play about it, but 
business from the start; and before giving thefirst lesson, a 
good strong check cord aud force collar must be provided, 
and as the first lesson will be a disagreeable one, much 
care should be taken that the dog cannot escape from it. 
If he once escapes from his lesson, the difficulty afterwards 
is much greater, as he will continue to look for a mode of 
getting away instead of attending to his lesson. In break¬ 
ing a dog to retrieve, nothing better can be used for the 
purpose than a corn cob, or a newspaper compactly wrap¬ 
ped with twine. The first thing to be done is to teach the 
dog to “sit down," hold up his head, and take the object 
from the hand, aud in order to do this his mouth must be 
opened and the Cob inserted as a bit is placed iu a horse’s 
mouth, at the Barne time using the words “take it.” If he 
becomes stubborn, and refuses to take it, you muBt twitch 
him with the check cord, or rub his gums with the cob 
until he opens his mouth and takes it, and will hold it 
until he is ordered to “let go.” After he gets to fairly un¬ 
derstand this lesson, the next is to compel him to walk 
around the room with it in his mouth. The chances are 
that the first step lie takes ho will drop it; if so, box his 
ears, replace the cob, and compel him to walk around with 
it until he is ordered to “let go." There is very little 
trouble iu teaching almost any dog to do this, but the 
greatest difficulty is in making him pick it up off the floor, 
and this should not he attempted until he is thoroughly 
confirmed in the above. Then the cob must be held a few 
inches below hfs mouth, and he be made to take it then; 
and when perfect in that, hold the object a few inches 
lower, and very gradually hold it lower and lower until 1m 
will take it off the hand on the floor, and by gentle force 
he will soon come to understand what is required of him, 
and will take it off the floor when ordered. After he is 
confirmed in this the object may be thrown some distance, 
and the dog soon be made to “go fetch,” “come in,” “sit 
down,” and hold it until he is ordered to “let go;” and after 
thoroughly taught to do this he should be taken to the field, 
made to “down charge," aud covering his eyes with the 
hand, throw tbe cob so he will be compelled to find it with 
his nose, and fetch it. It frequently happens that after a 
dog has been perfectly broken to fetch a cob, ball, or any 
such thing, he will not at first fetch a bird. But by plac¬ 
ing a bird in his mouth, aud compelling him to carry it a 
little way, he may soon be confirmed in retrieving properly. 
Much care should be taken not to confuse the dog by un¬ 
dertaking to teach him too much at a time, and that the 
disposition of the dog should be steadied, and that he is 
given no more or less punishment than is absolutely neces- 
