FOREST AND STREAM 
217 
Mr. c. S. Westcotfc donates a silver cap lor the bust pointer dogSOlbs. 
or Upwards. 
The FouE.iT a_Nd Stream have offered $bK) as a prize, bnt as yet. have 
not mentioned for which class. 
The Chicago Field give a silver cup for the best English or American 
bred dog or bitch over oue year old. 
Many other individual prizes, it la said, will bo offered, some Tor the 
hound and terrier class, while the Centennial Commission have arrai gud 
the awards as follows to respective breeds: For dogs of two years and 
over*, dogs of one year and under two; ptipa* 
A sweepstakes award will be made for the best dog or any breed dis¬ 
played by a foreign exhibitor. 
A sweepstakes award will be made for the best home bred dog of any 
breed. 
Awards will be made to respective breeds, for bitches of two years and 
ovor; bitches of one year and under two; bitch pups. 
A sweepstakes award will be made for the best hitch of any breed dis¬ 
played by a foreign exhibitor. 
A sweepstakes award will be made for the best home bred bitch of any 
breed. 
It will be so fixed that the judges will decide as to the merits of the 
dogs before entrance is allowed to the public, and the animals winning 
the several prizes can be seen sconce as the champions. 
Mr. Clifts. Lincoln, of Detroit, has been appointed Superintendent of 
the Bench Show, and will soon bo in Philadelphia to arrange the details 
of the exhibition, and from the able manner in which Lho Chicago show 
was conducted, under his supervision, he Is looked npou as a valuable 
aid in the work to be d*>ne. 
The Bureau of Agriculture looks to New York and the East for a long 
list of blue-blood entries, and it is already a foregone conclusion that 
many or the prizes will go to the sportsmen of your section of the 
country. 
Blanks for entry, and all other Information In regard to the Centennial 
Bench Show, can be bad by applying to Capt. B. Land re Lh, Chief of 
Bureau of Agriculture, Centennial Grounds, Philadelphia Oily. 
Homo. 
THE IRISH SETTER 
SAVANNAH, Aliril-18l.il, 1876. 
Editor Forest asr Stream:— 
t would like to inquire about 1 he Irteh Hotter, being entirely In the 
dark about that eujicrior animal, never having owned one. Fat lam 
much confused by seeing in your paper pictures representing the Irish 
setters belonging to Mr. Jams; also the brace owned by Mr. SalMis. 
They have tails well feathered, and evidently their bodies are also well 
coated with curly hair. Mow', in the Chicago Kidd ure the pictures of 
two dogs, claiming to he of superior breed of the same class of red 
Irish fellers, the dog Echo and the bitch Loo II, belonging to 0. H. 
Tumor and K. C. Sterling. Mow, they are represented us having straight 
hair and very moderato feather on their tails. I am entirely at a loss as 
to which is the Simon pure article, and I would beg of their owners, or 
some other sportsman, to enlighten mo on the subject. The color tpies- 
tiou is a subject on which there has beeumuch dispute, ignoring the 
leal points of quality, via.: feather, whether there snould he much or 
mile . Now these piclu res, representing the same dug in all its purity, 
(all f have to go hy). are entirely different. How can both he the same 
species, as each is claimed? The iat, the mouse, the qnail, the pigeous 
of different breeds, all have the same lines and points, so they can be 
told at ouce even by the most ignorant. Now for the pointer, sue UoW 
firm and tapering the tail; should there he the least feather perceptible 
od it bow quick he would be coudemued us either a cuf or of dropper 
origin. I do not q nest ion but what both are good, and all worthy of 
particular note, but I do thiulc and believe that both cau be t he same 
strain, for 1 can. hardly believe there are two distinctive strains of red 
Irish setters—one with a superabundance of feather, and the other with 
very little. Martkllo. 
[The pictures of Mr. Jarvis’ dog Dick, and Mr. Saltus’ 
dogs show just about the coat and feathering of thorough¬ 
bred Irish setters. But the pictures you allude to represent¬ 
ing Elcko and Loo have not done their originals justice. 
We saw tliose dogs at the Chicago Bench Show, and, 
although they were not then quite as well coated and 
feathered as we expected to fiud them, yet they were much 
better than represented in the paper, and were certainly 
good specimens of high bred Irish setters. Tiie fault was 
with the artist, not the dog.—E d ] 
MR. BURGES’ BOOK. 
Memphis, Teun,, April 25Lh, 1876. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
From “Sing SiDg” town yon published a critique in your last issue on 
Mr. Burges 1 book, which queerly enough is signed “Viudex,” though it 
is far less a vindication than an impeachment, mainly alleging the book 
is not worth the price, although elegantly bound. In the book I have no 
interest in shekels; in Mr. Burgee I have a grateful interest and have 
lizard many plead the same indebtedness to him, founded purely on hiB 
having given to all ardent practical sportsmen a Vade Meeum, an inval¬ 
uable book, terse, true, and pointed, “multum in parvo,” and withal a 
thing of beauty. In my parlor it adorns my centre table, and were hon¬ 
orable field sports that were dear to Daniel Webster ami Sir Walter 
Scott, as staunchly defended by their thousand votaries in person, as 
shown to be fair, delightful, and scientific in Mr. Burges 1 capital book, 
we should have fewer detractors and be a more stalwart aud fraternal 
power among ourselves. Briefly let us analize the specks Viudex hath 
pecked at on Ibis golden apple. Vtndex “expected from what ho had 
heard, Mr, Burges was competent to handle the subject properly, and it 
would be an exhaustive treatise, etc., bnt after reading It J found my 
mistake.” Shorn, of verbiage, Mr. Barges is incompetent, also warrants 
in title and price what he fails to give value for in information. Let 
Virnjex have a chance to vindicate Mr. Burges, as he does in his own 
words farther on: “lie knows so much himself that he overlooks the 
necessity of going Into details for the benefit of those less learned, 1 ' 
‘•It. may be said that my ignorance is deplorable.” We cannot conscien¬ 
tiously combat the position he has fortified. Vindex thinks the work is 
not the “text book by which we mav become well posted,” and meets 
this himself by saying i ‘the principal topics are largely borrowed from 
(standard) works that have long been extant, etc.,” whereas Mr. Burges 1 
main idea is to collate and group the highest authorities, Lhc proven 
truths, and weave us a golden net-work of crystalized facts so patent 
aud “accessible to every sportsman in the land” that there shall be no 
room nor reason for error. In my esteem this is one of the several great 
virtues in the “American Kennel and Sporting Field;” it condenses and 
illumines, focalizes, aud throws the spray of the headlight on the knotty 
points, and makes seniors of freslunen, unless they prefer to be per¬ 
petual ever-green sophomores. The main point of objection is that 
Vindex considers only thirty aud one third pages on breaking aery irtsut- 
ficient. Mom ami , more than half the dog’s virtues as a feather quester 
are instinctive. And surely if thirty pages more of proper quality be 
put In his brain-pan he Bliouldknow several, iudeed, many refinements 
beyond the four cardinal points, stand, back, quarter, and retrieve. Hast 
ever read that gem of sporting literature, “Vindex,” the “Dead Shot” 
by “Marksman?” Dost remember he thoroughly instructs us m break¬ 
ing pointers, setters, spaniels, and retrievers, in nineteen small pages? 
Small only in quantity , signor. For my own part I have been amazed 
and dazed at the profuseness and iteration of some writers mentioned as 
models by “Vindex,” notably by Mayhew 1 * formulas, “or this, or this, 
or this,” all different until the wearied mind joins with the avcr-cHemi- 
natud lover who erics 
“Row happy I could be with either, 
Wore the other dear charmer away.” 
Now for the creme tit la creme of Vmdcx’s exordium—“the high-sound¬ 
ing title and coirespondiug price, and name of the author are apt to de¬ 
ceive those who are obliged to order it unseen, into a wrong estimate of 
its real practical value as they did Vindex.” 
Mr, Burges is abundantly vindexed from Lhc above aspersion by the 
fact, patent to all posted sportsmen, the body of his book was serially 
published ere the volume was bound, giving notice to all of Its excellent 
and standard embodiment, u manual, an ornament* and au annual gem. 
$nwei[8 $a <£or%e8ycnident{l. 
No Notice Taken of Anonymous Communications. 
i SiritscRiBEn.—Thirty yards atul No. 8 shot with both barrels- is not a 
correct test. Try one barrel with oz. No. (I shot at 40 yards; count lhc 
hita and forward Uh Lhc resnlt. Your gon is prababably not choke- 
bored. 
H, R„ Philadelphia.—I have a setter dog, he has rough hair from win¬ 
ter coat, Is there any medicine to remove it and give fine coat? I3ow 
will I net? Ana. Give your dog balls of tar size of a hickory uut, twice 
a day For three days. 
C. N. T., Stratford, Conn.—Female fishes are generally the largest. 
In the animal kingdom, the reverse is the case as >ou state. Tnoro is 
very little difference lh the quality of the flesh and flavor of shad at the 
earlier part of the run; the remales deteriorate later on. 
S. J., Philadelphia.—1. Will it improve tbe shooting of my 10-bore 
Remington to use the “Kay” cartridge? 2. l’he gnu i» much smaller at 
the muzzle than it is six inches towards the breech; would it injure tho 
muzzle to use tbe “Kay 11 cartridge? .Ans. 1. Yes. 2. No. 
TiiyMAMLtiiJ. —When do grayling spawn? Ant*. Graylingdonot spawn 
until after the middle of April, and are therefore not in season before the 
middle of June. From the latter period they increase rapidly in flush 
ana flavor, and in September and October reach their greatest perfection. 
R., Boston.—A friend of mine has a pug pup only seven weeks old, 
which passes and vomits long worms. What ahall 1 do for him? 1 think 
yon prescribe arena nut, but how can 1 get it, and what would be the dose 
for so Utile a thing? Ane. We have sent to you some urocu nut, with 
directions for giving it. 
Biebboweb, Harrisburg.—1. What advantage is there between a trim 
put together with soft solder or one with hard solder, or is there uny? 2. 
Whut is the reputation of Rankin & Bros., makers? Ails. Euglish 
guns are put together with soft solder, which is much the most lusting. 
German guns are brazed, or hard soldered. 2. Wo do not know these 
makers. 
Wm. Weir, Thompson, Ga —1. Why iB Audubon’s “Birds of America 1 ’ 
not republished with chrorao lithograph, plates? 2. Are Audubon’s sous 
living? 3. Are there central fire, nou-corosive gun caps? 4. Is a 12 or 
.14 gauge gnu of like length and weight (81 pounds) the most effective in 
range and power? Ans. No publisher will undefiake tho expense. 2. 
No, 8, Yes. 4. No difference. 
Headxjght, St. Louis.—Will you please let mu know where 1 can ob¬ 
tain pads for testing penetrations? 1 have a Hrbore, lbs,, 30-inch bar¬ 
rel, what would be considered good penotiation at 40 yards with 4 
drachms powder, H oz. shot? Ans. Penetration puds cauuot be obtain¬ 
ed here ready prepared. The best substitute is stiff hardware paper; of 
ibis au sheds would be good penetration. 
G. IS., Jr,, PiPkeepsie.—1 have a black spaniel dog 13 months old that 
'ls very afraid of a gun, Will yuU please tell me K he cau be broke of thiB 
or uot? Ans. Everything depends upon the cause of his rear or the 
gun, aud his temperament. If he is nattirally timid of other thing as 
well as the gun, il would not pay to break him, if it could be done nl all. 
But if ho is only shy of tho gun, pursue tho course recommended iu our 
Kennel Column of this week. 
C. S. J., Cambridge, Mass.—My setter dog, some six weeks since, had 
a very large abscess on his fore shoulder, and ever since the sore healed, 
the dog’s nose has been in a dry and cracked condition: but within a 
week I have noticed warts coming inside his mouth and on the tongue, 
and now there must be some ten or lirteon in all. What do you advise? 
Ans. Warts in a dog’s mouth is anew thing to us, and wo do not know 
of a remedy. Give yom dog 1 oz. Castor oil, plenty of exercise and ac¬ 
cess to grass, 
Gunner. Feacedttle, R. I.—If the dog and bitch arc thorough bred 
you may get good pups from them, but we much prefer breeding from 
broken dogs. Have seut you some arcca nut by mail. You would find 
much better shooting there in October or November. It would be im¬ 
possible to estimate the cost of such a trip as you contemplate. You 
ask if $100 would answer. That depends upon how many the party con¬ 
sists of and the character of the out-fii. The Parker gun is good aud 
well worth tbe price. 
L. If. I-*., Clarksville, Tonn.—I have a vatu able pointer, which of late 
become very drowsy and inactive, occasionally vomiting, 1 have been 
told that he baa worms, aud think it probable, though have seen no 
signs of them; have neon advised to give sulphur, but do not wieh to 
try any experiment on my dog. Any advice you will be so kind as to 
give me will bo most gratefully received. Ans. Your pointer is in all 
probability afflicted with worms, and wo have mailed to you the proper 
doses of areca nut with directions for its use. 
D. H. M., Boston.—I have a Gordon setter puppy four months old. 
Re seems to be perfectly healthy in every respect, but his fore legs are 
apruRg. He is, in fact, what is commonly called bow-legged, the knee 
joints protruding so that they form bunches the size of a walnut, making 
him look exceedingly comical and all out of shape. 1 um also of the 
opinion that the joints are weak. Ans. it is by tio means an uncommon 
thing for puppies to be affected as is yours. Aud with proper food and 
care they often outgrow it. They should not bo kept tied at all. 
Wir.o Charley, Now York.—1. Will you please tell me which is the 
best place fur hunting and camping, Hoy’s Wilderness or the Adirondack 
Mountains. How much, does it cost to goto Hoy’s Wilderness, and 
when is the best time to go? 2. Can you tell me whut will cure the 
mange on spitz dogs? Ans. 1. Hoy’s Wilderness would be tbe cheapest. 
For further particulars see our issues of March ?d and UtU. 2. Use com¬ 
pound sulphur ointment softened with spirits or turpentine, so ub to 
be well rubbed into the skin; wash the parts affected occasionally with 
Casliie soap; feed no meat. 
S. L. C., Augusta, Me.—Please oblige me with the names of books 
concerning Florida which will give me a good idea of the climate and 
beat localities for sporting. I have read your “Camp Life in Florida” 
and like it much. 1 think there Is something published at Jacksonville 
giving a description of the St, Johns River, but l do not know where to 
send for it. Ans. To Florida for tbe Winter, by S. Fleet Speir; Flor¬ 
ida, by Sidney Laoier, Llppiucott, Phila,; and Bertram’s Florida, For 
local publications address Columbus Drew, Jacksonville, Fla., who 
makes u specialty of these works. 
W. P. S-, San Francisco.—What 18 the best kind of hounds for 
hunting deer by scent? I would like to know If bloodhounds would not 
be better than fox hounds; also whore in tho United States good hounds 
of the two breeds I have mentioned cau be obtained? Ane. From the 
description of your hound we would take him to be a deer or fox hound, 
and we consider the full breed fox hound or harrier the best for deer 
hunting iu this country. Yet a cross of bloodhound with tUo deer or 
fox hound maybe found to answer a good purpose, although we have 
never met with such a cross. We do not know where bloodhounds are 
to be obtained. Can select for you one or two doubles of thoroughbred 
foxhounds. 
G. A, F., West Meriden, Conn.—An old sportsman says the true way 
to preserve a gun from rusting, Is after using the eume to leave it foul 
till wanted, and then clean for use; that tho burnt powder left in a gun. 
after using is a better preventive agaiuet rust than anything that can bo 
used. Will you please give ineyonr opinion? If the rule applies to a 
shot gun, does it also apply to a rifle? If not a good thing (o do, what is 
Lho best preventive against, rust now known? Ans. Wo bold that to leave 
a gun dirty after using it is not only a most careloss aud unsportsman¬ 
like proceeding but no preventive whatever against rust. Clean yonc 
gun thoroughly and then oil, inside and ont with good sewing machine 
or Bolmontyle oil, Um latter evaporates leaving a film over the melal. 
which will exclude rust. 
BroitT, Ottawa.—1, I have a fine deer hound pup 1 month old, would 
you please tell me what kind of food to give it, also, should I keep Mm 
out of the house, or would it do him any harm to let him sleep Inside^ 
us the nightB are still chilly? Would it spoil him on deer hunting to learn 
him to retrieve? 2. What would a pointer pnp that you could send tua 
cost, also could it ba conveyed safely from New York here? 3. Is there 
a book teaching how to break in sporting doge? If there ia please state 
Price? Ans. 1. Feed bread and milk or oat meal porridge and milk, 
keep him iu a comfortable clean place. We do not think it Would spoil 
him to break him to retrieve, but we never knew a hound to be thus 
broken. 2. A pointer pnp could be sarely sent to you; price $*26. 3. 
“Dinks, Mayhew, and Hutchinson,” is such, a book us you need, prlco 
S3—cau send you a copy. 
Grover, Springfield, Ill.—What are the trado distinctions of the va¬ 
rious kinds of mackerel, which enters so largely into tho trade? Ana. 
The New York and Boston wholesale trade are governed by the follow¬ 
ing classifications; No. 1 mackerel should not be less than 13 inches in 
length from the extremity of t he head to the fork of tbe tail, fat, free 
from rust, taint, or damage; No. 2 11 inches in length; No. 8 10 inches; 
No, 3 IS Inches, and m quality are those that remain after the selections 
of No. 1; No. 4 comprises all not in the above, and should be free from 
taint or dumage. Mackerel should be kept covered with brine, unci not 
exposed to the air, as it becomes rancid or “rusty” in a few days. Mess 
mackerel—the finest fish with head and tails removed. Extra No. ones 
are selected fish. Large No. twos—fish over 13 inches in length, and 
not good enough in quality for No. onoa. 
J. G., West Lebanon.—1. Can yon tell me of some place where a party 
of ladles and gentlemen can camp ont, and find good fishing and bird 
hunting (the latter in particular) iu September? 2. I have fonnd some 
Insects resembling sheep tick on my setter pup; what shall I do to get 
rid of them? 3. A friend of mine wants a dog that will tree birds aud 
squirrels. What kind would be best.; whore can one be procured, and 
what would be Lhc cost of one lour or five months old? Ana. 1. There 
are many places in your State where you could could camp out and have 
good fishing. But shooting in September is too early. In October you 
could find woodcock and ruffed groUse. 2. Any kind of grease with a 
little carbolic acid added, well rubbed in the hair, will exterminate tho 
insects from your setter pup. 3. A spaniel or terrier would ba best for 
your purpose, and would cost $15 or $20; can get one for you. 
Mordaunt.—I n recent number of your paper yon speak of “a fishing 
otter” being sent to the Centennial Exhibition by a Mr. Morris, of Lake 
City, Minnesota. What is it? Is it alive and trained to c&tcli fish? 
Ans. It is an old English device for trolling with flies or minnows, 
and consists or a board ubout two Teel long and one food wide, shaped 
like a sled runner, the lower edge being loaded with lead so as to sink 
within two or three inches of the top. Long lines are attached to it a- 
midsliips and asteiH, which are mann?ed by the angler who walks along 
tbe chore. The muchine acts on the principle of the swing ferry which 
is worked by the current. The filets or minnows are attached to tho 
hoard by short lined. In England they can be found at the tackle deal¬ 
ers, but are not in request here. The one sent to Philadelphia by Mr. 
Morns was handsomely acknowledged by Profs. Henry and Baird 
N. V. K., Savannah, Ga.—1. I have a skye terrier bitch about two yeais 
old. About four months ago she was attacked with mange, hair falling 
out aud sores in variouB places on her body, and to cure which I gave 
her Fowler’s solution of arsenic, but used no ointment on her body, as 
she had pups ot the time, and I knew of none, except such as contained 
mercury in some form or other. 2. Will you also tell me what a good 
thoroughbred dog would cost, about three or four months old or younger, 
that I could train as a retriever, and what would be the best breed to 
have? 3. Can you tell me of a good book on training and rearing does, not 
only hunting dogs, hut terriers, etc.? Ans. 1. Anoint the parte affected 
with compound sulphur ointment softened with spirits of turpentine, so 
as to bo well rubbed into the skin. 2. Address J. H. Whitman, Chicago, 
who has a fine strain of Irish water spaniels. 8. Dinks, Mayhew & 
Hutchinson ia the best book for your purpose; we can send you u copy; 
price, $3. 
Scrnapf Schott, New Orleans.—1. Iam in possession of a centre- 
fire breech-loader, 12 bore, 32-inch, ?*■ pound S. R. Cooper gun, moder¬ 
ately thick at muzzle and } inch thick at breech; cost $30, and is as good 
os new. I contemplate having Bame choke-bored. What would you 
advise? 2. Does choking destroy interior fininsh of barrels or weaken 
same? 3. A friend possesses a $175 Scott, same characteristic of my 
Cooper, but of much superior fluiab, he wishes his choke-bared; would 
you so advise? 4, A gunemilh, of some repute here, says he has never 
seen a barrel too thin to be choked; ia hia theory correct? 5th 
Would any ordinary smith be capable of choking a gun properly? fi.. 
How much should be bored off for a modified and for a full choke? 7. 
Does J. R. Cooper, whose advertisement I have never seen, rank a good 
maker? Ans. 1. We conld only advise upon knowing tho pattern 
made by at present. 2. No; except inasmuch as it makes curtain por¬ 
tions thinner. 3. Same answer as to query number one. 4. Not as 
regards same modes Of choke-bering. On the Scott principle, for in¬ 
stance, the relieving is all done for a certain space near the muzzle; In 
others it commences at the breech, and is gradual r.o the muzzle. 5 
No. 6. Wc cannot tell; ask an experienced gunsmith, 7. Yea; first 
class. ______________ 
Hand hook kor Youno Spobtsmen. By Will Wildwood: 
printed by lho Suntinel Company, Milwaukee, Win. 
Our friend Fred Pond, Esq., of Montello, .Wisconsin, who ia enthusias¬ 
tic iu all matters relating to sport and tho preservation of game, and ia 
doing much good to the cause iu various ways, has sent us a copy of a 
litLle volume with the ubovo title. Tbe works contains a good deal o£ 
really valuable information pertaining to sports by land and water, und 
so far as it goes supplies a much needed want. It is, in its inception, 
the germ of a larger future growth, which some person (perhaps ilia 
author himself,) may supply iu days to come. We cannot say more oi it, 
and we do not think its author claims anything more for it,. 
One criticism, however, it is our duty to muke. 
Upon page 27 tho author endeavors to impress upon his readers the 
importance of learning the world-wide scientific and only proper names 
of tbe game ibey shoot. This Is extremely desirable, as he argues, but 
his methods are unfortunate. He has copied from Forester a list of the 
game of the United States, its classification and nomenclature, which, 
he says may be implicitly relied on in every particular. He then con¬ 
tinues, that he is well aware that ornithologists of tho present day have 
adopted a different code of names, but this he disregards, fpr fear that 
au “attempt to select from each would be but to create confusion." But 
he is not asked to select from each. Since the time of Audubon and 
He Kay—who wore Forester’s teachers—scientific ornithology has made 
great progress hero and in Europe. The Smithsonian Institution recog¬ 
nized one stage of this progress in the “Check List,” which was publish¬ 
ed in 185U, uiid another stage in adopting LUljeborg’s classification for 
it- collections; and Dr. Cones has Hummed tip recent advances in his Lug 
“Check-List,” which may be bought for 75 cents, and gives the proper 
names, common and scientific, of every American bird. Another guide 
is the pages of this journal. The changes in nomenclature are not mat¬ 
ters or taste but propriety, \Ve cannot say of all the names iu this book, 
that they are wrong; but all are antiquated. And the less tho reader 
pays attentions to what is in Italics Um butter. It is the unfoi’WtiiaW 
part of tho volume, 
