FOREST AND STREAM 
271 
GAME PROTECTION. 
TIoube op Eepkesestivkb, I 
■Wasiunoton, D. C., May 24 , 1878. ( 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I think we should make an effort to stop the exportation of grouse, 
&c. So many of them are gent abroad daring the winter. I have 
thought that perhaps Congress might be induced to put an export dnty 
ongamebirdB. Oonld yon not get up a petition to this effect. Also cau 
you in any way ascertain how many giouse are sent abroad each winter. 
If some of yon in New York will do this at once I will do anything T can 
here. Please submit it to Borne of onr friends and see what may be ac¬ 
complished, and it ehonld be done at once. I. V. Ins Moyne. 
We are very glad to hear from our worthy correspond¬ 
ent, who iB President of the National Sportsmen’s Associa¬ 
tion, and to know that he is so earnest in the good work of 
protecting game. His ardor should stir the members of 
the Association to active efforts, and at the coming Con¬ 
vention at Chicago in August, nothing can occupy the 
attention of delegates with more profit than the discussion 
of the abuses referred to in the foregoing letteT and the 
adoption of measures of protection and cure. The Con¬ 
vention sits at the great metropolis of the grouse country, 
where intelligent information can be made available in its 
application to the care in hand, and it should be its especial 
duty to prevent the trapping of birds in the West and their 
transportation out of season, and even their exporta¬ 
tion, if necessary, as is even now done in Florida. We 
at the East, especially in the great markets of New 
York, Boston, and Philadelphia, will police this end of the 
line, and see that no game is sold out of season here; but 
the law does not permit the seizure of birds in transitu, 
even though hundreds of barrels are on our wharves await¬ 
ing shipment to Europe. 
The editor of this journal personally brought this griev¬ 
ance or abuse to the attention of the New York Society for 
the Protection of Game, a year ago last winter, and while 
little could be done here, it was ascertained that one of the 
principal Western shippers wasaP. B. Weare, of Chicago. 
Speculators provide farmers all along the railway line with 
ammunition and snares, paying a trifling sum per pair for 
birds delivered to agents at certain stations on the railroads. 
These agents are usually railroad employees, and attend to 
the shipment and forwarding of the game. It is impossi¬ 
ble to obtain, even from invoices, an approximate estimate 
of tlio number of unseasonable birds shipped to Europe 
from any given point. We know that we found 178 bar¬ 
rels Of grouse, or prairie chickens, at a single pier on the 
North liiver, on a given day, and a Mr. F. J. Bosworth, of 
Brighton, England, then informed us that consignments 
were arriving there by tons. The winter just past was so 
mild that very few birds were shipped, and possibly the 
intervention of tbe game societies at either end of the 
underground line had something to do with it. 
We come now, in the following paragraph, to the very 
pith and marrow of the case in point, as taken by Mr, Le 
Moyne. Kansas has taken the initiative among Western 
States in prohibiting the exportation of game from the 
State. Tlie provisions of itB new law, if at all enforced, 
will save a great deal of game; but if it is not, fine shooting 
will soon be of the past in that State. Grouse last seasou 
netted the shooter $4.00 a dozen ; consequently everybody 
that could shoot or trap engaged in it as the most profitable 
pursuits. We find in the Easton, (Pa.) Free Press , the fol¬ 
lowing reference to the new law:— 
a “ The Western people realize the importance of their 
game interests, and have legislated, through the instru¬ 
mentality of the Game Associations, in various ways for its 
protection. But legislation, so far, has no more than pro¬ 
tected it in the close season by cutting off its market. But 
as the market offers the chief inducement for the destruc¬ 
tion of game, and the open season is a long one—from four 
to six months—it follows that the market is the greatest 
enemy that game has. The natural increase would more 
than restore that destroyed lor pleasure or home purposes, 
hut cannot repair tile inroads made upon it for the market 
supply, hence there has been and will continue to be a 
steady decrease in the quantity of game until this main 
cause of decrease is materially abated or done away with 
altogether. I stated previously that during the shipping 
season, from 2,000 to 8,000 grouse were shipped per week 
from the little town of Chetopah, Kansas, alone, and from 
this may be realized the immense drain made upon game 
throughout the State. Laws against trapping have been in 
force, but they have been practically null, either from an. 
indifference to, or difficulty of, enforcing them, and the 
real benefit from all the game laws has come, as I have 
said, from closing markets to the sale of game out of the 
prescribed season. Kansas enacted anew game law, which 
was approved and went into force on the 23d of last Feb¬ 
ruary. It has some good and some weak features, but its 
main provision, if even partially carried out, will undoubt¬ 
edly preserve a great quantity of game from destruction. 
The law makes it a penal offence to kill game out of season 
(grouse between January 1st and August 15th, and quail 
between January 1st and November 1st); also for a person 
to hunt upon other than his own premises without the owner’s 
permission. It allows persons to trap, net or snare game 
on their own premises. This section is probably a result of 
the numerical power of the Grangers in the Legislature. It 
certainly could not reflect tire views of any game associa¬ 
tion. Its important provision makes it unlawful for any 
express or railroad company or any common carrier know¬ 
ingly to ship or transport (or to receive for that purpose) 
any game to points in or out of the State. The penalty to 
companies is $100, and to agents of companies from $10 to 
$50, for each and every offence. The penalty does not 
apply to game in transit through Kansas from other States 
and Territories. The law will be evaded by those living 
near the borders shipping game from points out of the 
State, and may be evaded by companies not curiously in¬ 
quiring iuto, and therefore not knowing , the character of 
shipments. But a reasonable enforcement of this section 
of the law will undoubtedly cut off what has been and can 
be the only cause of a decrease of game in this State, where 
flip wiqtsrfl fire not, spyeye enough }o destroy it, The new 
law does not provide for any portion ef the fines to go to 
the informer, and so an informer will have to act disinter¬ 
estedly or in the interests of game, unless he have some 
malice to gratify.’’ 
—The Central New York Sportsman’s Club, of Utica, 
has been stocking the Mohawk River, Sanquoit and West 
Canada creeks with brook trout, and will also stock streams 
about Boonville, Trenton, and Black River, it its elec¬ 
tion, a few days ago, the following officers were elected :— 
President, Chas. W. Hutchinson ; Vice Presidents, I. C. 
McIntosh, Horatio Seymour, Jr,; Secretary, Chas. R. Weed; 
Treasurer, T. R. Proctor; Prosecuting Attorney, Thos. E. 
Kinney; Delegates to the State Convention at Geneseo—E, 
B. Graham, Chas. W. Northrup, Ohas. R. Weed, Chas. W. 
Shapley, J. J. Flanagan. 
New Hampshire.— A sportsman's club has been organ¬ 
ized at Laconia, N. H., to he known as the Laconia Sports¬ 
man’s Club. The club now numbers fifty members, with 
the following officers:—President, Frank R. Gammon; 
Vice Presidents, John Crane and Samuel A. Clark; Secre¬ 
tary, James Ellis; Treasurer, Lloyd Lindsay, The club, 
financially speaking, is in good condition, and is going to 
have a club room fit ted up with a shooting gallery. 
Connecticut. —A sportsman’s club has been formed at 
Natick, with the following officers:—President, W. P. 
Bigelow; Secretary and Treasurer, E. H. Wilson; also, a 
hoard of five directors. In addition to the preservation of 
game, and the enforcement of the laws thereunto pertain¬ 
ing, the club has for its object the stocking of the waters 
in the vicinity of Natick with fish, and one of their first 
moves will be to place a supply of inland salmon in Dry 
Pond this season. 
—The Massachusetts Angler’s Association, under the 
leadership of its President, Dr. John P. Ordway, is doing 
a great work. They have just succeeded in getting a law 
passed by their Legislature that will prove of incalculable 
beuefit to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, 
and New York. It makes the having trout, land locked 
salmon, etc., in possession between October 1st and April 
1st prima fade evidence of having killed the same, and 
subjects tbe possessor to a fine for each fish. 
Greenville Fish and Game Club. —We acknowledge 
receipt of a copy of the amended Game Laws of Pennsyl¬ 
vania from M. Hargen Brooks, Secretary of the Green¬ 
ville Club, as above, accompanied by the following leUer; 
May 20th, 1876. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
By the inclosed yon will see what progress oar club is making. We 
have a handled cards (paste board) Borne as the inclosed, printed and 
framed, and will have them distributed through this and adjoining coun¬ 
ties, so that the Inhabitants shall not be Ignorant of the law. We have 
thirty members already, and many join at every meeting. 
Meeting of the Michigan State Sportsmen’s Asso¬ 
ciation for the Protection of Game and Fish.— The 
first annual meeting of the State Sportsmen’s Association 
was held at the Council room in Jackson, Tuesday after¬ 
noon, 9th May, 1870. Dr. Holmes, Of Grand Rapids, 1st 
'Vice President, called the meeting to order. He called the 
attention of the association to the fact that the main idea 
of this association was the protection of food-producing 
animals and insect-destroying birds; not for mere selfish 
ends, but as a public benefit. He binted that tbe most im¬ 
portant thing to be legislated for was the proper way of 
taking game. If birds were allowed to be netted even in 
an open time they would soon be exterminated. Next, the 
time of taking and the time of exporting should be looked 
after. He favored the appointment of a State Commis¬ 
sioner for the protection of game, who should have charge 
of the matter of preservation of game and punishment of 
offenders. 
W. O. Colburn of Detroit, was elected Secretary pro 
tem, D. n. Fitzliugh of Bay City,'was elected Treasurer 
pro tem, and J. E. Long of Detroit, and H. E. Southworth 
of Jackson, were appointed Committee on Credentials. 
Delegates were present from the Detroit and Lake St. Clair 
Fishing and Sporting Club, Kent County Sportsmen’s 
Club, Forest and Stream Club of Jackson, Detroit Gun 
Club, Battle Creek Sportsmen’s Club, and Allegan County 
Sportsmen’s Club. 
A. J. Kellogg offered a resolution fixing an honorary 
membership, to ho open to gentlemen eminent for scien¬ 
tific attainments, or who take an interest in the protection 
of game of the various kinds. 
A letter was read from £. T. Slayton of Lapeer, which 
called attention to the insufficient protection to deer. The 
season now runs from September 15lh to December 15th. 
He regarded the best time to close the season as Novem¬ 
ber 15th, which would put a stop to the slaughtering of 
deer for market, the weather being mote apt to be too mild 
for shipment. He also stated that residents of Oscoda 
county are in the habit of spearing and netting grayling. 
James Headley of Dowagiao, called attention to tbe cruel 
practice of netting pigeons in Oceana county, and request¬ 
ed tbe association to take some steps to lay the matter be¬ 
fore the Legislature for the purpose of procuring the pass- 
sage of a law to prohibit thiB wholesale slaughter. The 
three communications were referred to the Coinmitte on 
Game Laws. 
Mr. Hubbard of Battle Creek, asked for reports by mem¬ 
bers of clubs as to the steps taken by their organizations 
to enforce the laws. These reports were in the main en¬ 
couraging. 
Mr. Kellogg said the Fish Commission had the past year 
planted nine millions of whitefish. The fish that in future 
will Teceive most attention are the lake trout and black 
bass, and some parts of the State asked grayling and even 
cels. The Oswego bass and Skaneatelas lake trout will be 
introduced, if possible, to obtain the spawn. 
Tbe election of officers was then proceeded with. The 
following were elected:— 
President—E. S. Holmes, Grand Rapids; 1st Vice Presi¬ 
dent. Grove H. Woleott, Jackson; 2d Vice President, E. 
O. Nichols, Battle Creek; Secretary, Arthur J. Holt, Grand 
Rapids; Treasurer, John E. Long, Detroit. The nomina¬ 
ting committee reported the following delegates to the 
Chicago Convention; D jj, Fitzhugh, Bay City; 0, 
Colburn, Detroit; E. S. Holmes, Grand Rapids; E. O. 
Nichols, Battle Creek; G. H. Wolcott, Jackson. Mr. Fitz¬ 
hugh declining, R. P. Toms of Detroit, was substituted. 
Grand Rapids- and the second Tuesday in May, 1877, were 
selected as the place and time for holding the next annual 
meeting. 
—The Chinamen in California, who have been most de¬ 
structive poachers, arc now receiving the attention of the 
law. A San Francisco paper of late date says:— 
“Twelve policemen hauled in a net yesterday afternoon 
at Hunter’s Point. It netted twenty-one Chinese fishermen, 
who were sucked in under recent protective piscatorial 
legislation. They will be placed on the scales in the Police 
Judge's Court to-day." 
—There are no leBs than six excellent and influential Game 
Protective Clubs, localed in as many different States, that 
were named in compliment to this journal, and there may 
be others that wo are ignorant of. These are the Forest 
and Stream Clubs of Maine, Pennsylvania, (Philadelphia,) 
Teunessee, Michigan, Minnesota, and Florida—rather a 
wide-spread representation, and indicative of the range and 
influence of this paper. 
—A correspondent now in Paris sends the following 
letter:— 
5 Rue de Tilsett, Paris, April, 1876, 
Editor Forest and Stream;— 
It Is very gratifying to see the happy resnlts ol yonr most praiseworthy 
efforts for the preservation of onr gamo birds, which I need hardly say 
has my warmest sympathy, 8 b indeed, must naturally be the case with 
every right-minded sportsman. Aa long ago aa 1861, in an article npon 
"Oar Game Birds,” published in the Agricultural Report, by the U. S. 
Government, I called attention to the great slaughter of our birds, more 
especially to the prairie chicken, and predicted that their speedy extinc¬ 
tion, unless something was done to protect them. That the prophecy 
was not altogether vain, is proved by the disappearance of this vaiuahle 
species, even withiu the last twelve yeare, in localities where they were 
then abundant. I trust the laws passed for protecting onr game may be 
risidly enforced, so that above all others, the snarer may And his trade 
toe perilous to make it worth his while to continue it. A few lines of 
snare over a district do many times more barm than oil the guns that 
could be shot in tbe same limits. D. G. Elliot. 
POLO ON THE PLAINS—SHINNY ON A 
HORSE. 
T I1E game of Polo has this year been introduced into 
America. Whether anything our journal ever said 
has influenced this consummation, we know not. Quite 
probably, no. The honor belongs in great pari to James 
Gordon Bennett,, a gentleman who has done more than any 
other to encourage, introduce, and promote new and im¬ 
proved athletic and field spelts in the United States. Had 
we the same weallb, possibly we should ourselves wear the 
laurels. Quien sake ? Nevertheless, we believe that we 
made the first effort to introduce it here, whether rewarded 
or not; and by so much wo claim some measure of consid. 
eralion. In the very first issue of our paper, in 1873, wo 
described the game of Polo, as it was played at Lillie Bridge, 
in England, remarking that it seemed to have become at 
last fully inaugurated in that country, after much effort— 
the game being, as we stated in a subsequent issue, (Vol. 1, 
page 39,) of East Indian origin, the irregular cavalry having 
played it at Ilindostan for the twenty-five years previous. 
Polo, as most of our readers know b,y this time, is simply 
hockey or shinny on horse-hack. St. James Magazine says: 
“ The ball is much larger and heavier than at hockey, 
whilst the players carry cross-headed mallets with long han¬ 
dles instead of blackthorns. For the rest of it the two 
games are exac'ly alike, with well-defined goals at either 
end of the selected ground, through which Polo-players en¬ 
deavor to force the ball by the united power of men and 
ponies. 
“ At the beginning of each game the sides remain at tbeir 
respective gouls until the umpire, proceeding to the middle 
of the ground throws up the ball as a signal to commence. 
Then, with mallets upraised and bodies beut forward, the 
rival squadrons make at each other as if on deadliest thoughts 
intent, until the player mounted on the smartest pony 
reaches the ball, and with a quick swing of his mallet sends 
it humming toward the opposite goal, From that moment 
the two sides are intermingled as they scurry hither and 
thither after the missile, which at one moment is nearly 
driven through this goal, at another through that, and so 
on, with alternate advantage to the sides, until a lucky 
stroke gaius the victory, and the mimic warriors dismouut 
to give tbeir ponies and themselves a few minutes’ rest. 
Such is Polo to the casual observer ; a fine manly sport, 
needing good horsemanship and good wind. To the adept 
it presents far higher characteristics, such as require the 
player to possess coolness, nerve, presence of mind, good 
humor, and proved stamina. For instance, the ball having 
been driven from one end of the ground to the other, be¬ 
tween it and the goal but a certain debonnaire giant of the 
Hussars, who, being too heavy for much forward play, 
lies back. Merrily bounds the ball towards the doomed 
goal, whilst a few yards behind it rides, as for his life, a 
Spanish-looking player who hopes to have oue more c.ack 
at it before great Jotun drives it back. Vain the hope ! 
Setting his pony into a canter, and judging the distance to 
a nicety, the big hussar brings down his mallet with uner¬ 
ring aim, just as the Don’s is descending, and away flies 
the ball towards the farther end of the field, W'hilst Goliath 
again takes up his senlry-like position. How the great 
mallets whirl overhead, how the players’ supple bodies sway 
low, first to this side, then to that, how nimbly the ponies 
twist and turn, striking the ball with their forefeet as if un¬ 
derstanding all about the game, and what nasty whacks 
fall on arm and leg, hand and foot, as the “ bully” goes on. 
Then more charges ; then the chances of victory swing first 
to one side, next to the other ; then, as the ponies begin to 
grow weary, you see their riders skirmishing about on 
chance of the hall coming their way, instead of following it 
like sleuth hounds ; and then up charges the mighty hussar 
with his pony still fresh, and the game seems to be over as 
he gets the ball and strikes it fair for the goal. Not so, 
however; there's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip. 
Oue of the other side on a black pony vitlcB up just in time, 
and the goal is saved. Bui see, like an arrow trom a bow. 
Shoots out the piebald from the crowd, and ju«| as the ball 
iS WWU ft fiOUPle of foot of Uw posts, tint Sbisoo filler cui* 
