F011EST AND STREAM. 



69 



GAME PROTECTION. 



aciiuretts. — At tbe suggestion of the Massachusetts 

 Anglers' Association, two meetings were held in Boston on 

 ill and 26th ullo. respectively, with a view to Ihe 

 consolidation ol that organization with the various 

 man's clubs throughout the Stale. Alike flrsi meeting a 

 cu liltee of one from each club unci association repre- 

 sented was appointed to consider the expediency of a union 

 i Lie diiVerent associations in the State and report a 

 pi in hi' oiganization. The committee was also authorized 

 to invite all interested in game and its protection to send dele- 

 gales to co-operate. At the subsequent meeting Dr. John 

 P. Old way, President of the Anglers' Association, pre- 

 sented the following resolutions, which were prepared by 

 the committee appointed at the last meeting: — 



litidtred. That the Anglers' ami the \; - l,.:, i-, i-: Srate Sportsman's 

 Associations be cotieolinuied, and hereafter I".: known as the Mnssacbu- 

 ecus Auulera and iatioD; lis object to be the protection or 



iisli and "urn.;. 



In at, I'hat the several Sportsman's Clubs ol the State shall be 



eligible to membership by ibe club pavlnt: an tmtimiou tee of del- 



-. - merit of dollars. Each Sportsman's club 



joining tbe Association shall have live delegates upon the payment ol 

 SID each annually, who *h : i vote anfl speak upon any 

 subject whica may lie hruut;lli before the Associailon al any men:];,'. 

 Individual rueemoership shall be permitted under the same rulosand 

 entitled (n the -uine privileges as now govern membership of Ihe Ang- 

 lers' A-SHlCle 



It was subsequently proposed 10 change Ihe word "g:me" 

 Cor "sportsman's" in the title of the Association, and the 

 officers were instructed to obtain such changes in the 

 charier as may be required under the consolidation. 



II is undoubtedly a wise move to unite the fish and game 

 interests of the Slate, as in union there is strength, and the 

 amount of good that can be. effected by one powerful As- 

 sociation with ramifications extending in every direction, 

 will undoubtedly be far greater lhau could be accomplished 

 by many smaller bodies with different interests. 



—A Massachusetts correspondent hopes for more spring 

 ; -I.. ■ inn: it, tliut State if the newly drafted laws pass the 

 Legislature, 



Lakevuvle, Conn., Feb. 86th. 

 Editor Fones'i isu ktkka.m: — 



III your Issue or Feb S2d '-Legitimate Gcombhv" lather lets the cot 

 out uf the bag lie complains that long before the law was oft 

 person) calling theuiseives sportsmen came Into his neighborhood and 

 begau war on the quail, following them into dgor yards and gardens, 

 and when remonstrated with they answered with all the slang of a 

 street gtmun's vocabulary, and "no justice would issue a warrant for 

 their arrest." Sow, ilr. Editor, what is the use or any law that ia not 

 enforced. If any man who chooses may violate tue laws with impunity 

 and insult those who remonstirae with him, of what use ia the law. If 

 any so-called sportsman should try that little experiment in our town 

 they would certainly be treated to an interview with a cousiable before 

 they had fairly warmed to their work; and before they left tbey would find 

 it necessary to leave a little memento in the shape of a few greenbacks. 



Your correspondent says truly that "such things have been a curse to 

 all true u rad the best r-emejyl know of is for the 



true sportsmen to organize a game club, and prepare themselves for the 

 tsot just such chaps as he describes, and know who to apply to for 

 the necessary papers. Our little club has two lawyers retained as 

 counsel all the time, and we can as easily get a writ for a poacher as for 

 a tnief, 



Hoping that the public sentiment of Fairhcld county will improve in 

 this respect, and that "Grumbler" will soon have no cause to lament 

 such outrages, I am truly yours for Proteciion, W. H, W. 



Our correspondent is light. Sportsmen have tbe remedy 

 in their owu hands, and by forming themselves into clubs, 

 with lawyers retained, can always meet such cases as those 

 alluded to. A club escapes the local odium, and perhaps 

 annoyance, that might be visited upon an individual. — Ed. 



Michigan.— The committee on game laws of the Michi- 

 gan State Sportsman's Association met recenllyat Lansing, 

 and were joined in their discussions by many gentlemen 

 interested in the protection of game. Two committees of 

 five members each were appointed, to draft bills on the 

 game laws and fish laws respectively, and the result of 

 their labors will, it is thought, fully meet the needs of Ihe 

 case and lie acceptable to the citizens of Ihe State. The 

 committee have addressed a circular, accompanying the 

 proposed bills, to the Legislature in which they set forth 

 the following facts:— 



1 . That the deer are rupidly decreasing. 



3. Thai ihe decrease is not to be attributed to the home consumption, 

 or the killing ol deer by sportsmen or furmcrs for local markets or fami- 

 ly use, as it can be shown that the natural increase of the deer will sup- 

 ply i hi- demaud. 



:,. Thai ihe decrease is lo he attributed solely to the praclice of killing 

 deer for export markets. A large majority of the export market hunters 



lb ihem uirt of the Stale at the end or the 

 avc to stand by and see Ihe game, iluit i>y 

 n, slaughtered mine snow and shipped 



m-residiiits of i 



for their venieOn [hey 

 season, and the land- 1 



upon our game supply, we propose to uiterly prohibit its shipment fn 

 the State for the purposes of sale or profit. * * * * * * Bspei 

 attention is called to tbe following lucis relative to the destruction 



es 



lakes 



Each bar 



every da 



itigtbe shii 



ivliu- 



will go over -.MO bane 

 roads at only 11.000 daily, which 

 daily shipment of 50,000 birds, or in 50 days-uot two months -a ship- 

 ment of a .500.000. Is It any wonder tuat under such a drain as ibis foi 

 the last two years, the piueous of Ihe I'niled Slates, which w.-reonci 

 plentiful in everv piece of woods in the country, arc now dwindled dowc 

 "• - in Michigan, and perhaps one oi 



! wo 



oik S m 



Tu the bill proposed, the netting of pigeons is prt hibilid 

 during the months of March, April, May, and June, which 

 covers the entire nesting period. The killing of pigeons 

 by any means whatever is also prohibited, at or within five 

 miles Of the place or places where they are gathered in 

 bodies for the purpose of breeding their youDg. 



ViudiNiA.— A bill is before the Virginia Legislature 

 making a close season for trout from September 15th to 

 April 1st, and for black bass and southern chub from May 

 15th to July 1st. 



OUR WASHINGTON LETTER, 



t-itOM our, ows COnREBPOHDESTi 



The Ln'I'eu oi:i.-,anio Strip Canal— Animal Like on the 

 Isthmus oi' Dauien— Beasts, Bikds, Rei-tilks and 

 Insects. 



Washington, 1). C, February 34111, 1877. 



MUCH has been written within the past few years in 

 regard lo the Inter-oceanic ship canal across the 

 Isthmus of Darien, and circumstances are all favorable to 

 Ihe early inauguration of that great enterprise. It will no 

 doubt be constructed by way of Lake Nicaragua, com- 

 monly known as the Niearuguau route, and the completion 

 of the work will bring about a great change in the present 

 condition of affairs on the isthmus, and vastly increase the 

 population of that locality. As public interest will be direct- 

 ed towards its progress dining the next ten years, I hope 

 that the 100,000 readers of Fokest and Stream will, to 

 some exteut, be entertained by a brief description of the 

 animals, birds, reptiles, and insects of that tropical cli 

 mate; but first I must mention the fact that the able offi- 

 cer of the American Navy, to whom the couutry is great- 

 ly indebted for the successful surveys which have been 

 made of ihe isthmus, is himself a true sportsman, as well 

 as an eminent officer. I refer to Commodore Daniel Arn- 

 rnen, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation at the Navy De- 

 partment, who has made the subject of an Inter-oceanic 

 ship canal the study of his life, aud his practical ideas on 

 the subject have proved to be of great value. Commodore 

 Amines at present resides upou his well stocked farm about 

 twelve miles from Washington, and his beautiful fields of- 

 ten afford fine shooting for his friends, who are always 

 welcome at his hospitable mansion. 



The surveys of various routes for the ship canal across 

 the isthmus, which have been iu charge of Captain Thos. 

 O. Selfridge, Commodore R. W. Shufeldt, and Capt. E. P. 

 Lull, have developed many interesting facts in regard to 

 that country, and from the reports of Pas'ed Assistant 

 Surgeon John F. Bransford, L\ S. N., Dr. G. A. Maack, 

 of Cambridge, Mass., and Surgeon John C. Spear, U. S. 

 N., who accompanied the expedition as naturalists, I have 

 gathered much information in regard to animal life on the 

 isthmus. The country along the Nicaragua route consists 

 ot undulating land, gently rising for about fifty miles lo a 

 mountaiuotis region; for the next fifty miles up the river 

 San Juan it is hilly, until near Lake Nicaragua, where the 

 land is flat and marshy. West of the lake is a lovely roll- 

 ing country to within a few miles of the Pacific, where an- 

 other ridge is encountered— a spur from the Costa Rica 

 Mountains having the general direction of the Pacitic coast. 

 Owiugto the formation of the countiy, which is compar- 

 tively low and narrow, the trade wind blows entirely 

 across Nicaragua, mitigating the climate and ventilating 

 the country in a mosl fortunate manner. The seasons, di- 

 vided into dry and wet, are of Dearly equal duration, the 

 wet season beginning about the 1st of June and ending 

 about the 1st of December, though it is mterspersed with 

 many clear days, while in the dry season there are occa- 

 sional rains. 



The largest and most formidable animal on the isthmus 

 is the jaguar or American tiger, which often attacks cattle 

 roaming among the mountains, and frequently kills cows 

 that happen to be caught alone, though it is said the cattle 

 make common cause against the tiger, and frequently come 

 off victorious. The animal is inferior iu size and ferocity 

 lo its cousin of Bengal, but it is of great strength, and suf- 

 ficiently formidable to make its proximity anything but 

 comfortable. It has been known to drag the body of a 

 grown cow for some distance through the thick under- 

 growth of the Nicaraguan woods, aud it is very dangerous 

 when wounded or hungry. It is rarely met with, how- 

 ever, out of the forests, as it seems to prefer the most 

 conce-ded life in the middle thereof, In general the ani- 

 mal life is more developed on the Atlantic side than on the 

 Pacific, though as might be expected, a multitude of these 

 denizens of the forest which swarm in tropical woodlands 

 are to be found. The forests on the Atlantic side are full 

 of different species of monkeys, and the loud cry of the 

 rOaming monkey, mouocolorado of the natives, is heard 

 everywhere. Another species of the same animal is seen 

 sometimes quite tame about the houses, and yet another 

 species, belonging to the genus Cebus, is an entertaining 

 monkey, aud is common in the houses of the natives. Its 

 cry is like that of a weeping child, and for this reason it 

 has the English name "Weeper." The puma, or Mexican 

 liou, is considerably smaller than the tiger, but old hunt- 

 ers represent it lo be quite as savage. There are several 

 varieties of wildcats found upou different parts of the 

 isthmus. The peccary, or Mexican hog, is found at all 

 parts of the istlimus. They are seen more than any other 

 animals, and usually in large numbers. Its meat forms a 

 common dish for the natives. Hogs are reared through- 

 out the country without trouble, the wasteful abundance 

 of fruits and vegetables rendering them extremely inex- 

 pensive. 



There are several species of deer, besides tapirs, goats, 

 and other smaller animals. 



The birds of the isthmus are rich iu their plumage, and 

 most frequently seen either in the neighborhood of some 

 huts, or at the less dense parts of the forest. Without go- 

 ing into details, it may be said that the low, swampy 

 grounds of the Atlantic coast are enlivened especially by 

 different herons, jassarras, snipe, sandpipers, kingfishes, 

 cormorants, and other varieties. Pelicans are seen here 



and there sitting quietly upon an old tree, but they exist 

 on the Atlantic coast in numbers far less than on the Pa- 

 cific near Panama, where they have theii real home. A 

 great many species of humming birds nre met with on 

 both -sides. As we approach nearer the denser forests the 

 bird life seems almost to end, and one may walk for days 

 in these forests without seeing many specimens ol 

 feathered tribe. Toucans, irogous, parrots, woodpeckers, 

 and goat-milkers are found in great numbers. Among Ihe 

 game birds may be mentioned the pavon, a variety of cm 

 assow, about as large as our wild turkey. A male speci- 

 men killed on Ihe San Juan river weighed 12 pounds', and 

 measured 3S inches from the beak Lo the tip of the tail, 

 49± inches from tip to tip of the wings, lis flesh is very 

 much like that of our wild lurkcy, and is much esteemed. 

 Mountain hens aud partridges are numerous, and there 

 are countless pigeons of different varieties; rabbits and 

 squirrels are plentiful. 



In some parts of the isthmus vampire bats, of which 

 there are several varielies, are found in considerable num- 

 bers, and they frequently attack animals at night. The 

 natives close their houses as well as they can to keep them 

 out, and they also find it necessary to put their pigs, 

 mules, and other domoslic animals into houses lo protect 

 them. One species ol this bal is as large as a half grown 

 chicken, aud its wings, when extended, measure across 

 from two lo three feet, while another sort is not largi 

 a meadow lark. They were found very troublesome in ihe 

 Chimalapa region, where they attacked the animals belong- 

 ing to the Shufeldt expedition nearly every night, inflict- 

 ing oftentimes two or even three bites on the same horse. 

 The opening they make in the skin is round, with clean 

 cut edges, and about a quarter of au iuch in diameter, but 

 docs not penetrate much below the true skin. It is not 

 uncommon to find blood oozing from the opening several 

 hours after Ihe bat has left. The neck of Ihe horse or 

 mule is the part most generally attacked. Two servants 

 attached to the party were bitten one night. They said 

 they did not feel the but until it flew away, which waked 

 them; they also said the wound was slightly painful, but 

 they did not complain of feeling weak from the loss of 

 blood. In one of them, to arrest tl e hemorrhage, it w r as 

 necessary to apply a small compress to the opening. An 

 old Indian was authority for the statement- that two bites 

 of a vampire the same night generally proved fatal to au 

 infant. The vampires dislike light, however, and it is 

 stated that they will not attack any one in a room if ihe 

 candle be lighted. 



The rivers of the isthmus abound in fish of nearly ©vi ry 

 size aud variety from the Znm'o real to the stiufish. The 

 former is very large. One that jumped into a 1 oat al Cas- 

 tello weighed 62 pounds. The flesh is coarse, but it is 

 eaten by the nalivcs. Ano'her species of the same fish is 

 much smaller, weighing from three to six pounds. This 

 fish is an industrious scavenger, still it is enjoyed by the 

 natives, aud is said lobe good when caught in an unfre- 

 quented part of the river and well cooked. The Juapoio 

 is a game fish for sport. It is eight or ten inches long, a Ut- 

 ile broader than achiib, and makes.a delightful fry, besides 

 these there are many varieties of porch and sutiHsh. The 

 manatee is found in the rivers and lagoons, and its flesh is 

 prized as an article of food. The family Sifutfdtt is well 

 represented in all the rivers of both sides. Two species 

 of these fish are found'. They are oflen spoken of by the 

 natives, and many curious tales are told about their 

 habits, how they can live on land as well 118 in water, etc. 

 The fish life of the isthmus is also well developed near the 

 shore of both oceans, as well as in the different rivers. Al- 

 though the fish fauna of ihese rivers cannot be compared 

 iu its richness with that of the South American rivers, it 

 possesses, nevertheless, iu comparison to the short run of 

 most of Ihe streams, a great variely in its forms. Several 

 of these fishes give an important food for the unlives, who 

 dry them in smoke. The Bay of Panama especially is filled 

 with many varieties of fish, and they are much more plen- 

 tiful there than in the Gulf of Darien oa this side. Alli- 

 gators abound in the rivers, and sharks are found iu the 

 San Juan river and Lake Nicaragua. They also abound 

 along the coast on both sides of the isthmus, but do not 

 seem to be very voracious, for the lluano Indians are fre- 

 quently observed standing waist deep in the water a con- 

 siderable distance from the shore at the mouth of the Te> 

 buantepec river, with hundreds of large sharks swimming 

 leisurely along quite near them. The natives say that I ho 

 alligators destroy a considerable number of young cattle. 

 Shooting these ugly reptiles affords tolerable sport, and so 

 numerous are they that one person might easily dispatch a 

 dozen or more in a few hours. Upon one occasion a parly 

 attached to Commodore Shufeldt's expedition came uoou 

 a huge alligator some distance from the water m an open 

 space, aud in chasing him, in order to gel near enough lor 

 agoodshot.it was discovered, much to their surprise, 

 that he ran as fast as the party, and for a part of the way 

 his course was up a hill. 



The reptilian life is everywhere on Ihe isthmus well 

 developed. Snakes, lizards, frogs, scorpions, taran- 

 tulas, and numerous oilier reptiles abound, together with 

 myriads of insects of every variely Snakes are very nu- 

 merous and of countless varieties. Oue of the most con. 

 spicuous k the coral, a beautiful snake about three feet 

 long with black and crimson bands. This snake is much 

 dreaded by the natives, who represent its bite as deadly. 

 Au officer with Capt. Lull's expedition speaks of h 

 killed several. At first they attempted to escape, but. when 

 baffled in that design they became very savage, one of 

 them striking fiercely, and then burying its fangs in its 



