134 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



till of tli em having left during the night on account of a slight 

 fall in the temperature. 



Our next game bird is the "American partridge," a perma- 

 nent resident, and still abundant, even in the immediate 

 vicinity of the city. While they breed to a great extent in 

 this locality, the number is considerably increased every 

 spring by migrations from more southern latitudes, and every 

 fall by birds from the north on their" way south. A pair of 

 birds will raise two broods a year, averaging seven or eight 

 to a brood. The close season for them under the District 

 law is from the first day of January to the first day of Octo- 

 ber. Another permanent resident is the '* ruffed grouse, " 

 or "pheasant," though not plentiful. They are found in the 

 most impenetrable laurel brakes, and are procured with much 

 difficulty. The close season for them in the District is from 

 the first day of January to the first day of September. They 

 are more abundant in some of the neighboring counties of 

 Maryland and Virginia, and are sent to our markets in season 

 from these counties. This bird goes under different names 

 in different parts of the country. Dr. Coues, in his work 

 above referred to, says: "We are often askedis it a partridge, 

 or is it a pheasant? to which reply may be made that it is 

 witter, but a grouse, 'Pheasant' is a name of a variety of 

 birds of the family Phasianido , indigenous to Southern Asia, 

 and not represented in this country at all. The best-known 

 species is that one long ago introduced into England, and 

 there thoroughly naturalized. (The nearest American repre- 

 sentative of the pheasant is the wild turkey, which is some- 

 times included in the family 1'hasi.ankla:.) 'Partridge' is 

 the n«me of a group of small gallinaceous birds, which, like 

 the PfcasJMttte, belong exclusively to the old world— our 

 American partridges, so-called, being quite a different set 

 of birds." He expresses the opinion that it would simplify 

 matters much to discard altogether the terms "pheasant" and 

 " partridge, " by which this species is known respectively 

 in the Northern and Southern States, and call it by its proper 

 name of "ruffed grouse." 



Wild turkeys are still abundant in the neighboring counties 

 of both Maryland and Virginia, but they have become ex- 

 tinct in the District on account of the great increase of pop- 

 ulation and rapid settlement of the country. They are 

 regularly found in our markets in season, being sent here 

 principally from Virginia, where they are plentiful. On one 

 occasion while on a partridge shooting excursion near 

 Manasses, in that State, my companion and I sat 

 down in a pine thicket to eat lunch, and while thus 

 engaged a drove of eight or ten turkeys appeared 

 coming directly toward us, but as quick as we dis- 

 covered them they discovered us, and in less than a minute 

 they were out of sight, much to our disgust. Thej T are ex- 

 ceedingly shy, and are more frequently trapped than shot. 



Wild pigeons mate their appearance in flocks at irregular 

 intervals throughout the fall, winter, and early spring 

 months. 



In September and the early part of October the ortolan 

 and reed bird shooting on the marshes of the Potomac and 

 Eastern Branch affords rare sport. These birds are abundant 

 at the time mentioned, and it is no uncommon thing to bag 

 eight or ten dozen reed birds and three or four dozen ortolan 

 in a day's shooting. The ortolan, also known as "rail" and 

 "sora," is a spring and autumn visitant, rare in spring, but 

 very abundant in fall, from the last week in August until the 

 first frost. The reed bird, also known as "bobolink" and 

 "rice bird," is a spring and autumn visitant. In spring it is 

 distributed abundantly about orchards and meadows, and 

 even at that season is generally in flocks from May 1st to 

 15th. The autumn visits are made in immense flocks, and 

 at this time they soon become exceedingly fat on the wild 

 oats which grow in the marshes. The bird is esteemed as 

 quite a delicacy in the fall when fat, and they readily bring 

 from 75 cents to SI. 25 per dozen in our markets. Besides 

 the two last-mentioned species, the fresh water marsh hen, 

 "Kiug Ortolan," is found sparingly in early autumn in the 

 marshes along the rivers with the common rail. The Vir- 

 ginia rail is also a spring aud autumn visitant, though it is 

 very rare in the spring and not abundant in the fall. It ar- 

 rives about the last week in August and departs upon the 

 appearance of frost. The habit which birds of this variety 

 have of skulking and hiding in the'almost inaccessible places 

 they frequent renders them difficult of observation, and they 

 are usually considered rarer than they really are. 



The greater tell-tale tattler, better known as the " yellow- 

 shanks plover," is a spring and autumn visitant. It is com- 

 mon in spring from May 1st to 15th, and in the fall from the 

 middle of September to November. It is generally seen 

 Bingly, though sometimes two or three are found together. 

 Its favorite haunts are banks of the rivers, boggy meadows, 

 and commons intersected with pools. The lesser tell-tale 

 tattler also appears with the former, and its habits are similar 

 in every respect, This bird is also known as "yellow-shanks 

 plover," but is much smaller than the first-named bird of 

 that species. The golden plover, sometimes known as "bull- 

 head plover," passes quickly through this locality in early 

 Bpring, but in the fall they are quite numerous, and are 

 found about fields and plowed land during October and 

 November. 



I have thus briefly referred to such birds in the list as are 

 sought by sportsmen, but there are many varieties described 

 which makes the list of great interest to naturalists, and I 

 believe it is to-day recognized as the best local list that has 

 ever appeared in North America. To give some idea of the 

 the specimens collected by these enthusiastic naturalists in 



their boyhood days, 1 need only mention that they found 

 among the birds of the District ten species of hawks, six of 

 owls— among there the great homed owls — even of wood- 

 peckers', ftye of swallows, about thirty of warblers, . 

 many fly-catchers, thrushes, wrens, cuckoos, buntingB, spar- 

 rows, grosbeaks, blackbirds, robins, larks, herons, sand- 



pipers, and other varieties too numerous to mention. Even 

 our great emblem of freedom, the bald-headed eagle, is. a 

 permanent resident of the District, It is frequently seen 

 sailing alongover the. river, or perched upon stumps and snags 

 on the. flats. The golden eagle is also found in this locality, 

 and two specimens secured in the District * are now in the 

 Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The various species of water fowl frequenting the Potomac 

 are also fully described. About twenty varieties of ducks 

 are noted, together with the times of their arrival and de- 

 part ure. First, there is the delicious canvas-back, a winter 

 resident, and at times abundant. Next we have two species 

 of mallard, all of them plentiful; red-heads are abundant, 

 and are frequently sold in market as canvas-backs. Then 

 we have blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, black-heads, 

 butter-balls or buffel-heads, sprig-tails, golden-eyod wood 

 duck, and other varieties in great numbers. The Ameri- 

 can swan iB not common in the immediate vicinity of the 

 the city, though sometimes it is quite plentiful on the lower 

 Potomac, and is always for sale in our markets. Wild geese 

 are common along the river, and are frequently seen in the 

 air flying over. They arrive here in the fall, just before the 

 first approach of severe weather, and are found in market 

 throughout the winter. With such a supply of game birds 

 and water fowl the sportsmen of Washington are thoroughly 

 satisfied, and if we can only have proper game laws, rigidly 

 enforced, there will be no decrease in the game for many 

 years to come. 



The list of Drs. Coues and Prentiss, from which I have 

 quoted, was the first one of birds of the District ever pre- 

 pared, and it gives the habits of the birds from actual obser- 

 vation. As illustrative of the enthusiasm of the young 

 naturalists I mention the fact, that in spring and fall they 

 were, up by daylight and off to the woods, in the neighbor- 

 hood of the college, for the purpose of collecting specimens. 

 At half-past eight the studies of the day were commenoed, 

 and the young ornithologists were frequently compelled to 

 hide their gun barrels in the legs of their pantaloons, the 

 stocks under their jackets, and thus steal in to their rooms to 

 avoid punishment, for the professors in the institution were 

 of the opinion that their expeditions to collect specimens 

 amounted to truancy, and that the time thus spent should 

 have been given to the conjugation of a Greek verb, or the 

 demonstration of some difficult problem in geometry. Of 

 course the young naturalists were frequently in trouble 

 with the faculty, and received numerous lectures. Every 

 dearl bird or reptUe found about the college building or 

 grounds was always traced to Coues and Prentiss. On one 

 occasion the young gentlemen became involved in quite a 

 serious difficulty, on account of having brought a water- 

 moccasin, which they shot on one of their expeditions, into 

 the building, where it was found by another student, who 

 was always full of mischief and ready for a joke. He took 

 it to the recitation room, coiled it upon the chair of the 

 tutor, and covered it with a newspaper. In a few minutes 

 the tutor entered the room with text books in one hand 

 and hat in the other,' brushed off the paper with his hat, and 

 there lay the snake— books went one way, and hat another, 

 much to the amusement of the young gentlemen of the" 

 class. As a consequence there was a great row, and the 

 faculty made every effort to discover the one who placed the 

 snake, on the chair, but without success. Coues and Prentiss 

 were severely reprimanded for bringing the reptile into 

 the college building, and notified that a repetition of the 

 offence would notbe excused. The grass has long grown green 

 on the graves of both tutor and the mischievous student, but. 

 their memory is cherished by the college boys now scattered 

 over the wide world. 



Wm. Hayes has been making sou eta 63. fiCOri [fttel; 

 with a new Ballard, 200 yards rune;, at ft S I I k, N. J. 



G. W. Yale is going to shoot the Wesson long-range rifle 

 this year. 



At Boston, Spy P ond Range, the canvass targets are pre- 

 ferred to all others. 



Hellwig's " money prize match " is quite a success. The 

 entries are numerous. 



Comptroller John Kellv, of this city, is a lite-member of 



theN. R. A. 



§¥*■ 



RIFLE NOTES. 



Creedmoor is officially declared open. 



The first competition this year will be for the Remington 

 prize, $300 in gold. 



The Spring Prize Meeting will take place on May 24th 

 and 25th. 



Mr. Browcr, Superintendent of the range at Creedmoor, 

 thinks well of the Stone targets. 



Several riflemen are going to wear blue glasses this season. 



Conlin's benefit is progressing nicely at Zettler's Rifle 

 Gallery. 



A match between the long-range riflemen of Brooklyn and 

 and New York city will take place this spring. It is eansing 

 considerable talk, and a "tight rub" is expected. 



The terrible spitz dogs are made the "butts" of many re- 

 marks and the targets for numerous blunder-busses. 



The present military sights are justly complained of in 

 relation to their erutleness. A good firearm with poor sights 

 is but little better than a poor one with good sights. 



The members of the Helvetia Rifle Club are going to have 

 a grand time in May to celebrate the organization's twenty- 

 fifth birth day. This is the original Swiss shooting club on 

 this side of the Atlantic. 



Several clubs have been -reported as being willing to co- 

 operate with the Amateur Rifle Club of this city for the pro- 

 posed Irish-American match. 



The Seventh Regiment's shooting galleries have been a 

 splendid source of amusement and aid to the members this 

 winter, and an improvement in their scores may be expected 

 Lmoor in consequence. 



Capt. Bogardus is giving exhibitions throughout the 

 country shooting at glass balls thrown from a trap. The 

 •• wing'" shooters seem to like the balls ; as shooting at them 

 is almost as much fun as that of killing pigeons from the 



traps. 



National Rifle Association. — We have received the An- 

 nual Report of the N R, A., which contains a record of the 

 past year's events at Creedmoor and on the ranges of affiliating 

 clubs. A meeting of the Directors was held on Tuesday 

 week. The Secretary reported in reference to the award of 

 diplomas to the winners of prizes in the Centennial 

 matches at Creedmoor last fall, that nothing could be done 

 until the next meeting of the Executive Committee of the 

 Centennial Commission, and he was instructed to continue 

 to look after the matter. On motion, the range was declared 

 open for the ensuing season. The Adjutant-General will pay 

 the Association $4,500 for the use of its range by the National 

 Guard on three days of each week during the coming sea- 

 son, provided that"20 markers be provided on each occasion 

 instead of 15, as was the case last year. A communication 

 was received from the Washington 'Grey Cavalry Troup ask- 

 ing that provisions be made in the programme for the spring 

 prize meeting at Creedmoor for a match between teams re- 

 presenting the several cavalry troops. The programme for 

 the spring prize meeting, which will take place on May 24th 

 and 25th, was next taken up and adopted as follows, most of 

 the prizes to be announced hereafter : 



Directors' Match. — Open only lo the Directors and honorary Directors 

 or the National Hitle Association: distance, SCO yards; position, stand- 

 ing: weapon, any tifle; two sighting and five scoring shots; entrance 

 fee, SI: prize, the Directois' Championship Gold Badge, to.he held try 

 the winner during the year. 



Short-Iinnge Match.— Open to;'aIl comers: distance, Mfl yards; posi- 

 tion, standing; weapon, any rifle; two sighting and seven scoring shots; 

 entrance fee, $1. 



Military Mutch.— Open to teams of five from any company.iroop or 

 battery of the National Gnard of New York, or other Stales, or of lid 

 regular Army or Navy, or Marine Corps, to be composed of company 

 officers, non-commissioned officers, or privates, who ha\e been rm infers 

 since March, 1877; distance, 200 yards; position, standing; seven scor- 

 ing shots; teams to ase the rifles with which their companies are aimed; 

 entrance fee, $1. 



Cavalry UatA.— Open to teams of Eve from any troop or battery of 

 the National Guard or of the United States Army: distance, 300 yards; 



[<•' ii ■■'II- mil"! ,, •'. " -I' la ire ani --en :-.-"i..i ; -iinl-e .a M niliee 



fee. 81- 



Mid-Range Match. — Open to teams of five^from Vany company, troop, 

 or battery of any State, or the regular Arm v. Navy", and Marine Corps; 

 any position; distance, 50(1 yards; entrance" fee, $1. 



Individual Match.— Open lo all-comers; any rifle; any position; 10 

 scon'ng shots: eutrance fee. }1. Second-ela«s targets will he used in 

 this match,.wiih a "carioon" 11 inches in diameter covering the "bull's- 

 eye." 



Leech Cup — Under the aujpices of the Amateur Rifle Clubs; open to 

 all native born citizens of the United States and resident members of 

 the Amateur Rifle Club, regardless of nationality; distance, 800. 9C0, 

 and 1.000 yards: any position; 35 shots; entrance Tee. SI to members 

 and $■} to outsiders; prize, the "Leech Cup," to be held by the winner 

 throughout the year. 



Hunnlng Dm- Match.— Oven to all comers; any rifle; no windage 

 allowed; distance, UK) yards; position, standing; five shots, to be fired 

 consecutively; entrance fee, 25 cents, each competitor to be allowed 

 four entries; a tine of 10 cents for net firing or not hitting Ihe 

 haunch; such flues to be divided among the three highest scores. 

 The deer w : ll be run aa a bull's-eye target during the morning 



It was decided to extend the invitation embodied in a res- 

 olution passed by the board in February last; — to enter into 

 competition for the Centennial trophy — to all who were in- 

 vited last year, giving them until June 1st to accept the 

 invitation. 



Amateub Rifle Club.— The annual meeting of the Ama- 

 teur Rifle Club, of New York, will be held at the Seventh 

 Regiment Armory, corner of Third Avenue and Sixth Street, 

 on Thursday evening, April 3d, 1S77, at eight o'.l 

 sides the election of officers, the invitation of the Irish Rifle 

 Association aud other important matters will be brought be- 

 fore the club for discussion and action. A largo and prompt 

 attendance is earnestly requested. 



Conun's Bkntistt Tournament. — This match, which opened 

 at the Zettler's Rifle Gallery, 207 Bowery, em March 17th. is 

 progressing finely. Over 250 tickets have already been shut, 

 and the interest, in the competition increases nightly. The 

 large number of prizes offered adds greatly to the spirit of 

 the competition, as it insures to the fair average shot ft chance 

 of gaining a valuable trophy. The following ure a list of the 

 prizes already received, besides which several others are 

 promised, and wiiTundoubtedly be given within the current 



—, presented by Zettler Hide Association. 



— , presented by Arnold & Constable Bifle 



Prize^ - 

 Prize, - 

 Club. 



Valuable solid gold medal, presented by William Hayes. 

 One Ardito stereoscope, presented by James Moliriari. 

 One fine gold and silver plated and engraved revolver 

 (large size), presented by Henry Fulton, 



One magazine revolver (new style), presented by E. Rem- 

 ington <& Sons. 



One gold and silver plated revolver (large srize), presented 

 by Schuyler, Hartley & Graham 



One nickel plated revolver, presented by E. 8. Harris. 

 One "box fine segars, presented by Sandy Spencer- 

 Three gold plated medals, five silver plated medals, fifteen 

 bronze medals, presented bv L. V Stone, J. B. Blvdenburgh, 

 Charles A. Cheever, C. E. Blydenbutgh. 

 Additional prizes will be duly noted in these columns as 



i. jutributed. The tickets are fifty cents each. A 



competitor may shoot as many tickets as he desires, "Xo 

 person ean win'more than one prize. Tile entire procv i La oi 

 the competitions will be presented to Mr. Conlin, 

 him in speedily refitting and opening his gallery, and it is 

 hoped, that in view of the uniformly eourteOTW I ■■ ■ 

 which all have received at the hands of sir. Conlin ' 

 may haVe ft rousing benefit. Tick ■ Pi . informa- 

 tion ean be obtained by applying to any member of the 

 Committee. Committee i AirAngenientB, 0. G. Zettler, L. 

 V. Sone, M. L. Riggs, J. B. Blydenbnrgh. B. Fenning, 

 Charles A. Cheover, B. B. Beekwith, C. E. Blydenbnrgh, 



