FOREST AND STREAM. 



229 



Geohoia Game Association.— We have received the band- 

 Bomely printed constitution and by-laws of the Georgia 

 Game Association, enclosing a copy of the game law of the 

 State, and judge from the tenor of the society's platform 

 that they are in earnest in their resolution to prosecute all 

 ■violators of the law, which is none too stringent. An annual 

 athletic festival and game supper are provided for in the 

 constitution, so that the association will not have been or- 

 ganized for naught, if no rascals are to be caught poaching. 



CAMP LIFE IN THE TROPICS. 



Long wood, Fla., April 25, 1877. 

 Editok Forest and Stream. 



Florida has at last a semblance of a game law, but it is 

 only the ghost of a thing. However, it will do, I BUppOse, 

 for a beginning— a sort of ABC. I am well pleased to see 

 many of our citizens (denominated "crackers") taking an 

 interest in the law, and expressing a determination bo live 

 up to all there is of it, with the hope of a more perfect one 

 in the near future ; on the other hand, I am sorry to see 

 some who style themselves "sportsmen " (visitors all) taking 

 advantage <Sf every occasion to violate it, by obtaining per- 

 mission to hunt on the lands of some newcomers. Western 

 men. T shall shortly reenter the newspaper business, and 

 when I get my lines well in hand, shall do all in my power 

 to 6$op this sort of thing, and do a little— all I can — to help 

 along the glorious work of my favorite journal, the FobEst 

 and Stream. Fbed. L. Rodebtson. 



Tennessee.— A codlBcatlon and rearrangement of the Tennessee 

 Gatnu and Fish laws are much needed, and onr State Association should 

 take up tbe matter at once, and bring order onr, of chaos. Hetetofore 

 tie different conntlea have each acted (or themselves, and in many cases 

 without much judgment; so that one might he well versed In tportlng 

 legalities in one part of the State, bat if he should presume upon his 

 partial acquirements and jump the county line, he might soon discover 

 that a little learning is a dangerous thing. To be safe, he must carry on 

 hfK head at least half a doson "legal caps." 



For this County (Montgomery) and several adjoining ones, some tinker 

 had so fixed H LhaL we could not shoot a bird after February 1st. The 

 consequence woa that we were deprived the pleasure of snipe nnd plovor 

 shooting entirely, for these make their appearance here only between 

 February 20th aod May 1st. Nor is there any leason why we should 

 slop shoottOE partridges iqnail) before Much 1st. They do not, pair off 

 here before Slay 1st, and the weather freqnently prevents us rrom shoot- 

 ing themto any extent all through December nnd January; henco wo 

 should be allowed one more month for the sport. 



Under this detestable state of the game laws we took it upon nu r 

 Individual self last winter to make the laws conform more closely to Hie 

 "eternal fitness of things," and in accordance with our suggestion, 

 •Judge (.-has. (t. Smith, nor gentlemanly representative, Introduced the 

 necessary changes, and the law stands an follows for this portion of the 

 State: 



Partridges (quail!, rnffed gronse (pheasants), snipe, plover, etc, all 

 game birds, may be shot between October 1st and March 1st; and snipe 

 and plover until Mny 1st. 



Doves are not included iu the law, bat I see no good reason why they 

 should not be protected also. They are a delightful bird for the table 

 when young, and afford very pretty sport In August and Sepieinlcr 

 when it is too hot for active exeieise. The following is our mode or 

 shooting them: In the early morning and latter part of! he afternoon 

 the gunners take positions under certain trees or near wheal stacks, 

 which i be birds have been observed to frequent, and a boy on horse- 

 back rides around the corn and wheat fields and keeps them on the 

 wing. They fly invariably to the same trees and afford fine wins shots. 

 They also frequent certafu ponds m the evening to drink before going 

 to roost. 



Our flsh law, according to the interpretation of our County Court, is 

 briefly as roltows: Persons are not allowed to fish in any ruuning 

 stream in any manner except with book and line or trot line, provided 

 that in navigable streams below the point of navigation fishing with 

 seine or net mt»y be practised, except in the months of March, April, and 

 May, and provided the seine or net. is not at or near the mmiih of any 

 Btream emptying into the navigable stream. This refeis to ihe whole 

 State. 



Another matter deserves the attention of our State Association. The 

 owners of valuable dogs are eutirely at the mercy of every vagabond 

 who sees fit to throw poison around loosely. The only resort afforded 

 by the law is to bring an action for damages, while no damages can be 

 extracted from these impecunious wretches. 



I wonld suggest that every one wfio has a valuable dog be allowed to 

 register it and pay a reasonable tax. In return Tor this tbe law should 

 protect it, and the killing or injury of such animals should be made a 

 misdemeanor with flue and imprisonment. Impecuniosity would not 

 then prove such a blessing. 



The need for some such provision has lately been Bhown in this place. 

 Mr. W. H. Drane's Field Trial setter bitch, Belle, was poisoned by hie 

 cook, because she (the dog) barkea ai the Eomeos (colored) who paid 

 moonlight attentions to her colored highness. And yet Mr. D. re- 

 strain! d himself so wonderfully as not to afford a case of "bulldozing" 

 for ihe investigation of an immaculate Congresssional Oommille. 



Accept congmml.ations upon the consolidation of Rod and Giin with 

 Fuhest and SiREiK. The combined force should he able to afford the 

 best results in the way of a journal Tor sportsmen (please do not allow 

 your correspondents to degrade the name to ' 'sports"), and we are bene- 

 fited by receiving in small oompass tbe cream at a smaller price. 



Edisto. 



♦♦♦■ 



PobtabIe HotrsES.— Gentlemen contemplating a protracted 

 sojourn in the. country this summer will do well to refer to 

 the advertisement in onr columns of O'Brien's Portable 

 Houses. A comfortable shooting-box can bo had for $135, 

 and a charming cottage for double that sum, either for moun- 

 tain or seaside. We shall print some pretty designs soon. 



— There were 599 bears killed in Maine during the year 

 1876. as follows: Aroostook county, 99; Franklin, 11; Han- 

 cock, 12; Oxford, 1G: Piscataquis, 70; Penobscot, 157; Som- 

 erset, 22; Washington. 212, on which a bounty of $2,995 

 was made. 



Novice to Sr-onTSMES.— Having received so many communications 

 asking us for Information in regard to our six-section bamboo trout, 

 black basa, grilse and salmon rods, we have prepared a oircular on the 

 subject, which we shall take pleasure in forwarding to any addreea. 

 We keep on band all grades, tbe prices of which range from JIG toJ150, 

 Wo put our stamp only on the best, in order to protect our customers 

 and our reputation, for we are unwilling to sell a poor rod with a false 

 enamel (made by burning and staining, to imitate the genuine article, 

 without letting onr customers know just what they are getting. 

 P. O. Box, 1,294.— Adv. Abhey & InrnatE, 48 Maiden Lane. 



SatKEspEAEE slanders life when bo makes Macbeth stigmatize it as a 

 tale 



" Told by au Idiot, full of sound and fury. 

 Signifying nothing." 

 Life ia pieasaut. used properly. Bnt be careful to use B- T. Babbitt's 

 Toilet Soap, for it i.i tbo pleasau teat and purest of things for the toilet 

 »nduath. If yon don't believe H, try H.—Aa>. 



PHOM orit OWN COKItKSrONDE.N-T. 



First Letter. 



THIS bright March morning, as I throw open the shutters 

 of my Shanty and let in the light of early day, I look 

 out upon a scene of loveliness that it, were worth many si 

 day's journey to enjoy. 



From beyond the mountains behind me, east, the sun 

 has climbed a little way until he peers through a defile in 

 the mountains, and arift in the. cloud masses nnd floods only 

 & narrow pathway down the surrounding hills, their north- 

 ern slopes, a bit of the gloomy valley miles below me, and 

 bursts upon the calm Caribbean Sea with concentrated glory, 

 A sail, floating on that sea, drifted hither and thither by 

 strange mysterious currents (which has come, perchance, 

 from Martinique or Barbadoos to the sonth, or from Guade- 

 loupe or Montsewat to the north), is ablaze with light which 

 gives it the appearance of being on fire. No sound comes 

 up from the valley below nor from the surrounding moun- 

 tain sides; even the rain frogs and the nocturnal cicadw have 

 closed their concerts and have left it to the birds to UBher in 

 the matin hour ; and they are singing in low, sweet strains 

 far down in the gloomy ravines below, and in the thickets 

 bordering distant glades. 



My first duty is to examine my thermometer. It registers 

 68 dog. That recorded, I step into outer air and refresh 

 myself with such ablution as can bo enjoyed from a small 

 calabash of rain water. Soon a little colored maiden appears 

 bearing a tray with my coffee, with perhaps a cup of milk— 

 ot'tener without. A cup of coffee and a slice of bread, or 

 couple of crackers, is my only refreshment until noon, when 

 I return from my tramp in the forest. When I first came to 

 this mountain valley I brought with me a bright colored 

 boy as aid, fondly hoping he would be of much assistance in 

 preparing my birds, as well as in the culinary line. But, 

 alas ! in either profession he was singularly deficient, and 

 save in th e preservation of cooked provisions — in other words. 

 "to keep food from spoiling," he was of no use whatever. 

 After thro..- days passed in his society we parted. There was 

 also a question of abstraction between him and Jean Baptiste 

 (the proprietor of my humble cot), relating to a few small 

 articles that one night disappeared. Now, J. B. — short for 

 .Toon Baptiste— was highly incensed that such a thing should 

 happen within the limits of his jurisdiction, and made such 

 a row about, it that I concluded that it were best that 

 "sonny" and I should part, with no regrets on my part, 

 none expressed on his— for the laboring class of the West 

 Indies, as a class, accept stoically whatever fate, drops to 

 them as their share. The salary I was paying him was 

 princely, being sixpence a day (twelve cents) and ' "found, '' 

 while the usual remuneration for such service as he afforded 

 nie was Mm' pence, and if "found" it was usually after long 

 search. J. B. accepted the expression of confidence that 

 ibis act of mine implied, and took me at. once under his 

 protection and care: hence it is that the little maiden afore- 

 said appears in the morning with my coffee, at noon, when 

 I return weary from the hunt, with a dish of eggs fried in 

 oil and "yam .■mvragt," and at dusk with the same, varied 

 with a plate of mountain cabbage, or salad from the little 

 wattle-enclosed garden on the hillside. The cabin of J. B. 

 is not far from mine, and my wants are early supplied when 

 the hour arrives for meals, even almost anticipated. But 

 there are many things connected with the attendance of my 

 little cook and waiter that in the light of my early education 

 in New England seem, to say the least, queer. For instance, 

 when the knives and forks require cleaning, their surplus 

 coating is removed by being brought in close contact with the 

 skirts of her garment. I say i/anneiil, and use the word in the 

 singular advisedly. The spoons also are cleaned in the same 

 way, and were it not that my eyes had beheld the process of 

 polishing, I. should not believe, as they nestled innocently to- 

 gether on the rough table, but that they had been subjected to 

 the treatment, customary in more civilized communities. 

 My tin camp cup, which has accompanied me in all my 

 camp life, is often the object of her attention, and at that 

 time it is doubtful to me whether she is washing the cup 

 with her lingers or rinsing her fingers in the cup. At any 

 rate, it shows a laudable desire to have my table furniture in 

 good order, and I do not murmur; but there is a cake of soap 

 and a towel that I keep concealed from her sharp eyes, 

 that, when not observed, I bring into frequent use on those 

 same object* of her devotion. One day I was incautious 

 enough to peer into the culinary department— a palm- 

 thatched structure, black and grimy with smoke, winch 

 escaped from the fire on the ground as best it could through 

 the roof. Only once; I did not wish again to view those 

 ancient pots and kettles, the refuse of preceding feasts, nor 

 to fight my way through the drove of hogs that trooped 

 about the open door. 



Occasionally the thought obtrudes itself, "they do not 

 have things like this in the States." This often makes me 

 sad, but I raise my eyes, perhaps, and look out over the 

 green slope, down upon the valley bursting with palms, 

 and beyond the hills to the peaceful sea smiling in sunshine: 

 and I exult in the thought that these enjoyments far out- 

 weigh the little annoyances that I have described. And I 

 take down the. thermometer and find that it records, if morn- 

 ing. 68-70 deg,, if noon, 7odeg.,if evening, 70 deg. again. 

 And I again reflect, "they can't show oil these in the States 

 —in Match." 



But to effectually escape the train of thought that these 

 observations might, give- rise to, I take my gun, ammunition, 

 game basket and note-book, and plunge intooneof the lateral 

 ravines that feed the huge gorge below. It is morning. 

 The breadfruit, mango and limes that thickly stud the slope 



above are glistening with dew, and the low shrubs that lino 

 the ravine, as well as the taller trees that darken its recesses, 

 are dropping copious showers of heavy drops. I am follow- 

 ing the dry bed of a stream that shows, by hugh rocks dis- 

 lodged and excavated banks, what must have been its size 

 and force in the rainy season. Ferns, lycopodiums and 

 matted and tangled roots conceol the earth and make every 

 footstep a doubtful one, and the loose stones and rocks, 

 with dark holes beneath and beside them, suggest most 

 forcibly the possibility of the presence of snakes. But I am 

 looking for birds (and snakes, also, if they come in ray way), 

 and do not give them the attention that once I thought I 

 should, when hearing tales of their abundance and venomous 

 character in these islands. As this is a search for birds, the 

 snakes Bhall be left for some future chapter. 



It is well known that each species of bird has its own 

 peculiar haunt, where it feeds, sings and sports itself. It 

 has, also, a different haunt for different portions of the day, 

 and the birds of the morning which we find in ihe ravine 

 mny "be in the evening feeding or singing on the borders of 

 open glades, or higher up tbe mountain sides. At mid-day 

 you will find all under cover of the densest shade, and silent. 

 It is in the morning that they may be found in localities 

 characteristic of them. The first bird that greets me on the 

 edge of the ravine is the humming bird, as he dashes here 

 and there, from flower to flower, scattering the dew drops in 

 tiny showers, and reflecting almost prismatic hues from 

 breast and back. There are three kinds here in this moun- 

 tain valley, the smallest of which has a lovely crest of 

 metallic green; the largest, with a length of five inches and 

 stretch of wing of seven and a half, has a gorgeous crimson 

 throat, purple velvet back and wings, and tail of metallic 

 green, reflecting most delightful hues. The prevailing hue 

 of the other species is green, with a throat sometimes groen, 

 sometimes blue, varying, I think, with sex and age. The 

 names of species of these birds, as well as of all others that 

 come within my reach, will be determined by our learned 

 friend. G. N. Lawrence, of New York, who has named so 

 many birds, written so many books, and whose fund of 

 ornithological lore is inexhaustible. 



I leave the humming birds for my little chasseurs, who 

 catch me all I want with bird lime. Of them more anon; 

 let us plunge into the ravine. A movement in the branches 

 of a tall, slender tree claims attention. I look up: see noth- 

 ing. The broad, glossy leaves vibrate again, and I discern 

 above the lower branches a bird the size and shape of our 

 brown thrush; he has a long, stout beak, a yellow eye and a 

 glossy brown coat. He hops from twig to twig, feeding upon 

 the coffee-like berries of this strange tree, silent, engaged 

 in the gleaning of his morning meal. But, however intent 

 upon securing those white berries, the husks of which he 

 drops almost upon my head, he does not forget to stop 

 every few seconds and shake his wings and jerk his tail in a 

 most comical manner. A hop, a quiver of wings and tail; 

 a skip, with accompanying shaking all over: a jump, with a 

 convulsive shake, quivering and spasmodic twitching of head, 

 wings and tail. His movements are as interesting to watch 

 as those of our American blue jay, whioh latter bird I used 

 to think the handsomest, most interesting and liveliest of 

 birds; that was when I was a youngster and first handled a 

 gun. As 1 watch this interesting bird I am conscious of the 

 presence of another, and of several others also, which, when 

 they meet, go through the most laughable of series of bows, 

 quivering of wings and caudatory vibrations. Well has this 

 bird earned the title (universal, I believe, throughout the 

 West Indies) of " Tremblevr." 



And now, the trembleurs having been attended to, I push 

 on till I reach the brink of a precipice. A little stream that 

 falls musically over the rocks and stones suddenly loses it- 

 self over the brow of this wall of green on the summit of 

 which I stand. Cautiously clinging to the trunk of a tree, 

 I look down into the valley. The sight nearly makes me 

 dizzy, for there, 500 feet beneath me, I see tall trees as little 

 shrubs, bananas and plantains as small plants, and huge 

 boulders as pebbles. The roots I am standing on overhang 

 theprecipice, and the tree shoots out far overthe dizzy hoight. 

 Above the sighing of the wind in the tree tops, and the music 

 of the birds, and the creaking of branches, is a roaring of 

 water falling from immense height — a roar that drowns 

 every other noise and deafens the ear to every other sensa- 

 tion. Wending my way along the brink, clinging to roots 

 and trees, I soon reach a point where I can see, half way 

 down the perpendicular clifi, a sheet of foam; a hundred 

 yards further another, falling from a lesser height, yet 

 neither less than one hundred and fifty feet the. higher 

 over two hundred. They are lost in a sea of green, reap- 

 pearing further on as a united stream, which 'rushes and 

 roars over rocks, through gorges and at the base 'Of moun- 

 tains, through gardens of tigs and plantains, beneath tower- 

 ing, feathery palms, through green fields of cane, at last to 

 reach the sea. 



It is while carefully balancing myself on my shaking sup- 

 port of matted roots that a sound comes to my ear through 

 the roar of a waterfall— a sound strangely sweet, solemn 

 and impressive; a mellow, organ-like note, clearer than any 

 flute tone, more thrilling than the solemn chant of sacred 

 song in groined cathedral. It was repeated. I stood en- 

 tranced, listening to melody that had never fallen on my 

 ears bfcforo ! The cause I could not at first ascertain, for the 

 notes seemed ventriloquial; and indeed they were so, for I 

 searched high and low, the leafy branches above my head, 

 the densely clustered ferns at my feet, and the shrubs at 

 my back, for many minutes before I found the source of this 

 mysterior. , music. Balancing airily on a le.nco-likc bamboo, 

 that shot out twenty feet beyond the brink of the cliff, poised 

 in mid-air, with half a thousand feet of space between him 

 and solid earth, was a daintily-shaped bird, clad, save a dash 

 of rouge beneath his throat,' and of white here and there, in 

 sober drab. Unconscious of surrounding things, animate 



