48 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. IB, lo-SB* 



"Well, let's have ji shot at them ducks we left in the, 

 cove." 



Everything is put iu readiness in the skill and away ho 

 paddles, with small paddles something like a mush-stick or 

 bread-mixer. Two of these are used, one in each hand, 

 while the gunueris flat on bis stomach, Soon he has reached 

 his starting point on the shore aud has things all ready. The 

 ranks of ducks are drawing closer lo him; fifty yard's, that's 

 near enough. A small pinch of powder on the skiff's gun- 

 wale is ignited by a match: this causes the ducks to raise 

 their heads. Away goes the bis' gun. Down comes Mr. 

 Big Gun's friend from the sloop, and helps pick up the dead 

 ducks. The cripples gel away to die alone; the marsh 

 edges. No difference to B. G., he has killed sixty. This 

 is the modus operandi of most of the big gunners. 



I remember upon one occasion that in a cove between the 

 Sutton farm aud Eliot's, at the mouth of the Bush River, 

 redheads had traded and bedded for nearly a week without, 

 being shot at. One morning Mr. B. G. spied the bonanza. 

 He had his shot. Jn the morning there were about ten 

 ducks alive in the cove, where, the afternoon previous, 

 there had been two or thiee tnousand. 



Now I would propose a meeting, to fie held at either 

 Baltimore or Philadelphia, of the club men and those who 

 pay an annual rental of from $100 to $'3.00(1 for the privi- 

 lege of using these shores. 1 think an act can be framed 

 and presented before the session is over that will do away 

 with big-guns. Now is the time to act. Spring is upon us, 

 and theVoves will be tilled with ducks that, are in many 

 cases mated. Let us see if we cannot prevent the deprecia- 

 tion of the sport thai we have tO pay such sums for. 



The box-boatmeu at Havre de Grace will join in giving a 

 helping hand, as they are opposed to the big-guns, bur from 

 a fellow feeling never complain. The special policeman is 

 satisfied with his salary, and in consequence no complaints 

 I'nan any source ensue". 



1 would like to hear from all the (dubs, from the Sardine 

 on Swan (.'reek to the Salmon on Gunpowder Diver. 



Red Bask, X. J. Ten Bom;. 



It should not be supposed the illegal use of swivel guns 

 and the slaughter of fowl in the Spesutia Island section has 

 been carried on of late years only. For twenty live years it 

 has been known that a big-gun or two was owned and regu- 

 larly used at, night when the weather would permit near ap- 

 proach to the fowl Of late, however, the number ot these 

 murderous implements has been increased, and the owners 

 becoming more bold in the use of them, it was determined 

 to make a vigorous effort to put a stop 'o the operations 

 which were known to be in open violation of the law. We 

 are in hopes now- that the fowl can resort to their feeding 

 giounds. at night at least, undisturbed, that a visible in- 

 crease of their numbers will be noticed: for during the past 

 five years it has been evident that the docks were greatly de- 

 creasing, and those that frequented, the Havre de Grace 

 waters were yearly becoming much more shy, doubtless on 

 account of their continual harassing by the swivel gun-. 



The owners of ducking shores living iu our city are jubi- 

 lant over the success of the late raid against the pot-hunters, 

 and one gentleman made the remark to me yesterday that he 

 would be glad to see box-shooting either prohibited or 

 limited lo one day in the week instead of three as at present. 

 Homo. 



THE AIR-SPACE. 



Editor Forest fmd Stream: 



•'Bullseyc's" communication in your issue of the 4th of 

 January h ivm? elicited several notes on the subject month med 

 by him, permit me to say, though from the distance from 

 wtiicb I write I am neeessurify r dber late in the day, that 

 to me th -re does not seem to lie the slightest probability of 

 the accident mentioned by him having been occasioned by 

 an air-space, but that it was caused by the use of the blank 

 cartridge. The ordinary Snider (government pattern) blank 

 is not calculated to stand' much ot rain, having a comparatively 

 roughly made brown paper ease, which is sufficiently strong 

 foi I ne' purpose required, to seal the chamber of the' rifle on 

 the explosion ot two and a half drams of more or less 

 damaged and weak powder. On a bullet, however, being 

 placed in front of the cartridge, air-space ot no, its resistance 

 would enormously increase the strain of the powder gas on 

 the cartridge, and the gas rushing past the metal cartridge 

 head, after bursting through the front paper portion, would 

 no doubt in some cases 6e -ntneiently powerful to blow 

 open the breech, especially in the older pattern Sniders, and 

 cause the, damage mentioned by "Bulls-eye." 



I will now mention that 1 have seen a government pattern 

 military Martini-Henry rifle tired several times with a large 

 air-space, without apparently damaging it in the least. The 

 ritle, however, was not loaded with a bullet, but had been 

 accidentally plugged up about a foot from the breech With a 

 piece of rag with which it was being wiped out, and which 

 could not be dislodged. To save a visit, to the armorer, _ the 

 owner, a volunteer, took the bullet out of a ball cartridge 

 and spilling all the powder but half a dram or so, fired it 

 off. with no result, and hardly any sound followed but the 

 hissing of escaping gas from the breech, and when that was 

 Opened the empty shell Hew out like a champagne cork. 

 The experiment was tried three or four limes with larger 

 powder charges, v. ith the same result. Almost a full charge 

 was tired the last time, bui ihe tag remained. Of course the 

 gas of the bigger charge, took longer to escape, It WHS, no 

 doubt, tin extremely foolish thing to do, and if tried with any- 

 thing less substantial than asmall bore witli a thick barrel and 

 substantial breech action, might have led to sad results. I 

 mention this as an actual case of air-space of an exaggerated 

 character. Bbhct&l Sbfot, 



m.AKc.ow, Scotland. Jan. 38. 



IT WAS LOADED. 



Editor Forest cud Slrcu,, : 



Let me here, for the benefit of the readers of your most 

 interesting paper, caution those of them who, like myself, 

 have been in the habit of carelessly handling loaded shells. 

 To recite a, ease, Mr; F. H., of this city, loaned to his friends, 

 Nov. 20, his new- Parker gun. On their return from a short 

 hunting trip, one of the party remarked that one of the shells 

 missed lire. 3Ir. H. said he never knew of his gun missing 

 lire and asked to see the shell; it was handed to him and he 

 said "Oh, ves. f see the cap is no good." lie then placed 

 i he shell (a brass one, loaded with 4 drams of powder and 

 1 oz. No. 1 shot) iu the extractor aud pressed down cm the 

 lever, immediately there was a loud report, the conclusion 

 extinguishing the lamplight, aud Mr. II. exclaimed. 'I am 

 shot, boys!" and fainted. 



I was hastily summoned, and found that one finger of the 



left hand was shot entirely away, leaving nothing but the 

 bare bone protruding. Another linger aud the thumb were 

 each badly ripped open, the left cheek cut through from the 

 mouth to 'the left eyebrow, and the left eve cut open for 

 about one-third its length. 



I amputated one finger and dressed (he remaining wounds, 

 and subsequently the eyeball itself was removed. 



The young man is yet iu a precarious condition, but I 

 think that with judicious treatment Ihe other eye can be 

 saved. The shell itself liew in three pieces, the shot being 

 slightly imbedded in the door. 



I am coustraiued luscnd you these facts partly because 

 the accident is somewhat unique, and also as a warning to 

 other indiscreet sportsmen who may be tempted to extract 

 caps from loaded shells, a thing I myself have often done. 

 It iiiaj be scarcely necessary to add that, 1 have performed 

 that exploit for the last time. J. L. Williamson, M. D. 

 Milwaukee, Wis. 



MYSTERIOUS MONSTERS. 



AN East Dougia>. Mass. , correspondent, writing under 

 date of Feb. 1, says: ['Our town and those, about it, 

 are much excited by the presence of a strange animal. His 

 cries arc heard quite often during the night, aud Iris tracks 

 found about the outbuildings of our farmers. About a week 

 ago he was seen by two men. who were within a, few led of 

 him. They give this description: Head large and shaped 

 like;, oaf S; -witli short, erect cars. Body heavy at, tile 

 shoulder*, tapering to the flanks, with a long tail; hair red- 

 dish brown above, below of a lighter shade; height about 

 twenty-eight or thirty inches at shoulder: length five or six 

 feet not including tail; tracks four and one-half inches by 

 six. He ha- been -. en b] several dilferent persons, and all 

 agree very nearly- on the points given. What is it? lam 



inclined to say a oanilier. but 13 I know but little about 



them, would like your opinion. His trail has been followed 

 by Mime of the local hunter-, but no one has succeeded in 

 getting a shot at him as yet. He seems to have a wide 

 range, and to turn but little while traveling. ' 



The description is l hat of a panther (mis cuttcoloK). In 

 this connection we republish from the Atlanta (Ga.) Co nut i- 

 Mi<m the following account of a visit by "Uncle Remus" at 

 lheofbV<- of ihai papt r: 



"You all gentermens neeVter as me how 1 is, 1 ' Said Uncle 



Renins as he came ill yesterday— "you nec'n'tcrax me. kase 

 I'm po I\ en mighty p'n'h at d'at." " Uncle Kemus's manner 

 of anticipating the usual' cordial inquiries after his health 

 attracted attention, but no one said anything. Every mem 

 bet of the editorial staff appeared to be deeply absorbed iu 

 his work. Uncle Bemus waited a moment aud then ad- 

 vanced to the grate and proceeded to warm his hands. 



"Look lak de mo' 1 try ter git 'long de wuss off I is,'* the 

 old man continued after a while. "I bin livin' out dar at 

 VVcs' Ecu' year 'to' las en las' year, en 1 sot in fer to live out 

 dar dis year, but cf dey ain't "a mighty big change in de 

 moon, er somer's else, 1 be bless ef 1" kin stay dar twel Feb- 

 berwerry. You lake'n give a man de speunce w'at 1 got, 

 en 1 botiu' he'll up'n say dat niggers ain't got no chance in 

 dese Nuuinety State-,' 1 



"Who has been troubling you now?" someone asked. 



•"Taint no w'ite folks," Uncle Bemus replied. "I'll say 

 dat, 'Taint no w'ite folks. Dey got thr bizness fer ter look 

 alter same az I es. Let 'lone dat w'ite folks aim got much 

 mo' chance dan de nigger, en niggers aint got none. Dat do 

 way decuse Stan's des cz sho is youer settin' dar." 



Here there was a pause, so Uiicle Remus searched around 

 in his pocket for a chew of tobacco. 



Pres -mly he went on: 



"Fusyer come de MeComic en set over agin de mornin' 

 star den de elemments tuck' en turn dey self loose, en den de 

 cole 'v. sliler cropeup on me, en now, bless gracious, yer come 

 'Ions -folks en say de woodg'is full of deze yer by-enuss 

 erect ii is er some y nil her kinder varment w'at I aint kotch de 

 name lira. Whar Mars Ivins Howell?" 



The old man was told that he was in the editorial dressing 

 room, just across the hall. Uncle Remus sighed, but did not 

 enter the boudoir. 



"Dey tells me," he continued, "dat dat ar varment get out 

 dar in Mars Iv it is'-, backyard en chawed up a beef leg des 

 like folks chaws up er sody cracker, en den he tuck en fan out 

 ihil ai U--.-I bin lnglish musty, des same ez ef she'd bin one 

 er deze t timer "dogs'. Now Qen, of Mars ivins '11 des up and 

 (ell me out n his ownmoufdat dat ar creelure is servigous 

 'null fer ter han'le dat ar big masty dog, den I'm gwine back 

 home en fling my doin's ina dray en leak out fum dar. kaze 

 Wes' Keen' aint 'no place for ole cripple nigger like me." 



•Hit done got ter dat pass whar suuipiu' n'er got ter he 

 done, en dar mighty quick. Miss Sally, she speck hit's des 

 one el' clem ar Klu kliickcrs. but Miss Sally seeh er cttse 

 w'ite 'oman dat dey aiu't no telliti' we'en she's ruiiuiu' a rig 

 on you. enmo'n dat. wat de name er goodness makede Klu- 

 K bickers run 'round on he all-fonts en paw up de groun' in 

 Mars Ivius's backyard V Dat w'at 1 wanter know." 



"Why don't you take a gun and go out and kill it '.'" some 

 one asked. 



"Who? Me?" exclaimed Uncle Remus iu a tune of 

 mingled derision and astonishment. "Bless yo' soul, chile, 

 ef dttt creetur 'II des lemme 'lone much ez 1 do hit. dey 

 wont be no kinder 'spate twixt us. Too much room in 

 de:e Nuniuety States fer ole Remus ter ter be elbowln' up 

 'gin dat ( reetiir. 



"Sis Tempv sav she seed it. Sis Femiby say she seed it, 

 en Sis Minty'sav'she seed it; en den yer come Brer Baslus 

 ■n -i.e. be seed it, en Brer Flaro say he seed it. En fum de 

 lime dat Sis Tempy seed it twel de time dat Brer Plato seed 

 it, hit don, u-rowd'lev'm fool. Dat wa'at make I so skeerd, 

 Dey all does mighty funny." continued Uncle Remus, shift- 

 ing 7 his weight, from one leg to the other. "Dey meets it in 

 de bushes en dey looks at it, en den dey goes off en tells 

 folks bout it. 1 bourn' you ef I meets dat creetur. I'll wake 

 up de neighbors. Ill d'es take en fetch a squall datll make 

 de chickens crow in Chattynoogy. 



"Sis Tempy low dttt it look so thin in de dank en so keen 

 iu de quarters dat she speck hit's a sperret, Oh, you kin 

 laugh," exclaimed Uncle Remus, as one of the staff hastened 

 to hide his face behind the Springfield Rtpoljliom, "you kin 

 laugh, bui ef dev's any laughiu' 'in dis kinder bizness, I'd er 

 donefoun' it OUt enduritf er de seventy vear w'at 1 bin 

 a-scurain' long in dc/e low groun's. Sis Tempy. she 'low 

 dat she speck it's a sperritf en Brer Rastus, he 'low tint it 

 mount he a witch You go out i. r AVes' Ken', en you kin 

 sew de entrenches \i» whar folks got kilt. Desessho'z youer 

 settin' dar dey's trnare gwines on und de canopies atter folks 

 is done soiie'ie,- bed." 



"What do you propose lo do if it is a witch . the statists 

 eal editor asked. 

 "I done druv a hoss-shoe in de bedpos . en I burns -alt in 



defter, en sezmy pr$\rs out loud eye'y night er de woiT," 



replied Uncle Remus, •seriously-, "but "seem Ink do creetur 

 ain't a keerin': en now I'm awiueter change mv prograno 

 I'm gwine in dat place dar. en I'm "Winter ax Mars Ivins 

 Howeh 'bout if, an if dat crc-erur's bin a cuttiu' up iu his 

 back yard, den I'm gwiueter go home an load up m\ ole 

 muskit plum to deniouf.cn elides year a stick crack, 

 i'm a gwineter open de do' eu shet niv eves en lam ttioose, 

 en I lay if dat creetur is made oi'ifn' flesh en blood, I'll 

 make imsnpwllp. D( s put dat iu de paper, kaze ef any 

 nigger gels hurled oloSe by my house. I wants li-i' act de law 

 en de aVertisin' on my side 



Whereupon, Uncle Remus marched triuinplnintly info 

 the editorial bo udoir, 



GUINEA FOWL AS A GAME BIRD. 

 flttStor Famt and, Stream: 



Last summer, while working iu my boat "mill," I noticed 

 half a dozen voting guinea fowl on piece of salt meadow. 

 The tide was' rising, and after a time eurrouudetl the small 

 hummock upon which Ihe birds wt re b ediuj. 



I wondered what the little chaps^ould ihVwhen tin- v.,ier 

 reached them, in foot, was thinking of going - - • 

 rescue in a boat, whim, without the slightest hesitation and 

 very much to my astonishment, they one by out; plunged 

 into the water Bad swam ashore. 



This suggests the question, Why not turn some of these 

 birds loose at sea and use them its a substitute for wild 

 ducks after we have succeeded in exterminating the latter? 



Sometimes, when out with my setter, I have known i ii - 



fowl to "lie" and the dog lo ■■.stand." but never once when 

 the bird was not sitting ou a nest full of egg* 



(in such occasion- the bird when poked out will fly — 1 

 think lo lead man and dog away from her eggs; but at other 

 limits the fowl usually prefers to run. rather than lake lo 

 flight, when pursued.' 



An objection to turning guinea I'owlhito the woods in 

 this climate Occurs to me." They would all starve to death 

 on the first heavy snowfall. Thomas t't.wtiAM, 



Koslin, L. I„ Feb, 13. 



DEER AND SMALL SHOT. 



YOUR correspondent, "Wells." may doubt that deer are 

 overkilled with small Shot at ordinary range! never- 

 theless it, has been done many linn-. Shooting ruffed 

 grouse in close thicket 1 -tailed three deer. On ihe im 

 pulse of th« moment 1 gave the nearest DUe a chsigi >l \ i, 

 6 shot in the ribs. 1 considered I had mad., a cruel and Use- 

 less shot ami so did not repeat the dose. You can believe I 

 , i - surprised lo find the animal dead iu her ttuek- d -hnri 

 time afterwards. Every shot thai missed the tibs bad peue 



trated the lung. Actual distance, as Stepped of)', twenty 



two paces, 



On Cold Creek Prairie, near Sandusky City, in company 

 with a friend, snipe shooting in October, 1 saw him bring 'a 

 deer down dead, with hardly a kick, with No. 9 shot, "it 

 was many years ago, but as I Temember, the distance was not 

 far from f ' 



On another occasion While quail shooting a doctor in 

 company killed a deer with No. (i shot at twenty .-: 

 OB careful dissection it was found Ihal n single shol ' a i l«! 

 cause frf death. This one opened the large vein ( lam nam 

 dmmndeni) of the abdomen, that lies directly umlet the back 

 bone. Dn. E. Btekwho. 



I.I CCELA^D, OlliO^ 



Quebec Fish AKD G-VMB Pr.ot.ectk>:-; Cite.. — Following 

 are the proceedings of a meeting held at the QuebeeEx- 

 changc on the 5th of February, 1883, Tor tfce purpose of 

 taking nn asures lo prevent the illegal slaughter of moose 

 and caribou, dulling the close season. Present Messrs. 

 Rhodes, Peicy Dean, G.Thompson, W. J. Ray, J. Hamil- 

 ton f. A. Pcntlaud, A. Walters. .1. 1), Gilmour. W. M. 

 Maepherson, Dr. Montizambert, 11. S. Smith. F ('. Wurlcle. 

 II. Austin, W. I), Oampbefl, Comeau, Captain Pi-tei-. A, V 

 Hunt. J. S. Budden, D. C. Thomson, Void and others. 

 Colonel Rhodes was called to the chair and Mr. W. D. 

 Campbell requested to act as secretary. The secretary read 

 the advertisement calling the meeting, and the president 

 then addressed the meeting, explaining the circumstances 

 under which Baron Le Grange obtained a license to kill 

 moose for scientific purposes. Mr, Penthind pointed QUI 

 the great, evils which would result from the example of per- 

 sons'killinir game under license during the close Si 

 was resolved" that a petition be prepared and signed by all 



present at this meeting and others, Spying I I Eht 



objections to the granting of such licenses •and the neces- 

 sity of staidly enforcing the game laws, aid Messr,-. 

 Pcntlaud and 'Campbell were requested tO prepare such 



club 



in- name 



n Club, for the pur- 



t . i ,ud fish in 



mifter of UlJi mi >s 



interview with tin 



Land*. 



petition. Resolved, That a i 



of l lie Quebec Fish and Game Protei 

 pose of preventing the iDegal killing 

 llie close season. Heioked, That a con; 

 imt should at once proceed to hold an 

 Hon, Mr. Lynch, Commissioner of Crov 



that, the license granted to Baron Le Grange lo sn, 



be withdrawn, seeing the ill elfccfs such an cxampln will 

 produce in the district, where such license may lie exercised. 

 Tlrat such committee consist of the chairman. Messrs, If. S 

 Smith, A. F. Hunt, C. A. Peutland. Dr. Montizambert, 

 D. C. Thomson, P. Dean. J S. Budden. G. Thomson, W, 

 D. Campbell, Captain Peter.-, F, (.', W tirti.de, ,T. D. Gilmour, 

 J. Hamilton, and others. The committee immediately pro- 

 ceeded to the House ot Assembly aud reque-led an interview 

 with the Hon. Mr. Lynch, which was granted; and after 

 hearing the members of the committee he assured them that 



he would do all iu his power nforce lie- game law- Bud 



to limit, Ihe exercise of Baron Le Grange s license to the 

 object for which it was granted,— W. D, CAXf>?B! 

 bee. -"ith Februan I 



Piiloukkefste Game Men in TKooni.t.— Through Ihe 

 exertions of some of the local sportsmen, a move has been 

 made to break up the illegal traffic in game .■arrieil on in 

 that city. Game Protector Brayton, of Albany, h ll 



for, and on Fell. :( he lodged complaints with District At- 

 torney Ha ekett against Smith Bros . G A Maas,and William 

 Kaess for having'in their possession, contrary to law. i.ei 

 tain game after the first day of Fein nary. In the Cases of 

 Smith Bros, and Wm, Kae.-s the game is quail, and in Mr. 

 Mass's case rabbits, All three of the persons named have 

 been indicted bj the Grand Jury. By tin \\ 

 Boned Mr. Bnmon s name, can that gentleman explain how 

 it was that on the, tith of February venison was dis] 

 the Dclnvnn House, in Albany' and served at th« I 



